Improve Your Splits
Want to know how to do a split? Want to improve your splits? Well, splits are useful if you are in gymnastics, dance, cheer, or track. Here are some stretches to help all of you take on the ultimate flexibility challenge.
Contents
Steps
- Warm up. Go for a short run, jog in place, or do fifty jumping-jacks.
- Sit down on the floor. Get into a pike, (both legs straight out in front of you,) and flex your feet. Lean over and pick a comfortable spot to sit at. Breathe in, and while you let your breath out, push yourself until you feel a little pain. Pain=good. Too much pain=injury. No pain=no stretching. Hold this for an 8 count, and then come up.
- Now, spread out your legs as far as they can go comfortably in a straddle (middle split). Hold your hands above your head, ballerina style, and lean to the left. Count to ten, then come back up. Repeat this, but on your right side now. Once you are done, stretch your feet out as far as possible into the middle splits, (little pain,) and lean down into the middle. Aim for your elbows or chest to reach the floor; not your head. Hold this for as long as you want. The longer you hold it, the better and deeper you will get into your splits.
- Now, sit down where you are. Stretch one foot out in front of you, and fold the other one. Pull the other one up towards your chest. Hold for ten seconds, and then relax. Repeat on other foot. After you do this stretch, go back down in the pike. You will see that you have gone down a little more.
- We have done a lot of stretching. Now, let's get into the splits!
- Stand up. Step out with one foot as far as you can without pain. This doesn't have to be very far. Now, put the top of your back foot on the ground and get into a lunge. Stretch and feel it in your groin and back of the leg. Repeat on other foot.
- Now, straighten your front foot, and flex it. Now, try to touch your toes. Repeat on each leg.
- Get back into a lunge. Put your hands down on the ground to support you. Now, lift your body off of the floor and lower yourself to the ground. Go into your splits. You don't need to go all the way down, but hold this for ten seconds, then relax. Now switch feet.
- These are all the stretches that will assist you in your task. Repeat each of these several times a week, and soon you will have your splits! Good luck, girls!
Tips
- Keep doing the splits. Even if you accomplish it once, your body can forget how to do it.
- When doing a lunge, make sure your hips are squared (facing forward).
- Remember you will not get to the splits the first day.
- You should stretch about five times a week.
- When stretching you should only feel a little pain.
- A great time to stretch is when watching a movie, or having a long conversation on the phone.
- Make sure your knees are tight, and in a straight line, so if you were on the beam, you won't fall off.
- You can get someone to help push you in a bit if you can't, but make sure they will stop when you tell them to.
- You need to be patient. Repetition is the key, as well as sticking to a daily routine or at least three times a week. Always hold the stretch for one minute (time yourself). And never give up!
- If you pull a muscle do not keep stretching. Go the the doctors and describe your problem. Once you get better, I would recommend to rest for at least one day. When you are completely healed, do not expect to be as far down as you originally were.
- The only way to do this is to practice and never give up. Good luck.
- Try doing the splits at least three times a day for a month, and you will get closer.
Warnings
- When doing a lunge, make sure that your knee doesn't go over your toe.
