if I can't do the butterfly stretch with the knee close to the ground if I can't do the straddle split with toes up?
It's The Same Game or is not necessary touch the ground with the knee for a full side split?
thanks a lot
Max from italy
butterfly stretch vs full side split
Re: butterfly stretch vs full side split
I am also confused about this. For example, if we do touch our outer thighs to the floor in a butterfly stretch, then if the outer thighs are pointing down, our upper thigh would be pointing backward, to our rear, right?
In a side split, if it is a toes-forward split (either road-kill or if you arch your back, stretch abs and bring rib cage up to face forward while the pelvis remains anteriorly rotated) then your thighs would be pointing forward and the outer thighs would be pointing upward.
If our pelvis remains neutral (is this how it should be during a butterfly stretch?) and we did a side split then it would be a toes-up one. In this case, the upper thighs point up and the outer thighs point backward.
So, even in the more conservative latter case, there seems to be a 90 degree angle difference in hip rotation. It's confusing.
I have a guess but not confident about it. Besides pushing the thighs down, I notice that some also teach to lean forward during the butterfly stretch. While some lean forward with the lower back, I had guessed that this was incorrect and that we are actually supposed to be inducing further hip flexion (sort of like a seated hamstrings stretch, only this isn't hamstrings since knees are bent for butterfly) and keeping our spine as neutral as possible.
What I wonder though... is if the pelvis were to posteriorly rotate during this, wouldn't it make it closer to what we actually do during a side split? If the pelvis was pointing more up then wouldn't we be stretching the abductors more?
In a side split, if it is a toes-forward split (either road-kill or if you arch your back, stretch abs and bring rib cage up to face forward while the pelvis remains anteriorly rotated) then your thighs would be pointing forward and the outer thighs would be pointing upward.
If our pelvis remains neutral (is this how it should be during a butterfly stretch?) and we did a side split then it would be a toes-up one. In this case, the upper thighs point up and the outer thighs point backward.
So, even in the more conservative latter case, there seems to be a 90 degree angle difference in hip rotation. It's confusing.
I have a guess but not confident about it. Besides pushing the thighs down, I notice that some also teach to lean forward during the butterfly stretch. While some lean forward with the lower back, I had guessed that this was incorrect and that we are actually supposed to be inducing further hip flexion (sort of like a seated hamstrings stretch, only this isn't hamstrings since knees are bent for butterfly) and keeping our spine as neutral as possible.
What I wonder though... is if the pelvis were to posteriorly rotate during this, wouldn't it make it closer to what we actually do during a side split? If the pelvis was pointing more up then wouldn't we be stretching the abductors more?