Best way to become more flexible for dance?

Question

I'm semi-flexible thanks but not nearly as flexible as I would like to be.

I've recently become interested in Contemporary/Modern dance and flexibility is key for it as well as strength.

I've taken a year of ballet in the past and 3 years of jazz so I do have a little dancing history.

Any tips to become more flexible and stronger? I'd love to be able to bring my leg right beside my head standing up.

Answer 1

Yoga and Pilate's. that's there main thing flexibility

Answer 2

I am not flexible as well but have found my splits improved when I put both of my legs on something above the ground and do my splits so that my front and back feet are on something.  You should not have anything below your thighs.  Hold onto something beside you and sink to the floor.  After sitting in this position for a minute or so (the longer you are in the position, the better!) do your splits on the floor and see how you improved! My splits have improved by 3 inches in the past 2 weeks!  If you do this daily you will definitely see a difference!

Answer 3

one thing to be strong and flexible is having a strong core. 20 crunches before bed or when you wake up are great. put on your favorite song and isolate your body then start to streatch, once you're really into it and you feel warm (NO AIR CONDITIONING OR SITTING ALOWED!) start doing lunges, toe touches, splits, leaps, batmas, and anything that can really bend you. don't push too hard in the begining but start bringing it up a knotch. you really need to be commited. don't slack off. after doing that once a week for half a year i got so much improvement, and now for doing it for 3 years almost everyday i've really become flexible. don't slack off!

Answer 4

1. Stretch every day to warm up...Pike, straddle, butterfly, etc.

2. Lay on your back, propped up on your elbows and do about fifty leg lifts per leg. You an also lay on your side and do the same thing. This will help build muscle and greatly improve your flexibility.

3. Once you're warm, lay on the floor against a wall and open your legs in a straddle. Let them naturally rest as far down as they will go for about five minutes.

4. Work on all of your splits (right, left, middle)

5. What I find to be the most effective: Do leaps across the floor. Don't focus so much on technique as just getting your legs as high as they will go. This will make your legs stronger and help your flexibility a lot!

Hope this helps...

Good luck!

Answer 5

1.Sit in a straddle on the floor. Stretch to the right and then put your nose down to your knee.

  

2.Do the same thing to the left.

3.Try to touch your belly to the middle or as far as it will go.

4. Do this everyday until your belly is completely on the floor.

5. Do splits. Also gymnastics classes always help.

Answer 6

Two more odd ways to improve flexibility are:

1) Soak in a hot bath for a while. Right after you get out, stretch the muscles you want to become more flexible. You'll have to repeat this daily, but it works - my friend got her splits in 5 days doing this.

2) Drink lots of water. Keeping your muscles well hydrated will make them more loose. A general rule is drink half your body weight in ounces of water (i.e. if you are 100lbs., drink 50oz. of water a day).

Hope this helps!