Split stretch for children: find out how to help your child

Stretching exercises for children - goals, objectives, methodology

Stretching exercises for children are an integral part of a child’s physical development. The configuration of the initial basic complex must be determined and compiled by a certified specialist based on:

• full medical examination data,
• age,
• level of physical fitness.

Further adjustments are made by a personal trainer with simultaneous control measurements from a medical professional.

CHOREOGRAPHY AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

Poses “attitut”, “alasgon”. Choreography for this sport is as important as practicing the elements. She is given a third of the training time, because the judges have a separate score for the expressiveness of the performance.

“Ballerinas dance on pointe shoes, gymnasts on high toes. This does not interfere with seeing the same airiness and expressiveness. It is with the ligaments that they hold such high half-fingers, which is what we train in our classes,” says choreographer Alevtina Glamazdo.

Ballet schools and theaters are literally hunting for gymnast artists. From an early age, these girls are able to make big jumps and high-amplitude turns.

https://youtu.be/JKjgZwXiEs8

Classification of stretching for children

According to the method and nature of the impact, exercises are divided into four main groups.

• Static. Gradual stretching of one or more muscles at a slow pace.
• Dynamic. Stretching a specific muscle group at an accelerated pace.
• Ballistic. Swing movements performed with high amplitude and extreme range.
• Proprioceptive. Stimulation of neuromuscular activity through alternate relaxation and contraction. Designed to work antagonist muscles.

Is it possible to perform this complex with a sore lower back?

In this case, it is best to consult a physiotherapist or rehabilitation specialist. Professionals will be able to select for you an individual set of physical activities that will not only help you heal, but will also serve as a prevention for future disorders. During periods of exacerbation of all back diseases, including osteochondrosis, doctors do not recommend doing warm-up exercises.

As soon as the acute pain begins to subside, you need to begin performing self-massage techniques and do a light warm-up. It is recommended to do this carefully and smoothly, avoiding sudden movements. Each exercise from the proposed complex should not be performed with full amplitude at first. Every day the back pain will be less and less, and when it goes away, you can begin to perform the entire complex in full force.

Exercise is the best way to say goodbye to osteochondrosis. They can improve blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms, strengthen the musculo-ligamentous apparatus of the spine, eliminate pain, increase range of motion, and help release nerve endings.

Exercises that are not recommended for osteochondrosis:

• In a standing position with bends down, so as not to unnecessarily load the spine in a vertical position and tilt.
• Bends without support, as they create excessive stress on the lower back.
• Weight-bearing exercise, because it can make the disease worse.

For this disease, the issue of selecting exercises can be resolved with a physical therapy instructor: he will be able to select the complex that suits you best. An important condition is the regularity of classes and adherence to the technique of performing each movement. Performing movements to warm up the lower back is a good way to prevent spinal diseases. This allows you to avoid many health problems! In addition, you get very nice additions - perfect posture and a slim figure!

Methodology

Before stretching, you should warm up your muscles with a light warm-up in the form of running, squats, jumping rope, swinging your arms and legs. The duration of the warm-up is determined individually, according to the age and physical characteristics of the child, but no more than 15-20 minutes.

Each stretching exercise is carried out in 4 stages:

1. initial position,
2. stretching,
3. exit from the stretch,
4. interval pause.

During execution, the pulse should be smooth, well-filled, and breathing should be calm. The movement begins with inhalation. Exhale slowly while stretching. The main indicator of positive dynamics is the absence of pain during and after classes.

The benefits of stretching for osteochondrosis

This disease often occurs among middle-aged and elderly people, and many require effective treatment. In addition to taking medications and using traditional medicine, it is recommended to perform special gymnastics, which includes various exercises, including stretches for the spine. How is it useful? This type of gymnastics can lengthen muscle fibers that have been damaged due to osteochondrosis.

Stretching helps normalize metabolic processes, improve blood circulation and significantly increase the distance between the vertebrae. Traction relieves tension and reduces pressure in the inner part of the intervertebral disc. Few people know about the benefits of stretching, because it helps both healthy and sick people. In the first case, it relaxes the muscles, in the second, it heals them.

A home exercise machine will help stretch your spine

For patients with osteochondrosis, such exercises can be performed either under the supervision of a doctor or independently after consultation with a specialist. You will get a quick effect from a special simulator that produces gradual, soft and uniform stretching. The main thing is that it is absolutely painless and pleasant. The simulator is selected according to the patient’s height and weight and ensures strengthening of ligaments and muscles.

