Can you do the splits?

Delighted that she can do this and I wish I still could. Having been hypermobile as a child and younger adult, I can no longer do all those 'party tricks' that I used to now that I have osteoarthritis in a number of joints.

If you can lift each leg out sideways, independently i.e. one at a time, to the horizontal (so I've heard) there's no reason not to be able to do the box splits (as in the OP photo). Our legs are not joined together. Apparently it's fear that stops people getting right down. ???

I'm not even going to try. I think something vital might be split if I try.
But I do keep fit. Just finished a 12 week course of Strength and Balance classes.

Yup. My cousin and I both can at ages 62 and 60. Can also put my elbows on the floor with straight legs. Blame it all on a lot of gymnastics as child and then yoga and Pilates ever since

franbern my daughter has hypermobility. Causes her all sorts of problems, especially when recently pregnant. Problems with her pelvis and hips among other things. It didn’t help when she tripped over something on the pavement left by a utility company. She was carrying a lot of equipment for work and didn’t see it. She had to have two operations on her wrist and it was extremely painful.

Absolutely not! Never in my life. But I have spinal problems and arthritis now.

We are a very hypermobile family and I remember Mother telling us it was foolish to be forever demonstrating our funny joints. My son from babyhood would be doing odd things with his thumb while holding my hand and now I try to discourage the grandchildren from folding up their limbs like Houdini. I have ‘aggressive’ arthritis and though I can bend over and walk my hands flat on the ground I cannot stand up straight. To my knowledge none of us can do the splits though I remember trying 70 years ago.

No, can't do the splits, never could, or the lotus position. But I can easily touch my toes, even though I am short-waisted with long legs.

Please Yammy hold a bannister when on stairs! Or at least keep one hand free and 'hover'... The only nasty accident I had as a child was falling down from top of stairs when pulling up socks,... and colliding with the Hoover on bottom step. As an adult the only time I have broken a bone was from a fall when going down steps and misjudging step because I was carrying a tray in both hands and could not see that a mat had been moved out of position.

Let me check on my BUPA membership first......

Thank you for highlighting this series from the Guardian. A new start is just what I feel the need for too! My 95 year old mum has always been able to touch the floor without bending knees, and still can. ?

Nope. Looking at the picture made my eyes water.

No

I'm starting to wonder if I could make myself that flexible but I've recently injured myself in my sleep so it's not promising

Who's she trying to impress

Not a very nice comment.

Yes but not box splits like that. I can also only do it with my right leg in front and left behind, not the other way round.
Not bad for 72. ?

Truth be told lemsip the likeness is remarkable, not!

Just looking at her position makes me want to cross my legs

Riverwalk thought that was you for a minute!

Yammy I have quite long legs

I can’t do the splits but I can still do a full lotus ??‍♀️and touch my toes with straight legs

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.

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

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.

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

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.