Substitution or Progression for Standing Pike Stretch

Hello Coaches and fellow GB students. I have reached a point in my Standing Pike Stretch progress where I feel that I cannot create enough leverage to continue to stretch my hamstrings efficiently with the standard Standing Pike Stretch and was wondering if it’s ok to substitute another Pike Stretch, or if anyone know of a good way to increase the strength of the Standing Pike Stretch?

i have attached an image of my current Pike progress. In the image I am holding the backs of my calves and pulling myself to my legs, but this method seems to result in poor balance which somewhat limits my ability to really relax into the stretch.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

I think increasing your passive pike will help you to actively push further.  Front split series is obviously best for that and there's still some progressions that could also help you.  Other then that, keep working on it! Consistency is the best way

Thanks for the reply Etienne, yes, I have been doing the Front Split series since it was released, and I am very happy with the progress I have made.

But I have come to a point now where the Standing Pike Stretch is no longer giving me a good stretch if I just focus on reaching towards the floor and other than grabbing my calves and pulling my chest to my thighs I have nothing to create leverage against to give me a good stretch.

i’m wondering if perhaps it would be ok to switch to a seated Pike Stretch, inverted Pike Stretch on stall bars, plow Pike Stretch, or some other version which would allow better leverage while not making it difficult to balance. 

13 hours ago, Keegan Yentsch said:

i’m wondering if perhaps it would be ok to switch to a seated Pike Stretch, inverted Pike Stretch on stall bars, plow Pike Stretch, or some other version which would allow better leverage while not making it difficult to balance. 

Hi Keegan, 

These are variations you can do to complement your hamstrings flexibility, they're not in the curriculum for nothing afterall. 

Did you try compressing actively with your hips while maintaining APT in pike?

Hi Etienne,

Thanks again for the reply.

Yes, I have been actively compressing and doing my best to maintain APT throughout my Standing Pike Stretches, and up until recently it was working well.

But at this point my torso is nearly vertical,  so not creating much if any leverage/help in getting me into a deeper stretch, my ribs are at least partially pressed against my thighs, and I am finding that my hip flexion/compression muscles are not strong enough to efficiently pull me into deeper compression with this method. They either tire out, cramp, or just flat out don’t provide enough “pull” to where I feel a hamstring stretch.

The Hamstring Stretches where I am still feeling a stretch in the FS routine are those where I can either create leverage by holding my foot and pulling myself to my leg (Hurdler Stretch variations), and those where I can create an effective lever by bringing my foot sufficiently far enough in front of my hips to use my torso as weight (Straight Leg Calf, Single Pike against the Wall, and Vertical Lunge Straight).

The Standing Pike just seems extremely inefficient at this point as the force needs to go “back” rather than “down” at this point (hopefully that makes sense), but I have no mechanical advantage in that direction anymore. I figured that those other variations would allow me to once again create a mechanical advantage, so was just looking to see if anyone else had substituted something else for the Standing Pike Stretch at some point and what might be generally considered the best substitution or progression for doing so.

Hi again Keegan!  

I see your point.  I'm not a coach here, so maybe they can give other advices too, but I would say to keep working on it (to stop doing it won't help), stretch with the other variations and work on your compression.  The results of all these will surely help you to progress in everything.

You can try the standing achilles challenge as I see it a lot on social medias.  The goal is to touch the toes with the head.  It's a fun way to build this pike.

But in overall, I wouldn't stop working on the pike, I would just work with the other exercises too.

I hope it helps

Hi Keegan, what i d do is just stand with a wall bar behind and place your hands on it, then working with the pelvis to keep more apt and more compression. Use your hands as less as possible.

Hi Keegan,

Try adding a slight forward lean to your stretch by shifting your weight from your heels to your forefoot. 

Also what I do sometimes that I stand in front of my stall bars (or pole), facing away, bend down and grab the stall bars behind me (instead of pulling on my calves). That will give me a better balance and I can pull harder. Also it is much easier to do what Everett suggested—to transfer the weight to different areas in your feet. It will feel all slightly different.