If stretching is done at home, you can use a bed or board. In this case, the head should be down, and the extension occurs due to its own weight. You can also use relaxation stretching methods - pulling up is considered the most suitable and effective. For this exercise, use a wall bars or horizontal bar. No special preparation is required here; this method of stretching the spine is easy to perform. The main disadvantage of this method is the tension in the arm muscles. A video where you can see a set of exercises for spinal osteochondrosis can be found on specialized websites.

There are several more methods of stretching the spine for osteochondrosis: inversion and underwater stretching, and each is prescribed by the attending physician. However, there is one universal way to stretch the spine without any equipment - swimming. As you know, those who swim or visit the pool at least several times a week have straight posture and a healthy spine. Why? When a person swims, his spine naturally relaxes and the intervertebral discs are relieved of stress.

Age characteristics

There are no age restrictions for children's stretching. Moreover, the sooner a child starts regular classes, the more benefits they will bring.

The exception is specialized exercises intended for sports and choreography. Professional-type stretching is carried out only under the supervision of an experienced trainer.

3-4 years

How to stretch a child of primary preschool age? Up to 4 years of age, it is advisable to conduct classes in a playful way - this will form and consolidate the interest necessary for systematic training.

The warm-up phase begins with jumping rope. Among other things, a jump rope is an excellent tool for developing coordination of movements. This is followed by 8-10 (no more) squats. It is recommended to finish the warm-up by bending forward on straight legs.

• “Butterfly flies” is an exercise for eversion and stretching of the hip joints. While sitting, pull your legs towards your pelvis and bring your feet together. Make smooth “swings” with your arms and bent legs 5-6 times.

• “A butterfly sits on a leaf” - in the same starting position, gently press your hands on your knees, pressing them to the floor.

• “The butterfly is sleeping” - without changing the position of your legs, stretch your arms forward and press your body to the floor. You can help your child by lightly pressing his knees to the floor. If the backrest is a wheel, try gently pressing it to level it.

• "Frog". Lie on your stomach, turn your head to the side and rest on your arms bent at the elbows. Tighten your legs, bending them at the knees, as high as possible. Hold the pose for 10-20 seconds.

• "Swing". Lying on your stomach, bend your legs. Wrap your palms tightly around your ankles and slowly lift your legs (pull them towards your head), carefully bend over (5-10 seconds).

5-6 years

In children aged 5 and 6 years, the joint apparatus, subject to regular training, is already fully formed and the required level of elasticity has been achieved. Therefore, the complex includes more complex stretches, including longitudinal and transverse splits.

• Working out triceps and biceps. Stand up straight. Bringing your right hand over your shoulder, reach the area between the shoulder blades, while simultaneously pressing the elbow of your right hand with the other hand. Repeat 5-6 times, changing hands.
• Pectoral muscles. Pull your hands back and lock them together. Slightly arching, raise your joined hands to the highest possible point.
• Stretching the muscles of the back and lower back. Get on your knees. Sit down, pressing your heels to your pelvis. Stretching your arms forward, bend over, trying to reach the maximum point of tension.
• Working out the hip muscles. Attach an elastic bandage or gymnastic elastic tape to the feet. Lie on your back. Raise your legs using the tape to a right angle.
• Quadriceps. In a standing position, bend your leg. Holding your foot with your hand, pull up to the limit.
• Calf muscles. Toe stand. Fixation in lifting for 10 seconds.
• Feet. When sitting, your back is straight. Pull your feet with your toes towards you. The basic complex also includes complicated exercises such as “butterfly”, “frog”, “swing”, etc.

Basic warm-up exercises

The basic stance is straight, arms at your sides, feet shoulder-width apart, chin raised, muscles and joints relaxed. Remember this foundation, without it it will be very difficult to start. Got it? Now we move on to the process of warming up each individual muscle complex. Low start, let's go.

Stretch your neck muscles

You need to turn your head to the right and left several times, while trying to prolong this turn as long as possible.

Head tilts. While in the main stance, smoothly tilt your head forward and return it to the starting position. There is no need to shrug your shoulders.

Stretch the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arm muscles

While in the main stance, we rotate our shoulders clockwise, and then vice versa. We repeat this exercise several times.

While in the main stance, we begin to shrug our shoulders, inhaling and exhaling air sharply as high as possible, lowering our shoulders just as sharply.

