Painful stretches.

[dancesterx3]

Since it's the summer, I don't want to lose my flexibility, especially because I just learned a lot of new skills (I do cheerleading). I usually start my day with a light run for warm ups and then I stretch my legs for heel stretches and bow n arrows, I stretch my thigh muscles for scales and such, but when I stretch my back for my scorpion, it hurts really bad, i don't know if it's overuse since I've been stretching intensily every day for the last few weeks, or if I hurt myself but it's holding back in the prgress of my scorpions because I can't hold the position because it hurts to much. I'm really frustrated and don't know what to do to increase my flexibility for a better scorpion.

 

[gym4life123]

What stretches are you doing for your scorpion? How are you stretching your back? How often, how long?

 

[dancesterx3]

For my back, I do bridges and i try to hold that for about 15 seconds, but it's difficult because I also do this thing where I bend backwards and put my hands on the wall (or in my case the back of my bedroom door) and walk it down and hold that for 30 seconds, but it's usually there that my back starts to hurt.

 

[gym4life123]

Sit in your splits, with the leg you will be standing on in front reach back and try to grab your foot.
Kind of like this:

You should also strech like this (for your back leg)

 

[gym4life123]

Assuming you want this kind of scorpion

and not like this

 

[dancesterx3]

Hey thanks for the pictoral help! Where'd you get those btw? So far my scorps look kind of like this (let me see if it will work, I'm having trouble with posting pics.)

But i am working towards having my foot up higher, and hopefully going for a needle (which is a straight leg)

One more question, how much time should I rest inbetween intense stretches and work outs? What are your thoughts on stretching and working out daily? If I do stretch daily how hard should I push my stretches, how long should I hold them and how many reps should I do?

 

[gym4life123]

I just did a google search on google images, for gymnastics scorpion and gymnastics splits to find the pictures. As for how long to hold these stetches, I am not to sure. I try to sit in splits for 3 minutes, each way twice a day. Maybe try a minute to a minute 30 in each one of the streches in the picutres. I don't see anything wrong with streching and working out daily, just make sure you are listening to your body. If it hurts take a break. Rest as long as you feel your body need rest. Push your streches how it feels right to you, don't over do it. I hope this helped.

 

[BlairBob]

Make sure to stretch your quads and hamstrings out if you want to go beyond your current scorpion.

Do you have full splits (front) without turning the back to the side?