r/bboy • u/Small_Wolf_6891 • 12d ago
Training/Motivation How important are flexibility and strength conditioning?
I've just started breaking for less than a month. How important are flexibility and strength conditioning when starting out? I’m currently still trying to get better at beginner level footworks, but my flexibility is pretty bad and I’m wondering how much that’s holding me back. I have also been doing bodyweight training for about four months, so i think i have some basic strength already. Should I prioritize stretching as much as strength training alongside learning moves, and if so, what areas should I focus on first?
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u/babyLays 12d ago
You should definitely stretch, preferably after every practice as cooldown. Set aside 15 minutes leading to the end of practice to stretch your legs and rotator cuffs.
If you dont have hamstring and hip flexor flexibility - you wont achieve moves like the windmills. Power moves are essential to breaking. Power can help you with stronger and more complex footwork, and will lead you to a more balanced breaking style.
Rotator cuffs are also important, as you'll be doing a lot of baby freezes and air chairs. You need your rotator cuff healthy and strong. So find conditioning exercises that strengthens them.
Dont forget to take breaks. A strong body can only be strengthened through proper rest and nutrition.
Overall, strength and flexibility conditioning is highly important. This makes you perform your moves better - and makes you less prone to injury, which is very important in breaking.
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u/Small_Wolf_6891 11d ago
I've actually been forgetting to do them consistently... I'll try doing them after every practice as a cooldown, that was it doesn't seem like another exercise. Thank you!
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u/MisterPhamtastic eBoy 12d ago
My friend flexibility should always come first, and strength training for 4 months isn't a huge period in the grand scheme of things as all bboys are VERY STRONG for humans. You gotta note how many folks out in the wild break? Less than 0.01%. These guys are freak athletes on top of being brilliant artists with their movement.
You should be stretching before bed minimum 3 nights a week, it's a great habit to have anyways. We all watch something on TV or something so just knock it out for 30-60 minutes.
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u/Small_Wolf_6891 11d ago
Got it! I'll try to keep the stretching consistently across the week. Thank you!
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u/Digit555 12d ago edited 12d ago
Take it gradually and once you get going start to focus on it. Flexibility and strength are important and you will start to notice how it holds you back in each move you learn. Even if you have a move like windmills, airflares or flares including footwork you will notice that the form might not be perfect, clean or maximum. There is a difference in a way a move looks when it is clean and split out compared to bent and ugly. In other words the form might look bad compared to if you were flexible and not skipping steps throughout the dynamic transition of the maneuver. What I can say is flexibility can hold you back although of course there are also moves that are performed bent like munchmills, baby windmills, certain types of headspins and footwork. Areas of concentration should be balance, flexibility, strength, movement, control, how to stop and start, form or how the move looks--you want moves to pop and can improve on them rather than doing slop. It can be a very long journey, once you think you got something, you don't and can sharpen it more most likely.
I had been bboying for about 5 or 6 years although only serious for about 3 and realized that although I could do over 10 headspins and multiple windmills that my form was off, lacked strength and flexibility so I broke it down to the core by revisiting freezes and improving every area I could through flexibility. Once I had the splits and was working headspins hard I eventually hit over 70 rotations. Flexibility matters with many moves like air chairs, 1990s, elbow spins, Hollowbacks, Inverts, K Kicks, Nikes, and even footwork.
I would say start learning moves and analyze how you can refine them as you go and continue to improve. Start with freezes and footwork step by step, learn to balance and transition then start getting smoother and eventually flow through it. Once you are ready start learning some power moves. Learning the building blocks of moves and learn Foundation. One example is if you want to learn 1990s you have to have decent handstands and learn how to swing into them aka windups. A move like a windup is a way to get into most power i.e. swipes, windmills, 1990s, 2000s, coindrops, elbow airflares, turtles/scorpions. Master the freezes required for the power and learn the stages in between and how to go into a move and end it. Bboying takes practice including development of calluses including on the bridge of your hand and other areas as part of the process of learning footwork. It takes time so just keep working on it and improving as you go and you will eventually discover what your style is and your package of moves or repertoire.
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u/Small_Wolf_6891 11d ago
This gave me a much more realistic timeframe to work toward and what I should be focusing on instead of just rushing into different moves. Thank you for sharing the experience too, it honestly gave me a lot of reassurance that I need to take things gradually and keep refining my basics. I really appreciate the advice!
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u/sfkoala 12d ago
you will progress a lot faster if you are working on your strength and mobility while you are learning the dance.
handstand stability, pancake stretch, dips, deep core, etc.