Man...talk about a quiet forum...

For those of you who with to do more stretching exercises during the week (if any - although it is the professional recommendation from us that you do), a stretching section will soon be added to the website complete with photos and specifics to watch out for.

In the meantime though, work on the stretches that you've practiced so far during training. These include:

• Front stretch (leg). Remember to keep your hips straight and to bend from the lower back.
• Side stretch (leg out to the side, reaching over with the opposite arm). Whilst it may feel like a leg stretch, the objective is to stretch the sides of your body. Look underneath the arm that is reaching over and try to see the ceiling / sky.
• Lunges. You're stretching the front part of your hip muscles, so keep your hips straight for the maximum benefit.
• Front splits. If you're daring enough, you can work on front splits. Again, keeping your hips straight is the most important part. Most people can achieve front splits with daily stretching for 3 - 6 months (side splits may be physically impossible for some).
• Cross over stance (where one knee is bent, the other is straight). Click here and scroll down for pics. Don't worry about trying to keep both heels down on the ground. It is important though to try to bend the bent leg so that you're effectively sitting on your heel. This will help your sweeps (when you get to them).
• General arm and neck stretches. However you want to do them.

For good results for each stretch, you should aim to do 3 sets of about 20 secs per stretch. If you can do this daily, good on ya.

Most importantly when stretching, don't overdo it. You know your body best, so stretch to push yourself a little, but not to injury. One guy from another wushu club went so nutzoid that he managed to tear his hamstring from stretching too hard. Was out of commission for about 4 months. If your muscles are rapidly contracting during stretching, this means they are about to tear, so ease off. Injury = no wushu = no good.

Advanced and partner stretching techniques will be posted up in a separate section when they're ready.

Flexibility is the one of the more important aspects of wushu, to gain felxibility, u must strech like you've never done before. I personally recommend streching with a partner.

It takes time to gain flexibilty. My advise for begginners is once u get flexible, keep up the streching or u'll have to start all over again. I was once very close to front splits. Once!!!!.

Keep up the streching and keep gonig wushu 

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" Lifes's Battles Dont Always Go To The Stronger Or Faster Man, But Sooner Or Later The Man Who Wins Is The One Who Thinks He Can. " - Bruce Lee

Another key point of stretching is breathing. You're not going to be able to touch your toes with a body full of air, but then if you don't breathe once in a while, well, you die.

So, as you breathe out, reach. As you breathe in, back off a little, and repeat. You'll find that after each time you breathe out, you'll be able to reach about one or two centimeters further every time.

Keep it up and you'll... ... be flexible. Like that needed to be said.

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"Bull-shit, mister Han Man!"