Mastering Splits in Gymnastics

Mastering the splits is a matter of flexibility. You don't get there overnight, but you can stretch the muscles over time for one of the few gymnastics skills just about anyone can learn. The splits actually refer to three separate but similar skills.
Straddle Split
Some people call it the straddle split, others the side or middle split. You know it when you see it: the body faces 12 o'clock, and the legs extend straight out to 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, knees up, toes pointed to the ground. To begin the straddle split, stand with your legs in a straddle, wider than your hips. Slide your legs down as far as they can go while remaining straight, not bent. Stop when you feel the stretch. For balance, you can support yourself by leaning forward and placing your hands on the ground. Over time, slide your legs out farther and farther until you are flat to the ground.
Stride Splits
For the stride, also called the front split, you must learn two splits: with your right leg in front and with your left leg in front. In this split, the body faces the direction of the front leg, with the hips squared, meaning the pelvis faces straight ahead and not to an angle. For the right front split, begin in a lunge position, kneeling on your left knee. Slowly slide the right leg forward as you slide the left leg behind you. Place your hands on either side of your body for support. When you complete the full split, point the toes on the right foot; the top of the left foot will be flat to the ground. Leading with the left leg, you do the same for the left front split.
Stretching to Full Splits
To master the splits, you must stretch the muscles a little further each time you practice, after warming up the full body, particularly the hamstrings and quadriceps. You can stretch your splits through static or dynamic stretching, but should never attempt ballistic stretching --- where you bounce during the stretch. In static stretching, you push until you feel the stretch and then you hold in place for 15 to 20 seconds and relax. In dynamic stretching, you push your legs into the split until feel the stretch and then using your muscle strength, you pull back in a smooth motion, relax, and then push out again, this time pushing farther than before, the authors of the book "Stretching" explain.
Considerations
Splits are a great skill to practice at home because you need no additional equipment or spotting, but you should not begin practicing on your own until a coach has watched your first attempt and corrected any errors, such as angling your pelvis, leaving a knee bent, or placing more weight on one leg than the other. Other than a trained gymnastics coach, no one should help you in the splits. Follow your body's cues, pushing to the point of a good stretch --- but not past that point into pain.