Box splits or side splits

[Andrew Graham]

Hi guys

 

I was working on my side splits the other day and i found that as i let my legs slide laterally away from my midline, the lower i got, my pelvis started to anteriorly tilt with the movement...I can almost get to the floor but only with my torso slightly leaning forwards!...is this correct?? Or should i retrain the movement with my pelvis posteriorly tilted and work the stretch from that position??

 

Thanks

[Jon Douglas]

I can't picture this precisely, but be wary of the difference between splits and a very wide straddle

[Andrew Graham]

No no not straddle, just normal splits.

 

I start by standing up straight and then lower myself to the floor by making my feet go out to the sides trying to loand on the floor in the splits. when my midline is about a foot away from the floor my hip anteriorly tilts and i start to fall forward prompting me to put my hands out in front to support the weight coming down. However, if i lower myself slowly hangin on to something above me like a rubber band just to keep the balance as i go down, i reach a point where i stop much earlier than if i did it the previous way.

 

so my question was: Should i concentrate on maintaining a posterior pelvic tilt all the way down??

[Keilani Gutierrez]

preferably yes, to make a distinction between side splits and straddle, like charm said. if your head is pointing in the same direction as your toes( eg. head towards the ceiling and toes up, it is a straddle. if your toes point forward and your head is towards the ceiling its a side split.)

[Keilani Gutierrez]

preferably yes, to make a distinction between side splits and straddle, like charm said. if your head is pointing in the same direction as your toes( eg. head towards the ceiling and toes up, it is a straddle. if your toes point forward and your head is towards the ceiling its a side split.)

[Jon Douglas]

Not necessarily K. A split is a split; i do my oversplits always with toss pointing forwards.

Someone else will probably get to the OP question before me as Im out and about and can't try it to visualise it exactly, but if not I will get back to this later

[Jon Douglas]

Toes* dammit Samsung keypad..

[Andrew Graham]

The reason i ask is because if it supposed to be posteriorly tilted then i have a tight groin i must address before progressing any further, possibly by doing some butterfly stretches or summin.

[Keilani Gutierrez]

I was specific of the toe position for purposes of visualization to be able to distinguish the two, not a staple position per se

[David McManamon]

What are you training this for?  Ideally you could transition from front/box/front without your hips leaving the floor.  Developing joint mobility will allow you more options for entering/exiting a position rather than just developing flexibility in one line.  Similarly you should train starting in a forward fold sitting on the floor and fanning your legs to the side through middle split to lying stomach on the floor and back to forward fold.  

If you just want middle split get into it the easiest way for you, if you want useful flexibility then you want more options for entering/exiting a position so train the way that is hardest for you more than the way that is easiest.

[Andrew Graham]

THanks for your reply

 

that is the way i'm training it, it is part of my mobility program, i'm not just training splits...i want to be able to do front/box/front like you said!

 

That would be awesome when that day comes

 

cheers