TIPS, TRICKS & HOW-TOs
The Bendy Blog: Flexibility Training Articles
Filter posts by topic:
All Posts / Bridges / Contortion / Front Splits / General Back Flexibility / General Flexibility Tips / General Lower Body Flexibility / Middle Splits / Neurodynamics / Shoulders / Straddles / Yoga /
How Long Does It Take to Do the Splits?
How long will it take you to be able to do the splits? The boring answer is it depends. A vast generalization would be it could take between 3 months and a couple of years, depending on your starting point, what your stretching routine looks like, what the rest of your life looks like, etc.
Split Variations if You Can’t Do a Flat Split
If you can’t yet sit flat in a front split, you actually have a lot more “options” of splits to practice than you might realize! In addition to do plenty of complementary hamstring and hip flexor stretches (like in this 10 minute splits routine), it may be helpful to shake up what kind of split you’re doing for an endurance hold.
Can’t Touch Your Toes? 8 Beginner-Friendly Hamstring Stretches
If you’re working on being able to touch your toes, but your hamstrings are so tight you can’t even sit up straight in a pike, stretching can be very frustrating - especially if you’re following “tutorials” written for bendier practitioners...
But never fear, there are plenty of legitimately beginner-friendly stretches you can do that safely and effectively target your hamstrings without stressing your low back.
Why Are My Hamstrings Tight? (and How to Fix Them)
If you have tight hamstrings, you’re not alone! Unless you have a regular stretching practice as part of your workout routine, odds are you can’t touch your toes. Don’t worry, that’s is a pretty “average” level of flexibility in our era of so much sitting.
But why are they tight? And what can you do to help loosen them up so you aren’t getting so much carry-over tension in your low back?
Work Your Y-Scale with PNF
I love working on active flexibility (which is why I make it such a big part of all my classes), especially PNF-style contract-and-release stretches. Y-Scales are a fun one to apply PNF to since they’re a little “easier” than traditional splits, but still very much a cool shape!
10 Minute Splits Routine
This 10-minute routine is what I base my own training off of. It’s great because you can still squeeze it in on days you’re pressed for time, or you can run through the whole series 2-3 times to get progressively deeper. This routine aims to thoroughly stretch out (both passively and actively) the major “supporting” muscles in a split - mainly your hip flexors and hamstrings. Often these are the muscles that feel like they’re holding students back from achieving a nice flat split.
PNF Stretching at Home: Middle Splits
If you’re working to get your middle splits but your stretching routine only consists of doing a middle split and holding it for 5 minutes, it’s going to take you ages to get your hips to the ground. Instead of endlessly passively stretching your hips, add in a little active flexibility work each practice to teach your body to overcome the stretch reflex.
Wall Heel Slides for Tight Hamstrings
If you have tight hamstrings and trying to touch your toes in a standing forward fold feels like a laughable exercise - it’s time to switch up your stretch. While there’s nothing “wrong” with a good ol’ forward fold, for the less flexy among us it’s honestly not an ideal exercise to start with. Give these Wall Heel Slides a try instead!
Active Straddle Warmup: Pancake Good Mornings
This is favorite warm up by far for straddles and middle splits. Straddle pancake good mornings can be done with body weight as part of your skill-specific warm up routine, or with heavier weights (dumbbells, weighted plates, etc) as a conditioning exercise later in your practice.
Knee-Friendly Hip Flexor Stretches
Not everyone’s knees like the good ol’ “knee on the ground hip flexor lunge” - here are a couple of knee-friendly hip flexor stretches that you can do without unpleasant knee pressure.