Kickboxing: Balancing poses to help you kick right

In kick-boxing, preparatory poses that train you in balancing are very important. This is because you are moving swiftly and stopping mid-air. If you lack the ability to balance mid-air, your ability to move swiftly and safely will be severely compromised.

For a round-house kick, you have to swirl your body in a complete circle to deliver. Similarly in punching also, your ability to move back comes from your sense of space while in motion. This is very intrinsically linked to your sense of balance. So, your preparatory warm-ups must include as many balancing poses as possible. If you turn them into stretching balances, you get the bonus of becoming supple also.

Below are some tips:

• Try to hold these balancing poses for at least a count of ten.
• Keeping your eye focused on something higher gives you better stability.
• Straightening the supporting leg is very important in developing leg strength and balance. Most people tend to bend the supporting leg at the knee. This reduces the benefits substantially.
• Increasing the duration of the poses will give you more benefits.
• Do these poses after some dynamic practices like spot jumping or frog leap. This way your balance will be even more intensely challenged, taking you to another level of preparation altogether.
• Engage your breath, keep it flowing. Most people forget to breathe when they focus their mind on a task.

The Thai kick-boxing series with Biki Bora have been co-ordinated and compiled by Shameem Akthar, yoga instructor.

For more on Biki Bora's fitness tips visit his site http://bikiboxing.blogspot.com

Disclaimer: Any fitness regimen has to be tailored to individual needs for which you must work in tandem with your trainer and dietician. This series only provides broad guidelines.

Stand on your right leg, ensuring it is straight and not bent at the knee. Place your right palm on the right thigh. Lift the left leg behind as shown, bent at the knee. Reach back with your left hand to grasp the left ankle. Tilt your torso lightly in front. Hold for a count of four. Release pose. Repeat for the opposite side.

Strike the same pose as before. But using your left hand to give an opposite pressure, pull back the left leg, away from body. Simultaneously pass the right hand in front as shown, bent at wrist. Keep your focus on your hand, tilt the torso as much as you can in the front. Hold the pose for a count of ten. Release and repeat for the opposite leg.

Stand on your right leg, lifting the left leg clear off the floor. Tilting the torso in front, hold out your arms on either side as shown. Keep your focus on some object to retain balance, holding the pose for a count of ten. Release and repeat for the other leg.

Stand on your right leg, bending the left leg at the knee and holding your toes with your left hand. Open the left leg as wide and away from the body as possible, as shown in the image. Keep your right hand on the left thigh. Look to the left side as shown. Hold for a count of ten. Release and repeat for the other leg.

Strike the same pose as on the previous page. However, hold the left leg in front, holding the toes with your left hand and opening the leg in front, keeping the right hand on the thigh as shown. Straighten the right leg as much as possible. Hold for a count of ten. Release and repeat for the other leg.