Straddle Stretch. What is a straddle stretch? And how to do a straddle – EasyFlexibility
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Straddle Stretch. What is a straddle stretch? And how to do a straddle stretch?

Posted by Paul Zaichik on

four pictures of people doing side splits in different places

What is a straddle stretch?

A straddle stretch is a position where a person is sitting with legs straight spread as wide as possible, one to each side. Left leg to the left. Right leg to the right. Alternatively, of course, sometimes when a teacher or coach says "straddle", they could mean to do it in a standing position. Where a person brings the legs apart as wide as possible in a standing position.

A person who is practicing a straddle stretch, maybe practicing it for the benefits of doing the stretch, regardless of the flexibility that it brings. Or a person doing a straddle stretch is actually seeking a full straddle. In other words, full side split, full box split, full center split, full middle split, where the legs are in a straight line from each other, which is 180 degree straddle. Depending on your goal a straddle stretch would be done differently and would come with different supporting techniques to the straddle.

Side (Middle) Split Strength & Flexibility Training at Home

COMPLETE COMBO - ALL 3 LEVELS - BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED
if you want a proven, safe, easy to understand and do training program based on science, that is guaranteed to get you that perfect 180 Degree Split, then register for this course and start your training today!

This Online On Demand Video Training Combo Contains:
  • Side Splits Beginner Level program
  • Side Splits Intermediate level program
  • Side Splits Advanced Level program

Straddle Stretch Health Benefits and Goals

For example, I remember speaking to someone who was seeing an Ayurveda practitioner for various male fertility issues as well as reproductive organ issues. He was given various herbs by the practitioner, breathing techniques and at the same time a few stretching techniques to practice. One of them was a straddle.

So, he asked me what was the point of doing the stretching since the stretching was given as optional? And I told him that doing a straddle and sitting in a straddle position, regardless of how wide he can do it is to bring blood flow to the adductors, to the hamstrings. And according to Ayurveda techniques or Yoga therapy techniques to bring energy and blood flow to the reproductive organs. In this case, a straddle stretch was used as a therapeutic technique. He was not
looking for flexibility. He was prescribed to do it once a day for at least 90 seconds, which again, is not a proper way to develop flexibility.

Straddle Stretch for Flexibility

If you are one of the people who is actually looking to increase flexibility, what
do you do? Well, you have to stretch. Preferably focusing on each muscle at a
time. And you have to do strength and conditioning exercises together.

Let’s take a closer look at what it means to isolate the muscles. Straddle stretch has various components as far as where the stretch takes place. The four Adductors; Adductor longus, Magnus Brevis and Gracilis. One of the hip flexors; Pectineus and the hamstrings. Primarily the medial hamstring; Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus, that is. At least seven muscles, although it's a lot less than if you were working on a front split. Isolating the muscles allows you to stretch them faster, develop flexibility easier at the same time to apply target and leverage principles. Due to each muscle doing something else.

If you do not want to isolate each muscle when working on a straddle stretch, you
can just do a general straddle stretch. But. It will take a longer period of time.

Whether you use EasyFlexibility system or if you use some kind of a passive stretching system, it's always best to repeat the stretches more than once. In other words, not to just sit there and hold it and hope for the best. But also, to intertwine flexibility exercises with strength exercises that support the flexibility gained and help to retain it.

When you are stretching, you are teaching your body something new

Think of it this way: When you are stretching, you are teaching your body something new. You are teaching your body that it can go further than it went before. That's the stretching techniques. But the supporting techniques, whether it's the movement or the strength techniques, allow the body to remember what you taught it and become comfortable with it.

In other words, to develop an ability to move in a new ranges develop strengths in
new ranges so that your body is now strong and comfortable. Keeping your flexibility gained from one session to the next instead of developing a little bit of flexibility towards the end of each session and losing it again at the start of the next one.


So, if you are looking to do the straddle stretch for its health benefits, you can just sit down and straddle focusing on your breathing. But if you are looking to actually increase your flexibility in your straddle, take a look at the EasyFlexibility programs below.

Side (Middle) Split Strength & Flexibility Training at Home

COMPLETE COMBO - ALL 3 LEVELS - BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED
if you want a proven, safe, easy to understand and do training program based on science, that is guaranteed to get you that perfect 180 Degree Split, then register for this course and start your training today!

This Online On Demand Video Training Combo Contains:
  • Side Splits Beginner Level program
  • Side Splits Intermediate level program
  • Side Splits Advanced Level program

About the Author:

Paul Zaichik is an Exercise Science Expert, author of multitude of books, and the creator of Zaichik Stretching Technique (formely known as Kinesiological Stretching Technique). His speciality is flexibility training as well as body weight conditioning. His innovative method is designed to have maximum carry over into specific athletic techniques. Paul is the author of books and DVD’s on the topic of flexibility, martial arts and bodyweight training. Over the years, Paul Zaichik has worked with a variety of individuals including athletes, entertainers, and military personnel. His ElasticSteel Method of Athletic Conditioning programs, EasyFlexibility Programs and Zaichik Stretching Techniques are used world wide by both professional and amateurs with great success.
© ElasticSteel Corp., EasyFlexibility, Paul Zaichik, et. El., 2022. No part of the materials available through ElasticSteel.com, EasyFlexiiblity.com, site may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of Paul Zaichik EasyFlexibility.com, Elasticsteel.com.. Any other reproduction in any form without the permission of Paul Zaichik EasyFlexibility.com, Elasticsteel.com is prohibited. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Paul Zaichik, EasyFlexibility.com, Elasticsteel.com.

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