Q&A for How to Get a More Flexible Back

Try these yoga poses. They should help. If your hips are very stiff, then you may want to hold the poses or stretches for up to a minute.

Yes, but you will most likely need to do many other stretches and poses as well.

Stretching and practicing muscle relaxation techniques will help you develop more flexible joints.

Stretch or learn to relax the tight muscles, and strengthen the weak muscles.

Low back flexibility can be measured with the hamstring flexibility test, sitting with the legs straight in front of you and reaching forward towards the toes.

Every body is different. Someone might need one week. Another person would need one month. It depends on your flexibility but work every day until after you get your back to be more flexible because if you quit right after, you might lose the skill.

Lie on your back and form a ball with your arms wrapped around your knees. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this stretch several times a day, every day, and you will see a difference.

Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds.

Start on your knees with about 2 meters of space in front of you. Practice rolling forwards with your hands behind your shoulders pushing your legs forward. It is important not to force yourself into this stunt as it takes time and you do not want to injure yourself. Keep trying to get further and further until you can hold it.

If you are stretching after a warm up, you should hold these stretches for around 8 seconds. If you are stretching after a workout, then you can hold these stretches for as long as you are able to (not to be taken to extremes).

Try putting your leg that's in front up on something a little higher, so that both feet aren't touching the ground, just the back leg.

In theory, yes, they can help. It will be better to have an unassisted back walkover in order to gain flexibility, however.

It all depends on you: your body, how often you stretch, and for how much time you stretch. To speed things up, try getting yourself REALLY warmed up, until you're sweating, before you stretch.

Some people are naturally flexible and don't need many regular stretching exercises. Chances are, yes, you will need to keep up a consistent stretching routine to maintain your flexibility.

Have your splits, but if you don't, you need extra back flexibility. Start with your opposite hand to leg up. (For the purpose of this we'll say we have our right split. If you like your left, then swap these around.) So you have your right hand straight up. Then lift your left leg up and grab around your ankle area. Then pull with your hand but mainly push with your leg, and grab your leg with your other hand. Pull and look up at your foot. This is a scorpion. For a needle, just walk your hands down your calf as low as needed and then pull straight for a needle.

Doing the splits will not increase flexibility in your back, but increasing the flexibility of your back will help you do the splits.

See the steps listed in the wikiHow Do a Backbend to learn how to do a backbend.

Gymnastics is something that comes with skill. That skill comes from practicing and experience. Experience comes from time so trying to get better at gymnastics in under three hours is unrealistic.

Any pain is a sign that you should respect your body's signal to stop what you are doing. A little discomfort is normal, but pain should never be.

See the wikiHow article on backbend kickovers for details.

Some discomfort is fine, but actual pain is not. Pain is a signal that something is hurting the body and a warning to be more gentle or stop.

All of these stretches should be done only to your level of ability. If you are very inflexible or have an injury, it is worth getting recommendations from a medical professional to what your limits and guidelines should be.

It is best to stretch around twice a day, but you can do it however many times you would like. It is good to push yourself a little but don't over work yourself.

Everyone is different. You just have to practice! Try doing bridges, or going into a straddle and getting your head to touch the floor.

1-2 for 10 minutes then break for 10 minutes. Repeat twice until you feel like your muscles are worked out.

Backbend kickovers are a skill that requires core strength, not flexibility. Although being able to do the splits and a backbend will help, having core strength will be needed to get your body over.

Practice and patience are the only solutions. Start slow and careful, and gradually you will see the difference in your flexibility.

If you are ever hurting while stretching then yes, for sure stop. It is good to feel uncomfortable, but if something feels wrong or hurts badly then see a trainer or a doctor for tips and exercises to help.

You would repeat the back stretches over and over to gain more flexibility. Also, learning some new yoga stretches will definitely help.

It does not matter which leg is in front when doing the splits. It is a good idea to practice flexibility with both legs so you can do the splits with either leg in front.