online yoga forum

Hi all - I really want to learn to do the splits - are there any poses that could help me practise? Thanks!

You need to do hip opening poses to get flexibility. Try all lunges, upavistha (sit on floor legs apart and come forward into a forward bend), baddha konasana (sit on floor soles of feet together legs out to the side) and Janu sirasana.

Hi Michy - I did a great class last week which reminded me of your question here. The practice was Hatha vinyassa style with lots of standing variations within the vinyassa - great leg and hip openers (which you need to be able to do the splits). The great thing about vinyassa is that it warms up the muscles so that you can practise poses like the splits safely.

2 poses that I thought might be good to include in your practice were Ardha Chandrasana (crescent moon pose) arms above the head and Ashwa Sanchalanasana (equestrian pose) palms or fingers on the floor by the feet - both excellent for opening the hips and improving flexibility which you'll need to get into the splits.

I find this pose really hard too (I can't fully get into it), so what I do is to place a cushion or blanket underneath the pelvic floor to help avoid strain when I'm in the pose - it really helps.

__________________
Be the change you want to see in the world

When you're practising the splits make sure that you don't compromise the back leg. You can tell if you do this because the hips won't be aligned squarely to the front of the mat. Come up and rest on your back knee and hands till you have the flexibility in your hips and thighs for the pose. I really hurt myself once by pushing too far and straining my inside thigh - it took weeks to recover and even worse I couldn't do any yoga!