10 easy stretches to get more flexible!

For ballet (and other dance forms) flexibility and strength are the two keys to success.
Let's talk about flexibility.

Before stretching make sure your muscles are warmed up properly! Just a few plies won't be enough.

After your muscles are warm you can start your stretching routing:

Hold every stretch for about 30 seconds at least! Hold them up to 2 minutes but don't hurt yourself. You'll know when it's enough.
Repeat the stretches about 3-5 times with little breaks in between. Just don't make the breaks too long because otherwise your muscles are going to get cooler again and you could hurt yourself!

1) 

Basically you just have to sit on the floor and lean forward. The goal is that your nose touches your legs.

For this stretch you really have to make sure that your back stays straight! You can either point your feet (which is easier) of flex your feet (which will have a better effect but is harder to do).
Grap your feet and pull yourself forward even a bit further but keep your back straight.

2)

This is the same stretch as number 1).
The only difference is that you are standing which means your feet are flexed.
Try to keep your legs as straight as possible, your knees pulled up.

Also try to keep your back as straight as possible.

3)

Lie on your back, grab one leg and pull it as close to your body as possible.
Keep your back straight.

The goal is to let your toes touch the floor. Don't get upset if it doesn't work the first time and do not cheat by rounding your back!

4)

For this stretch you're supposed to lie on your side, feet turned out.
Grab your leg and try to pull it down to the floor behind your shoulder.

5) before you do the splits.

Lunge forward, your leg and the floor should be a right angle.

To get a better effect hold your arms up in the air to have more weight to push you down.

6)

Now straighten your front leg and bend forward. Your back leg is bend now and should be a right angle.

And again: make sure your back is straight!

7)

For the next stretch you have to lie on your back, grab your two feet and pull them down on the sides of your body until they touch the floor (or at least as far as you can pull them down).

Don't forget that your back has to be straight!

8)

Stand straight, grab your knee and pull it up.
Your leg has to be straight.
Bend a little forward while doing this stretch.

To improve your arabesque penchee just try to hold this with your back muscles and hold onto something in front of you with both hands.

9)

This is basically the same stretch as the last one but you're not supposed to lean forward which means you are in an arabesque position.

To improve your arabesque again try to hold the position with your back muscles!

And finally 10) splits!

Back leg turned out, front leg straight and just slowly slide down to your splits.

If you can sit in your splits easily, add hight by adding a book or two - or even more - under your front or back leg, or under both.
Stretching your oversplits improves your "normal" splits a lot!