This week I dub "Unsolved Mystery" week. If you had read my previous blog entry, you would know that I mysteriously hurt my back and was quite unable to explode my chi to the fullest during forms testing. What was even more weird was that on Wednesday night, while I was sleeping, I managed to seriously sprain my ankle. I woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating ankle pain. It felt like someone dislocated my ankle by dragging me across gravel road with a 4x4 truck. I couldn't walk for most of Thursday and Friday. I had really wanted to train Level 1 on Thursday and Friday. I tried to do a gong bu during the day and it nearly killed me. I haven't had any Shaolin injury till this week. I definitely haven't sprained my ankle for well over 10 years. I am an avid runner and cross country runner. Our ankles are made of steel. We train them to be.
This leads me to believe that there is something happening to my body that I am not aware of or I am doing something wrong and my body is rebelling. One thing led to another and I believe it is a combination of the way I am stretching and how I regulate my chi. For all the extension we do, I don't nearly stretch enough before and afterwards to maximize strength, flexibility, and enhance recovery. All that is going to change. I bought a really cool stretching book that shows all the anatomy of the muscles so you can understand to stretch better. It's actually been really helpful for my back. I never realized that I haven't been stretching my lower trunk at all!!
Here is also a helpful link for everyone about cause of injury and preventive exercises, i.e. stretching.
Stretching Reference
It's a good read and as you can see, Hamstrings Inflexibility, Gluteus Maximus or Adductor Magnus Inflexibility, and Hip Flexor Inflexibility all can increase Lower Back Injury.
I have also uncovered another "Unsolved Mystery", it is "the Shaolin Butt Sword." This topic has been talked about quite a bit, and I believe it is the Adductor Magnus muscle. Here's one stretch that may help prevent and alleviate the infamous Shaolin Butt Sword.
With my newfound knowledge, I will be stronger than before!! I am going to stop blogging and go stretch!! :D
So, Mr. Science says, and Mr. Neo's experience also says, that static stretching (like we do in the middle of class) makes you uncoordinated and weak. This also includes isometric and pnf stretches. I've noticed that if I take it easy during our stretching break that my waibatuis are faster and have better form.
ReplyDeleteBefore working out, Mr. Science says you should do dynamic stretches. You know, like caijaio, cetatui, juntitui, etc. Take that Mr. Science, you're late to the game!
Mr. Science says (I agree), that after your workout, you should do isometric stretches, then relaxed static stretches. This will make you more flexible, stronger at the limits of your range of motion, and recover faster.
As for your ankle, I dunno man. I screwed up my ankle almost as badly getting off the couch once. I had an old injury from TKD on that ankle, but still, getting off the couch? It's always the stupid stuff.
Is Mr. Science Thomas Kurz? Have you found his books to be a good resource for training? It makes sense to do dynamic stretching before working out and then do isometric and static stretches afterwards. That's what I usually do for running, but I don't why I haven't done it for Kung Fu...
ReplyDeleteYeah, the couch can be dangerous. I am staying away from anything soft. They lull you into a sense of complacency and then blammmo!! You can't walk for a few days.