Aikido Hurdler Stretch

Video Transcript

"So, secondary stretch, knee into the groin, or heel into the groin, leg extended. Again, try to turn your body. You're going to feel this deep in your lower back as well as a bit in your hamstring, a little bit in your calf. Go ahead and try to go cross body just so you can get the benefit of the stretch in that direction. You will also feel it in your back if you give it enough of a pull. But, reach out, pull forward, and relax and breathe down. One thing that will help is if you think about driving your heel into the floor, so you're using actual muscular dynamics to try and pull that heel into the floor, and as you let it go and relax, the constant tension and release, will permit you to get a lot further a lot faster. And again, always try to increase your flexibility by millimeters, it doesn't have to be inches, doesn't have to be feet, but even just a few millimeters every day or two will benefit in the long run, but it will help a great, great deal in aikido. Just keep it relaxed."