What Houston Parents Need to Know to Protect Their Child’s Long-Term Health
As a Taekwondo and Hapkido martial artist, and a father, I understand how appealing the perfect split or oversplit looks—especially when your child is in dance, cheer, gymnastics, or martial arts. I also understand the pressure many Houston-area families feel when other kids seem to be more flexible, more advanced, more competitive.
But as someone who’s been training for over 30 years—and who is now, in my 50s, pursuing a full split for the first time in my life—I have to ask an honest, and perhaps uncomfortable question:
Are the splits and oversplits even worth it if they harm your child’s long-term health?
The short answer? Not if they’re done incorrectly. And sadly, I’ve seen the damage firsthand.
💔 A Childhood Friend Who Never Recovered
When I was growing up, one of my friends was an incredibly gifted ballet dancer. She had the flexibility. She had the dedication. But her teachers pushed her far too hard, too fast. By age 13, she was already suffering from hip and spinal issues. Soon afterwards, she had to stop dancing competitively altogether.
Today, decades later, she still bears the impact of those days. Thankfully, her parents noticed her pain, went for a medical diagnosis, and made the necessary adjustments to her life to avoid things from getting worse. Unfortunately, she had to give up her childhood life dream of being a professional ballet dancer and live with the ongoing physical ramifications from what happened.
She didn’t stop dancing because she didn’t love it.
She stopped because the adults in her life didn’t protect her developing body.
📍What the Research Says: The Risks Are Real
Recent studies of dancers, gymnasts, and young athletes tell a sobering story. Many young girls (especially in gymnastics) who aggressively train for oversplits—especially without proper screening, progression, and strength training—suffer from:
- Labral tears
- Hip impingement and deformities
- Flattened femoral heads
- Premature wear on growth plates
- Chronic hip pain
- And in some cases, early hip replacement in adulthood
In one documented case, a 14-year-old dancer had developed permanent changes in her hip socket due to being pushed into oversplits during her pre-teen years. Her x-rays showed flattened femoral heads and a pincer deformity—issues that will follow her the rest of her life.
🧠 The Hip Was Built for Stability—Not Extreme Mobility
Here’s something most parents aren’t told:
The hip joint isn’t designed to do what the shoulder joint does.
It has a deep socket that provides stability for walking, running, and jumping. Forcing extreme flexibility—especially in young bodies that haven’t finished growing—can deform bone structure, strain ligaments, and damage cartilage.
And this damage may not show up for years—until it’s too late.
🧒 Children Aren’t Miniature Adults
At KMA, we remind parents that most kids under 16 are still growing. Their growth plates are open. Their joints are developing. Their muscular systems are not yet strong enough to handle the forces we sometimes ask of them—especially in high-rep, high-force activities like:
- Competitive gymnastics
- Dance teams
- Cheerleading and acrobatics
- And, yes, even in competitive Martial Arts
If kids are not strong enough or are hypermobile without control, flexibility training can become a ticking time bomb. And unfortunately, many coaches and instructors in various sports are still using outdated stretching methods that are unsupported by current science.
✅ So What Should Parents Do?
The goal isn’t to eliminate flexibility training. The goal is to do it smart, safe, and science-informed.
Here’s what we prioritize at KMA Taekwondo Hapkido:
1. Strength + Flexibility = Mobility
We don’t chase flexibility just for looks. We build mobility, which is functional range of motion that is supported by strength and control.
2. Progressive Training, Not Pushing
No one gets shoved into a split or kicked into an oversplit at KMA. We teach kids how to listen to their bodies and progress at a healthy pace.
3. Loaded Mobility & Eccentrics
As a certified GMB trainer, I integrate the latest science-backed methods: dynamic loading, eccentrics, and proper joint preparation—not long, passive, end-range stretches that stress ligaments.
4. Body Type Awareness
Not every child is built the same. And that’s okay. We evaluate what is realistically possible based on each child’s anatomy, not unrealistic one-size-fits-all goals.
5. Whole-Child Development
Our program isn’t just about physical training. It’s about growing strong, confident, and healthy young people. That includes mental resilience, body awareness, and lifelong health.
🙋 A Message to Parents in Houston and Cypress
If your child wants to do the splits—or you want them to become more flexible for martial arts, cheer, or gymnastics—I encourage you to ask how and why they’re being trained.
Because flexibility is not just about performance.
It’s about preserving health for decades to come.
And I promise you this:
At KMA Taekwondo Hapkido, your child will not be pushed past what their body is ready for.
They will be challenged, yes—but in ways that are safe, empowering, and built to last.
If you’re curious, come visit us. I’d love to show you what smart, safe martial arts training looks like in action.
See you on the mat,
Sabumnim (Master David)
KMA Taekwondo Hapkido