- Working on your splits...
- Do a slight jog/run for about 5 minutes. If you do not have enough space it's okay to jog in place. (Just make sure you feel your muscles warming up!)
- Sit in a straddle on the floor, legs spread apart, and stretch for 30 seconds on your right, middle and left sides.
- Then stand up, take your foot and pull it behind your back (towards your butt, or higher near your head if you are flexible enough), and stretch that for about 30 seconds. Then repeat on the other side. You should feel your muscles in your thighs being pulled just a little bit.
- Now you will need someone to help you with this...But it is crucial in order to get your splits! Stand against a wall and have someone hold your leg as you pull it towards your head. Once you get where you cannot stretch any further, start pushing your leg as hard as you can down toward the ground while your partner goes against you. Do it for about 20 seconds and then take your leg down, shake it out, put the same leg back up and you will be able to go farther up this time. Then repeat. Do this about 3-4 times each leg. I promise this is probably the number one way to get your splits.
- This is also one of the most important as well. (I would say this and #4 are tied for first place). Sit on the ground as close to a wall as possible and straddle the wall. Lay your back flat against the ground and sit like this for about 3-5 minutes. Gravity will slowly be pulling your legs towards the ground so your splits should come VERY fast! After you've done this about 3-5 minutes, shake out your legs and then do it again as soon as you feel ready to. (Your legs will be warmed up. Waiting any longer than 10 minutes will make your muscles cool down again) Try to do this at least 3 times.
- And last but not least, stretch your splits. Even if you can't go down far, you need to work those muscles. Do them at least 4-6 times (with small breaks in between) and try to hold them as long as possible. Preferably at least 30 seconds each.
- Working on your scorpion...
- Do a slight jog/run for about 5 minutes. If you do not have enough space it's okay to jog in place. (Just make sure you feel your muscles warming up!)
- Sit in a straddle on the floor, legs spread apart, and stretch for 30 seconds on your right, middle and left sides.
- Then stand up, take your foot and pull it behind your back (towards your butt, or higher near your head if you are flexible enough), and stretch that for about 30 seconds. Then repeat on the other side. Do it about 5 times altogether. You should feel your muscles in your thighs being pulled just a little bit. ***THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STRETCHES FOR YOUR SCORPION!!!***
- Do bridges. Get on your back and push up to a bridge. (You need lots of back flexibility for scorpions). Do this for 15 seconds each and do it at least 3 times.
- Make sure you are stretching your arms. You need to be flexible there too. You are reaching behind your head to grab your foot. Have one hand touch your shoulder blade and use your other arm to pull your elbow as far back as possible with out hurting yourself.
- Then do "fish hooks". Lay on the ground with your stomach on the floor. Now with your arms, push your upper body off the ground and look as far back behind yourself as possible. The goal is to stretch you back by keeping your legs out flat on the ground behind you, and curving your back backwards.
~(This is a fish hook, but you should have your head looking at your toes)~
My only advice after those steps is to do numbers 2, 3 and 4 (and possibly 5 if you want to) again. They are the most important to keep working on after being warmed up.
I also highly recommend stretching your splits as well!!!
- Good luck! And please comment if you need help with any other areas in Cheerleading so I can put a post up! :) Thanks!
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