how to get your splits

When I first started pole dancing four years ago, I couldn’t do the splits. Over the four years I tried everything in vain to try and force my way into the splits – even buying one of those expensive martial arts machines. Instead of a split I ended up with a chronic sore knee that hurt unbearably at night.

I’ve learned over time that the best way to stretch for the splits is to minimise the amount of pain and discomfort and choose stretches that 1) stretch all parts of the leg, not just the inner thighs and 2) feel relaxing for the body. Below are the set of stretches I came up with which helped me achieve a reasonably good left AND right split within about 2 months. I say “reasonably” because some purists will want to rightly argue that a proper split is one where both hips are square – but let’s face it – even getting down to the ground is a huge achievement in itself and will allow you to incorporate many of the more demanding moves in pole which require a nice line. So if you are curious to read on about what stretches I do, here are my tips for practicing the splits.

1. Be gentle
This is perhaps the most important tip to avoid injury when practicing the splits. Never push yourself to the point of agony – it will make it harder for your body to learn to enjoy the sensation of being in a split. The stretches should feel like a stretch – not an agonising strain. You don’t need to hold the stretches forever – just a minute per stretch for each leg is plenty. Also be very, very careful when coming out of the split – a sudden jerk reaction can pull a muscle and push back your progress for months.

2. Breathe
Some people advocate holding a stretch for more than 10 minutes but for me it is always more effective to breathe deeply for a full minute and then release the stretch. Breathing teaches your body to relax and enjoy the stretch – rather than teaching it to hold a strain for what feels like an eternity.

3. Be consistent
A little bit of stretching each day goes a long way to achieving your splits, rather than a big session once a week. When I first started practicing my stretches I did them every morning and night for about 15 minutes each session. 

4. Be inventive
The stretches I use work well for me but you may easily come up with other ideas for stretches. The idea is to stretch every part of your leg and body that feels tight or restrictive, including ankles, heels, knees, and butt muscles. All of these muscles work together when you are doing a split, so it pays off to stretch all of them.

5. Use simple props and vices
I use simple props when warming up for the splits like a wall, a chair, and a cardboard box.  You can experiment with props you have around the house like the edge of a bed. Also applying ointments like Vicks Vapour rub can help to relax the leg muscles – just don’t apply too much in your inner thighs or you will end up with a burning sensation!

Now for the stretches!

1. Basic warm ups
Before you begin stretching the splits, do some basic warm up stretches for about 5 minutes. Basic warm ups I do include downward dog, walking downward dog and leaning forward over my toes, with my hands reaching to the ground. I also bend one knee and reach over with my hand to hold the opposite leg. I hold each stretch for about 15-20 seconds while breathing deeply.

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2. Touching toes
These exercises are really good for stretching the back of your legs. Stand on the edge of a low ledge and reach down slowly to touch your toes, while keeping your legs straight. As you develop more flexibility, try and reach past your toes. Hold this for about 20 seconds while breathing deeply.

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3. Heel and ankle stretch
Sit on a mat and bend one knee towards you. Use your opposite hand or elbow to apply gentle pressure on the outside of your knee. You should feel a stretch behind your ankles. Hold for 1 minute and breathe deeply. Repeat on the other side.

Then point your toes and apply gentle pressure to the front of your ankle. Hold for about 20 seconds while breathing deeply. Repeat on the other side.

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4. Front of thighs
Place your knee right up against a wall, and make a 90 degree angle with your other leg. Push your hips forward while keeping your back against the wall. You will feel the stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold for 1 minute and breathe deeply. Repeat on the other side.

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5. Calf stretch
Sit on a mat, place one leg forward, and while keeping it straight, bend your body over your leg. As you develop more flexibility, aim to get your elbows on the mat on either side of your leg. Hold for 1 minute while breathing deeply and repeat on the other side.

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6. Wall stretch
Place one foot against the wall, lean forwards and balance your hands on the floor or against a chair, and aim to get your other leg up against the wall as high as it will go. Then gently push your hips towards the wall by pushing against the floor or the chair (eventually you will be able to get your hips to touch the wall). If the stretch in your standing leg is too intense, alternate between lifting your toes and heels off the floor to relieve the pressure. If you are using a chair, you may need to hold it out a bit further to get your back leg straight on the wall. Using a chair also helps to develop back flexibility. If you want to practice an oversplit, bring your standing foot away from the wall. Hold this stretch for 1 minute and breathe deeply. Repeat on the other leg.

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7. Hip stretch
Place one foot on a low rise box and bring your arm behind you to hold your opposite ankle. Then push your hips and chest forwards. It may feel wobbly so you can use a chair to steady yourself. As you develop flexibility you can place your front foot on a taller box or a chair. Hold this for 20 seconds and breath deeply. Repeat on the other leg.

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8. Butt stretch
Sit on the mat with one leg in a 90 degree angle in front of you and other leg straight behind. If your hips don’t touch the ground you can place a soft cushion under your hips. Then reach up and use your hands to really push away from the wall – you will feel a deep stretch in your butt muscles. Hold for 1 minute and breathe deeply. Repeat on other side.

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9. Inner thigh stretch
Place one leg on a chair and gradually reach down until you can get your hands on the ground, while keeping your standing leg straight. You can use the chair leg to pull yourself closer to the ground. Hold for 1 minute and breathe deeply. Repeat on the other leg.

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Once you’ve completed your set of stretches it’s time to practice getting into your splits. Use your hands to gently guide you down into a split position (or as far as you can go) and hold for no more than 1 minute per leg, while breathing deeply. Don’t bounce or use any sudden jerk movements. Then gently come out of your splits and repeat on the other leg. Then repeat any of the stretching exercises or reward yourself with some leisurely freestyle stretches while lying on your back – remember – the more you can reinforce the splits with positive and relaxing sensations the more your body will respond to the stretching exercises. Be kind and gentle to your body and you will definitely see a big improvement in no time!