Attention CHEERLEADERS and GYMNASTS?

Question

((I am not the owner of this email, this is my aunt's email. She is allowing me to ask a question. I am thirteen years old, and my name is Maya.))

I tried out for cheerleading in May, but I didn't make it.

I am trying out again this year.

I need to have the splits by March. I have a torn ligament in my right leg. I could do the splits before, but now I am about three to four inches away from the floor.

I would also like to get a back handspring, but I need to know how to teach myself. I understand that this could be dangerous, but I am an only child. I live outside of town, so most of my friends aren't near. I really don't have anyone that would spot me.

What are some exercises to help me get the splits again? (I tore the ligament in August.)

What are some ways to teach myself a back handspring?

I can already do cartwheel, round off, back limber, back walkover, front limber, and front handspring.

Answer 1

Try having a light cardio for 4-5 minutes. Then go into light, easy stretches such as touching your toes (or going as close as you can) ten times while breathing deeply. Then separate your legs a little take a deep breath, touch the floor (or as close as you can get without ANY pain), then exhale. Repeat five times. Then sit on the floor with legs together and touch your toes once more doing the breathing technique aforementioned. Repeat five times. Then separate your legs and reach for you left leg, the the the floor in front of you then your other leg.

After warming up your legs, begin kneeling lunges. Go as far as you can, stop, take a deep breath and then slow flex and unflex the muscle. Then do a reverse lunge (as performed in video I'll link you to). Then repeat your kneeling lunges. This should last around five minutes. Then put your back foot against a couch or chair (know as Lunge with back leg against a wall/box on the site I'm going to link you to). Repeat three times resting between each one. Now go into your split as far as you can without pain (you should just feel tension and/or slight pain or slight uncomfort). Then pull up, relax for thirty seconds, stand up and shake your legs, and then repeat your lunges for around a minute, do your split and hold for thirty seconds once more. Then repeat everything with your other leg.

For side splits. You should do frog stretches butterflies, and then v-sit stretches mentioned in the warm-up. Then do side ways lunges and then push up, with hips square and knees pointed to the ceiling, against a wall. Then hold for one minute. Repeat this three times. Then go into a straddle split as you would normally and hold for thirty seconds.

Cool down. Just use the stretches from your warm-up but backwards slowly, and carefully. This transitions your body from excercising mode and reduces chance of injury.

Helpful Links:

http://www.body-fizzeek.co.uk/splits.htm

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pVq9nL_tLbo

P.S.: You may feel numbness during stretching which is GOOD it means your doing the exercises properly. Also, the next morning you may have slight soreness. This is because your body isn't used to stretch but eventually it will. If this happens don't stretch to intensely. But do stretch. Just do your warm-up and cool-down (the first paragraph is warm up, second is front splits, third is side splits, and fourth is cool down). If you continue to feel discomfort after exercising it means your doing it wrong, too fast/to hard for your body, or your warm-up/cool-down isn't long enough. Just relax for a day, and then start anew with a longer warm-up, less intense stretching, and a longer cool down.

For your backhandspring...try having a coach spot you and move you through the technique. It's dangeorus to try it alone.

Answer 2

I can do the splits. I have been in gymnastics since I was three. They started out with flexability, they would get us to make a pizza. We sat in a circle and put out legs as far out to the sides as we could and then reach forward. This drasticly made it possible for me to do the splits. Also, just going down as far as you can daily and going just a little bit further, just until you feel a little uncomfortable. I also do wall splits, I stand on one leg and then hold onto the side of the wall and pull my other leg infront then push. Your a cheerleader, if you try to do a heel strech, that can limber up your legs too.

Make sure you don't hurt youself...and good luck with tryouts!<33 XOXO

Answer 3

I'm a cheerleader and i k it's hard doing splits so 2 help try wall splits (ur back on the ground doing a split up against the wall start 4 10 min. after that u can move up and increase ur time) couldn't u have ur aunt or parents spot u?

Answer 4

Stretches are going to help your splits, do them several times a day. For your back hand spring, use a bale of hay for a spot, or something of that nature! Also, remember to lead with your arms, not your head! Good luck!

Answer 5

to get ur splits back stretch a lot and for your backhandspring it is like a fast walk over so work on kicking over with both feet and if you have a trampoline that is what helped me build up my confidence to do mine by myself or if you have an old mattress you could practice on that just be careful!!

Answer 6

I really don't recommend teaching yourself a BHS. You can work on these drills though, that will help you learn one faster when you find someone who can spot you: http://geocities.com/aescougarcheer/basics.htm#td