If you ask any Martial Artist what their biggest weakness is, after a bit of brain wracking, the humble will admit that flexibility is the one thing that will stop them from becoming a God among men.
Why? All it takes is a little determination and the key word, consistency. Up until now, starting when I was about 14, I stretched everyday for 2 hours. Rain or shine, health or ailment, late or early, I was obsessed with having to stretch the same way for the same amount of time, every single day, no matter how busy I was.
Now I am reasonably flexible. It is for the same reason also that all the Chinese Wushu guys here are supremely flexible, the only difference being that because they started from a young age, they seem to be innately flexible even from cold (not having warmed up).
Now I am in China and the teachers see that I am not a complete oaf when it comes to stretching, they like to employ horrendously intense bouts of stretching upon my already battered muscles.
One lovely lesson, Chang decided it would be fun if we just stretch for 2 hours, not your run-of-the-mill stretching either. This had a Chinese (meaning painful) twist.
After all the routine stretching on the bar, and the splits and things, he introduced, what would look like to an outsider, as a form of interrogation technique. It felt like that to me too...only with more silence. He didn't appreciate my confession of all the bad things I have done in my life. I think he was a little confused actually. It didn't stop the stretching.
I placed my feet, legs together, on a raised surface, so they were maybe 20 degrees upwards, then my training partner had to sit ON MY KNEES!
ON them.
You'd better believe it hurt like hell. You'd better believe I was questioning this technique every breathless second of the 10 minutes I was in that position. Wasn't that the kind of pressure you employ when you want to hurt someone so much that you intend to break their legs?
Chang's reasoning was that when doing stances, certain stances in particular, the knee should be completely straight. Any sign of a bend would look ugly and not precise. I agreed with him but cursed myself for not coming to China for a practical Martial Art which is supposed to look ugly.
The kind of pain during the 'stretch' was bad enough, but the kind afterwards, when he forced your sore knees to bend, then ordered you stand up straight (I think for his own enjoyment), was unparalleled. I was unable to stand and actually collapsed under my weight.
Other stretches included more suspension of the feet and body in order to intensify normal stretches, all stretches having either one person or two bearing down on you depending on how stiff or flexible you were in that stretch.
2 hours went by with incredible lethargy. It was as if time was Jewish, had a 500-pound girlfriend round it's waist, literally dragging her along the floor only to go and meet her openly Nazi parents to seek their approval in their marriage. It was THAT slow.
It was however necessary. I am as a result, grateful for Chang putting me through hell, as I am after every grueling training session, as I know what he does to us is completely beneficial for our Wushu. Yes it hurts, yes I complain, yes I sweat, yes I screw up, yes I am immobile for a number of weeks afterwards, until I enter his class once more and am frightened into motion.
Stretching is an integral part of the Martial Arts. Why? If you were to ask any person from the street what the first thing they think of is when you say the words 'Martial Artist' to them, and they will probably paint you a picture of a wiry, muscular, probably Asian man, leaping through the air displaying some kind of flashy kick.
You need flexibility when practicing Martial Arts. I'm not saying you have to be able to kick way past your own head. They are some Martial Arts where you do not kick at all. Upper body flexibility is a must too. With a flexible body, muscles can relax, and with a relaxed muscles, you can also contract very quickly, which results in Power. Even if your Martial Art has below the waist kicks only, if you can kick your own head height, your low kicks will be more powerful, controlled, accurate and fast. Unfortunately for me, Wushu requires it's practitioners not only to kick high, but fast, controlled and beautifully as well.
My advice, stretch in front of a TV, or whilst reading a book. Take your mind of the stretch, relax, you will be able to stretch further that way. This technique is good for the long term.
If you are in class and the goal is to loosen up, after your body is warm, you should really focus your mind on the muscle in question, and contract the opposite muscle. This should help the relaxing muscle to relax. Believe me it works.
Right now, I have trouble walking, but this feeling is a familiar one to me and I relish it. It means my muscles have been broken and are repairing themselves only to come back stronger, or more flexible next time. The only problem is that next time they face the exact same fate. I call it 'the circle of strife'...
The 'circle of strife' is what wakes me up in the mornings and makes me smile as I face yet another day of pain. I've learnt to relish it now. It's not like I've got any other choice...
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