HERITAGE STRETCHES

Sit-down Stretches

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

Sitting Position

  • Sit with your legs extended out in front of you, with your toes softly pointed and your hands relaxed at your side. Do not put your weight on your hands.
  • Tighten your buttock muscles (by squeezing them gently together) to anchor yourself in place, and then imagine that there is a pole running up your spine. Imagine yourself getting taller along the pole, sliding up it with your back as straight as it can be. Your neck and head are also extending along the imaginary pole.
  • Keep your shoulders relaxed; do not let them bunch up next to your neck.

You should get into this position before starting the following exercises. If you have trouble sitting straight without using your hands, practice this separately.

Seated Side Bends

  • Sit with your legs extended out in front of you and your hands at your side. Slide up your imaginary pole.
  • Extend your right leg out to your right side as far as you can do so comfortably, and then pull your left leg towards you with your knee up. Place your right hand just under your left knee, and then let your leg relax and hang against your right hand so that your left knee is pointed slightly out to the side.
  • Sit straight up, concentrating on sliding up the imaginary pole, and extend your left arm. Take your left arm over your head and stretch it towards your right toe as far as you can, still holding on to your left knee with your right hand. You should feel the stretch in your left side and the inner thigh of your right leg.
  • Hold the stretch for a few seconds, and then slide back up the pole to a straight sitting position.
  • Repeat 2-3 each side.

Seated Toe Touches

  • Place both legs together, toes gently flexed. Slide up your imaginary pole.
  • Bend forward from the hips, keeping your back flat and sliding your hands toward your ankles. Roll your head so that your chin is gently tucked into your chest. Your chin should stay tucked in until the very end of the exercise.
  • When you can no longer keep your back flat, round forward to lower your head towards your knees. Grasp your toes if you can; if not, grasp your ankles or shins Keep your stomach muscles energized and pulled in toward your back. Don’t force anything, but push yourself gently. Hold 30 seconds.
  • It is very important that you hold yourself in place as low as you can without bouncing or fidgeting. You must hold the stretch for at least 15 seconds.
  • When you sit up, sit up gradually by tightening your spine, starting from the bottom, and imagining yourself sliding back up the imaginary pole. Your head should be the last thing to come up.
  • Repeat at least 3 times.

Butterfly

  • Sit so that the soles of your feet are touching and your knees are as close to being flat on the floor as you can get them. Grasp your ankles (not your feet).
  • Slide up the imaginary pole until your are sitting all the way straight, with your feet pulled in as close to your body as you can.
  • Roll your head so that your chin is tucked into your chest, and relax each vertebrae down your back, imagining rolling your head down your body, until your head is as close to your feet as you can get.
  • Hold the position for 15-30 seconds.
  • Reverse the movement, tightening each vertebrae starting from the bottom of your spine and sliding back up the imaginary pole until you are sitting straight up again. Your head should come up last.
  • Repeat 2-3 times.

Ankle Stretches

  • Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you. Slide up your imaginary pole. Let your arms hang at your sides.
  • Lift your right leg into the air and hold it with both hands. Your hands should both support your leg and keep your upper leg and knee from moving.
  • Using only your ankle, make circles in the air with your right foot. Make 5-10 circles in one direction, and then, still using the right foot, make 5-10 circles the other way.
  • Repeat with the left.
  • Alternately, you can make letters in the air instead of circles. Try writing your name or the alphabet in the air using your foot and ankle. Try writing in different styles, alternating print, cursive, and capital letters.

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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