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My Journey to Flexibility: Using the Front Splits to Heal Your Lower Back
The front splits might seem out of reach, a pose reserved for dancers or gymnasts. However, the journey of practising the splits is one of the most effective and healing methods for releasing the chronic tightness and pain stored deep in our hips and lower back. Practice is not about forcing your body into a perfect pose, but rather a calm and patient process of self-discovery. In this article, I share a series of preparatory poses to help you slowly create space and begin your own healing journey.
Have you ever thought you could have a more flexible, pain-free body? I'm Cloud, and like many people, I wasn't born with a naturally flexible body. I want to share my little story with you first.
When I took dance classes in primary school, I was one of the students the teacher had the least hope for. While every other student could easily do the splits, I struggled and couldn't get down. Because of this, when we had competitions, the teacher would put me in the least noticeable position to reduce the chances of our team losing points.
It wasn't until I was at university and happened to see a yoga book in a bookstore that my view on flexibility changed. I learned that in the world of yoga, the emphasis is on the process of practice and the integration of body, mind, and soul. After giving up on stretching for many years, I returned to it. The splits I couldn't do when I was eight years old, I could do more than ten years later, almost without noticing.
The process wasn't about trying to achieve a particular pose. It was about humbly accumulating the work, bit by bit, and peeling away the layers of tightness and stress stored in the body. I'm not sure if you've had the same experience, but I believe everyone can understand the profound joy that comes with having a body that is no longer tight and has more flexibility. It's a delightful feeling for both body and mind.
The front splits might seem out of reach, a pose reserved for dancers or gymnasts. However, the journey of practising the splits is one of the most effective and healing methods for releasing the chronic tightness and pain stored deep in our hips and lower back.
At CloudC Yoga, the core philosophy I want to promote is simple: practice is not about forcing your body into a perfect pose, but rather a calm and patient process of self-discovery. As I say in the video, we are here to "slowly discover our version of the splits through practice."
In this article, I hope to share the front splits practice with you and the deeper meaning behind the yoga practice. In addition to the article, you can follow the video tutorial below to start your journey.
Anatomy Focus: The Key Muscles for the Front Splits
Before we begin stretching, let's first understand the parts of the body we will be stretching. Understanding the muscles you are working on can help you practice more effectively and safely.
Hamstrings - Located at the back of your thighs. In modern life, these muscles are often tight due to prolonged periods of sitting, which is a primary cause of lower back pain. Regular stretching is key to releasing physical stress.
Hip Flexors (especially the Psoas) - Located at the front of your hips, they are responsible for lifting your thigh towards your body. Prolonged sitting can cause the hip flexors to become short and tight, pulling on the pelvis and leading to poor posture and discomfort.
Quadriceps - Located at the front of your thighs. In this practice, they get a deep stretch, which helps promote the health of the knee joint and the flexibility of the entire leg.
More Than a Pose: The Benefits of the Process
Just as in life, when we pursue different goals, the process of getting there often brings us the greatest rewards. The same is true for practising the front splits. Here are a few benefits of practising the splits:
Soothe Chronic Pain: When we stretch the hamstrings and hip flexors correctly, we can address the common tight spots that cause lower back pain and hip discomfort, releasing pressure and improving mobility.
More Freedom in Daily Activities: With increased lower body flexibility, daily activities can also become easier. After consistent practice, you will find that walking and running feel lighter, and even your sitting posture will be more comfortable.
Mind-Body Connection: The front splits are a very deep stretching practice. To practice safely, you must completely listen to your body's signals. In this process, you learn to communicate with your body and understand its messages, enhancing the mind-body connection.
Cultivate Patience: For many people, the front splits are a distant goal, but through consistent practice, many can successfully achieve them. During the period of practice and waiting, you cultivate patience.
Learn to Relax: In my yoga teaching, I often remind students, "As long as the mind is relaxed, the body will follow." You will realise the importance of rest and relaxing your mind in regular practice.
Five Preparatory Poses Before Practising the Front Splits
To safely explore the front splits, there is no need to force the body into the position. Instead, we use a series of targeted preparatory poses to create space in the body slowly. Here are five core preparatory poses that, through regular practice, will slowly open up your body's space and lead you towards the depth of the stretch.
1. Sun Salutation (Sūrya Namaskāra)
The Sun Salutation is a sequence of movements that serves as a traditional warm-up in yoga practice. It's like a morning dance for the body, gently waking up all the muscles and joints, increasing body temperature and blood circulation, and building a safe and stable foundation for the deeper stretches that follow.
Benefits
Gently stretches the whole body, including the hamstrings, hip flexors, and spine.
It also builds a connection between breath and movement, helping to focus the mind and enter a state of practice.
2. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
The Standing Forward Bend is a fundamental yet extremely effective pose that can deeply open up the tightness in the back of the thighs (the hamstrings). When practising, remember to keep your knees slightly bent, especially for beginners, to protect your lower back and knee joints. Our goal is not for the hands to touch the floor, but to feel the relaxation of the entire back and the stretch in the back of the legs.
Benefits:
Deeply stretches the hamstrings and calf muscles.
Releases pressure on the spine and neck.
Practising forward-bending postures also has a calming effect on the mind and body.
Utthan Pristhāsana
Lizard Pose is a deep hip-opening pose. It can simultaneously stretch the outer hip of the front leg and the hip flexor of the back leg. Depending on your flexibility, you can use yoga blocks to adjust the height and the depth of the stretch.
Benefits:
An excellent hip-opening pose that can effectively improve hip joint flexibility.
Deeply stretches the hip flexors and quadriceps.
Ardha Hanumānāsana
The Half Splits are the most essential preparatory pose in the practice for the full splits. The key to the practice is to keep the hips neutral and the spine long, imagining your heart is extending towards the toes of your front foot.
Benefits
Precisely and deeply stretches the entire hamstring of the front leg.
Enhances body awareness and teaches how to maintain pelvic stability during a stretch.
This pose adds a gentle twist and stretch to the low lunge, targeting the quadriceps on the front of the back leg and the deep hip flexors. The flexibility of these two areas is the key to whether the front splits can be completed comfortably.
Benefits
Stretches the quadriceps of the back leg, which is one of the tightest areas for many people.
Further opens the hip flexors to create more space in the hip joint.
Gently twists the spine, increasing the body's range of motion and releasing stress.
Enjoy Your Practice Journey
I hope you liked this sharing. Set aside one day a week for deep stretching, allowing your body and mind to open up gradually. Quietly feel your breath, be grateful for your body, and take good care of yourself.
As always, sending you peace and joy.
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Four Yoga Stretches for Back Pain (Beginner Friendly)
Back pain is closely linked to lifestyle choices and emotional well-being. Yoga and meditation can help relieve discomfort and release mental stress.
Some gentle yoga stretches can be helpful for beginners. Here to highlight the FOUR of them,
Cat Cow Pose (Sanskrit: Viralasana)
Thread The Needles (Sanskrit: Supta Kapotasanaa)
Supine Spinal Twist (Sanskrit: Supta Matsyendrasana)
Knees to Chest Stretch (Sanskrit: Apanasana)
Back pain is our body signalling us to do something to heal.
Many people experience tension in the upper, middle, and lower back. As we age, our bodies accumulate many experiences and stress, which can lead to discomfort over time. Additionally, mental stress can pose emotional challenges when there's no way to release it.
Over the years, many of us have developed challenging relationships with our bodies and minds. I often hear my students say, "My body hates me," or "I can't live with my body anymore." The thing is, what our body wants is completely the opposite - our body loves us so much that it constantly sends messages to remind us to fix it.
The turning point towards a healthier body is to look at the body's "signals" from a different perspective. Since birth, our bodies have been tirelessly working for us, keeping us alive and supporting us in achieving our life goals. It makes sense that sometimes there are some glitches, but it is more of our body telling us, "Hey, something is not working well! Let's check and fix it." Learn to digest the message from a different perspective. Then you will see there's no such thing as a "hostile relationship" between us and our bodies.
The Link Between Back Pain, Lifestyle and Emotional Wellness
Back pain is closely linked to our lifestyle choices and emotional well-being. In urban environments, back pain is quite common. If you were to survey ten people, you would likely find that more than half experience tightness or pain in their lower back.
Practising yoga with moderate stretching can help relieve discomfort, but understanding the underlying causes can inspire us to take better care of our bodies. Let's look at it from the perspectives of The Body and The Mind.
The Body: Poor Posture is a direct cause of back pain.
Whether you work in an office or another setting, it's common to maintain the same posture for long hours. Our bodies are designed for movement, and staying still for too long can lead to various issues.
The good news is that the solution is quite simple. Dedicating just 10 to 15 minutes each day to practice yoga is a quick fix to alleviate the physical tension that builds up throughout the day.
I often suggest Morning Yoga because it helps to get the body's circulation going first thing in the morning. Opening your body in the morning makes your body and mind more relaxed.
The Mind: Stress-Induced Tension in the Physical Body
Mind and body are forever connected. It is impossible to have a healthy body when our stress level is rocket high. We need to manage stress healthily and keep our emotions calm and peaceful.
Often, we simplify emotions into just two categories: happy and unhappy. However, our emotional landscape is much more complex. In "Think and Grow Rich," Napoleon Hill identifies seven distinct types of negative emotions, illustrating the depth of our emotional experiences.
