Everything Straddle

Exercises to Improve Your Straddle

Many of my students ask me, “What can I do to improve my straddle?” Well, the short answer is, “Do more straddles.” lol. But just sitting and/or struggling in a straddle isn’t necessarily going to improve your straddle flexibility. So how do you increase your straddle flexibility? Do your straddle exercises 2-5 times per week!

It’s important to attack this task from a few different angles. Every body is built differently. Some people do better with active exercises while others need to focus on joint stability, and others need to focus on relaxing more. But most people do well with a little bit of everything. The BEST way to make progress is to work with a coach. I promise if you work with a qualified coach that you have a good report with, you will see the best improvements on anything acrobatics, aerial, flexibility, strength, etc. But for now, let’s talk about some ways you can work on your straddle starting right now!

What can we focus on in regards to straddle flexibility?

1. A good warm up of the whole area
   • general mobility of hips, legs, and spine
   • Some standing balances to engage muscles
   • Some lunges
   • Some twists
2. Stretching hamstrings, the 4 muscles in the back of our legs.
   • My main hint when stretching hamstrings is to look for the sensation of the stretch in the back of your legs.
   • If you have nerve tension, try some nerve glides.
   • Try working with a slightly bent knee to increase the stretch. Then slowly straighten it.
   • Keep your spine straight and your pelvis tilted backward (stick your butt out) when stretching your hammies.
3. Stretching adductors / groin muscles
4. Strengthening hip joint stabilizers (aka the rotator cuff of the hips).
5. Active exercises to engage your muscles while in straddle
   • Knee straighteners
   • Isometric activation of abductors and adductors
   • Leg lifts
6. Side stretches and twists (while standing and while in straddle) also hugely improve your straddle
7. Pigeon stretch is great for your straddle
8. Passive straddle against the wall

I have made several video tutorials that can help your straddle practice. Here is my EVERYTHING STRADDLE playlist on YouTube. It includes the following video tutorials (just click on each link):

• Daily stretches for hips, legs & lower back
• Flexibility pep talk
• Short staddle stretch sequence
• 30 minute straddle stretch sequence
• Sexy stretching
• Hip mobility exercise
• Active leg circles for straddle
• Pancake exercises
• Straight knee straddle up exercises
• Straddle swim throughs
• Full Flexibility class (1 hour) with splits, straddles, and shoulders
• Straddle inversion technique
  • part 1
  • part 2

Remember that THE WAY TO GAIN FLEXIBILITY IS TO DO THESE EXERCISES REGULARLY with a clear focus. Flexibility training is hard work. You might even sweat. lol. Set yourself up for success. Start where you are and progress your drills as you get more and more flexible and strong. Do your exercises consistently 2-5 times per week, and you will start to see a difference after a few weeks/months. If you don’t see a difference, it is time to work in person with a coach. Come train with me at one of my upcoming programs at Casa Chango Mexico.

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I hope to see you soon at one of my Sweet Retreats live aerial intensives at Casa Chango Mexico.
Enjoy the process!