Mystery of the Missing Muscle

On Monday we did a lot of kicking and I knew the I'd be feeling it on Tuesday. I did, but not at all in the way I was expecting. Last night, I felt it as soon as I started warming up. Each time I cetitui-ed on my right I felt my hip sort of pop and click back into place. It didn't hurt exactly (thought not particularly comfortable), it was just a totally bizarre feeling that each time left me trying to figure out what the heck just happened. What it feels like, is that there used to be a muscle on the front of my hip socket holding everything in place and suddenly it isn't there anymore, and the joint is just popping around however it pleases. What's going on in there? Wondering if anyone else has ever had this. Is it a sign that all that kicking extension has pushed me to a new point of flexibility? Or is one of my hip flexors on vacation someplace? I guess so long as it doesn't hurt, I wont worry. It sure gives popping a whole new meaning. :)

The Art of Popping

I know... I know.... It's all about extension and popping. I've been training for over a year now and I heard those words for about 5 billion times. But I don't even know if I'm doing it the right way.

I've been told to imagine string pulling from my head to my tailbone. I've been told to open up my shoulder blades. Ummm.... it's a little difficult when my one of my legs is in the air. But I'm trying.

A few months ago I learned that I totally popped the wrong way. Jeremiah aka Neo saw me do the extension while drinking shots at a bar. And the conversation went like this:

(Reenactment)
J: That's not how you're supposed to pop.
Me: What did I do?
J: You looked up and thrusted your boobies out.
Me: I popped.
J: You're supposed to pop your hip.
Me: That's impossible.
J: You are crazy.
Me: You are a nerd...
...etc...

And then I tried it. For me, it's especially true with front kicks - Caijiao, Lihetui, Zhengtitui. When I was told to extend, I would pop my head up to the ceiling. And that's not right. It hurt not only my neck but also my back. O.K. I have to pop from the hip. I tried it. And it's more fun. :) And my back doesn't hurt as much anymore (still hurts though) and my neck stopped hurting completely!