Can I overstretch my arms?

[xqr74]

Hello,
I am a 1 year student and new to this forum. I was wondering if anybody had some opinions on arm stretching. When I first started Sifu told me that my arms would get shorter doing WC. At the time, I didn't think much of it. Now, after a years worth of drills & jow, I can feel how my arms are changing. My question is, I love to completely stretch out often, but is this good for my arms, considering they usually feel tight now. Also, will this effect power, etc., Maybe some of you can give some insight.

Thanxs





:)
Chuck

[Atleastimnotyou]

i have never heard of arms getting shorter... especially in wing chun. Is that even physically possible?

Chuck, why do your arms feel tight? wing chun should relax you

[S.Teebas]

I was wondering if anybody had some opinions on arm stretching.

No need to stretch in WC, only move.


When I first started Sifu told me that my arms would get shorter doing WC.

No idea why he thinks this. Ask him and lets us know.


My question is, I love to completely stretch out often, but is this good for my arms, considering they usually feel tight now.

Stretching is good for your body, but not required for WC.


Also, will this effect power

If your arms are tence then the force gets stuck where tension is present. - also effect your abiltiy to be sensitive, wont be able to react from body correctly if force is stuck in arms. WC is about using your whole body, not just arms..forget your arms for now.

[xqr74]

Thank you guys for your replies.

Actually we are taught to always relax until point of contact. I am talking about the 'toughening' of my arms or how they feel at ease. That is, the muscles that are being developed (ones I didn't even know I had) and how it feels to stretch them out. As far as arms getting shorter, Sifu said this is because of the drills that receive yang on the fore arms. I am sure it is but a fraction of an inch if at all but anyway thanks for the input :)

Chuck

[anerlich]

I strongly doubt that this has any basis in truth.

For your arms to get shorter, the bones would need to reduce in length. Hardly likely.

The muscles in your arms can shorten if you do lots of short range movements and never use full range of movement. I knew an Olympic level judoka who could not straighten his arms fully because of the type of training he did. This was a long time ago, and hopefully training methods have improved to prevent this from happening.

If anything, I would have thought punchnig would lengthen your arms due to lengthening tendons and ligaments rather than shortening them due to the eccentric stress from those zillions of chain punches on the air.

If you want to stretch, make sure it is muscles rather than tendons or ligaments you are stretching.

If you want to find out for sure, a simple experiment could be done. measure students' reach when they start training and once a year thereafter and see the results.

I don't think my arms are shorter after 13 years of WC and, if they were, I'd think seriously about taking up a less disfiguring MA.

[Former castleva]

Stretching should do good,unless you stretch too much (causing you to lose some positive "tension" to energize the muscles) or not stretch properly.
I don´t do wing chun but I don´t understand what is meant by saying stretching is not included.
In virtually any martial art,there is stretching to improve flexibility,warm-up and reduce risk of injury.Am i going to wrong direction here?
Bodybuilders/weightlifters can experience shortening of muscles if they neglect proper stretching which is necessary,also making them stiff.
I suppose you could experience the same if you would receive rigorous work-out for your muscles in some other form.