Toes in/out?

[mtruelove]

I'm working on a lot of new movements (Cossack squats, pancakes, side splits etc) and wondering what the correct foot work should be. For example during a standing side splits stretch, pointing my toes out lets me get a wider stance than feet parallel. Am I "cheating" the stretch by doing this?

Also when sitting in a pancake on the floor should I keep my toes pointing to the sky or let them point away if that's more comfortable?

I get a pain in my hips if I go to a wide pancake with toes flared and then point them to the sky.

Cheers.

[Kit_L]

See here:

You are not cheating; the first way you describe works more on the hip joints themselves; the second lets you go deeper into the stretch. You need both.

mtruelove wrote:

I get a pain in my hips if I go to a wide pancake with toes flared and then point them to the sky.

Let the sensations in the body guide you; there's no right or wrong in this.

[mtruelove]

Thanks Kit!

I'll experiment with different toe positions

[mtruelove]

Rather than start a new thread I figured I'd ask here.

I'm learning to do Cossack squats, as a beginner, unable to get into the bottom position would you recommend learning feet parallel or toes out first?

Also, do you have any tips for transitioning from the assisted version (I'm using a door fame) to unassisted?

Thanks.

Murray

[Joakim Anderson]

If ankle flexibilty is what's stopping you I would do them holding a weight in my hands. And do additional ankle work.

If it's the hip area holding you back something that feels very good for me is to slowly move from side to side being on the ball of my foot on the bent leg and on the heel on the straight leg, and assisting the movement with my hands on the floor in front of me. After a minute or so I automatically ease back to squatting on the whole foot. It's a very gentle and effective approach focusing mostly on the hips and thighs. My cossack squats are solid since a few months but this is still the way I do them every time.

In both methods spend a lot of time in the bottom position.

Regarding parallel feet or toes out, you mean toes out on the straight leg? Toes out are much easier for me but several of my friends feel no difference. If you mean the foot of the bent leg pointing out or forward, I prefer forward. Someone else can probably answer this better.

[mtruelove]

That's a great response Joakim. I'll try as you suggest, using s counterweight and warming up with a few sets off the balls of my feet.

Thanks