Why do men need stretching (exercises for every part of the body)? How do the splits? The practical side of the issue. How long does it take to learn how to do the splits?

Due to certain historically established customs, many activities in our lives are usually divided into “male” and “female”. Fitness in this regard is no exception - and that’s why guys prefer to do boxing or lift weights, while girls sign up for stretching and Pilates. Meanwhile, stretching for men is no less important than for women. Because sets of exercises for stretching muscles and ligaments not only help keep you in shape, but are also directly related to male potency.

In this regard, it makes sense to figure out whether men need to do flexibility exercises if they engage in strength sports? And if so, how quickly, starting practically from scratch, can you achieve more or less tangible results? What goals should you set for yourself - just not to let your muscles “sour”, or create a program that will allow you to? Is it possible to skip going to the gym and do stretching at home? Let's try to give answers to the questions posed.

For men, there is a direct relationship between sexual health and the development of body flexibility. There are at least three reasons for this.

Stretching for men promotes active blood circulation in the pelvic area. As a result, the vessels receive enough blood - and an erection, in essence, occurs due to a sharp rush of blood to the male genital organ.
Developed muscles are the best protection against pinched nerve fibers. After all, the source of this problem is compaction and compression of the vertebrae, which occurs due to weak support of the spinal column by the back muscles.
The health of the body directly affects the psycho-emotional state - and many of the problems of men in bed are related specifically to the psyche. Moreover, the very first failure often causes an avalanche-like process of increasing fear before each subsequent sexual intercourse. But switching to the use of drugs that enhance potency is definitely not the best way out of the situation, and this will cause much more harm than good.

How to do this or that type of stretching if you are a beginner? And should you immediately worry that without the ability to professionally do the splits and arch a bridge, your classes cannot be considered full-fledged? Of course, the benefits of splits for men are undeniable - however, this is far from the first and not the main step in the art of creating a flexible and strong body. It is much more important to start with basic tasks - improving blood circulation in the pelvic area and relieving tension in the spinal column.

This can be achieved by performing special gymnastics for beginners, the first lessons of which can be obtained at a fitness center from experienced instructors, or you can immediately start practicing at home (fortunately, photos and videos of all useful exercises can be easily found on the Internet).

What tips should you not neglect when starting to stretch at home, in the gym or at the stadium?

The main thing is to warm up! You can’t start straining “cold” muscles. The best option is a light cardio warm-up and gymnastic exercises for the joints for 10–15 minutes.
"Hurry up slowly"! This catchphrase suits our task perfectly. Sudden movements when stretching are contraindicated - but slow and smooth movements, on the contrary, ideally help strengthen the muscles and make the ligaments elastic.
Don't break the technique! Otherwise, pain and even injury will begin to haunt you, and the effect of the exercises will be much lower than you would like.
Don't make classes a competition! Your workouts are for you, not for spectators. There is no need to try to get ahead of someone or prove something to someone.
Exercise regularly! At least three times a week. And combine exercise with proper nutrition, light jogging, cycling, swimming or any other form of light cardio. If you add moderate power loads to this, the result will not be long in coming!

Remember one more important thing - ANY person can do stretching (except perhaps those for whom it is contraindicated due to serious disorders of the body). The main thing is to increase the load gradually and do it with pleasure!

When is the best time to stretch?

In principle, you can perform the exercises almost anywhere and at any time. And not only in an apartment, park or on the beach - but even while waiting for a tram or stuck in your own car in a traffic jam. If only I had the opportunity and some time!

Of course, some moments and places are more convenient for this, and experts recommend:

give preference to the morning hours, before leaving for work;
do exercises during breaks during the working day;
periodically, approximately once every few hours, subject to a sedentary lifestyle;
when you feel muscle numbness;
just like that if you are sitting, reading or watching TV anyway.

Three Types of Stretches to Develop Flexibility

There are different types of stretch marks - and each of them has its own purpose.

