How to Do a Thorough Warmup and Stretch

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How to Do a Thorough Warmup and Stretch

Hey guys! Sorry it's been awhile since I've posted, this summer's been busy! Anyways, here's a guide on stretching, enjoy! I would suggest a long warmup to make sure you don't injure yourself!

Carly Dick

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Step 1 of 36

Start off with your head. Try to touch your ear to your shoulder without moving or raising your shoulder. You should feel this down your neck and trapezius (muscle on top of shoulder/ collarbone).

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Turn your head from side to side in a smooth motion, holding for a few seconds. You should feel a stretch in the same muscles as before.

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Make a semi circle with your head. Do not do a full circle because that causes unneeded stress on your neck and spine. You should feel the sides and back of your neck.

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Now onto shoulders: circle your shoulders in their sockets in both directions. Only one direction is shown above.

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Now your circling with your whole arm. Yet again, I only did one way.

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This stretches your triceps, and to increase the stretch, pull your shoulder down and pull the arm closer to your body.

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This stretches your shoulder and triceps. To increase, pull more with your non-stretching arm.

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This stretches your trapezius and the muscles in your upper back. If you don't understand how to get into this, it's in the second video and I demonstrate it slowly.

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This stretches the muscles wrapping over your ribs as well as your obliques (side abs). The more upright you keep your body, the more of a stretch you feel.

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This will stretch your hamstrings, but be careful how far you go. Major leg muscles like your quads and hamstrings take lots of time and gentle stretching to prevent tears and pulls.

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This is for your hamstrings, and the closer your body is to your legs, the greater the stretch. Go slow, this is not meant to be speedy or you could be in a world of hurt.

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This stretches both your inner thigh and the front of your shoulder. Roll your shoulder forward and push your hand into your knee; this will flatten the line from knee to hip to knee.

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This stretches the inside of your extended thigh and your hamstring. Make sure your heels are both on the floor.

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This stretches the hip flexor of the extended leg. Make sure your knee is over your ankle/ foot for optimum stretch. Keep your back leg straight to improve stretching a well.

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From lunge, bring back foot to above position. Put more weight on your front foot than back. This is a hamstring stretch.

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This is more a dance thing but do it if you want! From prior stretch, lift back leg a far as you can. From there, pulse it upwards to gain strength and flexibility.

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This is another hip flexor stretch, and potentially hammies if they're really tight. The more weight you put on your front foot, and the more you push your hips down, the better the stretch.

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This is a pretty intense quad stretch, so don't pull too much. Use the opposite hand and foot to keep balanced. The closer your foot is to your bum and the lower your hips, the more stretch you get.

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Put weight on your elbows and let your leg relax and move away from your body. You should feel a stretch in your hip/ glute area. The ball of your foot might lift during this.

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This will stretch your glutes, and the more you pull your knee to your chest, the more you'll feel.

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From the previous stretch, put your ankle on top of your other knee. If that's enough for you, stay there. If not, walk your hands forward. You'll feel your bum/ hip area.

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Everyone has that one thing they physically just cannot do... This is mine. Feet together, try to get your knees to the floor. For more stretch lean forward and bring your feet in closer to you.

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Here comes the intense hamstring part! Sit with your feet pointed in front. Lean over as far as you can. When you reach your feet use them to pull yourself farther. You'll feel hammies and back maybe.

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Same thing as before, but with flexed feet. Your hammies are elongated now due to flexed feet, so the stretch works different than the last one did. Raise your chest and push tummy down for more fun!

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Extend your legs to the side into your straddle. Reach arm over while keeping both halves of your hips on the floor. You'll feel what I mean. This will get your inner thigh, hip flexor and hammies.

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Twist and aim to get your face to your kneecap. Keep your kneecaps facing the ceiling to prevent knee strain.this will get your inner thigh, hip flexor and hammies.

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Plant a forearm on the floor and raise the other upwards. Twist behind you to feel stretch in your side.

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Walk your hands out and try to touch your face to the floor. When accomplished, try getting your stomach to the floor with your spine flat. KEEP YOUR KNEES TO THE SKY! Or you will hurt later in life..

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This stretches your IT band on the outer side of your thigh. Tightness in this muscle causes knee pain and can dislocate your kneecap.. Ouch. Try to touch back knee to the floor to feel the stretch.

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Sit up from last stretch and twist into front leg. Lay shin on floor and lie on top of it. This is a glute stretch. The closer to 90 degree your bottom foot is the better stretch. Flex foot if needed.

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Pull knee to chest, extend to where works, pulling with your arms My left hamstring was twingy before I started this and hated me by this point, so I'm babying it a bit :)

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I forgot this on the video but it's straight forward enough. Grab a knee and pull it to the other side. Head opposite to knee, and keep both shoulders on the floor.

