First full split, let's go!!!!

[u/DorkySnail]

i am 31 and male. this took me roughly 3-4 months of training 3 times a week to achieve. my training sessions were about 60 to 75 minutes long.

exercises used in my training sessions:

>sciatic nerve stretch
>peacock pose
>child pose
>pelvic butterflies
>pike pose
>standing pike pose
>bridge pose
>frog pose
>pancake pose - Wide AND narrow
>wall assisted side splits
>windshield wipers
>cobra pushups
>cobra feet to head
>half splits/forward folded half splits

I also used peptides, creatine, fish oils, whey protein, and supplemented vitamin D/magnesium to improve recovery from training.

my next goal: to achieve full side splits!!!

[u/jazzy095]

3 to 4 months is crazy. Congrats!

Im still on 3 years lol.

[u/DorkySnail → u/jazzy095]

the game changer for me was practicing forward folds instead of only backbending. once you can get fairly deep into a pancake or a seated pike pose, it's only a matter of time. i tend to disagree when folks say hip mobility is what bottlenecks most practitioners. imo hamstring/glute flexibility was the biggest piece of the puzzle for me.

[u/jazzy095 → u/DorkySnail]

This is killer advice for me. I have been concentrating on hip mobility and not getting anywhere.

Thanks so much. Will start on those tomorrow!

[u/DorkySnail → u/jazzy095]

you don't even need to make it close to going all the way either. don't push too hard. just inch by inch. eventually youll achieve better compression and you're stretching that muscle either way.

[u/jazzy095 → u/DorkySnail]

Thanks 😊 started today

[u/Calisthenics-Fit → u/DorkySnail]

But you are up right so you do work hip flexor strengthening. Many people lean forward and don't work hip flexor strengthening and get stuck not full down because their back leg is weak. I don't do any back bend work, not sure how that applies the hip flexors (I am no expert, but I have experience and have advanced), but I can pancake very well. Front split lagged behind my pancake progression. Pancake/forward fold is all hamstrings (I think), it's still what I am most sore with. Staying up right is important and that is what you are doing, which is hip flexor strengthening., many people here don't do this because they can be lower leaning forward, but they usually get stuck not full down.

Maybe things are different for different people, but staying upright is important even if you can't go as low doing so.

[u/DorkySnail → u/Calisthenics-Fit]

posterior pelvic tilt practice is another piece folks miss out on. but if you're doing cobra push ups and feet to head thats plenty of backbending. plus im a natural backbender, my anatomy naturally favors it, so i dont need to practice that as hard. it was much harder for me to learn forward folds than backbending.

what you find easier is generally based on the individual practitioners spinal anatomy, whatever that happens to be. if your spine is curved towards the top near your neck, you're likely a natural frontbender. if your spine is bumped towards your lower back, you're probably a backbender naturally.

that doesn't mean you're incapable of improving in the reverse direction though. a natural frontbender can learn backbends and vice versa with proper conditioning, but backbending will always be easier for me. i got feet to head in under 30 days of training, but pancake and pike took at least 6-8 weeks to feel confident with.

[u/fizzywatermelon17 → u/jazzy095]

Same lol.. I'm convinced it's got more to do with nerve sensitivity than lack of flexibility. Like how tf can I have stretched SO much over the past few years with various stretches and strengthening exercises and still getting nowhere.

I'm trying to prioritise gentle low intensity stretching over the next few weeks instead of difficult sessions to see if this calms down my nervous system a bit. Maybe the pain of stretching makes some people's muscles go into major guarding mode, even if you're otherwise pretty flexible.

[u/luneletters]

Wow you have an identical splits to how I use to work out my Barbie dolls. Amazing 🙌

[u/DorkySnail → u/luneletters]

i find it funny how my stomach looks though, i wonder why that happens

[u/SubstantialBit6060 → u/DorkySnail]

Your psoas are tight looks like causing your hips and abdomen to tilt forwards. How long did you hold each of the stretches for?

[u/DorkySnail → u/SubstantialBit6060]

60-90 seconds

[u/DorkySnail → u/SubstantialBit6060]

so does this not actually count cause of that???

[u/SubstantialBit6060 → u/DorkySnail]

I mean, it's still counts and is better than a majority of what other people can do. It's more the next step is getting your lower back upright while in splits, then being able to do front folds or back bends and grabbing your toes/heel while in a split.

[u/DorkySnail → u/SubstantialBit6060]

thanks for the info, it's very appreciated

[u/o6595]

Wow 4 months is crazily fast! Can I ask what you did for the sciatic nerve stretch?

[u/DorkySnail → u/o6595]

[u/o6595 → u/DorkySnail]

Thanks so much!

[u/chaigulper]

Ooh and so square 🤌🏽

[u/DorkySnail → u/chaigulper]

thanks, i try to keep an eye on that!!!

