Tight hamstrings and hip flexors are the main reasons why you can't do the splits.
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wash basin splitsis so much more than a cool salon trick. In fact, the ability to seamlessly slip into a split is an amazing featflexibilityInmobility, which is also why it is so difficult to perform the master move.
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So if you're wondering "why can't I do the splits?"Joanie Johnson, CPT,former professional dancer and founder ofStrong Mother Society, shares the top five reasons, plus strategies to get you started.
Today's video
If you: Cannot fully straighten your legs
You may: Have tight hips
Stiff hipscan prevent your splits. If your hips and hip flexors can't extend to their full range of motion, your splits will only go so far, says Johnson.
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Many people keep the tension in the muscles around the hips from getting too sedentary, she says. Similarly, muscle imbalances, weakness, overuse, and injuries are also common causes of inflexible hip flexors.
fix it
Johnson suggests performing targeted stretches such asdue has been postedand a kneeling hip flexor stretch to improve hip flexibility.
Also remember: "Flexibility comes with mobility," says Johnson. To be flexible, you have to move your muscles often - and through theirsfull freedom of movement—otherwise they'll get tight or weak, she explains. In addition to stretching, also addhip strengthening exercisesimprove mobility.
Duestilling
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Activity Scope
- Sit on the floor with one leg bent in front of you and the other leg extended behind you.
- Try to point both hips toward the floor.
- Rest your hands on your thighs, hips, or in front of you, then switch legs.
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Kneeling Heupflexor Stretch
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Activity Scope
- Start in a kneeling position with the left knee on the floor directly below the left hip and the right foot planted on the floor. Your right leg should be at a 90 degree angle.
- Without arching your lower back, tighten your core and push your tailbone by pushing your butt forward.
- Squeeze the glutes on your left side to increase and hold the stretch.
- Then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
If you: Can't stabilize your pelvis
You may: Have tight hamstrings
Tight hamstrings are another reason you can't do the splits. "Tight hamstringswill pull your pelvis out of its neutral position, often causing back pain and limiting mobility,” says Johnson. And this will affect your ability to reach your splits. If your pelvis is misaligned, your lower back will , knees and pelvic bones pulled, she explains.
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fix it
Try performing the simple stretches below daily to ease tightness in your hamstrings. Don't forget to also prioritize mobility.
"Just trying to stretch without focusing on mobility can lead to injury because the muscles aren't used to moving that way," says Johnson.
To loosen tight hamstrings, it's a good idea to do mobility exercises like leg swings, kicks, and squats (or even a little light cardio) to get the muscles moving and the blood flowing, she says.
Seated forward bend
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Activity Scope
- Sit up straight with your legs together. Activate your quadriceps (top of the thighs) to lengthen your hamstrings. You may have a slight bend in the knees.
- Bend forward from the waist and reach toward your shins, ankles, or toes while maintaining a long spine and straight legs.
Half knee split
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Activity Scope
- From a kneeling position, step one foot forward between your hands and extend the leg in front of you.
- Keep your hips square and stacked over your knee as you bend your front foot and begin to fold over your front leg.
- Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
If you: Have groin tightness
You can: Lack of flexibility in your inner thighs
"If people feel like they're 'pulling their groin' when doing splits, it's usually due to tightness ininside of the thighssays Johnson. “Your inner thighs, or adductors, run along the inside of your thigh and are responsible for contracting your legs and helping with hip flexion and extension.”
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So if your adductors aren't agile, your splits will suffer.
fix it
When it comes to flexibility, if you don't use it, you lose it. “Most of us tend to sit or stand in one position for too long during the day, which tightens everything up,” says Johnson. Your muscles - including your adductors - become like a very tight elastic band that doesn't give much.
To counter this, Johnson recommends doing thisbutterfly stroke. This three-in-one move relieves tension in the inner thighs, hips, and lower back.
And again, focus on mobility exercises. "If you increase your mobility and range of motion, you can increase your stretch more easily," says Johnson.
Stretch butterfly
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Activity Scope
- Sit up straight with the soles of your feet together and bend your knees to the sides.
- Hold your feet with your hands as you pull your heels toward you.
- Without jumping, bend forward while keeping your back straight.
If you: Can't sit comfortably on the floor
You may have tension in your pelvic floor
"Ofpelvic floor musclesThey line the entire pelvic bowl and are made up of five layers of connective tissue,” says Johnson. Tightness in this area can seriously impair your flexibility and mobility, especially since all the muscles in your pelvic floor, core, and lower body are interconnected.
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Often, pelvic floor tension affects the muscles around the hips and adductors, which we already know play a role in your ability to do proper splits, says Johnson.
fix it
"Keeping your pelvic floor relaxed as you do your splits releases excess tension in those areas," says Johnson.
Pelvic floor relaxation exercise
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Activity Scope
- Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and your knees bent to the side.
- Place both hands behind your head and practice fully expanding your lower abdomen.
If you: Have tight hip flexors
You may: Have a stiff lower back
A sneaky reason why you can't handle the splits? Lack of mobility in yourlower back.
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But an inflexible lower back is usually a symptom of another problem that compensates for the tightness or weakness in a surrounding muscle, Johnson says. An unyielding back can also be a sign that you're not breathing properly, she adds.
fix it
“There are exercises you can dostretch your lower back, but it's more important to get to the root of the problem," says Johnson.
For example,stram iliopsoas(hip flexors) is a common culprit for a stiff back. If your hip flexors are too tight, they can cause lordosis -- an excessive inward curvature of your lower back, says Johnson. To relieve a stiff back, you may first have to struggle with your hip flexors. (Try stretching the kneeling hip flexor above.)
Likewise, many back pains can result from not breathing diaphragtically. "When you're a chest-breather, you're breathing more shallowly, which results in tightening and shortening of your back muscles," says Johnson. So to practicedeep breaththroughout the day can help loosen up your back muscles.
"Once you feel the difference between breathing with your chest and your abdomen (diaphragm), slowly work your way up to standing and see if you can maintain the same abdominal breathing," says Johnson.
Diaphragmatic breathing
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Activity Scope
- Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach.
- Concentrate on feeling your belly rise with each inhale and sink with each exhale.
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