Dancer friends,
If I could do the splits, I would probably sit in them 24/7!!! I would be that dancer that eats in their splits, reads in their splits, watches tv in their splits, chills in their splits...pretty much anything and everything possible. Oh I would also stretch all the time and randomly grab my leg by my ear because why not? Pretty show off-y huh? I know. And God knows too, that's why I can't even touch my toes without getting a cramp! I had to be humbled somehow. Welcome to today's post inflexible beings- this one's for you...us!
For the longest time, I struggled with calling myself a dancer simply because I was inflexible...among other reasons. I've been in numerous ballet classes where everyone seemed to be able to lift their legs as high as the heavens, while mine struggled to make it past 45 degrees, and contemporary classes where going into a split was part of the routine and I had to awkwardly slide into a half split. It was devastating and borderline embarrassing to say the least. So I did what any dedicated and committed dancer would do; I went on YouTube and clicked on a "How to get flexible in 15 minutes"video.
Surprisingly, I still didn't get my splits even after watching not 1or 2 but a bunch of those "quick flexibility" videos. For a month or so, I stretched every night awaiting the day I could slide into my splits. I did everything in my power friends, everything, but all I did was hold my toe touch stretch for at least a minute now without any cramping. Not the kind of progress I was hoping for.
So how do we, as inflexible beings, get flexible? I'm glad you asked. First, we stretch! Turns out that our flexibility is affected mostly by our genes. We could stretch as much as we like but not get the results we want, not because we aren't putting in the work, but because our bodies are just unable to get to the extent we want it to get to. I also found out that none of my parents are flexible; in fact inflexibility runs in the family - such a huge weight lifted off my shoulders! Second, we stretch consistently! Think of a rubber band; the more you stretch it the larger it becomes, and once you stop stretching it, it goes back to normal and you have to start from scratch. It's the same with stretching your body. Third, we stretch correctly! Among all the many "quick flexibility" videos, there are some helpful ones that teach you how to stretch the right way. One of my teachers used to say that stretching correctly results in discomfort, not pain. That's the test.
Just in case you were wondering , super flexibility is not a requirement to be a dancer. It is beneficial in certain styles like ballet, contemporary..., but other than that you can just think of it as an added skill: like gymnastics, or the fire eating thing that acrobats do. So if you have been holding back, I'm here to say it's ok dancer friend. I feel you 100%. Do the best you can, give your body some grace, and shine confidently with those awkward half splits!
Keep creating & sharing!
~Your dancer friend
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