Hey, I stretch everyday for atleast a few hours, but I also run 3 miles everyday. Will this affect my flexibility at all, if so how do i work in cardio along with stretching without making my legs tight? Also, I am getting ready to begin rhythmics, but from the videos i have seen all the girls are very skinny. Is this important to rhythmics. I'm not at all fat, (125-130lbs.) , (5'3) but i'm covered with ALOT of muscle. Thats pretty much all my legs/thighs/arms/back are made of. Will my body type be a factor? Annelie

Hey :D In artistic gymnastics (the one with the bars, beam, floor, vault) we do lots of cardio and conditioning, build lots of muscle and also build flexibility too. Just stretch really well before running and also after, and also do kicks - to the front, side, and back on each leg - that really helps a lot too, and to have long muscles, not short and tight. I just posted a youtube video here: http://www.gymchat.com/messageboards/viewtopic.php?p=39464#39464 - at around :10 in the video I guess you would call that rhythmic gymnastics kicks!! In any sport there's the stereotypical body type, and there's also those who win and are really good at their sport who don't fit that. Have fun!

Nice video frontaerial! I posted one too. Building cardio is good. You need stamina for your routines. Just stretch a lot before and after, splits, oversplits too if you got splits, and kicks. Start with the regular kicks, forwards, sideways, backwards, then when you got some practice those 'rhythmic gym kicks' like in that video! :D Flexibility is really important in rhythmic gym, concentrate on that, not your body type. Everyone's different. Rhythmic gymnasts do conditioning too. Your muscles will get longer as you do more flexibility. Do you weightlift or is all the muscle from another sport? How's ballet? (I read it in your other post!)

hey, Thanks for the tips. Ballet is great, we have oour spring showcase in about 4weeks. I dnt play any sports I just work out alot. I lift weights, use a resistance band, I run on the treadmill, and outside. And also a little bike riding everyday. Am i pushing it at all my mom thinks so but i dont really. Daily Workout Plan (Mon-Sun.) 3pm-1hour of bike riding 4pm-1 hour of stretching (pretty intense stretches/rhythmic) 5pm-Another hour of bike riding 6pm-Hour of stretching and weightlifting 7pm-Run 3 miles 8pm-Stretch for another hour until 9pm

And then 9pm homework? :D When do you do ballet then? It really depends on how you feel on whether you're pushing it too much. I think most or all elite gymnasts take at least one day off in the week to rest, or they do something light and fun, like swimming - you don't have to like sit on the couch and watch tv, you know. Check this out: [quote]"You

Thankyou, Ballet is on mondays for an hour so i just skip an hour on the bike that day. yes homework is done sometime after nine or at school . I cant really talk to the doctor they just tell me to stop working out or refer me to sports medicine. Im not really supposed to be doing anything i have ligament relaxation (not to sure just m akes me weirdly stretchy/back pains) and some joint issues but i love what im doing to much to give it up.

You mean refer you to go to a sports medicine doctor for more advice, who's in the specialization, or do you mean tell you to do like physical therapy stuff instead of sports? It's good to go to a sports medicine doctor who is an orthopedist, they can give you good advice. Not necessarily just tell you not to do something.