I have been doing martial arts (Lau Gar Kickboxing and Aikedo) for a couple of years and am still having some flexiblity problems with my legs. Though I am quite capable of pulling off side kicks, front kicks etc, I feel I would execute these moves if I had greater flexibility. The leg stretching exercises I have been standard, such as sitting on the floor, one leg extended the other one bent and kept tucked in near your groin and then bending your body forward. To tell you the truth, sometimes i find the pain to be quite unbearable!

Check out this site http://www.stadion.com/

I did Lau Gar kung fu under Brian Nelson for two years. respond to this message, tell me where you study!
and what do you think of it?
my names Jowan Dawes (pronounced Joe Won (as in won a prise))

Jowan

there is a great book about called 'the art of stretching and kicking' by James Lui.

Lots of stretches in there.

howdy! Apologies for not posting in a while, I've been kinda busy with homework etc.

Thanks for the recommended reading Jake! Though I feel my flexibility has great improved since when i originally started this post. I've been mainly doing stretching exercises from my lau gar lessons which helps.

Jowan, I had a friend who taught me for a while but I started doing Lau Gar properly by going to classes taught by Sean Viera a few months ago. I feel he is a very good teacher! The guys who teach it and the whole class in general are the nicest people you can ever meet (unlike some other MA classes I've had the mis fortune of attending). They really know how to pick out the bad habits, and offer concise teaching to help you pull the move off properly. Alot of the classes I've been to seem to have a great emphasis on fitness too.