Flexibility: My Greatest Obstacle

T

tangoking

Member
Hi Folks,

I'm not sure if any of you have encountered this problem. I am having trouble maintaining correct posture and frame--particularly in CBMP--because my flexibility is poor.

Has anyone here struggled with flexibility? Any tips? Obviously stretching; any particular stretches? I've been told yoga, and drink lots of water... any advice?

tyvm!
 
how about some youth water! seriously, losing weight helps, also focus activities on your torso especially the stomach. I've beend doing pilate and yoga exercises for several years and that helped a lot to keep the weight down and be more flexible. if notice when you wake up and feel stiff like me, it goes away after you move around a bit. I think stretching is the real key here, IMHO.
 
I recommend Yoga too. I recently started doing Yoga because I felt that my body became very stiff. And, I found out that a lot of Yoga instructors are dancers as well. :)
 
With regards to flexibility for the contra body movement, which muscle specifically do you feel is tightening up as you attempt the move?
 
I have super tight muscles, always have. The thing that has made the biggest difference for me is Feldenkrais, a movement education process. It's wonderful!

If you want to check it out, there are lessons available at openatm.org. I recommend the Falk Federson lessons for beginners. There is one called something like "twisting and opposing" that I find helpful for cbm.

Feldenkrais works best if you follow these guidelines:

1. Approach it in a spirit of exploration and increasing awareness, not trying to achieve a specific posture. Focus on learning how your bones and muscles are functioning as you move.

2. Keep movements small, gentle, and pleasurable. The purpose is to help you release habitual patterns of contraction and holding, and that won't happen if you are trying to force the movement to happen.
 
There are many videos about it over the internet.

There are videos maded by martial arts teachers and there are videos maded by ballet dancers..

There is also Tai-Chi, Yoga, Pilates. Just try one, they might help.
 
You do not IMO need to stretch to get what you need here.

You need to repeat the movement with good technique -- focus on the technique to get the desired result.

Also, when stepping outside partner or across in promenade, sometimes the supporting leg (man's left usually) is in the way because the knee is too straight. Relax the knee and hip joints and allow the other leg to come through more naturally.
 
Thanks everyone!

ballroomdancertoo said:
how about some youth water!
Click to expand...
Sadly, that would not help. I couldn't touch my toes when I was 14.

roxie333 said:
With regards to flexibility for the contra body movement, which muscle specifically do you feel is tightening up as you attempt the move?
Click to expand...
Muscles between the shoulder blades and along the spine. Mostly from working a desk job, with some lingering tightness from other sports thrown in for good measure.

waltzgirl said:
I have super tight muscles, always have. The thing that has made the biggest difference for me is Feldenkrais, a movement education process. It's wonderful! ...
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
No pain no gain - it is the golden rule when it comes to streching. One should never feel comfortable streching, you should always feel the pain to improve, the same applies to the most flexible dancers. And it takes years to achieve desirable results.
My advice would be:
- Start streching in a relatively comfortable position and hold it there; Keep deep breathing, and increase intensity bit by bit as you breahe
- Also focus on streching the joints (shoulders, knees) which helps increase the power of muscles
- Deal with the pain and strech regularly as there is no short-cut
 
I have ALWAYS had tight hip flexors and I've still been able to do splits and such however recently I have wanted more flexibility and so I took up Vinyasa yoga. Let me tell you...HUGE difference. I try to do it for an hour and a half at night...yoga really works!!
 
xyf888 said:
No pain no gain - it is the golden rule when it comes to streching. One should never feel comfortable streching, you should always feel the pain to improve, the same applies to the most flexible dancers. And it takes years to achieve desirable results.
My advice would be:
- Start streching in a relatively comfortable position and hold it there; Keep deep breathing, and increase intensity bit by bit as you breahe
- Also focus on streching the joints (shoulders, knees) which helps increase the power of muscles
- Deal with the pain and strech regularly as there is no short-cut
Click to expand...

I respect your opinions but anyone reading should be aware that many opinions conflict when it comes to stretching. Some say stretching does no good at all period, and increases risk of injury. And many who stretch would take a very different approach than the "get it there and hold" methodology. And while pain may sometimes be a natural by-product of correct technique and growth, be careful and listen to your body!
 
tangoking said:
Muscles between the shoulder blades and along the spine. Mostly from working a desk job, with some lingering tightness from other sports thrown in for good measure.
Click to expand...

Contra body movement is an action of the hips and legs. How are muscles in your upper back limiting you?
 
In cbm, the hips need to rotate at a different angle than the shoulders, so if you are tight through the midsection, that can be difficult. You'll tend to take your shoulders with your hips too much, and then you won't have cbm.
 
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