How to position pelvis on standing pike

I've read that on the standing pike we are supposed to keep APT. However, because my flexibility is not that good yet, I'm unable to do that:

As you can see, my back is rounded. To prevent this, I can actively keep APT and only bend as far as I can, maintaining it, like this:

The problem with this though, is that it's really tiresome for my lower back muscles to maintain this pelvis position. Even when I place my hands on my legs, or on a chair in front of me. I might be able to complete 2 minutes, but for all the exercises after this one, my lower back is too tired to maintain proper form.

Has anyone dealt with this issue?

Hi Stefan, pretty common your situation. Now if you cannot hold the APY you can reach first the pike with the rounded back so that you can ensure a full posterior chain stretch, then when is easy you can add the APT.

Great tip, Alessandro. I've been focusing on APT instead of ROM as well but it makes sense to lengthen the entire posterior chain first and then work on the 'details'.

(hello from Delft, Stefan!)

Interesting. I’ve also been focussing on APT to limit the strain on my lower back. When going out of APT I tend to experience lower back discomfort the day after. Using a chair or the wall to lean on is actually my preferred choice.

I thought ppt was required due to how the hamstrings attach to the pelvis. 

I though ppt would mean that they weren’t already stretched?

For the most of the people assuming a APT at the beginning is simply impossible, if you feel pain the day after you should use a moderate ATP until you feel that the pain is not presented anymore..then increase the ATP.

On 5/6/2018 at 10:43 PM, Alessandro Mainente said:

For the most of the people assuming a APT at the beginning is simply impossible, if you feel pain the day after you should use a moderate ATP until you feel that the pain is not presented anymore..then increase the ATP.

Hey there, thanks for this.  Sorry for being a bore, how is it a mechanical advantage? ATP that is?

I do not understand your question.

Going for APT in the standing pike has the advantage of making the stretch harder/better. That is, you will improve your range of motion even more by doing the stretching this way. 

But first you need some range of motion. Think of it as over-split versus split. 

I hope this makes sense. 

I'm not quite understanding the advantage of an anterior pelvic tilt in a pike.  Does tilting the pelvis forward put the hamstrings in a pre-stretch state because of the way they attach to the glutes/pelvis?

Or is the advantage of the ATP that the low back and lengthen more?  

What does ATP allow in this movement that PPT does not?

4 hours ago, Paul Bassett said:

I'm not quite understanding the advantage of an anterior pelvic tilt in a pike.  Does tilting the pelvis forward put the hamstrings in a pre-stretch state because of the way they attach to the glutes/pelvis?

Or is the advantage of the ATP that the low back and lengthen more?  

What does ATP allow in this movement that PPT does not?

Since the hamstring is two joint muscles you need to lock your knees and try to rotate the hips in the opposite direction. this leads to separate origin and insertion much better and corresponds to APT. on the other side PPT does not stretch the 2 joints muscle enough.

Thanks guys!