Side splits expectations

Hi guys,

I'm pretty flexible regarding side splits but I've started the course to address some issues I carry over the years. First, when I do any kind of side splits my hips tend to turn out going to my heels pointing the feet up instead of forward. To achieve the 180 degree I have to go into pancake because if I have my torso straight upwards then I fall on my butt sitting on my buttocks instead of my inner thigts. I suppose that I have some kind of restriction, not flexible enough. This video is old but shows what I'm talking about.

And second, my narrow pancake needs a lot of improvement because for me the bigger the straddle the easier it is. I can easily do all the exercises in the course, even the one where you close your legs to your back in the pancake and then go forward again. So basically that's my expectations for this course, what do you think guys?

Hi Eloy, for the first point, do not worry, it is completely normal, in order to achieve the full middle split is necessary a full internal rotation, if you cannot stay upright probably you have a very reduction on lumbar spine extension.

as you close the legs together the pancake becomes hamstring dominant, and the front split course helps a lot here.

17 minutes ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Eloy, for the first point, do not worry, it is completely normal, in order to achieve the full middle split is necessary a full internal rotation, if you cannot stay upright probably you have a very reduction on lumbar spine extension.

as you close the legs together the pancake becomes hamstring dominant, and the front split course helps a lot here.

OK, my internal rotation is awful, the z sit is very uncomfortable for me. I do gymnastics and there is not much going on with internal rotation, everything is external. Do you know any additional stretch for this?

suggestions are useful only if contextualized on the people who need them, without seeing you in person I cannot say what it is necessary for you.