Swing your arms a few times. Starting with your arms above your head and moving them down to your sides and crossing them under your chest.

Stretch the muscles of the chest and back

Exercises to raise your arms forward from the main stance. Take a deep breath, bringing your hands together in front of you, raise your arms above your head, exhale, returning your arms to the starting position.

Bring your hands together behind your back. Inhale, raising them as high as you can and return to the starting position without leaning forward.

Having taken the basic stance, put your arms in front of you and begin to spread them to the sides, bringing your shoulder blades together and inhaling as you do so, return them to their original position as you exhale.

Stretch your torso muscles

Twisting exercise. Standing straight, arms to the sides, legs again shoulder-width apart, make turns with the torso, while keeping the pelvis motionless.

We do the same twisting, only with our elbows bent. Use the fingers of your left hand to grab your left shoulder, and the fingers of your right hand to grab your right shoulder. And also turn your torso from side to side.

Torso rotation. Place your hands on your hips. And keeping your pelvis motionless, lean forward, then returning to the starting position, then do the same, but leaning to the left, right and back.

With your feet wide apart, bend your knees and lean forward so that your torso is parallel to the floor. Place your hands in a lock above your head. And alternately touch your left elbow to your right knee, and your right elbow to your left knee.

Stretch your lower back muscles

Bend forward. Standing in a basic stance, tuck your chin to your chest and begin to bend as low as possible. Next, without changing your stance, turn your body to the left, also pressing your chin and bending over, straighten up, and repeat this, turning to the right.

Exercises for regular warm-up of the torso muscles are ideal for warming up the lower back.

Stretch your leg muscles

With your left hand on your waist, lift your left leg as high as you can. After this, bend this leg at the knee and straighten it. Do this several times, and repeat the same exercise, but with your right leg.

Place your emphasis on the floor on both arms and your left leg, lift your right leg and bend it at the knee. Begin to bend and straighten your left leg while keeping it flat on the floor. Repeat this exercise several times and change the position of your legs.

Stretch your pelvic muscles

Standing and maintaining balance with your right hand, swing your left leg forward, then back, then change position and do the exercise again.

Taking a wide stance. Hands on the belt, feet parallel to each other. Do deep lunges in different directions alternately, without lifting your feet from the floor and without bending your torso forward.

Stretch the ankle joint

Holding on to something for balance, lift your left leg and then your right leg to rotate your feet first in one position and then in the other. Do this exercise several times with different legs.

Stretch your calf muscles

Keeping your balance, rise onto the toes of both feet. And repeat this exercise with your toes turned outward and with your toes turned inward.

It is also worth remembering that when moving to heavy weights in your training, you need to perform the exercise with a lighter weight for each part of your body to prepare it for a large load.

That's all, now you know how to properly warm up before training. To learn the material, you can save the link to this article and refer to it if necessary. This is where we will complete our training, come back, next time we will look at other useful information for athletes.

Independent studies

Stretching for children also provides undoubted benefits to those who are not involved in regular sports or choreography. The advantages of doing simple exercises at home for beginners:

• Prevention of injuries.
• Improving coordination of movements.
• Prevention and/or treatment of scoliosis.
• Strengthening the musculoskeletal system.
• Regulating the functioning of the genitourinary system.
• Improving the functions of the digestive organs.
• Development of the respiratory organs.

It is better to schedule classes at home to coincide with morning exercises - this will make it easier for your child to instill this useful skill. Beginners are recommended to start with simple exercises in the form of bending, swinging and stretching. Over time, difficulty and intensity can be increased.

Important! Stretching can be included in home exercises only after a medical examination. Since in the presence of an intervertebral hernia, sprain and other serious health problems, it can cause harm to the body.

Back stretch

When working in heavy sports - bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerlifting and, of course, CrossFit, the condition of the muscles before starting work plays a significant role. Even beginner athletes know that they need to warm up before starting a workout. But it is equally important to take care of their elasticity by stretching at the end of the lesson or on a separate day.

In this material, we will share with you the basics and best exercises for stretching the back in the gym and at home, which are also suitable for beginners.

How to stretch your back in rhythmic gymnastics

The back and spine are the most important parts of the human body. And endurance and flexibility of the back play a huge role in rhythmic gymnastics. Well-developed back muscles instantly improve your posture and give you amazing flexibility. It is perhaps difficult for an adult to “work on his back”, because... long hours of work on a chair have already left their mark. But it’s a little easier for a child to develop his spine. The main thing is to know how to perform gymnastics correctly and how to stretch your back without the risk of injury.

