Yoga is a practice for everyone, not just a specific class in a physical fitness center. Yoga can help anyone relax, relieve stress, boost energy, and improve flexibility. Our yoga poses can always help improve our bodies and our minds. This post is a compilation of 5 yoga poses (some of which I have modified slightly to be more accessible). All of them have been directly pulled from my yoga practice in order to improve my flexibility and core strength. These poses will work for you regardless of your body type and your physical abilities.
The post isn’t about Yoga, but its titles a list of 5 yoga poses that can help you get into Straddle Splits. The post is a link to a video they found on YouTube.
The straddle split may seem like a ridiculously inaccessible pose, reserved for gymnasts or young people with naturally open hips and legs.
In fact, this pose offers unique benefits to the body, such as opening the hips in an unusual way, opening the inner thigh muscles, strengthening the core and glutes, and even opening the deep pelvic muscles that most of us never touch.
A regular yoga practice can help prepare your body and mind for this pose. Sign up for our free 30-day yoga challenge by clicking here. Slowly but surely, your hips and legs will open up to allow you to perform the straddle splits you’re aiming for.
This pose is usually practiced sitting with the legs apart, which requires great flexibility and strength. Here are five warm-up poses you can use to ease the transition to this pose.
Table of Contents
1. Frog perspective
The frog pose is ideal for opening the deep muscles of the inner thighs. To begin this pose, get down on all fours. Switch from a hand rest to a forearm rest. Then, slowly and in a controlled manner, begin to spread your knees and bring your hips and pelvis to the floor.
Go slowly and breathe deeply, staying in your current level of openness. Stay here for 10-15 breaths in and out.
2. Supta Baddha Konasana
This pose is ideal for passively opening the hips and thighs, which can be a nice change from more active forms of stretching. Just sit down and bring your feet into contact. Place a pillow or a stack of pillows behind your chair and slowly begin to lean on the support.
Keep your feet together and your knees apart. When you reach the edge, fully release your upper body and relax. Remember, this form of relaxation is incredibly powerful at opening up tight muscles that don’t respond well to stronger stretches.
Practice this pose for a few minutes and make sure you get out with your thoughts.
3. Baddha Konasana
This pose, also known as the butterfly pose, is one of my favorites for transitioning to barbell lunges. Start as in the pose above: Sit up straight with the soles of your feet together. Let your knees fall gently to the side without pushing or straining them.
Here you can breathe in and out – and if you want, you can just stop. Your knees may be far from the floor – if so, I suggest you put a support under the chair to lift your hips off the floor.
It’s better for your knees and it releases tension in the hip flexors. When you feel comfortable, you can begin to move your chest slowly towards your feet, leaning forward with a straight spine. Hold this pose for 5 to 10 breaths.
4. Slots in wall bracket
Using the wall as a support in this installation is incredibly beneficial. Sit down and look at the wall. Spread your legs. Lift the seat and slide the bottom toward the wall, bringing the feet closer to the wall.
Let your pelvis move closer and closer to the wall and open your legs wider and wider. Stop when you can no longer keep your upper body upright, when you notice that your back is sagging a little.
Stay there and breathe for 10-15 breaths, then slowly move away from the wall and rest in a lying position for a few breaths.
5. Creperie
Finally, the pancake stance can be a great hip stretch that makes vertical splits look easy! Start by sitting up straight and spreading your legs wide. Then, slowly and in a controlled manner, lift the chest to lengthen the spine. Bend your toes to get tension in your feet.
Place your fingertips on the floor just in front of your pelvis and slowly slide them forward, moving your chest toward the floor. Walk as far as you can with a long, straight spine. Breathe in 10-15 times and allow yourself to relax more and more into the pose.
Gravity is your best ally in this pose, helping you to open your hips and legs so you can do the splits more easily.
Have you ever tried straddle splits? Do you think any of these attitudes would help you if you worked on them?
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you train to do the straddle split?
The straddle split is a difficult move to learn, so it’s best to start with the basic straddle. Start by standing on your hands and feet, then slowly lower yourself down until you’re in a straddle position. From there, slowly lower your legs until they are straight out in front of you. From there, slowly lower your upper body until you’re in a split position.
How can I improve my yoga straddle?
The straddle is a difficult pose to master. It requires balance and strength in the legs, core, and arms. If you are having trouble with this pose, try practicing it on your hands and knees first.
How do you do a straddle pose?
To do a straddle pose, stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Bend one knee and bring it up to the side of the opposite hip. Keep your other leg straight. Bend your arms and reach them out in front of you.