Stretch Machine?

So I've been following the middle split course and I'm make pretty good progress. I finally can sit in straddle comfortably on the floor. Sometimes I try to sit in straddle while watching tv or working on my laptop to get some extra mobility work in. I saw this piece of equipment on Amazon and I was thinking about using it to lock my legs in place while I work/watch tv. Does something like this only improve passive flexibility or would it also help improve active flexibility?

I have no experience with these, but I can't imagine how it could do anything other than passive flexibility.  May even increase risk of injury if passive flexibility range is not controlled w/ usable flexibility.  I would not do this myself.  

Passive only, unless you can maybe strap your legs in and pull them open under resistance?

Don't know of anyone flexible who isn't actively promoting a stretch machine who uses one; no experience to say whether they work but certainly aren't necessary

1 hour ago, Jon Douglas said:

Passive only, unless you can maybe strap your legs in and pull them open under resistance?

Don't know of anyone flexible who isn't actively promoting a stretch machine who uses one; no experience to say whether they work but certainly aren't necessary

Actually I think it might be able to be modified to do just that. It works by you pulling with your arms on the middle piece to spread your legs out but I guess if you strapped it to your legs with velcro straps maybe you could use your legs to pull you into pancake?It's only $60 so I might give it a try. I just wanted something that would help me with my flexibility while I work since I'm a developer/designer and I spend 90% of my time reading or on a computer. Thus if I have to spend that much time stationary I want to find as many ways as possible to keep my body loose while still being able to do my work.

I have one and I like it. It's definitely for passive flexibility, not active. It's actually a pretty handy device and I use it quite a bit. 

I used a machine similar to this

as a supplementary tool to gain full middle splits in 10 months.

It found that I got the most out of it by doing stretch/relax cycles. Just sitting there passively just made me sore with little gain in mobility. By actively flexing the muscles and relaxing them, I built proprioceptive familiarity in a stretched out range.

That's what it felt like anyways.

I broke the machine thouǥh, once I got close to full splits, and the load on the machine got too big. Doing hard contractions broke the back support.

When buying training equipment, buy nice or buy twice. Sturdyness pays for itself.

Hi Guys my experience:

-use the machine only if you have already build up muscles with foundations (or other exercises) and a bit of stretch series.

-use this device without proper muscles bases ONLY if you had an injury to the groin so that the position can be gradually managed and held with no gravity.

I've known a few martial artists who use similar machines (Bruce Lee did) with variable results, but they are doing serious active stretching to improve kicking as well.

Remember that your body tends to refuse new range of motion if you cannot control it with your muscles.

Yes I would be using this as a supplement to the stretch series/ foundations. Since I spend pretty much most of my day in front of a computer I'd like do something productive for my body. Unfortunately sitting straddle with my legs on the wall and my back on the floor isn't conducive to programming or design work lol.