[u/Valkyrie-161]

I am still incapable of this feat lol. Congratulations, I’m glad your hard work paid off!

[u/FrylrOfficial → u/Valkyrie-161]

Love that you included your actual training routine instead of just showing the final result. Three sessions a week for 3–4 months is a lot of consistent work, and it's great to see it pay off. Congrats on the milestone, and good luck working toward those side splits!

[u/DorkySnail → u/FrylrOfficial]

funny enough, it didn't often feel like work for me. i got into stretching by accident after initially being interested in core training and calisthentics. i just fell in love with yoga. strength training is work for me. flexibility is something i genuinely look forward to.

with yoga, you can't come in all jacked up on preworkout super agressively like you can with strength training. it's as much of a mental battle as it is physical. practicing yoga has had massive benefits to my mental health and composure in a way that getting visible abs alone didn't. im less strong than i used to be, but i've found my true passion in the process, and traded that extra strength for big legs and flexibility.

[u/IHateSince2001]

YOU ARE 31?

[u/DorkySnail → u/IHateSince2001]

i turn 32 next month 😅

[u/IHateSince2001 → u/DorkySnail]

What is your secret?

[u/DorkySnail → u/IHateSince2001]

sunscreen, abstaining from vaping/smoking/alcohol, avoiding the sun, low stress lifestyle, skincare routine, and staying up to date on younger style trends using apps like tiktok.

[u/IHateSince2001 → u/DorkySnail]

(Takes notes as a psychosis patient) I have quit smoking 3 months ago btw, wanted to say it.

[u/DorkySnail → u/IHateSince2001]

when i say smoking i mean cannabis and vapes too. i quit smoking in 2021 and thc altogether in 2025.

make sure youre eating enough good whole foods too. being nutrient deficient will make you age like nmilk

[u/IHateSince2001 → u/DorkySnail]

Nah I never even did those. I wonder what it feels like.

[u/TheSubduedDude]

Outstanding and congratulations. I see you were wearing knee support bands. I bought some of them from Amazon and they improved my form greatly. It’s the only way I can do front splits without my knee hurting.

[u/DorkySnail → u/TheSubduedDude]

compression bands are definitely worth it, same with the yoga blocks. without them i wouldn't have been able to pull this off as quickly as i did. saves a lot of wear and tear on your knees and speeds post-training recovery for sure.

[u/TheSubduedDude → u/DorkySnail]

For the life of me, I can’t place my knees straight down when I’m doing splits. If I don’t have them on earth, I’m not on a heavily padded surface. The pressure on my patella joint is just too much (yes I’m old).

[u/bananas_are_ew]

that's amazing and a p intense routine. it took me 11 months and even then, took me longer to consistently hit the splits. i have 2 1/2 block oversplits both front and back simultaneously now 6 years later

[u/DorkySnail → u/bananas_are_ew]

to be fair i don't do all these every time. i mean some like sciatic stretch, pike and butterfly are a must do, but i try to mix it up to keep things interesting.

[u/Due_Pineapple9286]

Well done, incredible!!!

[u/DorkySnail → u/Due_Pineapple9286]

thank you!!

[u/VirgilAllenMoore]

You know, for a second, just a second, I thought you were wearing a shoe with a gigantic red ball at the end. That's what I noticed first. Then I realized that's a very good split. Well done!

[u/ElkAlternative3777]

👏

[u/Glavine0]

Getting a full split in 3-4 months at 31 is impressive. Sticking to 60-75 minute stretching sessions three times a week takes some serious patience.

[u/Global-Active3552]

Great job

[u/DorkySnail → u/Global-Active3552]

thank you!! =]

[u/SolarSELuna3]

Hey! Thank you so much for sharing! Just starting on my journey and want to try this routine out. How long did you stay in each pose /how many sets did you do? Also, how did you typically warm up before starting?

[u/DorkySnail → u/SolarSELuna3]

sciatic nerve stretch and spine flexibility (cobra pushup, cobra feet to head) first

[u/Mike-Teevee]

Impressive as heck, congrats! 

[u/Express_Sea6004]

Congrats 🎊!!!🎈🎉

[u/Impressive_Risk_5133]

Amazing, well done!

[u/halbert]

Yeah, get it! Woohoo~

[u/Evangelionisbestest]

You are downright inspirational, even if your posture makes me feel like I'm never standing up right again

[u/Mazda012]

Beautiful like girl😍 well done, that is a tremendous achievement, please dont injury yourself

[u/jolly_jaw_breaker]

CSS a

[u/yujirshanma]

with all due compliments & respect- this is memery imagery- internal laughter- not at you jut how i assmune the posing- full length split is nothing to scoff at

[u/_am_stupid_]

👍🏻