100 Day Challenge | Contortion Flexibility | Days 1-5

Amanda Nicole Smith100 Day Contortion Challenge 1, Fitness, Flexibility 7 Comments

100 Day Contortion Challenge, Accepted!

I started this challenge to motivate and push myself towards contortion-like flexibility for advanced pole moves. For months I have been looking at flexibility inspiration on pinterest, every once in while trying a move and not really committing myself to a true stretching routine. This is something I have always wanted and especially now since I’m trying more advanced pole tricks that require more flexibility. Plus stretching feels good, and pushing myself to new limits is what I’m all about!

I have realized in 5 days that 1 hour of dynamic and static stretching everyday can dramatically improve results. I’ve never taken pictures of myself stretching before and so I never really knew exactly how flexible I was, I thought I was really inflexible. When I look back at pictures and videos I am always amazed at what I can accomplish and it motivates me to continue, I’m excited to see what I can accomplish next! That doesn’t mean it’s not hard work, these poses are very difficult for me but I know with time and practice it’ll get easier.

I encourage everybody to try a 100 day challenge even if it’s not a contortion challenge. Challenge yourself to do what you thought you never could. We all know the benefits of flexibility and everyday stretching so why not start now?!?! 🙂

 

Want to Join Me? Here’s what you can do…

  1. Join The Flexibility Challenge to get access to all my stretching routines, a stretching guide, tips & tricks, add your goals, schedule, strengths & weaknesses, ask anything in the community forum, and more! 
  2. Get Inspired! You can watch my videos for inspiration, watch the videos that inspired me, check out my flexibility motivation pinterest board, or find your own inspiration.
  3. Start Stretching! Starting with #day1
  4. Take photos of where you are at now in various stretching poses.
  5. Keep on Improving and take more photos. I would say take at least 1 photo a week if not more.
  6. Share them with everyone to inspire more people to gain the flexibility they have always wanted!
  7. Get an instructor that specializes in flexibility, to help you with your form and posture. It is important to have someone telling you what you need to focus on, and to also have a solid stretching routine. An instructors main purpose is to help you with form, and to make sure you are balancing your routine correctly, so my advice; get one! It is also nice to have someone to push you further, even though it may seem like torture 😉

Tips

  • Make at least 5 stretching goals.
  • Always make sure you are stretching safe and practicing good technique.
  • Always warm up before you attempt any stretch.
  • Add dynamic or active stretching to your routine to prevent injury.
  • Make 2 pinterest boards, 1 for pining inspiring photos and videos and 1 for pining your accomplishments.
  • Use the appropriate hashtags #100daychallenge #contortion #flexibility #day1, #day2, #day3, etc. and this one I’m about to create right now #100daycontortionchallenge <- This hashtag will be specifically for this challenge
  • Keep motivated by keeping inspired and know you are inspiring others.
  • Eat a bunch of raw fruits and veggies to fuel your body and to recover faster.
Join The Flexibility Challenge Community

 

 

 

 Progress Days 1-5

The before was taken summer of 2013 before I had a good stretching routine and the after was taken on Day 3. This is a representation of how just a few days of consistent stretching can make dramatic improvement.

Day 1:

Day 1 was tough but I managed to focus on my breathing and exceed what I thought possible.  I watched youtube videos from one of my favorites Lina W for flexibility inspiration and then started my routine by dancing and warming up. I tried some of the moves she was doing and to my surprise I could kind of do some of them and can see myself improving with time. I continued to use my breathing techniques throughout and relaxed all of my muscles, then engaged and relaxed again to deepen the stretch.

I focused on my upper back, lower back, shoulders and hip flexor flexibility.

Goal: Improve needle by moving hands down to ankle and straightening leg and arms.

Day 2:

I was very sore on day 2, as if I had done a hard core strength workout. I did some cardio in the morning to loosen up and did some light stretching. Later that night I taught a stretch & flex class and did some good deep stretches along with some good strength exercises. I taught a dance class right after and was able to warm my muscles again with light cardio, strengthening and stretching all at once.

Day 3:

I did another deep stretching routine but this time focused more on splits. Middle splits need major improvement to even begin trying over-splits. Dynamic stretching will be necessary if I want to be able to do an iron x which is basically a suspended middle split. When weight or pressure is not present I want to still be able to do a middle split, which is what over splits are good for. I have found that normally if you have an over-split you can easily, with no weight or pressure, raise your leg up into a full middle split. I’m a long way off but nothing is impossible. Later that night I taught a party at the studio and also did some basic stretching and a little bit of cardio and strength.

 

Day 4:

I took a nice day off from intense stretching and working out. I did do some basic flexibility moves, but kept it simple. I have made it a point that if I’m extremely sore I will take time off to avoid injury but other than that there are no excuses to not stretch every single day.

Day 5:

My stretching has definitely improved and I’m feeling motivated as ever to continue! My recovery time has been faster than ever before, I’m actually quite amazed. I do want to take note that I have been eating a lot of big salads filled with a ton of different greens, herbs and veggies. I have also been eating a lot of vegan sushi, bananas (2-3 a day), apples (2 a day), Pak Dong (fermented cabbage), bbq jackfruit, raw shortbread cookies, eggs (from a responsible farmer) and sprouted rye bread. I also have been drinking  immunity boosting tea and eating super green foods like nettles, spirulina, chorella, blue-green algae and a bunch of other good stuff. I’m very conscious of what I eat because I know what I eat becomes the building blocks for my body to repair itself.

I hope you all got some flexibility inspiration for this 100 day contortion challenge!

100 Day Contortion Challenge 2014 Updates

100 Day Challenge | Contortion Flexibility| Days 7-15

100 Day Challenge | Contortion Flexibility| Days 18-37

100 Day Challenge | Contortion Flexibility| Days 38-69

100 Day Challenge | Contortion Flexibility | Days 1-100

Comments 7

    1. I don’t have a definitive answer but I have seen girls in all shapes and sizes that are flexible and work towards greater flexibility. But I also know that more weight can put more stress on your wrists and knees, so it’s always good to strengthen alongside a flexibility routine. Hope this helps!

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