Position:Home>Dancing> What's a good stretching routine for a dancer?

I am a dancer, a yoga teacher, and a massage therapist!. I have integrated these disciplines into my yoga classes!.

In my yoga classes, I have developed the following warmup routine!. Note: I have used Sanskrit terms to describe yoga asanas!. You can look up these poses online!. I will also describe them here!. An excellent source is the Yoga Journal website!. Second note: In my classes, I emphasize breathing, awareness of individual muscles and muscle groups, chakras, and bandhas!. I teach classic yoga, Raja (Astanga) Yoga!.

1!. Begin by sitting in Sukhasana (easy Lotus), or Padmasana (full Lotus)!. This is a good time to engage the three bandhas (Jalandhara, Uddiyana, and Muladhara Bandhas)!. Sit quietly for a few moments with yogic breathing, in Ujayi Pranayama (victorious breath)!. To begin the stretching movements, inhale, and on the exhale, lean forward with eyes open, and open the heart, throat, eyes, and third eye (Ajna, sixth chakra)!. This opens all the chakras!. Take several breaths, and deepen into stretch with each exhale!.

Then, inhale, and come back to neutral sitting position to integrate, and rest for a couple breaths!. Take another inhale, and exhale as you go into phase two of this stretch, as you go into a forward bend, with eyes closed, full surrender, prayer position!. After a few breaths, again come up into neutral position!.

2!. Baddhakonasana (Bound Angle Pose)!. Feet together, massage the arches of your feet!. Inhale, and on the exhale, lean forward as in the above sequence, opening up the heart chakra (Anahata), throat chakra (Vishuddha), and Sixth chakra (Ajna)!. You will also open the Third chakra (Manipura), the second chakra (Swadhistana), and the root chakra (Muladhara)!. You will be stretching the adductors, the lower back muscles, and opening the hips, and other muscles!. Same sequence!. First phase, exhale with eyes open, opening all, second phase, exhale with eyes closed, close all!. Come up to neutral, rest for a breath or two, then put the feet forward an inch or so, and repeat!. There are three cycles!.

3!. Maha Mudrasana (Great Seal Pose)!. Sit up straight, place one leg out about 45 degrees, bend the other leg, with the heel pressed into the perineum, rise up through your spine, stretch the arms up, and look up as you inhale, exhale, and forward bend with relaxation over leg!. Deepen the stretch with each breath!. Inhale up, and rest into neutral sitting position before repeating other side!.

4!. Dandasana Chaturanga (staff pose)!. Sit with both legs out straight!. Lean forward, and pull back on both feet, to stretch the hamstrings, and soles of the feet, and also the lower back, arms, more!. Then place each foot on top of another, as in Traditional Thai massage, and make a energy circuit!. Repeat other way, with the other foot on top!. Open all the toes, and exercise the foot muscles fully!.

5!. Paschimotasana (full back stretch)!. Begin in staff pose as above, then inhale, stretch both arms up as you look up, stretch up, then exhale as you surrender in the intense full back stretch, folding at the hips as you go into a full forward bend!. If you are very flexible, then you can go clear to the floor between your legs, resting your forehead on the floor!. Take several breaths here, deepening the stretch!. Then inhale, and come back up to staff pose!.

6!. Ardha Matsyendrasana (Lord of the Fishes pose, or half spinal twist)!. This pose does wonders to open up the hips, increase energy and relaxation, as it lengthens and energizes the spine!.

7!. OK, now we work on the upper body!. This routine is from my long experience with Tai Chi, especially, and from dancer stretches (Luigi Jazz dance especially)!.

From a sitting position: Inhale as you reach and twist from the base of the sacrum all the way to your fingertips!. Really push into this, and feel each individual muscle and muscle group tense, twist, and then relax as you exhale while twisting down!. Repeat with the other arm!. Then stretch to the side (dancer's stretch)!. Then the other side!.

Open up as you embrace the world with arms outstretched on the inhale, then exhale as you bring the palms down and center into Ajna (third eye, sixth chakra)!.

Clasp hands, place over each thigh just above the knee, and stretch the muscles across the shoulder blades (Rhomboids), and upper, middle Trapezius, by raising the shoulder on the lower arm!. Stretch the neck muscles back, side, forward (no rolling)!. Exhale with each stretch!. Repeat for other side!.

Work on individual movements with all fingers and hands!. This is hard to describe, but it is essential for full expression in dance, and in yoga to develop high body awareness and precise muscle control!. If you can control the extremities, you can control all the muscles in between!. Focus on Ajna, third eye to develop this power and agility!.

Spin the hands and wrists with full velocity to bring full power to the arms, wrists, and hands!. There are two basic movements to this, back and forth, and up and down!. Be careful not to overdo!.

see below!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Most professional dancers do Pilates!. There are some good dvds around including some by former ballet dancers!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Miss Darcey Bussell - Prima Ballerina

http://uk!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=lHPMaUcPkB!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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well splits are always good,
straddles, pikes, and lungesWww@QuestionHome@Com

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Regular Swimming n YOGA !.!.!.best advisable!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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internet search yoga exercises!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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