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2015 Splits Challenge
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Damn, Phoenix Hunter! Very nice!!! I will be thinking of those pics of yours for motivation to go that last inch or so.
I don’t quite have my splits yet, but I am very, very close on my vertical splits, especially my right side, and both left and right sides are improving consistently, as are my straddle and middle split. I’m starting to work on flowing through from middle split to vertical back to middle to other side vertical, and on and on. (Is there a term for that?)
I will try to post picks soon. I’m very close to consistently having my chest to floor on my straddle as well — lately I am all the way there with a flat back on a good day. I am not quite low enough in middle splits to “swim” through from my straddle yet, but I am getting close to that too!
I have been working very, very consistently to make very slow progress, but I can see it happening! I maintenance stretch four times a week (holding 90 sec in each stretch including each split) and then do one day a week of deep flexibility training with longer holds for each stretch (at least 2 minutes). I always ease slowly into it, going light, medium, and then as deep as possible, as Veena suggests.
Keep working ladies! It will come for all of us eventually, with enough persistence!
What I would really like to be more consistent about is my back and shoulder stretching…I would love love love to have a scorpion someday! -
Also…it feels weird to me to NOT square my hips on vertical splits. I never stretch without square hips, because I feel like if I do, I’m not even stretching the hip flexors on my back leg at all — and I want to keep my body balanced as possible in terms of relative strength and flexibility of agonist/antagonist muscles (my hamstrings are pretty flexy). Plus, hip flexors are my personal nemesis in terms of flexibility, so that’s what I’m really focused on. AND how will I ever get that scorpion one day if I don’t seriously open those hip flexors?!
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Polargirl I am working on getting my scorpion too! yes, I get NO stretch in my hip flexors if I dont stretch my splits square. also, I dont lean forward in my splits like I am in these pics. I’m just trying to make it look pretty for the pic. my square splits-not as flat but Im working on it. hip flexors are my nemesis too! they’re so tight! right now I am doing king pigeon pose with a strap around my foot. I pull the strap/foot to my head that way. NO, my foot is nowhere near my head even with the strap. haha! but i’m working on it. my shoulders and chest are tight. I will try to post pics of that pose soon because I definitely want to document my progress on that one too. I’ve only been incorporating consistent back bending for a couple of months now
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I concur on the squared hips! I’m doing my best these days to keep them square and keep my back straight. It does curve a bit, though, as it does when I’m standing as well.
I would love to be working on my scorpion pose, but there is no WAY my quads or hip flexors are loose enough yet! Weird for me that my quads would be such a problem- I thought they were fine! But, they’re getting there.
I tried doing my round of stretching twice, the first time light and the second deeper (I would have done a third but I was tired and wanted my shower!), and it sure worked well! So, thank you for that 🙂
I’ve also been stretching my shoulders- I want that bridge! I realized that a lot of the problem is in my shoulders, so I’ve been trying to stretch them out and teach them that they can, actually, do that 😉 -
Everyone is doing sooo awesome ;). I want to post one. Do I press this add files button under this post or go to my profile? Im still learning how to upload on here. 🙂
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Ambience if you want to add a pic directly to this thread you hit the reply button at the bottom. a little box will pop up and you can press the Add Files button at the bottom of that box to add your pics. if you want the pics on your profile just click on your profile in the right corner of the screen then click on the photos button, then you can add your pics there also.
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Thanks Phoenix 🙂 ☆☆☆☆☆☆
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It’s more of a leg lift than split but it’s coming along to split up the pole. Once I get it straight.
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Wow, you can actually grab your leg though! That’s amazing! There’s no WAY I’m doing that right now 😛
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Runemist, don’t worry too much about your back arching in your vertical split. Avg range of motion for hip extension is only 10 degrees, so even for super flexy people who can hyperextend the hip considerably, the rest of the movement is usually mostly in the low back (and hopefully not overstretched ligaments!). No one (and I mean NO ONE) can hyperextend the hip to 90 degrees to have a flat split and a flat back to boot. So no pressure! You do want to make sure your hip flexors are getting a stretch though and not JUST your back – which can be a problem for some (me included!).
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Good to know, thank you! I always feel the stretch in my hip flexors, so I think I’m doing alright on that. Definitely no hyperextension in my body! All my joints and muscles are moderately flexible at best, to extremely tight at worst 😉 But it’s getting better as I work on it 🙂
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Thanks Runemist.. I really appreciate your comments today. You’re super. Just keep stretching everyday and it will automatically come.
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I made new pics today 😠and i still can’t do the middle split. Seems like i can’t upload them with my phone 😞 will do it from my computer tomorrow 😊
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Right! I have some new pictures for my splits.
Sadly, the middle splits pictures didn’t turn out well, I’ll have those up next time 😉
However, these are my forward splits!
I’m still learning about the angles of the camera… but I think they turned out well!
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ok, let me try it with my computer lol 🙂 still can’t do the middle split but getting better 🙂 hope it works now 🙂
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A variety of my feb splitsy progress =]
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ok I’m in.
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No picture for this month’s update. Just wanted to say I’m still in and working on it. Love warming up by playing basketball with my sons, and using the foam roller is awesome. What a great invention!
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Slow but I see some progress
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Some things are coming along better than others…
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Not too much progress. Only just started. I ordered some yoga blocks and a foam roller today so that should help. I was wondering if you ladies do normal stretching every day or after every pole session? And then do you have specific flexibility training days? I am trying to figure out the best way to approach this. Maybe my normal stretches 2-3x week and then flex training once a week. Feeling a little lost.
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My routine is pretty much:
Monday I take and early evening shower and stretch for 30-45 minutes (for splits only, hopefully I’ll add back and shoulders in one day, but I’m trying not to overwhelm myself or it will seem daunting)
On Wed I go to pole class where are warm up includes a stretching component but not as much or deep as I do on my own (this does include back and shoulders so they don’t get completely neglected)
Then I TRY and squeeze in another session like Mondays on Friday or Saturday, but some weekends I’m heading from Basketball games to baseball practices to baby showers and I just don’t get a chance.
So my schedule really is 1-2 deep stretching days a week plus 1 decent but not as itense day. I hope that helps some. 🙂
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Allyson, thanks! Do you use the splits routines from here? I think my big thing is to not expect quick results. One of the reasons I love pole is because I can see improvements quickly, even if they are very minor (like an extra knee tuck or two). With trying to stretch I lose motivation because it feels I see no progress. Hopefully this thread will keep me motivated. 🙂
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I like Veenas stretching lessons a lot, but I’m just not a video person when I stretch. I’ve done them a few times, and they are helpful (very!) but I like to put on the tv and kind of distract myself from what I’m doing 😜 So I don’t use Veenas lessons specifically but I use a lot of things I’ve learned from watching them combined with things I’ve picked up other places (class, yoga, Internet) I’m actually a really unfocused person in my personal life (I do focus at work) but I just can’t seem to focus on a video. So I just jot down exercises or stretches and do them while I watch tv. What I do is probably pretty close though… 🙂
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I want to join this splits challenge! Is it really possible to do the splits if you’ve just turned 39? I feel like it’s impossible! So..I’m ready and willing to take a year if it actually will work…what a dream come true!! Put it this way I can’t even touch my own toes at the moment and my forward splits are almost in standing position! Any tips anyone has for how and what I need to do would be appreciated!!! Good luck to everyone!!
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