When your dance teacher tells you to do the splits…PANIC. Learn how to do the splits.
Coming from a dancer who struggles with even touching her toes, you can imagine how I feel when Beckie tells me to try and do the splits. My heart drops, and I feel myself doing everything I can to go into the splits as slowlyyy as possible. The lower I get the more I’m thinking; will I be able to move from this position? How much longer do we have to stay in the splits for? Ouchhhh it hurrrrts. This runs through my head almost every time we get told to go into splits, but it’s all about trying and trying, stretching on repeat, further and further until you get there, and I am DETERMINED to do it!
I remember in one class specifically, Beckie asked us if we ACTUALLY want to learn to do the splits, my answer was yes! I had never been able to do them, but I just never knew where to start! She said it won’t happen straight away, you have to keep stretching again and again, the more you stretch the quicker you will get there, just keep stretching daily, and be PATIENT (something I don’t do well)!!
If you feel how I felt when you try to do the splits, in pain, frustrated, looking around the room for help haha, don’t worry, we have all been there…
So, to help you here is our step-by-step guide on how to change your split game:
1 Repetition
“How long will it take until I get there?” I asked 24/7 too. Just keep repeating the stretches multiple times a day, don’t be lazy, push yourself every day and it WILL happen!
2 Consistency
The hardest part of the game. Doing the splits is like losing ‘weight’. It takes TIME. It takes persistence, mental strength and a non-stop mindset! Get this part right, and you will be able to do the splits.
3 Progression
When you stretch in the evenings, push yourself slightly more each time. Progressively push yourself lower and lower each time and naturally, it will become easier.
4 Stretches!
Lunge (hip flexors) | bend over straight leg (hamstring) | lie on your stomach, bend one knee, foot to bum
There are lot of us who are impatient and if they can’t do it straight away they’ll give up, Trust me, I am one of those people! Just have patience and keep going!! If you find it difficult to hold yourself accountable for stretching then join our RNB Stretch class on Monday nights to get flexible in all areas of your body. We do stretching at the start of all our classes as well as adding it in to our routines – check out one here: PARTNER WORKSHOP
In all of our classes we do splits in our warmups to get everyone as flexible as possible – and to show off those party tricks!