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This works and stretches your back and abs. Push your back up as far as comfortable and stretch abs while working back muscles. Go back on your knees, drop torso to the floor, arm over your head.

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From bottom photo on last step, get on your hands and feet. Aim to get your heels on the floor, while dropping your upper torso to the floor. Walk feet together, then walk hands to feet.

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Well, I have it all recorded, but my shortest video of 1:47 is too long... So the 15 minute one is WAY too long! I don't have YouTube, and you guys are awesome but I'm really private with FB. Cont➡

Step 36 of 36

If anyone has any suggestions for posting them let me know! If anyone posts any sick, pervy, creepy comments they're getting deleted, so just save yourself the effort and don't.

You're Done

Check out other guides by this author!

Carly Dick

BC, Canada

I'm a dancer and acrobat - artsy, 18. I love books and music :) If you're attempting my acro guides, I'm not responsible for any injuries incurred. Be careful!

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Area with lots of space

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Carly, thank you. :)!

Bobbie Braboy 4 months ago

I've done both, but more dance than gymnastics. But my dance studio does acro which is similar to gymnastics floorwork as well as contortionism

Carly Dick (author) 4 months ago

Bobbie: there's a stretch similar to that one and you start out the same with one leg bent in. Instead I taking the other foot and putting it on the knee, put the arch of your foot on the bicep side if the crook of the opposite elbow. Hug your other arm around your knee and link your hands. This way, you can control how intense the stretch is by changing how close your shin is to your chest. This woks the same muscle, while giving you more control.

Carly Dick (author) 4 months ago

Are you a dancer or a gymnast

Amani Coleman 5 months ago

I can't do the stretch where you put your ankle on top of your knee, are there any stretches you can do to help with that?

Bobbie Braboy 5 months ago

6, 7, 10, 14,17, 18, 20, 21, 23

Carly Dick (author) 7 months ago

Could you do a mini stretch guide with important stretches to do everyday when your in too much of a rush for a proper stretch?? =)

Brianna Carson 7 months ago

Haha I keep trying to! I have a stupidly busy schedule till mid November so no promises, but I will try before then! If not there'll be one within the month :s

Carly Dick (author) 7 months ago

I can, and I completely know where you're coming from. Do you have spotters when you try doing handsprings? I'd suggest that, and then when you're comfortable with them, just have them hold their arms out an try not to touch you. By that point you're doing them by yourself, and I comes time for that near paralyzing fear point. It's hard, but you have to tell yourself that you've already done a whole bunch by yourself so this isn't any different. The first couple times may suck. Make sure your arms are strong and you jump, not just go back. If I don't practice mine very often I get that way again, but I'm only afraid of them from standing because you hVe the time to think about what you're doing. And that the scary part :p

Carly Dick (author) 7 months ago

Can you do a back handspring? If you can have any tips for getting over the fear?

Elizabeth Z 7 months ago

Great work, and very thorough. My only suggestion for future guides is to be conscious of your backgrounds. Be sure there are no visual distractions or clutter. Other than that, the photos were well-posed and your explanations were very thorough. Thanks!

Mark Sheppard 8 months ago

Carly, thanks a lot, this is very good and very easy to follow. I will do these exercises today, at least some of them.

Angie Perez 8 months ago

I'd say 10-15 seconds each, and if its really intense hold it for 30. The longer you hold, the more you get out if it :) also as a general note I would like to say to everyone that you should not bounce in your stretches, the sudden jerkiness just causes micro tears and makes you more sore the next day... Or you bounce too far and pull something :( So just stay still and "breathe into" where it stretches!

Carly Dick (author) 8 months ago

Also how long do you hold each stretch??

Brianna Carson 8 months ago

Thank you so much for doing this I am the least flexible person ever, I stretch daily but don't seem to get better =( I'll try to do this daily now

Brianna Carson 8 months ago

You're welcome :) I'm glad it's helped you out

Carly Dick (author) 8 months ago

Thanks so much for taking the time to make this! Sometimes before I dance I do a very basic stretch, partly because I tend to forget everything I really should be stretching before I jump and such... Needless to say, I end up just hurting myself HAHA! This is a great help :)

Vanessa Prasad 8 months ago

Your*

Megan L 9 months ago

@Malea hi if that happens for you (which it doesn't for me) you should get an update (if there is one available for you) or re-download it- it won't delete your account you just have to sign in again. Also if you do want to print it off then you need a printer that works with AirPrint and then take a screenshot of the step, go to your pictures and then select print then allow our device to search for the printer and then print it! Done!

Megan L 9 months ago

Is there any way we could print these off? Cause the snapguide app crashes like every 5-10 mins

Malea Sager 9 months ago

You're welcome! Glad I could help :)

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Step 8 was exactly what I was looking for! Someone showed me this stretch to help relieve tension headaches, and I had forgotten how to get into it. Thanks!

