Advice on learning the splits?
 

Does anyone on here know how to do the splits? Ive been working out really hard for 9 weeks now and thought up this goal for myself around the 4 week mark, so for 5 weeks Ive been stretching for 30 minutes 4-5 days a week. I still am unable to do them, but have been pushing really hard. Im wondering if this is something I need to commit to EVERYDAY? or it will come in time. Any suggestions?:o

Oddly enough, I do have a strategy! This comes from wayyyy back in my childhood/teenage dancing days, but it worked for me and should work for you, too.

Find an empty stretch of wall.

Sit on the ground facing the wall. Scoot your butt so that it's up against the wall.

Lie down flat with your legs up in air. Scoot around until you are at a 90 degree angle with your back, shoulders and head flat against the floor, and your butt, hamstrings, calves, and heels of your feet flat against the wall.

Now, keeping your upper body flat against the floor and your lower body flat against the wall, spread your legs as far as you can. You should feel a stretch, but not pain.

Got it? Now stay there. Read, watch TV, talk on the phone, whatever. My dance teacher used to make us do this at least 30 minutes every day. It looks silly, and I'm sure someone out there will say that it's a terrible stretch, but it worked. =)

Over time, you should be able to stretch your legs farther and longer. This helps especially with side splits, which should be easier at first than center splits.

Let me know if any of this doesn't make sense. Good luck!

That's the most common one that my kung fu teacher has us do. I have such a problem with the tendons on the back of my knees hurting that I don't even get a stretch in the inner thighs. He modified it for me this way. Do everything the same as what Fletch said, except bend your knees, feet flat on the wall and open as much as possible. My kung fu instructor actually comes around to each of us and adjusts us wider, breathe in, adjust as you breathe out.

Good luck.