Frontal Splits Tutorial.
The frontal split is perhaps one of the deepest hamstring stretches of all. Every hamstring stretch helps to prepare you for this pose. It’s also good to practice this pose by itself since it’s very powerful.
Remember, with your full body way hovering over your hamstrings is very easy to push you far here, so please be careful and follow my guides closely so you stay safe.
Let’s start together on our knees. Extend your right leg forward and flex the toes out in front of you on the mat. Very slowly and carefully, slide your right foot forward until you feel some resistance.
Now, once you start to feel a stretch in your hamstring you need to get your fingertips firmly planted into the floor or else on top of the block. We use our hands for support to control the weight and the pressure on our hamstrings so it’s never too much.
You want to feel a strong stretch but no pain. You should be able to breath deeply and comfortably in and out through the nose the entire time and engage your quads to protect your hamstring.
Your hamstrings are actually a group of big muscles on the back of your legs and they loosen up quickly even as we’re practicing now. So, as you feel your hamstring is loosen just slide your heel a bit more forward and flex your toes and support yourself with your fingertips. Take at least 20 breathes here before switching sides.
To come out carefully, slide your heels back towards you again support yourself with your hands and then we’ll switch sides. Extend your left leg out in front supporting yourself with your fingertips on the floor or on the block. Breathe deeply and comfortably without forcing your strength.
Now, as you feel more space in the back of your leg, gently use your left foot forward but continue to flex the left toes. The quads are opposing muscles to the hamstrings so when your quads are strong the hamstrings are able to relax and release even more. Again, take at least 20 deep breaths and then release.
It’s best if you do a minimum of three sets on each sides since it takes quite a while for your hamstrings to loosen up. Aside from your hamstrings the split also gives a big stretch to your elio so as muscles on the top of the back leg. So, if you feel sore there that’s perfectly normal.
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