Triple bunny hop?(please help me)?

Question

i heard you say i a previous question that you are pretty flexible. After getting over the initial shock of you actually having a question b/c ur like skating answer jesus on the site, i wanted to know what stretches you do. im like 1 inch away from the floor on the splits that face left and right but im pretty pitiful on the one where you face forward. so i just need some stretches (urs or any) please help!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Psst:  for the person who asked, she's talking to triple bunny hop! That's a username of someone incredibly helpful in this forum. :)

Someone linked to this yesterday: check out Emma7639's youtube videos on what stretches she did to get her splits

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ptH1Dn49x-0

Answer 2

Morgan, you crack me up!  Thanks - I am flattered, but I only want to help others . . . I try.  

Well, it's all "relative" . . . I think I am flexible for an adult who started working on it as an adult - but I am no rubber band compared to all of you "young" ones here.  You're so close with only 1 inch away from the ground - so you're on your way!

I did overall body stretching, not just legs and back for skating - I believe that helped with my flexibility on the whole. The main muscle groups you need to work on for the splits are hip flexors, hamstrings, groin, and quadriceps.  But I personally didn't break it down like that - many of the stretches I did (too many to list - see links below) probably helped in getting the splits, among other things!    

In general, I warmed up by jogging in place to get my circulation going . . . then got in a major stretching routine from head to toe before doing any splits.  I did them in the morning before I skated, then after if I had chance.  I often used to skate in the morning AND evening - so I did the whole routine at night too (much more limber at that time).  It took me a year to do the front splits both ways - one leg front, one leg back. I can get in a straddle position to get my legs far out to the sides, but it's not a true side split (that's the harder one, but achievable).  It all sounds time consuming, but that's the way it is with achieving flexibility.  You just keep on working on it, repetitively.

Some split warm ups: butterflies, pikes, stretches with legs in V position, half split stretches lunges.

Mainly, my actual split routine was much like what "hj" described: going to my maximum lowest point and holding it there - but never to the point of pain (nor bouncing)!  I got out of the position and repeated it several times which got me a bit lower with each try, especially in the evening.  Once I actually got the splits, then I worked further by trying to put my head to my knees, or head to the floor (w/ side splits) or even doing splits along the side of a doorway (front leg up and then back leg up) - and oversplits by putting books under my foot (my gymnastics friend taught me that).  Same friend taught me to do side splits against the bottom of a couch and using the couch to pull me forward closer to get wider splits.  I was taught in class to sit and bring the legs forward and shake those muscles out after doing the splits (or any leg exercises).  And then cooling down after the whole stretching routine is done.          

I found this detailed guide on splits a while back - it's more than I can tell you here

Working Towards the Splits

http://www.yoga-age.com/articles/stretch...

Here are some other split stretch links with pics . . . I incorporated many similar stretches to my routine.

http://www.drillsandskills.com/stretchin...

http://www.body-fizzeek.co.uk/splits.htm

http://www.varsity.com/index.asp?article...

http://www.trickstutorials.com/index.php...

I also found these videos which I thought were interesting as it's easier to understand looking at the stretches than reading about them.  I pretty much did most of these stretches, but held the positions much longer than what you see on these videos.  

Want great splits? (Gymnastics stretches to improve flex)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVq9nL_tL...

Split Warm Up

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mrqy_un2xqs

How to Do the Splits: Fitness Tips

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/36580...

Learn how to do the splits (3)- stretching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnW03OuYO...

And don't forget to work on the STRENGTH part too, not just flexibility - that goes hand in hand with flexibility.  You need both for figure skating.    

Anyway, hope that helps a bit!  :)  Phew!  

Thanks to Skatin' too - you guys are too kind!  :)

Answer 3

go get a personal trainer they help alot

Answer 4

who are you talking to?

Answer 5

Practice twice a day. Morning and night, and remember to warm up first (you will be alot more flexible)

When you go into the splits, try to hold them as low as you can as long as you can. Another way to do them is to stand about a couple feet or less away from a wall, take one leg and place it on the wall in a splits position. This way you can use your weight to strech your splits further.

Practice biellmans, if you dont know what they are: Youtube them.

If it hurts too much ease up, and dont try something that difficult yet.