Back Kicks & New Stretching Concepts (diary entry)

                  05.05.2023 Wednesday night's 1.5 hour Muay Thai lesson was an extension of Tuesday night's lesson with a different client. Additions to the previous lesson were training the non-dominant leg. This was performed both in a southpaw and orthodox stance. With both instances being against an orthodox opponent, it was important to provide more coverage when going into the technique. This is because the fighter is compounding the inherent risk of the back-kick by crossing over to an opponent's power side. The final part of the lesson looked at stretching and we focused on a new variation on PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching. We used the contract/relax method. However, as demonstrated and taught by Yiannis Christoulas, we bent the leg during the contraction phase of the exercise. This better activates the hamstrings or adductor muscles than when you try to contract from a straight leg position. We trained these two stretches - in addition to our usual warming down exercises to release the back, shoulders and hips - for 3 sets x 3 repetitions. Following Christoulas's advice, we went for up to 70% intensity on the contractions, however, percentages in physical training are always very subjective and arbitrary which is why I am careful when using them to describe sparring. Check out the video.  https://clubbchimera.com/services/