Welcome to Splits this Summer, a challenge to work towards the splits this season, in support of your dance & athletic training goals!
This video mini-series will demonstrate a variety of stretching shapes to adapt your condition and mood, encouragement and accountability to practice most days and achieve improved flexibility, performance, and comfort.
It may seem a far-off dream or even impossible to achieve “full” splits, but with a regular judicious practice you will see results soon!
SPLITS this Season
Dance and yoga classes have been hot and sweaty recently, it must be summer! It is a great season for strength and mobility gains, and to build a consistent stretching habit to support your athletic and artistic goals and feel good.
I still vividly remember the moment I first got my 2nd/middle split and could “roll through!” Though not unusually stiff, I am also not naturally extremely flexible in all ways. Hypermobile in some joints and movements, yes, but for other I’ve had to work on with dedication over extended periods (and repeatedly, starting over again when I’ve dropped off).
At that young age, it felt like an eternity of practicing, discomfort, repetition that led up to the achievement, but wow, that feeling of elation and freedom that came when I finally attained my goal!
As a teaching artist and adult mover now, I experience different seasons in my own mobility depending on current demands, stress and injury, energy and wellness. Sometimes I “have” my splits, right, left, and center. Other times not.
In myself personally, I notice when I keep a regular maintenance mobility routine (stretching, strengthening and physical therapy, yoga), I feel and perform much better, but it must go beyond teaching the skills to others and into my own private practice.
But how does one develop such a training ritual to see improved movement and enjoyment of life?
SPLITS Video Playlist
This fun flexibility mini-series all about the Splits will be collected for easy reference along with supporting tutorials in the SPLITS this Season video playlist on YouTube.
Part 1 features supported lunges we can do from a standing position without getting down on the floor, with a stable bench or ballet ballet barre. Bonus 1b uses the same prop and a standing position to stretch for side/middle/2nd splits. Part 2 will flip the script and stretch from an inclined/inverted position, and Part 3 will bring low supported lunge-into-splits shapes.
Choose the type of stretch you’re up for and practice that consistently or switch it up depending on your needs and desires.
Go Bananas for the Splits Article
My Go Bananas for the Splits article describes how to leap like the monkey god Hanuman in Yoga Mythology and a review of the basics of stretching technique in greater detail.
Great to check out if you want more information about the classic splitting shape of Hanumanasana in yoga or “The Splits,” which becomes leaps like Grand Jete in Ballet dancing technique and others, in mythology, proper stretching practices, and performance.
Then, armed with information and resources to support your splendid splits this season, here we go!
SPLITS this Season Steps
Whether you want to learn to leap through the air with the greatest of ease, or just getting closer to the ground would please.
Follow 5 simple steps to soar into the splits this summer:
1. Get Cleared for Takeoff
Only incorporate a stretching regimen into your training as appropriate to your condition and in consultation with your physician/medical team. Check in with them, and yourself, regularly.
All stretches, shapes, and steps should be taken gently, at your (and your doctor’s) discretion and with appropriate modifications.
2. Warm Up the Engine
Practice while warm, most days, work up to holding at least 30 seconds/32 counts.
You might choose to stretch after walking, swimming, or another type of movement or sports. Or you can purposely warm up in order to prepare to stretch and dance, with exercises that get the heart rate up and all major muscle groups engaged.
Looking for warmup ideas? My Wonderful Warmers YouTube video playlist is full of them as is the article above and playlists below.
3. Fly with Care & Regularly
Perhaps the most critical to our success at “getting” the splits or achieving our desired level of flexibility, becoming more mobile, and increasing our access to beautiful dancing shapes:
Practicing on a regular basis!
We don’t have to do the splits for hours every day, but we’ll need to practice long enough and often enough to see progress.
How often?
Regularity is key. Every other day or most days is suggested, or even a bit every day if that helps you build up the habit. Keeping up a streak and not missing more than 2 days in a row is a good policy.
Gamify it, track and reward yourself!
How long?
There are a lot of schools of thought here when it comes to the how and for how long of splits. To start with, work up to holding at least 30 seconds or 32 “counts” of music or longer, then up to 1-2 minutes.
Do both/all sides. Repeat if you can.
Key is to find a position that affects the key muscle groups (uncomfy), but is not painful, then support it so you can stay long enough for your stretch reflex to relax and see a bit of “melt”/deepening into the shape.
4. Choose Your Route
That said, what’s your Splits practice favorite flavor?
Select from the differentiated menu in the SPLITS this Season video playlist with which to achieve your intended outcome. Stretch along or break free with your own music and movements to go along with it. Part of the creative process is trying out a variety of orientations/props/methods to suit your condition, day, mood.
5. Enjoy the Ride!
Continue making needed modifications so that you enjoy the experience of stretching while you are doing it (more difficult, but achievable with music and a playful growth mindset) as well as after when you are enjoying the benefits.
Stay to connected with why you want to improve your splits, start over when you fail, work with me online or in person or enlist friends to multiply the fun and accountability!
Playlists for More Mobility
Movement video and music playlists to inspire your splits and stretching practice:
- Wonderful Warmers is a dance and movement warmup playlist to to get the juices flowing
- Sumptuous Stretching is a playlist of videos to increase range in a variety of major joints and support your dance, training, and well-being aims
- Traveling Dancer Yoga – A Blythe Coach Mindful Movement is my new playlist focused on shapes and flows suitable to a variety of settings and situations
- Yogalicious – A Blythe Coach is a compilation of all of the free pose tutorials and practice sessions I’ve published on YouTube
- Balletlicious Ballet Conditioning & Cross Training contains exercises for before and between dance sessions, many of which are adaptable to travel
- Yogalicious Yummy Gentle Yoga is a music playlist to inspire mindful movement and contemplation
- Delectable Dance Conditioning is a music playlist I use for mindful movement, floor barre, and ballet conditioning
Questions for Reflection
- What are you training for?
- Which structures will you adopt to get your splits and/or greater functional flexibility?
- What movement challenges do you face?
- Which is your favorite version of a “splits” shape?
- How do you make your movement practices delicious?
Resources for Further Exploration
- Wonderful Warmers to Whet the Appetite article has many ways to get going
- Cool Downs to Cleanse the Palate article has practices to chill out whether temperatures or pressure have you hot
- The aforementioned Go Bananas for the Splits article describes how to leap like the monkey god Hanuman in Yoga Mythology and provides a more thorough review of the basics of stretching technique
- Yogalicious 5-day Re-TREAT walks you through simple daily shapes suitable to short stretches of time
Thank you for reading, for watching, for being, and for dancing with me, in spirit or in fact.
Take care of yourself, keep moving mindfully, and let me know how I can be of service!
Blythe Stephens, MFA & Bliss Catalyst
they/them or she/her
A Blythe Coach: ablythecoach.com @ablythecoach
helping multi-passionate creatives dance through difficulty
DISCLAIMER: A Blythe Coach recommends that you consult your physician regarding the applicability of any recommendations and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program. When participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself.