Please note: This article is generally intended for dancers who are not yet able to do the splits. Dancers who can already do the splits may get some improvement in the quality of their splits by focusing on the areas discussed but it is not recommended that they push their actual splits any further.
Anatomy
One of the biggest mistakes dancers make when they are trying to get further down in their splits is to only stretch their hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the thigh).
To be able to do the splits in any direction you need:
- Flexibility in all of the joints and ligaments of the hip, pelvis, and lower-to-mid spine
(about 30 joints in total)
- Flexibility in all of the muscles and tendons that connect the thigh and the pelvis, and the pelvis and the trunk /spine (more than 100 muscles in total)
When you do the splits, not only does one leg have to go forward and one back, the hips and legs also have to be able to rotate in these positions, and the pelvis and spine have to be able to flex and twist in complex ways.
Stretching all of these muscles a little every time you stretch will gradually make your splits better overall, not just in how far down you can get, but also in your overall posture when you get there. You will also enjoy stronger high kicks when you are dancing – they are just splits, standing up, after all!
Tips
Always remember the following when you stretch:
(see previous articles on stretching at the dance informa website for more details)
- Warm up first. Do about 10 minutes of aerobic activity like light jogging or do your stretching right after a class (don’t wait until you have sat in a car for 15 minutes getting home).
- Put on a layer or two, eg track pants and a jumper, so you don’t cool off too much while you stretch.
- Stretch slowly and smoothly, until you feel a stretch but never pain, and never ‘bounce’ in your stretch.
- Keep breathing and stay relaxed while you stretch. Holding your breath or trying too hard just makes your muscles tense up.
- Watch your body and joint alignment while you stretch.
- Go gently during growth spurts. You may feel like you need to stretch more but take it a bit easy until your growth slows down again. You will still get there in the end.
- If you feel like you have injured yourself or you have pain which is not just sore muscles from stretching, stop, and see a health professional.
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Aim for a slow and steady improvement. Trying to get flexible too fast just leads to injuries and all sorts of aches and pains you don’t need. Remember that everyone’s body is different, some people are naturally flexible and some of us have to work a little harder to get there.
The Stretches
You probably already know most or all of these stretches but you may not know that they can all help your splits. They are not the only stretches you can use for your splits but there are so many that this is just a selection of some of the most useful. As they are well known most of them are not described in detail although some reminder points are included.
They are divided in to two groups.
Group A are general hip, pelvis and back stretches. Do them in the order that suits you best. It is recommended you perform all of these before trying Group B.
Group B are more specific for improving front splits. You will get much more out of these if you have done the Group A stretches thoroughly first and are really warm.
When you stretch it is generally good to hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat each one 5-10 times on both sides. Start each stretch gently, then try to go a little further with each repetition as the muscles start to ease out.
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