Inflexibility in Ballet?

I am very inflexible in a bad way. I just started ballet. Is there any one there who can help me with more stretches and warmups so i can atleast gain some flexibility. What i need help most with is the splits, thats what everyone is learning. Everyone is way ahead of me because of my inflexibility is there any stretches or warmups to make doing them any easier?? Please Help

Inflexibility in Ballet?ballet theater

Warm up for a few minutes before you stretch - And note that people are more inflexible in the morning than at night. The right way to stretch is slow and relaxed. DO NOT BOUNCE. Bouncing can actually cause you to pull the muscle you are trying to stretch.

You should stretch to the point of "MILD OR MODERATE TENSION". If you overstretch you may cause damage. Back off (slowly) if the stretch feels painful.

Hold each stretch for a minimum of 20 seconds each, without bouncing. BREATHE slowly and naturally. Do not hold your breathe while stretching. Relax the stretch. Each time you breathe out try to relax further into the stretch a little more. Again, only to the point of mild or moderate tension.

It's a good idea to be doing stretches for your entire body - do a search for "stretching exercises" to see what those are. Meanwhile check the following website:

http://exercise.about.com/cs/flexibility...

for stretches which are good for front back splits. Hamstring Stretch; Inner Thigh Stretch; Lunge Stretch; Kneeling Hamstring stretch [you need pictures to show stretching and I can't get those to show on this]

And practice stretching for about an hour in the morning and one hour at night.

Inflexibility in Ballet?chicago theater opera theater

This is the last thing you will want to hear! But learning the splits takes a lot of time. And it's different for everybody.

Doing the splits is more of an excersise, a stretch, a warm up for ballet class. When do you ever see the splits performed on stage in a classical ballet? You don't, not on the floor. They are used in grand jetes, arasesques and other things that require great flexibility to do to their full extent.

So you need to ask yourself why you want your splits? Is it just to be able to show off and say you can do them? Or does it work towards a larger goal?

The main thing you can do is stretch every day or two (for some people it is good to have a rest day.) You should know some stretches from class. Use the ones you do in sport at school, as well. You should warm up (run around a bit, do some isolations, star jumps etc), then do some stretching. Do not practise the splits cold.

Ask your teacher and fellow peers for some good splits excersises.
Don't get me started on splits! I have agony each time I'm in class doing them!

Yoga is absolutely awesome for strength and flexibility, as well as pilates. Stick with it. I nearly died for a few weeks when I first started dancing, but it's amazing how your body adapts.
for splits here are some stretches and exercises-

first start out by stretching and warming up your leg muscles make sure you stretch your hamstrings and calves out really welll before starting also it helps to take a hot shower before hand to warm up your muscles.

stretch- this is aresistance stretch, face your bathroom or kitchen counter top and put one leg on it, then (using your leg muscles) push down as hard as you can for 30 seconds,rest and then do 30 more seconds, (repeat with other leg)

stretch-this is another resistance stretch, face away from your bathroom or kitchen counter and place your leg (knee down) on the counter and using your leg muscles push as hard as you can down for 30 seconds then rest then 30 more seconds(repeat on other side)

training-this I call pillow splits, forst put a bunch of pillows underneath you it can be as amny as 20 or as little as 5 and ease down into the splits stay there for a while and just hang out, watch t.v., finish homework, etc. then over the days remove a pilloe or two at a time and let gravity do it's work (remember to do both splits)

training-this is a swimthrough exercise for your middle splits or straddle splits, first you are going to put both feet infront of you parallell, count to 5, then you are going to slide into your middle split, hold for5, then go back to parallell,count to 5, then go into your middle splits but lean forwad onto your stomach and use your arms to push yourself forward and out of your middle splits so your feet end up behind you (tat is called a swim through) repeat this 4 times

training- over splits are pretty slef explanatory, find a small chair or stack 1 or 2 pillows up and place your front foot on top of your surface then slide down into your splits and hold it, (remebr to do all 3 sides)

training-find a wall with nothing in the way sit with your butt against the wall and put your legs out into a straddle and push down with your own leg muscle as hard as you can and hold it for at least a minute

training-lay down on your back and take one leg and oulling it towards your nose as hard as you can remeber to do this withboth legs.

then the last and best thing yo can do is just to stretch and hold your splits on a regular basis

-if oyuhave any othe questions email me at lulublue2@gmail.com

-hope this helps some : )
Warm up with some plies and staccato jumps in 1st-5th positions. then stretch stretch stretch. Stretch in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to bed. do it everyday and you will see some improvement. But dont expect it to be immediate you have to work at it. Stretching also improves your extension.