Things You'll Need:
- Taekwondo dobok
- Enough space to stretch your legs straight out in all directions
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Step 1
Before you begin the stretching exercises, you need to warm up your leg muscles with some cardiovascular exercise. You can jump rope, jog in place, do jumping jacks or any other exercise you prefer for 5-15 minutes to warm up.
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Step 2
Get your nose as close to your knee as you can.For the first exercise, sit on the ground with your legs crossed. Extend one leg straight out and slowly reach for your foot with your face moving toward your knee, trying to touch your nose to it. Hold this position for at least 15 seconds (all poses should be held for at least 15 seconds to ensure a proper stretch) to stretch the groin and leg, then sit up and relax the leg for a few seconds. Repeat this stretch two more times, for a total of three times, then switch legs.
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Step 3
For the next stretch, extend both legs straight out in front of you with your feet together and slowly reach for your feet, again, trying to touch your nose to your knees. Hold this position for 15 seconds, then sit up and relax the legs for a few seconds. Repeat two more times.
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Step 4
Don't be concerned if your splits aren't very wide; they will improve with time.Now extend both legs straight out to your sides, as in the splits. You should feel a stretch but still be comfortable. Reach your hands straight out in front of you as far as you can, trying to touch your chest to the floor. Hold for 15 seconds, then sit up, relax and repeat twice.
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Step 5
While sitting on the floor, place your hands on the floor, with your fingers pointing away from you, about a foot behind you, and place your feet flat on the floor in front of you with your knees bent at about a 45 degree angle. Push up on your feet and hands to bring your torso parallel with the floor, using your back muscles to keep from sagging in the middle. Relax your head, letting it drop, and hold for 15 seconds, feeling the stretch in your shoulders. Lower yourself back to the floor, relax for a few seconds and repeat two more times.
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Step 6
Sitting with your legs extended in front of you again, bring your left foot across your body and place it on the floor on the outside of your right leg next to your knee. Keeping your back straight, your butt on the floor and your left hand on the ground next to you, twist to your left and hold for 15 seconds. Relax and repeat two more times, then switch sides.
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Step 7
Even young martial artists should stretch daily.Place the heel of one leg on a table top or partner's shoulder with toes pointed toward the ceiling. Bend your standing leg and keep toes pointed outward, as if throwing a round kick, and reach for the supported foot, trying to touch your nose to your knee. Hold the position for 15 seconds, feeling the stretch in the hamstring, then relax and repeat twice. Switch legs.
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Step 8
The last stretch is similar to the previous stretch, but you will pivot on your standing foot and stretch your groin and inner thigh. With the toes on your standing foot facing away from your partner or support, place the inside of your foot on their shoulder, or the table top, as if holding a side kick and stretch toward your extended foot. If you are working with a partner, you can have them push up on your leg or stand on their tip toes to increase the range of the stretch. Hold for 15 seconds, then relax and repeat. Stretch each side a total of three times.
