Why I don't do contortion tutorials.

I constantly receive requests for trick tutorials and free advice, so today I want to talk about WHY I don’t do tutorials or offer advice on social media.

As a contortion coach I feel that it’s irresponsible for me to post instruction because there are so many things I would look at when assessing whether or not a student is ready for things like cheststand, needle, oversplits, etc. As I start to figure out what a student should be working on I take into account their strength, coordination, body control, background, and body type in ADDITION to flexibility. And even after making assessments I HEAVILY spot tricks and give personalized detail and instruction to ensure they’re doing the stretches/tricks in the safest way possible. I’m also able to give feedback, which is something I don’t have time to do on IG. Getting feedback from a coach is SO important, and giving instruction without being able to give feedback is something I don’t feel comfortable doing.

IG tutorials should be used to SUPPLEMENT formal training, and I worry that a lot of people rely solely on tutorials on IG/YouTube. And although it can be hard to find good flexibility/contortion coaches, you really should find a coach who you respect and has a good reputation and work with them. Working with a good coach is the best way to reach your goals and ensure you are training safely. If traveling isn’t an option for you, a lot of people teach online now. So there are options!

As far as tutorials for stretching/active flex goes: I have worked for years to create a cohesive curriculum for flexibility training that really works. I will post an exercise here or there, but I prefer not to as all the exercises/stretches I do work best when done together, and taking one exercise out of context doesn’t give you the full picture of how your training should look to really see improvement or train safely. If you’re serious about your flexibility training it’s well worth investing in- cause coaches, just like any other working professionals, should be paid for their time, energy and expertise. And if you find a good coach, it will be well worth it!