Listen, I don't gotta know you're reasons for wanting to be more flexible *side eye*. That being said, it's actually really important to have flexibility as it helps with our mobility as we get older.
I know it can be tedious, but let me nerd out for a minute and list some of the major benefits of having leg flexibility specifically.
⦁ It can increase your sports performance with things such as running and jumping.
⦁ It can reduce your risk of injury because the tighter your legs are, the more imbalance it causes, which can then lead to spraining or straining.
⦁ It can actually help with your posture so you can have more stability.
⦁ It reduces stress and increases relaxation both physically and mentally.
I also want to quickly note the importance of doing mind-to-muscle connections. This is pretty much just imagining you can see and feel your muscles stretching as you feel the pain and then you will actually feel the stretching happen. I know, sounds wacko-mode, but it's a real thing; look it up!
Do all of these at you're own comfortability and please don't try going as far as I am if you're not ready for it.
✩The Stretches✩
1. Pike Stretch: This one's amazing for your hamstrings and calves. I danced for 8 years and did acro for 5/8 of them and my calves and hammies STILL kill when I do this one. I suggest actually starting with your feet completely flexed and then doing relaxed or pointed feet after because it will feel easier (pro tip).
Try holding all of them from 30s-1m and breathing deeply through it all.
2. Oversplits: This one is by far my favourite and in my opinion, the easiest (but most painful) way to get your splits or to just become more flexible. I promise you, do the oversplits and relish in the pain (but don't hurt yourself lol) and then after go on flat ground and try going into your splits. It feels SOOOOO much easier! This was actually how I got my left split.
Honestly hold this one for as long as you can. I know it hurts like a bitch, but you just have to work up to it. Make sure you breathe through it and you can tense and relax your muscles as you're doing it to help.
3. Lunge Leg Hold: I really recommend doing this one to stretch out your quads. This hurts a lot too, but if you slowly bring your leg up and bring it back down then you should be fine; hopefully.
Bring up your leg slowly and hold for 10+ seconds, then slowly put it back down and try to feel your lunge deepening a bit lower.
4. Supine Hamstring Stretch: I feel like everyone's heard of this one, but there's so many different, easy stretches you can do in this position. I'll show you them all in the pictures below.
Hold these all for 30s-1m, or honestly as long as you can. With all of these, it's really just as long as you can to be honest lol.
5. Plié: This is another great hamstring stretch. You want to start standing with your feet apart, and then slowly go down into the position that I'm in on the left. Hold That for as long as you please, and then stand back up in the starting position and repeat.
To go the extra mile, you can do an over-plié, which is the same as an oversplit but in a plié. Do this and then go into a normal plié and you'll feel like a goddamn rubber band.
✩Concluding Info✩
So you're probably wondering how often you should stretch as EVERYONE always asks me that. If you were stretching 0 times a week, stretch 1-2 times. If you were stretching 1-2 times, stretch 3-4 times. I personally would not do more than 4 as it's good to give you're body a rest; unless you're stretching different body parts on different days.
Please don't assume that I got this flexible just from stretching 2 times a week though. I used to dance 5/7 days a week for multiple hours a day. It takes a lot of work, but if you're consistent with it, you will see progress ☺