GTG for active pike flexibility

My passive pike flexibility is pretty good, but my active pike is abysmal, as I've discovered during the MN progressions in F1.

I'm going to grease the groove with this aspect for a while, and so far I'm planning to do it with seated pike lifts and holds, one set every one or two hours during the day. A set could consist of ten lifts and a ten second hold (Adriano mentioned this in another thread), but I'm open to suggestions.

Also, to avoid only boosting posterior chain flexibility I suppose I ought to do an antagonist exercise as well, but I really don't want to overcomplicate the GTG aspect, otherwise it will be too cumbersome, and dead on arrival. Unless some of you've got a tip for a super efficient anterior chain stretch?

Bridge

I know Ravn is okay here, but for new people reading this, I wouldn't recommend bridge work be started until SL/PE1&2 are mastered.

Ah yes, of course.

Bipocni said:

I know Ravn is okay here, but for new people reading this, I wouldn't recommend bridge work be started until SL/PE1&2 are mastered.

Disagree. You might not be doing full bridges and limbers but you should absolutely begin developing it on day one imo

At whatever basic or advanced level is appropriate for your current flexibility

As I spend more and more time in hollow body positions, hard(for me) bridge work is feeling very therapeutic for just about the whole upper body, especially chest and shoulders. It is one of my favourite things to drill simply because it feels so good

Could someone please explain for me the differences between active and aspect flexibility?

Active stretch: You use the antagonist muscles to perform the stretch. In a pike stretch, this means that you tighten your abs and hip flexors to perform the stretch.

 

Passive stretch: You use gravity, a weight or a partner to perform the stretch. In a pike stretch this could be done be sitting on the floor with a weight behind you neck, and let the weight push you into stretch.

Question for those that have good pike flexibility:

 

When doing a standing pike stretch, I can put the heel of the hand next to my heels, but it requires some effort - Contraction of abs and hip flexors. As soon as I relax, I spring back up, so just my fingertips touch the ground. At the moment I pursue the ability to raise my toes to my hands on a stall bar without involving my lats, using only compression - essentially a perfect HLL.

 

Will I have to have completely effortless standing pike flexibility (knees to chest, heel of hand behind heels), ie. only static, no active compression before I get the active flexibility to perform a HLL?

Or will there always be effort involved in a deep standing pike stretch?

My pike may not be up to scratch, but I can imagine building the strength to pull yourself into position is what you're ultimately aiming for.  I remember Joshua Naterman telling me to work on seated pikes rather than standing, because of this exact reason.

Could someone show me what is the end point of active pike flexibility progression?

thanks

Amir Hussain said:

Could someone show me what is the end point of active pike flexibility progression?

thanks

Basically Lucas Abner

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/14330-50s-v-sit-with-8kg-add/