Back Bends and Splits
I have a lot to look forward to this skating season. With Sectionals behind me, I have a new set of challenges and goals to work on in the coming months. Many of those elements will require more flexibility, so I need to spend more time stretching.
I already stretch (almost) daily so my lower back doesn’t get strained. I use a foam roller to help work out those tight muscles on my landing side. It took me a year to get my front splits back, and I hope they are here to stay. So what’s next?
The back bend. I am a former gymnast and was extremely flexible as a young child, but because I haven’t kept up my stretches, I lost my back bend (among many other things). Why the back bend? Because then I can try:
- Layback spins (I’m talking about a “non-adult” layback here!)
- Grab camel spins (with a nice arch in the back)
- Ina Bauers (again, a non-adult one)
I’d also like to get my center splits back. These would be good for building up to a real spread eagle and Russian split jump.
These goals will definitely be a long journey, but I have to start somewhere – might as well start now. I’ll try to remember to check back every once in a while to keep you posted on my progress.
