The reason many people hire me to "improve the flexibility" for their kicks is my background as a Doctor of Physical Therapy / 3x Amateur Champion Muay Thai fighter in NYC under the revered Arjan Phil Nurse. Read more here.
"Tight hips" could be due to a variety of reasons. Here are some things I evaluate to improve your kicking for Muay Thai or any martial art that requires hip flexibility and stability.
- Hip capsular tightness and spinal mobility
- Muscle tightness of Hamstrings, Adductors, hip rotators, etc.
- Kicking technique
- Muscle strength of stabilizing muscles
There is a lot of conflicting information out there regarding mobility:
One theory states that improving hip flexibility does not transfer over functionally. That means that you would have to continually improve your kick mobility by performing movements that are active and reprograming the motor patterns related to kicking.
Another theory states that "proximal stability creates distal mobility."
This means that having stability and strength in your core and hips may allow your body to move freely. Less stability may cause our body to limit the ROM as a protective mechanism.
I developed a system of movements that will bulletproof your hips and prevent / treat pain as well as improve mobility and strength for kicking!
These movements involve building a link between the systems in your body while strengthening:
- Gluteus medius
- Gluteus Maximus
- Hip Rotators
- Transversus abdominus
- Kinetic chains
If you would like to improve your kicking flexibility for Muay Thai or other martial arts so you can kick longer, harder, higher, and without pain, come visit me at my East bay Berkeley physical therapy / performance training studio or virtually from anywhere in the world for a program specific to YOUR NEEDS!
Email: TheTechniquePT@gmail.com
IG: @TheTechniquePT