Hip Stretches For Martial Arts

Warming up your hip muscles before martial arts and stretching them after helps prevent hip injury or strain. High kicks, side kicks and other lower body movements challenge the muscles in your groin, hips and lower body. Doing dynamic stretches prior to a workout heats up and prepares your muscles for activity. Post-activity static hip stretches elongate and release muscular tension after exercise.

Dynamic Hip Flexor Stretch

Your hip flexors lift your knees and help you kick. Repetitive movements, including high kicks, increase your risk of straining or tearing your hip flexors. Performing a dynamic hip flexor stretch before your martial arts routine may help prevent strain or injury in this region of your hips.

Lie supine on the floor and extend your legs in front of you, both heels resting on the ground. Contract your abdominal muscles and lift both legs 45 degrees off of the floor. Lift your neck and head and gaze forward. Bend your left knee and wrap your hands around it. While keeping your right leg straight, pull your left knee as close as possible to your chest. Immediately, release and straighten your left leg. Bend your right knee and do the same. Continue alternating until you complete 10 repetitions with each leg.

Static Hip Flexor Stretch

Doing a static hip flexor stretch after a martial arts workout lengthens your hips muscles and releases lactic acid buildup that occurs during exercise.

Kneel on the ground and straighten your back. Lift your right foot and position it two feet in front of your body. In the correct position, your right leg forms a 90-degree angle. Place your hand on your hips and slowly lean your hips forward, lowering your pelvis toward the floor and arching your back slightly. Stop when you feel a stretch in your left hip. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then do the same with your opposite leg. Do this stretch three times for maximum gains.

Piriformis Stretch

Your piriformis is a flat, triangular muscle situated in your buttocks. A tight piriformis pulls on your hips and may affect your kicks and cause pain in your hips, glutes and lower back. Your piriformis extends your thigh laterally during kicks and helps you balance while standing on one foot. This stretch releases tension in your piriformis and hips.

Sit on a chair, resting both feet on the ground in front of you. Straighten your back, pick your left foot off of the ground, and place your left ankle on your right knee. Maintaining a straight back, lower your chest toward your knees, stopping when you feel a stretch in your left hip. Hold for 30 seconds, switch legs and do the same with your right side. Do this stretch three times.