A "rubber man" is a term for people who are so adept at stretching that they are able to perform a variety of postures, mainly because they have a very flexible and strong spine. You might think that contortionists are born with flexible muscles and joints. In fact, you can also do some basic postures if you practice diligently and stretch your muscles regularly. Get used to warming up before exercising so that the muscles do not sprain or injury. Look for a professional trainer who trains contortionists if you want to improve your flexibility and perform challenging postures like them.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Doing Muscle Stretches
Step 1. Know the 2 types of contortionists
According to the ability to perform spinal extensions, there are 2 types of contortionists: front bender and back bender. Front bender is a contortionist who is adept at doing postures by bending the body forward. The back bender is adept at performing various postures by arching the body backwards.
- Women are considered good back benders, but men are also capable of doing a back arched posture with lots of practice to improve flexibility. So, don't give up just because of gender. The younger, the easier!
- The rubber man utilizes his skills to put on a show by performing posture after posture continuously or in the form of a dance. With diligent practice and persistence, you will be able to compose your own moves for the best posture possible.
Step 2. Warm up before stretching
Get in the habit of warming up before exercising, especially before practicing muscle stretching. In addition to preventing injury, this exercise improves blood flow and stretches the body.
- Begin stretching exercises by twisting and flexing the joints. Stretch each joint with the widest possible range of motion, such as rotating your neck, wrists, and ankles. Do each movement slowly because you only need to stretch the joint, not make it tense.
- Do cardiovascular exercise for at least 30 minutes, for example by walking, running, star jumping, or rowing. Muscles become more flexible when normal body temperature rises by 1-2 degrees. Cardiovascular exercise is useful to speed up the rhythm of the heart rate and make the body sweat a little so that stretching feels more comfortable.
Step 3. Do the leg stretch
This exercise is useful for flexing the leg and hip muscles needed when you are doing postures with a wide range of motion.
- Stand up straight and transfer your weight to your right foot and press your right toes firmly on the floor. Grasp your left big toe with your index and middle finger and slowly lift your left foot while maintaining balance.
- Lift your left leg as high as you can then straighten it up. Try to straighten your left leg up until it is perpendicular to the floor and then hug your left calf with both arms. This exercise is useful for flexing the leg muscles.
- To flex your right leg, repeat the same movement by straightening your right leg up.
Step 4. Stretch your hip muscles
Flex your hip muscles so you can do a contortionist posture. The following movements are usually done to flex your hips when practicing yoga while breathing deeply for several breaths.
- Perform a lunge by stepping your right foot forward and extending your left leg back. Make sure your right knee is not further forward than your heel and your left foot is resting on the ball of your foot to maintain balance. Slowly swing your body back and forth while feeling the stretch in your right and left hips. Then, place both palms on the inside of the right foot and lower the left knee so that the shin and back of the left foot touch the mat.
- Inhale and lower yourself onto the mat as low as possible while straightening your arms, bending your elbows, or resting on your forearms. Breathe deeply while feeling the stretch in the hip area. Hold for 6-8 breaths.
- Return to the starting position by resting on your palms and placing your left toes on the mat. Then, step your left foot forward to bring the soles of your feet together. End this movement in a forward bending position.
- Do the same movement by stepping your left foot forward and straightening your right leg back.
Step 5. Increase flexibility by doing perfect splits
This posture is useful for flexing the leg and hip muscles. Depending on your level of flexibility, you may only be able to do half a split or be able to touch the floor. If you can't do perfect splits, make it a habit to practice splits as part of your stretching routine.
- In order to do a perfect split, point the soles of your feet forward and then step your left foot 90-120 cm back. Slowly move the soles of your feet away from each other until your palms touch the floor next to the sole of your right foot.
- Use your palms to support while continuing to slide the soles of your feet until your pelvis touches the floor. Right now, you're doing the perfect split posture. Straighten your arms up and bring your face forward. Breathe deeply for 6-8 breaths.
- After that, place your palms on the floor beside your pelvis to finish the split posture. Use your palms to bring your feet together. Sit in the middle of the mat with your knees bent and then stand up slowly.
- Do the same movement to work the other side of the body with the left foot in front and right foot behind.
Step 6. Do Kayang
Kayang posture is very useful for strengthening back muscles and increasing body flexibility. The contortionist must have a very flexible back. Practicing the kayaking posture is a great way to safely perform challenging postures.
- Lie on your back on the floor bending your knees and straightening your arms at your sides. To determine the correct foot position, make sure your fingers can touch the heel.
- Place your palms on the floor next to your ears with your fingers pointing toward your shoulders. While inhaling, press the soles of the feet and palms to the floor, lift your head, then place the crown on the floor. Take a break without resting on your head. Then, use the strength of your arms and legs to do the kayaking posture by lifting your body and head as high as possible.
- Hold for 6-8 breaths while relaxing your neck and dividing your weight evenly between your hands and feet. At this time, you can feel the stretching of the back muscles.
