DVR/VRT kicks

[Greg Newton]

I thought this might be good to post on Greg's forum since it pertained to DVR/VRT. I am years past the desire to be Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris, but I do like be able to do some of the things I used to do as a blackbelt martial artist in my late twenties. But, I do not have time for 100's of kicks or long periods of time stretching.

The other day I spoke with John Peterson on the phone, and as many of you know the man is a motivational dynamo. Even in a phone conversation with him I pace around like a restless lion. This time I burned off nervous energy by standing on one leg and pumping out side kicks, ten with the left, then switch feet and do ten to the right. I did 12 sets like this while we were talking.

Afterwards I got to thinking that I wouldn't have been able to do this a few years back. In fact I wouldn't have been able to do this a few weeks back. You see, in pursuit of doing something different in the workout I do with my wife Lori, we started finishing up with DVR/VRT kicks to the front, side, round, and back. We stand on one leg and slowly push these out for 6 repetitions.

She likes them for the slimming and toning effect it has had on a pair of already shapely legs and hips. I like the flexibility and coordination they promote. All in all, a win/win series of movements that will be a permanent stay in our workouts.

[MikeNY]

Great idea but I am not sure it would be slimming for Lori or ladies. I've noticed the DVR Half Squat makes muscle in the legs and firm them up hard. Now for form and strength this will work Greg. Do you preform the kicks slowly or at medium speed, or both; using the DVR/VRT princples either might work?

[Greg Newton]

Hi Mike,

It is funny you mentioned the squats. The way Lori is leveraged, squats tend to build around the upper thigh and hips. She does not like them because of that. The kicks are done slow with tension in the extension of the thigh. The range of motion and tension for her reaches those areas of the hips and the back of the thighs that women have a hard time keeping lean. They also give her that long look that comes from developing the muscle evenly, and best of all for me, they don't aggravate the knees. They've also helped my flexibility in my hips, which has been a problem from old injuries. I've no aspirations to be like John Claude Van Damm, but I am really sold on doing these.

[b38]

Greg,

Thanks for this post. Going to try these kicks out. I like the idea of combining balance and strength training within the transformetrics framework.

Thanks!

B38

[VRT Man]

There is an absolutely infinite variation of exercises one can perform with this system.

Thanks for letting us know about this one, Greg.

Often I lie on my back and do upside-down squats in the air with this system, and VRT scissors moves too, both side and front. Your exercise is analagous, and exercises the dozens of muscles that make up the quadriceps, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius. And I think in a way that no weight squatting exercise could ever quite emulate.

Greg Mangan

[gruntbrain]

Royce's high stepping( knees to chest) would be a nice complement to the kicks. As a bonus, the abs get some work.

[Greg Newton]

I want to add something to this thread. We've been doing these kicks for over a month now. I was roundly scolded by Lori tonight for leaving these out of a couple of our recent workouts. "I need these and feel these in the areas I need to work. Don't leave them out again!"

I can't argue with the results. So if any of you have wives or girlfriends you are helping to train, these are excellent. Lori follows me, but if you've never done a front, side, round, or back kick before, find an inexpensive book on Karate that shows the foot and leg positions.

[Alan_OldStudent]

Hello

I've been wondering about how to loosen and elongate the tendons of the quadriceps. It sounds like very slow-motion DVR-style front-snap kicks could be helpful.

What do you all think? Is that Lori's trick?

Regards,

Alan

[Greg Newton]

Alan,

I don't see why not. I refer you to Greg Mangan's reply to my post. Give it a try for a few weeks. I also want to thank you for the compliment you paid me on John's forum.