Passive stretching. The slowest type, involving complete control over the muscles. To do this, the application of force must be long-term and external - that is, provided by a simulator, an exercise partner, or some kind of load. Its goal is to stretch the ligaments and muscle fibers as much as possible, but with virtually no pain.
Active stretching. With it, the force is achieved through its own movement. At the same time, the muscles contract more actively, and the tension is at the limit of the athlete’s capabilities.
Ballistic stretch. Ballistics is aimed at movements with acceleration, and therefore requires experience and extreme attention (otherwise you can tear muscle fibers and damage joints). However, it is also necessary, since the types of loads on the muscles should not only be static.

Technique: what and how to pull?

Neck (head tilt)

Starting position – standing. The back is straight, looking forward. Slowly tilt your head down as far as possible. At the end point, fix the position for 10 seconds. We return to the starting position.
We repeat the same steps, but with the head tilted back. We do not open our mouth.
Now we tilt our head to the left - and we help press it to the shoulder with our left hand (the shoulder itself does not rise). The same fixation - but for 20 seconds. We return to the starting position.
We repeat the same steps, tilting our head to the right.
We begin slow rotations of the head clockwise. Then do the same - counterclockwise (10 turns in each direction).

Arms, shoulders and biceps

The exercise is done at a wall bars or other vertical support.

Triceps

How to do a triceps stretch?

Breast

For this we need bars.

Starting position – standing, hands resting on the bars from the elbow and above.
Slowly bend your legs, lowering your body down to the maximum possible (it can be easily determined by the increase in pain).
We fix the position for 30 seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 10–15 times.

Press

The simplest method because it does not require any equipment.

Upper back

How do we stretch?

Starting position – standing, chest slightly arched, breathing even.

We round our back, sticking out our chest, while simultaneously stretching our arms and shoulders down and forward to balance (the chin also tilts a little).
Having reached the limiting point, we also, slowly, straighten up.

Fixing the final position is not necessary here, and the maximum load should be felt in the area of the shoulder blades. If the tension occurs in the wrong place, we try to correct the movements until we achieve the desired result. Repeat 10–15 times.

Lower back and back of thighs

The most difficult exercise for beginners (provided they strive to perform it correctly).

Starting position – standing.
As you exhale, WITHOUT BENDING YOUR KNEES (this is important!), lean forward and reach for the floor with your fingertips. If there is no flexibility in the muscles, this will not be possible at first. But you need to repeat the exercise (again and again, day after day) until, when you bend over, you can touch the floor with your open palms.
As you exhale, take the starting position.

Important! When performing the exercise, the back should remain straight and not arch. Otherwise, it will be mainly the muscles of the back, rather than the lower back, that will be stretched, and the effectiveness of the exercise will greatly decrease.

Legs

How can a man do the splits? As a rule, they are not able to do this as quickly as women. However, you need to strive for this.

The first step in this will be the following exercise:

Legs, in perspective – splits (transverse)

The second step will be an exercise that is performed immediately after the previous one.

Starting position - standing, with your hands holding onto a support (for example, a wall bars or the back of a high and heavy chair), legs set as wide as possible (as far as possible).
Slowly we begin to spread our legs even wider, moving our feet. Each time we will fall lower and lower - and even if we do not reach the level of sitting in full splits, we can be satisfied with the result in which about 10 cm will remain to the floor.
We fixate in the lower position for 20–30 seconds.
Just as slowly and carefully we return to the starting position.

Legs back and forth, in perspective – splits (longitudinal)

Horizontal bar

It's easy enough to hang on. Often, at any time and without restrictions. Such a hang relieves the spine perfectly, and at the same time trains the strength of the hands.

If you are wondering how to quickly and most importantly do the splits correctly and without injury, then this article is for you. Moreover, we will analyze recommendations and exercises that will not only allow you to do the splits, but will help you do it at home without resorting to the services of fitness centers, so you can save time and money. However, you need to warn in advance that you will have to work hard on yourself, because learning to do the splits is not so easy.

