How to Stretch Before Karate Sessions

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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Stretching before a karate session increases your range of motion, rebounding, joint movement and ability to raise and hold your arms and legs better. Basically, stretching improves your karate performance as long as you follow the correct steps in your stretching technique.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Karate Stretch for the Shoulders

Step 1

Sit down on the floor.
Step 2

Place your hands about a foot behind you hips.
Step 3

Place your fingers pointing from your body with palms down and your legs stretched forward.
Step 4

Breathe out while sliding your buttocks forward. Slowly feel the stretch as you lean backward as comfortably as possible.

Karate Stretch for the Upper Back

Step 1

Get down on all fours.
Step 2

Stretch your arms forward while you slowly bring your chest to the floor.
Step 3

Breathe out while you stretch your shoulders, and slowly press your arms to the floor while arching your back.

Karate Stretch for the Hips and Gluteals

Step 1

Put your palms flat on the ground near your hips as your fingers point to your feet while you keep your legs straight while sitting on the floor.
Step 2

Bend your right knee and slowly place your right foot on the floor.
Step 3

Make sure the heel of your right foot touches your left knee. The right leg should not rise off the ground.
Step 4

Breathe in and stretch your left leg in back of you, making sure the upper part of your toes, instep, shin, kneecap and thigh of your left leg are resting on the ground.
Step 5

Breathe out and gently bear down your right hip to the ground.

Karate Stretch for the Lower Legs

Step 1

Get your body in a push up position.
Step 2

Move your hands toward your feet as your hips rise to form a triangle.
Step 3

Reach the highest point of the triangle, so you can bear you heels down to the floor or slowly alternate bending a knee while keeping the opposite leg straight.