Body & Balance Studio
Posture scan

Side-Split Isometric Hold

stretchhipadvancedHip adductors (open split)

Content last reviewed: 2026-07-06

Side-Split Isometric Hold — start/setup and end/loaded positions
Left: start / setup position. Right: end / loaded position.

How to do it

  1. Start with the feet very wide and toes forward, hands down for support.
  2. Keep the hips held up and the spine long, core braced.
  3. Slowly lower the hips toward the floor into a side-split position.
  4. Keep the toes and knees pointing up — press the knees back, don't roll forward.
  5. Hold the deepest tolerable range, breathing steadily.

Form cues

  • Toes and knees point up — press the knees back
  • Don't roll forward onto the hands; keep the hips stacked
  • Hold the deepest range you can control, no bouncing

Dosage

  • Frequency: 3–4×/week
  • Volume: 3–4 sets × 20–45 s
  • Ease out slowly; keep it pain-free at the groin and knees.

Muscles worked

hip adductors — anatomical illustration
hip adductorsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Stretches: hip adductors

Target muscles

Hip Adductors
Posterior Neck Stretch (Chin Tuck, Supine)Shoulder Adductor / Lat Stretch (Supine Overhead Reach)Lateral Neck Flexor Stretch (Side Tilt)Neck Extensor Stretch (Seated/Supine Flatten Neck)Pectoralis Minor Stretch (Supine Assisted)One-Joint Hip Flexor Stretch (Supine, Knee to Chest)