If for any reason you cannot attend stretching classes, where you will practice under the close supervision of a trainer, who at any time will be able to tell you how to perform the exercise correctly and point out possible mistakes. In this case, you need to know how to properly train at home in order to do the splits relatively quickly and without injury. Why relatively? Because stretching itself is quite dangerous and how quickly you can do the splits depends not only on the correct technique of performing the exercises, but also on individual characteristics. Some people's ligaments are softer and stretch much better, while others will have to try hard to stretch them and develop tendons in order to eventually do the splits. In any case, to do the splits you need to know the rules and features of stretching at home.

How to do the splits quickly and without injury at home?

The first thing you need to take note of for home stretching workouts is that you shouldn’t rush and set yourself a strict time frame, for example, do the splits in a week or two weeks. Such short-term goals often lead to injuries; moreover, doing splits workouts at home without the supervision of a trainer and without having any experience in stretching, you can end up with a sprain or even a ruptured ligament. Therefore, if you decide to do the splits yourself at home, there is no need to rush, listen to your body, master the technique of doing the exercises and follow the recommendations for training for stretching at home and you will succeed as quickly as your body allows you, and well persistence of course.
Before you begin stretching exercises, you need to thoroughly warm up your muscles, ligaments and tendons; for this, be sure to warm up for 10-15 minutes for all muscle groups, especially the leg muscles. By doing a warm-up at the beginning of the lesson, it will not only be easier for you to perform the exercises, which will allow you to do the splits faster, but also reduce the risk of injury during the stretching process. You can also take a hot shower to help your muscles and ligaments warm up and become more elastic.
Spend 45-60 minutes stretching (including warm-up) about three times a week. Stretching days can be alternated with strength training, for example, if on Monday you had heavy strength or aerobic exercise, then on Tuesday you can safely do stretching, this will also help reduce pain in the muscles after training. If desired, stretching can be done immediately after strength and aerobic exercise, when the muscles and ligaments are more than warmed up. If you want to do the splits as quickly as possible, which is at home, I personally don’t recommend it, as they say, if you rush, you’ll make people laugh, you can do it more often, setting aside just one day for rest. You can use this training regimen once you get comfortable and perform the exercise technique correctly, and also learn to listen to your body.
In order to do the splits without injury, you should perform the exercises at a slow pace without sudden jerks, making sure that the load is distributed evenly. A slight nagging pain should be felt. However, as a rule, when a person feels pain, he begins to tense his muscles in order to reduce and avoid this discomfort, because for the body, stretching is essentially not a natural process. When trying to do the splits, you injure your ligaments to some extent. You should learn to relax your muscles when you feel slight pain, try not to hold your breath, but rather breathe as evenly as possible, this will make the pain easier to bear. Turn on some light relaxing music, this is also a great way to take your mind off the pain. You should not bring the exercise to sharp and unbearable pain, this will certainly lead to spraining, everything should be in moderation.
You should know that there are two types of splits: dynamic, when shock movements are performed (leg swings) and static, exercises performed while sitting on the floor at a slow pace, turning into static. So, these two types of splits complement each other, because it happens that a person can swing his leg to the state of a split, but he cannot sit in a split on the floor and vice versa. Therefore, in order to effectively train for splits, you should perform exercises both statically and dynamically. The best option would be to alternate them. For example, if you sat in a static split for 1-1.5 minutes, you should swing your legs for at least 30-40 seconds.
When you perform static splits exercises, do not freeze completely, but continue small swings up and down, from side to side. You should not use too much amplitude with sharp pushes, it should be light rocking, while the ligaments should be stretched like a string, and the muscles should be as relaxed as possible.
As for static exercises, no matter what you give yourself, take a timer (smartphone application) and start doing the exercise for 20-30 seconds, increasing the time with each session. This will also allow you to mark your progress towards the coveted splits.
In order to properly develop and stretch the ligaments, especially the popliteal ligaments, pull your socks towards you while doing the exercises. Keep your back straight, do not hunch or droop your shoulders. If you have pain in your back or knees while performing splits exercises, most likely you are violating the technique of performing the exercise and the ligaments of your legs are not loaded enough.
Make sure that during the stretching workout you have appropriate clothing that will not hinder your movements and allow your legs to glide on the floor. At home, these can be ordinary socks, which can easily slide both on the carpet and on the parquet.
If you are seriously thinking about doing the splits, you need to watch your diet, because when you eat meat and meat products, the ligaments will be rougher and more resistant to stretching. Drink plenty of water, this will not only make your muscles and ligaments elastic, but also maintain a high level of metabolic processes in the body.
The most effective stretching is, of course, in the morning, but in the first stages you should still do the exercises in the evening, when the body is already warmed up, so the workout will be easier and a little less painful.
I would like to draw your attention to outside “help”. Unless, of course, this is a highly qualified trainer, then it is better to refuse such intervention. By putting physical pressure on you while performing this or that exercise, a person can cause injury, because he does not feel the degree of tension in your ligaments at all. Remember, in order to do the splits, you do not need any assistants or additional equipment, just you, the floor and your perseverance.

