How to quickly learn to do the splits. How to do the longitudinal splits? Cross split complex

Greetings, my dear readers, admirers and other individuals! This Friday we will deviate a little from the Kachkov theme and will figure out how to do the splits.

After reading you will find out (although it’s not a fact that the first time) everything about how and what to use to develop your flexibility, and also get your hands on a ready-made plan for doing splits. This is an optimistic scenario for the development of events :). Pessimistic... we simply do not have it and cannot have it. Just another scenario involves analyzing the theory - muscle atlas / anatomy and transferring practice to the next time. We’ll see which one awaits us as the story progresses, but for now, take your seats in the auditorium.

So, we don’t promise to put your foot behind your ear, but this post will help you become more flexible and understand the essence of the issue. Go!

How do the splits? Everything you need to know

This is the second note from the “how?-cycle”. In the first one, we found out and, I must say, analyzed this issue very well and even gave effective practical recommendations. In this article we intend to do the same, i.e. First, go through the theory, and then polish all the tediousness told :) with practice.

In general, it’s worth saying that we don’t invent topics for our notes on our own, they are suggested to us by our respected audience, i.e. You. After coming to the understanding that yes, we have not yet considered this issue, and there is no adequate information on it on the Internet, we put pen to paper. This topic seemed interesting to us, first of all, because of its, if I may use the term, “contamination.” It is enough to enter the corresponding query into the search engine, and now you are already doing the splits in a day, in five, in a week... In general, very quickly.

Such “materials” are from the evil one, i.e. prepared with the aim of luring a person. And since the topic is hot/relevant, the audience coverage is large, and the resource’s traffic/recognition can rise sharply just because of one such request. As for the substantive part, it is missing from the word “completely”. Do you really think that an unprepared “wooden” person will be able to 5-7 days using a video or a hastily scribbled article to do the splits? The answer is clear - no.

We always try to be frank with our audience and share only working/adequate information. Today we will try to give you an understanding of how to develop your flexibility, stop being “wooden” and how to do the splits correctly. What came of this, we will find out later.

Note:
All further narration on the topic of how to do the splits will be divided into subchapters.

What is twine? Ideal portrait of a splits swimmer

A split is a physical position in which the legs are in line with each other and extend in opposite directions. When performing a split, the lines defined by the inner thighs form an angle of approximately 180 degrees. Twine is an indicator of an athlete’s flexibility, which means that a person has moderately increased plasticity and can withstand a load of this kind with relative ease. The splits “came” from gymnastics, therefore, in order to sit on it, you need to have the qualities inherent in athletes of this sport.

So, here is the ideal portrait of someone who wants to do the splits:

the person is of moderately low weight;
preferred age up to 25-30 years;
Gender Female;
previously engaged in any active/flexible (not heavy) sport - swimming, yoga, etc.;
has been doing exercises and stretching on a regular basis for more than a year;
no diseases of the spine or musculoskeletal system.

If you fit the specified parameters, then it will be much easier (and faster) for you to do the splits than for those who do not have all the checkboxes from this list.

Note:
If you by nature/constitution have a heavy pelvis/bottom, voluminous hips, full calves, then the likelihood of you doing the splits is reduced by 50% .

How to do the splits: basic facts about flexibility

The preparatory information stage is very important in understanding and assessing your split prospects. Therefore, before moving on to theory ( We are generally silent about practice), remember a few general facts about flexibility:

the female body tends to be more flexible, the male body to greater muscle power;
flexibility in one joint does not necessarily imply flexibility in others;
the more muscle mass a person has, the lower his flexibility indicators;
if you are bulking and want to do the splits, and the second is more important than the first, then you will have to “drain” the mass;
Bicycle riders have poor leg flexibility;
the more flexible you want to become, the less muscle you should have per square cm of your body;
Each person has their own ability/potential for flexibility and each person takes a different amount of time to do the splits.

Now let's talk about...

How to do the splits: types of flexibility

Did you know that there are three types of flexibility - passive, active and dynamic. Let's go through each of them.

No. 1. Passive flexibility

It's about how much you can stretch with someone's help. For example, when throwing your leg over your partner. In this case, there is no active muscle work, and the degree of stretch is determined by how much the muscles can lengthen.

