Is pain normal

I've been wanting to get more flexible forever. I WAS flexible when I was around the age of 12 (I could do side splits etc) but after an injury I got... kinda 'stuck'.
Now I want to get flexible again, not to do high kicks or because it's cool, but because it hurts when I kick and it feels like my muscles get stuck (you know the feeling when you can only drop your leg downwards because it's stuck). Now English is not my native language so I don't really know the names of the muscles and places where it hurts, but I'll try to explain.
When I (side)kick with my left leg it starts to hurt on top of the inside of my right leg. Next to the genitles.
When I (side)kick with my right leg it starts to hurt directly under the right buttcheek.
Now I wonder, what is the best stretching for me? Is it dynamic or static? And when doing static streching, is it ok to feel pain? Do you need to go into the 'painzone', or do you need to stop at the point when it begins to hurt?Thanks in advance:)

BTW: I can do front splits, only with left leg forward. I can also kick high, but only using technique (hanging backwards, rotating hip 'upwards'. Just to say I'm not a beginner and totally stiff:P

Some degree of pain is normal. When stetching, you want to go just to the threshold of pain and pull slightly back, You should feel some tension but not pain necessarily. It sounds to me like you have a right hamstring that has been injured. I once injured my hamstring on the right side when I was younger, bouncing into a split. It took almost a year to heal and I still have problems today from it. However, it is a lot less than when the injury first occurred so it would seem that stretching and excerciseof the muscle will help you as it did me. Good luck

I think that when we are younger we are a bit less secure regarding warming up etc . At least I was irresponsible when I first injured my hamstring (I looked it up, you were right, it is the hamstring). Plus I really feel like getting older when streching (I'm only 18) But maybe it's just in the head A week ago I had a training with the other/older 'danners' and I fitted in just perfectly, while I'm feeling like I should do better than them Dont let them read this, but it is my biggest concern that I might get older and things like injuries get to be long termed and remaining flexible might get harder too. When I see those really flexible Martial Artists I just... And I know they might have nature on their side, but still... damn I'm getting boring and stuf Maybe I'd better start stretching

If you are looking to remain flexible in the coming years then you definately need to get a good stretching routine and get in the habit of performing it regularly. The other MA's you speak of didnt start out that flexible. A few maybe, but not all. Have patience and when you seem to reach a platue in your training take a week or so off. When you come back you will often find that after a few days back your range of motion will improve.

Agreed what you need to do is look at this post:

http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/s...=0#Post15830708

and from that write up a routine and then post it for us to help guide you.
Like what was mentioned it is when you are younger you are normally the most flexible and if left this will slowly depreciate.
We all know our limits and many are silly and try to go way past it which is wrong we have a pain threshold and its ok to push it but not too far as we end up with an injury.