How to do the splits quickly and correctly at home (video)

Effective stretching exercises that will help you do the splits quickly at home

All the stretching exercises presented below that will help you do the splits at home can be used as a complex, where the exercises go one after another in the order presented. However, if you wish, you can perform splits exercises in different ways, changing them each workout.

Start performing all the exercises for 20-30 seconds, and you don’t have to freeze completely; you can perform light springs with a small amplitude. As you do stretching exercises and your body begins to get used to the load, gradually increase the time of each exercise. You can also perform a set of exercises first on the ligaments of one leg, and then on the second, or perform each exercise, alternating legs. Of course, the best option would be to work on one leg first, then the other.

Starting position: stand straight, feet wider than shoulder width, toes pointing in front of you. From this position, slowly lower your body down, but do not move your pelvis back, but leave it in its original position, perpendicular to the floor. Straighten your arms and place your palms on the floor. After this, use light springs to move your hands back between your legs. Make sure that your legs remain unbent at the knees.
This splits exercise can be a continuation of the previous one. Place your feet a little narrower, tilt your body forward, bend your elbows, and place your palms on the floor. Slowly pushing your body away, spring back, but do not bend your legs at the knees, they should remain as straight as possible, and the muscles and ligaments should be tense.
Derivative from the previous exercise: The execution remains the same, the legs are straight, slightly wider than shoulder width, the body is straight and tilted forward into a fold as much as possible. From this position, try to lower your hands and elbows to the floor. After standing in this position for some time (30 seconds or more), begin to slowly narrow your legs until you feel a slight pain in the hamstrings, without bending your legs at the knees.
The next exercise, which will also prepare your body for the splits, is the well-known standing fold. Feet together, toes pointing in front of you. Tilt your straight body forward and pull it towards your feet as much as possible. Your back should remain straight and your knees not bent; you can help yourself slightly by grabbing your legs with your hands.
Starting position: stand straight, put one leg behind the other (in front), point your toes in front of you. From this position, place your palms on the knee of your front leg and, continuing the pressure, tilt your body down into the fold. First perform the exercise on one leg, then on the other.
Stand straight, step one foot in front and place your heel on your heel; you can slightly bend your supporting leg at the knee. From this position, tilt your body towards your front leg and, using light springs, try to reach your knee with your chest. Keep your back straight and do not bend your front leg at the knee.
Another effective exercise for splits is side lunges. Lunge (as wide as possible) onto one leg, point your toes clearly in front of you, and place your palms in front of you. Now alternately bend one or the other knee, lunging in different directions. Try to lower your pelvis as much as possible and feel how the ligaments of your straight leg stretch. Try not to shift your center of gravity back; your back should remain straight.
Continuing the previous exercise. Turn your leg bent at the knee so that the knee and toe are turned away from you, stretch your straight leg like a string, while focusing on the heel, and pull the toe away from you, then toward you, do this at a slow pace. Tilt your body slightly forward. To maintain maximum tension in the ligaments, the leg bent at the knee can be slightly pushed with the elbow of the bent arm. The exercise is performed first on one leg, then on the other.
Starting position: Lunge wide forward, bending the knee of your front leg, leaving your back leg as straight as possible with emphasis on your toes. From this position, slowly, using light springs, push your pelvis down, leaving your back leg straight. At the same time, tilt your body forward, stretch your arms down and lightly support your fingers. To make the exercise slightly more difficult, align your body, moving your center of gravity strictly in the center. The exercise is performed first on one leg, then on the other.
The next exercise is a continuation of the previous one, that is, you remain in a forward lunge position, with your back leg straight, but bend your body well forward, parallel to your front leg bent at the knee. From this exercise, pull your pelvis down and your torso and front knee slightly forward. This splits exercise is performed first on one leg, then on the other.
