HERITAGE STRETCHES

Lying-Down Stretches

Note: Be sure to do these stretches lying on a mat or pad.

Lying-Down Position

  • Lie on your back with your legs stretched out on the floor, your toes gently pointed, your arms extended at your sides.
  • Push the muscles of your lower back so that your back is flat against the floor. If you have trouble pushing your lower back, do this: Put your right hand under your lower back. Feel how there is an arch between it and the floor? Now, try to push against your hand using your back. Feel which muscles you are using to push your hand. Remove your hand from under your back, and try to use those muscles to push yourself flat against the floor. Keeping your back flat against the floor is important in preventing back discomfort or injury when doing lying-down exercises and crunches.
  • Now, concentrate on the muscles of your stomach. Imagine that a string is connecting your navel to your spine, pulling your navel closer and closer to your spine. At the same time, imagine that a large, flat weight is resting on your abdominal muscles, pressing your stomach flat. Do not hold your breath; keep your stomach muscles flat while you continue to breathe normally. Keeping your abdomen flat while doing lying-down exercises and crunches helps develop firm muscles without bulges.
  • Keep your buttock muscles tight, anchoring you to the floor.
  • Finally, imagine that your neck is lengthening, getting longer and longer along the floor. Stretch your neck along the floor away from your shoulders, and let your chin gently drop onto your chest.
  • You should maintain this position--back flat, stomach flat, buttocks tight, neck lengthened--while you do all the following exercises. Practice if you have trouble.

Leg Tucks

  • Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms stretched at your sides. Concentrate on pressing your back flat, keeping your stomach and buttock muscles tight, and gently tucking your chin into your chest.
  • Leaving your left leg extended along the floor, lift your right knee towards your right shoulder, holding your leg as close to your chest as you can with your right hand grasping your ankle and your left hand holding your leg below your knee. Hold this for 30 seconds.
  • Return to starting position and repeat with left leg. Repeat 2 times each side.

Twists

  • Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms stretched at your sides. Concentrate on pressing your back flat, keeping your stomach and buttock muscles tight, and gently tucking your chin into your chest.
  • Gently pull both legs into your chest, knees bent, keeping your back and hips flat on the floor. Press your shoulders flat into the floor and shift your hips slightly to the right, turning your waist so that your bent legs end up resting one on top of the other on the left side of your body. Turn your head so that you are looking over your right shoulder, away from your legs. Keep your shoulders flat with your arms extended out to either side.
  • Slowly straighten your right leg (the top leg) along the floor so that your foot is resting on the floor as close to your head as you can get it. Reach out with your left hand, still looking away from your legs, and use your left hand to pull your right leg a little closer to your head and body. Hold for 30 seconds.
  • Repeat 2 times each side. Do not do this stretch if you have disk problems.

Leg Extensions

  • Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms stretched at your sides. Concentrate on pressing your back flat, keeping your stomach and buttock muscles tight, and gently tucking your chin into your chest.
  • Leave your left leg stretched out along the ground as you straighten your right leg into the air. Place both hands behind your right leg in different places for support (do not lace your fingers together). Hold for 30 seconds. If you have trouble straightening your leg into the air using your hands, put a towel behind your leg instead and hold the ends of the towel to hold your leg in place.
  • Bend you knee and pull your leg a little closer to your chest. Then straighten your leg from there, keeping hips and shoulders flat on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds.
  • Repeat 2 times both sides.

Buttocks Stretch

  • Lie on your back with your legs bent, feet resting about hip width apart on the floor. Cross your right leg over your left, turning your leg from the hip.
  • Put both hands on your left hamstring and pull both legs in towards your chest. As soon as you feel a good stretch in your right leg and buttock, hold for 30 seconds. Make sure you’re pulling your left leg in a line with your left shoulder.
  • Repeat 2 times each side.

All of this information was freely provided by Ariel Bennett T.C.R.G. of the Heritage Irish Stepdancers. "Please let everyone know that they are welcome to download and use the information with our blessing. If they would like to print it for widespread use or post it on a website, etc. all they need to do is write us at info@heritageirish.com and ask for permission (which we grant freely)."

Introduction | Stand-up Stretches | Sit-down Stretches | Lying-Down Stretches

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