Upper Body Exercises to Be More Flexible

With just about every sport you do, being flexible has its advantages and karate and other combat sports are no exception. Those of you who want to reach those high kicks and just be able to move around faster would need to practice to exercises that allow you to reach your goals with hurting yourself.

It might take some time and could even be painful at times, but doing this won’t just assist with your abilities, but also ensure your joints stay healthy and avoid injuries. The techniques below are basic and have incredible results, making them great for all levels and ages.

Starting with the Neck

Hurting your neck is one of the most limiting injuries for fighters, which is why you’d want to start here.

It’s best to allow gravity to do all the work, ensuring you don’t apply too much pressure and giving your muscles the time to relax. Tilt your head to the left and place your left arm over your right ear and relax. Don’t pull your head down and just your muscles and gravity about 2 minutes to do its job. Now, switch sides by tiling your head to the right and place your right hand on your left ear.

To finish off with the neck, tilt your head back without putting a strain on your muscles. Slowly begin to roll your head from left to right, increasing the amount you roll gradually. Once again, don’t push too far and simply allow your muscles to relax.

Get the Shoulders Loose

With your neck muscles already a little looser, start with the shoulder roll by rolling both left and right in a forward motion for about 30 seconds and switch the rotation and do another 30 seconds.

While focusing on the shoulders, the next move would allow you to warm up the rest of the body as well. Lift your arm straight up and bend them over your head followed by extending them out to the side and crossing over in front of your body as you squat down. As you get up, swing your arms up again and return to the starting position. Do a couple of these in a relaxed motion, allowing your muscles to gradually warm up.

Loosen the Back

For the next stretch, you’ll need a stool or something of the same height as you’ll need to place your hands on the stool as you bend at the waist to stretch your back muscles.

Don’t bend too far, but rather use a relaxing position as lower your upper body to your hands placed on the stool. Keep the position for as long as possible and then keep your feet still as you move to stool to the left and relax in the same position again. Move the stool back to the centre and do the right as well.

Remember to keep your legs apart for the stretch as it helps you maintain balance and also get better results, especially when you shift to the sides.