Readers Respond: Top Tips for Getting Your Splits

Responses: 52

By Amy Van Deusen, About.com Guide

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From the article: How to Do a Split

Tell us what helps you with your split. Give Your Advice

It is gonna hurt at first but, you can do it! And after you stand back up after doing a spit it just feels so good knowing that you finally did and that you succeeded and what you wanted.
—Guest Fawn

if anyone is having trouble with this believe in yourselves. im an irish step dancer and a lot if people could do splits and get their clicks past their head. Now I can do both. believe in yourself
—Guest Irish Dancer

If you try to do something while you are practicing your splits, it calms you down and the pain isn't as bad. I was reading while practicing my splits and I could hold them for a lot longer than I usually can!
—Guest corianna :)

I just started dance this year and I haven't really been practicing my splits. now I am, and I feel like I'm pretty close! this girl in my dance class has been taking dance for seven years, and had barely done her splits. It's shows that you have to stretch and train yourself to accomplish things!
—Guest brianna

About 2 months ago, I could do the splits, now I can't. If you can do the splits then keep doing them so you can still do them whenever you want!
—Guest Me

For anyone who wants to learn to do centre splits. first, you can practice by putting your legs pointing forward. Day by day, slowly increase the space that your legs go.approx. after a month or so, you'll learn how to do it.
—Guest Lilyberry67

I've started doing these exercises (and a few extras) for 30 minutes morning, afternoon, and dinner. It's certainly painful to push at first, but it's getting easier and certainly with center splits I can already see progress with just a week. Many thanks to the author and gymnast for putting this article together.
—Guest Derek

I never was a cheerleader but I fell in love with fleaxability and how people can do all sort of things to their body, so in my 7th grade I pratice and pratice. I would stretch only at night and listen to music, because thats' when I felt comfortable and determine. About 2 weeks I learn how to do a front split. Now i am 18 years old still learning how to do cheerleading stunts and learning how to do a straddle split I am not there but I have a little left. I pratice my straddle split about 6 in the morning, 11:30 and then 6pm, and sometimes about 9:00pm I do about 15-30 mintues of pratice. I can do a scorpio, bow and arrow and a heel stretch. My best advice I can anybody is determination, if you are determine to learn how to do a split in 3 weeks or less you need to be really dedicating. And I am trying out on a college level cheerleading next spring. ---guest believe
—Guest Believe in yourself

This helped me do a split right away but I'm a cheerleader so I needed to know thanks for helping
—Guest haley

Hello. I was about 2 inches off the ground for my left split and I did this, in 3 weeks I got it. Week 1: Stretch for 30 minutes a day. Do 15 in the morning (before school, work, etc..) and 15 mins at night before bed. DO NOT SLACK OFF! Week 2: Now you will be stretching for 45 mins a day. Once again do 15 mins in the morning and before bed but also add 15 mins right after lunch or when you get home from school, work, etc... If you can not do a fter lunch leave at least 2 hourse in between sessions. Week 3: You will be stretching for 1 hour a day. Stretch in the morning, after lunch, at night, and before dinner. (If you eat about 6:30 maybe 6) Once again if this is not possible leave 2 hours inbetween sessions. Do not miss a day or else it will not work. I did this and I got my splits. I hope I helped!
—Christian.Dancer6

I've been doing gymnastics since I was three years old. I could do the splits easily then. Until I was 10 years old and my family could'nt afford to go to gymnastics. I stopped practicing and lost alot of my flexibility. I started again at 14 years old. I was a completely horrible at gymnastics! On the first day I wasn't even near doing the splits either way. I was alteast 10 inches off the floor. I practiced and practiced for 5-10 minutes trying to do the splits. After about two in a half weeks, I MASTERED the splits. It's hard.. but practice makes perfect! When I started, I was barely flexible. Now I'm 15 and I'm on level 5. It was hard, but my passion for gymnastics kept on telling me "Practice makes perfect!". I hold my splits (either way) for 30 seconds, then shake it off, then I go a little further. And that is the routine that will help. Good luck
—Guest Daniella

I am a dancer so I do not have a mat at home however I just used two sofa cushion and it worked just as well!!!
—Guest Momo

Okay from my experience, I think splits are hard at first but, when you will get used to it and thenyou will say, “Wow, since when did I become a pro at this, splits were hard for me and now it is a peice of cake!”. I was a cheerleader, I use to do it ALL the time in 2nd grade. Now that im in 7th grade it is a litte challening...but dont EVER give up on on yourself, belive you can do it and you will succeed. Now I can do a cartwheel and land as a split...it sort of hurts but, i can get used to it.I hope this helps!!!! Now im going to practice my splits. Oh and stretch EVER TIME BEFORE YOU DO A SPLIT!!! That is very important! Bye-bye
—Guest monkey202

Me too when I started my ballet when I was 8 my splits were pretty hard .. I rather stay in the ballet room and practice splits than to go in the mall and eat many foods,but I assure you just practice everyday and don't forget to do your stretches and then one day you will realize it's not that hard to split... Trust me :))
—Guest Celine Ballerina

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Amy Van Deusen
Gymnastics Guide

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