Why are sidesplits(box splits) harder than front splits?

[PlasmaShock]

Why? Im getting front splits pretty decently but can't get any progress on my sidesplits.

[El-Guapo]

hi,
side splits are harder than front splits because people always walk forward and they dont walk side ways in their life.
By walking forward you are making your flexibility in forward splits.
So if people was walking side ways since life started, side splits would have been more easier.

thank you,
TKD 4ever

[nready]

TKD4ever is telling you to develop the muscles that help extension in that direction will help you stretch farther. Which I agree with him.

[Victoria]

hi,
side splits are harder than front splits because people always walk forward and they dont walk side ways in their life.
By walking forward you are making your flexibility in forward splits.
So if people was walking side ways since life started, side splits would have been more easier.

thank you,
TKD 4ever
This made me chuckle :D It's a good point though, and true. You need to work on the muscles involved in sidewards splits.

Out of curiosity, how long have you been practising the sidewards split? Maybe you just need to keep at it longer :)

[El-Guapo]

Hey people,
I dont want to see anyone of you waking sideways in public :D

[Victoria]

Hey people,
I dont want to see anyone of you waking sideways in public :D
Cheers for the hilarious image that'll no doubt be in my head all afternoon! :D

[onyomi]

I think women often find it to be the opposite, though. They need to be flexible sideways for having babies and...stuff.

[Yohan]

I think women often find it to be the opposite, though. They need to be flexible sideways for having babies and...stuff.

LoL

[El-Guapo]

I think women often find it to be the opposite, though. They need to be flexible sideways for having babies and...stuff.
hahahaha are you serious man? :D

[axelb]

I've been doing flexibility training for years, I can do front splits, but never been able to do side splits.

My flexibility side ways is good enough to get head kicks so I'm not going to eat into my other training time to develop that much further.

Women are more flexible because of their hormones which allow them to be flexible easier for childbirth.

[Su lin]

Oddly I find forward stretching far easier- I do have a problem with my hip. I really struggle with any sideways stretching.

I don't have children though,not sure that makes a difference or it's just my gammy hip and back :D

[Victoria]

Just because I have to be different... :D


I actually prefer sideways stretching. For some reason my knees don't like front ways, plus I find sideways easier.


I always thought sideways was, in general, easier for women than for men...

[axelb]

Just because I have to be different... :D


I actually prefer sideways stretching. For some reason my knees don't like front ways, plus I find sideways easier.


I always thought sideways was, in general, easier for women than for men...
all stretching is easier for women.

Sidestretch is a difficult one to do in general but women will be able to achieve a side split easier then a man.

I must be extra manly, as I am extra rubbish at the side splits.

[Victoria]

I must be extra manly, as I am extra rubbish at the side splits.
My housemate can't even sit up with his legs spread. He doesn't do MA but I've know men in MA to be just as unfortunate in the stretchy department :p

[axelb]

My housemate can't even sit up with his legs spread. He doesn't do MA but I've know men in MA to be just as unfortunate in the stretchy department :p

In my life of stretching my side splits have changed very little :( despite me doing loads of stretching! I know plenty of blokes who are in pain for anything more then a brisk walk :D

I've heard of people who have gone to sleep whilst stretching and awoken in much pain!

[Victoria]

I've heard of people who have gone to sleep whilst stretching and awoken in much pain!
:eek:


I wonder if they were any more stretchy than before though :D

[onyomi]

In my life of stretching my side splits have changed very little :( despite me doing loads of stretching! I know plenty of blokes who are in pain for anything more then a brisk walk :D

I've heard of people who have gone to sleep whilst stretching and awoken in much pain!

Have you tried the PNF stretching (where you tense your muscles hard for 20 seconds in a stretched position, relax, go deeper and repeat)? Although it's more strenuous, I find it's a good way to break through flexibility "plateaus."

