How to Do Front Splits

Front splits are a fundamental technique in dance, gymnastics, martial arts, cheerleading and any other type of activity that incorporates splits. You've probably seen front splits performed countless times in your life. There are two types of front splits: right split and left split. If the right leg is in front of the torso and the left leg is behind, it is called a right split. A left split is the opposite. Once you have mastered front splits, you should pretty much be able to do all other kinds of splits with little to no practice.

Before you begin it's important to note: Splits are no easy task for a beginner. Children have a much easier time doing splits than adults because they are naturally more flexible and will probably be able to do a split after their first few attempts. However, if you're an adult with little or no flexibility training, you will most likely have to do a lot of different stretching exercises for several weeks or months before you are ready to attempt splits. Like anything else in life, it just takes practice, though. Don't be discouraged if you cannot get through all of these steps on your first attempt.

For the purpose of this article, I will explain to you how to do a right split. To do a left split, just follow the same steps but lead with your left foot.

Step 1.

Start off by getting down on your hands and knees. Your back should be straight and your head should be facing forward.

Step 2.

Bring your right foot forward like you are going into a forward lunge. Your right foot should be about 1 foot ahead of your left knee, slightly in front of your right shoulder. If this position is a bit of a stretch for you, you should just practice this stretch until you are more flexible before moving on.

Step 3.

Start sliding your left foot back, straightening out your left knee. As you extend your left leg backwards, lean forward and come up onto your fingertips. Once your left leg is full extended, you're in a basic forward lunge position. You may want to stay in this position for a while to work on your flexibility before going any further.

Step 4.

Start sliding your right heel forward. At this point, most beginners will probably start to have some difficulty. If this is a difficult stretch for you, you'll just have to keep working on the flexibility before attempting to go any further. As you slide your right foot forward, begin to lean back and straighten your torso into an upright position. Keep doing this until your right and left legs are fully extended and your torso is in an upright position.