No. 2. Active Flexibility

Is how far you can stretch without assistance, stretching the joint and stabilizing in one position (for example, raising your leg as high as possible from a standing position). AG movements are much more complex, and this range is always inferior to the passive range, because the resistance of the lengthening muscles must be overcome by the strength of their antagonists.

In visual form, active and passive flexibility can be presented as follows.

No. 3. Dynamic flexibility

This is how far you can stretch with momentum, such as swinging your leg. This is what happens during a fight or action sequence in motion. In daily flexibility training this can be used to gain greater range, but the risk of tearing the muscle is very high and should therefore only be done after pre-warming up.

How to do the splits: range of motion of “each” joint

It’s not for nothing that we put “everyone” in quotation marks; by this we wanted to show that in the key of this note, from 8 joints, we are only interested in the joints of the lower extremities - hips, knees, ankles.

This is their range of motion that we will look at.

No. 1. Hip joint (hip joint)

The hips are the key to an effective split landing. The flexibility of this joint largely determines your ability to do the splits.

The hip joint performs 3 Features:

flexion. Occurs when the knee is bent. When the knee is straight, it is much more difficult to lift and hold the leg above waist level. Achieving a full angle this way (using the sole strength of the leg muscles) almost impossible, and athletes with this ability are very rare. These are mainly gymnasts and ballerinas of the highest level;
expansion/abduction. The toes are aligned with the leg, but by slightly turning the leg, they allow it to lean back a few more degrees;
abduction. Requires special attention, because The direction of the toes makes a major difference: turning the toes outward gives a much greater range than pointing them forward.

No. 2. Knee joint (knee-joint)

The knee joint performs 3 Features:

flexion. It can be hampered by pumped up muscles;
expansion/extension;
internal rotation.

No. 3. Ankle (ankle)

Ankle with a more limited range of rotation.

Performs 4 Features:

flexion;
extension;
pronation;
supination.

We considered everything considered :) for a reason. Now that we understand how individual joints stretch, we can better understand some activities that require multiple stretches. Knowing your joints' range of motion helps you avoid injury and achieve better stretching results.

Let's consider longitudinal twine.

There are two ways to separate the legs from the front:

classical. Is more difficult because to "sit" completely on the ground, the knee position requires more hip extension of the back leg. The knee of the back leg is lowered, the sole “looks” up, and the toe of the front leg is pointed.
The knee of the back leg “looks” in the same direction as the toes, and the toe of the front leg is pulled towards itself. This option is easier (easier on the knee) and allows you to jump to a standing position.

This is what variations of the longitudinal type of twine look like (red arrows point to joints where stretching occurs).

The following example is also related to stretching, and the practice of doing it very often causes a serious mistake. We are talking about the “Van Damme kick” - a straight leg kick to the side. Many try to repeat it, but cannot, because they do not know information about the range of motion of the joints. We know it and therefore we will repeat this blow with ease.

Our anatomical muddle will continue with information about...

Cross section of splits: muscles and biomechanics of pose

To do the splits, you need to understand how, what muscles this process is carried out. Therefore, further in the text we will analyze the position of the longitudinal splits, analyze the working muscles - agonists/antagonists (and their synergists) and biomechanics of stretching.

In the splits (and stretching in general) The main work is performed by muscle-tendon units - muscles and tendons. The muscle tendon unit (MTU) is composed of several elements. These include contractile structures (sarcomeres) and fascial elements that surround muscle fibers and tendons.

All these elements contribute to muscle contraction/stretching. In addition, many factors contribute to muscle elongation, including viscoelastic properties, creep (type of deformation for fascial elements), neurological/psychological factors (such as tolerance). Also, the individual muscle map/architecture and shape of the muscles plays a certain role in stretching.

It is important to understand which muscles are responsible for “landing” in the splits. This is clearly reflected in the following image.

Now let's answer the question...

How to do the splits: stretching time, or how long should you hold the splits?

Published biomechanical stretching studies suggest that most MTU lengthening or release occurs within the first twenty seconds of stretching. As the action is repeated, the lengthening of the muscle-tendon unit decreases with each successive stretch, reaching a maximum at the fourth stretch, after which a small additional length is achieved by further stretching.

Illustrative stretching process curves present such a picture.

