“Vyacheslav, I want to do the splits, but I’m made of wood. Is this even real? - This is probably the most frequently asked question in my entire coaching career. And my answer is always the same: yes, really. For the vast majority of people, doing the splits is an achievable goal. The only question is technique and patience. This article is a specific three-month plan that I use with students with zero flexibility.
60% discount on all video workouts
What you need to know before you start
splits are more than just muscle flexibility. This is a combination of factors: elasticity of muscles and ligaments, mobility of the hip joints, neuromuscular control. You cannot “stretch” by force. Progress comes through regularity and the right approach, and not through pain and forcing.
It is also important to understand that the rate of progress is different for everyone. Some people can do the splits in 2 months, others need 6. It depends on the anatomy of the hip joints, the initial level of flexibility, age and regularity of training.
Month one: Foundation
The goal of the first month is to prepare the tissues, establish a routine and master basic exercises. There is no need to force anything.
Schedule: 4 workouts per week for 30–40 minutes
- Warm-up (10 min): joint gymnastics, light cardio, dynamic leg swings
- Main part (20–25 min):
- Low lunge with pelvis lowering – 3×45 sec each side
- Tilt butterfly – 3×45 sec
- Tilt to one leg from a sitting position - 3x40 sec each side
- Cross half splits with hands on the floor - 3×45 sec
- “Pigeon” lying down – 3×45 sec each side
End of the month: you should feel that you have become noticeably freer in your movements, and the initial discomfort during exercise has disappeared.
Month two: Deepening
The tissues adapted to the load. Now you can add intensity and new exercises.
Schedule: 4-5 workouts per week for 40-50 minutes
We add to the basic exercises:
- PNF Stretching – tension and relaxation technique for deeper penetration
- Working with a partner or a belt - to enhance Stretching
- Semi-longitudinal twine (supporting on hands and blocks) - we begin to approach the target position
- Stretch on the wall - lying on your back, leg vertically up, then to the side
At the end of the second month, most students can lower themselves 10–15 centimeters from the floor in a splits splits with good support.
Month Three: Final Assault
This is the most important and most delicate stage. The tissues are already well adapted, but this is where people most often make a mistake - they begin to press through the pain, seeing the target nearby.
Schedule: 5 workouts per week, of which 2 are intensive, 3 are maintenance
- Intense workouts: full protocol with PNF, splits work with blocks/stacks of books at hand, gradual decrease in support height
- Maintenance training: 20-25 minutes of pleasant Stretching to consolidate the gains
Important: this month listen to your body more carefully than ever. A little soreness is normal. Acute pain is a signal to reduce intensity.
Additional tips to speed up your progress
- Hot bath before exercise - heated fabrics stretch much better
- Sufficient hydration - drink 1.5–2 liters of water per day
- Quality sleep - recovery occurs in sleep
- Record your progress - take pictures of yourself once every 2 weeks. Sometimes progress is invisible from the inside, but is obvious in the photo
Conclusion
3 months is a realistic time frame to get to the splits from scratch or get very close to it. The main conditions: regularity, patience and correct technique. Force and pain are your enemies on this path. If you want to go through this path with the support of a coach and an individual plan - write to me on WhatsApp. I teach students online and see real results every week.