A Different Take On Stretching

I’m not going  to lie, I failed at keeping up with the 30 day stretch challenge. Between my injury and not being able to attend classes (which killed my motivation)–stretching for a full 30 minutes didn’t happen everyday.

split rock pose : sutro baths, san francisco (...

split rock pose : sutro baths, san francisco (2012) (Photo credit: torbakhopper)

Yesterday, when I talked to my boyfriend after his Tae Kwon Do class, he mentioned how his instructor said that instead of stretching for just one period a day, you instead should stretch for shorter intervals multiple times a day. This allows your body to get used to being stretched several times and not just being exposed to it once a day. This gymnastics article also says that “short, repeated exposure to stretching is more productive than a single intense or long bout of stretching.”

It’s better to stretch for 10 minutes a day than 70 minutes once a week–which is what I would end up doing because I’d avoid stretching and then try to make up for it

So for the next 30 days, my plan will be to try to stretch for still 30 minutes total a day, but in three segments: 10 minutes when I wake up, 10 minutes during my lunch break, and 10 minutes in the evening.

How are you working on becoming more flexible?

TweetChat and Stretch Day #9

UPDATE: 930 PM EST for the tweet chat, sorry for any confusion!

So, I’m thinking TweetChat Sunday at 9:30 PM EST, hashtag #adultballerinas?

And here is my photo incase you didn’t catch it last night from Day 9:

My nose can touch my knees! (and my knees are slightly bent because they overextend, if they were straight they’d bend backwards!) I’ve been avoiding actual splits because my ankle is in SEVERE pain.

And favorite spam comment ever?

Day 2 of the #30DayStretchChallenge

The pink socks are for you, Legal Ballerina, since I didn’t take the picture by the rest of my pink room!

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I really despise my left side and this photo is to remind me to keep stretching it and not just favor my right!

Several of us adult ballerinas started the 30 Day Stretch Challenge on October 9th! Feel free to join us, even if you missed the start date! If all goes well, I’ll probably start a new one once this one has finished!

Tips on Splits!

Some more great tips from mercietchatons!

More advice on stretching!

Hi Adult Ballerinas! I thought I’d leave you with a quick post with a link to some split advice and a reminder (as mentioned in the article) to not force your splits!

While of sure some of you who may have worked towards splits for a little may get them with the #30daystretchchallenge, many of us won’t. My main point in making myself do the challenge was to develop a regular stretching habits (something my ballet routine was lacking) and track my progress via pictures (and using those pictures as a reminder about why I should be stretching everyday!)

I’m so glad that so many people have agreed to take part in the challenge! Have fun everyone!

What’s your favorite time of day to stretch? I either stretch in the evenings while watching TV or after ballet class (when I’m nice and warmed up!)

(P.S. My lovely MacBook has had some battery issues so keep your fingers crossed that it gets fixed today!)