[El-Guapo]

Have you tried the PNF stretching (where you tense your muscles hard for 20 seconds in a stretched position, relax, go deeper and repeat)? Although it's more strenuous, I find it's a good way to break through flexibility "plateaus."
How many reps/mins do you think will be enough each day?

[onyomi]

How many reps/mins do you think will be enough each day?

It's really all about how much you can handle without getting too sore. A little sore is to be expected and don't worry about taking a day off to recover, but if you're so sore you're tight for days after your routine, then you're going too hard.

That being said, you might try contracting and relaxing/sinking 3 to 5 times as one set and then do 3 to 5 sets per day. Hold the tension in stretched position for 10 to 20 second before sinking deeper and relaxing for several seconds. And actually, since you don't need to do it every day, you could even say you should do it 3 to 5 days a week. Of course, you can and should continue to do some static stretching. This is just a supplementary practice to break through plateaus.

[axelb]

Have you tried the PNF stretching (where you tense your muscles hard for 20 seconds in a stretched position, relax, go deeper and repeat)? Although it's more strenuous, I find it's a good way to break through flexibility "plateaus."

yup, I've tried that one, a few years ago I concentrated on my stretching whilst I couldn't do any hand work, and that worked wonders for my front stretch, side stretch there was some improvement, but it was very minimal, over a year I went from about 6 inches off the ground in side splits to just under 5, whereas my hamstrings were so flexibile it went from being able to put my foot on someones shoulder the same height as me, to being able to get my foot 2 or so inches from my forehead.

This is certainly the best way to go about stretching.

[cloystreng]

That isn't necessarilly true. It isnt for me, side splits are easier than front ones. I dont know why.

[nready]

Have you tried the PNF stretching (where you tense your muscles hard for 20 seconds in a stretched position, relax, go deeper and repeat)? Although it's more strenuous, I find it's a good way to break through flexibility "plateaus."That is what I do tense and release, thing.

That being said, you might try contracting and relaxing/sinking 3 to 5 times as one set and then do 3 to 5 sets per day. Hold the tension in stretched position for 10 to 20 second before sinking deeper and relaxing for several seconds. And actually, since you don't need to do it every day, you could even say you should do it 3 to 5 days a week. Of course, you can and should continue to do some static stretching. This is just a supplementary practice to break through plateaus.I use to do this everyday. What I noticed that I would still have certain days where I could not stretch as far. Not sure to why it was maybe food, or stress or anger not sure. Also for some reason on the days that had extreme weather change always noticed a difference in my stretch. Like cold days would have to stretch more.

[axelb]

That isn't necessarilly true. It isnt for me, side splits are easier than front ones. I dont know why.
it's because you are a crab,

Its different for us humans.

[El-Guapo]

That isn't necessarilly true. It isnt for me, side splits are easier than front ones. I dont know why.
do you walk sideways in your life? ;)

[Fillythebish]

Its your hips that determine how easy the side splits are.

Some people have narrower hips which means the tendons are naturaly tighter.

The front splits go in front and behind the hips, where there is naturaly more room, and the tendons are longer.

I'm not saying anyone is wrong, the idea of walking helping front splits is true, but its the size and shape of the hips that causes the problem.

This also why women will find the side splits (and the front splits) easier, because they have wider hips for child birth, and the tendons must be loose for child birth also.

[kombatmaster777]

I have been stretching for 2 years and I have started to get
more serious about the side splits and have been doing
front splits on stairs with no hands supporting my body.

What I do is that I make my legs go in opposite directions
until I reach my limit where I have to put my hands on the
floor to support my body. I try to slowly lower myself and
find that after my limit my butt starts to stick out making
going any lower counter productive.

i have done a lot of other stretches, but they are just
warmups for me and I want to find a way to break
my side split limit.

Any suggestions?

P.S.- I don't care about hip size or genetics. All I care
about is that it is possible and that means that
I can do it too.

thanks for replying

-kombat

[Arnoo]

second what Fillythebish said side splits have a lot to do with your hip structure