How to gain/keep your flexibility

Before stretching your muscles should be 'warm' so you don't hurt yourself or tear a muscle. Good ways to warm up are jumping jacks or running in place!

Here are some of my favorite stretches (: .....

Bent hamstring stretch: Start by kneeling then extend one leg in front of you. Lean your upper body down to your legs and hold.

Standing straddle: Start standing with your legs far apart. Bend down and touch the ground with your hands or elbows.

Standing calf stretch: Stand with one foot in front of you then bend down and grab your ankle with your hands.

Standing quad: Stand on one foot and grab the other with one hand. Push your foot against your lower back.

Butterfly: Start by sitting in butterfly, use your arm to push down on one knee so it is on the ground while you twist your upper body to the opposite side.

Straddle stretch: sit in straddle and lean to one side, then the other. Don't forget to point your toes!

Feet on head: lay on your stomach, bend your legs and head back to touch each other. (this stretch takes time to get your feet to your head)

Left splits (don't forget your right splits too!)

Center splits! **TIP: spread your arms out to the sides and put your chest on the floor (as shown above) to get deeper into the stretch

More advanced stretches & tricks.... **NOTE: You should have your splits before trying these next stretches so you don't tear a muscle

Side leg extension: start standing then grab your ankle and extend your leg to the side

Peekaboo: start standing then grab your ankle with both hands and extend it straight up by your face. Make a hole between your arms like shown above for your head! Peekaboo! (:

Process of scorpion ... Start by grabbing your foot with one hand as shown

Now both hands..

And bring your hands over your head into scorpion!

Scorpion stretch in splits: start in splits and grab your ankle with your hand...

And Lean your head back!

Do these stretches every other day to every day to see improvement in your flexibility! Remember, don't over stretch. Don't push too far while in a stretch, only go where your body feels comfortable!