I struggle keeping my leg straight during a supine hamstring stretch, so I have been contemplating how I can stretch my hamstring without anybody helping me to push my leg down and keep my knee straight at the same time. I ended up making up this stretch. It may already exist, but I have never seen it or done it so, in my mind, I invented this stretch.
If you are considering trying this stretch, let me just say that I am not your doctor, physical therapist, or personal trainer. Stretch at your own risk!
The Wall-Assisted Ham Stretch:
I found a wall with an opening (like the entrance to a hallway). I laid flat on the floor with one leg pressed straight against the wall and my butt up against the wall. My other leg was straight in front of me going into the hallway. My legs, then, were making the letter L. To get the hamstring stretch I really had to focus on my legs being straight and my knee not rolling to the side. Therefore, my knee and toes were facing in the direction of my head, and not off to an angle.
I stayed in this position about 30 seconds just feeling the gentle stretch of my leg being straight. Then I pointed and flexed my foot. This was a whole new sensation. When my foot was flexed I could feel the stretch through my calf more. I would hold the flex for about 5 seconds, then hold the point for about 5 seconds. I did this a couple of times.
Next, I pushed up on my elbows, lifting my upper body toward the wall. This is where the stretch started to happen. Keeping my hips on the floor, my knee and toes pointing toward my head, and my back straight I lifted up toward my leg. Being on my elbows was stretch enough for my left leg. On my right side, I was able to push up on my hands lifting higher a bit more. Again, the stretch only worked if my leg was flat against the wall and pointing toward my head. Keeping my butt and hip on the floor and hinging from waist with a flat back was also key to getting a good stretch.
I did the same thing on both sides.
Enjoy!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Stretching Class
I did a stretching class this morning at the New Tampa YMCA. It was relaxing, but really boring. I've written this before, but I have to say again that I really hate to stretch.
The class was great, though. We started with about 10 minutes of neck stretches. I have stretched my neck before, but never so much. I have always known that the muscles in the low back are affected by other areas of the body, but I guess I never really realized how much stretching my neck would impact my aching lower back. We did several different neck stretches stretching every angle and getting into the shoulders too.
After neck stretches the instructor took us through upper back and chest stretches. This was hard for me because of my hyperflexibility. I did not "feel" any of the stretches we did for these areas.
Next were some cat cow stretches for back which, for me, help loosen up my sore back. Finally, we got into some hamstring stretches, and this was the reason I wanted to go to the class. I am super flexible all over except for my low back and my hamstrings. The stretches we did were basic stretches, but I really enjoyed having somebody talk me through them and hold me accountable for doing them. I'm concerned that I cannot straighten my leg all the way. My hamstring will not allow for my knee to lock out. I get told by grandmasters all the time that my square stance is bad because I bend my knee, but I can't help it. My hamstrings are just that tight!
I had to leave class early to go pick up my 5 year old from pre-school. I hope to make it to this class again.
If you can ever go to stretch class at the New Tampa YMCA, I highly recommend it. The instructor is sweet and the class is focused on stretching unlike yoga.
Now I just have to find a way to make myself stretch everyday on my own...it's sooooo boring!
The class was great, though. We started with about 10 minutes of neck stretches. I have stretched my neck before, but never so much. I have always known that the muscles in the low back are affected by other areas of the body, but I guess I never really realized how much stretching my neck would impact my aching lower back. We did several different neck stretches stretching every angle and getting into the shoulders too.
After neck stretches the instructor took us through upper back and chest stretches. This was hard for me because of my hyperflexibility. I did not "feel" any of the stretches we did for these areas.
Next were some cat cow stretches for back which, for me, help loosen up my sore back. Finally, we got into some hamstring stretches, and this was the reason I wanted to go to the class. I am super flexible all over except for my low back and my hamstrings. The stretches we did were basic stretches, but I really enjoyed having somebody talk me through them and hold me accountable for doing them. I'm concerned that I cannot straighten my leg all the way. My hamstring will not allow for my knee to lock out. I get told by grandmasters all the time that my square stance is bad because I bend my knee, but I can't help it. My hamstrings are just that tight!
I had to leave class early to go pick up my 5 year old from pre-school. I hope to make it to this class again.
