Get onto your knees on an exercise mat and spread your knees out so they’re wider than shoulder-width. Walk your hands out and lower yourself onto your forearms. Press your pelvis down toward the ground while moving your feet outwards so that they are wider than your knees. Hold that position for 15 to 20 seconds, then release back into a kneeling position. Repeat this stretch 5 to 6 times. This stretch is great at loosening up your lower body, which will make moving into a split a bit easier. Sit on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you. Keep the soles of your feet together, and slowly bend forward. Stretch out your arms toward your toes and grasp your feet if you can. Hold the position for 15 to 20 seconds, and repeat the stretch 5 to 6 times.  Breath deeply from your stomach as you move through these stretches. If you find yourself holding your breath, take a moment to adjust and take a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. Lunge forward with your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep your back leg extended as straight as possible. Stretch forward to bring your chest closer to your right thigh, and deepen your stretch as much as you can. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds, release the pose, switch legs, and repeat. Try to do a total of 5 to 6 low lunges on each leg. Remember, splits require a high level of flexibility in your hips and groin, so any exercises you can do to strengthen and also loosen up those areas will help you perform much better and will also reduce the risk of injury. Get down onto both knees on an exercise mat. Stretch your right leg out in front of you while keeping your back and shoulders as straight as possible. Keep your left leg bent at a 90-degree angle as you stretch forward and lower your chest toward your leg. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds and repeat this movement 5 to 6 times. Avoid rounding your spine during this move. If you feel yourself crunching over, take a moment to breathe in and straighten your back. When working toward the full split, you may find you're almost there but are afraid to fully commit. When you run into this, use a yoga block to hold yourself up a bit from the ground. Place the block under your bottom, under a thigh, or under your hands so you can hold yourself off the ground a bit. Whichever position you choose, hold it for 15 to 20 seconds before releasing it. Repeat this stretch 5 to 6 times. Play around with the placement of the yoga block to find out what position helps you the most. Once you’re able to do a split, get into position and hold it for 20 to 30 seconds. This will help stretch the muscles that are often strained during this move, and you’ll be able to more easily move into a split during your cheerleading routines without an issue. Never move straight into a split without warming up first. You’ll very likely get hurt and have to spend a week or more recovering before you can resume activities.

Summary: Use the frog stretch to loosen up your hips and groin. Do the seated forward bend to open your hips and warm up your legs. Complete a few sets of low lunges to stretch your groin area. Work on the half split pose to begin getting yourself ready for a full split. Use a yoga block to try a full split without hurting yourself. Hold the full split for 30 seconds at a time to acclimate your body.


Place the cactus on your working surface and use your fingers to brush off large pieces of soil from the roots. Carefully separate the roots, as well.  The roots do not need to be completely clean, but most of the loose pieces of debris should be brushed away. Keep your gloves on during this part of the process. Check the roots for signs of rot, diseases, or pests. Treat these problems as needed when you come across them.  Apply a fungicide to get rid of rot or other fungi. Apply a gentle pesticide to get rid of any pests. Use small clippers to cut off any roots that appear dehydrated or dead. Root pruning is somewhat controversial, and your cactus will likely survive the repotting procedure even if you leave the roots alone. Pruning the roots may help the plant thrive more efficiently, though, especially if done right.  Large tap roots take in very few nutrients. They transport and store nutrients but do not actually absorb many, so they do not help the cactus grow faster. Cutting the larger roots can promote the health of the capillary roots, which are responsible for drawing in water and nutrients. Use a sharp, clean blade to cut back the primary taproot by one-fifth to one-half its current size. Cut the larger roots as well, shortening them by one-fifth to one-half their size. Keep the cactus in a warm, dry area for about four days to let the roots dry out slightly. The roots may get damaged when you remove the plant from its pot, and any breaks are likely to become infected with fungi or rot. The roots will be similarly vulnerable if you decide to prune them. Letting the roots dry removes this risk of infection.

Summary: Clean the roots. Inspect the roots. Consider pruning the roots. Allow the roots to dry out.


When laughter strikes before you can stop it, excuse yourself. This gives you time to calm yourself and take a few deep breaths before rejoining everyone. Learn to recognize the sensation that comes before you laugh, and try to identify your laughter triggers so that you can excuse yourself in time.  Go to the restroom if you’re at a funeral or in the office. Walk away or get back in your car if you’re at an accident scene.  Leave the room if someone’s said something inappropriate. Put your hand over your mouth and make a coughing sound. If the laughter continues, use the coughing fit as an excuse to go to the restroom, where you can compose yourself.  This works well for times you start to involuntarily laugh before you have a chance to stop yourself. You can also pretend to blow your nose. Tell the person you often cope with upsetting feelings by laughing, then say you’re sorry if the reaction hurt them. Opening up to them will likely make them understand where you’re coming from, and it could help relieve your laughter by making you less nervous. Say, “I’m so sorry for laughing at your father’s funeral. I want you to know that I didn’t find anything funny, I just laugh when I feel sad. I hope that I haven’t hurt you.”
Summary: Move to a private location when you start to laugh, if you can. Cover up your laughter with a cough, if you don't have time to leave. Apologize for your laughter, if it still happens.