Seated straddle stretch is an all-time classic. But I’ve seen it done so wrong so many times, and it’s significantly less effective when riddled with basic errors. Here are some tips to help you identify common mistakes and corrections to make the most of your straddle stretch.
Error: Pressing the chest forward and arching the lower back.
Correction: Elongate and support the spine at the back of the straddle.
Leaning forward or pushing through the rib cage can make you feel really flexible… but it’s not real. Pull the abdomen in and up to support the lower back, and close the rib cage. It can be helpful to check that you're sitting straight up from the back of the straddle by sitting against the wall or have someone standing sideways behind you and align along their leg. Often times, this will reduce the width of your straddle, but you’ll avoid greater temptation to roll the legs inward.
Error: Rounding the back and collapsing the shoulders.
Correction: Keep the torso forward when stretching to the side.
Instead of straining and sacrificing your alignment by dropping the chest and/or rounding the back as you stretch over to the right or left, lift up and over from the torso. This keeps the belly button forward, the underarm in the upward direction, and the neck in line with the spine. Again, you may not go as low as usual, but your stretch will be felt deeper on the underside of the leg and through the opposite side.
Error: Allowing the hip to lift up as you stretch to the side.
Correction: Root the hip opposite the stretch down to the floor.
Many of the students I encounter allow the hip opposite the side they are stretching over to come up off the floor as they strive to get closer to their leg. Not only does this degrade the stretch, it also makes them more likely to allow lifted hips while standing - something dance teachers are already constantly trying to combat.
Error: Bending the knees unintentionally.
Correction: Lengthen and elongate the legs from underneath to avoid bent knees.
Some students struggle with finding a truly straight and activated leg in their straddles (standing or seated). Try to close that space under the knees by imagining creating as much length as possible between the hip and the toe, or better yet, flex the ankles and extend out through the heel. Avoid attempting to close the space by jamming the knees down toward the floor, which is also incorrect and unsafe. I often have dancers do straddles with flexed ankles so they can work on shooting that energy out from their heel in a way they feel underneath the entire leg.
Error: Passively allowing the leg, knee, and/or ankle inward.
Correction: Activate the rotators and direct the knees behind you. This one can be a toughie because you don’t want to end up tucking (though, if the abdomen is pulled in and up and the lats pressed down it’s harder to even do). Try to rotate the legs even more toward the back than you might think. It’s common to be a little too passive and allow the knees and/or ankles to fall inward slightly - especially for students who don’t realize they’re doing it. Encourage the adjustment to come from behind the hip in the glutes so it comes from the top instead of just straining the ankle or lower leg.
Comments