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Question: Stretches for splits, toetouches, and high kicks!?
I want to try out for dance team and i need to be able to do all the splits, a toe touch and high kicks!. can anyone give me a lot of useful stretches!?!? thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
well, for starters!. you need to warm up your body!. if you don't, the stretching process will become a lot harder and longer!. go for a run or jog in place for about 4-5 minutes!. then, put on music or find a quiet place(whatever makes you concentrate better) and start with stretching out your legs(since all these skills you have to do require leg strength and flexibility)!.

being a dancer myself, i've discovered that these require inner thigh flexibility!. what i would do for the left and right splits is do the splits against your wall(head facing towards the floor)!. meaning, for the right splits, lift your left foot up and slide it up the wall and try to rest both legs on the wall!. but make sure you use your hands as a balance on the floor!. alternating this stretch will help with both left and right splits and as well as high kicks!.

as for the middle splits and toe touch, go as far down in your middle splits as you can and just hold them!. also, sit on the floor in second(thats with your legs spread as far as you can)and try and touch your chest to both knees and the center on the ground!.(do not do your head to knees as this will strain your back and give a cheat, unproper stretch)!. and as for the height with the toe touch, i find doing 100 CONSECUTIVE jumping jacks(its not as bad as it sounds) helps strengthen your calf muscle to give you the momentum to get as high off the ground as possible!. this also helps and getting you use to dancing without getting tired as easy!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

stretching after a bath or just as you wake up are both good times as your muscles are relaxed!. Remember to make sure you're warm before attempting any of these, pulled muscles are no fun and tend to make you go backwards, plus it takes longer anyway as you can't stretch while a muscle is pulled!. For any kicks it's best to be bare foot or in training shoes which are difficult to slip in!.

1) Sit down, legs straight out in front of you and sit up straight!. Put your arms straight up in the air!. Stretch forward, keeping your back as straight as possible, aiming to touch your toes/lie across your knees!.

2) sit with your feet together, knees out (we call it the frog)!. Bounce your knees for 10 then try and get your head to your feet (keep your feet on the floor) for 10, repeat!. The closer you can get your feet to your body the better!.

3) sit in straddle (legs straight out to the sides of you) and stretch up straight!. Keeping your back straight lean forwards for 10!. Return to upright, ensuring back is straight again!. turn at your waist towards a leg, lean forwards towards it, hold for ten!. Return to upright before turning to opposite leg and doing the same again!.

4) standing with your legs apart stand straight!. turn your upper body to face the side of the splits you'll be attempting!. try to get your nose to the knee of that leg, holding it as far as you can get for 5!. remain to standing and try again, this time holding for ten!. Slide into splits as far as you can get without forcing it and hold for 5, come out and go back into them, hold for 10!. We get told to bounce but it's probably easiest for you not to until you've got your center of gravity sorted and your flexibility's an okish level!.

5) standing against a wall with both heels as close as they can go to it get someone to push your leg towards the wall!. Make sure your hips are facing straight forward and don't twist at any point, your knees are both straight and you stay on the flat of your foot!. Hold it for 3 once it's up then bring it back down!. Push it up again, trying to push it that littlest bit further and hold for 5!. Do this in all 3 directions on both legs,

6) step onto one leg, kick the other!. Keep your back straight up, both knees straight and pulled up and make sure you dont rise onto the ball of your foot!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

choose ur fav song and play it
make sure its bout 4 minutes long
then get into the splits and hold it the whole time - yes! this will hurt and make u feel sore!.!.!.but! dont try to force it

do this every since night before bed for 2 months and dont miss a day
also stretch before school in the morning, even if that means waking up earlier!.!.!.

if you wanna make the team , then follow these directions

youll make it after being to flexible and this will improve your life style

so,
DO IT!

ps : do this and youll make it
good luckWww@QuestionHome@Com

stretch out your hamstrings by doing lunges, and by stretching out your splits for a while
good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com