Weighted Pancake

Another day feeling very grateful for the Middle Split Stretch series.

May sound funny, but I did not have pancake or middle split as a goal necessarily when I purchased the stretch course ~8 months ago; my problem was simply that I was not flexible enough to be comfortable on the ground, sitting or playing with my little kids. It took two hands to help myself just to sit upright due to hip tightness. Yes, that is pathetic. Now I am also able to chart on the computer while seated on the floor for some of my longer physical therapy notes.

A LOT of work ahead, but want to also express my appreciation for the continuation education that is found on the GB forum:

Hi Ryan,

Weight looks too far forward and your grip on that doesn't look all that secure to be honest. Then you are 'pancaking' to a certain point before reaching over with your back, same as me

When I set this up, I have the bar on my thighs, set my APT, then more or less seated snatch the bar overhead. Grip is around a Cuban press width; elbows/shoulders at 90/90 or maybe a touch wider still. From there I exaggerate the APT some so that I feel as if I have a small arch in my back, and keep my chin up-- reaching down with my chin is the biggest fac4tor in whether I curl over with my back or not. I keep a full overgrip on the bar-- thumb over index finger-- and have a very wide grip. Keep the weight straight up, ie so that you aren't fighting it forward or back--- you are not being pulling down and forward, you are *closing* at the hips.

Then rather than leaning forward I think about pushing my butt back. Obviously that does not move, so the upshot is a descent between my own thighs. If my hamstrings feel slack at any point, I go up and re-set. When I began serious work on this a few weeks ago I had to limit it to about 45 degrees before the stretch moved left my hamstrings; now I keep pushing my butt back until my stomach and chin are on the matt.

I could not say for sure whether full depth and elevated butt would work better than limited depth/butt on floor; the important thing is ensuring your alignment is right. If your back feels any pressure, it's wrong and you need to reset the stretch.

I'll try to get a pic/vid if my gym allows it.

As for frequency I get the stretch only in my hamstrings-- no soreness or stiffness anywhere else and only a feeling of stretch in them. I'm able to work it on my way out of the gym 6 days a week for 3 sets of 30-60s holds in the bottom position and improve it each day without interfering in any other activities-- I don't time it, just go for comfortably long sets till my shoulders start to wonder whether this is a great idea and rest maybe 30 sec in between them. Ale has previously set F4 leg strength as the benchmark for training these every day; that seems like a very reasonable yardstick to me and I would caution that a little can go a long way if you are not fairly close to a full pancake and are still establishing ROM.

Notably I get more out of the middle split stretch course focusing on these details too

That's my understanding of this stretch. Break it way down. Other coaches may dial in further on the broad strokes i have put here

Oh, and quick testimony on how I have found this stretch. Gone from inconsistent couple seconds on pHSpe8 to calmly working up through each step, currently at 4x 6s. Not in a hurry because it gets easier to get the correct position each training day

Exactly the detail I was searching for Jon, and why I posted the video. I will hold off on this lower range weighted stretch for now, as I felt very similar benefits, and with better APT form, with the other course stretches when done correctly without weight, and with the appropriate butt elevation. I think in my beginning stages, I am still benefiting without the extra weight exercise. But, Damn my legs feel good right now, even though my form sucks. Still looking forward to seeing your progress Jon even though I am not going to consistently follow your weighted work yet of course. 

Thanks for the feedback so early in the morning where you are!

Good day,

Ryan

1 hour ago, Ryan Bailey said:

Exactly the detail I was searching for Jon, and why I posted the video. I will hold off on this lower range weighted stretch for now, as I felt very similar benefits, and with better APT form, with the other course stretches when done correctly without weight, and with the appropriate butt elevation. I think in my beginning stages, I am still benefiting without the extra weight exercise. But, Damn my legs feel good right now, even though my form sucks. Still looking forward to seeing your progress Jon even though I am not going to consistently follow your weighted work yet of course. 

Thanks for the feedback so early in the morning where you are!

Good day,

Ryan

Caught me on a coffee break

I think that Jon said all.

You should always open your chest and push your ass behind you, then move down always until you can hold the APT, no more. to increase the depth use something under your butt.

You can evaluate to ad a beginning set of 12-15 reps with knees bent, in this way you can take off from the equation the part behind the knees and focus only on the origin of biceps femoris under the butt.

Also if you can check your form in a mirror from the side you should see that the arms are always straight and and orthogonal to the floor.

when you move down think about pushing the heels against the floor, connective tissue loves the eccentric in order to release the most tight part. same thing for the ascent, push heels on the floor while trying to open the chest as much forward as you can, this thing will make your spine long and stretched.