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Splitses it wants, it does.
Aug. 12th, 2012 10:33 pmI'll tell you about my splits-stretching routine I've settled on as a daily or near-daily thing. It seems to be working for me, but I'd still love to hear feedback on it; it combines bits and pieces I've learned from at least three teachers.
First, a bit of preliminary stretching and warming up. A particular new favorite is to go into a lunge with front thigh parallel to the floor, then straighten and bend the back leg 10x on each side. I might do some rocking back and forth between a low lunge and a little hamstring stretch, or I might not, but anyway I try not to procrastinate at this stage.
Then: splits with right leg forward, hands on the ground for support. Lean forward over the front leg for a count of five. Lean backward (as much as possible) over the back leg for a count of five. Come to the middle for a count of five, lighten the hand support, try to sink in.
Same thing on the left side.
Same thing on the right side, but this time a count of 10 each for forward, back, middle.
Then that on the left side.
Same thing on the right side, but this time a count of 15 each for forward, back, middle.
Then that on the left side.
These days I do all this, and the right side doesn't touch down (but the front calf does), and the left side DOES touch all the way down, if I'm not sore, during the last five seconds of the last set. I get tempted to do the right side just one more time, and I resist, not wanting to overstretch it like I so easily can.
It's kind of a lot of pain for five seconds of happiness, but I'm trying to remember my straddle work. How I used to touch my chin down at the very end of the very last set, and it made me so happy I kept doing the routine, and now I often touch it down at the end of the first set. I need to reach for a similar attitude now, with this.
First, a bit of preliminary stretching and warming up. A particular new favorite is to go into a lunge with front thigh parallel to the floor, then straighten and bend the back leg 10x on each side. I might do some rocking back and forth between a low lunge and a little hamstring stretch, or I might not, but anyway I try not to procrastinate at this stage.
Then: splits with right leg forward, hands on the ground for support. Lean forward over the front leg for a count of five. Lean backward (as much as possible) over the back leg for a count of five. Come to the middle for a count of five, lighten the hand support, try to sink in.
Same thing on the left side.
Same thing on the right side, but this time a count of 10 each for forward, back, middle.
Then that on the left side.
Same thing on the right side, but this time a count of 15 each for forward, back, middle.
Then that on the left side.
These days I do all this, and the right side doesn't touch down (but the front calf does), and the left side DOES touch all the way down, if I'm not sore, during the last five seconds of the last set. I get tempted to do the right side just one more time, and I resist, not wanting to overstretch it like I so easily can.
It's kind of a lot of pain for five seconds of happiness, but I'm trying to remember my straddle work. How I used to touch my chin down at the very end of the very last set, and it made me so happy I kept doing the routine, and now I often touch it down at the end of the first set. I need to reach for a similar attitude now, with this.
