How to Practice the Basics for a Woman Contortionist

Contortionists devote themselves to years of stretching and conditioning to get into the kind of shape required for advanced contortionism. Wrapping yourself into a pretzel shape might be a long way off, but you can get going with the basics immediately.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Warm up with 10 to 12 minutes of low intensity, basic cardiovascular exercise like running or biking. Follow the cardio warmup with some full body dynamic stretching such as straight knee upward kicks. Do a few pushups, planks and any quick yoga poses you know.

2. Work out with a foam roller to release tension from muscles by rolling over the cylindrical foam piece starting at the middle and working outward towards your upper body and then lower body.

3. Stand on a flat surface and nod your head so your chin touches your chest. Then reverse the motion so you're looking at the sky. Follow this with turning your head as far to the side as possible and then switching to the other side. Then, looking forward, bring your right ear to your right shoulder and hold the stretch. Repeat the ear to shoulder stretch on the left side.

4. Bring your left arm over your head and bend to your right at the waist until you feel a pulling sensation around your right ribcage. Repeat the stretch on the left, bending as far as possible to simulate contortionist movement.

5. Interlace your fingers behind your back and then bend at the waist and pull your arms, still locked by the fingers, to rotate as far as possible behind your back. Push yourself lower so that your shoulders get as close as you can get them to your shins.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice your contortionist stretching daily, placing more focus on consistency than intensity as you get started.

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