Bad flexibility doesn’t allow you to get into the splits? Devote just 5 minutes per day to this stretching routine to whip up your Banana Split in a couple of months.
1) Hamstring and Calf Stretch
- Put one of your legs in front of you. Slowly lean forward keeping both legs straight and toes of your front foot up.
- Try to move your torso as close to your knee as possible keeping your back straight. Make an inverted “V” position. Hold for 5 seconds.
- Continue with dynamic stretching by rolling from one foot to the other, stretching muscles on both of your legs. Keep your legs and back straight. Do 15 rolls.
- Pause and do 10 pulsing moves to one leg keeping your torso as low to your knee as possible. Pause 10 sec.
- From inverted “V” position bent your knees keeping your torso against your front leg with your feet on the floor. Do 10-12 reps.
- Pause and do another 10-12 reps but lifting the toes of your front leg.
- Pause and pulse for 10 sec, stretching your calves and hamstrings even more.
- Keeping inverted “V” position, move your arms a little bit forward, swing your back leg up perpendicular to the pole, putting your weight onto your front leg and arms.
- Do 10-12 swings. Pause and hold your back leg up for 5-10 sec.
- Change legs and do the whole complex on the other leg.
2) Kneeling Quad Stretch Into a Split
- Go into a high lunge position as deep as possible, with your right foot forward. Drop your left knee to the ground. Once you’ve found your balance, with your left arm reach back for your toes on your left foot.
- Pull them as close to your back as possible. Hold for 30 seconds and then pulse for 10-15 sec to stretch the quad even more.
- Slowly release your hold on your left foot and go into a split securing yourself with both hands.
- In a split position twist your torso to the right, hold for 5-10 seconds.
- Then go as far down as you can, hold for 20 sec. Stretch forward and backward to help relax your back on your upper body.
- Change legs and do the whole complex on the other leg.
3) Oversplit on the Chair
Once your splits are flat on the ground, start using something to stretch your oversplits. It can be a yoga block or a foam roller. As soon as your oversplits start getting easier, you may use larger objects like chairs, stools and couches.
- Put the chair a little bit further from the pole so you could do a good split.
- Kneel down with your back against the pole, gripping it with both hands over your head.
- Place one foot on the chair and straighten the other one behind you, doing into a split position.
- Slide your hands along the pole letting yourself go deeper into a split. Move your hands onto the floor.
- Securing yourself with both hands, lean your torso forward resting it for 20 seconds.
- Then bring your torso up, grab the pole and lean backward to help relax your back on your upper body.
- Take your foot off the chair and relax.