LopsiJulie started this discussion ·
Facing down to the floor or off to the side? Does it matter? (sorry if this has already been posted but there are like 100s of splits threads!)
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I'm not sure personally but the six weeks splits program says it should go to the side: There are two ways of doing them you can either have the foot and knee of the back leg facing the floor or you can have the foot and knee pointing to the side and it is the second way that you should do them. Why? For three reasons, one being that if you choose the first method you place the back leg in a position were it automatically wants to bend at the knee and if your back leg is bent you can not do a proper full splits. This habit can be overcome through training but it is easier and quicker to adopt the foot to the side technique. The second reason is simply that your back leg slides a lot easier with the foot pointing sideways than it does with the foot pointing down towards the floor as the toes tend to dig in to the ground and make it harder to slide. And The third reason is that when it is time to start practicing isometrics whilst in the splits position you will find it a lot easier to maintain your balance with the back foot pointing towards the side.
yeah i saw that and that's what made me ask. I find it so much easier to stretch out foot facing down (but I'm not in the splits yet!).
Apart from your own personal comfort, it only really matters if you're wearing shoes - if you've got high heels on, having your back foot facing down is incredibly uncomfortable! There's all sorts of arguments for both versions, but if your back is straight and your hips and shoulders are facing forwards, I really don't think it makes any difference whether your knee points to the floor or the wall.
I can do the splits with my knee either on the floor or on its side. But one thing I have discovered is in a way its safer having my knee sideways. (with my back foot down on more then one occasion sliding into the split my toenail has gotten caught on an invisible ridge on the floor and needless to say the results suck. Not to mention as others have said its harder to do in heels, possible but harder) Appart from that I really dont notice a differance. Just remember which way your back leg is when you start getting out of the split. I've forgotten before and its resulted in a very very sore hip (dont ask we all have our blond momments) But really just do what you feel most comfortable with.
In gymnastics top of foot to floor, in pole foot to side on the ground but pointed in things like jade and chopsticks.
If you're going to turn the back foot to the side so that the arch is touching the floor just make sure you turn out the whole leg from the hip joint. If you start turning the leg out from the knee joint it's bad for the knee ligaments.
