Most taekwondo classes begin with a brief warmup (such as light jogging or calisthenics) followed by stretching. The warmup is used because cold muscles tend to stretch less well. In fact, some taekwondo classes conclude with stretching as well, to take advantage of the fact that the muscles are completely warmed up at that point.
The stretching used when studying taekwondo is not unlike stretching used for just about any sport, with two possible exceptions:
- Splits - arguably the most important stretch in taekwondo, due to the emphasis on high kicks such as Roundhouse Kicks and Side Kicks.
- Hamstring stretches - important due to the emphasis on high kicks such as Front Kicks and Axe Kicks.
Stretching Exercises
It's not uncommon for people to stretch by order of major body areas. For instance, start with the neck and work one's way downward through the shoulders, waist, legs, etc. To that end, these stretches are not sorted alphabetically, but are sorted by body area.
Standing Stretches
Neck
- Neck rotations - rotate your neck first in direction then the other
- Neck stretch - stretch your neck to each side, then to the front and back; you can use your hands to push on the head to extend the stretch
Shoulders
- Shoulder rotations - bend your arms and rotate your arms, like flapping in circles
- Shoulder stretches -
Back
- Backward stretch
- Partnered back stretch
Waist
- Waist bends
- Waist rotations
Upper Legs
- Standing hamstring stretch / toe-touching
- Forward splits
- Splits to the side
Knees
- Knee bends
- Knee rotations
Ankle
Sitting Stretches
Upper Legs
- Sitting hamstring stretch / toe-touching
Stretching Machines
TBD - the use of stretching machines