Flexibility Tips?

[Guest allthatjazz92]

Hey! I'm dancing my 5th year now, and I've been working hard on my flexibility each year. I still can't go all the way down in splits. I was wondering if anyone has tips for increasing my flexibility, like ways to stretch, things like that. I realize that I might just be one of those people that isn't very flexible, but I'd like to improve as much as I can! Thanks for any and all tips![/font]

[Victoria Leigh]

Hello allthatjazz92, welcome to Ballet Talk for Dancers!

 

Flexibility is a gift, and some have it and some don't. Those who don't have to work very hard to get it. Those who do usually have to work just as hard at gaining strength. So, it's a toss up there! Anyway, splits ARE a stretch. Being able to do them for ballet is not critical, but doing them as an exercise for stretching is. They need to be done when warmed up from a full barre, as with all flexibility stretches. There is no short cut to gain more flexibility, unfortunately. One just must continue to take classes every day, and do extra stretching.

[Guest allthatjazz92]

Thanks a bunch!! I don't take class every day, but I end up doing the splits 3 days of the week. I gotta get working on them more.

[Victoria Leigh]

Thank you for going to a normal font

 

It would be good if you could get more classes, if you are thinking of dancing as a career.

[Guest GetThePointe32]

The way I got my splits is I worked on them practically everyday and just pushed a little harder everyday and I got it. A bad thing to do (I think) is going into the splits without doing any other stretching first, thats a good way to pull a muscle!!