Stretching for intermediate practitioners

After seeing the basic exercises for stretching the whole body and the correct modalities of execution, let’s go to the next step with our tendons transformation path: the intermediate level exercises for flexibility.

In this discussion we talk about lower limbs dynamic elongation, it is however fundamental to repeat that it is dangerous and incorrect to proceed in reading without having followed the right path:

The fundamental difference between dynamic and static stretching is that while in the first case the positioning position is maintained, in the second one is reached through a movement. For more detailed information read:

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A dynamic stretching exercise for legs

Swings with legs:

From a standing position let’s open laterally our arms

Our arms must always be straight and parallel to the ground

Our hands are perpendicular to the ground, fingers are in upward direction and palms are facing externally

Our back and our neck must be perfectly straight during the entire execution

Let’s imagine our head hanging centrally to a thread

Our shoulders must be relaxed (let’s imagine they are going down)

Our legs must be straight (not rigid) for the entire execution

Without any backward loading movement, we have to launch our left foot upwards

Let’s start gradually, this is not a kick, we have to use a small amount of muscular force

We have to leave the leg the possibility to take advantage of the momentum derived from inertia

Ideally we have to try to let the left knee touch the left shoulder (but this happen only at the highest levels of flexibility)

Reached the feeling of elongation (not pain), let’s leave the legs to return to the starting position

Especially at the beginning, we have to avoid straining ankles and knees, not bringing them to their limits

Let’s repeat symmetrically with the right side (always remaining straight and in perfect balance)

Let’s alternate the execution for a total of (at least) 26 repetitions

Mandatory variations of this exercise

This exercise can (must) be performed also:

Both walking both standing

Throwing the legs in the 8 directions

Doing various kinds of kicks (circular, etc.)

Positioning our hands as a target for the kicks (arms must still remain parallel / perpendicular to the ground and straight)

As a warm-up (taking care not to get immediately to the point of tension)

Important notes

A few tips and notations:

These exercises are useful to increment our kicking ability (read How to prepare legs to kick effectively)

By the way, these exercises are not sufficient to develop a strong and safe kick

We have to condition the muscles involved in the last part of the movement (the one who mostly stress our joints)

Let’s not forget to wear trousers that do not interfere with our openings (Yoga and Tai Chi ones are perfect)

This kind of exercises are widely used also in modern Chinese Wushu

We have not repeated the details of execution already specified in the guides linked at the start of this article

In future we will see more complex versions of this practice (advanced level)

If you do not understand something feel free to ask in the comments

In the next articles of this series, we will see a lot of other stretching exercises.

In-depth articles

The use of legs in a real fight – Everything we need to know before using kicks in a self-defense situation

Author: Master Kongling Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu. Twitter Facebook

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