*A few (very) important points for anyone trying to do the same:* 1. Your back needs to be straight while stretching the hamstrings, otherwise you are not stretching the entire hamstring or worse put excess load on the ligaments. The same goes for your front split. Try to keep your back as straight as possible and rest your hands on yoga blocks. This way you actually sink down rather than push forward. 2. A wushu split is done differently to a split in ballet or even rythmic gymnastic. Your back knee should be almost to completly on the ground. This shifts the stretch more on the quads rather than the ligaments. Especially beginners think they stretch the hip flexors and perform potentially injuring excersises. 3. Try to not wobble during stretching. Ballistic stretching triggers the myotatic reflex. That reflex contracts as it tries to prevent over-stretching. Only (pre-)professional athlets know how to savely perform that stretch. Be sturdy and hold you stretch. 4. Instead do dynamic stretching like leg swings or high kicks. PNF (done correctly, which I can´t tell for sure in the video), dynamic, static, passiv and assisted stretching work the best. 5. Strengthen the opposing muscles to give you more support during a stretch. For middle splits focus on the gluteus maximus, minimus and medius, the IT band, piriformis and pectineus. Good exercises are pliés, sumo squats, developpés a la second, high kicks, dirty dogs (try to keep the leg straight), the clam and lifting the butt in a butterlfy stretch. Gabriel Varga has some good follow along videos for martial artits. You can also try animal flow exercises for legs. 6. You need to strengthen the muscles you stretch otherwise imbalance will appear over time. It does slow down your progress but prevents long term injuries. 7. Relax! Not only does stretching take time but you should actually feel relaxed during a stretch. A relaxed muscle can stretch further aka using a foamroller or a massage gun shortly beforehand makes stretching easier but be carefull to not over-stretch. 8. If you try to pull your knee towards your hip during a hamstring stretch, the quads tens up and the opposing muscle (the hamsting) will lengthen even further. Like your triceps lengthens then you tens up the biceps. 9. The more tired your muscles are the harderd it is to stretch. Doing some light cardio makes your muscles warm but not too tired. 10. Listen to your body. Havin a split in four weeks sounds cool but isn´t possible for everyone. Take the time you need, the rest will come. Good luck and ask a medical professional if issues should appear. RUclips is usefull but not the same as an actual counselling.
Awesome video
Much appreciated!
*A few (very) important points for anyone trying to do the same:*
1. Your back needs to be straight while stretching the hamstrings, otherwise you are not stretching the entire hamstring or worse put excess load on the ligaments. The same goes for your front split. Try to keep your back as straight as possible and rest your hands on yoga blocks. This way you actually sink down rather than push forward.
2. A wushu split is done differently to a split in ballet or even rythmic gymnastic. Your back knee should be almost to completly on the ground. This shifts the stretch more on the quads rather than the ligaments. Especially beginners think they stretch the hip flexors and perform potentially injuring excersises.
3. Try to not wobble during stretching. Ballistic stretching triggers the myotatic reflex. That reflex contracts as it tries to prevent over-stretching. Only (pre-)professional athlets know how to savely perform that stretch. Be sturdy and hold you stretch.
4. Instead do dynamic stretching like leg swings or high kicks. PNF (done correctly, which I can´t tell for sure in the video), dynamic, static, passiv and assisted stretching work the best.
5. Strengthen the opposing muscles to give you more support during a stretch. For middle splits focus on the gluteus maximus, minimus and medius, the IT band, piriformis and pectineus. Good exercises are pliés, sumo squats, developpés a la second, high kicks, dirty dogs (try to keep the leg straight), the clam and lifting the butt in a butterlfy stretch. Gabriel Varga has some good follow along videos for martial artits. You can also try animal flow exercises for legs.
6. You need to strengthen the muscles you stretch otherwise imbalance will appear over time. It does slow down your progress but prevents long term injuries.
7. Relax! Not only does stretching take time but you should actually feel relaxed during a stretch. A relaxed muscle can stretch further aka using a foamroller or a massage gun shortly beforehand makes stretching easier but be carefull to not over-stretch.
8. If you try to pull your knee towards your hip during a hamstring stretch, the quads tens up and the opposing muscle (the hamsting) will lengthen even further. Like your triceps lengthens then you tens up the biceps.
9. The more tired your muscles are the harderd it is to stretch. Doing some light cardio makes your muscles warm but not too tired.
10. Listen to your body. Havin a split in four weeks sounds cool but isn´t possible for everyone. Take the time you need, the rest will come.
Good luck and ask a medical professional if issues should appear. RUclips is usefull but not the same as an actual counselling.
Great points to add!!
This was so helpful!! I'm definitely going to do this now, thanks Mr. Dough
Glad it was helpful!
Looking good Sifu!
Also happy to see you went back to the old channel name of Sifu Dough, instead of cFu ❤
Appreciate it as always! Playing around with the names - seems like Sifu landed over cfu