The important point is that each subsequent lengthening of the muscle is accompanied by a short recovery period in which they are released from the stretch. So, one two-minute stretch is not equivalent to four thirty-second stretches.

How to do the splits: biomechanics

From a muscular point of view, the process of “siding” into a split consists of the following stages:

rear hip moves back/extends. This means that the agonist muscles for this part of the pose are: the gluteus maximus (primary mover of hip extension), and the synergists of this action are the posterior parts of the gluteus medius and minimus, the hamstrings and the adductor magnus muscle;
hip extension lengthens the hip flexors, including the psoas and its synergists.

The following image illustrates the position of the main joints in a longitudinal split.

It is optimal to start practicing longitudinal splits while standing next to two strong chairs.

(hind leg mechanics, muscles: lower back and rectus femoris):

stage of the beginning of stretching. The movement begins with you stretching your muscles. (rectus femoris and gluteus maximus) in length by moving the leg back, producing mutual “inhibition” of the psoas muscle and helping it relax during the stretching process. The back knee should then be pulled toward the front leg in a flexion-type action, using enough force to engage the psoas. This process of “immersion” takes several breaths;
end of stretching stage. The lowering/stretch should continue, again engaging the gluteus maximus and limiting the stretch 30th sec;
stage of short-term “treatment”. After 30 seconds of being in the splits, you should get out of the pose and give the muscles/ligaments a rest ( 15-20 sec).

The scheme of “immersion” in twine consists of the following stages (front leg mechanics, muscles: hamstring and gluteus maximus):

stage of the beginning of stretching. The anterior hip flexors flex first. (including lower back), quadriceps involvement. This muscle provides mutual inhibition of the gluteus maximus and hamstrings. One head of the quadriceps, the rectus femoris, also increases hip flexion;
to engage the hamstrings and gluteus maximus of the front thigh, you need to slightly bend the knee and gently press the heel into the towel/blanket;
end of stretching stage. Then there is retention (for a few breaths) this action and then the extension of the hamstring and gluteus maximus in length due to the involvement of the hip flexors and knee extensors. Total time spent in the splits 30 sec.

In the picture version, both mechanics for the front and rear legs present such a picture.

We have considered only half of the mechanics - lowering into the splits, the other is responsible for being in this position.

The twine holding scheme is as follows:

stronger stretch (including due to the pressure of your own body weight) synergists of hip flexion and extension located medially. For the anterior thigh, the focus shifts to the adductor magnus muscle, for the rear - the long and short adductor muscles, the pectineus. It is necessary to slowly increase the involvement of these muscles by applying pressure on the heel/heel of the front leg and the back knee towards the midline;
Taking several breaths, it is necessary to deepen the pose, relaxing more fully and involving the lumbar region (sacrum), buttocks of the back and quadriceps of the front legs.

Twine exit diagram:

The final stage of being in the split is to focus on stretching the hip flexion and extension synergists located laterally or on the outside of the thighs. For the anterior hip, extension synergists are the gluteus medius/minimus. Since both of these muscles are the primary drivers of hip abduction/abduction, they should be involved in pulling the front heel away from the midline. At the same time, to pull the knee away from the midline, it is necessary to use the tensor fascia lata of the posterior thigh.

Ufff, we seem to have sorted out the anatomy, but I am inclined to believe that you understood little of what was said above. So? Don’t worry, it’s not theory that will make us do the splits, but practice. And there everything will be clear without words :). Well, judging by the article counter, which has exceeded 2000 words, we will practice next time. Do you support? Then we will do so, but for now...

Afterword

The Internet suggests doing the splits for 10 minutes. The draft, only the theoretical part of the note on this topic, took an hour to write. Conclusions?

If you want to quickly do the splits, then the issue should be studied in detail and from all sides, i.e. carry out preparatory work. We did the theoretical ones today, we’ll do the planting practice next time, we’re waiting, sir!

See you soon. Thank you for investing this time in yourself!

PS: Do you know how to do the splits?

