Questions about splits stretches

[REG]

You lean in order to have a balanced stretch of all muscles. In the split position, while you hold it for whatever duration, you can add some leaning and angling to stretch as you feel. You just feel what needs to be stretched and lean toward it.

yeah, but what if you just had your torso vertically straight during stretch, like in the second pic of relaxed front splits stretch on pg. 85? since the torso in this case would be right down the middle, by not leaning towards either leg as well as having its weight go straight down on the hips, then wouldn't this particular position equally stretch all the muscles in the rear leg, front leg, rear hip, front hip, and buttocks muscles?

Also, it is necessary to work on both the true and open versions of the front splits, or just the open version, if my goal is to kick very high?

[cailifo]

Leaning is just to further increase the stretch where you may need. Sometimes your hip flexors of the rear leg are much tighter when attempting the splits, so leaning back will get it up to speed with your hamstrings. That is all.

For martial arts training, I'd still say do both kinds to become as mobile as possible.

[REG]

What about my previous question about outside crescent kicks?

Also, do you take breaks in between stretches, or do you do something like 1 min. front split, then 1 min. front split, then right away 1 min. of a side split rep., then rep that entire sequence 3-4 times?

[REG]

What about my previous question about outside crescent kicks?

Also, do you take breaks in between stretches, or do you do something like 1 min. front split, then 1 min. front split, then right away 1 min. of a side split rep., then repeat that entire sequence 3-4 times?

[REG]

and what about my last question about the front foot, torso, and hips during an open front split?

[REG]

When do you the relaxed stretch that leads into a side split, with the leg on some sort of support, are you supposed to tilt your pelvis forwards or push your buttocks to the rear (or actually in this case would you tilt your pelvis in the same direction your torso and your other leg and foot are facing)?

Also, after I am done with a class in my Hapkido studio, I sometimes use a support bar (which is used to facilitate kicking and as a support for relaxed stretching) that is set at about my waist to chest height. I am able to put either one of my legs up on top of the support bar, but I am wondering if a support bar such as this would actually be too high for doing relaxed stretches such as the stretch, with the support, leading to the side split and the hamstring stretch, with the support, leading to the front split compared to using a shorter support as shown on pgs. 81 and 84 in the stretching book?

Furthermore, I have been practicing the stretch leading to the side split, with the back of a chair as a support that is about a few inches below my hip height just like on pg. 81 in the stretching book. When I lean my torso towards the leg on the support, I feel no stretch. Yet, when I move the other leg away from the support I can feel the stretch. However, when I move th other leg away from the support I feel some pressure on the outside of my hips. Though, it doesn't necessarily seem painful. What can I do about this?

Oh, btw, during the open version of the front splits, with supports side by side, are you supposed to tilted your pelvis forward or your push your buttock to the rear?

[isometric_max]

Mr. Kurz and other expert people
how possible make this exercise without damaging the hip joint?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BKCCv5vvr0

thanks for the attention

[Thomas Kurz]

To excel at contortion one has to have certain predispositions:

-- For hip mobility--the more open the angle between the neck of the thigh bone and the shaft of the thigh bone (angle of inclination of femur) the greater the side range of motion. The more open this angle is, the more it delays the contact of the tops of the necks of the thigh bones against the cartilage collar at the upper edge of the hip socket.

-- For back bending and twisting--high intervertebral discs to keep vertebrae from jamming into each other.

-- For shoulder mobility--high coracoacromial arch to keep it from impinging on tendons and joint capsule as the arm is being raised to a vertical position.

If you do not have those predispositions, yet attempt contortion stunts, you will suffer the consequences.