Partner stretching is probably the best way for people who did CMA and IMA can improve on flexibility. In the years that I studied wushu we did a lot of stretching assisted by a partner pushing and pulling to a point of bearable pain. This was against a wall, with a chair, floor stretches, with pillows or yoga bricks, ropes and or resistance bands, using weights, and or the body weight of our partner along with gravity. In the long run good stretching pays off for many reasons including prevention on injury, recovery from injury, strength, balance, and endurance.
This is really the only way you can truly get a deep stretch and condition the muscles for some of the high performance moves required by many forms of Chinese martial arts. If you look at the cover art for [i]Xingyi Nei Gong and Health Maintenance Exercises[/i] you will see a life long practitioner of good stretching getting his elbow to touch his toes [img]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5198B3A9K7L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg[/img], or the pictures of [i]Guang Ping Taijiquan[/i] people were required to get the chin to touch the toe.[img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hPCyqY-O8W0/SjE_nWbDX0I/AAAAAAAAAWw/dRcKwHAlqYM/S220/chintotoe.jpg[/img]
There are a ton of solo stretching a person can do, but a partner can help motivate and increase the intensity and degree and range of motion you otherwise could not achieve on your own. Here is a list of top partner stretches:
1. wall: Front kick stretch for hamstring: Prop your leg on partner shoulder, partner starts in a low horse stance and then rises up with your leg on their shoulder
2. wall: Side kick stretch Same as #1 but with side of body to wall with leg on partners shoulder
3. wall: Side stretch kick- back to wall but partner brings leg up to lateral side towards your shoulder.
4. wall: Back kick stretch- front of body to wall, let partner lift the knee and leg high as comfortably possible.
5. Floor- feet together toe touch with partner pushing down on shoulders/back
6. Floor- runners stretch- single leg forward partner pushes down on shoulders
7. Floor- legs out in a V shape, arms crossed- partner sits in front and pushes his feet on your ankles and pulls your crossed arms towards him/her.
8. Floor- legs out in V shape- partner pushes on shoulder while your hands walk out in front.
9. Floor- legs out in V shape- partner pushes you for a left leg front stretch
10. Floor- legs out in V shape- partner pushes you for a right leg front stretch
11. Floor- legs out in V shape- partner pushes you for a right leg side stretch- right shoulder inside the right knee
12. Floor- legs out in V shape- partner pushes you for a left leg side stretch- left shoulder inside left knee
13. Floor- Butterfly stretch- feet together with soles of feet touching- knees out, have partner stand or press down on your knees.
