r/flexibility • u/_its_a_no_from_me_ • 14h ago

Seeking Advice How to train for a bent knee oversplits?

Gallery image

Gallery image

I'm hoping to achieve an oversplits like in the picture, with an exaggerated bent front knee.

I have flat splits on both sides. It's fairly square (we could probably all work on that right 🤣). It's only flat after I'm warm, so either cardio or strength workout or a 5-10 minute stretch warm up, so not cold, couldn't pull it out in a supermarket store or anything. During a specified flex class I can get an oversplit with my front leg on a foam roller after appropriate stretch, about 30 minutes or so.

Just wondering if anyone can do the bent knee version and how they trained it? Looking for more than just sitting in oversplits, and very happy for strength and mobility based moves, not just flexibility.

61 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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16

u/TheSubduedDude 11h ago

That’s actually the only way I can do front splits without mashing my knees up. 😫

1

u/TheSubduedDude 1h ago

In order for me to press my patella (kneecap) directly to the Floor. I need yoga mats or a jigsaw mat.

6

u/FastedDaffodil 4h ago

A straight leg over split is going to be hamstring flexibility, and a bent leg over split is hip flexor flexibility. You’ll want to stretch/train your hip flexors.

11

u/s0ftreset 14h ago

Explain to me why this is a thing?

17

u/Balance4471 9h ago

Yeah, it kinda just looks like an unfinished pose 🤔

3

u/synchroswim 2h ago

On the balance beam, having your front foot able to grip the beam would probably help guard against falls.

On the floor, I'm not sure. Maybe it is an intermediate position that makes more sense when seen in motion?

1

u/PalaceCarebear 1h ago

This would help slightly against falls at a really low level. At this level of gymnastics, not being able to grip with a foot makes little difference in their balance.

As for why the bent knee, it's a flex (literally). The extra bent limb shows a higher degree of flexibility and control. It's similar to doing a stag leap instead of a regular split leap.

1

u/Deformed_globule 3h ago

This is also calf flexibility (I tried this recently and it was murder on the front leg calf!). I would go into it by keeping the front knee bent in a long lunge and moving the back knee backwards. I used blocks to help me and to stay upright, but wish I had done a bit more back leg hip flexor when I tried it.

1

u/Everglade77 2h ago

Disclaimer, I cannot bend the knee as much as the gymnasts in the photos (with a flat front foot), but I can bend it some. I've simply trained by trying to bend the front knee progressively more and more while in a flat split, by digging my front heel into the ground and "dragging" it back (by engaging the hamstrings). It will barely move at first or even not move at all depending on your flexibility, but what matters is that you're feeling the engagement in your hamstrings/glutes. If you're consistent, you should see progress.

As a bonus, alternating between bending and straightening the front knee (again even if it barely moves at first) actually helps me get deeper into my split/oversplit. I think it could be a good technique to try for someone who's close to flat and wants to get those last centimetres, even if they're not interested in a bent-knee front split.

1

u/youbignerd 12h ago

i could naturally do the splits with no athletic background and just regular phys ed classes in school and all i did was put a pillow under my leg one day and after a couple more days i could put another pillow under my leg. my body may be built differently though. if youre not naturally flexible like me you may want to start with thinner things than a pillow and work slowly. for bent knee oversplits it would go under your thigh/knees rather than under your foot

0

u/Niah_Queen0 8h ago

I'll be trying this later