Parents Splits

[Ex member]

Both of my dd's have been practicing their splits during the Christmas break, neither dd can do the splits (youngest dd did have her left leg splits down but lost them after giving up cheer leading, both of my dd's have been using cushions to do their splits over and they hold the split position for a least a minuet, I tell them to make sure that belly button is facing forward and that neither leg is twisted in any way. Youngest dd has now got her left leg splits to the floor again.

Is what they have been doing ok or should they be doing it a different way? I don't want to do anything that causes more harm then good.

 

[wsg13]

Sounds good any practise is good practise! Try doing partner stretchers or over stretch I always think that it helps a lot more than just sitting in splits.

 

[iwannacoach]

Do you call yourself tiny dancer because you have some dance background? Try to figure out how they can stretch the different muscles that need to give way to make the splits work. You can private message me if you need ideas.

 

[Aussie_coach]

It is important to make sure they warm up before they stretch. Jumping on the trampoline or doing star and tuck jumps on the sport for a few minutes first will do the trick.

If they start practicing the splits without this warm up they won't be able to stretch to their full capacity, so their flexibility won't increase. Also there is a greater risk of injury. After a warm bath or shower is also a better time to stretch.

Do a general all over body stretch before going into splits, as well as some pre splits stretches like lunges and quad stretches. This is important to loosen the muscles first before doing the splits.

I would do 2 minutes each leg and then repeat all legs for another 2 minutes. If they are not naturally flexible they will need to hold their splits longer to increase their flexibility.

 

[Ex member]

Do you call yourself tiny dancer because you have some dance background? Try to figure out how they can stretch the different muscles that need to give way to make the splits work. You can private message me if you need ideas.

No dancing background, get the name from my oldest dd who started off dancing at around 4 and was the size of 1 year old. Thanks for the offer of help it is appreciated.

 

[Ex member]

It is important to make sure they warm up before they stretch. Jumping on the trampoline or doing star and tuck jumps on the sport for a few minutes first will do the trick.

If they start practicing the splits without this warm up they won't be able to stretch to their full capacity, so their flexibility won't increase. Also there is a greater risk of injury. After a warm bath or shower is also a better time to stretch.

Do a general all over body stretch before going into splits, as well as some pre splits stretches like lunges and quad stretches. This is important to loosen, the muscles first before doing the splits.

I would do 2 minutes each leg and then repeat all legs for another 2 minutes. If they are not naturally flexible they will need to hold their splits longer to increase their flexibility.

Both dd's are doing the splits along with other conditioning exercises and have only been doing it for a few days and holding the splits for 1 minuet was recommended on the conditioning form, I can increase it to more than 1 minuet, my youngest dd held her splits for 1 minuet and 22 seconds. In terms of flexibility my youngest is the most flexible one and my oldest is not and needs a lot of work to build her flexibility up.

The conditioning exercises that were given to do over the Christmas shutdown are:

Skipping - to warm up
Holding front support - start at 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Dish and Arch raises in a controlled way - for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Triceps Dips using a chair - for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Squats - for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
The Plank - hold for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Japana (Pancake) Swim Through - 5 times, my dd's like to do more of this one
Bridge hold for 10 seconds - do this 3 times
Right and Left Splits - Hold for 1 minuet
Box Splits - Hold for 1 minuet (both dd's struggle with this one, youngest is better at it than older dd, would you recommend doing this one against a wall or sofa? At the moment both dd's are using cushions and laying forward like in pancake and holding it.

 

[Jenny]

sounds like they are working really hard. I would stick to the list you have been given. They will soon see lots of progress.

 

[Jen H.]

Minute

 

[CoachTodd]

You might want to add some sprints before the splits but after they've stretched. Flexibility is best worked when hot.
One method I found very effective is to get into the split (once warmed up) and instead of just holding it, scissor the legs into the floor for 5 secs then relax and let the split slide down. Stay relaxed for 10 sec then squeeze again for 5 secs. You'd be surprised at how quickly the splits slide themselves down.

 

[iwannacoach]

The conditioning exercises that were given to do over the Christmas shutdown are:

Skipping - to warm up
Holding front support - start at 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Dish and Arch raises in a controlled way - for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Triceps Dips using a chair - for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Squats - for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
The Plank - hold for 30 seconds building to 1 minuet
Japana (Pancake) Swim Through - 5 times, my dd's like to do more of this one
Bridge hold for 10 seconds - do this 3 times
Right and Left Splits - Hold for 1 minuet
Box Splits - Hold for 1 minuet (both dd's struggle with this one, youngest is better at it than older dd, would you recommend doing this one against a wall or sofa? At the moment both dd's are using cushions and laying forward like in pancake and holding it.

Looks like a pretty good way of making some progress away from the gym...... as long as the kids are willing to go along with it.

 

[Ex member]

Looks like a pretty good way of making some progress away from the gym...... as long as the kids are willing to go along with it.

We were given a booklet with the conditioning exercises in them and was recommended to do them at least 3 times a week during the Christmas break (they go back in 3 days), we have to sign the booklet and add any comments (I guess how dd found the exercises, if she wanted to do all of them or some of them). The booklet was given to oldest dd and youngest dd joined in with the exercises as well even though she wasn't required to do any.

 

[Ex member]

Oldest Dd went back to the gym last night (and youngest too) and the coach said that she could tell that dd had been doing her conditioning during the break as she has showing some improvement, we now have been asked to continue with this conditioning at home twice a week between classes.

 

[Ex member]

My youngest dd has come up with a way that helps her with the splits (all 3) and she thinks is fun as well.

Dd does some light warm ups and jumping around before doing her pike stretch and straddle stretches (she stretches to the left, right and then holds a pancake), after she does this she does her widest straddle she can and then leans into a pancake before doing what she calls a swim through from that position sweaping her legs round ending up laying on her tummy with her legs together. Another favourite of hers is to do her widest straddle (close to box splits) and then shift round so she is doing her left leg split and then doing it again for her right leg split, doing this every day for just under a week as helped her a lot and she is almost flat on her left side, around 1 inch away on her right and 1-2 inches away on her box splits.