Building the muscle elasticity needed in your legs to get your kicks up higher does not happen overnight and requires lots of time spent stretching. Regardless of whether your high kicks are for martial arts or for dancing, a number of different stretching routines can increase your flexibility. When first beginning stretching, don't over exert yourself, as pushing the limitations of your flexibility to the extreme could result in injury.
Groin and Inner Thigh
Step 1
Sit on the ground with your feet touching and your legs bent so that your knees are almost touching the ground. Bring your heels in towards your groin until they are comfortably close.
Step 2
Sit up straight and place your hands on your knees.
Step 3
Push your knees down towards the floor, but don't push too hard as you could injure yourself.
Seated Stretches
Step 1
Sit on a bench, bed or set of chairs with one leg hanging off the side and the other stretched out forwards in front of you with the heel touching the bench.
Step 2
Lean forward while bending your knee slightly and grab the ball of your foot. Pull backwards so you force your leg straight. Hold this position for about 20 seconds; this will stretch out the calf muscle.
Step 3
Hold your leg in the same position, and exhale as you slowly lean forward. Try to touch your chest to the knee of your outstretched leg as you hold it straight by the ball of your foot. Hold this position for about 20 seconds to stretch out your hamstring.
Step 4
Twist your body so that your outstretched leg stays where it is but you are now facing the bent leg over the side of the bench. Grab the underside of the bench and pull down and forward as if you were trying to touch the floor with your chest while keeping your back straight. Hold this position for 20 seconds to stretch your inner thigh.
Step 5
Switch legs and repeat the process with the other leg.
Dynamic Stretching
Step 1
Slowly raise your leg forwards in front of you while keeping your leg straight. Control the gradual incline of the leg raise until you get to the end of your natural flexibility.
Step 2
Force the last few inches of the leg extension in such a way that, while not completely controlled like the leading motion, it explodes upwards at an expected, comfortable rate.
Step 3
Perform the same controlled leg raises for both backwards and side kicks, raising the leg in a controlled manner and exploding at the limit of your flexibility to push it a little higher than you're used to. Repeat each stretch 12 times about twice a day.
Things You'll Need
- Bench, bed or pair of chairs
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