Next, stretch your arms straight out in front of you, as far as you can. Try to get your chest to touch the floor. Hold this stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.

Remember to keep your back straight to really feel the stretch.

Remember not to bend your knees, and try to keep most of your body weight on the balls of your feet, rather than the heels. If you’re really flexible, try to put the palms of your hands flat on the floor.

Keep your back straight as you stretch and try to pull your heels as close towards your body as possible. For a more intense stretch, try leaning over and placing your hands on the ground, as far in front of your legs as you can manage.

For an added stretch, place your hands on your front knee and arch backward, pointing your face up to the ceiling to stretch your abs and open up your hips even more.

It’s okay if your forearms can’t quite get flat on the ground yet. Place your hands on the ground and just lean forward as far as you can.

For a more intense stretch, place your extended leg on a raised surface, such as a pillow or mat.

In yoga, this is called a pigeon pose.

Hold the splits position for 30 seconds, then switch to the other side.

As you stretch, you’ll notice yourself getting lower to the ground each time. This is a good thing, and it means that your stretches are working!

Practice doing each type of splits slowly, gently easing your legs as far down as possible. When you’ve reached your limit, try to hold that position for 30 seconds. Then give yourself a break before trying again. Attempt to push yourself a little further down each time. You can also wear socks while you stretch (rather than stretching barefoot or in shoes) to help your feet to slide easier, especially on wooden or linoleum covered floors.

Pencil these 20-30 minutes into your daily schedule and don’t forget them, no matter what. If you’re tight for time - multitask! Do your stretching exercises while watching TV, learning multiplication tables for school or waiting for the pizza delivery guy. It doesn’t matter.

Feeling pain can indicate that you are pulling or straining your muscles. Getting a pulled or strained muscle means they need rest, which can set you back in your journey to getting the splits.