I've been doing beginner contortion for a few years and never got to chest stands because I was scared my mild scoliosis at the top of the spine would cause future spine issues. I can do teardrop just fine.

Anyone have scoliosis doing more advanced neck positions?

Almost have my butt touching my head!!

5 months in, been training for 15< minutes a day. I’m struggling with back + arm flexibility and strength (specifically in core, calves, thighs, hands). Any advice for acquiring these skills?

Skills I have:
left and right splits + 3” oversplits on both sides, bridge from laying down, 2 second handstand, balance in right heel stretch(can bring foot to forehead) for 45 seconds, lotus, partial needle (bent knee + wide back arch), one handed cartwheel, handstand straddle.

Skills I want: bridge from standing, walk in bridge, bridge chair, standing oversplit, middle split, contortion handstand, prolonged handstand, front and back walkover, aerial, needle.

Hi! I'll be going on a longer trip early 2027 and would like to keep training contortion, either in a retreat setting, group setting or possibly also with a private coach.

I'm having a hard time gouging online if coaches are proper contortionists or bendy yoga teachers. Does anybody have any recommendations for teachers or schools in Indonesia, Sri Lanka or East Coast Australia?

When training my chest stands I have been able to get both feet down flat a few times. The times that it’s happened is when I have adrenaline from performing or presenting to my gym. It’s not consistent for me when I practice in other times though. I was recently able to get just my right foot down but not both and not flat :(

If anyone has any good lower/mid back stretches to help me engage better I think that’s part of where I’m struggling on my left side especially. During this I am trying to keep my abs engaged as to not dump into my lower back but my left side feels like it’s not cooperating as much.

I actually enjoyed it although it’s challenging for me

I recently moved and can’t go to my old school where they had “Bendy Body” contortion classes. I really loved it and it helped me with the Aerial Classes. So how do I keep at it and continue to learn? Are there any good online classes? YouTubers? Books?

I’ve been trying to train backbends and splits for 2 years and feel like my progress is slowed by the amount of muscle fatigue I get after each training. It feels similar to weightlifting muscle soreness after you haven’t trained a specific muscle group in a while but usually when I weight lift, I don’t get that soreness every time after. But with backbends, I do. It makes me less consistent because I want to give my body a chance to chill before I do another training session.

I’ve definitely tweaked muscles before from overuse and it doesn’t feel like that, just soreness! Do I need a better cool down? Will creatine help? I want to be able to train more than twice a week (so 3-4 days ideally).

I’m 33 and have never been “naturally” flexible so everything is new information to me.

I do train strength and flexibility in end range motion so my muscles can be well rounded. Shout out to Dani Winks and Fit Queen Irene for their information in those fields!

I am not sure if this kind of content is allowed here, since media that isn't your own isn't allowed, but I think it is clear I am not impersonating any one.

Yesterday this video popped into my recommendations. It has 12 acts that appeared on America's Got Talent over the years. I wondered what your take on these contortionists is, if there are any ones which are your favorites. And this is actually a proxy for "what are your favorite contortion acts in the history of AGT", but there have been over 70 of contortion acts apparently, and some of these acts don't have easy to find videos of their time at AGT. I think this youtube channel might be a content farm but it does bring the number down to a manageable 12, and it includes all contortion acts that went viral, as far as I can see.

If you don't want to click on the video, here are the acts (in order of appearance)

Maria
Marina Mazepa
Amadou Diallo AKA LasticBoy
Emerald Gordon Wulf
Frenchie Babyy
Sofie Dossi
Turf
Troy James
Jonathan Nosan
Jonathan Burns
Nina Burri
Arshiya Sharma

Hello! I've been working on certain contortion-based movements, but I have been struggling with my balance on certain single-footed techniques (such as heel stretches and scorpions). But the weird part is that I have no problem standing normally on one leg; it's one of my default stances and I can chill like that for long periods of time. But as soon as I extend my leg over my head, I suddenly become wobbly— I often can't even get into the pose without holding onto something, much less holding it without help. Is there a way to improve my balance in this regard?

Hey I have heds (hypermobile ehlers danlos syndrome) and there’s already alot I can do naturally plus Pilates and yoga experience and want to know if it’s safe to take a normal contortion class or if there’s an heds specific type of classes or teachers and/or any other resources (it’s ok to be bluntly honest I don’t mind)

There is a plastic surgery procedure called “rib remodeling.” Instead of removing the ribs, the surgeon intentionally creates controlled fractures to reduce rib flare and make the waist appear smaller by pushing the ribs inward. Patients then wear a corset for about three months to help the ribs heal in their new position.

People who have had this surgery say they were able to return to yoga, dancing, and even intense exercise. However, I don’t think any of them do contortion-level flexibility training.

How bad do you think this surgery is? Do you think it could affect flexibility, especially for someone who does contortion?

have a routine I do 5 to 6 days a week, but one week each month I cannot do much due to my period, and I am just doing light stretches. Does this slow down my progress?

I am wondering if people on this subreddit have stories of being catfished online by people posing to be contortionists, or flexible people? This seems to be a trend in the world of online anonymity and I'm curious to see who else has experienced this in online forums.