From the starting position of the previous exercise, leave the front leg bent, and bend the back leg as well and focus on the knee and toes. Tilt your body back, placing your hands on the top of your buttocks. From this position, use light springs to push your pelvis slightly forward.
Next, from the position of the previous splits exercise, align your body, it should be perpendicular to the floor, keep your front leg bent, but move it forward as far as possible. Try to straighten your back leg and only lightly touch the floor with your knee. Fix the center of gravity in the center.
Bring one leg under you and focus on the knee and toes, bring the other straight leg in front and focus on the heel, pull the toe towards you. From this position, grab the toe of your front leg and tilt your body forward, try to reach your chest with your knee, while keeping your back straight.
One of the classic exercises for quickly doing the splits is the “butterfly”. Sit on the floor, bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together. From this position, press on your knees with springy movements, spreading them in different directions, so you get the wings of a butterfly.
Sit on the floor, spread your straight legs to the sides as wide as possible, then bend one leg at the knee and bring it back so that the heel touches the buttock, while the second should remain straight with the toe pulled towards itself. From this starting position, tilt your body towards your straight leg, trying to lie on it, but do not hunch over; your stomach should touch first, then your chest, and finally your head. While performing the exercise, make sure that your buttocks are pressed firmly to the floor and that your center of gravity does not shift. After you have reached for your leg, without changing the position of your legs, stretch forward using the same principle, touching your entire body to the floor. Also in this position, you can reach for the straight leg sideways, that is, do not turn the body towards the leg, but try to touch the entire side surface of the body to the leg. Then change legs.
This exercise is similar to the previous one, but you just need to bend one leg in front of you. Again, you need to stretch according to the same principle, first to the straight leg, and then forward.
Without changing the position of your legs, you need to stretch not with your body turned towards your leg, but with your side. For convenience, you can grab the sock with one hand and pull it towards you, and yourself towards the sock.
Another exercise from this series, without changing the position of the legs, we place the hand opposite to the bent leg on the bent knee, and with the other hand we clasp the toe of the straight leg and stretch our shoulder to the knee of the straight leg. If this is too easy for you, complicate the exercise and stretch your shoulder not to your leg, but to the floor in front of your leg. Try not to hunch over, but to stretch the crown of your head to the side.
Sit on the floor, take one leg back, bend the other at the knee and place it in front of you. Try to keep your back leg straight. Next, leaning on your palms, turn your body so that the knee of your bent leg is strictly under your chin and between your palms. From this position, stretch the toe of your back leg back and your chest forward. To complicate the exercise, focus not on your palms, but on your elbows, while touching your forehead to your hands.
Sit on the floor, spread your straight legs as wide as possible, then stretch your chest first towards one leg, then towards the second leg, after which you need to stretch forward, laying your body on the floor in front of you. The principle remains the same: the stomach should be touched first, then the chest, then the head. By following this rule, it will be easier for you to ensure that your back is straight and stretching is as effective as possible. Stretch your body following the top of your head, making sure that your legs remain straight and your buttocks are pressed firmly to the floor.
Remaining in the starting position of the previous exercise, stretch your shoulder first to one leg, then to the other, while your lower hand can be placed on the opposite leg, and with your upper hand you can clasp the toe of the leg you are reaching for. Just as in the previous exercises, try to stretch out as much as possible behind the top of your head.
Remain sitting on the floor, bring your legs together, and pull your toes towards you. From this position, lower your body to your feet, lying in a fold. Try not to bend your knees or hunch your back. You can stretch your arms in front of you.

