Wushu Stretchkick Stretch (standing)

Standing Wushu Stretchkick Stretch

In this lesson you will learn how to do a standing wushu stretchkick stretch. This exercise is a good preparation for the wushu stretchkicks and should be part of your warm-up routine whenever you are working on your basic wushu kicks. The stretchkick stretch emphasizes on knee, hamstring and calf flexibility. Your goal is to bring your toes to your forehead or to the your chin. Click here, to learn more about wushu. Find more stretching advice and exercises at stretching main.

Execution

  • Stand approximately 1 meter from a ladder wall or a chest high plateau and close your legs. Your feet are closed & parallel and your toes point straight forward towards the wall. Stand upright and hollow your back slightly. Then lift one leg and put your heel on the wall / or / ladder wall. Don't twist the foot of the standing leg. Your toes still point straight forward and your hip is parallel to the wall.
  • Grasp the ball of the foot of the leg you are stretching with both hands. Fully extend both knees and keep your hips as low as possible. Don't elevate one side of your hips. If you would draw a line from the left side to the right side of your hips, this line would be parallel to the floor and parallel to the wall. Don't twist your legs or your upper body. Pull the tip of the foot of the stretched leg down and try to look at sole of your shoe. But don't round your back. Actually try to push your head up as high as possible.
  • To increase the intensity of this stretch, push your hips slightly towards the wall. If the foot of the stretched leg is much higher than your head, you are trying to stretch too high, round your back or elevate one side of your hips.

Advice

  • Always do the wushu stretchkick stretch with shoes.
  • Bringing the head to the shin is not right. You should aim for the toes or even try to see the sole of the foot. If you bring your head to your knee, you automatically elevate your hip and round your back. Try to keep your spine in a straight line with your standing leg.
  • Click here, if you think your legs are too long for the wushu stretchkicks.
  • You can apply this stretch dynamically, isometrically, and statically. For example, move back and forth to make this exercise dynamic and don't move at all to make it static. Learn more about the types of stretching: