Improving your students flexibility will not only enhance their lines and fluidity but will also help protect them from injury. Students that do not have good flexibility will almost always stretch the wrong way. They will strain, be out of alignment and usually just give up. It is important that the students understand the principles of stretching and that they must practice it on a daily basis. Here is a quick run down of the basics
1. Warm up first! The core body temperature must first be raised. Stretching before this is done will be dangerous. The body must be warm and blood must be flowing for the benefits of stretching to occur. Usually five to ten minutes to warm up using isolations, plies, port de bras or any other movement that can raise the heart rate. Careful not to do a lot of jumping.
2. Go slow. Start by doing a slow controlled stretch. Breathing needs to be emphasized consistently. Bending over at the waist and touching the ground is a good start. Now go over to each leg and continue to stretch. Once you stretch forward it is important to then stretch backward. Raise arms over head and slowly do a back bend. Recover and go over to a flat back then stand up again.
3. Focus on the joints. Don't forget to work on the hips, knees, ankles shoulders and wrists. While you cannot really stretch a joint you can work on exercises that stretch the muscles around it. Lie on your back and place both feet on the floor. Now take one foot and place it on the other knee. Let that leg turn out. Slowly bring the leg that has the foot on the floor into the body. This is a great hip flexor stretch.
4. Work on deeper stretching exercises. Here is where you can begin to work on deep stretching techniques. Lie on your back, both legs straight. Bend in one knee to the chest. Now take a hold of the leg and start to pull it back to the same shoulder. Being very careful not to let them raise the hip or get out of alignment. Breath control is very important here. Also understanding the difference between pain and discomfort and knowing that each student will have a different threshold.
Splits can now be added. Teaching How To Do Splits It is always fun to see the faces of students once they start to develop their splits. They want to show you every five minutes. Careful placement and alignment will need to be taught. Even with students with good flexibility you will need to watch for proper placement. Here is a great way to teach them.
1. There are no counts for this exercise because students will go at their own pace, slow and controlled movements.
2. Start on knees, arms by sides, trying to keep the torso lifted
3. Extend one leg forwards, try to get leg fully stretched. Place both hands on the floor on either side of the leg. This will help with placement
4. Slowly try to straighten the back leg without bending the front leg. Keep shoulders and hips square.
5. Breath deeply and hold for 2 counts of 8
6. Start to slide back on knee and then try other side.
7. Keep adding 8 counts until they can hold it for 12 counts of 8 This will help them to slowly increase the length of time in the split and they will start to see improvement in a short period of time.
* Helpful Hints *
* When splitting, students have a natural tendency to collapse their torso forward, but by emphasizing that they must keep the back straight or slightly arched it will help them to stretch their hip flexor which will eventually enable them to fully straighten their back knee.
* By assisting with the stretches and adding gentle pressure you will be able to let your students have a more concentrated stretch. The use of breath control to increase relaxation will benefit them. Always communicate with the student so you know when they have reached their limit.
* A great way to assist in the splitting exercise is to stand behind them, placing your hands on their shoulders and gently pulling their shoulders back then apply slight pressure downwards to enable them to feel the weight
