hows my pike stretch

[Antonio Boyer]

also I have some questions about it. I kinda have to force myself into it. that is I cant get into it in one slow fluid motion. I have to do a bunch of little stretches and on each one I try to stretch a little more. I heard before that this is bad and causes micro tearing?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTnSBldVYGQ&feature=youtu.be

[Antonio Boyer]

nobody has anything to say? 

[frolosophy]

Make a point to arch your lower back as you are entering the hold and hold it for longer. Instead of bobbing up and down, hold yourself forward and stay there for a few breaths and then continue a few times until you are in the full pike. I'm not sure if what you are doing is dangerous per se, but it doesn't seem very efficient. 

Other than that, you don't have anywhere to go in a pike once your chest touches your knees, really. Just arch your back a little and hold the position for longer. Your legs also seem like they could be a bit straighter, so make sure to actively push your knees downwards.

[Joshua Naterman]

The above critiques are good. The legs are definitely bent, and you'll need to fix that.

 

You don't necessarily HAVE to arch the back as you go down, but it helps at first because it will force you to tilt your pelvis as much as you can. After that, you won't be able to stretch anymore without flexing your spine. In my opinion, it's a good idea to use this as a stepping stone. You learn how to tilt your pelvis without arching your back, and you'll have much better pikes in the long run. It won't happen right away, but, if you pay close attention to what you do, you can develop this skill.

 

I have a suggestion that may sound strange. I made this up myself, so I don't know if anyone else has done this before.

 

Reach forward as far as you can, press your fingers firmly into your feet as if you are trying to push yourself backwards OUT of the pike, and then use your hip flexors and abs to press strongly INTO the pike.

 

You should notice that, for some odd reason, you just sort of sink right down into the stretch. This will help you learn to actively pike. Over time you can decrease the resistance you use, and eventually you should be able to get yourself into a full pike without that resistance at all.

[Daniel Burnham]

The above critiques are good. The legs are definitely bent, and you'll need to fix that.

You don't necessarily HAVE to arch the back as you go down, but it helps at first because it will force you to tilt your pelvis as much as you can. After that, you won't be able to stretch anymore without flexing your spine. In my opinion, it's a good idea to use this as a stepping stone. You learn how to tilt your pelvis without arching your back, and you'll have much better pikes in the long run. It won't happen right away, but, if you pay close attention to what you do, you can develop this skill.

I have a suggestion that may sound strange. I made this up myself, so I don't know if anyone else has done this before.

Reach forward as far as you can, press your fingers firmly into your feet as if you are trying to push yourself backwards OUT of the pike, and then use your hip flexors and abs to press strongly INTO the pike.

You should notice that, for some odd reason, you just sort of sink right down into the stretch. This will help you learn to actively pike. Over time you can decrease the resistance you use, and eventually you should be able to get yourself into a full pike without that resistance at all.

This is the way I get into most stretches. It is especially helpful when you haven't stretched on a few days.

[Antonio Boyer]

Make a point to arch your lower back as you are entering the hold and hold it for longer. Instead of bobbing up and down, hold yourself forward and stay there for a few breaths and then continue a few times until you are in the full pike. I'm not sure if what you are doing is dangerous per se, but it doesn't seem very efficient. 

Other than that, you don't have anywhere to go in a pike once your chest touches your knees, really. Just arch your back a little and hold the position for longer. Your legs also seem like they could be a bit straighter, so make sure to actively push your knees downwards.

yeah I think that would definitely help. I just need to stretch more calmly and remember to breath. the knees i think i was just being careless and forgetting to fully straighten them 

[Antonio Boyer]

The above critiques are good. The legs are definitely bent, and you'll need to fix that.

 

You don't necessarily HAVE to arch the back as you go down, but it helps at first because it will force you to tilt your pelvis as much as you can. After that, you won't be able to stretch anymore without flexing your spine. In my opinion, it's a good idea to use this as a stepping stone. You learn how to tilt your pelvis without arching your back, and you'll have much better pikes in the long run. It won't happen right away, but, if you pay close attention to what you do, you can develop this skill.

 

I have a suggestion that may sound strange. I made this up myself, so I don't know if anyone else has done this before.

 

Reach forward as far as you can, press your fingers firmly into your feet as if you are trying to push yourself backwards OUT of the pike, and then use your hip flexors and abs to press strongly INTO the pike.

 

You should notice that, for some odd reason, you just sort of sink right down into the stretch. This will help you learn to actively pike. Over time you can decrease the resistance you use, and eventually you should be able to get yourself into a full pike without that resistance at all.

yeah I want to get to that point someday were I can just go into pike without arching my back at all. so in this technique you push your feet away from you? I used to grab my foot and pull on it till i felt a strain on my calves, but i stopped doing this because it felt like I was forcing the stretch.

[Fluidity]

The above critiques are good. The legs are definitely bent, and you'll need to fix that.

 

You don't necessarily HAVE to arch the back as you go down, but it helps at first because it will force you to tilt your pelvis as much as you can. After that, you won't be able to stretch anymore without flexing your spine. In my opinion, it's a good idea to use this as a stepping stone. You learn how to tilt your pelvis without arching your back, and you'll have much better pikes in the long run. It won't happen right away, but, if you pay close attention to what you do, you can develop this skill.

 

I have a suggestion that may sound strange. I made this up myself, so I don't know if anyone else has done this before.

 

Reach forward as far as you can, press your fingers firmly into your feet as if you are trying to push yourself backwards OUT of the pike, and then use your hip flexors and abs to press strongly INTO the pike.

 

You should notice that, for some odd reason, you just sort of sink right down into the stretch. This will help you learn to actively pike. Over time you can decrease the resistance you use, and eventually you should be able to get yourself into a full pike without that resistance at all.

I really like what Josh said, I think its pretty much using active muscular strength to increase your passive stretch. Another example of this I could think of is going into lunging stretch and using your glutes/hamstrings to push yourself and to increase the passive stretch. Is this the idea behind it Josh?