Splits training plan

[gogy]

Can somebody build me training plan for splits. Static streching doesn't increase my mobility at all, as I am 24 yrs old. Just which exercises to do and how many sets/reps, would be very beneficial for me. I would do them 2-3 times a week.

 

Best regards

Edited September 23, 2014 by gogy

[Murray Truelove]

Google:

Thomas Kurz horse stance.

Loaded stretching.

PNF stretching.

There's loads of free information. Essentially it's about getting strong at your ROM, extending your ROM then getting strong at your new ROM, rinse and repeat until splits.

[Sailor Venus]

Two stretches is all you need. Well at least for me that is.

 

1. Put one knee on the floor. Your hips are placed directly above your knee and your upper body is straight. Your other leg locked out straight in front and placed on top of an object such as a chair, bed, coffee table, whatever. You should feel a stretch in the psoas, adductor and the hamstring. If you don't feel a stretch then put your front leg on a higher object or slide the knee on the floor a few inches behind your hips.

 

2. Sit on the floor with legs straddled apart and imagine a horizontal line from one feet to the other. Lean the upper body forward and put both hands on the floor. With your hands supporting your weight, lift your butt off the floor and crawl forward a bit and sit your butt on the said imaginary horizontal line. Or should I say it another way, sit your butt between your feet. As you try to sit down you should be pushing your feet further away from you and at the same time, feel a stretch on the adductors and the hamstrings on each leg. Toes point to the ceiling throughout the stretch.

 

Do an entire session on stretching alone. I do a thirty minute stretching session. Hold each stretch for 20 seconds to a minute. Do as many sets as your session can allow. I did this without PNF. I can't be bothered to use pnf myself. But you can use PNF if you want.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Sailor Venus

[Colin Macdonald]

Depending on your currently flexibility, you'll probably need to break down the moves into more manageable elements. There's no perfect, universal way to develop the splits, it depends entirely on what your specific patterns of tightness are. A good place to start might be with tailor pose and a piriformis stretch that you can do comfortable without any strain on your knees.

 

Try to focus on one intense PNF stretching session a week with lighter mobility on a regular basis and see how your body responds.

 

 

 

2. Sit on the floor with legs straddled apart and imagine a horizontal line from one feet to the other. Lean the upper body forward and put both hands on the floor. With your hands supporting your weight, lift your butt off the floor and crawl forward a bit and sit your butt on the said imaginary horizontal line. Or should I say it another way, sit your butt between your feet. As you try to sit down you should be pushing your feet further away from you and at the same time, feel a stretch on the adductors and the hamstrings on each leg. Toes point to the ceiling throughout the stretch.

 

This is way, way beyond what would be a reasonable starting point for most adults. A lot of people can't even bend over past 90 degrees in straddle (or get their legs wider apart than 90 degrees), let alone sit forward while keeping their toes pointed at the ceiling.

[Blairbob]

 The main trick to doing splits is doing split training.

 

 If you flatline and plateau then you need to look into and work on the weaknesses. If this or that is too weak or tight. So you have the assistant exercises. Froggie splits instead of middle splits. Gravity splits on your back. Knee lunges or K-Star's "couch stretch." Kneeling pike stretches to stretch the hamstring of the front leg.

[Colin Macdonald]

 The main trick to doing splits is doing split training.

 

 

Dammit, somebody told me the trick was eating lots of cheese! Now what am I going to do with the 20 kilos of gouda I bought!

[Mats Trane]

MT Nordic posted this link in another thread further down.

http://martialartsplanet.net/forums/showthread.php?s=c2110107e33add556c4ba2e60dcfe71e&t=96381

Havn't tried it myself but if you Realy want splits it looks good.

[Patrick Van de Glind]

This is the training I follow on and off:

 

Industrial Strength Flexibility

 

Has anyone ever tried it?

 

 

 

 

This is way, way beyond what would be a reasonable starting point for most adults. A lot of people can't even bend over past 90 degrees in straddle (or get their legs wider apart than 90 degrees), let alone sit forward while keeping their toes pointed at the ceiling.

I unfortunately cannot sit up straight in this position, let alone bend forward without folding my lower back..

I am also looking for ways to improve this, any tips?

[Sailor Venus]

This is way, way beyond what would be a reasonable starting point for most adults. A lot of people can't even bend over past 90 degrees in straddle (or get their legs wider apart than 90 degrees), let alone sit forward while keeping their toes pointed at the ceiling.

Oh sorry. Reason is I lean forward is not for getting more stretch but to lift my hips up in the air and then walk it forward in line between my feet and try to sit back down. I don't have to lean that much, just enough for my hands to reach the floor. If I try to lift my hips up without leaning forward enough, I will fall backwards and the whole stretch is ruined. Once I sat down again, sit upright again.

 

There's a stretch which reminds me of my own middle splits, especially at the 2:38 marker. Kinda like what I do but without the pancake and I don't bounce either. Best to do it with the back against the wall in case you fall over.

 

Edited September 25, 2014 by Sailor Venus

[Colin Macdonald]

 

I unfortunately cannot sit up straight in this position, let alone bend forward without folding my lower back..

I am also looking for ways to improve this, any tips?

 

As above, focus on partial poses to try and identify what exactly is holding you back. Tailor pose, frog and hurdler's stretch (only do this one if you can do it without putting strain on your knee) are all favourites of mine right now in addition to a straight pancake stretch. A

 

Always focus on bringing your stomach towards the ground with a straight back, don't lead with your head.

 

 

There's a stretch which reminds me of my own middle splits, especially at the 2:38 marker. Kinda like what I do but without the pancake and I don't bounce either. Best to do it with the back against the wall in case you fall over.

 

If you don't already have a wide straddle, it becomes very difficult to do that. His straddle is already way wider than a proper pancake, it's almost a full splits. You could do something similar just starting from standing and trying to widen your stance, but depending on where you're at, it might be too intense of a stretch to start with.

 

I think generally, an active pancake will have more athletic carryover than focusing on the full splits regardless. That's where I focus my time personally.