Heel Stretch Question

[IACheerMom]

My daughter has always struggled with flexibility - but has stepped up her stretching regime and it has definitely helped. When she is pulling her heel stretch, she gets her leg up there but her knee is slightly bent. Is there a certain stretch that she can do to help with this? She is 11 and a flyer.

 

[MeaghanElizabeth]

Her leg would be bending to compensate for a lack of flexibility as the position shes in. Really work on her splits - particularly overextended splits with the left food forward. Have her sit in the overextended for about 20 seconds then move her body forward / down and have her hold this like a heelstretch for 20 seconds. Then back up and lower her foot to the floor into reg floor splits, and walk her body forward again.

Very common - she just needs another inch in flexibility by the sounds of it to comfortably pull the Heel Stretch.

Another tip woudl be strengthen her hip flexor - have her pull her heel stretch and do leg excercises with ankle weights on - this should help her gain flexibility a lot faster as well :)

Hope this helps!

 

[IACheerMom]

Thank you!

 

[retiredl5cheer]

It could be her hamstrings, not her hips. Make sure she's stretching those just as well as her hip flexers.

 

[DaniV]

Also, when she is practicing pulling her stretch - don't let her practice bad form. So if she pulling her stretch higher than her hamstrings will physically allow, that is when you'll star to see the bend. Lower the leg until she can straighten it and then slowly lift higher until she feels a stretch. I would suggest asking her coach to show you how to assist her with pulling the stretch and helping her actively stretch the hamstring while pulling the body position.

 

[Keep_Believing]

Heel stretch from CEA

 

[CheerItFullOut]

My flyers do yoga ... And it has really improved flexibility ...