Flexibility Training for Martial Arts

I recently began training in jiu-jitsu and I realize that the two things I need to dramatically improve are my endurance and flexibility. Increasing endurance isn't much of a problem, but flexibility is something else. No matter how much I stretch I can only attain temporary increases in flexibility and by the next day, I'm right back to where I started, and man that's stiff. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The interesting thing about when people say they do stretches and this is what happens – which is inferred as a training response to all stretching. It is like some geek going into the gym and doing a few non-fatiguing reps and walking out – to conclude that weight training doesn’t work – read ALL weight training.

Let’s get real.  You did some stretching and it didn’t work.  But without specifying which methods you used I couldn’t comment.  I am sure there is a method of stretching that will give you a result.

Having said that, let’s consider some further issues.  If you are not improving in flexibility it may be because:

1. You are not applying appropriate progression in intensity

Many seem to posses this mentality that smart progression in training does not apply to stretching.  Trash!  If you keep applying the same stimulus, you simply will not force an adaptation.

2. You are not allowing recovery

Again, many fail to apply the principles of training to stretching. If you are tighter or as tight the next time you go to stretch, one possibility is you haven’t recovered from the previous workout.  Generally speaking, I don’t like to see the same intensity applied to the same muscle groups in two consecutive training days.  E.g. If you need to stretch your legs heavily on Monday, and you need to stretch them again the next day, either stretch less intensely or use different exercises.

3. Your training load is negating flexibility improvements

Yet again – a total disregard for the issue of interference in adaptation from concurrent training.  Now I might be sounding like I am trying to impress my colleagues rather than addressing and educating the lay person, so I am going to dumb this down.  There is some training that when done at the same time as other training may negatively affect the results of one if not both types of training.  For example, going on a serious endurance program of running whilst at the same time performing strength training sessions to maximize total bodyweight and muscle size – it’s impossible!  You will not optimize the strength training results whilst performing concurrent training with the total opposite training outcome – i.e. catabolism from running, anabolism from lifting!  One step forward, one step backwards. Now the body of knowledge in interference is more art than science, so this area is rather ‘young’.  Based on my observations and experiences, if you want to optimize your adaptation in stretching, this will only occur in what I call a stretching priority phase – where stretching is the dominant activity, and any other activity that may be counterproductive is minimized.  So to truly exploit improvement in flexibility, you would do very little training OF ANY SORT! 

So in conclusion, I encourage you to conclude that the way you were stretching wasn’t working – not that stretching doesn’t work.  As with anything in life – if it’s not working – do it differently!  I trust I have given you some insights as to how to do it differently.  Let me know how it goes!

© Ian King and King Sports International, Inc. This article is not to be reproduced in part of whole in any format without written permission of the author.

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