PPS: did the project help? Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100 points towards karma guaranteed :)

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Of course, not everyone will be able to do the splits the first time; for some it may take a week or a month. But by regularly repeating these exercises, you will improve your stretching and strengthen your muscles:

If the splits are something more symbolic than yoga

For some, the splits are nothing more than a good stretch, healthy ligaments, or a yoga exercise. But for me, as someone who grew up watching the action films of Jackie Chan, Van Damme and Donnie Yen, this was something much more important and symbolic. Already in my student years, I reproached myself for the fact that in the seventh grade, when I went to hand-to-hand combat, I did not show due diligence to do the splits. And when I was 20 years old, it seemed that time had passed, that I was old and that it was not worth even trying to do the splits.

A miracle happened - immediately after university I went to study in China. This university has a very strong school of wushu, whose adherents regularly take first place in all-Chinese wushu competitions.

It’s one thing when you live in a world of walking office workers who don’t particularly care about stretching, but it’s a completely different thing when you find yourself in a training room where absolutely everyone, even children, does somersaults, flips and does splits. In such an environment, being the greenest, oldest and most non-technical student, you immediately begin to reach upward. This desire, as well as the advice of Wushu players, helped me do the cross splits in less than a year of training. I compiled their knowledge and my experience into a list of recommendations for those who want to do the splits.

How do the splits. Instructions from Chinese Wushu champions

Forget about deadlines. There are no “by the New Year” or “two months in advance”. Rushing to stretch will inevitably lead to injury.
Less heroism. Slow and systematic progress towards the goal for half an hour every day is better than rare, but impactful training for several hours at a time.
Get to know your body. Although we are all anatomically similar, each of us has our own characteristics: the structure of the hip joint, the elasticity of muscles and ligaments. For example, with varus deformity of the femoral neck, a person simply physically cannot do the cross splits. Therefore, if one method was suitable for your acrobat brother to do the splits, then it is far from a fact that the same method will be suitable for you. During training, you must independently determine your problem areas that do not allow you to do the splits. For example, I had no problems with the popliteal ligaments; they stretched well. But the ligaments at the thigh were like wood. So I paid more attention to them.
Drink more water. When you drink enough, connective tissue glides over your muscles, but when there is not enough water, fascia can stick to muscle fibers, reducing range of motion.
Start training gradually, gradually increasing the frequency of stretches. I started with one workout every two days and worked my way up to three workouts a day.
In the evenings, our joints and muscles become 20% more elastic, which reduces the risk of injury and allows us to achieve better results. You can do some dynamic stretching in the morning to relieve that stiff, stiff feeling after sleep, but don't try to do anything straight away when you wake up.
Before stretching, be sure to warm up your leg muscles: run, do air squats and regular warm-up exercises for 10-15 minutes. By stretching on a warm body, you reduce the risk of sprains.
Distribute the load. When you sit in a split, there is a temptation to squat closer to the floor at the expense of your knees. Remember: if your knees or back hurt while stretching, you are doing it wrong.
There are two types of splits: dynamic (when you swing your leg - a split in impact) and static (sitting on the floor). It happens that a person can swing his leg into a splits, but cannot sit on the floor in it. It also happens the other way around. These two types of twine complement each other, so they should be developed in parallel. Dynamic stretching must be completely controlled, without sudden, jerky movements, otherwise the swing may result in injury.
When you stretch, you the sock should be pulled towards you, and not from oneself (as in ballet).
When you are static, you do not completely freeze, but continue slight oscillatory movements - up and down, like a string - at a frequency that is convenient for you.
Figure out how to let your feet slide across the floor. These can be either socks on linoleum or shoes on the spit of a wushu player.
Be extremely careful when third parties offer to “help” you. No one but you can know the current state of your ligaments. The coach is not a psychic. I’ve already heard so many stories about a coach who “accidentally” tore someone’s ligaments. As for me, all these paired stretches with the help of a partner have one goal - to make the process more interactive and complex. By and large, you don’t need anything to do the splits except your legs and the floor.
Relax. Stretching is an unnatural activity for the body. When stretched beyond its normal range, the muscles automatically contract to prevent injury. Learn to relax and breathe evenly while stretching - this will help you deepen your splits faster.
Stretch every day. Unlike strength training, which requires rest and recovery afterward, stretching does not require such breaks. To do the splits faster, stretch every day, seven days a week.
Use a hot shower. After a hot shower, your ligaments will be more pliable for stretching.
Use a timer. Sitting on the splits set a stopwatch in front of you. Start small, like 30 seconds, and gradually increase the time. These measurements will also help you feel more clearly about your progress. Instead of a timer, you can use your favorite music, in which you are guided either by the words or by the beginning of the chorus.
Sign up for some section where splits are valued. For example, acrobatics, yoga, breakdancing or martial arts. It doesn’t matter whether you know how to do the splits or are just working in this direction. Man is a social being, so any “public” training, especially in a circle of like-minded people, will morally support you and provide additional motivation.

