Direction of the foot in sidesplit

[quich]

Hello Mr. Kurz,
Ive purchased your DVD Flexibility Express. Im not sure if I just missed it, but how important is the foot direction in training for the sidesplit?
You show the 5- and 7-step-stance with toes pointing forward. What difference does it make if I would point them to the side?

My hips are very weak (also my iliopsoas is too weak I think), and Im wondering if I would train other important muscles if I would alternate the stance with toes pointing forward and toes pointing to the side.

I have learned that the knee shoul always point to the same direction as the toes and vice versa, so for me it would make more sense (for what I have learned) to point the toes to the side in the same line as the knees.

I train my hipflexors with hanging leg raises, can you recommend some other good exercises for the hipflexors?

Thank you very much!
(Please excuse my bad english!)

[Thomas Kurz]

http://www.stadion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1396

http://www.stadion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 6069#p6068 [question]

http://www.stadion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 6069#p6069 [answer]

Ive purchased your DVD Flexibility Express. Im not sure if I just missed it, but how important is the foot direction in training for the sidesplit?
You show the 5- and 7-step-stance with toes pointing forward. What difference does it make if I would point them to the side?

http://tomkurz.wordpress.com/2013/03/20 ... r-the-job/

My hips are very weak (also my iliopsoas is too weak I think), and Im wondering if I would train other important muscles if I would alternate the stance with toes pointing forward and toes pointing to the side.

I have learned that the knee should always point to the same direction as the toes and vice versa, so for me it would make more sense (for what I have learned) to point the toes to the side in the same line as the knees.

I train my hip flexors with hanging leg raises, can you recommend some other good exercises for the hip flexors?

If your hips are very weak, then do not attempt splits (duh!). Make yourself stronger first by doing narrower squats, leg raises, and other exercises shown on the Flexibility Express (http://www.stadion.com/flexibility-express/) until you are comfortable with them or, if you need a ready-made step-by-step program, on Secrets of Stretching DVD (http://www.stadion.com/secrets-of-stretching/). It may also help you to study videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/posturedoc/videos?view=0