Wide Split
Sitting with the legs as wide as they go, dragging the heels toward each other against the floor. Inner thigh loaded at full length with nothing but friction.
The lesson
- 01
Sit tall, legs wide
Legs straight out and as wide as they go without the low back rounding. Sit on a cushion or a folded towel if the pelvis tips backward.
- 02
As wide as you have, not as wide as you have seen
This is not a full split and never has to be. The width that lets you sit upright with the knees pointing at the ceiling is your width.
- 03
Hands behind or in front
Fingertips on the floor behind your hips to hold you upright, or walk the hands forward between the legs if you want more.
- 04
Now drag the heels toward each other
Press both heels into the floor and pull them toward one another, hard, as if you were trying to close your legs. Nothing moves. The floor gives you the resistance.
- 05
Hold and breathe
Keep pulling for the whole hold. Calm breathing through the nose — if you cannot breathe steadily, pull less hard.
- 06
The easier version
Bring the legs narrower and sit up higher. A narrower split you can pull hard in beats a wide one you sag in.
- 07
The test
You should feel the inner thighs working, not just stretching. If they only feel long, you are not pulling hard enough.