Vertical frog form check

Hey guys 

I’ve been doing my middle splits training for over a year now so would like a form check of my vertical frog as progress feels  slow to non existent with this 

my right leg bent feels easier/looser than my left as you may be able to see from the pics below but wanted to make sure my form is ok here 

i actively pull my bent knee back whilst maintaining as upright torso as possible as i believe is correct but still feel I need to be elevated on the block 

any help greatly appreciated

leigh 

Hey there @Leigh Kettle

The solution here is to elevate the blocks higher so that you can widen your bent leg as far as you can. As close to being in line wh your other leg as possible.

The position you are in, when shooting these photos is closer to a Cossack Squat than a true vertical frog.

Making that adjustment may set you back initially but it will allow you to stretch he muscles intended.

@Mikey Cunanan are you saying that it should almost be a straight line between the bent leg and the straight leg? If that's the case then I might have to use 3-4 blocks lol. I am no where close to having a straight line.

It’s not necessary to have your legs form a perfect straight line. Just as close as possible. I suggest playing around with different heights to see which height feels right.

Thanks mike nice one will have a play about with this then 

leigh 

I'm perplexed by this one. Even if I kept my hips up high enough that my knee is only 90 degrees, it's not even close to being in line. My hip/inner thigh is just too tight to turn my knee out that much. Or even close. 

So, I'm thinking I need more of the full frog pose perhaps? More hip openers like swivel hips?

I tried this last night as elevated as I could and I like Jennifer really struggle to get in a straight line - it just felt kinda weird being up that high and I couldn’t focus on getting any kind of Decent stretch 

that said weirdly my actual middle split and pancake  is really developing well . I am now able to sit on the floor in a straddle without rounding  like mr round from roundtown roundsville..... 

leigh 

3 hours ago, Leigh Kettle said:

mr round from roundtown roundsville..... 

Hmmmm... this name tells me something... yeah! Last time I heard of him, he was in Round (country) located on roundplanet (planets can't get in straddle btw!) back when I couldn't hold straight too

@Jennifer Marie @Leigh Kettle

It seems I failed to state that bringing your bent leg wider is a gradual process. That being said, try finding a happy medium where you only feel moderate level of discomfort 

Its not necessary to open the hip all at once. This happens over the span of many, many months  

Of course Mikey! Like all of GB, it's a gradual process. I should've thought of that, and widening that angle is definitely a longer term goal. I don't have the worst pancake in the gym, but I'm pretty close, and that just won't do!

On January 25, 2018 at 7:26 PM, Mikey Cunanan said:

@Jennifer Marie @Leigh Kettle

It seems I failed to state that bringing your bent leg wider is a gradual process. That being said, try finding a happy medium where you only feel moderate level of discomfort 

Its not necessary to open the hip all at once. This happens over the span of many, many months  

@Mikey Cunanan I actually tried this today (i.e. elevated myself to try and move the bent knee outwards) and it was really difficult. I was easily 2 ft off the ground, but when I got into frog I went maybe 2-3 inches lower than before. So there is definitely something there. So it now makes sense. Thanks very much for that cue.

On 2018-01-17 at 4:12 PM, Mikey Cunanan said:

Hey there @Leigh Kettle

The solution here is to elevate the blocks higher so that you can widen your bent leg as far as you can. As close to being in line wh your other leg as possible.

The position you are in, when shooting these photos is closer to a Cossack Squat than a true vertical frog.

Making that adjustment may set you back initially but it will allow you to stretch he muscles intended.

This feedback has been incredibly helpful for me! My form currently looks like yours, Leigh, and we have been as this about the same amount of time. I’ll elevate. 

I’m really starting to realize the importance of form and feeling the correct stretch versus range (in poor form)  

@Chris Umiastowski I’m glad to have been able to help.

I often Time feel the same way whenever I discover or feel something new in a stretch. It’s quite a revalation.