Yoga is great and if I do it in the mornings for only a few minutes it puts me in a happy mood. I remember when I started trapeze and I couldn't even touch my toes, I kept doing warm up stretches every morning and I got more flexible. I'm still really unfit though and have core muscles like jelly so I dream of the day I can do backwards rolls on a trapeze.


Even simple stretches help like lunges or sitting with your legs straight in front of you flexed feet and reach for you toes. See how far you can get your nose to your knees but only go as far as your limit don't force it. It will really stretch your hamstrings and if you do it with your legs split it stretches right up the back of your thighs too.

I hate stretching my hamstrings though it always makes me feel a little sick!

do some of these each day

your mucles are nice and relaxed after a hot bath so you might find it easier then to strech.

-try and touch your toes, if u can do that try and got your plams flat on the floor

-sit on the floor and place the leg you would go into a split with (the leg you would put forward) straight out infront of you
-bend your other leg so the flat of your foot is against the your thigh (toes should be about your knee joint ish)
- now, straighten your back up, breath in and reach up as much as u can and hold for 10 seconds


-bring your arms back down and try and touch your toes (point them or not its up to you) hold for 10 seconds
- if you can do that grab your ankle and bring your elbow down to your knee (should feel a strech in h back of you leg.)
- if you can do THAT grab your ankle with both hands and bring your nose as close as you can to your knee.
do one each of these in order so like, toes,knee,nose,
but do 3 lots of them times ever time you do your exercises.


- repeat daily with each leg morning an night if poss

they should enable you to do the splits fairly quick if you work hard enough.

and thats prtty much as flexy yr legs will go with out being a ballerina or crazy gymnast.
if you want any more help just pm me, i can see what strtches are best for you
x

I agree with the yoga recommendation. Just stretching your hamstrings is all very nice, but it'll be a lot more useful in conjunction with opening out your hips, and generally stretching and strengthening your body. Less chance of injuring yourself if everything is stretchy rather than just one part.
I really enjoy doing Astanga yoga because I love how doing the same sequence every time and just adding to it lets me get into my own practise rather than thinking about what to do next or following a teacher at their pace.

I am an ex gymnast so my advice is to practice a little everyday. Seriously in 2 weeks you could be down in the splits if you do it like that!

Good luck!

Kiss xxx

[quote=Breathless Barbarella;442402]Oooh dear love! Not so good then?QUOTE]

Well the class was OK, I got quite a bit more flexible in just one hour long session and that stayed with me, but then the teacher said we'd feel hungover afterwards because of all of the toxins leaving our bodies. I'd never been hungover at the time but it felt bloody horrible! Didn't put me off, but I never found the time to go again because my schedule changed ...

__________________
Terry Pratchett to Fleur - "Oh, are you the cleavage lady?"
Visit me - www.badflower.co.uk

[quote=Fleur du Mal;443819]Hmm - think I need to visit your old teacher for a detox now as I'm sitting here nursing a flu-type-bug with a hideous mess of spots all over me. I can feel the badness all over and am trying to make do with lots of water and sporadic fresh air.

I once went on a fruit, veg and water-only detox and by day two I had an important business meeting and felt so spaced out that I muttered absolute gibberish to this poor woman throughout and at the end I had to apologise and reassure her that I wasn't drunk. Much coffee and carbohydrates ensued. Detoxes are dangerous. Sod it, bring on the cake.

I stopped yoga at the end of last year for one reason or another but I can feel it calling me back. Maybe then the spots will vanish? If nothing else I'll have a really interesting act. I'm sure the Spangly Human Knot will wow the punters!

__________________
Don't dream it - be it!