dancer31220 Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 Hi. I have a little over 1 week until my summer dance schedule starts up. I will be taking classes Monday through Friday for 4 and a half hours each day (yay! ). My friend who has taken these classes before (I haven't since I was in a lower level last summer) told me that at the beginning of each class a lot of stretches, splits, situps, jumping jacks, and other things like that are done. Right now I have my right split practically down and my left one, well, lets just say its not quite there . Every day (well, almost every day), I have been doing my splits, about 100 crunches, holding the frog stretch for atleast 1/2 an hour (its not down either!! ), and just stretching in general. I am trying to get both my splits, the frog stretch, and my straddle down since I will be one of the youngest and (I have to admit it!) the worst in the class Most of the girls are about 16 and I am only 13. I know I will not be able to dance up to their level (but I will definitely try! ), so I was hoping I could atleast be as flexible as them. It has been about 2 weeks since the fall schedule of classes ended and I have faithfully been doing these stretches [pretty much] every day, but I have not seen much, if not any, improvement! I don't know what I am doing wrong, but it is certainly getting me frustrated! Are there any other stretches I could do to improve my flexibility? Or shou ld I be doing more of these stretches more often??? Please somebody help me!! Sorry for the wordiness! Thanks!!! Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted June 26, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 dancer, it's just not going to happen in two weeks! Noticing a lot of improvement from stretches happens over a very long period of time, not weeks, not even months. My question is, however, why are these things, especially splits, being done BEFORE classes??? Flexibility stretching should only be done when you are warmed up from class, or at least from a full barre! Quote Link to comment
dancer31220 Posted June 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 Thanks for replying so quickly! I am still wondering some things though... They are not really done before classes but in the beginning of class. I think they are done as a warm up. Or maybe I just heard wrong all together and they are done after the barre but before the center class. I will find out in about a week though! Also, how long WILL it take before I see improvement in the stretches I said? Last night I got my frog stretch down to like a 1/2 inch above the floor (after I had my mom push my feet down but I held it like that for a while after that), so when I did the frog today I expected it to be that far down too, but my feet were like 5 inches above the ground! So there was still no improvement. How can it be down one day and then not down the next?? Quote Link to comment
CAdancer Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 I can't answer most of your above questions, but I know that I've been working on my splits really hard for over a year. Remember, splits don't come over night; it takes time. I never had great extensions last year, but I've been working exceptionally hard on them this year and it has paid off. I just stretched everyday (not overdoing it) and it eventually came. I got all of my splits about 4 months ago, but I've been stretching still. I would defintally recommend never giving up! Over time with stretching, they should eventually come. Another solution for flexibility might be pilates. I wouldn't know much about it since I'm not an expert, but if there are some pilates centers in your area you might want to consider it. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted June 27, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 Dancer, flexibility stretches are not warm ups! They need to be done when you are already warmed up. As to how long, that is impossible to say. Everyone is different. Just keep working. Sometimes it takes a few years to reach your maximum stretch and extension. Quote Link to comment
mohnurka Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 As for your "frog" question -- yes, that happens. Your hips will stretch out one day and you'll go lower than usual, and then when you start the next day, you might seem to be back at your original start (not any lower). Just keep stretching. After a while, you will begin lower and lower and lower... Also, try doing stretches like the frog while doing something else -- it helps to put your mind off the discomfort . Be patient! Quote Link to comment
dancer31220 Posted June 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 OK, I guess I was just being a little too impatient. But I am definitely not giving up! Thanks for all the replies: I will be doing the stretches every night still until I get them down and I will try to be a little more patient.. hehe. Quote Link to comment
dancer31220 Posted July 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 Hi. Sorry to bump this back up, but I just wanted to confirm that I was wrong about doing stretches (strattles, splits, frog, etc.) in the beginning of classes. It turns out that we just do jumping jacks and crunches and these other things where you stand up and jump down into a crouched position and then put your legs out and then come back up (I dont know what theyre called ) to warm up our muscles. But anyway, I just wanted to say that you were right Ms. Leigh (Of course! )and the stretches I was talking about were not done in the beginning of classes but rather after barre as a sort of extra warm up for center. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted July 7, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 Glad to hear that, dancer. But what is that thing about jumping into a crunched position? Never heard of that. Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted July 7, 2004 Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 Sounds like Russian character work to me. Squats, like the boys do - but later on. In fact, looking at the post again, it looks like "squat-thrusts" which haven't been done by anybody for years! Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted July 7, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 And they sound like a very BAD idea to me! Quote Link to comment
DancesInHerSleep Posted July 7, 2004 Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 Knock, knock a mom here. Sorry, I know you may end up deleting this, but I couldn't resist... This sounds like the exercise we used to do in bootcamp when we were being "cycled" or "thrashed". In otherwords, we were being punished! From a standing position we would drop down, hands touching the floor, jump back into a push up position and then jump back into our original position and stand back up (if we were lucky). I would think it's bad on the knees and on the back. What do you think Mel is this what you're referring to as a squat-thrust? Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted July 7, 2004 Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 That's a squat-thrust, all right. The USAF dropped them from their Physical Training repertoire about the same time that NY State Phys. Ed. strongly disrecommended them for high school gym classes (ca. 1963). I don't know if they were so bad on the back, but they sure tore up the meniscus in the knee! Quote Link to comment
dancer31220 Posted July 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 Yes they are squat-thrusts--I found that out right after I posted. I didnt find that they hurt or anything... they just made you tired. We just did them to get our muscles warmed up for class. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted July 7, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 I strongly suggest that you cease and desist with that exercise, whether it hurts now or not! Not at all healthy for your knees. Quote Link to comment
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