How Do You Stretch Before Gymnastics Class?
Gymnastics demands intensive stretching. By the time a gymnast reaches elite levels, she will spend at least half an hour stretching before she begins to practice her routines. Always beginning slowly, the gymnast gradually increases her stretch to accommodate her tricks with flexibility. This keeps her from pulling her muscles and can help you do the same. Concentrate on the back and neck. In gymnastics, many tricks depend upon being able to bend the body backwards in an arch. Before you can do that in the air, you must be limber enough to do it on the mat. Work on doing the ‘bridge’ and walking your feet in until you have a flexible stretch. Roll your head from side to side and from back to front. A gymnast must move his head quickly. Limber up those hips. Gymnasts execute split leaps with ease. During stretching before class, they practice doing over-splits. After you do the splits, have a friend carefully pick up your front leg to increase the stretch. Elite gymnasts often have ove
