Define the splits

When I started my flexibility journey I would have been overjoyed with open front splits but as my flexibility increased I wasn't as thrilled as I thought I would be. Yes, I posted excitedly to my friends and was pretty pleased but then I thought when do you really have the splits?

I still can't do the splits cold. I can't do them squared either, except for a few painful seconds after a long stretching session. Said few seconds usually entailing a whole lot of whining, lol. What you don't see when people post pictures of themselves in the splits is how warmed up they were, how much stretching they did to get in them, and how long they've been working on flexibility. It isn't just about being able to pose for a awesome splits shot, it's about being able to use them.

So when do you really have the splits?

I think you can take credit for splits as soon as you nail them, even if you've been stretching for two hours after a super long warm up. Honestly if you don't take credit then you're not giving yourself much reward for your hard work. But to have them as a move, a tool you can whip out of your badass tool box? I think that requires being able to do the splits cold... well not without a warm up, but still without devoting more than your regular physical activity warm up around 5-10 min.

Splits are all about milestones: first time in imperfect splits, squared splits, splits without long warm ups, and oversplits. I think I can be happy considering my open front splits after a long warm up and stretching (mouthful!) a milestone. I can feel accomplished and be okay knowing that I haven't fully achieved functional splits. If I can get oversplits one day that will just be the icing on the cake. I am making my goal to have squared front splits without a long warm up plus middle/box splits with a long warm up for the holidays. I don't think I could ask for a better xmas present from myself :D

So what are your thoughts?

When do you have splits?