If you can ever go to stretch class at the New Tampa YMCA, I highly recommend it. The instructor is sweet and the class is focused on stretching unlike yoga.
Now I just have to find a way to make myself stretch everyday on my own...it's sooooo boring!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Christian Martial-artist
I am both a Christian and a martial-artist, but I keep getting told by uniformed Christians that this is not possible. Judgemental or Christians that do not know enough about martial-arts tell me that studying martial-arts is a sin because of the origins and practices of martial-arts. Let me start off by saying that there are martial-arts that are deeply rooted in eastern religions, but I personally have never ever bowed to a bhudda or practiced emptying my mind during meditation in the 19 years that I have done martial-arts.
I have heard some people say that the bowing in martial-arts is a sin. Exodus 20:5 says not to bow down to idols or other gods. Bowing in the Taekwondo that I practice has nothing to do with revering somebody as a god. I do not bow as a form of submission. Bowing is a salute and a respectful greeting. I even think that it is more hygenic than a hand-shake. By bowing, I am saying that I recognize that person as a fellow or senior martial-artist. I would never consider a soldier saluting to a superior a form of ungodly submission, it is the same thing.
Christian's also get confused by the term master. They hear martial-artists use the term master and they confuse it with the title we give to God. I hate being called a master, but it is just a title of a teacher. A master in martial-arts for me is not somebody that I submit to. I am not worshipping them. They are not master over me, they are master over the martial-art that they study and teach. They have mastered certain skill sets, and when I refer to them as a master I am saying that I recognize that mastery. The master is not lord over me, there is only one true Lord!
I will admit that there is a risk of idol worship in martial-arts as with any thing (money, athletes, movie stars, etc). Spending too much time and energy on anything besides God is dangerous. God is jealous, and He only wants us to worship Him. By defining myself as a martial-artist I risk doing martial-arts for my own self-worth, and that is a sin. But giving thanks to God for allowing me to do something fun is a way for me to enjoy gifts from God. Taekwondo is fun and relaxing for me just like others enjoy jogging or golf. And just like any sport, it requires practice and hard work to excel. But working hard at sports does not make all athletes sinners, does it?
Certain Christians argue that Psalm 44:6 states that we should not rely on fighting, but we should instead rely on God to protect us. First, Taekwondo is a defensive art. We are taught (or should be taught) that we do not go out and attack people. What we learn is for self-defense. That is why our forms start with blocks instead of strikes or kicks. Second, even though I have been taught to defend myself, I still will rely on God for ultimate protection. I rely on God for everything, but that does not mean that I am going to sit at the dinner table and wait for my food to miraculously appear on my plate. Instead, I am going to prepare by going to the grocery store and cooking. Learning self-defense in preparation. It is a smart way to keep myself safe from all the crazy humans out there.
Some Christians attack martial-arts just because of its eastern origins. They argue that God does not want us doing things that have pagan origins and that we should not practice anything that comes from the east (Isaiah 2:6). This is true. You will not find a bhudda in my home, and I will not practice martial-arts in any school that has a bhudda or any form of eastern religion. But martial-arts is not an eastern religion. Sure, some bhuddists, hinduists, and other eastern religious people may practice martial-arts, but not all martial-artists practice these religions.
Some people think that the forms, patterns, poomse, or kata we practice are a method of worship. This may be true in some martial-arts, but none that I have practiced. The forms I do in Taekwondo are a way to practice movements and a method of exercise. They may have historical significance as a way to remember those who created the form or helped with the evolution of the martial-art, but practicing the form is not a way to worship those people. It is a way to remember them, just as history books and museums help us to remember ancestors or certain historically important people.
Because martial-arts comes from the east does not make it a pagan practice. Eating sushi with chopsticks is not a sin, and neither is fried rice. Though I would like to say I can't learn math for religious reasons, I do not believe anybody forbids the study of math just because it has muslim origins. Just because pagans have practiced it, does not make it always a pagan thing. December 25 was a pagan holiday, but the Christians took it over as the celebration of the birth of our savior, and Christmas is not a pagan holiday now.
I am not saying that all martial-artists are Christian. I can guarantee there are many that are not. But I guarantee that there are plenty of martial-artists who are Christians. I am one of them. I will use my martial-arts to glorify God anyway I can!