Stretching should never be performed on “cold” muscles. That is, you cannot come to training and immediately start stretching. The same is true when exercising at home - each stretch should be done on warmed muscles. The predecessor can be either an intense workout or a short warm-up.

According to studies, the amount of time you stretch per day directly affects subsequent possible gymnastics injuries. The minimum time for stretching should be at least 40 minutes. The ideal exercises for stretching the spine include the following:

• “Cat” - you need to take a “on all fours” position, focusing on your knees and palms. As you inhale, raise your head and bend your spine towards the floor. As you exhale, lower your head down, twisting your chin to your collarbone, and round your back and “pull” toward the ceiling.
• Hanging on a horizontal bar is a basic exercise. On any available horizontal bar (at home, on the street, in training), you need to hang on the bar so that your feet do not touch the floor. You need to hang for the maximum possible amount of time, completely relaxing all the muscles of the body. This exercise is recommended to be performed even with a hernia, osteochondrosis and other diseases.

Why the back should not only be strong

A healthy, fully developed back should bend, bend, and twist without problems. If, in the absence of spinal diseases, you have problems with back mobility and limited movement, it means that rigid, inelastic muscles do not allow you to achieve the full range of motion. And it will get worse. The natural flexibility inherent in the human spine will gradually be lost, the back will be in a static position most of the time, which will lead to the development of spinal diseases and atrophy of the spinal muscles.

By the way. Among young people, especially men, there is an opinion that the back must be strong. This is partly true for those who “swing”, since in their case the back serves as a lever that transmits force to the muscles during a strength exercise. But along with strength, the back must have flexibility. Otherwise, it is very easy to “break it” during strength training.

The back muscles must be strong for another reason, to protect the spine from injury. Strong does not mean pumped up, but elastic, stretched, flexible. If a person cannot bend over and reach, bending over, with his hand to the floor, it is not spinal diseases that are to blame, even if they are present, but the rigid, undeveloped muscles of the back and abs.

How to do gymnastics correctly and avoid injuries

Surprisingly, the more gymnasts practice, the higher the risk of injury becomes. And if you have already determined that stretching should last at least 40 minutes, then the overall workout does not have to be long at all. There is a certain concept - general physical training in rhythmic gymnastics, which means general physical training. And it is not true to believe that the more time spent on general physical training, the better the results will be. Stretching takes more time than intense training.

But all these indicators are not yet scary for young gymnasts. At first, the child will not be tormented by strong training and stretching. It is very important to trust the trainer from the very first lesson. A real coach will never advise “pull children to impeccable performance”, but will take a closer look at the baby’s abilities.

If the initial training is done at home and under the supervision of parents, you should follow several recommendations to avoid injuries:

• Before doing gymnastics, you need to visually assess the place. There should be no sharp corners of furniture around, and there should be a smooth surface on the floor.
• From the very first lessons, a child needs to develop observation skills and control everything that is around and behind him. Today it could be a chair, and tomorrow it could be an athlete performing an exercise. To avoid a collision, you need to constantly look around before performing an element.
• With any exercise, it is important to evaluate how prepared the child’s muscles are. You shouldn’t overload your lower back (and it’s very easy for non-professionals to do this!). The child should feel the uncomfortable load and report it.

Suitable age for a child to do the splits

The primary question that arises for parents is when is the best time for their child to start gymnastic exercises. Experts are of the opinion that the most suitable age ranges from five to seven years, when the muscles are most elastic and lend themselves well to developing flexibility. At a later age, of course, you can do the splits, but there will be more difficulties. Regularity of classes, namely daily ones, is important. If you practice periodically, you will not achieve the desired effect soon.

A set of exercises to improve flexibility

As teachers advise, it is better to start stretching your back and performing gymnastics with basic exercises. These types include:

Exercise "wave"

To perform the exercise, you need to prepare a mat. Starting position: sit on your knees on the floor, placing your buttocks on your heels. The arms are extended along the body and are almost not involved in the exercise. From a level position with your back and head, you need to gradually twist your neck to your collarbone, slowly lowering yourself to the floor face down, placing your stomach on your hips. The result should be some kind of “fetal position”, but sitting on the floor. Then you need to slowly return to the starting position: first, the lower back is pulled up, then the back returns to a flat position and the head straightens.

