How to Quickly Do the Splits

Professional dancers and athletes know all the good stretches and can easily do the splits. But the good news is that a newbie, even without the proper training, can also do this tricky move — as long as they dedicate 20-30 minutes a few times a day to performing simple exercises. Of course, not everyone is able to do the splits in a month’s time, but the better your physical condition is and the stretches at the time of starting the exercises are, the faster you’ll reach the desired result.

5-Minute Crafts is sharing tips through a compilation of exercises that will help anyone do the longitudinal and transverse splits within a short period of time, and you’ll also improve your overall physical condition as you go.

Preparation

• Choose the right clothes for exercising. It’s better if the top is made from Dri-FIT fabric that sustains the natural thermoregulation of the body. In addition to this, you can put on sports compression leggings or sporty leg warmers.
• Draw an exercise planner for a month’s time on a piece of paper, and allot a cell for each day where you’ll write down a certain set of exercises. Circle the day once you get to it.
• If you want, you can take a photo of yourself doing the splits at the beginning of each week. It will help you watch your own progress.

An important note: You don’t need to do the whole set of exercises each day. Choose 3-4 days a week for exercising so that there are days off in-between. It’s important if you want to obtain the desired result faster.

Warming up

Do a full-body warm-up to prepare for the stretch. Pay extra attention to your legs and pelvis. It’s best if the warm-up takes 5-10 minutes.

How to do the transverse splits

Choose a set of exercises — it can be a video of a qualified fitness coach or a choreographer. The right set should include a combination of exercises directed at working out and stretching the muscles of the legs and pelvis. If you feel bored performing the same exercises every day, try a set where the exercises change each week.

An important note: During the day, regardless of whether you did your regular set of exercises or not, you can do separate stretching exercises as well (but only after doing a warm-up). For example, you can lie near a wall and widely spread your legs, keeping the position for 5 minutes without tensing your legs, or you can watch a movie and do the “frog” exercise at the same time.

How to quickly do the longitudinal splits

Exercise #1. Place your right foot on a supporting object. The left leg should stand straight, and the knee should be straight too. Bend your body to the right leg, leaning your hands on the knee. Don’t bend your legs. Stretch forward without tension, bending toward the right foot for 10-20 seconds. Then, bend forward, trying to touch your right leg with your body. Stay in this position for 60 seconds. After that, relax and get into a position to do the same exercise with the left leg. Do 2 more reps with each leg right away.

Exercise # 2. Make a low forward lunge with the support of your left leg, bending it at the knee. Move the right leg backward, leaning on the knee and the tiptoes. Keep your back straight. Hold this position for 10-20 seconds, and as you exhale, continue moving lower for 60 seconds, leaning on the left knee and feeling the muscles of both legs stretch. Now relax and perform the same exercise having alternated your legs and leaning on your right leg. After that, do 2 more reps with each leg.

Exercise #3. Carefully do the longitudinal splits by stretching the left leg in front of you. Place a piece of cloth under your left foot and a small pillow under your right knee. It’s better to use a supportive object, such as several books, for your left arm as well. First, gradually stretch your legs, trying to do the splits slightly, going lower and lower within 10-20 seconds. Then, increase the load, going lower for 60 seconds. Alternate your legs and perform 2 more reps with each leg.

How to improve your exercise performance:

• Before doing the basic stretching exercises, try warming up your muscles with the help of a massage roller.
• Stretch as you exhale, not as you inhale.
• Remember to take a rest. For example, you can have a week off every 1.5 months, decreasing the intensity of your training by 20% to 30%.

Useful hacks

• The “butterfly” exercise and its variations will let you stretch the thighs and hip muscles well. Once your legs almost reach the floor, you can ask a close friend or family member to press your knees down, providing the weight of an additional load. If you do this or a similar exercise under the supervision of a coach and their weight is less than yours, they can also gently press your knees with their legs.

• Leg swings help warm up the muscles, and they can also stretch them faster.

• Try performing exercises with an elastic band. For example, you can sit on the floor and widely spread your legs. Strain them. Remove the elastic band behind your back, then wrap or tie it around your tiptoes. Move your arms back and pull on the band while stretching your legs.
• Use a regular wall in order to do the longitudinal splits. Stand with your back to the wall, make one step from the wall, put your feet together and bend down, leaning on your arms. Lift one leg up and straighten it while trying to stretch them along the wall. Resting your hands on the floor and using the pressure of your second leg, press yourself against the wall, thereby stretching your legs in a split. Repeat the exercise, alternating legs.
• An important note: Ater you finally manage to do the full splits, don’t stop the exercises in order to keep the proper level of flexibility.