Stretching - MMA

[Godders]

How important do you think stretching is?

I recently read a report saying that stretching before doing weights, running etc only stopped 2% of injuries.

Yet I know Royce Gracie stretches for 10 mins everyday.

Im pretty flexable i think for someone whos a ickle stocky. But there is just someways i cant go.

What you guys think. How often do you stretch and what do you focus on?

[Hywel Teague]

ickle stocky?

nice way of putting it godders! i saw your photo mate!

stretching does definitely aid your game, and it does prevent injuries.

its advisable to do a little bit of stretching before each session, but just concentrate on the bits that you know get used the most- no point going into box splits if you're going to be holding guard, taking side control whatever.

make sure your back, groin, hamstrings, calves, shoulders and pecs are loosened and then anything else you think may be a bit stiff (oo-er)

i wish i stretched more tho, i used to be a lot better than i am now

[Maccavelli]

Flexibility is the shit especially for mma.
your flexibility assesses your quality of movement and determines how welll you can preform motor skills.

It is also the foundation of the rest of your training it determines how strong fast and powerful you can be.

Godders look at Willy at Scotts club the dude is insanely flexible and as a result is impossible to submit (especially since he developed some weird immunity to triangles)

the theres the whole injury prevention thing, which is actually a fact

So ireckon its pretty important

[Godders]

Cheers guys

Do you stretch everyday or just before you train?

And how would you put it then Doc

[Maccavelli]

I do a lot of yoga stuff cause my girlfriends into it! Theres a couple of good theorys on stretching like Kurz's, pAVELS and microstretching stuff proprioceptive neuromuscular facillatation.

Bsasically what ive been doing is 3 sets of 30seconds for each stretch, 60 second rest between each set. focussing mainly on my legs and back i only do about 2 or 3 upper body stretches.

the main thing is to concentrate on the breath, there no point doing it if ur breathing is wrong youll just tense up more. relax into it and enjoy the senstaion of the stretch. Breathing is more important than doing the technique right imo.

I do about 20-40mins stretching stuff most days, not including stretching before runs training or when im reading or watching TV.

Being turned into a pretzel by Godders also helps