Q&A for How to Do a Split

If you want to get better at splits, you've got to do more splits. You've got to spend the time doing it. Taking an extra 20-30 minutes per day to stretch and practice is what's going to help you get better.

Some people have naturally flexible bodies, if you want to get your splits like in a month or less, then practice every single day and hold each stretch for a minute or more. However, you can only achieve what's realistic, so if it takes you many more months, then so be it, but don't give up. There will some other move you can do that your friend can't, so it'll even up somewhere.

Stretch it daily. As you work on splits, slowly straighten your back leg a little bit with each exhalation. This is a slow process, so take your time with it.

You should feel discomfort, but not pain. Pushing yourself to a painful position risks an injury that could set you back months. If you feel joint pain, perform additional strength and flexibility exercises for that area. If you feel muscle pain, try again with more relaxed muscles or with a less severe split attempt.

Strech every day and practice by going down on pillows until you can reach the ground.

About 20 to 30 minutes a day.

Schedule rest days to give your muscles time to recover. If you're not flexible or out of shape, start by training three days a week (though you can exercise in other ways on other days). If you're used to flexible exercise already, you can stretch five or six days a week.

Keep practicing and keep stretching your hamstrings, without forcing the leg to straighten out. Have patience and the front leg will straighten with consistent hamstring stretching.

Discomfort is something that is completely bearable. It's honestly more of a nuisance than anything else. Pain is really a particularly intense type of discomfort. It makes you recoil from the thing that caused it and can be a sign of actual damage. As an example, being splashed with room temperature water would probably cause you discomfort, whereas being splashed with hot water would cause you pain.

Many people take a few weeks or months to overcome this final obstacle. Try asking an experienced gymnast, yogi, or ballet dancer to watch you and give advice. You may need to add additional stretches for your hip flexors, glutes, or other muscle groups. Never try to "bounce" down to the floor, which can cause severe injury.

It takes most people 6 to 18 months of stretching 3 to 5 times a week. Trying to push yourself too fast is a common mistake which leads to injury and major loss of progress.

It takes time to become more flexible. By stretching daily and practicing the splits, it will soon become easier over weeks to months, depending on your own level of flexibility.

Slowly ease into it. If you go too fast, then you might pull a muscle. Even though you stretch, you may not be stretching the muscles need for doing the splits. Try stretching out your groin every day, then go as far as you can go down, every day and night. You will get there!

Yes. It might be more challenging but if you stretch and do the exercises you can accomplish this goal.

Just slightly. If they pop a lot, you're pushing yourself to hard and could injure yourself.

It is about how much time you stretch in a day. If you want to do a full split, then you must stretch every day for about 20 minutes. This could take months before you can do a full split.

In this case, your right leg is your dominant leg, so it is naturally easier to split to the right. Just focus on stretching your left leg (but keep stretching the right as well), and it will eventually become easy to do both sides. You can lose one side if you don't keep stretching, especially when you grow, so be sure to stretch as often as possible.

That's fairly normal, yes. It's actually better that way, because you'll be much less likely to hurt yourself doing them if you warm up/stretch first.

You have done it once, thus your body will be sore. This is okay, keep stretching to relieve the soreness and improve flexibility.

Normally a front split, which is putting your dominant leg forward and your other leg back, is easier for beginners than a straddle split, where both legs are out like you’re on a horse.

It depends on what kind of muscles you have. Some people are more flexible than others.

Just keep practicing, you will get it. Try different stretches to stretch out your hamstrings and also thighs and soon you will get it. If you are not naturally flexible it could take longer but never give up!

Unless you're naturally flexible, that isn't possible. Even people who are naturally flexible will still warm up before doing the splits in order to prevent injury.

Yes, but it will take a lot longer than others doing it for 20 to 30 minutes a day.

Don't rush yourself to immediately drop down. After you've stretched completely, try going down to the floor slowly and maybe put on a timer, depending on your choice. Then, after a few days, time yourself again.

Yes! Just practice as much as possible (but don't push yourself too hard). Just about anyone can learn to do the splits with a little effort.

It totally depends on the person and how flexible they are, but just try to stretch as often as you can, and you will get there!

This is very normal. You just have to stretch more and practice daily. Slowly, it will start to be better and go straight. It might take a month or two, depending on your body. Just keep doing stretches and practice.

A mattress isn't a flat surface, so you aren't actually doing it straight (even though it looks like it). Keep doing stretches daily, and you'll be able to do it on the floor as well.

Keep stretching daily and you'll get it soon. Don't force it or push yourself too far as you could injure yourself.