Improve Your Martial Arts Prowess With Optimal Speed and Flexibility Exercises

Martial arts are a demanding form of art where body precision, mental alertness and razor-sharp reflexes are very important. If you are planning to take martial arts training then you must be aware of all the speed and flexibility trainings that practitioners undergo to properly execute the martial arts moves. With consistent speed training and flexibility exercises, a practitioner would be able to excel and achieve his or her optimal level.

Stretching for Flexibility

The main ingredient on how to improve flexibility in any physical activity is with the use of stretching exercises. Before every training, students undergo stretching techniques that can either be dynamic or static in nature. To further explain these types of stretching methodology found in most Mixed Martial Arts practices, here are some of the popular stretching methods:

Active stretching - active stretching is mostly similar to yoga exercises where one assumes a pose with only the strength of the muscles holding it for about an average of 10 seconds. The muscles will tense as it holds the pose which allows for stretching.

Passive stretching - This is also commonly known as static or relaxed form of stretching. Like active stretching, one assumes a pose but now with the assistance of a partner or other equipment. This type of stretching is ideal to relieve pain and tension on injured or overworked muscles and an effective exercise for cooling down after an intense physical training to help avoid soreness in the body.

Dynamic stretching - this type of flexibility exercises involve moving your body and limbs while steadily intensifying the speed and the range of each movement. A practitioner of martial arts would most probably execute this method with kicking, starting from a low kick and gradually increasing the height of the kick with every movement.

In general, flexibility in martial arts training is mostly performed slowly with long and deliberate stretching to prevent muscles and ligaments from being torn. This is the best way on how to improve flexibility and prevent any injuries.

Speed Exercises

Aside from flexibility, speed is equally important to improve alertness and body reflexes. Speed is also about timing and precision. It is important especially when you are engaged in a sparring. Common exercises to build speed and stamina include running to and fro across the floor while throwing kicks and punches on the process, running in place while bringing the knees up as high as you can, and executing sets of block-punch-kick martial arts moves. Along with movement speed techniques, you should also be working on visual reflexes to enhance your skill to track, recognize and distinguish your opponent's movements, so you can quickly devise and prepare a counter movement to block the opponent. Other speed training that martial arts practitioners undergo includes adaptation speed, initiation speed, movement speed and alteration speed.

The greatest weapon a student can have, aside from the traditional martial arts weapons, is the ability to be able to perform moves in a speedy and flexible manner where body precision and mental alertness are emphasized. With the various flexibility exercises and speed techniques, there is no doubt that you can get the best training.

Daniel Wajsman is an Electronics Engineer, Internet Marketer and a passionate Martial Art practitioner and fan.

If you are looking for a complete martial arts guide, full of information and tips, go to ebestmartialart.com Ebestmartialart.com.