I have heard some people say that the bowing in martial-arts is a sin. Exodus 20:5 says not to bow down to idols or other gods. Bowing in the Taekwondo that I practice has nothing to do with revering somebody as a god. I do not bow as a form of submission. Bowing is a salute and a respectful greeting. I even think that it is more hygenic than a hand-shake. By bowing, I am saying that I recognize that person as a fellow or senior martial-artist. I would never consider a soldier saluting to a superior a form of ungodly submission, it is the same thing.
Christian's also get confused by the term master. They hear martial-artists use the term master and they confuse it with the title we give to God. I hate being called a master, but it is just a title of a teacher. A master in martial-arts for me is not somebody that I submit to. I am not worshipping them. They are not master over me, they are master over the martial-art that they study and teach. They have mastered certain skill sets, and when I refer to them as a master I am saying that I recognize that mastery. The master is not lord over me, there is only one true Lord!
I will admit that there is a risk of idol worship in martial-arts as with any thing (money, athletes, movie stars, etc). Spending too much time and energy on anything besides God is dangerous. God is jealous, and He only wants us to worship Him. By defining myself as a martial-artist I risk doing martial-arts for my own self-worth, and that is a sin. But giving thanks to God for allowing me to do something fun is a way for me to enjoy gifts from God. Taekwondo is fun and relaxing for me just like others enjoy jogging or golf. And just like any sport, it requires practice and hard work to excel. But working hard at sports does not make all athletes sinners, does it?
Certain Christians argue that Psalm 44:6 states that we should not rely on fighting, but we should instead rely on God to protect us. First, Taekwondo is a defensive art. We are taught (or should be taught) that we do not go out and attack people. What we learn is for self-defense. That is why our forms start with blocks instead of strikes or kicks. Second, even though I have been taught to defend myself, I still will rely on God for ultimate protection. I rely on God for everything, but that does not mean that I am going to sit at the dinner table and wait for my food to miraculously appear on my plate. Instead, I am going to prepare by going to the grocery store and cooking. Learning self-defense in preparation. It is a smart way to keep myself safe from all the crazy humans out there.
Some Christians attack martial-arts just because of its eastern origins. They argue that God does not want us doing things that have pagan origins and that we should not practice anything that comes from the east (Isaiah 2:6). This is true. You will not find a bhudda in my home, and I will not practice martial-arts in any school that has a bhudda or any form of eastern religion. But martial-arts is not an eastern religion. Sure, some bhuddists, hinduists, and other eastern religious people may practice martial-arts, but not all martial-artists practice these religions.
Some people think that the forms, patterns, poomse, or kata we practice are a method of worship. This may be true in some martial-arts, but none that I have practiced. The forms I do in Taekwondo are a way to practice movements and a method of exercise. They may have historical significance as a way to remember those who created the form or helped with the evolution of the martial-art, but practicing the form is not a way to worship those people. It is a way to remember them, just as history books and museums help us to remember ancestors or certain historically important people.
Because martial-arts comes from the east does not make it a pagan practice. Eating sushi with chopsticks is not a sin, and neither is fried rice. Though I would like to say I can't learn math for religious reasons, I do not believe anybody forbids the study of math just because it has muslim origins. Just because pagans have practiced it, does not make it always a pagan thing. December 25 was a pagan holiday, but the Christians took it over as the celebration of the birth of our savior, and Christmas is not a pagan holiday now.
I am not saying that all martial-artists are Christian. I can guarantee there are many that are not. But I guarantee that there are plenty of martial-artists who are Christians. I am one of them. I will use my martial-arts to glorify God anyway I can!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Frustration
I've rested, I've been on strong antibiotics for 2 weeks, and I have been stretching. Yet, I still ache, I'm still tired, and I still do not feel well. I want to move on. I have decided that my focus is on the Lord and not my exercise regiment or martial-arts, but still my body hurts. I'm not working out, and that is making me even more sluggish.
I am reminded that everything happens in God's time. When he is ready to heal me, I will be healed. In the meantime I need to stay focused on my relationship with God. I love walking with the Lord, but I am getting really frustrated with how my body feels. I need prayers!
I am reminded that everything happens in God's time. When he is ready to heal me, I will be healed. In the meantime I need to stay focused on my relationship with God. I love walking with the Lord, but I am getting really frustrated with how my body feels. I need prayers!
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