Anyone achieved splits success from scratch?

HannahElizabeth started this discussion · 5/15/2011

Like a lot of you, I too am after that wonderful thing we call the splits! I know there's a thread of current split success but it was started 2 years ago so I'm curious as to who has achieved their goal? I an about 2 inches away on one side of my front splits but the final inches seem to be the hardest. I'm about 5/6 inches on the left side and about a foot from the ground on my side splits (a bit less after a 2 hr practice) so who has achieved a good, full split, front or side( or both!) from scratch? From scratch I mean you started stretching when you found pole as an adult, having no previous experience in something that massively helped in flexibility. I mean I did ballet for a few terms when I was 5, gymnastics for a couple of terms when I was 8 and modern dance when i was 10 but there were all just for fun and I can safely say I didn't do them long enough or intensely enough to make any difference (wishing I had kept them up now but hey i didnt now I'd be pole dancing a few years down the line! Haha ) if you have gained complete split success do let us know! Perhaps show some before and after pics and share your stretching techqniues :)

25 replies

HannahElizabeth · 5/15/2011
Like a lot of you, I too am after that wonderful thing we call the splits! I know there's a thread of current split success but it was started 2 years ago so I'm curious as to who has achieved their goal? I an about 2 inches away on one side of my front splits but the final inches seem to be the hardest. I'm about 5/6 inches on the left side and about a foot from the ground on my side splits (a bit less after a 2 hr practice) so who has achieved a good, full split, front or side( or both!) from scratch? From scratch I mean you started stretching when you found pole as an adult, having no previous experience in something that massively helped in flexibility. I mean I did ballet for a few terms when I was 5, gymnastics for a couple of terms when I was 8 and modern dance when i was 10 but there were all just for fun and I can safely say I didn't do them long enough or intensely enough to make any difference (wishing I had kept them up now but hey i didnt now I'd be pole dancing a few years down the line! Haha ) if you have gained complete split success do let us know! Perhaps show some before and after pics and share your stretching techqniues :)
Miss Enzo · 5/15/2011
I'm at the start of my split journey! Now I could do split was Left leg leading 8-10 years ago when I did gymnastics but I tore ligaments in my knew when I was 18 and had to give up gym! I currently have no flexibility (can barely touch my toes) so I've decided to get my splits back! Today is day 1! I'll let ya know in 6 weeks if I have them!!!
Miraine · 5/15/2011
I've never been able to do splits, and have always had annoyingly tight hips. Two years ago I couldn't touch my toes even, and decided to do something about that. Then a year and a bit ago, having made it to the point where I could touch toes whilst cold, I decided I wanted to get splits. My "dedication" to the cause has waxed and waned over time, and an injured knee stopped me doing anything for 4 months over this winter, but I've gone from literally two feet from side splits to 6" on a good day on my best side. I really want to do this, but absolutely fail at willpower. 😕 Turning up to "European Bendy Buddies" has been great for that: nothing makes stretching easier than having someone else telling you to do it... 😀 (thanks Gsylass!) So, no splits for me yet, but considering the progress I've made even with my terrible work ethic, I still hope to get there some time! Well, except centre splits. I'm a million miles off of them...
HazelHotpants · 5/15/2011
I have no background in dance or gymnastics. (i hated everything like it when I was in school) so i am not very flexible at all. But like most polers... i wanted to achieve the splits to help pole, (stupid jade) anyway... ive been poling for over 1 and a half years now, and have seen a HUGE difference in my splits. I must admit... I don't stretch everyday. But when I have a really good pole practise which gets me really warm my right leg lead splits is ssssoooo close. I have recorded all my progress, and as soon as my bum actually hits the floor, i'm going to post it. I definitely think if I stretched everyday, it would make a difference but most of the time I am just too busy. 🙁 Id like to see peoples before and after pictures, definitely helps you on your splits journey to know it can be done!!! 🥂
solsticedark · 5/15/2011
When I first started working on spits I could hardly touch my toes. Though off and on streching over the years I have manged to go from no flexibility being able to do the splits two ways still working on the center splits, and can do oversplits when I have my left leg leading. You can get there it just takes more or less time depending on how much you work at it.
