We’ve all seen those videos on YouTube of those super flexible people who can do the splits and felt that little pang of jealousy. Because on the one hand, it doesn’t look so hard to do, but on the other hand, you might also be worried about the pain it might cause you.
However, there are techniques that you can use to make yourself better at doing the splits. But this will all depend on how long you’ve been stretching and over what period.
There are several things that impact your flexibility, some of which you might not have thought about until now.
So how long will it take you to be able to do the splits? What things do you have to consider before you even attempt to do the splits? Does diet play a factor in all of this?
Well, we have all the information that you need to make sure you are fully prepared to do the splits. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get reading.
How Long Will It Take Me To Do The Splits?
Well, unfortunately, we don’t have any concrete answer for you. There are websites and dubious instructors out there that will claim they can get you doing the splits in no time at all.
If someone says they can get you doing the splits in less than a month, then you should be very wary.
The last thing you’ll want to do is force it and give yourself a nasty injury. 30 days might not have you doing the splits fully, but you will certainly see some progress during that time.
In truth, it will probably take months of regular stretching to get your muscles elongated and prepared enough to the point where they can stretch to this degree.
You’ll have to make sure that your hip flexors, hamstrings, and other smaller muscles in your legs are flexible enough to do the stretches.
There are many determining factors that will decide whether you are able to stretch yourself to the appropriate degree. Here are a few of them.
Things You Need To Consider Before Doing The Splits
The fact is like any form of exercise, getting your body to the best level of flexibility, it will take months of constant stretching and gradual gains before you can get there. Don’t be impatient – if you are consistent, then you will get there.
Ask yourself some of these questions before you embark on your stretching journey:
- What is my base level of flexibility? – You should test to see how far you can stretch currently without pushing yourself beyond what you are capable of. Are you only able to get 20 inches from the ground or can you get closer?
- How often do I stretch? – If you stretch often, then the chances of your achieving the splits without injury are a lot higher.
- Am I Stretching Properly? – warming up is a huge part of getting proper stretches and will avoid you injuring yourself in the long run. You should also make sure that you are maintaining proper form and that you are taking some days to rest and recuperate.
- How old am I? – It should go without saying that it is much easier to do the splits if you are 25 than if you are 45. So, you will have to modify your stretches accordingly.
- Do I Have Any Previous Injuries? – You have to make sure that doing the splits won’t aggravate any of these old injuries and whether in fact doing the splits is worth it at all.
There are a few other questions that you could ask yourself, such as do you have hypermobile joints and how active your lifestyle is in general. But let’s move on to how you measure progress when you are doing the splits.
How Can You Measure Progress Doing The Splits?
If you are committing to stretching every day, then you will start to notice some improvement within 4 – 6 weeks. You can measure your progress in a variety of different ways:
- Can you stretch further? – This is going to be the most obvious indicator. If you can get lower to the floor than you could a few weeks ago, then this is a sign of obvious improvement.
- Are you comfortable in your stretches? – At the beginning of your stretching, you’ll be far more uncomfortable and find it hard to hold the stretch. As time goes on and your stretching improves, you’ll be able to hold these positions for longer.
- Are you feeling stronger? – Again, holding a stretch for longer will be the result of increased strength. You should feel a lot more robust when you are stretching and be able to hold each pose for minutes rather than seconds.
- How sore do you feel afterward? – At first during your stretching, you will feel sore the next day. However, the more that you stretch and the deeper that you stretch, the quicker this recovery time will be.
Those are just some of the key signs that your stretching is improving.
Conclusion
Hopefully, we have given you a better idea of how quickly you should notice improvements in your stretching and how easy the splits will be to achieve after a few months. Consistency is important here, keep persevering with it, and do not push yourself too hard.
I created this website to help newcomers to yoga and enthusiasts alike, and to share our common passions for yoga.
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