- Do jumping jacks, lunges, squats, and a butterfly stretch to warm up. To avoid pain while doing the splits, take a hot shower before stretching.
- Perform stretches that open your hip flexor muscles and stretch your hamstrings, like the lizard pose, straddle stretch, side stretch, and lying hamstring stretch.
- Use a bolster and yoga blocks to ease into the splits. Practice doing the splits on top of the bolster, placing the yoga blocks on either side for support.
Preparing Yourself
Wear comfortable, flexible clothing. Put on clothes that have a lot of stretch so they move with your body while you do the splits. Yoga pants, biker shorts, athletic leggings, and gymnastic leotards are great options. If you don't own any of these, throw on normal sweatpants.
Get an exercise or yoga mat, yoga blocks, and a bolster. Find a clear space on the floor to lay out your yoga mat. Place your yoga blocks and bolster nearby for later use. If you don’t have yoga blocks, grab a couple pillows or use a balled-up blanket or towel.
Fill up a water bottle and keep it close by. Drink 7 fluid ounces (0.21 L) to 10 fluid ounces (0.30 L) of water for every 10 to 20 minutes of exercise. Staying hydrated is important for any type of physical activity, including doing the splits. Dehydration can cause muscle fatigue or cramping, reducing your ability to stretch your muscles to their full capacity.
Warming Up
Perform an overall body warm-up exercise. Spend about 5-10 minutes lightly jogging or doing jumping jacks to warm up your body and get your heart rate up. This will loosen your muscles and prepare them for a deeper stretch.
Lunge and squat to stretch your leg muscles. Different types of lunges and squats stretch different muscles in your legs, so choose one of the following exercises to match the specific split you want to achieve: For a middle split, do side lunges, wide squats, and deep pliés. For a front split, do jump lunges, reverse lunges, and traditional squats. For either split, do a squat sit by squatting down and pushing your elbows against your knees. EXPERT TIP Laila Ajani Laila Ajani Fitness Trainer Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 10 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES). Laila Ajani Laila Ajani Fitness Trainer For an easier lunge variation, try side lunges. Side lunges can be a good alternative if you struggle with regular lunges. Performing one will feel more like a stretch, as it stretches out the inner thighs but doesn't work the leg muscles as much as regular lunges.
Do a butterfly stretch to open your hip flexor muscles. Sit with your knees bent and out to the side so they form a “V.” Touch the soles of your feet together and place your hands on your feet. Bend over to bring your head as close to your feet as possible, and use your elbows to gently push your knees toward the floor. Stay in this position for at least 30 seconds. Make sure to stretch slowly to avoid injuring yourself. For a deeper stretch, push your elbows into your thighs while doing the butterfly stretch.
Stretching for the Splits
Stretch in a low lunge, or lizard pose. Lunge forward with your front knee bent in line with your toes, stretching your back leg behind you. Place your fingertips on the ground on either side of your front leg, then gently bring both hands to the inner side of your front foot and rest your hands on the floor. Take a few deep breaths and relax your muscles each time you exhale. The lizard pose is a yoga stretch designed to help open your hip muscles. If possible, rest your forearms on the floor, or bend your back leg and pull it toward you for a deeper stretch.
Perform a straddle stretch. Open your legs into a wide straddle position, with your knees and thighs pointed toward the ceiling. Keep your legs out and knees straight, then bend your upper body toward the ground. Breathe deeply and relax your muscles with each breath. Repeat this stretch 3-5 times, then roll back up until your back is straight and gently move to a butterfly position.
Try Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation or PNF. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation is a stretching technique that improves muscle elasticity. During PNF, muscle stretches last for a few seconds up to a few minutes in cycles. After each stretch, relax your muscles and then immediately re-stretch the same muscles more than you did before. Repeat this cycle until you can’t improve your flexibility. Lay on your back and pull one leg up toward your head, as far as you can go. Hold your leg with your hands for 20 seconds. Release your leg and relax your muscles for 20 seconds. Lift your leg back up pulling it a little further towards your head each time.
Do a lying hamstring stretch. Lay on your back and lift one leg up, keeping the other leg flat on the floor. Grab your ankle while lifting your leg, then gently pull your leg toward your face. Hold this position for 20 seconds. Pull your leg across your body and hold for another 20 seconds, then repeat on the other side. If you’re struggling to keep your leg straight, bend the leg on the ground. This exercise will stretch your hamstrings, which is key to getting the splits.
Do a side stretch. Place your front leg in a straddle position, and bend your back leg behind you. Lift your arms and reach over your front leg, stretching so your nose touches your knee. Hold this position for 20 seconds, then lean back onto your elbows and hold for another 20 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.
Stretch your leg against a wall. Place your dominant leg, or the leg that will be in front of you when you split, straight on a wall. Position your hands on both sides of your leg, then bend your arms 6 times to sink into a deeper stretch—it will look like you’re doing a pushup on the wall. Hold the bent position for at least 20 seconds and then repeat with the other leg. Leave about a foot of space between the wall and the foot you have on the floor for support. For a deeper stretch, turn your back to the wall and then lift your back leg on the wall. Keep both of your legs straight, and drop your hands to the floor. Stretch so your back leg pushes into the wall, almost like you’re doing the splits.
Doing the Split
Place a bolster in the middle of your mat with 2 yoga blocks on either side. Kneel behind the bolster, and place your hands on the yoga blocks for support. Place one foot down in front of the bolster with your back knee on the ground. Gently extend your front leg forward and slide your back leg behind, curling your toes as you go. Take 3-6 deep breaths and extend your legs farther with each breath. Repeat this process 3-5 times, alternating the leg in front.
Remove the bolster and try the split again. Once you stop feeling tension while using the bolster, try doing the splits without it. Position your body in a lunge with your hands on the floor on either side of your front leg. Slowly slide your front leg out into the split position, and lower your body down towards the ground. Hold this position for several seconds, and then relax down to your knees. Repeat this 3-5 times, trying to go a little lower down each time. If you feel pain, go back to using a bolster so you don’t pull a muscle.
Repeat the split exercises and stretches. Continue these exercises and stretches every day to achieve a split. Some people can achieve it in a day, but most need time to build up their flexibility. Take 20-30 minutes every day to stretch and practice your split to master this skill.
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