David C. 9 months ago

😊 So humbled. Thanks a bajillionmillion!

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

I'm referring people to your guide as one of the steps in mine. Hope that's alright, just saying that yours is awesome.

Glenn Hole 9 months ago

No prob :)

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Thank you! Now I know I don't need to go to A&E :D

Megan L 9 months ago

Your muscles are probably really stiff because they aren't used to stretching that much. Either take a day or two off, or do more warm up and super gentle stretching. If something hurts, don't try to stretch it out, because its already been over stretched an needs time to heal. But yes, it is normal to be sore after stretching.

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Hi just did the workout again and found myself in a lot of pain my stomach and shoulders are aching... Is this normal? Ps I have been working out of the wii fit too

Megan L 9 months ago

If you do twelve sitting in your straddle, it works the same muscles the same way, thirteen is the same muscle stretch as step 28, but less intense of a stretch. You can do fourteen using stairs, planting one foot up a couple of stairs (wherever is comfy for you) with your bottom foot on the floor or another step. This way won't give you any hamstring stretch, but you will get the same or better stretch for the front of your hip. Plus by using a staircase, you can hold onto a rail or wall for support while you stretch.

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Steps 12-14 and 16 :)

Malea Sager 9 months ago

Step 14 or 30?

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

I have a lot of muscle spasms which are like uncontrolled movements from my core to my toes and sometimes the spasms will stretch into my hands which they're very uncomfortable, I'm a newly injured c6 injury which that's up in the neck and my legs and whole body can move better than I used to but some moves are difficult and I don't have all my core control yet, so like the stretches your doing with your knee in front of you and the other leg stretched backwards I can't do those just yet

Malea Sager 9 months ago

Wow! Six years is a lot... I have to wait till I'm 19!!

Megan L 9 months ago

A challenge is a good thing :) this is still challenging for me and I've been doing it for six years! Just have to keep going cause it gets better and better :)

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Tried this just now brilliant but do tough!

Megan L 9 months ago

Thank you :)

Robyn Edwards 9 months ago

Eres bienvenido Daniel! Muy contenta de poder ayudar! Thanks google translate!

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Usually a couple things are taken out just to speed it up so we actually have time to dance, but every once in awhile we do the whole thing and strength training for a class.

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

What stretches are you having difficulties with Malea? This way I can find ways to make them work, or explain other stretches that will do the same thing. Either comment or message me, either works. You can do these as cold stretches without warming up, or take a bath to warm up your muscles to stretch.

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Thanks Glen! This took 4+ hours...

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

I love how you show both angles! Do you do this entire routine before a dance class?

Brittney Riley 9 months ago

What if your in a wheelchair and can't do some of these?

Malea Sager 9 months ago

Carly I just did a very basic guide. Yours is far superior and comprehensive. I'll let people know yours is here! Your form is superb.

Glenn Hole 9 months ago

We use these for ballet/ jazz classes :)

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Gracias con esto voy a mejorar mi karate !

Daniel Baldeon 9 months ago

These are the exact stretches I do for ballet haha!

Eilidh C 9 months ago

Okay thanks.

Olivia Taylor 9 months ago

I'm sorry if I led anyone on with the warming up part, it's on the video :/ it's just hard to photograph running....

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

I'd say do some jumping jacks and run etc, then at least the leg section of this and then my splits guide. The only way to get them fast is to work on them constantly, and be able to sit through a lot of intense stretching.

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

Do you have any warming up splits/stretching splits/how to get the splits quick guides on your list?

Olivia Taylor 9 months ago

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Lol I can't do it either

Maycee Wilson 9 months ago

Nope, not when they're relaxed, I'm sooooo "unflexible" in my legs. Always have been =(

Brianna Carson 8 months ago

Do you still feel it in your feet if they're relaxed / neutral? I'd suggest that, and if that doesn't help give me a shout again :)

Carly Dick (author) 8 months ago

I feel this at the top of my feet more than anywhere else, I can't get far enough (because of my feet) to feel it elsewhere

Brianna Carson 8 months ago

I made someone else try and thats where they feel it as well. I'm just speculating, but I think it's just because you work out and you're muscles are bunched up so the stretch will start at where it's less bunched ie ligaments/tendons/back of knee

Carly Dick (author) 9 months ago

When I do this, I feel it right behind my knees rather than my hamstrings. Am I doing this wrong, or just weird. Any tips?

Glenn Hole 9 months ago

Hahaha! Thanks! *return cyber high five

Brianna Carson 8 months ago

Exactly! You're already seeing results! You'll get there :) *cyber high five!

Carly Dick (author) 8 months ago

I do have to say since starting your thorough stretching routine I am getting closer to my toes, so yay for that! Haha

Brianna Carson 8 months ago

It just takes time and perseverance :)

Carly Dick (author) 8 months ago

God I hope so!