30 Day Splits Training Challenge

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  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Hi ladies! I managed to stretch every day so far. I've also been incorporating L-sit and straddle leg lifts to try to lock in any extra flexibility I can manage to eek out in a forward fold and straddle. Plus it just hammers the abs. LOL
  • wezreeeee77
    wezreeeee77 Posts: 12 Member
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    Well done everyone so far!
    My phone decided only to save 5 minutes of the video of the stretches so you will all have to laugh at my heel stretch another day. Still VERY far away from the group. this is my Gazelle on the lyra and top-bar stage. Would love to get to top bar split and get that Gazelle goddamn straight by the end of this month

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  • DananaNanas
    DananaNanas Posts: 665 Member
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    @wezreeeee77 ok so I’m totally impressed. I would fall off one of those things immediately and you’re making it look pretty! I wish we had an aerial arts place closer to me
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    Day 1 of challenge completed. I didn’t manage to take any decent pictures though as it was 6am and my brain was non functional- and my hips weren’t being totally flexible this morning either. I have a heavy lifting session planned for tonight so I will run through the stretches again then and hopefully things will be looser.

    @wezreeeee77 - good looking gazelle - I am still stuck on bent knee version. Perhaps that could be a mini goal for me as well - straight leg gazelle!
  • wezreeeee77
    wezreeeee77 Posts: 12 Member
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    TiisTitanium wrote: »

    @wezreeeee77 - good looking gazelle - I am still stuck on bent knee version. Perhaps that could be a mini goal for me as well - straight leg gazelle!

    I think straight (well wonky in my case) is easier than bending your knee - have you tried going into it from Star in a bar? Then your legs are already in the right position

    Thanks @DananaNanas , Yesterday was the first time I went to practice and had to rig my own kit.. I checked like 3 times I'd done the knot right :D I just want to live somewhere with a high enough ceiling to have my own hoop
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    @wezreeeee77 - i have my own rig in my garden. I also live in a house with very high ceiling but i have been banned from installing it as apparently i have too much fitness gear in the house. Good tip re transitioning from star in the bar - that is one of my favourite poses

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    So did the split stretches again post work out. I am so far off the floor still :'( Middle in no good either. I just need to remember to be zen and patient. It might take me longer than most but one day I will get there

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  • DananaNanas
    DananaNanas Posts: 665 Member
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    @TiisTitanium that's so awesome! Just keep practicing, you'll get there :)
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    @TiisTitanium, I love the idea of using bands on your straddle! I'm going to have to try that. I also love that you have your own rig. I have no room outside for one, but I do have really high ceilings in our game room and we have a yoga hammock hanging. Sometimes I'll switch it out for silks, but I bought cheap fabric and it's way too stretchy.
  • wezreeeee77
    wezreeeee77 Posts: 12 Member
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    @TiisTitanium I HAVE MEGA RIG ENVY. If I had one I would blatantly just sit in it all the time with a martini being fancy


    Nice shoulder stand there on the lyra and look at that lovely arm-muscle definition on the trapeze! Whoop! if you can get your legs straight from there (on the lyra) you could try a transition into squirrel (like hip crusher but keep one hand on so not as bad)? I find it a good one for working on core stability. I've put a couple of shots in case you call them something different!

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  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    I didn't really stretch yesterday as I overslept and didn't make it to the gym. But I got in a really good stretching session after leg day today. I spent a good 20 minutes. I'm soooo close on my left split. My right one still has so far to go. I also got so much closer to a pancake today. I remember having to push myself up with my arms behind me just to achieve 90 deg two years ago. It's taken me so long to gain what flexibility I have, but I'm amazed to see how far I've come. When I look at it like I do my lifting and think of it as a lifelong practice I don't feel so rushed to achieve my goals, but to keep on working towards them a little each day and let it all add up in the long run.
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    That’s a great way to think about it @mom23mangos. It is definitely i life long endeavour.

    My progress is frustratingly slow but I am slowly making progress especially when I think how bad I was when I first started working on flexibility. I gave up doing ballet as a child as I didn’t think I was bendy enough and no one ever told me that the only way to improve was to do more. I just assumed it was something you had or didn’t have and it was fixed in place forever. Maybe I will never get to splits but I am just going to keep trying as it is fun to push limits.

    Day 3 of challenge complete and today will be another double up as my aerial class got cancelled last night so I am doing a make up class tonight. I am going to practice my straight leg gazelle as I have been inspired - plus it will be another good method to monitor progress.
  • xelsoo
    xelsoo Posts: 194 Member
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    I agree, thinking about it as a long term race lifts off the tension about having to be successful. It's been over a week and a half and I've missed two days of stretching due to unforeseen circumstances but I do try to make up for it stretching for longer the next day. I don't feel there's been much progress but I'll take pics in the two week mark.

