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2015 Splits Challenge
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Damn, Phoenix Hunter! Very nice!!! I will be thinking of those pics of yours for motivation to go that last inch or so.
I don’t quite have my splits yet, but I am very, very close on my vertical splits, especially my right side, and both left and right sides are improving consistently, as are my straddle and middle split. I’m starting to work on flowing through from middle split to vertical back to middle to other side vertical, and on and on. (Is there a term for that?)
I will try to post picks soon. I’m very close to consistently having my chest to floor on my straddle as well — lately I am all the way there with a flat back on a good day. I am not quite low enough in middle splits to “swim” through from my straddle yet, but I am getting close to that too!
I have been working very, very consistently to make very slow progress, but I can see it happening! I maintenance stretch four times a week (holding 90 sec in each stretch including each split) and then do one day a week of deep flexibility training with longer holds for each stretch (at least 2 minutes). I always ease slowly into it, going light, medium, and then as deep as possible, as Veena suggests.
Keep working ladies! It will come for all of us eventually, with enough persistence!
What I would really like to be more consistent about is my back and shoulder stretching…I would love love love to have a scorpion someday! -
Also…it feels weird to me to NOT square my hips on vertical splits. I never stretch without square hips, because I feel like if I do, I’m not even stretching the hip flexors on my back leg at all — and I want to keep my body balanced as possible in terms of relative strength and flexibility of agonist/antagonist muscles (my hamstrings are pretty flexy). Plus, hip flexors are my personal nemesis in terms of flexibility, so that’s what I’m really focused on. AND how will I ever get that scorpion one day if I don’t seriously open those hip flexors?!
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Polargirl I am working on getting my scorpion too! yes, I get NO stretch in my hip flexors if I dont stretch my splits square. also, I dont lean forward in my splits like I am in these pics. I’m just trying to make it look pretty for the pic. my square splits-not as flat but Im working on it. hip flexors are my nemesis too! they’re so tight! right now I am doing king pigeon pose with a strap around my foot. I pull the strap/foot to my head that way. NO, my foot is nowhere near my head even with the strap. haha! but i’m working on it. my shoulders and chest are tight. I will try to post pics of that pose soon because I definitely want to document my progress on that one too. I’ve only been incorporating consistent back bending for a couple of months now
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I concur on the squared hips! I’m doing my best these days to keep them square and keep my back straight. It does curve a bit, though, as it does when I’m standing as well.
I would love to be working on my scorpion pose, but there is no WAY my quads or hip flexors are loose enough yet! Weird for me that my quads would be such a problem- I thought they were fine! But, they’re getting there.
I tried doing my round of stretching twice, the first time light and the second deeper (I would have done a third but I was tired and wanted my shower!), and it sure worked well! So, thank you for that 🙂
I’ve also been stretching my shoulders- I want that bridge! I realized that a lot of the problem is in my shoulders, so I’ve been trying to stretch them out and teach them that they can, actually, do that 😉 -
Everyone is doing sooo awesome ;). I want to post one. Do I press this add files button under this post or go to my profile? Im still learning how to upload on here. 🙂
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Ambience if you want to add a pic directly to this thread you hit the reply button at the bottom. a little box will pop up and you can press the Add Files button at the bottom of that box to add your pics. if you want the pics on your profile just click on your profile in the right corner of the screen then click on the photos button, then you can add your pics there also.
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Thanks Phoenix 🙂 ☆☆☆☆☆☆
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It’s more of a leg lift than split but it’s coming along to split up the pole. Once I get it straight.
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Wow, you can actually grab your leg though! That’s amazing! There’s no WAY I’m doing that right now 😛
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Runemist, don’t worry too much about your back arching in your vertical split. Avg range of motion for hip extension is only 10 degrees, so even for super flexy people who can hyperextend the hip considerably, the rest of the movement is usually mostly in the low back (and hopefully not overstretched ligaments!). No one (and I mean NO ONE) can hyperextend the hip to 90 degrees to have a flat split and a flat back to boot. So no pressure! You do want to make sure your hip flexors are getting a stretch though and not JUST your back – which can be a problem for some (me included!).
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Good to know, thank you! I always feel the stretch in my hip flexors, so I think I’m doing alright on that. Definitely no hyperextension in my body! All my joints and muscles are moderately flexible at best, to extremely tight at worst 😉 But it’s getting better as I work on it 🙂
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Thanks Runemist.. I really appreciate your comments today. You’re super. Just keep stretching everyday and it will automatically come.
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I made new pics today 😠and i still can’t do the middle split. Seems like i can’t upload them with my phone 😞 will do it from my computer tomorrow 😊
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Right! I have some new pictures for my splits.
Sadly, the middle splits pictures didn’t turn out well, I’ll have those up next time 😉
However, these are my forward splits!
I’m still learning about the angles of the camera… but I think they turned out well!
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ok, let me try it with my computer lol 🙂 still can’t do the middle split but getting better 🙂 hope it works now 🙂
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