- Best way to learn the splits??

[Iceman]

Hello again,


Maybe it's a strange question, but can you give me some advise on what's the best way to learn the splits??
Which exercises should I do??

- Maybe there's a site which shows me a good method of stretching my legs, to eventually learn the splits??

Thanks...

[rubberband]

The big thing to consider is not damaging your knees when you practice splits... when I learned to do splits I simply watched T.V. while sitting in a split with my feet up against the couch... another exercise to try is placing your knees on sheets of paper and letting them slide apart... to stretch with on leg forward and the other back simple lunge practice until you can extend the front leg works... the best way is to stretch every part of the leg independantly and then work for the split... just go slow...

take care, steve

[Jay Bell]

Richard,

It's not so much learning how to do the splits. Your body knows how to do them, but your brain gets involved as a safety measure. If you can stand and put each leg on a table at a 90 degree angle, each leg, then you have the ability to do the splits. The idea is to allow the brain to understand that there is no danger of ripping injuries...hence relieving the tension that hits to prevent the stretch from going further.

What Steve recommends is great. Sitting and watching TV while spreading your legs as far as they will go. You will feel the musculature lock down, preventing further motion. If you just sit, breath calmly and relax, after a few minutes you will feel the tension release. SLOWLY and GENTLY increase the range a bit until the muscles lock down again....repeat.

The biggest thing I can suggest is to not be in a hurry when doing this. You need quite a lot of free time to focus on the exercise...so if you have to be out the door in 20 mins, save it for another time.

[ZenZero_0]

I realize what the benefits of performing a full split is, but am a little confused as to theapplications of front splits.Other than axe kick I'm not sure what they are useful for, perhaps you could help me to understand. Thanks!

[MollyB]

what we do at my school to work on splits.....we call a "wall stretch"...but you need two people to do it. you lean up against a wall, and then pick your leg up in a front kick chamber, and extend it out (making sure to keep proper form, standing up straight, your bottem foot turned, etc) and then your partner lift it up as high as you can go, until you feel a good stretch...and then they hold it there for a while. then you do it on the other side.

and then....you do it with side-kicks...picking your leg up in a proper side-kick chamber, and then extending your leg out making sure to keep your hip in line with your kick and your bottem foot turned all the way. your partner lifs up your leg in the same way, until you feel the stretch and they hold it there

this method of stretching has worked really well for me, and i have become a much better kicker because of it..... and i can do full splits on both sides.....though you have to do it correctly in order to get any benifit out of it. therefore a lot of the younger kids at my school who don't do it right, and don't really get anything out of it.....but i like it a lot!!!

[DragonMind]

what we do at my school to work on splits.....we call a "wall stretch"...but you need two people to do it. you lean up against a wall, and then pick your leg up in a front kick chamber, and extend it out (making sure to keep proper form, standing up straight, your bottem foot turned, etc) and then your partner lift it up as high as you can go, until you feel a good stretch...and then they hold it there for a while. then you do it on the other side.

and then....you do it with side-kicks...picking your leg up in a proper side-kick chamber, and then extending your leg out making sure to keep your hip in line with your kick and your bottem foot turned all the way. your partner lifs up your leg in the same way, until you feel the stretch and they hold it there

this method of stretching has worked really well for me, and i have become a much better kicker because of it..... and i can do full splits on both sides.....though you have to do it correctly in order to get any benifit out of it. therefore a lot of the younger kids at my school who don't do it right, and don't really get anything out of it.....but i like it a lot!!!

Actually, that is not a good way to stretch; static stretching will cause injuries and weaken joints. For better info on stretching take a look at Tom Kurtz (www.stadion.com), Cooper Institute (www.cooperinst.org) and Bill Wallace (www.superfoot.com)

[jakmak52]

Actually, that is not a good way to stretch; static stretching will cause injuries and weaken joints. For better info on stretching take a look at Tom Kurtz (www.stadion.com), Cooper Institute (www.cooperinst.org) and Bill Wallace (www.superfoot.com)

I agree with Barry, be very careful with those muscles, children may be involved :rolleyes:

[Digger70chall]

what we do at my school to work on splits.....we call a "wall stretch"...but you need two people to do it. you lean up against a wall, and then pick your leg up in a front kick chamber, and extend it out (making sure to keep proper form, standing up straight, your bottem foot turned, etc) and then your partner lift it up as high as you can go, until you feel a good stretch...and then they hold it there for a while. then you do it on the other side.

and then....you do it with side-kicks...picking your leg up in a proper side-kick chamber, and then extending your leg out making sure to keep your hip in line with your kick and your bottem foot turned all the way. your partner lifs up your leg in the same way, until you feel the stretch and they hold it there

this method of stretching has worked really well for me, and i have become a much better kicker because of it..... and i can do full splits on both sides.....though you have to do it correctly in order to get any benifit out of it. therefore a lot of the younger kids at my school who don't do it right, and don't really get anything out of it.....but i like it a lot!!!


hmm, that's the exact same excercise we did in class tonight. Although i'm nowhere near a full split yet. I'm doing Tae Kwon Do across the border from ya in NY.

[xxangelxkatxx]

The idea is to allow the brain to understand that there is no danger of ripping injuries...hence relieving the tension that hits to prevent the stretch from going further.

Unfortunately, there is a danger of ripping injuries. While practicing the spits with my body turned to the left (left-legged splits, whatever you wish to call them) I ripped a muscle in the upper back side of my thigh (I do not know the exact name) and I am no longer able to do the splits. I am planning on letting the muscle fully mend and then working back to the splits by stretching every day.

[Uriko]

>_<

@_@

Im 13 here,
I wonder if i can split by following those quick things
*thinks*

<newbie here x_X>