    Figure #8 in the chart I found that rather than the outstretched leg, I was feeling the pain more in my opposite lats/lovehandle area which makes me wonder if my posture was off or if I'm really unflexible in that position. As for the pancake, that is by far the worst position for me and I've never been good at it so I'm doing that one everyday too in hopes of looking a bit more graceful.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    xelsoo wrote: »
    I agree, thinking about it as a long term race lifts off the tension about having to be successful. It's been over a week and a half and I've missed two days of stretching due to unforeseen circumstances but I do try to make up for it stretching for longer the next day. I don't feel there's been much progress but I'll take pics in the two week mark.

    Figure #8 in the chart I found that rather than the outstretched leg, I was feeling the pain more in my opposite lats/lovehandle area which makes me wonder if my posture was off or if I'm really unflexible in that position. As for the pancake, that is by far the worst position for me and I've never been good at it so I'm doing that one everyday too in hopes of looking a bit more graceful.

    #8 is a massive side stretch, so you should be feeling it in your lats. I love stretching that way because my lats are always tight.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    edited May 2018
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    i've been getting my side splits in the fabric, open up to the middle in my middle splits. i miss my classes this weekend for a half marathon
    going to look for a playground to work on knee and elbow hangs (after the race=heaven forbid i get an injury before the race)

    edit: i have issues with my flexibility as a increase my mileage
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    I didn't do the stretch routine today but I did a contortion class which was focused on splits. I did find it a little easier after a solid week of solid stretching.

    @wezreeeee77 - tried the gazelle from star on the bar. Sadly it was 50 shades of rubbish- but when i tried it it was a long time after all mt classes - i was just testing out the new set up of my rig so i was being timid rather than bold which i think makes all the difference.

    PIc of v bad gazelle below. At least i have something to measure imporvement from.
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  • wezreeeee77
    wezreeeee77 Posts: 12 Member
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    TiisTitanium wrote: »
    I didn't do the stretch routine today but I did a contortion class which was focused on splits. I did find it a little easier after a solid week of solid stretching.

    @wezreeeee77 - tried the gazelle from star on the bar. Sadly it was 50 shades of rubbish- but when i tried it it was a long time after all mt classes - i was just testing out the new set up of my rig so i was being timid rather than bold which i think makes all the difference.

    PIc of v bad gazelle below. At least i have something to measure imporvement from.
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    Hey Girl!

    That's not rubbish AT ALL! Good work! I think you are right that its at least 50% fear .. once you accept that you are not going to fall on your head it gets better instantly.

    I've not seen any advancement in my split in the stretches but DEFINITELY felt a difference on the lyra, been working on hip holds this week and finding it much less painful (though the bruises are still hilarious). Also finally managed to do a meathook on Friday but didn't get a pic.

    New thing is I want to work on handstands as well - against the wall is best to practice right? I have envy of all thereat ones at the studio...

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  • foxy8609
    foxy8609 Posts: 3 Member
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    I'll join! I need to stretch more since I run. My legs are always so tight.
  • xelsoo
    xelsoo Posts: 194 Member
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    Welcome @foxy8609 !!

    Today I meant to take progress pics but I had a mediocre workout and then stretching felt pretty much the same, I guess I was tired from yesterday's leg day. I don't feel there's much progress, I'm not sure if I should be pushing myself harder or have more patience as I'm pretty sore from the stretches. I'll take pics this week on a day I feel more elastic so you guys can check on my posture!

    @wezreeeee77 as a side challenge, I'm also trying to get my handstand! I'm pretty good doing a headstand by now, both with my arms around/supporting my head or with my arms out to the sides (like a handstand but with your head resting on the floor). I've read different techniques to achieving it, best two I like to practice are firstly against a wall and slowly detaching one leg, then the other and try to hold it.
    The second technique is starting in downward dog and practicing bending one leg, pushing it up and lifting the other one straight into the air. This way you're practicing the amount of force to actually get to the midway point and staying there.
    For both, it's very important to tuck your ribs and butt in, abs tight, looking at your hands and pointing toes. A very cool tip which I hadn't realized makes such a difference is lifting/pushing with your shoulders your body into the air, sort of consciously rotating them to the right position...if that makes sense.
  • TiisTitanium
    TiisTitanium Posts: 235 Member
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    Well done on the meathook @wezreeeee77 - that is an awesome achievement.

    I do a few handstand classes and we always do wall drills to help build up strength and correct body alignment. These are done facing the wall rather than kicking up then leaning on the wall (if that makes sense).

    I just had my first contortion class at circus school. I have done classes at my lyra/pole dancing studio and I used to do a splits class at a pilates studio before that. It is funny how you are basically doing the same stretches but the whole experience can be completely different. Tonight's class does makes the class at the pole/lyra studio seemreally rubbish though - but I knew that already, i just enjoy the company more than anything technical. On the positive despite my splits not being great, my bridge is awesome :)
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Had a really good stretching session after leg day today. Did some elevated forward folds with a 45lb plate to really stretch those hamstrings. Making progress with both sides, but right side is still WAY behind. Pancake is looking better too. I can't tell if my knees are coming up though or if that space is there because my hammies are so big.

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