Each person may have his own favorite and more effective ways to stretch: someone will sit in a “butterfly”, and someone will swing their legs more - that’s why I didn’t describe any exercises here, you probably know them. And if not, then you know where to find them.

The most important thing is to remember that with due persistence, people do the splits both at 30 and 40 years old, the main thing is to believe in yourself. When, several months later, I finally managed to do my cross split, our main wushu player smiled at me and said: “功夫不负有心人,” which means “if you work hard, you will definitely achieve success.”

Natalia Govorova

Reading time: 4 minutes

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For many, splits are the ultimate dream and an indicator of flexibility. They dream and daydream about it, but at the same time thinking that doing the splits yourself is quite difficult and costs incredible effort and long training.
This is not entirely true; you can do the splits in just one week, but this will require some effort.

Achieving the desired result will be quite simple if you follow the instructions and perform all the exercises daily for a week.

Recommendations for twine instructions: To make stretching sessions more interesting, turn on pleasant, positive music. When performing exercises, you should not make sudden movements, as this can cause unpleasant pain in your muscles.

What does it take to learn how to do the splits in a week?

For classes, you will need light clothing made from natural fabrics that will not restrict movement.

Twine exercises

Warm up. Before you start, you should stretch your leg muscles well. Active walking for 10-15 minutes is good for this. Jumping in place, running in place, swinging your arms and legs.

Stretching. Next, sit on the floor or mat and spread your leg to the side. As you inhale, reach your legs with your hands, keeping your back straight. Reaching your hands to your toes, hold for 20-30 seconds, exhale. Repeat this 14 more times. Remember to watch your back and breathing.

Right angle. For the next exercise, from a sitting position, you should extend one leg forward and the other to the side at a 90-degree angle. If a right angle does not work, then help your leg with your whole body to stretch to a right angle. Do 15 sets and change legs. Remember to keep your back straight while performing this exercise.

Legs up. For the next exercise, you need to lie on the floor and from this position raise both legs up at a right angle. Then spread your legs apart and hold them like that for a second, then bring them together again and lower them to the floor, rest for 10 seconds and repeat this nine more times on the first day of training. In subsequent days, increase the number of times at your discretion.

Swing your legs. The exercise is performed from a standing position, the back should be straight. To begin, swing your left leg 20-30 times forward, then lift your leg at a right angle and hold it for 30 seconds. Repeat the same for the right leg. If desired, the number of swings can vary, but the more, the better.

After performing this exercise, swing forward and to the side. First, lift your leg forward, and then slowly move it to the side. It turns out to be a swing and a suspended hold.

Lunges. The exercise is also performed from a standing position. Lunge sharply onto your right leg so that your right leg remains at a right angle. Rock for 20-30 seconds. The muscles of the groin area should feel tension. Then lunge with your left leg. Repeat alternately 12-16 times.

Moving the leg to the side. From a standing position, lift your right leg, bend it at the knee, and press it to your chest. Then move your leg as far to the side as possible, and you should feel the muscles stretch. Repeat the exercise for the second leg, doing a total of 15 passes on each leg.

Leg thrown up. From a standing position, throw your leg over the back of a chair, table or windowsill. Then, bending your leg at the knee, move your whole body towards the thrown leg. Repeat this movement 12-15 times. Switch legs and repeat the exercise for the other leg the same number of times.

After completing these exercises, you will feel well enough that you have muscles in your legs so that you can relax them by going to the bathhouse after class or getting a massage.

According to fitness trainers, almost any healthy person can train the muscles of the hip part of the body and do the splits quickly enough with the proper desire for training and the absence of contraindications.

