How many times has an instructor asked you to "warm up" only for you to drop down into a split or sit and stretch? Warming up the muscles is imperative to facilitating your stretch. Did you know that even animals warm up before taking action? A moth shivers and shakes his flight muscles just before taking off and cat stretches are not static but move through a series of positions and arches to aid in circulation and warmth. Practice healthy body upkeep. It's more important to warm up and get your heart going than to sit in a split upon arriving at the studio. Be sure to stretch after warm up, rather than starting with a static (held and stretch.
Read this article from Dance Magazine for more!
Read this article from Dance Magazine for more!