Do you know those cool Instagram promoters who do yoga and look like their life is put together and are always posting pictures of them in some wild position with a gorgeous landscape in the background? Yea, I'm jealous of them too. Or at least, I used to be, until I dedicated three whole months one year to improving my flexibility. Now that I can nail those same poses, I'm only jealous of the put-together-life part.

The summer after ninth grade I somehow made it my mission to be insanely flexible by the time school was back in session. It definitely made sense, because I had been dancing since fourth grade. This is also when Instagram was still fairly new to my generation, so I had been stalking endless dance accounts and trying to imitate the poses I saw.

In June I set my goals. I wanted to master my splits, a scorpion, a needle, a bow and arrow, an arabesque and a cambre derierre (which is essentially just bending your back, but super controlled and ballet-like). If you're lost in all those names, don't worry. Simply put, I wanted to have full splits and then be able to put my foot up by my head in every which way from any direction.

Like any good experiment, I started with a lot of research, by which I mean I Googled "how to increase flexibility fast" and clicked on a few links. Every site told me the same thing: you aren't going to become flexible overnight. A bummer, yes, but also something I already knew.

Accepting that I would have to be committed to this for it to work, I set out on my mission. By the time September came around, I was shocked to look back and see how much I had improved. Stretches that used to be a struggle now feel like second nature to me. Want to get flexible this summer? Here's what worked for me.

3 months difference

Probably the most basic and most important thing I did was to make sure I was stretching every day, at least twice a day. Some days I had more time than others, and on those days I was really able to push myself a little more and make gains. Even on days when I didn't have a lot of time, I always made sure to do a five-minute stretch to keep my joints open and my muscles from tightening.

Something else that really helped me improve my flexibility was paying attention to the type of stretching I did. If I was starting with a stretch, I made it dynamic, so my muscles wouldn't be getting stiff and sore in one position. It's also important to make sure that if you begin with a stretch, you ease into it: that is not the time to force a position.

The best time to increase flexibility and push your range of motion is when your muscles are warm, like after exercising. This is when you'll be your most flexible and when you'll get the most out of your stretch. This is a good time to try and hold a position that may feel slightly uncomfortable, or to increase a stretch by a few inches or degrees.

That being said, it's crucial that you always recognize your body's limits. I know, for example, that my hips do not safely rotate past a certain point. I worked a lot to get to the point where this limit is comfortable for me, but I know that pushing myself further could put serious strain on my flexors. You won't improve without pushing yourself, but you also won't improve if you aren't stretching safely. Learn the difference between discomfort and pain.

Finally, take care of your body while you're attempting to improve your flexibility. Drink a LOT of water to keep your muscles hydrated, roll out your muscles after a workout, and rest when you need it. Good luck, and happy stretching!