Side Splits Made Easy: Anatomy and Technique

[@Alainawhatsherface]

Wondered why this hurt regardless of being flexible 😭 Thank you!!

[@stevengower9489]

Is there a point where you need to rotate do get deeper or should you just in general? Is there a point (degree) 120, 150 etc where that point is where you need to rotate to create more space to get deeper?

[@theflexibilityguy]

It's in general, and the more you spread the more you have to do it!

[@MundoDesconhecido3]

Should I stretch every day or wait 48/36 hours? I had a lot of pain, they got wet, but the stiffness of the muscles still remains and it is very difficult to stretch like that. I have to do intense training, but my muscles are very stiff the next day. I stretch every day: in the morning, at night and with three sets of 1 minute stretches

[@Nepenthesis]

Internally rotating the femur forward helps me in pancake, but in side split it should be externally rotated upward? Confused. I've been stretching adductors for years, they're not tight, but this is what limits me. I can middle split one leg flat to the ground just fine but both is impossible in the hip/adductor/pelvis I don't know. 😭

[@theflexibilityguy]

Internal rotation relaxes the adductors compared to external rotation. Thus, when in a pancake it makes it easier for you to get into the stretch. But since in a side split your legs have to be spread 180 degrees, that kind of angle can be covered only by creating more space inside of the hip joint, which is something you can do by externally rotating your femurs. It's a tradeoff we all must accept 😂

[@Nepenthesis]

@@theflexibilityguy Thank you, makes sense!