During training, try not to hold your breath, breathe as evenly as possible. Also make sure that when you feel mild pain you do not tighten your muscles, try to relax as much as possible and distract yourself from the unpleasant sensations. To do this, you can turn on light relaxing music and think about something pleasant. Remember that the pain should not be sharp and sharp, be sure to monitor the sensations and listen to your body. This is probably all the basic tips and exercises that will help you do the splits at home without resorting to the services of a trainer. Remember, you will succeed in doing the splits without injury, just be patient.

Stretching at home for cross splits (video)

How to quickly learn how to do the splits?

Good afternoon everyone! I, Albert Valitov, professional trainer and leading author of our blog, welcome you, our dear guests and regular readers. Today I will tell you how to learn how to do splits.

Agree that a split performed by an athlete with ease evokes feelings of admiration, and this movement performed by dancers in the air or standing leads to enthusiastic applause from grateful spectators.

The flexibility of these people makes them feel as if they are missing bones or joints. Although, as you understand, the bodies of these people are structured the same as those of others.

However, to learn how to do the splits they needed great desire, perseverance and constant training.

Do you think doing the splits is the prerogative of twelve-year-olds? You are very mistaken. Anyone can learn it at home.

A woman lives in our house; she is 65 years old. Her legs constantly hurt and began to refuse to move. At the same time, she did not want to sit in a wheelchair.

She began to do small exercises every morning that were feasible for her age, gradually increasing the load on herself. It is clear that the result did not appear in 5 minutes; it required time and painstaking work.

Therefore, as a result, the elderly woman overcame the blues, brought her ossified ligaments and joints back to life, and the crown of her achievements was the splits and healthy legs. Isn’t it true, an ideal example for many to follow.

Features of the split stretch

Twine is a specific sports exercise performed by a person to stretch, which characterizes the elasticity of his ligaments and muscles.

It is very useful not only for professional athletes, but also for ordinary people who enjoy feeling the flexibility of their body, especially when they have obtained this excellent result at home.

Performing this exercise helps a person:

Prevent varicose veins.
Improve bowel function.
Improve the functioning of the pelvic organs.
“Open” the thoracic region, restoring deep breathing.
Stretch the spine.
Relieve depression.
Improve mood.
Overcome laziness.

How to achieve your goal

Many of those who decide to learn how to do the splits consciously strive to not only get a beautiful stretch, but also a healthy body.

At the same time, they understand that results will never be achieved in 5 minutes. Everything here is individual. After all, each person has his own genetics and constitution.

At the same time, a person’s ability to master the splits depends on:

Paul;
Age;
Natural data;
Physical training;
Maintaining proper diet or water and drinking regimen.

It is here that I want to stop and tell those who want to learn how to do the splits that this is a completely feasible dream.

Do you work in a prestigious company and have been dating a wonderful girl for six months? You really like her as a wonderful person, an interesting conversationalist and a reliable friend.

Do you like the girl so much that you started thinking about a serious relationship? At the same time, you want to please her with an unusual surprise. Clearly, your goal is very laudable!

But since your girlfriend has an unusual profession as a tightrope walker in the circus, as a pleasant surprise for your beloved, I can advise you to learn how to do the splits in the air in order to show her the flight of your soul, love and joy.

This will not only be cool, as it will raise your rating in the girl’s eyes, but it can also become that first virtual step to your family happiness.

Basics of the training process

Initially, I want to say that the key to success in doing the splits is a clearly understood goal.

At the same time, an unprepared person should not immediately start with complex exercises that can be harmful to health, cause pain or cause injury.

An ordinary person can learn to do the splits not only in the gym under the guidance of an experienced trainer, but also independently at home, having previously studied the basics of the training process.

Therefore, it is on the last option that I would like to focus the attention of our readers in order to tell them how to properly organize their home workouts, which should consist of such fundamental components.

