What stretches to do at home...

[Guest xballetdreamsx]

I used the search feature and looked for some threads about this, but didn't find any. Sorry if this question has already been answered.

 

I'm not very flexible, and I'd like to start stretching at home, but I know you're not supposed to do a lot of extreme streches cold, which I would be when I'm home and not in class. So my question is, what kind of stretches would you suggest for me to do at home?

 

Thanks!

-Nicole

[Victoria Leigh]

Nicole, it depends on how many days a week you have classes. If you have class every day, like 5 or 6 days a week, then do your stretching after classes. If you don't have that many days, then on the days with no classes, warm yourself up with all the basic barre exercises, and then do all the stretching. There is really nothing you can accomplish in terms of increasing flexibility without being warmed up.

[Guest xballetdreamsx]

Thanks, Ms. Leigh. I'll do that.

[AEDancer]

I have the same problem, however I am quite flexiable, its just that I would like to improve my extension. I have class 6 days a week, and the majorityof the time I stretch when I get home after class. I usually sit in the splits for a couple of minutes making sure my hips are square for the perfect grand jete, then I usually lie on the ground with one leg straight and i pull my other leg to my face hold, and then to the side hold. I also do these stretches standing up and then realising the leg to practice getting my leg very high. It has helped me, and I suggest for anyone else.

, megan

[Victoria Leigh]

AEDancer, just curious....when you sit in the splits with your hips PERFECTLY square, is the back leg turned out?

[AEDancer]

Well I try to have it turned out it is not turned in completly. For the most part it is turned out to my ability, however sometimes I turn my back foot in for a better stretch.

[angel_lissa_91]

I stretch alot at home to but when I do the spilts I can't hold them because it hurts sooo much!

Edited October 10, 2004 by angel_lissa_91

[Guest Mollieochie]

I did a search and I found quite a few stretches. I catagorized them from what I felt they stretched when I did them. Hope this helps!

 

TURNOUT

1) Stand with your back against a wall.

2) Put your feet in second position with about 90-110 degrees of turnout feet about 6 inches from the wall (you should be leaning against the wall)

3) Throughout the exercise press your entire back against the wall.

4) Plie, bending your knees so that the go behind your feet. You are rotating from the hip as much as possible while keeping the feet in place.

5) As you lower keep pushing your knees back and rotating more.

6) As you rise, try to maintain this position and keep your back pressed against the wall, untill your knees are completely straight.

 

1) Get a really light thera band (red or yellow), tie it in a circle and close the door on it so

that the knot is on the other side of the door and the loop is on your side.

2) Lie on your stomach next to the thera band.

3) Put the foot nearest to the door in the thera band so that your calf and thigh make a 90 degree

angle.

4) Separate your legs slightly.

5) Try to flatten your back by lifting your stomach off the floor.

6) Pull the foot in the thera band down towards the other leg (turning out) until you fell the resistance of the thera band.

7) lift back to starting position.

 

1) Sit on the floor and bring one knee up in a neutral retiré, no turnout.

2) Then take a lightweight theraband, sling it under the knee and rotate the leg from the hip sideward.

3)Provide resistance with your hand on the other end of the theraband.

 

1) make a circular sling out of the band by tying the ends together, and sit down, with.

2) Slip this over your knees drawn up, supporting both above and below the knee. Then sit in the "butterfly" position, and grasp your ankles.

3) Let the knees open, and when you get resistance from the band, apply pressure from the hips against it. Remember to keep your feet pointed and your heels off the ground.

 

HAMSTRINGS (sp?)

1)Stand in a semi-wide parallel fourth, then stretch over the front leg.

2) try crossing your legs (one in front of the other) and hanging over for one minute.

 

1) sit on the floor extend one leg and keep the other bent.

2) bend over your leg from the hip, reach over(with the opposite arm) and grab the outside of your foot.

 

1) Cambré forward in a neutral second position (no turnout)

2) grasp the ankles

3) Bend the knees slowly and stretch back up, aiming to flatten the back and push the tail bone into the air

 

1) stand a few feet away from a table top or barre, and bend forward, with a flat back, to make your body into and upside down L shape.

2) arch the back, lifting your head up, and feeling like you are pulling your stomach to the floor. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds

3) Then curl your back, feeling like you are pulling your stomach to the ceiling. Hold for 5 second and flatten your back into a straight line again.

 

1) Lie on you back, with your feet turned in.

2) Lift one foot off the floor, with a flexed foot. Grab the tip of the flexed foot.

3) Keep both hips on the floor at all times, and remember to stay turned in and keep your knee straight. Pull the leg slowly closer to your head, as far as you can go.

 

QUADS

1) Lie face down on the floor with your forehead resting on the back of your hands, your legs parallel.

2) Breathe out and try to draw your naval to your spine and feel the lower glutial muscles engaging. (Do keep breathing though.)

3)Lift the straight leg just off the floor, still parallel, being careful not to lift the hip. Keeping the upper leg held in this position bend at the knee as far as possible, bringing the foot (which should be relaxed, not pointed) towards the buttocks.

 

1) Sit on the edge of a table and lie back with a cushion under your head. Bring both knees up to your chest.

2)Now draw the naval into the spine so the whole back is making contact with the table.

3)Let the left leg hang down over the edge of the table, holding your right gently to your chest, maintaining the hold in your abdominal muscles. Maintain the position for up to 3 minutes. The weight of the leg will gently stretch out quadriceps and the front of the hip.

 

ABBS

1) Lie on your back with the knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor, legs parallel, holding a small cushion between your thighs. Hands should be placed on the sides of the pelvis so you can feel that it is correctly aligned.

2)Engage the abdominal muscles by drawing the naval back to the spine allowing the pelvis to start to tilt under.

3)Now increase the tilt by squeezing your lower glutial muscles and draw the body up peeling your back off the floor one vertebra at a time until your body and upper thighs are in line, still maintaining the squeeze in the inner thighs on the cushion.

4)Now bring both arms forward and upwards over the head. Lower the body, this time rolling down through the spine one vertebrae at a time, stopping at the point where the pelvis is still just tilted and the navel still drawn back to the spine.

5)Bring the hands to the side of the head and curl the upper back off the floor maintaining the squeeze in the abdominals.

6)Extend the arms just past the knees and squeeze deeply into the abdominals for a count of two.

7)Then rotate the body lifting the left shoulder slightly further off the floor and reaching both arms slightly to the right of your right knee. Again hold this for a count of two.

8)Now bring the body back to the centre. Repeat the rotation to the left. Finally having brought the body back to centre lower to the starting position.

 

LEGS

1)Lying on your side with your pelvis vertical and your underneath arm stretching out with your head resting on it, place the foot of your top leg in front to support your body.

2)Use your abdominal muscles on your lower side to try and hold your spine straight. Now lift the lower leg off the floor, turning it out and pointing your foot, and circle it en dehors up to 10 times. Then repeat en dedans before lowering the leg

 

BACK

1) lie on your stomach

2) swing your arms to the sides, bringing up your upper back.

3) then, keeping the arch in your back bring your arms in front of you. Lift up your leg and hold for 10 seconds.

 

INSIDES OF LEGS

1) Do the center splits, go down as far as you can, and lean forward, so the insides of your feet are resting on the ground

2) rest your elbows on the floor and remember to keep your back straight.

3) Flex your feet and hold for 30 seconds

 

WARM UP ALWAYS!!!

 

love,

Mollie

[angel_lissa_91]

Thanks I will try that!

Edited October 10, 2004 by angel_lissa_91