customizing figures

Hey guys I'm lookingfor some help getting the players off the platform without cutting the man off at the ankle, any help?

Also how do you guys bend limbs? I tried a lighter and ended up with candles or mush ( and a little bit of a high from all the smoke) ugh!

I'm havin a great time makin my own figures (5 so far) but the ideas of poses I want to make involve bending legs and arms or straightening them out a little, thanks