Oh, those Splits!

Runemist34 started this discussion · 4/2/2010

OKay, I want to make sure I'm not just crazy and thinking this is tight hamstrings. When attempting the splits, I get two different results. If I have my knees bent, I can get mere inches from the floor, both when trying to get there doing the front splits and side splits. I can even put my feet behind my head, as long as my knees are bent! However, when attempting all these moves with straight legs, there is a major issue. I can't get there nearly as close! I'm at least a foot off the ground most times. It is also especially when BOTH legs are straight. I can pretty much sit on one foot (knee bent, of course) and stretch the other leg out to the side, totally straight, almost flush with the ground without problem. Not forward, mind you, but even that gets better with one leg bent! 🤔 Also, when I attempt to stretch these things (the best way I know how, anyways) or even try the "Resistance stretching" method, I don't seem to improve very much at all. It says on the DVD I should probably see instant improvements after doing certain things...but it's still the same. 🤔 So, am I just crazy? Does everyone have this problem when learning the splits? Should I be stretching more often? On that matter, how often SHOULD I stretch to really see a difference? I only do it when I dance...should I be doing it every day? Every other day? 🫡 Thanks guys 🙂

8 replies

Runemist34 · 4/3/2010
So, you don't think my muscles are messed up because I can almost do the splits on either leg, just not both? 🐱 I'm gonna try the every day thing. Anyone else? Do you ever find this happening? 🐱
MilienElayne · 4/3/2010
When I'm not injured (I am still recovering from slightly pulling both hammies) I can drop split with right leg in front from a height and 'flap' on the floor with no resisitance sometimes, but then some days I can barely lower it slowly to touch - I find positioning very difficult lowering from a stand and my legs naturally go diagonal. The other leg is not in a full split yet as I don't work it as much because it's not the side I split on when I dance. And straddle split... don't even mention it. I can't do it. Everything tenses trying to keep my body weight off the floor and I can barely slide to one foot off the floor. It feels tight and so wrong. I have serious trouble finding the right position to lower into, my hips and butt slide too far forward and I need to keep them back but not too far? Meh. So, the flexibility could be there, I'm just not getting the right positioning. Try having someone who knows spot you, or try lowering yourself by holding onto the pole so your muscles are relaxed?
HazelHotpants · 4/3/2010
After reading a book about flexibilty! (As i am not flexible at all). It gave really good advice, on making sure to really stretch opposing muscles. So I thought it was my hamstrings I needed to work on, but the book recommended that it was my tight quads restricting my hamstrings! if that makes sense! So i aallwwaays make sure I stretch both ways. I find aswell, it isn't my leg muscles that restrict me, its my hip flexors. And I am not a great fan of these stretches. (Think ive got dodgey hips, at the age of 24 😲 ) I think its good to stretch everyday if you can. This will help achieve the splits. I try to do it everyday, even if it is just for 15 mins or so. As I said, i am really far from the floor, and this is with my back leg bent. If I have them straight I might as well just be stood up. But it will take a while, Ive been trying for 5 months, but I don't always stretch (which is my downfall) GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!! 🫡
byrdgrrl · 4/3/2010
Runemist, I feel the same way. I feel like I can just about stick my knee in my ear as long as my knee is bent. Once I straighten my leg though, all bets are off. There's a couple of stretches that I do to work on the back of my legs. I should mention that I haven't really been working on my full splits (front and side) because of the winter and I have trouble getting and staying warm enough where I feel like I can do them without hurting myself. Anyway, stretches. One that I do is using my desk. It's about waist height, and I stand facing it and far enough away that I can just put my heel on the top when I lift my leg up. Keep your hips square and reach for your foot. Think about lowering your chest onto your leg, rather than stretching the back of your leg. Don't forget to breathe. There is another one that I do from my knees. This one incorporates hips and quads too. Start on your knees like you were standing but with your knees bent. Step one foot way out in front of you. Press your body forward into a lunge, keeping your back straight. Bend your back knee and bring your foot up to where you can reach it and pull it into you to stretch your quad. Put your foot back on the ground and bend at the waist to put your elbows on the ground to deepen the hip stretch. Come up and shift your hips back so that you can straighten the front knee. Don't sit down to your back foot. Bend your elbows so that you can bring your torso closer to your leg. Lift your toes so your foot is now flexed and keep moving your torso closer to your leg. Come back to your knees, then put the other foot forward and repeat. Then there is this one that I do laying on my back. I bring both of my knees up to my chest then straighten one leg out along the ground. The other leg goes up in in the air with knee straight and I press through my heel to keep it straight and pull very gently back toward my body. Then let go and the leg goes back to your chest and the other leg comes back too. Now the leg that was just in the air goes along the ground and the other leg goes up in the air. Kind of confusing to write, if you're interested and Veena approves, I could make a video.
DeliciouslyDark · 4/24/2010
I have the exact same problem! Yes, I'm pretty sure it is tight hamstrings. It took me a week to touch my toes! And now when I'm trying to do a split I can't seem to! Here's a video I watched that's helping me become more flexible that might be able to help you: http://www.ehow.com/video_5247032_loosen-hamstring.html
Solya · 4/24/2010
I think I've got the most comfy solution to your problem 🙂 Basically, just lie on your back and bring one leg up so it's about perpendicular to your other leg, and flex your foot. Then grab a towel, a pair of trackie bottoms or anything, hook it around your foot (the closer to your toes the better) and pull both ends down. Make sure you push your knee back and keep your leg straight. Pull your leg towards yourself until you feel the pain all along the back of your leg, and keep it there for a minute or so. Repeat. 🙂 I did this instead of full splits stretching for two weeks and when I tried to get into the splits again there was so much improvement! And you can do it just lying on the bed with minimal energy investment 😛 It will stretch your hamstrings really effectively. There's a pic of the position in point 5. here: http://www.candy-chrome.co.uk/pole-bible/splits-training-exercisesfor-pole-dance-felix-cane/
candy-chrome.co.ukCandy & Chrome – Pole Dance Fitness & Burlesque – Chester
MilienElayne · 4/24/2010
With that one, remember to keep your hips square and try to keep your butt on the ground. It doesn't matter how close you can pull the leg to your head each time, just that there's a stretch. Breathe in, then when you breathe out, pull the leg a little closer. Being WARM is my biggest splits stretching tip.
azzwoo · 4/24/2010
The reason you can nearly do the splits with your knees bent, is because your hamstrings attach (or insert as it should be correctly termed!) below your knee, onto the top of your tibia and fibula. Therefore if you bend your knee, you are not putting your hammies on as much of a stretch as if you had that knee straight. Similarly if your back knee is also bent, you are not putting your hip flexors on such a stretch, as the bent knee reduces the angle that the hip flexor muscles have to stretch over. This is normal for everyone, so unless you have been stretching your whole life and are extremely bendy you will have to stretch out these areas. You should try to keep your legs as straight as possible and the more you stretch the easier it will be to get the knees straight. 😉