Why is stretching so painful? Isn't there a better way?

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Sourav Ghosh, Oct 7, 2018.

  1. Sourav Ghosh

    Sourav Ghosh New Member

    Yesterday before I started practicing, our teacher showed us a few moves to loosen our nerves. It's just too painful, do you guys have any good suggestions?
     
  2. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Could you add some detail please?

    You should be warming up correctly before stretching. At the start of a class (after warm up) you should be dynamic stretching, so stretching with movement (such as leg swings).

    If it's painful you either aren't warmed up correctly, or are overdoing it.

    If you could give some info on the warm up and stretches we'll try and help.
     
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  3. Sourav Ghosh

    Sourav Ghosh New Member

    We have a warm-up session for about 20/30 off minutes then we do stretching, I have no idea of the names it's called its in our local language.
     
  4. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    My initial thoughts.

     
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  5. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    But did you die? Are you injured?

    No? Then it's not too painful!
     
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  6. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Last edited: Oct 7, 2018
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  7. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Mod note: I fixed the typo in the title. Hope OP does not mind. :)
     
  8. Xue Sheng

    Xue Sheng All weight is underside

    Reminds me of a Xingyi Shifu I had who was talking about Santi Shi who said; "While standing, if you have joint pain, tell me and I will adjust your stance. If it is muscle pain, I don't want to hear about it, just shut up and stand"
     
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  9. Grond

    Grond Valued Member

    Stretching should be as natural and progressive as possible, you shouldn't have to overthink it. You move your body easily when it's cold, and more dramatically once you're hot. And if you don't follow that simple rule of thumb, simple stretches can hurt you and impede training for weeks. Muscle pulls are common without sufficient warmup, you can pull muscles in your neck and shoulders just by driving and turning your head too quickly (I know I've done this).

    Every morning when showering I do toe-touching exercises. Magically, the second attempt is always much easier than the first. I credit that with the heat on my lower back combined with one repetition of movement. By easing into that sort of deep stretch (which is definitely not easy first thing in the morning), it becomes a lot safer and within 1-2 reps, I am touching my toes with ease. This is a good way of illustrating the importance of muscle temperature, try doing this while not in a warm shower, and it takes longer to achieve a full stretch.

    The first time you learn a new stretch, keep in mind your instructor is used to it and you're not, and just because they do it amazingly doesn't mean you will. Yoga is a great example of stretches you need to ease into, over time, rather than try to conquer on day one. Simon is right about the time thing, anybody I know with more than a half hour to spare on just warming up is really just working out.
     
  10. Sourav Ghosh

    Sourav Ghosh New Member

    Thanks all for responding, I am having pain in my right leg, its kind of Sciatic Nerve pain, it stayed for a few days continuously, feels like a sensation of ice poured in my veins in the right leg.
     
  11. Sourav Ghosh

    Sourav Ghosh New Member

  12. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    Well if it is sciatica, and you should have a Dr check that out and make sure about that , then- ironically - one of the main treatments for that is stretching!

    Very specific stretches, and you have to ease into them gently, but stretching is what helps a lot with sciatica. I have had it, I have known many others who have had it. Certain stretches were a part of the treatment plan.
     
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  13. Sourav Ghosh

    Sourav Ghosh New Member

    Thanks, Can you guide me some with some technique? My pain is mostly in the right leg below thiegs and it increase with kicks. Have talked to docs but mostly they are cluless. They are giving me meds for depression and i don't want to sleep away.
     
  14. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    You can google sciatica stretches. Google the symptoms and other home treatments for sciatica too. But you really ought to see a Dr first. I am taking you at your word that you feel sciatic pain. But I am NOT in the medical profession If you feel Dr's are ignoring pain symptoms, ask for a second opinion from a different doctor.
     
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  15. Sourav Ghosh

    Sourav Ghosh New Member

    Thanks, I have talked to a few docs, most of them told me this is a sciatica pain which I have to live with, thanks for your suggestion
     
  16. aaradia

    aaradia Choy Li Fut and Yang Tai Chi Chuan Student Moderator Supporter

    :confused: You are saying Dr's diagnosed you with sciatica, yet failed to provide any treatment? Just said "live with it?" If that is true, you need to change your medical plan asap! That sounds really really odd.

    In the meantime, there are plenty of home treatments, including stretches that successfully treat it. Do some googling and you will see a lot of sites have a lot in common regarding this.
     
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  17. Sourav Ghosh

    Sourav Ghosh New Member

    Well they want me to go for a surgery and I am not willing at all, my pain increases with practice, not with anything in daily life, its also not a matter of poor body positioning as I position myself on the left side too and it has no issues. I joined training in a pretty mature stage, wish had started it earlier so I don't mind difficulties like this, all I want if there is someone who has dealt with a similar thing in past.
     

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