Exercises to improve flexibility

I'm as unsupple as an iron bar at the moment lol, and I'd like to improve my flexibility as I was to take up dance at uni in September. What exercises would you suggest to help improve my bendyness? To give you an idea I can't even touch my toes :biggrin:

Reply 1

jose

I think swimming is good for stretchyness. Gentle on joints aswell which is a bonus.

Reply 2

Misogynist

Stretching exercises :p:

Reply 3

twiga

Hey thanks, I swim every week at the moment - maybe I should go more often :smile:

Is there anything else I can do?

Reply 4

Hullabaloo

I cant touch my toes either :redface:

Recently I have been stretching my back gently everyday for a few minutes and it seems to be working.

Reply 5

twiga

Why

Stretching exercises :p:

Yeh I know that! Lol but what type?

Reply 6

jose

Yoga is basically a load of stretching, so that could be worth a bash.

Reply 7

Mangaroo

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flexibilityandstretching/

Reply 8

PlayboyBunny

twiga

Hey thanks, I swim every week at the moment - maybe I should go more often :smile:

Is there anything else I can do?

Learn how to dolphin-kick. :smile:

Reply 9

dooby

Do you reckon to do Yoga or Pilates effectively you need to go to classes? Cos I've got a couple of those books which tell you how to do all the different stretches/positions etc., do you think working from those is just as effective?

Reply 10

Happy_Rocker

dooby

i've been doing do pilates everyday from a book for about 2 months and although i was quite flexible to begin with i've noticed a massive improvement :biggrin:

Reply 11

dooby

Cool, what book do you use? I've got Pilates by Walter McKone - 10p in 'The Works' bargain bucket!! Brand new and everything. I got one of Massage and one on Aromatherapy from the same series too, all 10p each! How do you feel it has benefited you? Like, in flexibility, tone, energy......etc

Reply 12

Happy_Rocker

i've got 'pure pilates' by michael king. lol damn 10p i got robbed.

I do abpout 40 mins daily and take it really slow, it definately has stretched me out, my stomach and arm muscles feel longer if that makes any sense :confused:

my flexiblility has gone through the roof, i think its down to the repetitive stretching of mainly back muscles but also other ones too. Its also improved my strength because alot of moves require you to support alot of your body weight for lengths of time.

I think about 10 mins a day if thats all you can spare would still be benificial, imo its just about going at your own pace and discovering the limits of yourself ie. flexiblity, strength then trying to improve on those.

btw i sound like the spokesperson for pilates :p:

i really like it

Reply 13

dooby

hehe that's good!! and you've never actually been to a proper class? that's cool! dunno if I've got the willpower to spend 40 mins a day though! :eek:

Am going to try and do some now. Do I have to read all the blah-de-blah stuff at the front about anatomy etc!! hehee.

Reply 14

Happy_Rocker

nah classes are for people with money :frown:

....

lol
Its really relaxing i do it first thing in the morning, kinda wakes me up.
I read the blah-blah spirtual crap once when i was bored but before that i didn't, mine is just 'what is pilates?...why pilates?....who is pilates? lol

Reply 15

rock_eleven

http://www.trickstutorials.com/index.php?page=content/flexibility
and
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~masrjb/Stretch/stretching_4.html

are good resources on flexibility and stretching.

Reply 16

bedbug

What's the difference between yoga and pilates? I'm going to a 'dynamic yoga' class tonight and I've got no clue how the two are different, never mind how to distinguish between different types of yoga.