How flexible are you?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

when my muscles are cold, I'm quite stiff, on the strip, I can do some freaky stuff, like, basically becoming a pretzel to avoid the other guys blade.

[Pancakes]

I am the least flexible person I know (people with arthritis, etc., aside, of course).

[VELISARIOS]

I do strtching 10-15 min and before and after fencing. I think that is important for our musles and joints.

[latenight]

Originally Posted by fencerontheline

betcha latenight is gonna like to read this...

.......................................

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by drippingwet

According to Wojciechowski's (Kruse's coach) book, "the last 30 per cent of movement by stretched muscles is faster than those that are unstretched. It is also easier to execute the last phase of any movement which requires the complete range, if the muscles have been stretched previously. Movement is then longer, more controlled and relaxed and the antagonistic muscles are not 'interfering' with the motion. In fencing, it is very noticeable that control and accuracy of the point increases at the end of the extension of the arm if the muscles concerned are stretched. Similarly, the lunge and flèche are longer and more controlled if the appropriate antagonistic muscles are not interacting at the end of these attacks."

Wojciechowski's book is great (Theory Methods and Exercises in Fencing). There's stuff on lots of different aspects of fencing.

Hmmm...that's interesting.

[foilz]

Returning to fencing after an absence twenty years, I was very concerned about strength, stamina, speed and flexibility.

The day before I started again, I found this fabulous article on the Training part of Craig's site:

http://www.fencing101.com/content/view/40/43/

After careful study (there's plenty to review) I designed my own program, based on the stresses and strains I thought I'd be facing as a mature adult playing a young person's game.

My routine of joint rotations, elevating body temperature, then stretching (few fencers warm up before they stretch, which is crazy) takes about half an hour.

It has worked for me, and is really helping me recover my athletic ability. Now I'm fanatical about it.

[Cerian]

I'm very inflexible. Tight calves, hamstrings, quads, groin muscle, you name it. Limited range of motion in the ankles. And my left arm is much more flexible than my right.

[AndrastVitesse]

I am really flexible. And i got even more flexible when i started fencing( we stretch for about 30 mins)

[Grasshopper]

After looking at Brice Guyarts lesson on the Foil Lesson thread, I realized how flexible he is. His lunges are very very stretched out.