WHY CAN'T I DO THE SPLITS?

Question

This is really starting to frustrate me.

I feel as if I can't do the splits no matter how much I stretch.

I stretch daily, after a warm shower, and hold for 15 seconds.

Sometimes I stretch and I don't feel anything. Other times I stretch and my knees hurt!!

What could I be doing wrong? I'm like two feet above the ground for side splits!

*serious answers only*

Answer 1

you should hold it for more than 15 seconds. my dance teacher says that u have to at least hold it a minute. another thing to help ur flexibility is to eat fish. also while doing ur rite splits, put ur rite leg on a low chair (maybe a foot or so off the ground) and go into ur splits. for ur left do the same except with ur left leg. then when ur doing ur rite splits, put ur back leg on the chair (the left leg) and do the splits. same with the left except put ur rite leg on it. for the middles pick and leg and go into ur middles and then switch legs. this over stretches u so it makes u more flexible and makes it easier to the regular splits.  

Answer 2

My friends say that to be able to do splits you have to pop your legs by stretching them out real far until they pop; they say it hurts a lot and that you have to do it really quick or else the pain will make you stop.

Answer 3

this is a really cool way to do the splits ok you have to have you legs so that you right leg goes out to the side and your foot is behind you but make sure your leg is bent at the knees and put you left leg in front of you but have it so that you left foot is in the same line as your left knee. Now you put your head on you rleft knee and hold for 5 seconds and then put your head on your foot then straighten your left leg and put your head on your knee and then go up into an almost split and keep your head on your knee and slowly addd more pressure on your groin are and then do it with your other leg and you will be doing the splits in no time  

Answer 4

do you have scoliosis? back problem?

if you don't know you should seriously get that checked out

Answer 5

its supposed to hurt when you stretch. bad!

basically what works the most for me is to just go into my splits, have someone push me down till it hurts and i feel a strong pull, and hold it for about 30 seconds, then have them push me down just a fraction more.

do this everyday and everyday go down just a little farther than the day before. dont be afraid of the pain because if u are youll never get your splits.

do this and stretch BEFORE!! this excercise so you dont pull anything!

soon youll have your splits!

Answer 6

i feel you, i just can't get those last few inches

i'll try hard if you do!

Answer 7

15 seconds won't cut it I usually hold middle and both side splits for 2 minutes each and i hold gruesome stretch for 8 counts then hold for 8 counts then develope which helps. Also in class do the middle splits against a wall and have a friend push you towards the wall until it hurts (in a stretching like way, not OMG I THINK I TORE A MUSCLE way), then hold that for about 2 minutes.

don't push yourself too hard, you don't want to hurt yourself.

Answer 8

Well... add 5 seconds every day. It might take months for you to finally get your splits. Here's how it works... If you try to stretch a muscle farther than it wants to go it starts to hurt, thus you need to stretch even more, this is why you add 5 seconds each day so your muscles are always working.

Here are some things you can do to stretch out those muscles... 1. Lay flat on your back. 2. Pull each leg up toward your face keeping your hips square and your knee that's not going toward you face facing the ceiling. 3. Hold for 30 seconds... then repeat on the opposite leg.

HOPE THIS HELPS!

Answer 9

Try holding it longer. I was always told that in order for a stretch to do you any good in the long run you need to hold it for at least 30 seconds. Also make sure when your stretching your doing more then just the splits. I have knee problems and when I went for physical therapy I was told that it was because some of my muscles are under developed while others are over developed. The only way you can fix that is by doing other stretches that stretch other muscles.

Don't be bummed out, just keep working at it. When I was younger I was massively flexible, to a scary point. Then when I was about seven for no reason I couldn't even touch my toes. It wasn't until I was about fifteen and started stretching more that I gained that flexibility back.

Answer 10

If you really want to be able to do your splits, you ahave to hold it much longer than 15 seconds. I have to same problem, I'm not flexible at all. Today I stretched and held each one for 3 minutes, and then repeated it four or five times.

Make sure that when you're doing your splits, you push down as far as you can. Don't hold yourself up to where you can't feel it really stretching, because that's not going to do anything for you. Try putting your arms up and seeing if you slide down at all. If you do, don't push yourself back up, hold it at that position. That's where you get the best stretch.