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Front Split Struggles
Hello all,
So I’ve been working on my front split for almost two years now (consistently for a year). I’m not naturally flexible, and years of soccer did not really do much to loosen up my hamstrings. I have a tendency to push myself really hard, get injured, and then get sad. So I’ve been trying to move slowly and not excessively push myself, but now I’m wondering if I am doing something wrong since it is taking so much time. I read this blog (super legit I’m sure) that said that if you are stretching consistently and its taking you a while then you probably are stretching with improper technique. The first thing I targeted in my stretching was my hamstrings and I stretched those 3 days a week for 20-30 minutes (not including warm up.) Then I added hamstring and hip stretching except hips are 4 times a week for about 10-15 minutes. I’ve definitely made progress from where I started. My jade is much flatter,and my allegra is much more open, but when I try to do front splits on the ground, I feel as if I’ve made no progress there and struggle to get down farther. Anyone have any tips or suggestions? They would be greatly appreciated!
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4 Replies
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Hey!
I realize this can be one of those super frustrating things to hear… but it can take a lot of time! I know a lot of people who said it took them years (up to 5 years) to really get their splits flat.
I’m happy to hear you aren’t pushing yourself too hard! I did this a few times during a hamstring stretch, and injured them pretty bad. 6 months to heal, and it would hurt SO MUCH sometimes! Seriously, stretching can be just as hard on the muscles as strength training!
I think you look lovely in all of these poses- your hips are open, your Jade looks quite flat (especially taking into account those deliciously meaty legs you have! I’m super jealous!) and you look comfortable in these poses!
Perhaps, for doing it on the floor, you just need to take your time. It may simply be a mental block, which is causing you to tense up and feel like you cannot do it, and then you get stuck! When not doing these gorgeous aerial moves, you have much less to focus on- thus, you focus on how it feels in your legs, and whether you’re closer, and all these things. I know it causes me to tense up a lot!
I’m super impressed by your dedication to getting more flexible! This might be a silly question, but how do you find the time for a warmup, and 30 minutes of flexibility training, so very often? I’d love to implement this into my weekly routine… I just seem to have a mental block around time 😉Seriously, though, you look fantastic and I think you’re on the right track! These things can move slowly. You should see how rediculously tight my own hips are 😛
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Thank you so much for your reply Runemist! And actually hearing that it may just take more time is not frustrating at all. It makes me feel a lot better and feel as though I’m not doing it wrong and wasting my time in the long run. That makes me feel a lot better that it took some people 5 years. Haha there’s still hope for me yet. Haha and thanks you so much! I used to have the tiniest calves with really large thighs and then pole evened them out for me haha. And my hips are still a mess, popping all the time and tightening back up the instant I stop stretching them.
As for stretching time, this is going to sound a little odd, but in my office I keep a spare pair of leggings and I change into them and on the days when I know I’ll be too tired to stretch when I go home I go into my lab (don’t feel like walking to the gym and no one goes into my lab) and just spend time stretching and decompressing. When I do make it home, I usually watch something on netflix before/after I make dinner or finish my work. Its during these time when the tv is on I try to stretch instead of just lounging on the couch.
For hips I do this short youtube video before I go to bed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsPUAppdfqs, takes about ~13 minutes. And if you memorize which pose comes next you can do it at your own speed -
Yeah, not everyone will progress in the same way, there are different methods that work for different people but if you see sudden progress it probably isn’t LASTING. Lasting true flexibility takes time and consistency. Changing up how you stretch is helpful and how long you hold, the types of poses you use that’s all stuff to change up. Some people love using the flowmotion routine here. https://www.studioveena.com/lessons/view/5406a836-5984-4917-be8c-44900a9aa0eb
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Thank you Veena,
I will keep that in mind! I was beginning to wonder if the fact that it was taking me so long was in itself a bad sign. And Ill definitely have to take a look at the flow motion routine. A stretch and a fluid routine? Sounds like a win-win!
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