Exercises for active flexibility?

[Newguy]

Just wanted to start A topic on this, what I mainly want to know is exercises for active straddle flexibility instead of passive flexibility as I can nearly to full middle splits but for training the manna & planche I need more active flexibility to progress faster.

Just really any exercises that have to do with active NOT passive flexibility.

Thanks!

[Joshua Naterman]

Well, depending on how you train your splits they COULD be an active flexibility exercise. You have to actively try and spread your legs the whole time. No resisting gravity at all, in fact you should be trying to pull yourself INTO gravity. You will probably need to have a chair or something in front of you so that you can adjust your weight. Trying to do full BW that way might just be too much for you to be able to avoid resisting gravity, and if you resist then you aren't working active flexibility.

Another way to work splits active flexibility is to lie down on your back, point your legs at the ceiling so your body makes an L shape, and then straddle as widely as you can. Try to do sets of 20s pulling as wide as you can! This will be an excellent start.

I hope other people weigh in here, I don't know that much about increasing active flexibility. I'm still in the middle of teaching myself this skill.

[Tarun Suri]

Hang from a bar and then try to do the splits.

[Jason Stein]

Coach Sommer has written an entry elsewhere on the Power Splits, which are pretty dang active.

[Guest Ido Portal]

Actually, Jason, it is a loaded passive exercise - you use gravity to get into the position and muscle force to get out of it. Active flexibility is using muscle effort to get into the position as well. A better alternative is using an elastic bands between the feet and working the splitting motion in headstand or even while jumping. There are many other means for this. Also, one should first identify if the problem lies more in a lack of flexibility of the agonists (in which case the loaded passive work can help) or in the strength of the antagonists. (In which case active flexibility work should be emphesized)

Ido.

[Newguy]

Thanks Guys,

Slizzardman Honestly I have just been doing my splits without resisting gravity but not helping it either & having my hands there to make sure I don't get to uncomfortable.... Odang looks like I have been doing it all wrong. will start working with gravity tomorrow.

Havoc I actually figured out this exercise awhile ago, but it is nice to know that it works

And Ido Thanks for clearing up the confusion on the definition of active flexibility & also I will have practice HS/Wsplits

The newguy

[Joshua Naterman]

Actually, Jason, it is a loaded passive exercise - you use gravity to get into the position and muscle force to get out of it. Active flexibility is using muscle effort to get into the position as well. A better alternative is using an elastic bands between the feet and working the splitting motion in headstand or even while jumping. There are many other means for this. Also, one should first identify if the problem lies more in a lack of flexibility of the agonists (in which case the loaded passive work can help) or in the strength of the antagonists. (In which case active flexibility work should be emphesized)

Ido.

Excellent!

[Jason Stein]

Ido,

Thank you for the correction and clarification.

best,

jason

[Mats Trane]

This is what I do

[Cole Dano]

This is what I do

That is a good sequence!