Safe Stretching Secrets
You don't have to be flexible to do ballet... doing ballet will actually make you more flexible. Be assured that the extreme flexibility you see in professional dancers is not needed for you to enjoy ballet as a past-time, or as your exercise routine. A normal range of flexibility will serve you just fine! Really what matters is that you get your body moving, and work gently within your own range of flexibility, which will increase over time as you pursue ballet.
Tiekka, at Everyday Ballet, has a nice video with four ballet stretching secrets, and she also guides you through a short, gentle stretching sequence for your hips, back and hamstrings. I like that this sequence is something you could do at home, or in the office, using just a chair for support!
Here's a summary of her tips:
- Warm up your muscles before stretching, by doing some light aerobic activity beforehand. This gets blood flowing through your muscles and allows them to extend more than if they were cold.
- Engage your core muscles, and maintain good posture through your torso when stretching. Stretching should be controlled and purposeful, to avoid injury. Ballistic or bouncing stretches can tear your connective tissues.
- Don't push your stretching too far. Overstretching will actually cause your muscles to tighten up, and can cause scarring which actually reduces flexibility. Keep your stretching within a range that is comfortable for your body. Stretching shouldn't feel torturous.
- Remember to breathe. Consciously breathing, slowly in and fully out, while stretching will help put you into a relaxed frame of mind, which will translate to more relaxed muscles. And when your muscles are relaxed, they stretch more easily.