Is it true that i am too old to get more flexible than i am now?

Question:i am 15 and i stretch every day during ballet class and i usually stretch when i get home too. i have been able to do a full split on both sides for a few years but my side splits are horrible! i have been trying for a long time to get them down and i stretch them a lot. my teacher told us that we stop being able to get more flexible when we are 14. is this true?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i am 15 and i stretch every day during ballet class and i usually stretch when i get home too. i have been able to do a full split on both sides for a few years but my side splits are horrible! i have been trying for a long time to get them down and i stretch them a lot. my teacher told us that we stop being able to get more flexible when we are 14. is this true?

Assuming that there is no injury that has drastically altered a body structure, there is no "Magic Year" when you can no longer increase flexibility, strength, endurance, etc. It is all about training and work. I would highly recommend getting an appointment with a good, certified personal trainer and getting specific stretches to increase felxibility. The other option that I know several people have had creat success with is Yoga. Just bear in mind that it is a slow process, you will not magically be 50% more flexible in a week. Also be carefull to avoid the "Pain is good" pitfall. A close friend that was taking dance with me also wanted to increase her flexibillity. She would push a stretch to the point where she was nearly crying from the pain. After a few months she was less flexible than when she started. When she saw a specialist she found out she had been making small tears in various tissues and as they healed they would scar, making it even more difficult to stretch out. Uncomfortable is fine, but truly painfull is not.

No. You can get more flexible, practically at any age. People do it in yoga all the time. But always gradually, gradually. Don't push it too far too soon. Have patience, and work out consistently.

Not true! Do some yoga in addition to ballet and you'll see a difference.

You can still get more flexible than you are now. Well, my moms becoming more flexible by practicing. But it is certantly harder to become more flexible at a certant age. And dont worry if you think your not improving, it takes time and patience.

Nah....that is NOT true. I am a dancer and I know for a fact if you keep working on it, you could be a rubberband. It definitely has nothing to do with being under 14! I know old people that can do the splits all the way down! Good Luck!!!

This is absolute garbage. You can improve flexibility at any age. The key is making sure your muscles are warm before you start stretching to both avoid injury and increase the elasticity of muscles and ligaments. Jog for 10 min before stretching.

ok, so now you see that you can still improve your flexibility by all the answers you've got here. the bigger question is

WHAT KIND OF TEACHER ARE YOU STUDYING WITH ?????

i just wonder -- if he or she is that misinformed about flexibility, what else do they not know ?? you might do well to investigate other places to study ! improper teaching in dance can actually do damage to your body over the long term.