Stretching is a great way to relax and actively work on your flexibility whether you want to be more flexible for moves that require your legs to be by your head or if you simply want to be able to touch your toes. There are a lot of different ways to stretch and I’m still learning different methods and ways through all of the instructors at Aerial Dance. I’ve always been used to one way of stretching and have been doing basically the same routine for years because I know it works for me, but is also the only thing I’ve known when it comes to stretching. However, I’ve realized that there is still quite a bit I could be doing to improve my routine or change it up so that it fits my style more with what I’m doing at the studio.
What I used to be doing was a stretching routine that was more geared towards my studio dance life. I used different muscles back then and the stretches that I was taught enhanced those moves and my flexibility. While that stretching routine is still a good full body stretch, it’s not helping me fully accomplish what I need to do now with my body and what I use on the pole or in hoop or hammock. Now I have to learn to adjust my stretching routine because I’m using different muscles than what I used to. I have another object that I need to work around and learn to move my body with.
By taking Bendy Babe at Aerial I’ve learned that I still have a lot of learning to do when it comes to stretching. I’ve loved being able to learn how to properly use the foam rollers to relax/roll out certain muscles, using a band to help hold my leg or simply being told to squeeze a certain muscle and then relaxing and seeing how much further I can then stretch. Each instructor has different knowledge to share when it comes to stretching but everyone is also so helpful when it comes to needing to know how to stretch something.
While it’s good to have a solid stretching base and knowing how to stretch certain muscles, it’s also very helpful to make sure you change it up and make sure you’re trying new things. You may find that a new stretch is exactly what you needed to help achieve that one move you’ve been struggling with.