Stretch Sequences

The best way to become more flexible is to stretch everyday. Your muscles can stretch the most when they are warm, believe it or not. Right after your get out of a hot shower, do one ore two of these stretch sequences. You can pick anyone to fit to whatever you think you need the most flexibility in. The stretches are organized by the muscles used. For help, see Muscle Diagram

1. Leg Stretch

Stand at your dresser, bed, or whatever you might use as a ballet barre. Stand in sous-sous balance, and lift you leg slowly up to rest on your "barre". Slowly plie with your standing leg, 2counts down, 2 counts up. Do this again. Then slowly port de bras towards your leg, and away all the way down to the floor. Lastly, slide your leg along the "barre" like a straddle split. hold for 4 counts. Go for 8 if you can. Then, lift standing leg to releve, and slowly bring your leg down. Repeat for the other leg.
Sartorius, Hamstring, Achilles Tendon

2. Back, Hamstring, and Upper Leg Stretch

1st part: Stand in first position at your "barre". With one hand on the barre, lift the other to fifth position, and port de bras backwards. Try to keep everything below your hips strait, only your back sould bend. Slowly come up, and go through to port de bras front. Come up. 2nd part: Grab your ankle, and slowly extend your leg to the front. Go as far as you can without letting go of your ankle. The point is to get it as far as you can go, not to straighten it complete. Then, flex your foot, grab your toes, and do the same, but with your leg to the side. Lastly, Grab your ankle, and bring it to the back into attitude. Hold in each position for 4 counts.
Latissimus dorsi, Hamstring, Rectus femoris

3. Arabesque Stretch

Stand in fifth position at the barre. Lift your leg to arabesque and, this doesn't have to be graceful, but lay your leg on the barre. This will hurt your back a little bit, but this is good. As you feel less pain in this stretch, try to move your leg off of the barre while keeping the height.
Latissimus dorsi, Gluteus maximus

4. Split Stretch

Sit on the ground and bring your legs to butterfly position. Try to press you nose to your toes for 8 counts. Then extend one leg to the side and bring the other closer to you body. try to lay flat on your stomach like this. This is not that hard to do. Then, bring both legs into a straddle split and and let gravity pull your upper body down for as long as you can take it. Repeat with the other side.
Sartorius, Biceps femoris

I hope you guys enjoy this! You can work on becoming more flexible everyday by doing 1 or 2 of these simple stretches.