Standing Single Pike

I somehow don't get the point of the "Standing Single Pike" (FSs/SE18,19). I'm especially confused because it is declared as a "very intense stretch". Where exactly is it supposed to be felt?

For me that's the only stretch in the whole series that I basically don't feel any stretching sensation at all. I guess I must be doing something wrong, but I have not been able to find it out yet.

I misunderstood it at first as well, thinking it was supposed to be felt in the bent leg. It wasn't until I realized it's supposed to be a single leg "pike" stretch that I figured it out. It's basically just like a standing like, but since only one of your legs is supporting your weight while the other is bent against the wall behind you (helping you to balance), your whole Bodyweight is acting to stretch just one of your legs rather than both. It should be a very intense version of where you feel a regular like stretch.

Keegan, ah... that's helpful! Thanks, I will try it with that in mind.

How much bodyweight should you keep on your hands? I always feel like I have the mobility to go deeper in this stretch but I can't because if I'd take the hand closer to my feet I would fall (pretty badly too )

I think this should feel like a more intense version of the narrow hurdler stretch, no ? In narrow hurdler you use your quads to press the knees into the ground, in here you're also using gravity to help you press the knee to the wall.

I feel the stretch more in my quads, same with the narrow hurdler stretch. I have assumed that was because it was an area of weakness compared to my hammies.

EdStand said:

How much bodyweight should you keep on your hands? I always feel like I have the mobility to go deeper in this stretch but I can't because if I'd take the hand closer to my feet I would fall (pretty badly too )

This can happen, you can try using the stretch blocks in different ways to make it more bearable, perhaps even resting your head on one.

Cole Dano said:

This can happen, you can try using the stretch blocks in different ways to make it more bearable, perhaps even resting your head on one.

Resting my head on the block, hmmm....I always found that the movement was hard but it was more difficult for me not from a stretching standpoint but a balance one. I spent most of the time trying to not fall over versus simply working the hamstring. Perhaps that's proof enough, I'm not sure. Either way my quads, achilles and hamstrings are noticeably more limber from the circuit overall.

On further examination. I've found that I feel this stretch MUCH more in my shoulders than in my hamstring. When doing this stretch on the ground, I feel in in the hamstring, but when standing not so much the case. Anyone know as to why that might be?