I'm trying to learn the splits, I stretch every day, for long periods of time ussually. I've been doing this for 9 days and i haven't gotten an inch closer to the splits. Am I doing something wrong?
2006-09-03 06:50:07 · 10 answers · asked by Sarah 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Dancing
I'm not trying to acheive the full splits in 9 days, I just want to see some progress
2006-09-03 06:57:28 · update #1
i was in gymnastics for 7 yrs and i still didn't get them all the way down, its gonna take a while to do the splits.
2006-09-03 06:56:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How do you stretch? If you push too hard into a stretch, your muscles react by tensing up, and then the stretch doesn't do any good at all. In particular, you're stretching for the splits by actually doing the splits, it's probably too strong and your muscles are fighting it.
You need hamstring stretches (all those stretches that involve stretching forward over an extended leg) and hip flexor/quadricep stretches (the ones that stretch the muscle at the front of your hip and down the front of your thigh).
Dancers do a lot of hamstring stretches and not many hip flexor ones. And even when they do do them, they don't get full benefit because they don't push their hip bone forward while they're doing them. Do you think that could be your problem?
Another important thing is HOW you stretch. A lot of dancers still either "bounce", or just keep pulling, neither of which is particularly productive. There are a couple of things you can try.
One is to breathe into it. Get into the stretch position but don't stretch yet. Now, each time you breath out, blow out through your mouth and think about GENTLY pushing into the stretch a little deeper.
The other is using resistance. Get into the stretch position, then imagine what would happen if you were trying to stretch but someone was trying to stop you. Find a way to reproduce that "push-pull" action, and hold it for 30 seconds. Then, let go and let yourself relax into the stretch. Repeat that five or six times. You should go a little further each time.
So for a hamstring stretch, where you are stretched out over your extended leg: if someone was trying to stop you, they would grab you round the waist and try to lift you up. You can get the same feeling by wrapping your arms around your leg, then trying to lift your body away from it. Make your leg strong and pull your leg and body in opposite directions - you won't actually move far because your arms are holding you in place. By the end of the 30 seconds, your leg and arms will be shaking! Now just collapse - thankfully! - into the stretch position. Breathe into it for a while, till you feel ready to go again.
2006-09-03 20:53:28 · answer #2 · answered by Kylie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lol...dats funny....it really depends on the kind of excersises you do.It took me a month of everyday practise to be able to do the full splits but i was a few inches away anyways.
I do ballet and after everyclass they make us to leg mounts on leach side and hold it for a minute it hurst a 1st but it's not that bad after a while then we go into the splits and hold it however close you are to the ground for about 30 seconds on each side.Stretching each leg muscle for at least a minute before and after having a warm bath or shower could also help it.
To go further into a split pointe your toes while doing it!
hav fun xoxoxoxox
2006-09-04 06:48:41 · answer #3 · answered by Mary-Kate L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well getting a split takes time try things like leaps and stretching and butterflies as well as straddles and holdind as far as you can first on one side and hold it for a while then the other. it is easier to strech in the pool where you are weightless but dont give up it doesnt come easy but with work and streching you will eventually get it.
2006-09-03 16:09:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep practicing, six months after I started I was a few inches closer and that is improvement.
2006-09-03 14:02:16 · answer #5 · answered by *luz* 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it does take time. what i suggest is going as far down as you can, and holding it for at least 30 seconds on each side, at least once a day until you get it! and if youre not going down far enough for it to hurt, then you need to go down farther because that is what stretches your muscles out.
2006-09-03 13:55:00 · answer #6 · answered by nobody's angel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it takes a long time to accomplish the splits. it took me 2 years of gymnastics to do it.
2006-09-03 13:53:22 · answer #7 · answered by jdluver 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it takes longer than 9 days to stretch you thigh muscles.
2006-09-03 13:56:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is gonna take awhile, but maybe you should try and do some pilates like i did..
it helped me become more flexible
2006-09-03 13:55:51 · answer #9 · answered by Kim S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well try to bend down more and do it every day and night
2006-09-03 13:55:16 · answer #10 · answered by ℓuℓu™» 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