i'm afraid to do a cartwheel, plus- how to further increase back flexibility?

Question

1] i've been dancing for so many years it's a shame i can't cartwheel! my arms aren't strong, i can't do a handstand, but they say cartwheels are more about momentum than strength. i don't dare to though. i've fallen bad before and went into shock 'cause i landed and hurt my neck.

2] my back is okay in flexibility, i can bridge with elbows on floor and legs straightened. i wanna know how i can further increase the flexibility so i can touch my hind leg when i do splits.

really appreciate help here, a dancer in distress! =((

Answer 1

You have to get over your fear of going upside down. It will make you seriously limited in your dance career if you can't go upside down or hold your own weight on your arms. It will most definitely cause you to not get certain parts if you don't address it. Sorry, but that's the truth. On to the cartwheel...

I've taught lots of preschoolers how to do cartwheels before, so I'll start you out the same way.

First, squat down and just practice putting weight onto your hands and picking your feet up/hopping slowly, shifting your pelvis up towards the ceiling. Once your comfortable with holding your own weight, start doing very tiny baby cartwheels. This is how...Stand up, put your hands down on the floor to your R or L side, then jump your feet and body around to the other side of your hands. Gradually kick your legs higher, with the goal being for the legs to be completely over your head. After you learn to do this, then you can concentrate on having your legs straight and feet pointed.

Unfortunately, I think lots of your back flexibility has to do with your skeleton and can't be changed. Sometimes bones and ligaments are put together in such a way that they won't allow for a whole lot of movement in certain directions. That's why some people can fold themselves up into a 2 x 2 foot box and the rest of us can't!! For example, a ballerina's characteristic turn out is a result of flexibility, which can be affected by tightness in the hip flexors, the depth of the ball and socket joint where the head of the femur fits into the pelvis, and the length of the neck of the femur, among other things.

But, if you still want to try, here's an idea. In the splits, try getting a partner to help you stretch, or use a towel wrapped around your ankle with one end in each hand. Use the towel as resistance to pull yourself back into a deeper stretch.

Good luck with everything!

Answer 2

Yeah, yoga does increase your flexibility. Pilates are another way to increase flexibility. I'm not sure that you can be too flexible too fast. One works his or her way up to extreme flexibility. It sounds like you are looking for a quick fix and yoga would not be a good solution. You might try stretching before you exercise, that will help with flexibility, but there is no miracle exercise to fast flexibility. Plus, learning to do gymnastic moves takes time and effort, you can try all you want to learn them quickly, but there are no guarantees.

Answer 3

if you can do a handstand you can do a cartwheel its possible that your the type of person who cant do them not much activation but that's OK all you have to do is go to a handstand and go over to the opposite side of the side you came up i know it sounds confusing but get a friend who knows how to cartwheel and have them spot you i know your probably embarrassed but your dancer friend would understand i was in the same position all my friends would make fun of me because i couldn't do a 1 handed and i believed and had my friends from that class help me i thought it was fun to have people i know help me instead of some teacher i don't know just believe that you can do it after that fall i bet you don't want to try but do it any way maybe even your mom could help you she helped me
good luck hope i helped vv the dancer

Answer 4

as for the cartwheel, you have to let go of that fear. If it helps, do it on your bed and keep practicing. As for the back, do these excercises
1. lay on your stomach and try to touch your head with your feet

2.stay in the bridge position for a while

do this every night and you will be improving a lot. take this from a girl thats been doing ballet for a llooooooooonnnnnnnngggg time.

Answer 5

get a spotter to help you with your carwheels. it's true that it's more momentum than strength; it's about kicking your legs over. and just work on handstand by doing them against the wall. that's how i taught myself to do them.