Jealousy
Hatred
Revenge
Greed
Superstition
Anger
Now we know emotions have a wide range of colours, so next time when you are "unhappy", instead of complaining, start by self-reflecting. For example, if you notice that someone’s social media updates tend to upset you, rather than reacting impulsively, take a moment to ask yourself, "What's behind these feelings?" Through this reflection, you may discover that your discomfort stems from your feelings of "jealousy, resentment, or frustration" and the fact that what another person has said or done probably has nothing to do with it.
When you keep yourself in check and start to notice your emotional patterns, you will make wiser choices about your reactions. Eventually, let go of the emotional pattern that no longer serves you to become a calmer version of yourself. Regular Yoga and Meditation practice is the key to guiding you back from the noisy world out there. Concentrate on improving yourself, enhancing your well-being, and overall becoming calmer and more at peace with yourself and the world around you.
15 Min Gentle Yoga for Upper and Lower Back |with Guided Meditation
This 15-minute morning yoga sequence consisted of four main yoga postures for beginner to intermediate level. I designed this sequence using a guided meditative approach so you can stretch your mental space and ease your mind at the same time.
If you feel intense pressure or discomfort, I advise you to seek professional guidance. Alternatively, you can join my 4-Week Foundation Yoga Course , which is a LIVE interactive online class to help to build a solid foundation for your yoga practice.
Level: Beginner
Sessions per week: Practice daily
Time of day: Best to practice in the afternoon or evening.
Types of exercises: Beginner Yoga, Gentle Stretch, Yoga for Back Pain, Yoga for Lower Back Pain
Tools needed: Yoga Block x 1
Note that your safety is our priority. If you have a long-term illness, stress, or uncertain conditions, please consult a doctor or professional before attempting any practices.
Sequence Details: Four Yoga Poses to Relieve Back Pain for Beginners
Let’s break down the Four Key Yoga Poses from this sequence. For details, please practice along with the YouTube Video, or join my in-person or online class to learn more tailored adjustments for your unique needs.
Pose 1: Cat Cow Pose (Sanskrit: Viralasana)
Cat Cow (Viralasana) is a typical pose for most practice. It’s a foundational yet powerful yoga pose for spinal health. The movement in the pose opens the space between each vertebral joint, promoting greater spine mobility from the neck to the lower back. The movement also stretches the muscles around the spine. Synchronise the movement with the rhythm of the breath to promote deeper concentration and relaxation of the mind and body.
Pose 1: Cat Cow Pose (Sanskrit: Viralasana)
Pose 1: Cat Cow Pose (Sanskrit: Viralasana)
Pose 2: Thread The Needles (Sanskrit: Supta Kapotasanaa)
Pose 2: Thread The Needles (Sanskrit: Supta Kapotasanaa)
Starting from the Table Top Position,
To start from the right side, extend the arms towards the ceiling, then “thread” the right arm to the left side.
Land your right ear on the floor, finding the balance of the pose.
If you feel stable with the pose, extend the upon arm on top of your head. Fingertips touching the floor.
Stay in the pose for five to six breaths, then switch sides.
Pose 3: Supine Spinal Twist (Sanskrit: Supta Matsyendrasana)
From lying down, hug both knees to chest.
Drop both legs to the left side and feel the gentle release from the waist.
To progress further, turn the head to the right side.
Stay in the pose for 2-3 minutes with gentle, steady breathing.
Switch sides and stay for an equal amount of time.
Pose 3: Supine Spinal Twist (Sanskrit: Supta Matsyendrasana)
Pose 3: Supine Spinal Twist (Sanskrit: Supta Matsyendrasana)
Pose 4: Knees to Chest Stretch (Sanskrit: Apanasana)
Pose 4: Knees to Chest Stretch (Sanskrit: Apanasana)
Apanasana is a great pose that gently stretches the upper, middle, and lower back.
This pose is simple and safe. For a quick stretch, you can also do it in your bed. Just make sure your mattress is not too soft and sinks your body, which can level out the stretching effect.
The best thing about this pose is that it is easy to perform and requires no tools. However, for those who experience tension around the neck, you may support your head with a yoga block or a pillow (if you are practising in bed).
Stay in this pose for about 2 minutes, close your eyes, breathe, and allow your mind and body to just relax.
Conclusion
Back pain is closely linked to lifestyle choices and emotional well-being. Yoga and meditation can help relieve discomfort and release mental stress.
Some gentle yoga stretches can be helpful for beginners. Here to highlight the FOUR of them,
Cat Cow Pose (Sanskrit: Viralasana)
Thread The Needles (Sanskrit: Supta Kapotasanaa)
Supine Spinal Twist (Sanskrit: Supta Matsyendrasana)
Knees to Chest Stretch (Sanskrit: Apanasana)
Let's continue the yoga journey together,
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