This group of exercises uses all the ligaments necessary to stretch faster and more efficiently. The complex can be performed by both people with good physical fitness and beginners. The exercises are quite gentle, so they allow you to reach your goal without consequences.

How to practice

Perform the exercises alternately from 30 seconds to 1 minute on each leg.
Be sure to fixate for a short time in the final position.
For greater effectiveness, it is advisable to perform the complex 3 times a week.

1. Hamstring stretch exercise

Starting position: stand with your knees on the floor, keep your body straight, arms down along your body, gaze directed forward.
Execution: Focus on the foot, hold it towards you to engage the calf muscles. Bend forward towards your leg, while making sure that your shoulders are at the same level and your back leg is standing straight (foot at knee level).

2. Anterior thigh stretching exercise

Starting position: get down on your knees, leaning forward on your hands, buttocks should touch your heels, gaze directed forward.
Execution: lunge, keeping your front leg in one position (foot under the knee joint). The foot of the back leg rests on the floor.
Straighten your back leg all the way and hold this position for a while.

3. Alternately extending the leg to the side with an inclination

Starting position: sit on the floor in a “frog” position - lower yourself onto your buttocks, bring your legs together so that your feet touch and are pressed to the floor, and your knees are turned to the sides. Wrap your hands around your feet, trying to keep your back straight.
Execution: As you move one leg to the side, make sure that the bent leg is pressed to the floor. When bending towards the leg, the opposite arm is placed along the head so that the shoulders maintain the correct position. The second hand serves as a support; place it in front of you. Additionally, the oblique abdominal muscles and the lower quadrant of the lumbar region are stretched.

4. Tilts

Starting position: sit on the floor, keep your back straight; spread your straight legs to the sides as far as the stretch allows. Place your hands on the floor behind your back, keep your back straight.
Execution: bend over to each leg in turn. Turn both shoulders forward and bend over with your straight arms (stretch the back of the thigh).
When bending forward, place your hands on your feet, turned inward. It is important to stretch your chest towards the floor (this is how the inner thigh works).

5. Fold

Starting position: sit on the floor, straighten your legs in front of you, while pulling your feet towards you, keep your back straight, and raise your arms.
Execution: when bending over, try to reach forward with your hands without rounding your back (the back of your thigh will work).

6. Half split on the back

Starting position: lie on your back, stretch your arms along your body.
Execution: leaning on one leg, bend it while lifting the other.
When making a two-handed grab, try not to bend your knee. It is important not to turn the pelvis, keep the pelvic bones at the same level. Stretch the back of the thigh.

Of course, not everyone will be able to do the splits the first time; for some it may take a week or a month. But by regularly repeating these exercises, you will improve your stretching and strengthen your muscles:

If the splits are something more symbolic than yoga

For some, the splits are nothing more than a good stretch, healthy ligaments, or a yoga exercise. But for me, as someone who grew up watching the action films of Jackie Chan, Van Damme and Donnie Yen, this was something much more important and symbolic. Already in my student years, I reproached myself for the fact that in the seventh grade, when I went to hand-to-hand combat, I did not show due diligence to do the splits. And when I was 20 years old, it seemed that time had passed, that I was old and that it was not worth even trying to do the splits.

A miracle happened - immediately after university I went to study in China. This university has a very strong school of wushu, whose adherents regularly take first place in all-Chinese wushu competitions.

It’s one thing when you live in a world of walking office workers who don’t particularly care about stretching, but it’s a completely different thing when you find yourself in a training room where absolutely everyone, even children, does somersaults, flips and does splits. In such an environment, being the greenest, oldest and most non-technical student, you immediately begin to reach upward. This desire, as well as the advice of Wushu players, helped me do the cross splits in less than a year of training. I compiled their knowledge and my experience into a list of recommendations for those who want to do the splits.