The main thing is a high-quality approach to training, because the results depend largely on how correctly the stretching is done and how the muscles of the pelvis and hips are trained. To quickly do the splits, first of all, you need regular training and dedication.

How long does it take to train to do the splits?

If you have good stretching and experience in sports, doing the splits will be quite easy. Absolute beginners in sports without proper physical training will have to work longer and harder than people involved in any sport on a regular basis.

Several factors influence how quickly a person does the splits.

Exist factors affecting the physical condition of the human body, which should be taken into account when drawing up a training plan to do the splits:

Genetic predisposition- innate flexibility of the body, which depends on the length of the ligaments, the number of sarcomeres and elastin in the muscles.
Frequency and duration of joint warm-up before training, as well as the correct training technique to do the splits.
Training diary, thanks to which you can monitor your development not only psychological, but also physical.
Proper healthy eating, which should include a sufficient amount of water based on the weight and age of the person.

When flexibility is achieved, changes occur in the muscles, joints and ligaments. This, of course, takes time and effort. Therefore, you cannot hope that you can do the splits in a day or even in 1 month.

Stretching doesn't have to be painful.

Exercises should not be done through pain. Mostly those who already have good flexibility or children sit down during the day, since their body is not fully formed.

But I still want to know how long it will take to train and whether it depends greatly on age. Experts say that if you start training before the age of 30, it usually takes 3-5 months to practice regularly. People over 30 will need more than six months of intense training.

These figures are calculated for people with average physical characteristics. The timing will only be affected by the degree of flexibility, patience and attitude.

Effective stretching exercises for doing the splits

The main goal of stretching is to make muscles elastic, joints more mobile and tone the body.

Stretching also improves blood flow, promotes the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, and protects the body from the occurrence of chronic diseases and pain in old age.

It's worth starting with squats for the development of leg muscles. First, you need to put your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, your back is straight, your gaze is directed forward.

When doing a squat, you can move your arms forward, but most importantly, move your pelvis back, as if there was a chair behind you. You need to make sure that your knees do not go beyond your feet, otherwise there will be a lot of stress on the joints.

One of the effective stretching exercises is leg swings, which can be performed both to the sides and back and forth.

Second exercise - swing your legs. Swings can be performed to the side, forward, backward, lying on your side and sitting on all fours.

When performing, the back and legs must be straight; if swings are made to the side, there must be a support that you can grab with your hand.

Required tilts for stretching ligaments.

Feet are shoulder-width apart, bending over, hands stretch first to the right toe, and then to the left. The knees are straight and do not bend. Everything is done smoothly and no sudden movements.

Exercise with support. To begin, you need to rest your hands just above your head against the wall.

Bend your right leg at the knee to a right angle, and, keeping the other straight, take it back as far as possible. This will stretch the calf muscles.

Exercises with support are one of the ways to stretch to do the splits

Stretching is also promoted alternately extending legs to the sides. First, your feet should be placed shoulder-width apart, while your back should remain straight.

Then you need to move your leg to the side, your pelvis parallel to the floor. Hands in front, then tilt your body towards one leg, and then gradually straighten your legs at the knees, and stay in this position for 20-30 seconds.

Afterwards, the exercise must be done on the second leg.

Exercise for half-split on the back. You need to lie on your back and place your arms along your body. One leg should be bent for support, and the other should be extended and grasped with your hands.

The leg should be level so that the pelvis does not go to the side.

In the next exercise, you need to kneel and extend one leg, bent at the knee at a right angle.

For balance, you can grab the chair with one hand. Next, the second leg is taken by hand and pulled towards the buttocks.

To stretch the hamstrings, you need to kneel and extend your other leg forward without pulling on your toes.

Then gradually you need to reach for the toe with your hands, the knee should not bend.

How to properly stretch to do the splits

Stretching is key to maintaining flexibility and healthy joints. Tendons (tissues that connect muscle to bone) begin to shrink and tighten as we age, limiting the body's flexibility. Movements become slower, standing straight is already difficult, even the step becomes much shorter.

Correct technique is of great importance. In parks, you can see runners stopping to stretch the front of their thighs and pulling their legs toward their buttocks. Such stretching can only do harm.

There are basic rules for how to stretch in order to do the splits, following which you can achieve good results and not harm yourself.

