Master Han was a martial arts teacher who excelled in aerial tactics and flexibility almost to the point of seeming to be double jointed. His classes were tough, but his instruction was always with care and respect for his students.

One of Han’s top students was a young man named Chang, who was simply amazing in the air and with his flexibility, but it hadn’t always been that way. When Chang began his training he was already very strong, so he believed that the martial arts would come very easily, but he had a very difficult time with a beginning stance when he first began his training. 

After class, he asked, “Master Han, I’m not sure I’m ever going to grasp this stance. It’s very painful and I feel unbalanced in it.”

Master Han replied, “The stance is not something you grasp or hold. You must freely give into it.”

Puzzled by Master Han’s comments, Chang asked, “What do mean, since we do stand stationary?”

Master Han took a steel bar and gave it to Chang and told him to bend it into a pretzel shape. Chang was unable to budge the bar. Next he took a limb from a willow tree and asked him to do the same thing. The willow was easily twisted into the pretzel shape.
Master Han said, “You see the willow limb has more give than the steel bar, so you were able to change its shape.”

Chang replied, “I see. I must become more like the willow rather than steel.”
“Exactly! When you train using the beginning stance, you must free your muscles rather than hold them. Then the stance will be just right.” Master Han said.

With a bewildered look, Chang asked, “It’s so difficult that my body just tenses up. How can I let the muscles go?”

Master Han answered, “You must free your mind first, then the body will follow. It’s a slow process that can’t be rushed.”

From that point on, Chang trained to let go rather than hold on. Over time he developed a powerful stance and tremendous flexibility through his new found training based on freedom.