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Have you always wanted to increase your flexibility and do the splits? This guide will help teach you how to do front splits.
Trying to beat stress and physical wear and tear by following a few fitness trends? Trying to stay strong and flexible?
One good measure of physical fitness is the ability to perform a basic split. It denotes flexibility, muscle strength, and bone strength.
But how do you do it right? How can you do front splits without getting hurt in the process?
We’ve got you covered with this guide below. Read on to learn the basics and perform a front split safely and properly:
How to Do Front Splits
Doing a successful front split needs a high degree of flexibility in two specific body parts—legs and hips. It takes a lot of practice to develop this flexibility. You need to work at a slow and steady pace before you achieve a full front split.
Here are the steps on how to do front splits in a safe manner:
1. Sit Down On Both Knees
The front split starts by assuming this position. From here, you have an easier means of transitioning into the next front split stages. Make sure that your knees are about hip-width apart while your feet and shins are lying flat on the floor.
Take note, you should never try turning your legs in by force while in this position. If you do, you might end up getting some untoward injuries. As for the rest of your body, keep it upright and straight.
2. Extend One Leg Forward
To begin the actual front split, you need to extend one leg out directly at your front. You need to keep this leg as straight as you can. Avoid making it bend at all costs.
Put your foot and leg out, making it as straight as you’re able to. With this position, you will start sliding downwards. That will let you ease into the full front split position.
In this step, your rear leg should still be kneeling while your front leg should stay as straight as possible. For a good stretch, hold this position and try touching your nose to your straight knee. Do this instead of pressing down into your front split right away.
3. Lower Yourself into the Stretch
Use your body weight as a means of lowering yourself to the ground in a slow, gradual manner. This makes you move deeper into the front split position. Your legs will become straighter as your body sinks down.
That’s why it’s important to go down as far as you can without experiencing discomfort. Once you reach your limit, push yourself back up. That will return you to your starting position.
It’s important that both legs are flat against the ground with no bending in either knee. It’s okay if you can’t do a full front stretch and only go as far as you think you can. Either way, try holding the stretch for at least 30 seconds.
Always make sure that your hips are square since it’s the proper form. If you aren’t sure, turn to the side and check whether your non-dominant hip is going back along with your back leg. If it is, your hips aren’t square and you need to adjust.
4. Repeat the Stretch on the Other Leg
You need to keep your flexibility balance the same for both legs. That’s why it’s important to do the same stretch with your other leg. Do your starting position and start the motions once more.
The only difference is to put the other leg at your front. Try sitting down and do the full front stretch like the last time. Doing this will ensure that both legs will get the same practice and flexibility as you go on.
5. Keep Practicing for Maintenance
If you take some time off from stretching, you’re likely to lose some range of motion. For this reason, make it a point to practice your front split exercises on a regular basis. This helps to keep your motions easier and more comfortable, giving you more opportunities to learn more advanced splits.
How to Practice Your Splits Safely
There is a surprising number of people getting injured due to sports and recreation. Each year, the average is 8.6 million, with males taking up about 61% of the incidents. That’s why it’s important to practice safe exercises.
Here are some ways you can start your splits with safety in mind:
1. Talk with Your Doctor
This is a good idea whenever you’re thinking of trying new flexibility training programs. They’ll have the means of telling whether your health holds up when working on your flexibility. A talk with your doctor helps you keep safe while you strive to achieve a perfect front split.
2. Always Do Warm-Ups
If you jump into your exercises without doing warm-ups first, you risk getting injured more. Your body gets stressed when you push its flexibility to new limits. Your muscles might get torn if you don’t spend the time warming up.
The general rule is to spend at least 5 minutes for your warm-ups. If you do gentle stretches, your muscles become more suited for deeper movements. You can jog in place or do some jumping jacks to get your heart pumping a bit faster.
3. Make Slow, Gentle Moves
No matter what exercise routines you do, make some careful moves. If you move too fast, you will increase the risk of getting injured. That’s why it’s necessary to make your movements gentle when you’re trying out your front split exercises.
Don’t wiggle or bounce any type of stretch. Hold steady to prevent getting injured. Don’t force your motions and stop whenever you start feeling discomfort.
Do Your Front Splits Today!
When you do your exercises, you should never ignore the pain. It’s always an indicator that you’re pushing your body too much. If you continue doing front splits without tending to signs of pain or improper training, you will sustain a major injury.
This guide is a good starting point if you want to learn how to do a front split. But remember to learn flexibility training before you start.
But why stop here? We have other guides for you to discover. Here’s one post showcasing how to dress for your body type.