So, stretching rules:

You need to stretch as often as possible, better daily if possible. Always after cardio and strength training.
Be sure to remember to do a little before stretching warming up the muscles.
In every position you have to move slowly without forcing yourself to make sudden movements. You should always pay attention to tension.

The stretch should be measured from mild tension to the edge of discomfort. You need to focus on the area that is being stretched.

Before holding each position, you must take at least two deep breaths. Deep breathing promotes relaxation.
In no case you can't jump. Once you have found a comfortable stretching position, you should stay there and gradually stretch more.

How to do the cross splits

You can achieve results at home. It all depends on a person’s lifestyle, activity and nutrition.

You can start your day with a morning workout, since it is in the morning that the muscles are stiff, and the effect will be better. To perform the splits, you must have a strong back and abs, so strength exercises are needed 2-3 times a week.

If everything listed above is observed, the result will not be long in coming.

First you need to warm up with a warm-up. It is advisable to start with the neck, then move on to the arms, back and don’t forget about the legs.

After this, you need to perform the following exercises:

Deep bend with support on hands. The back should be straight and relaxed, breathing should be free.

You need to stay in this position for 30-60 seconds. As soon as you can lean on your palms, you should try to stand on your forearm.

The next pose is stupa. The legs are spread wider to the sides, the arms are extended upward. Gradually you need to lower yourself down, spreading your knees and hips as well.
Push ups. Keep your legs wide apart to perform push-ups by bending your elbows as your pelvis is pulled forward just above your head. As you exhale, return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 10-15 times.
Preparing for the splits. The legs are placed wider, the body is parallel to the floor, you need to stand on your forearms or palms. Remain in this position for 30 seconds.

Twine trainer

Performing stretching exercises, both for the profession and for health and beauty, obliges a person to do them with patience, endurance and perseverance.

A special simulator will help to facilitate the process in order to do the splits faster and not damage the muscles.

How does he work? The simulator is designed specifically for stretching muscles, as well as for fixing them. Thus, the muscles get used to it and gradually stretch without much pain. The simulator has its pros and cons, which must be taken into account when purchasing it.

Pros:

By adjusting the degree of stretching, the pain will not be as noticeable, and the legs will be in a comfortable position. This will reduce the load on your legs.
You will no longer have to be afraid of injuring your muscles and ligaments. Exercises on the simulator take place without sudden jerks and sloppy movements.
Most models of exercise machines are designed for stretching while lying down, that is, the muscles will be as relaxed as possible, which contributes to quick results.

Minuses:

The trainer is not cheap. Its minimum price is 2-3 thousand rubles.
If a person is constantly traveling, then the exercise machine will have to be left at home, since transporting it is quite difficult and inconvenient.
Good stretching and splits will not come in a month for beginners. This process is quite labor-intensive.

The dangers and disadvantages of fast splits without warming up

Most sites promote quick splits in a month, a week, a day, or even an hour! For beginners, it usually happens like this: a lot of strength, which complicates training, and insignificant results.

To achieve your goal and do the splits, you should consider the following mistakes:

The load during warm-up can be different, for example, cardio exercises that should last at least 15 minutes will be quite effective.

The first and most common mistake beginners make is short warm-up, which does not contribute to good muscle warming.

The load can be any: cardio, jogging, jumping rope, dancing. Duration – 15-30 minutes. This will make the muscles soft, they will be pliable and more flexible, which will prevent training pain.

Many, starting to work on themselves, overdo it with the load. Yes, a new business and goal are inspiring, but at first it is very important to give yourself a minimum load, there is no need to rush, you need to gradually complicate the process.
Plays a big role class schedule. Stretching requires discipline. You should exercise at least 3 days a week, but if one day is missed, then you must make up for it.
Most people do not know the anatomy of their body and start looking for stretching exercises as quickly as possible to do the splits in just a few workouts.

This is their mistake. Not all exercises are really beneficial and doing them without knowing which muscles they affect is really dangerous. You need to pull only certain muscles, following the technique.

The stretching studio trainer told how to stretch to do the splits and achieve results even at home.

Training is important, but you don't need to attend it intensely. 2-3 days a week will be the best option, otherwise the muscles simply will not have time to recover.

Under no circumstances should you invent “your own” exercises.– this could end badly.

