Performing Seiza

[YoshimotoMakoto]

Hi all. I've been training for flexibility for approximately 4 months now, prior to this i could not even make my heels touch my rear which is required in most martial arts. Through continuous training, i have overcome this and am now able to perform seiza properly. However, after holding this position for say 10 seconds, i begin to feel an increasing pain as my muscles are still stretching to perform this. I was just training for seiza BY PERFORMING SEIZA, although i was thinking if i bend backwards and rest my elbows on the ground behind me (almost like a bridge, but with my legs in seiza) it would stretch my quads (i think its my quads) even further. Is this a good way, should i just stick to regular seiza or are there other ways? Thanks guys

[bushido_man96]

Stretching like that will help. You can also do some standing quad stretches for a variation. In time, the discomfort should pass.

[NightOwl]

Ah- when you find out the secret please teach me! The longest I have gone is maybe 2 min on a soft surface, but really I prefer chairs.

[DWx]

Not that I ever have to perform seiza or anything in TKD but we do a stretch sorta like YoshimotoMakoto said with the legs in seiza and the back over in a bridge. I found that my ankle flexibility affected how my quads were as I was gripping to avoid putting pressure on my ankle joints. As my ankles become more and more flexible it became easier to relax into it making my quads work less. Maybe its a similar case with you?