So, for a while now, I've been toying around with Krav Maga and Judo, with little success. I know that it's far better to take classes, but there aren't any schools anywhere near here except for taekwondo, and we haven't the means to drive there or pay for it. The biggest issue I'm having is learning to kick. I'm stiff as a board, and every time I try, I get really bad cramps in my thighs, glutes and groin. I've tried stretching my hamstrings before, but it never gives. Instead, I get a really bad pulling pain below my knee, and one time, I actually hurt myself to the point that it hurt to put any pressure on it for over a month. So, I wanted to know if any health nuts, runners, martial artists or other athletes could offer me advice on how to improve my flexibility without hurting myself.

Warming up without an instructor (when you're still starting out) can be dangerous specially if it's about martial arts since you'd be prone to cramps and muscle tearing. Also, kicking and punching in judo are not taught to beginners, they're mostly for higher grade belts demonstrating Kata, so I don't think learning how to kick in the early stages will benefit you. You'll be staring out with throwing and grappling instead.

As for stretching... hm, I don't really have first hand experiences with judo, but we've always been advised in any PE classes I've been in (kendo, track and field, table tennis, archery) to stretch SLOWLY, and never exert too much force to the point that you'd cause a bounce back because that strains your muscle in a negative way. Just apply it slowly, then stop and hold on to it the moment you feel your muscles go against your force.

Yoga can also help if you're having trouble with flexibility.

Start out with one leg at a time sitting down with one leg stretch forward, grab your foot with both wands and sit there for 60 seconds, and then do the same with the other leg for 60 seconds. Now do it again with both legs and touch your forhead to your knees and keep it there for 60 seconds.

That's a warmup for stretching. I can do a full upward split kick.

Juliet : Oh yeah.. my last post was poorly detailed. I should've specified that the kicks were to try to supplement the up close and personal nature of Krav Maga. The only thing I've been able to take from Judo is a hip throw because I still need to build a little more strength and I don't have a partner to practice with.... Also, Yoga never crossed my mind. I'll look into it, and thanks very much for the advice.

tRIUNE : I gave it a try and could definitely feel a difference afterward, though I could only grab each foot by arching my back and slightly bending my knee, and couldn't reach with both legs stretched... Is this acceptable for having just started? And if so, how many times can this be done daily without over doing it?

I was a close combat instructor in the Marines for four years. I also trained in Wing Tsun for a while because I enjoy hitting people. I'm not bragging because I have never told anyone here any of this before. I am, however, speaking from experience.

1. Training a martial art for proficiency without having an instructor or class and only watching videos or looking at books is like practicing a sport by watching the professionals. You can throw a ball up in the air and hit to so many times but it will never be the same as taking 90 mph pitches. If your only objective is bragging that you're training in something, that's fine, go for it. Just don't expect a martial art to actual work in a real-world situation. You will lose that fight every time.

2. YouTube is going to be your best bet for stretches. Stretching, like any endurance training or strength training, is a program that takes time, effort, and planning. You can't just do some stretches and defeat all the time you sit on the couch, a chair, or whatever, while you play video games. All the time sitting is destroying the muscular strength and flexibility and it's completely counter-productive to any sort of physical exercise.

It's tough to find any exercise demo videos without women in tiny outfits and huge.... eyeballs. I put the link of a good, basic routine. Run through this twice a day, every day, and you'll start feeling a difference after two weeks and things will get better after that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f9wNXc19UE

You can never overtrain stretching as long as you feel a slight pull in the muscles. If it hurts, you're doing too much.

Ghostbear1111 : I realize that simply trying to mimic someone or something without personal instruction or practice partners to learn a skill is an inefficient and relatively ineffective method, but if I can, at the very least, learn the basic concepts and theories of the system, then I can use it as a primer for when I do finally enroll in classes and fine tune what I already know while progressing faster, no? As far as defense goes, I almost always carry some sort of weapon on me everywhere and I know exactly where to put it should the need arise. The issue is that I can't just knife the first person that decides to physically confront me because prison doesn't appeal to me and I have a very strict personal code of ethics that only permits the employ of lethal force when a very specific criteria is met. Even if my self taught techniques are mediocre at best, some thing, at least for me, is better than nothing for the tome being. Anyway, I bookmarked that video you linked. Thank you very much for your advice and also for your service in the armed forces. 

m0ssb3rg935 : I understand the reading and understanding, say "The Centerline Theory" of kung fu. That makes sense. But at the same time, you may be doing moves that are incorrect and you're training yourself to have poor form. That means taking actual lessons is going to slow your progress, instead of coming in fresh. It's like teaching someone to shoot who already has their own technique and you're fighting against something they've been doing for a long time.

And if you're always carrying a weapon, that seems to be anticipatory of a fight. The best way to win a fight is to not get in one.

But if it makes you happy, go for it. If throwing kicks makes you happy, cool, go for those too. Teach yourself what you can. Have fun.

Just don't get in any actual fights.