Splits warm vs cold split

Shellectra started this discussion · 3/1/2012

As some of you know I am almost almost there in my left front split (no toosh on floor yet but like half an inch under there, I feel like I'm in a split anyway!) and my right front split is still BAD, but I want to work the left til it's comfortable then go on, I'm excited just to have one anyway LOL ANYWHOO my question is... is it normal to totally SUCK at your otherwise good split when not warmed up and stretched? Like if I was to try to do it now, I'd literally be like 6 inches away, but if I am warmed up and stretchy I'm basically on the floor. Is that weird?? How long does it take for a split to become something you can just fall into? My almost split , but only after half an hour of prior stretches http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429872_10150818963543206_532948205_12720069_1159194699_n.jpg

12 replies

VinterVild · 3/1/2012
Yes, it is normal to be bad at flexy stuff when not warmed up, when you warm ut you prepare the muscles for stretching and you can go deeper. If you want to be able to do the splits cold you need to work on your oversplits and also do a lot of cold stretching, very carefully of course! My middle split is awful when I'm cold but not that bad when warm :)
Shellectra · 3/1/2012
Thankyou! I just feel disheartened that if I just try to drop into them now they would be SO Bad, almost like a lunge!! Hence why I can never show anyone the splits in real life! But if I am warmed up and do my prior stretches I can get from 6 inches (cold) to 4 inches, and then after half a dozen more split attempts I try to rest in them bit by bit and end up almost flat, so weird how muscles work!!!!! I also find that if I splits stretch less often, I get further, is that weird? If I were to splits stretch every 2nd or 3rd day, it's too often for me, my legs are still sore, so the splits attempts are painful and no good. If I leave it 4 or 5 days or longer I can end up in a much more comfortable splits (way less discomfort) and a bit lower than if I do it more frequently. HOWEVER I feel lazy only splits stretching every 4th or 5th day cos everywhere on google says if you want the splits you have to be preprared to put in effort and stretch EVERY DAY! I am prepared, I am!!! But I'm too sore if I were to do it more often! Damn legs, lol.
VinterVild · 3/1/2012
Everyone is different, some must stretch every day and some less. My stretch teacher recommends low impact stretching each day where you don't push or go to your limits, I usually do that in the morning while eating breakfast. The harder, "I'm gonna faint soon", stretches she recommends to be limited to once or twice a week :) Whatever works for you is what you should do, regardless what anyone else says.
FreeTheSun · 3/1/2012
Yes, it's totally normal to suck at your splits when cold. The further you get in your splits when warm, the less sucky your cold splits will be, of course thir varies person to person, but warm muscles do make a difference. And I'm the same as you, Shellectra. If I don't stretch for a several days I get much further down than if I stretch every day. I figure maybe it's like when you taper down a workout a week or two before a competition so you can be in peak form for the comp. Maybe. I've taken to doing yoga almost every day and only really doing concentrated stretching one, maybe two times a week. Seems to be working. I'm always surprised how much I've improved in my splits without really focusing on them. Of course depending on how tough the yoga was that week (I do the free online weekly classes with YogaToday.com cause I'm poor and I like doing it when I want in the comfort of my house) I might be more sore and than others and my splits are horrible that week, but it all balances out.
Sassafrassle · 3/1/2012
I'm not an expert by any means but it kinda gives me the heebie jeebies to think about stretching for splits on cold muscles. I've heard and seen people who completely screw up hammies and other muscles doing it this way:/ Is there any reason why you need to do it cold rather than warm? Personally, even though I can split on cold muscles, I'd much rather not take the risk and will do them after a good run or similar.
Shellectra · 3/1/2012
Thanks all! The only reason really is if I wanna show people in person, it'd be nice to just fall into them! Ya know how you see split photos of ppl in the splits in public and that sorta stuff? Hehe
Dwiizie · 3/1/2012
What if you stretch out well before going anywhere that you'd wanna pop this out at? I know that if I stretched earlier, I can usually drop into a good one (or at least a slightly bent back leg jazz split if its not a flexy day). Or maybe take a bathroom break and stretch? I think I understand that you want to just do an impromptu drop whenever you feel like it, but maybe you can feign the appearance of such by stretching out of sight or before you go somewhere... Good luck!
glitterhips · 3/1/2012
I was wondering this too I can get all the way down if I'm super warm but cold they suck! So they will get better with time instead of stretching cold? It's easier for me to sit in the splits the next time the longer I hold them the time before, I haven't noticed any soreness. I try to sit in them for 3 minutes at a time if I can.
ellieRox · 3/1/2012
That split looks fantastic! well done, I need2 be super warm to get anywhere near the floor, also some days I just have a bad split day :( My pole teacher has a yoga swing in the studio and I can usually always get down really far after pratising my splits in it. its amazing!!
ammivo · 3/1/2012
Ok here is the thing: when you warm-stretch your muscles are activated and the muscle will take the stretch. When you cold stretch, the connective tissue around the muscle stretches (it surrounds the muscles like a thin web). It's the connective tissue you want to stretch because a muscle can only get to be abt 40% "longer" than it's actual size so you're quite limited there. A muscle answers well to harder, more of a pumping stretch while the connective tissue needs more time: you need to hold each position for at least 2 minutes without using too much force. We don't know the quality of our- quite fragile- connective tissue, and if you push too hard it can break, like a dry rubber band but after a while you'll feel how the body might open up for further movement into the stretch. For all of you that are interested in cold stretching I strongly recommend yin yoga (www.yinyoga.com). I yin abt 2-3 times a week and all I can say is that 6 months ago I wasn't close to a split on either leg and now I oversplit on both!
VinterVild · 3/2/2012
ammivo: well said! If done right cold stretch isn't bad or harmful, but you have to be careful and really listen to you body. during stretch classes at my studio we always do leg stretches cold and that has helped me immensely and no one has gotten hurt :)
tarah · 3/2/2012
it's the same way for me, shellectra. it's always so disappointing at first! i find that the more times i repeat the splits stretch, though, the further i can get down. i am pretty close on my right fronts and getting better with left fronts. i alway make sure to warm up first because i don't want to tear anything. :)