Don't forget about the warm-up, on which the twine itself depends. It is worth paying attention to stretching the lumbar region.

Don’t be afraid of soreness and skip classes because of it; after warming up, the pain will subside. You can also reduce it with a hot bath or shower after training.

How to stretch to do the splits:

How to do the splits correctly - beginner mistakes:

It doesn’t matter why you needed to do the splits - for showiness for a special occasion, perfect stretching or health benefits (yes, her splits also bring, and quite a lot). Whatever you have in mind, know that doing the splits is actually not that difficult. If you regularly perform several effective exercises, even more so.

1. Bends with hands “clasped” behind your back

Stretching, which is usually painful and therefore not very pleasant, is best started with a simple and slightly relaxing exercise, such as this one. It will stretch the muscles of the back of the thighs well and, as a bonus, improve the flexibility of the back, straighten the shoulders and chest.

How to do it. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bring your hands together behind your back, lock them together and lift them up - your back should arch. In this position, bend over and pull your chest towards your hips. Keep your legs straight, they should not bend at the knees. After standing like this for 5 breaths, slowly return to the starting position.

2. Bends to one leg

Do it very carefully. The “pull” will be under the knee and lower back, but then the splits will become a couple of centimeters closer.

How to do it. Sit on the floor and stretch your legs. Bend your right knee and place it on your side, thereby opening your hips halfway. Strive to touch the outside of your left foot with your right hand, and try to place your torso on a straight leg. Pull your left hand forward, too, towards your foot. Relax your shoulders - they should not rise. Stay in this position until you take 5 breaths. Raise your body, change legs, repeat the exercise.

3. Bend forward with legs open

It will not be possible to lie down with your body on the floor in this position right away. But when it does work out, it will mean that there is nothing left before the twine (and not longitudinal, but transverse).

How to do it. Sit down and spread your legs to the sides, but not to the maximum width. Move your pelvis forward a little, but be careful not to let your legs move with it. Straighten your back. Move your body forward towards the floor until you feel a “burning” under your knees - this is the tendons stretching. Stay in the lowest position for 5 breaths, then return to the starting position.

4. Deep lunges forward

What could be simpler and more convenient than stretching the leg muscles in such a lunge? In addition, this exercise is even too good for stretching.

How to do it. Lunge forward with your right foot. Place your hands on the floor. The leg should be between them. Place your left knee on the floor. If you can, lower yourself onto your elbows. Press your body against your right leg. Stretch your hips toward the floor. Stay as low as possible while you take 5 breaths. Switch legs and repeat the exercise.

5. Deep lunge with calf raise

Having worked on stretching the knees, let's move on to the hips, or more precisely, to the muscles of their back and front surfaces.

How to do it. Go to the wall, stop a step away from it, turn your back to it. Get on your knees. Place your right leg bent at a right angle forward. Lift the foot of your left leg up and “put it” on the wall. Pull your hips down until you feel a stretch in the muscles. Place your hands on your knee to keep your position stable. Keep your back straight. Stay in this position while you take 5 breaths, then relax, switch legs and repeat.

6. Standing Power Stretch

Stretch your muscles with the force of your arms - this can be more effective than putting pressure on them with your own weight.

How to do it. Stand straight, close your feet. Shift your weight to your left leg, and lift your right leg, bent at the knee so that it is easy to grab it with both hands. Stand straight on your left leg. Slowly straighten your right leg to the side, holding your big toe with your hand. If this comes easily to you, pull your hip toward your stomach, lifting your foot toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 5 breaths. Slowly lower your right leg to the floor. Switch legs and repeat the exercise.

7. Side plank stretch

To stretch in such a precarious (in the literal sense of the word) position, you need to be able to maintain balance. Despite the complexity, this exercise is worth trying - it significantly lengthens some muscles, while giving others a static load.

How to do it. Get into a side plank position with your arm extended and your right leg supported. Carefully, while maintaining balance, grab the big toe of your left foot with your left hand and, bending your leg at the knee, pull it up, gradually straightening it. Stand while trying not to lose your balance. If you can, straighten your leg and pull it as high as possible. After 5 breaths, gently release your left leg, place it on the floor, and assume a sitting position. Switch sides and repeat the exercise.