Is This Enough Passive Flexibility?

Started by tonio145, February 12, 2013 · 5 Replies · 1,897 Views

tonio145

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkSqjAYS1VA

 

My ultimate goal is to be able to do straddle press handstands with good form. should i do pike stretches before or after pancake? i find them much harder but i can get into them after a weighted pike stretch. and what can I do to get active flexibility?

Joshua Slocum

Your legs are way to wide in your pancake. If you're developing flexibility for a straddle press, you should stretch your pancake with the same leg width you start the press in. This will be somewhere around 90-120 degrees for most people. 

 

 

If your pancake is as good in a straddle as it is in a split, you will have no flexibility issues with a straddle press. 

tonio145

oh I think I get it now. having my legs out wider makes it easier for me to put my chest on the floor? I should be doing that in a smaller angle but I cant because of my weak pike stretch 

Hari_Seldon said:

Your legs are way to wide in your pancake. If you're developing flexibility for a straddle press, you should stretch your pancake with the same leg width you start the press in. This will be somewhere around 90-120 degrees for most people. 

 

 

If your pancake is as good in a straddle as it is in a split, you will have no flexibility issues with a straddle press. 

Joshua Slocum
tonio145 said:

oh i think i get it now. having my legs out wider makes it easier for me to put my chest on the floor? i should be doing that in a smaller angle but i cant because of my weak pike stretch 

 

Precisely. The straddle position requires good pike flexibility. To improve, start with your legs at the right distance apart and then try to lean down. Don't try to go into a wide pancake and then move your legs in. 

tonio145
Hari_Seldon said:

Precisely. The straddle position requires good pike flexibility. To improve, start with your legs at the right distance apart and then try to lean down. Don't try to go into a wide pancake and then move your legs in. 

ok thanks for the help. I will start focusing on improving my pike stretch. 

FredInChina

This is impressive flexibility Tonio :)