IT’S SPLITSVILLE
Enter the Sliding Splits Pose slowly and carefully to build strength and stability,
While we Canadians usually go to great lengths to avoid slipping and sliding on icy streets, this week’s move uses the slick stuff dynamically to take your legs to their end range, in front-toback splits, while building the strength and stability to manage your mobility.
Please don’t try this move if you are prone to falls or have any issues with range of motion.
Stand in a partial forward bend with your hands resting on a pair of sturdy yoga blocks, set shoulder-distance apart and at their tallest height. Wood or cork blocks are preferable to the less stable foam ones for this exercise.
Step your right foot forward a few inches and your left foot back the same distance, to set up your split. Slowly slide the right leg forward while simultaneously sliding the left leg back. Keep your chest lifted as you control the descent with your legs, using your hands as little as possible. Stop before you get beyond the point of no return and do your best to keep your hips relatively square.
Now, retrace your steps as mindfully as possible, using lower-body strength, rather than momentum, to powerfully scissor your legs closed.
Allow your legs to pass one another and complete the second side. Repeat the exercise five times on each side. Try this one at home wearing socks on hardwood or tile floors. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting, try it with your feet on two paper plates or wrapped in plastic shopping bags. If you go with plastic, be sure to discharge any static electricity before touching the cat. The Bentway Skate Trail
The Bentway is located under the Gardiner Expressway right by Fort York Visitor Centre (250 Fort York Blvd.) between Strachan Ave. and Bathurst St. It is open MondayThursday: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; and Sundays: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Skate rentals available. Learn more at thebentway.ca. YuMee Chung is a recovering lawyer who teaches yoga in Toronto. She is on the faculty of a number of yoga teacher training programs and leads international yoga retreats. Learn more about her at padmani.com.