5 Minute Back and Core Stretching Routine for Dancers

Yes… perhaps everyone is going a little stir-crazy right now, staying home with this quarantine. So, I want to share this short and sweet little stretching routine that I love to do, whenever my body feels achy, tired, or just to warm it up before I dance.

This 5 minute stretching routine focuses on opening up the back and engaging core, which are both really important for dancers. DUH! I incorporate a mix of yoga, pilates, dance into my stretches and workouts. Enjoy. 🙂

We start in a table-top position with some cat/cow stretches.

Table-Top Position Set up:
Head, Neck and entire spine to your tailbone should be flat, just like a table top!
Your arms and your thighs are the legs of the table, so it’s important that you get stacking of your joints for maximum stability:
Let your shoulders sit directly on top of your wrists and your hip bones stack directly on top of your knees.
Spread your fingers open and press your palms down onto the ground.
Shins parallel to each other and press them down.

As you move through the cat -cow series (which we do a lot of in this routine), focus on alternating the engagement of your back and core muscles.

CAT: Whenever you round your back up towards the ceiling, suck your belly in, tuck your tailbone under and chin to chest. Imagine you are sandwiching your spine with your belly button and your back. Use your Exhales to help you round more.

COW: Whenever you are arching your back, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and lift your  tailbone towards your shoulders. Use your inhales to help you open your chest.

If any of the postures feel a little awkward, that’s ok. If your body feels a little tight, that’s ok. It you want to repeat these exercises more than once, that’s ok.

Have fun, keep dancing, stay healthy!

LOVE to y’all,
LiWen