How do the splits. Instructions from Chinese Wushu champions

Forget about deadlines. There are no “by the New Year” or “two months in advance”. Rushing to stretch will inevitably lead to injury.
Less heroism. Slow and systematic progress towards the goal for half an hour every day is better than rare, but impactful training for several hours at a time.
Get to know your body. Although we are all anatomically similar, each of us has our own characteristics: the structure of the hip joint, the elasticity of muscles and ligaments. For example, with varus deformity of the femoral neck, a person simply physically cannot do the cross splits. Therefore, if one method was suitable for your acrobat brother to do the splits, then it is far from a fact that the same method will be suitable for you. During training, you must independently determine your problem areas that do not allow you to do the splits. For example, I had no problems with the popliteal ligaments; they stretched well. But the ligaments at the thigh were like wood. So I paid more attention to them.
Drink more water. When you drink enough, connective tissue glides over your muscles, but when there is not enough water, fascia can stick to muscle fibers, reducing range of motion.
Start training gradually, gradually increasing the frequency of stretches. I started with one workout every two days and worked my way up to three workouts a day.
In the evenings, our joints and muscles become 20% more elastic, which reduces the risk of injury and allows us to achieve better results. You can do some dynamic stretching in the morning to relieve that stiff, stiff feeling after sleep, but don't try to do anything straight away when you wake up.
Before stretching, be sure to warm up your leg muscles: run, do air squats and regular warm-up exercises for 10-15 minutes. By stretching on a warm body, you reduce the risk of sprains.
Distribute the load. When you sit in a split, there is a temptation to squat closer to the floor at the expense of your knees. Remember: if your knees or back hurt while stretching, you are doing it wrong.
There are two types of splits: dynamic (when you swing your leg - a split in impact) and static (sitting on the floor). It happens that a person can swing his leg into a splits, but cannot sit on the floor in it. It also happens the other way around. These two types of twine complement each other, so they should be developed in parallel. Dynamic stretching must be completely controlled, without sudden, jerky movements, otherwise the swing may result in injury.
When you stretch, you the sock should be pulled towards you, and not from oneself (as in ballet).
When you are static, you do not completely freeze, but continue slight oscillatory movements - up and down, like a string - at a frequency that is convenient for you.
Figure out how to let your feet slide across the floor. These can be either socks on linoleum or shoes on the spit of a wushu player.
Be extremely careful when third parties offer to “help” you. No one but you can know the current state of your ligaments. The coach is not a psychic. I’ve already heard so many stories about a coach who “accidentally” tore someone’s ligaments. As for me, all these paired stretches with the help of a partner have one goal - to make the process more interactive and complex. By and large, you don’t need anything to do the splits except your legs and the floor.
Relax. Stretching is an unnatural activity for the body. When stretched beyond its normal range, the muscles automatically contract to prevent injury. Learn to relax and breathe evenly while stretching - this will help you deepen your splits faster.
Stretch every day. Unlike strength training, which requires rest and recovery afterward, stretching does not require such breaks. To do the splits faster, stretch every day, seven days a week.
Use a hot shower. After a hot shower, your ligaments will be more pliable for stretching.
Use a timer. Sitting on the splits set a stopwatch in front of you. Start small, like 30 seconds, and gradually increase the time. These measurements will also help you feel more clearly about your progress. Instead of a timer, you can use your favorite music, in which you are guided either by the words or by the beginning of the chorus.
Sign up for some section where splits are valued. For example, acrobatics, yoga, breakdancing or martial arts. It doesn’t matter whether you know how to do the splits or are just working in this direction. Man is a social being, so any “public” training, especially in a circle of like-minded people, will morally support you and provide additional motivation.

Each person may have his own favorite and more effective ways to stretch: someone will sit in a “butterfly”, and someone will swing their legs more - that’s why I didn’t describe any exercises here, you probably know them. And if not, then you know where to find them.

The most important thing is to remember that with due persistence, people do the splits both at 30 and 40 years old, the main thing is to believe in yourself. When, several months later, I finally managed to do my cross split, our main wushu player smiled at me and said: “功夫不负有心人,” which means “if you work hard, you will definitely achieve success.”