How to Do the Splits: A Safe Plan for Beginners
You get your splits by stretching the muscles that stop you, a little at a time, on most days of the week. You don’t get them by sitting in a split and pushing down. Gymnasts build toward the position with lunges, hamstring stretches and supported splits on yoga blocks, after a warm-up, and they stop at a feeling of stretch rather than pain.
Contents
There are two splits to work on. In a front split one leg reaches forward and the other back; in a middle split, also called a side or straddle split, both legs open to the sides. Each is limited by different muscles, so each needs its own stretches. This plan covers both, how often to stretch, and what progress looks like.
The Splits at a Glance
| Split | What usually limits it | Stretches that help |
|---|---|---|
| Front split | Hamstrings of the front leg; hip flexors at the front of the back hip | Low lunge, half split, lying hamstring stretch, supported split on blocks |
| Middle split | Inner thighs (adductors) and hamstrings | Straddle sit, side lunge, straddle against a wall, supported middle split |
One front split, right or left, is often easier than the other. Stretch both sides; a gymnast needs both. For the positions themselves and why gymnastics asks for a full 180 degrees, see the three main types of splits in gymnastics.
Warm Up First
Stretch warm muscles. Five minutes of light movement that raises your heart rate, such as jogging in place, jumping jacks or skipping, followed by leg swings forward and back and side to side, is enough to start. Gymnasts usually stretch after their warm-up or at the end of practice.
Hold each stretch still. Bouncing in and out of a stretch, called ballistic stretching, uses momentum to push past a comfortable range, and the long-term gains from it were smaller than from still (static) stretches in the research below. Our guide to flexibility in gymnastics explains dynamic, static and PNF stretching in more detail.
Stretches for the Front Split
Low lunge
Step one foot forward into a lunge and lower the back knee onto a folded mat or towel. Keep the front knee over the ankle, square your hips to the front and tuck your tailbone slightly. You should feel the stretch at the front of the back hip. Hold, then switch legs.
Half split
From the low lunge, shift your hips back over the back knee and straighten the front leg, toes pointing up. Keep your back long and lean forward only as far as you can without rounding. This stretches the hamstrings of the front leg, usually the tightest part of a front split.
Lying hamstring stretch
Lie on your back and lift one straight leg, holding the back of the thigh or a strap around the foot. The floor supports your back, which makes this an easy stretch to hold still. Our beginner leg stretches show this and two more supported options.
Supported front split
Kneel in the lunge with a yoga block or a stack of books under each hand. Slide the front heel forward and let the back knee slide back, keeping the hips square, until you feel a strong but comfortable stretch. Rest your weight on the blocks. A cushion under the front hamstring or the hip lets you stay at that height without dropping further than you are ready for.
Stretches for the Middle Split
Straddle sit
Sit with your legs open wide, knees and toes pointing to the ceiling. Sit tall first; if your back rounds, sit on a folded towel. Then walk your hands forward with a flat back until you feel the inner thighs and hamstrings.
Side lunge
Stand with your feet wide, bend one knee and sit back over it, keeping the other leg straight with its toes up. Hands can rest on the floor or on blocks. The stretch is along the inside of the straight leg.
Straddle against a wall
Lie on your back with your seat close to a wall and your legs up it, then let them open into a straddle. Gravity does the work and your back stays supported, so it is a gentle stretch to finish a session with.
Supported middle split
Face the floor with your hands on blocks and slide your feet apart, keeping the knees and toes pointing forward or up, never letting them roll in. Stop where you can still hold the position with your legs, not just hang in it.
How Often to Stretch, and for How Long
Consistency matters more than long sessions. A review of 23 stretching studies by Thomas and colleagues (2018) found that the time spent stretching across the week, not the length of any one session, drove long-term gains in range of motion. The authors suggest static stretching at least five days a week. For each stretch, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends holding 10 to 30 seconds and repeating it two to four times, about 60 seconds in all.
| Part of the session | Time | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 5 minutes | Light movement, then leg swings |
| Front split stretches | About 6 minutes | Low lunge, half split and supported split, 30 seconds twice on each leg |
| Middle split stretches | About 4 minutes | Straddle sit, side lunge and supported middle split, 30 seconds twice |
| Finish | 1–2 minutes | Straddle against a wall |
That is under 20 minutes, five or six days a week. A sample, not a prescription: a coach may change it for a gymnast’s age, schedule and training load, and a gymnast already stretching at practice doesn’t need to repeat the whole session at home.
How long it takes
No study gives a number of days, and anyone promising the splits in a week is promising more than the research shows. How long it takes depends on where you start, your age and how regularly you stretch. Expect to notice change over weeks, and allow months for a full split if you are starting from far away. Stephen Aoki, a pediatric sports medicine orthopedist and team physician for University of Utah gymnastics, compares it to training for a marathon: you build up to the distance gradually instead of trying it on the first day.
Don’t Force It: Stretch, Not Pain
A stretch should feel like tension or mild discomfort in the muscle, never pain. Aoki warns that forcing someone into a split can tear soft tissue or injure joints, and that most training programs don’t start in the split position at all; they start with lunges, standing stretches and leg stretches on the back, with blocks for support.
- Stop if you feel sharp pain, pain in a joint, or numbness or tingling.
- Never let a coach, parent or friend push or sit on you to get lower.
- Pain that lasts after stretching is a reason to see a doctor or physical therapist.
Oversplits, splits past 180 degrees with a foot raised on a mat, are advanced training for gymnasts who already have full splits, and belong under a coach’s eye.
Splits in Gymnastics: Flexibility and Strength
Holding a split on the floor is only part of what gymnastics asks. A split leap needs the same range in the air, and a high leg hold needs the strength to lift and keep the leg there; coaches call this active flexibility. Once your passive split improves, short holds and leg lifts help you use it. Our guide to higher leg holds covers that next step.
Common Questions
How long does it take to get your splits?
There is no set time. It depends on your starting point, age and how regularly you stretch. Regular stretching most days of the week brings change over weeks; a full split from far away often takes months.
Can adults learn to do the splits?
Yes. The ACSM stretching guidance above is written for adults. If you start far from the floor, allow more time; the rules are the same at any age: warm up, stretch regularly and stop at pain.
Should I stretch every day?
Most days works well: the 2018 review suggests at least five days a week. Short daily sessions beat one long session a week.
Should I work on the front or middle split first?
Either, or both in the same session. The stretches overlap, and gymnasts need all three: right, left and middle.
Is it bad to force the splits?
Yes. Pushing past pain or being pushed down by someone else risks tearing muscles or injuring joints, and doesn’t make progress faster.
Final Takeaway
To do the splits, warm up, then stretch the muscles that hold you back: hamstrings and hip flexors for the front split, inner thighs and hamstrings for the middle split. Hold each stretch still for about 30 seconds, a couple of times, on at least five days a week.
Use blocks for support and stop at a stretch, not pain. Progress comes over weeks and months of regular practice, not from forcing the position.
Main Sources
- Thomas E, Bianco A, Paoli A, Palma A. The Relation Between Stretching Typology and Stretching Duration: The Effects on Range of Motion. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018
- American College of Sports Medicine position stand (Garber et al., 2011): quantity and quality of exercise, including flexibility
- University of Utah Health: Don’t Force the Splits (Stephen Aoki, MD)