Exercise "Boat"

Another stretching exercise is the pump. Starting position - lying on the floor on your stomach, arms bent, palms under the shoulder. The top of the head begins to stretch forward first, followed by the chest gently rising, and the lower back becoming arched. Having reached the highest point of the lift (leaving your pelvis motionless), you need to linger for a few seconds and slowly return to the starting position. It is important to understand that you can properly stretch your back only with extreme care.

Forward bends

This, at first glance, elementary exercise is still contraindicated for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, because It is the spine that bears the entire load. Starting position – sitting on the floor with straight legs extended forward. Hands need to be clasped and extended above your head. With this lock, you should try to touch your toes, slowly lowering your straight back down and placing your stomach on your hips. It is necessary to return to the starting position slowly and carefully.

Sitting backbends

The starting position in this exercise is sitting on the floor, with straight legs extended, back straight and arms placed slightly behind the back. Keeping your head straight, you need to stretch your lower back and pull your chest up towards the ceiling. To increase the degree of deflection, you can raise the pelvis. It is very important not to put stress on your neck and head (which can happen involuntarily). To avoid this, fix your gaze on your feet - this will prevent you from pulling your head up.

Other exercises

Of course, on the Internet there are many ways to make your back flexible. But it’s important to remember that an accidental back injury may not even be noticeable right away, and will manifest itself after a few hours or days.

Another popular and relatively safe exercise for the back is the bridge - almost every child knows it since childhood. There are also several effective back exercises on a fitball. This ball is especially necessary for those who have an intervertebral hernia or osteochondrosis - the fitball significantly relieves the load from diseased areas of the body, but does not reduce the effectiveness of exercise.

Whatever the plan for home training or gymnastics to stretch your back, consultation with a trainer is still necessary. After all, you can perform just three high-quality exercises and see results, or you can exhaust yourself with a three-hour workout and not see any effect. And it’s not for nothing that general physical training in rhythmic gymnastics is recommended to be carried out no more than 7 hours a week. Such a seemingly easy intensive should be supplemented with a minimum of 40 minutes of stretching - and stable training will definitely bring the child to the desired level of training.

Exercises for the lower back

Stretching is essentially a process of relaxing the spine and restoring it from the stress it experiences throughout the day. 1. The “cat” exercise, in some techniques it is called “dog”, despite its simplicity, is considered one of the most effective and useful for stretching the lumbar region.

• Get into a position on all fours, hands exactly shoulder-width apart, hips slightly apart.
• Lower your head, then pick up your pelvis, tighten your abdominal muscles and at the same time arch your back upward. Stay in this position for 10 seconds, then gradually relax your back.
• Bend your back, lowering your stomach and raising your head up. Maintain this position for 10 seconds, then return to the original position.
• Move your back up – inhale, bend down – exhale.

This exercise is also used in yoga. Its systematic implementation will keep your back in good condition, remove stiffness, improve flexibility and posture. The likelihood of intervertebral hernia is reduced.

The peculiarity of the “cat” is that it has a lightweight version: the back is not moved, but the back is simply relaxed. This allows you to continue exercising with severe back pain, as well as from the twentieth week of pregnancy.

2. Lie on your back, arms perpendicular to the body, spread to the sides, shoulders pressed to the floor.

• Bend your legs.
• Without straightening your legs, move them to the left, return to the original position, then move them to the right, and so on several times.

3. Lying on your back, one leg extended, the other bent at the knee and pressed with your hands to your chest.

• Reach your forehead towards your knee, trying to touch it, and stay in this position for 30 seconds.
• Smoothly straighten the bent leg and do the same with the other leg.

4. Sitting on the floor, legs straight.

• Lean forward and grab your feet with your palms. Legs should remain straight. If your flexibility level is weak, grab your ankles.
• Try to touch your knees with your chin and stay in this position for a couple of minutes.

5. Lying on your stomach, one leg straightened, the other bent at the knee.

• Grasp the foot of the bent leg with both hands and, pulling, lean the heel against the buttock.
• Maintain the position for one to two minutes, then change the relative position of the legs and do the same.

6. Lying on your back, legs bent, both feet on the floor.

• Bend upward at the waist, pressing your buttocks to the surface of the floor, remaining in this position for 20 seconds.
• Arching your back to the floor, bend down at the waist. Do 8-10 times.

The exercises are very simple and do not require much effort and time; it is enough to devote no more than 15 to 20 minutes to them every day.