Unlock Your Splits Fast With PNF Stretching Technique

hi friends Kathy Madeo here back with another video this one all about how to use the PNF stretching technique to get your splits faster now I do have a video about what PNF is how it works and how to actually do the stretching technique so if you haven't watched that video I want you to pause this first go check that out and then come meet me on your mat to practice you will need a set of blocks or something to put under your hands for today's split practice I'd love for you to stick around to the end of this video because I've got a special treat for you it's the trailer of my brand new splits miniseries three stages to front splits let's get started [Music] thank you I don't usually go into super deep stretches cold meaning not warmed up or not having done any prep but I think it might be useful for today's practice for us to get a really good idea of how effective the stretching technique is so with that said though don't push yourself don't force anything definitely listen to your body and the signals in your body so the first thing we'll do is we'll start with our right leg forward we're going to have the blocks underneath our hands and I want you to stretch or slide your right heel forward keep your shoulders stacked over your hips and we'll start to inch the back leg back and I just want you to go to your end range where your body says that's about it without forcing so this is my split right now I intentionally didn't warm up before this video so that you could see where I was at too so we're going to hold wherever we are right now for about 20 seconds we're already a good five seconds in and allow just gravity to just weigh your your pelvis down and your torso down and the blocks are there to help keep you upright here okay great so we can get our isometric contraction in a couple different ways here but we're going to use the block so notice I'm actually lifting out of my split a little bit to place the block underneath me now your block has high settings so if if you're here that's just fine so go has three different settings so go to whatever setting feels about right you want to back out just a little bit good and then from here what I want you to do is actually push the back top of your foot into the mat because we also have to stretch the back leg and then press your thigh into the block so we're creating isometric contractions of our Target muscles the hamstrings and the psoas of the back leg and we're doing this for about four more seconds now if you don't have blocks by the way you can drag the right heel back like I did in the other video okay so now we'll remove the block and then just let your pelvis go where it's going to go and as you notice I had an increase range there my that did something right and so whether or not yours is as pronounced as mine just was or anything it doesn't matter just any kind of increase is good we're holding this for about 20 seconds we're almost done and your body might keep opening up as you hold and now we'll slide out and we'll take about a 20 second break so just let your hamstring release just completely relax no need to do anything and we'll dive back in and we'll basically do the exact same thing over a second time so let's get set up first we'll come into our split wherever it is in this moment without forcing and we're holding this adjusting the blocks as needed the back leg and front leg stretching okay so we'll do our PNF and if your range increased you might lower the setting of the block and here we go we're pressing our leg into the block and actively press the top of your back foot into the mat five four three two one and then we'll release just let the pelvis go wherever it's going to go working to keep the pelvis squared towards the front deep breaths good and we'll carefully we'll protect the hamstring by dragging the heel back to come out and we will take about a 20 second break and on this last round we're going to add The Agonist muscle contraction and The Agonist muscle of your hamstring is your quadriceps okay let's set up for our last round on this side so right leg is forward coming into wherever your split is holding about 20 seconds here working to keep your shoulders over your hips so I'm a little bit more forward because I have a spine injury but I want you to have your locks back right next to your hips okay let's go in for PNF you can see I'm intentionally coming out of the pose a little bit place the block under press down press the back foot down five about 50 percent engagement here or effort three two one now I want you to engage your quadricep muscle the top the right thigh five four three two one and then relax and release into your split your body might open up as you do that so if you anything needs to move around let it move around good notice your breath let it come in easy good and we'll release all right we'll take our little break here and then we're just going to do that exact same thing on the second side and you might notice your sides are a little bit different right so one side tends to be a little tighter that's normal but you can do things to bring them more even by stretching that tight side a little bit longer okay so we're sliding into wherever our split is on the left side you'll notice perhaps my left side's much more open than my right just breathing here and then we'll begin our PNF here so place a prop underneath your left thigh heavily press the top of your back foot press the left thigh into the block five for four three two one slide the prop out let gravity be on your side here doing your best to stay upright hips squared deep breaths just being wherever you are in your split is just fine this is your practice hopefully you're noticing some increase of range even if it feels small it's still good it's a win okay let's back out second round let's take our break first 20 second break let the muscle release and relax and if you are in your flexibility Journey one thing that I teach and talk about a lot is the importance of strengthening the muscles even the ones you're trying to stretch tight muscles don't necessarily mean strong it often actually means a week and we can do a lot to protect our muscles on our flexibility Journey if we have nice strong muscles as well okay so second round sliding into that split wherever that is for you in this moment you're just going to your Edge Don't Force anything here holding a couple more seconds and then we'll do our isometric contraction so place your prop underneath your leg press the top of the back foot press the thigh bone down five four three two one and we'll release hear me breathing deeply deep breaths letting the breath come in and out through the nose staying nice and calm sending signals that everything's okay doesn't mean we're not feeling sensation here this is a deep stretch okay let's back out take our 20 second break release the hamstring and we'll on this last round again we're going to engage The A