Masked Loopy II · 5/15/2011
I did not achieve any splits in my life until after I starting poling. Right now I can do my left and right and I'm still working on the center. I must admit that I still need to be warmed up to achieve full splits. I don't always have the flexiblity to do it on the spot without stretching or dancing beforehand. Something that helped me get the final inches was to repeat various leg stretches for about a half hour ( primarily forward lunging one leg, setting the lunge leg back down flat with the other leg bending under my butt, touching my head near the knee of the lunge leg, and then trying the splits position). Everytime I cycled throught the various stretches, my splits came down a little more each time. Eventually, it took shorter and shorter times to get into the splits. It went down from 30 to 20 to 10 minutes and so on. I hope I'm not too confusing. I'm willing to explain more if anyone's interested.
Mechie · 5/15/2011
The last time I did an effortless splits was when I was 2 yrs old...lol I just started to work on my splits last week. I tried to stretch an hour every night: left, right, front...alternate every 5 min. (I use MaxiFlex and just stretching on the floor) I can see improvement already!! Not a lot but a couple of inches. I hope in a couple of months I'll be able to do at least one kind of splits. @ Masked Loopy - When you said "lunged", you mean you try to put your face/chin touching your knee?
Masked Loopy II · 5/15/2011
@mechie-- I mean to lunge like this with the front foot stepping far forward: http://valeriewaters.com/newsletters/images/forward-lunge_007.jpg Then, you do the face to knee thing.
Legend · 5/15/2011
I was and still am super unflexible... I was never able to even touch my toes with the legs straight until i start poling. I had a gym teacher in 8 grade that actually made fun of me and said she pitied me, because with my body type I would never be able to it... and I believed her!... fortunately that didnt stop me from trying. I'm following the "splits in 6 weeks" program for over 6 months now (sigh...) I progressed well in the beginning but I've been stuck at about 15cm for a couple of months... and altough I cant do the splits yet I can not only touch my feet but also grab them! so I believe its possible and Im not giving up anytime soon :)
Stevesgirl · 5/15/2011
I have never taken ballet, yoga or any sports in my entire life. I have been stiff as a board and totally inflexible for as long as I can remember. I am 45 years old and I just got my pole last Thursday. I have been on this forum and watching Veena's lessons for a couple of weeks so I am VERY new to this. I decided I was going to get into the splits even if it killed me (and sometimes I think it will!) I am currently working on the "6 week splits". I just started week 4 today. Before I started, I was 5 or 6 inches from even touching the ground while bending at the waist. Once I am a little warmed up, I can get my fingers flat on the floor. I have no idea how far away I was from doing the front splits when I started because I only had a 12 inch ruler and I was WAYYYY further away than that! Currently, I am probably 6 inches away with my left leg in front and maybe 8 inches away with my right leg in front. I wish I could tell you, "Yeah, I can just plop right down into the spilts" but I can't - not yet anyway! I am still so happy with my progress. I am thinking I have gotten at least 14 - 16 inches further down than when I started and I think that isn't bad - especially in only 4 weeks. As soon as I make it all the way, I will let you know!
Cocoa0 · 5/16/2011
I danced and figure skated when I was younger but I was never able to do the splits. Now I can do the splits on my bad side(I have an injury on my good side that keeps me from even trying ARGH!) So it is possible. My advice would be go to a few yoga classes, take the stretches that are the most painful and do them on a daily basis. Then when those ones get easy do a few more yoga classes and pick new stretches. It took me about a year to get the splits on my bad side, so it can be done. You just have to change up your stretches when you hit a wall.
Miraine · 5/16/2011
@stevesgirl: wow, I really admire your dedcation and willpower! That's amazing progress. I've resolved anew to do something about my flexibility. It's a month to my birthday, I'd like to get splits by then. Also, very much assisted, touched a toe to the back of my head last night. 🥂 Unassisted by my birthday? Hmm...
Sair · 5/16/2011
mmm the illusive splits :) I've never been able to do them and am now on my second week out of the splits in 6 program :) I think it can be done!! I'm posting progress in my photo section. The stretches seem to be working well! YOu can do it!
Sair · 5/16/2011
mmm the illusive splits :) I've never been able to do them and am now on my second week out of the splits in 6 program :) I think it can be done!! I'm posting progress in my photo section. The stretches seem to be working well! YOu can do it!
