Straddle-ups improvement program

So, it looks like I'll be spending a significant amount of time on my straddle-ups. My straddle flexibility is very limited and so is my ability to lift the legs in a seated straddle. 

 

To combat this, should I assign say 15-20 minutes for work on my straddle stretch & lift and only test straddle ups once at the end of this period, and when my form gets better, start working on bringing them up to mastery set requierments?

 

Is there any other work I should do? In the other threads people seem to be suggesting stretching(duh   ) and seated straddle lifts. I'm guession stretching hip flexors and glutes would also help?

 

Any ideas/suggestions?

 

 

 

 

Time is your friend on this 1 Dont be in a hurry or frustration will get you. I have been at this 6 months. Weeks 5 -9 And I might be at it another 6. I think doing the exercise is best. Think of it as a marathon.. Good luck...

Stretching for pancake straddle and middle split flexibility. Do straddle lifts and hip flexor stretches. If you're like me your straddle lifts will suck, but do what you can, because inflexibility acts like a handbrake on this move.

 

The Jefferson Curl helps a lot as well.

 

One thing that might help you is to break the movement down. From the start position try for example to lift your legs in straddle first and then concentrate on lifting the body while keeping the legs in the same place. Do this and concentrate on keeping chest up. You can also use a wall to help keep your legs in place so you can feel the compression, or maybe grab your heels. What you are aiming for is to learn to love that cramp on top of your legs and get the compression right.

 

Other than that, the key is actual practice with move.

 

Mind you, I'm still working on this one but I find that with some dilligence my straddle ups are starting to look almost decent.

You may add these exercises to MN/PE2 - MN/PE2>iM :

• Bench Pike Squat
• Seated Pike Lift
• Straddle Jefferson Curl
• Seated Straddle Lift
• Hip flexor stretch (see video from Kit Laughlin below)

Thanks for the answers.

 

I definitely need to stretch my legs, so I'm adding quad, glute & hamstring stretches before and after workout.

 

I'd like to do straddle Jefferson curls, but I can't do them anywhere(being 6'3'' I have quite a legspan ).

 

Basically:

 

- pancake and middle split stretching + general leg stretches(extra focus on hip flexors)

- seated straddle lifts

- breaking the movement in two, practising just lifting the legs or just the torso, focus on compression and lifting with hip flexors

- stay on the first microcycle until form is up to standard

 

Just one more question, how many sets & repetitions should I do on straddle lifts? Should I do reps or holds or a mix of both?

All the above is totally valid, if I may add some personal opinion, I reckon you'd get better result by engaging in some leg-oriented side activity, rather than just throw in some additional stretch drill (which you still want to do of course).

Take some dance classes, ballet, taekwondo, modern wushu, capoeira, anything that teaches you how to move your lower limbs at wider ROM, not just elongate the fibres.

 

Even just once a week would do.

To me there's no comparison between 30 minutes of stretching and just 15 minutes of plain straight leg strength/kicking drills.

 

Just my 2 cents.

Good subject!

 

I totally agree with the kind of flexibility you need for the straddle ups.

If you do only passive stretches your active flexibility won't be any good.

The book by Thomas Kurz - Stretching Scientifically is really good on the different kind of stretches.

Recommedation to everyone.

 

A good drill Ido Portal uses is the seated pancake goodmorning stretch.

 

And if you improve