splits

[neclos]

You don't need to be able to do splits to kick head high. Though with splits, you can kick head high without telegraphing that you're about to do so.

KarateChick06, I usually do the same stretches like you posted with >90 degree angle and push my whole body forward (not just touching my toes). I find that stretches me more and keeps my spine straight. Keeping the spine straight seems to help me a lot in things that require more flex.

There are two ways to do middle split: toes pointing up (heels touching the ground) or toes pointing forward (whole foot touching the ground). I find the first one easier to do, so you might want to try that as your first goal before trying for the second type. Not sure about why your hips hurt, though. Too tense, maybe? Or incorrect posture? When I first got middle split all the way down, I used to face a bit to the right (split to the right is my best one). It hurt when I tried to push my body back to face forward. Don't know if this is the same case or not. Now I follow my own rule of keeping my spine straight and do both types of middle split easily without going to the left or to the right.

And 6 months to do the split, that's great. It took me the same amount to do split to the right. About two more years to do split to the left and two more to do middle.

[JusticeZero]

Personally, I do my splits against a wall. Lie on my back almost sitting on the wall and open my legs out, using gravity to pull and a gentle push against the wall to stop. This is because I can't really stretch in "normal" splits because i'm too afraid i'll slip and fall through, injuring myself. Against a wall I can control much better. Then I turn sideways to do front splits on each side using the wall instead of the floor - that's a bit harder to adjust right, but it removes the fear that keeps me tightened up.

I also do leg raises where I slowly lift the leg and extend it as high as I can and hold, then lower - those are for increasing the range I can USE - and gentle stretch-kicks (don't push these! If you push them hard you WILL hurt yourself - you just want to do them to get the range out.) at the beginning of the stretching routine, after you finish training.

[karategirl06]

You need to keep stretching every day and sooner or later you will be able to do the splits, I promise!