Can you do the splits?

I wish. I struggle not to fall over putting my knickers on.

No and why would I want to?

I've never been able to do the splits, not even when I was young and bendy. It's certainly suiting her though.

The New Start After 60 is a great series of articles. Very inspiring.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/a-new-start-after-60

Who's she trying to impress.
I am on a program devised by my NHS physio for a bad back. 1. Practising being able to put my clothes on getting dressed without having to sit on the bed.
2. Reaching my toes to cut nails and apply nail polish and remove corns.
3. Then and only when I am very accomplished coming downstairs without holding the bannister.

My whole family has hypermobility issues. When I was child, this was unheard off. I was considered a very flexible child. I could still get down in splits when I was in my sixties and a coach/coaching tutor in gymnastics.

Flexibility which is taught over a long period is fine. What used to be called 'double jointed' (meaning flexible) can be difficult to cope with. (Real double jointedness can be a very disabling condition as joint do not lock properly.

Hypermobility can be a difficult condition causing all sorts of problems including digestive ones.

When a parent brought their child to me, saying they would be wonderful gymnast as they were 'double-jointed', I would have to disillusion them. Where there was hypermobility great care had to be taken to ensure that injuries were not caused to that child in using gymnastic apparatus.

Of the three main items required by a gymnasts Courage is the one that cannot be taught - a person either has this or not. Strength and Mobility should both be taught very gently, very slowly over many years.

I was never able to do the splits, even when I was young and much more flexible. I don't like those kind of articles as it implies that we should all be able to do that.

Definitely not! Neither after I was 60 or before ?

No, never could, though as a child I tried often enough.
IMO you’re either born with that sort of bendiness, or you’re not.

No I definitely can’t

What an amazing lady and a great story, thank you for the link. Such a refreshing change from the horrors in the news.

Certainly not as a child and like others I am thankful to get through a day without falling over. What good would it do me?

I think my hip replacements would complain!!

What a ridiculous article no never have and why would I want to try at my age.

Good for her. But rather her than me...

I think it's quite inspiring

Maybe the splits aren't achievablefor everyone but looking after our bodies is

Exactly dragonfly46 you took the words out of my mouth.

Something would snap if I tried that! I have never been able to touch my toes, I was born as an extended breech with my feet up by my ears (poor mum ?) which I think has a lot to do with it. I have never been bendy in any way ?
The only way I could do the splits is by some awful accident!

my grandma suffring from disk disorder someone suggest us to start yoga but doctor said it is not right age to stretch body can someone help me out this?

Never been able to do the splits. I don't intend starting now.

Thank you for your post Franbern. My DGD1 has hypermobility and at 17 has so much pain in her hips and ankles in particular. She’s been given selective exercises to do by the hospital but has to take care not to strain the muscles around her joints.

For the past 20 years I’ve enjoyed my regular Pilates sessions and consider myself fairly supple. It’s helped me before and after my hip replacement but I’ve never had the desire or need to do the splits.

I have never even tried, can’t see the point.

BlueBalou

Something would snap if I tried that! I have never been able to touch my toes, I was born as an extended breech with my feet up by my ears (poor mum ?) which I think has a lot to do with it. I have never been bendy in any way ?
The only way I could do the splits is by some awful accident!

Touching your toes is all to do with your skeleton and tendons. If you are short-waisted which my father and myself were we could not touch our toes easily and he was 6 feet.
My little rotund mum could walk her hands along the floor,it was her party piece. When we compared my ribs are nearly on my waist my mother had a good 5 inches between her waist and her rib cage and much shorter legs in ratio to her height.
Dad's waist was nearly at his armpits and like myself always looked better with a jacket on.
Though at school we both could sprint and certainly hurdle.

Despite having hyper mobility I’ve never been able to do the splits!!

No, I cant do that! But, I can bend right over, keeping my knees straight, and put the palms of my hands flat on the floor.