Stretch Tips

When stretching be careful not to over stretch any of your muscle groups and as always if you feel pain during your stretch discontinue it immediately and consider seeking professional attention.

Remember stretching is a key aspect to maintaining a healthy body and should become a part of your regular workout routine.

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Lower Back Stretch

To stretch the lower back extend one leg cross the other leg over it turn away and place the elbow into the other leg. Its not uncommon to feel a popping of the vertebrae when doing this stretch.

Groin Stretch

To stretch the groin simply place the feet together pull in toward yourself grab onto your ankles and apply force with your elbows down on your legs. If your doing this stretch correctly you'll feel a pulling on your upper inner thigh.

Leg Stretch- Quadraceps

Now we are going to stretch the quads while balancing on one leg grab the ankle of the opposite leg or if you need to find something stationary to hold on to pull the ankle in towards the buttock. If done correctly the front of your legs will feel looser.

Leg Stretch- Hamstrings

To stretch the hamstrings bring the feet together keeping the legs straight without locking the knees and reach for the toes. If your unable to touch your toes reach as far forward as you can so that you can feel the pulling sensation in the back of your thighs.

Leg Stretch, Calve Muscle

Now we are going to stretch the calve muscles, find something stable to push on to. With one foot forward stretching your back leg apply pressure to the ball of your foot. You're going to really want to push on the front of your foot. So that you can feel the stretch on your calf which is highlighted on the chart. If you did the stretch successfully the calf muscle should feel less tight then before.

When to Stretch your Lower Body

Stretching is an important aspect of your workout and should be done before and after you work out. However, if you only have time to do it once during your workout I recommend that you do it at the beginning to help prevent injury.

The main muscle groups in your lower body consist of the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, groin, lower back and Abs. These muscles are very important for any sport that involves running or jumping. Such as basketball or tennis.

Lower Body and Leg Stretch

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Learn a thorough lower Body and leg stretch routine, including stretches for the calves, hamstrings, quadraceps, groin, and lower back muscles, to be done before any lower body work out or exercise.

Nine Tips for Proper Form in Kick Boxing:

1. Don't shrug your shoulders, keeps them down and relaxed.
2. Make sure your elbows are not too high. They should be tight against your rib cage.
3. Don't slouch. Keep your abs tight.
4. Never fully extend your joints. Always keep a slight bend in your elbows and your knees.
5. Don't drop your guard, keep your fists chin level.
6. Don't swing your head. Keep your head steady and gaze focused.
7. Don't throw out your punches, keep them controlled.
8. Don't keep your weight in your toes, keep it in your heels.
9. Don't kick with straight legs. Always kick with a bent knee.

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