- To end the Kayang posture, bring your chin to your chest and slowly lower your body to the floor. Take a break by swinging your legs left and right and then do the kayaking posture again. However, don't force yourself to do kayaking if your back isn't flexible enough. Repeat the Kayang posture if the physical condition is still strong.
Step 7. Practice at least 1 hour a day
The contortionist stretches for at least 1-3 hours a day to maintain flexibility. Make a commitment to practice 1 hour a day then gradually increase to 3 hours a day. You can practice stretching every morning, afternoon, and evening for 1 hour each.
If you forget or don't have time to practice stretching for 1 day, your flexibility decreases and the time it takes to do certain postures is longer
Part 2 of 3: Creating a Series of Postures to Practice
Step 1. Do the scorpion posture
This posture is a basic posture that requires flexibility of the legs and back. Get in the habit of stretching your legs and back muscles before doing this posture.
- Stand on your left foot raising your left hand to shoulder height. The left hand maintains balance and helps you focus during the scorpion posture.
- Lift your right leg back while bending your right knee. Grasp the big toe of your right foot with your right hand and then straighten your right leg up. Maintain balance by looking at the fingertips of your left hand as you straighten your right leg.
- Try to straighten your right leg up as high as possible. Raise your left hand above your head and close it with your right hand to hold your right leg. Right now, you are doing the scorpion posture.
- Do a more challenging scorpion pose by moving your palms a little at a time until you can grip your shins. Pull your right leg up until it's straight. Right now, you're in the perfect scorpion posture, one of the usual contortionist postures.
- Do the same movement to train the other side of the body by lifting the left leg up.
Step 2. Do the kayaking posture and then stand up again
This posture is a variation of the standard kayaking posture which is useful for flexing the back muscles and strengthening the abdominal muscles.
- Stand on the mat with your feet hip-width apart and arms straight up. Make sure your arms are straight and strong so your head doesn't hit the floor as you lower your body to perform the kayak.
- Stare at your fingertips as you straighten and strengthen your arms as you look back and lower your arms down. Make sure you keep your eyes on your fingertips as your palms touch the floor.
- Once you're in the kayaking posture, transfer your weight to your heels and lift your palms off the floor. Find a center of balance so that your arms can hang when you're in the breech position. Grasp your right knee with your right hand and your left knee with your left while feeling a comfortable stretch in your back.
- To get back up from the heavenly posture, place your palms on the mat again. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your upper body so that you can slowly return to your feet.
Step 3. Do the splits while bending your knees
This posture is a variation of the perfect split to show off muscle flexibility and make your posture look cooler.
- Perform a perfect split by extending your right leg forward and your left leg back.
- Raise your right hand above your head and then point it back. While inhaling, slowly bend your left knee and hold the back of your left leg with your right hand. Tilt your head so that you can place the sole of your left foot on your forehead. Hold for 1-2 breaths and then finish the split posture.
- Perform the same movement by straightening the left leg forward and right leg back. Raise your left hand and then bring it back to hold the back of your right leg.
Step 4. Practice the chin stand posture
When the contortionist in action, this posture is a very difficult posture and a long-awaited spectacle. Make sure you do this posture in a very slow motion. Don't forget to warm up first.
- Start the exercise by doing the kayak posture and then place your palms between your legs until you can rest your chin on the mat. Make sure your elbows are bent next to your ears and resting as little as possible on your chin.
- Use your chest and back muscles to support your body as you lift your hands off the floor. If you want to practice a more difficult posture, place your palms on the floor and lift your feet off the floor. Once you're comfortable in this posture, try bending your knees and touching your toes to the top of your head.
- To end this posture, press your palms on the floor beside your chest. Lift your legs up and then lower them to the floor in front of your chest. Lift your head and body off the floor and then sit back down or stay on your stomach for a short rest.
Step 5. Set aside time to practice 1-3 hours a day
Just like stretching, the above postures should be practiced as often as possible consistently. You should train 1-3 hours a day to improve flexibility and strength.
Make a series of movements by doing several postures continuously. For example, do a kayak, a stand, then a perfect split or a kayak then a chin stand. Match every move to the beat of the song. Over time, you can build your own series of 4-5 postures that are performed continuously in sync with the music
Part 3 of 3: Using Professional Guide
Step 1. Watch a tutorial video on the internet
There are plenty of videos online to watch to learn the moves and how to do the proper stretches. Look for videos featuring professional contortionist postures as a visual reference for composing your own sequence.
Step 2. Join the class
You can practice in classes at art schools, gyms, and yoga studios. Look for a trainer who is a contortionist and experienced. Make sure he is able to guide you in practicing stretching and doing various postures in a safe way and with the correct technique.
Step 3. Practice privately
If you've trained to a certain extent and want to master more difficult moves, find a trainer who works as a contortionist. For that, try to get references from the community that hosts the show, via the internet, or private lessons. Ask the coach about an instructor who can teach you privately.
