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HOW TO STRETCH 1. Never bend your back when you stretch. Always

bend at the hips, keeping your lower back asstraight as possible. If you have trouble keeping your back straight, try

pointing your chin straightout and that will automatically straighten or slightly arch your back. The muscles in the

lower backare particularly susceptible to tears. Unlike the strong, bulky muscles in the biceps, the lower

backmuscles are in thin sheets, which are hooked into the vertebrae. The lower lumbar muscles

whichdo not hook into vertebrae, attach to the 12th rib. These sheets tear very easily, and may pulldiscs in the

lower back out of position and push on nerves. This can cause debilitating pain in thelower back and

lumbar region.2. Don't work quickly. Remem ber that gaining flexibility takes time. Don't expect instant

results.Be patient. When I stretch, I stretch slowly, sometimes taking as long as 45 minutes to completelywa

rm-up and loosen my muscles. Consi stent stretching will give you permanently flexible andrelaxed

muscles.3. Rem ember not to bounce. All that does is to stimulate the stretching reflex (which serves toprotect the

muscles from pulls). concentr ate on exercising slowly and smoothly. Keep in mindthat the muscles stretch

differently on different days. S ometimes you will not feel as totally flexibleas you have on other days. This is

normal muscle response and does not mean that you arebecoming any less flexible. It is your muscle's

way of getting needed rest from overstretching.4 . Work your muscles until you feel tension. TENSI

ON not pain! When you feel this tensioncontinue to hold your stretch while breathing deeply and

relaxing the antagonist muscle and thetension will slowly subside. This not only increases your

stretch, it builds your body awareness.Now , if you don't feel anything in your muscles, during a stretch, then the exercise

isn't doinganything for you. If you are so flexible already that you don'tfeel any tension

in the beginning exercises, change the movement or the stance until you do feelthe tension. You

may wish to hold a position longer (up to 30 seconds); take a wider stance; or
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even use weights or your own body weight to intensify the stretch.5. Alway s hold the stretch. To

warm up, generally ho ld the stretch for 810 seconds. For adevelopmenta l stretch, hold the position for

20 seconds or more. I advise not holding the stretchfor longer than 35 seconds. Alway s deep breathe and relax your

entire body while holding yourstretch position.6. Rem ember that stretching is not a competitive exercise. It's not

important to try and "outstretch" someon e, or even yourself. Just be consistent in your stretching utilizing proper

stretchingtechni que, and your desired flexibility will come. I teach people to stretch because it feels goodand

is an extremely safe and healthy activity.Master Mack Newton7th Degree Black Belt,

GTFDirector, NewtonTaekwon-Do CenterPhoenix, Arizona

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"I TRULY HOPE THAT THIS

BOOKLET WILL HELP YOU IN YOUR QUEST TO BECOME AFIRST DEGREE (FIRST DAN) BLACK

BELT. THERE MAY BE CHANGES TO THISMATERIAL FROM TIME TO TIME, AND THERE MAY BE A FEW

THINGS I HAVE CHOSENTO OMIT FROM THIS PUBLICATION FOR LACK OF SPACE. HO WEVER, I WILL

DO MYUTMOST TO SEE THAT TRAINING IS COMPLETE."PI L SUNG!MASTER MACK

NEWTON7th Degree Black BeltMember and CoFounderAmeric an Taekwon-Do Coalition (ATC) Global

Taekwon-Do Federation (GTF)