SashaMae · 5/16/2011
I, too, have never been able to do the splits until I started poling. I have been active in yoga for quite some time but my freaking hip flexors hate me! The splits in 6 worked for me...granted I do need to be SUPER warmed up but I can do 'em! On a really good day after a full warm up and halfway through practice I can pretty much drop down to a left leg leading split. On a not so good day I'm still 1-2 1/2 inches away. Dedicate a time after practice for this program and you will see results :)
Runemist34 · 5/16/2011
Hehe, seems like a lot of us haven't gotten the splits, and I am one of them, too! I don't have any kind of dance, or even fitness background...mostly a video game nerd through life, and when I ended up having injured knees, it just got worse. Now, the knees are getting better, I'm more active, and those splits are gonna have to come sometime! My hip flexors are actually pretty good, but it's my hamstrings I have to work on. They're SO tight, I could barely get my hands past my knees without rounding my back. So, since physiotherapy, I've gotten some exercises to try, and they've been doing great things! I can touch the floor! :O So, with hope, I can extend it all the way to doing the splits, at least forwards. I'm having issues with the side splits, but they'll come in time. I'm not as dilligent as I'd like to be, but hopefully that changes soon!
EvaRut · 5/16/2011
I got my front splits on both sides for the first time in my life at the age of 24 :) Took me about 2 months. I used the 6 weeks program but I added some more stretches to it and some variations of the stretches in it because I didn't think that those 6 stretches were enough for me. I stretched about 6 days a week for 30 to 90 minutes. After finally got the splits I couldnt do them for days afterwards and it was really frustrating. But now that I think of it and after reading more about this it might be because I was doing really intense and deep stretching many days in a row. It might have been better to do heavy stretching 3-4 times a week and light stretching in the days between. I higly recommend the pigeon pose and the king pigeon pose. Its the best stretch ever! And I started progressing faster when I added them to my stretching routine. :) The frog stretch I like also. And just add any stretch that you know of that stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, hips and calfs. Oh yea. Stretching the calfs helps to! I didnt figure that out at first but it really does held i think. :) Now I maintain the splits with a short (10-15min) but good stretching routine about 3 times a week. But they are unreliable but I can do them most of the time :) I am planning on starting to stretch more often now because I want oversplits. :) Good luck! :)
dizzytwirler · 5/17/2011
I have no dance or gymnastics background, except for ballet when I was 5. And I distinctly remember that even then I couldn't do a full split. However, after alot of practice (for pole), now I have my front split on both sides, though I'm working on getting into them more quickly! I even have a slight oversplit now (have to be really warm though)- working on making that better too. As for side splits, I'm still about 5 inches off the ground, but getting there..... It's always a work in progress, right? I definitely think my pain threshold has gone up since starting pole.
Masked Loopy II · 5/26/2011
I just read this interesting article about how Felix Cane reccomends stretching for splits: http://www.candy-chrome.co.uk/pole-dance-mag/splits-training-exercisesfor-pole-dance-felix-cane/ I look forward to giving the exercises a try.
candy-chrome.co.ukCandy & Chrome – Pole Dance Fitness & Burlesque – Chester
Mechie · 5/26/2011
@ Masked Loopy - Thank you for sharing!! There are PICTURES! Very helpful!! ^_^
Kira · 5/26/2011
I did! ... then I lost it lol. It took me nearly 2 years to successfully get down into my front splits but I wasn't stretching constantly at that time (by that I mean stretching regularly/consistently). I did start stretching every other day about a year ago and could comfortably do dance splits (back knee to the side/hip turned out) and was working on my 'true' splits (knee facing down/hips down). I got as far as oversplits to about 5 inches above the floor and was able to split and bend my back leg up and was verrrrry close to my middle splits.......... until I hurt my hamstring and been thrown back in my practice ;_; so keep on practising you can get there with determination! and don't overdo it or you'll set yourself back months like me :( btw I started when i was 22 (I'm 24 now) and never done gymnastics/dance/anything sporty (I had no interest in sports AT ALL til pole) so it can be done! And I am not naturally flexy, I had to work really really hard to get my splits but the results are worth it :D
JeHanne · 5/26/2011
@ Masked Loopy, Thanks for the link, I have not seen that particular stretch sequence. Going to try it!
equipoise · 5/26/2011
i have been doing Bikram Yoga for 5 years, which helped to loosen my hamstrings and hip flexors significantly. I started my splits work on May 7. I use a resistance band to help, called the Flexistretcher. It is wonderful. Here's the link for it: http://www.flexistretcher.com/flexistretcher.html
wicked · 5/26/2011
I've got my side splits in a month. I can do it only after good warm up
PoleLiang · 5/26/2011
I started working on stretching recently. I can't do a split, but left leg is quite a bit more flexible than the right, I guess it has to do which side I tend to use to do certain poses a lot. I just want to share that in the past I never stretched because I thought there was no hope for me to achieve splits. But two years later I was surprised to see that my flexibily has improved quite a bit although I didn't intentially work on it. So now I really want to improve it even further now so maybe one day I can do a split! Being flexible is such an advantage when it comes poling.