Any loaded stretches for piriformis?

Hi everyone, I've been doing the front split routine and making great progress. Some of the side split stretches though, like butterfly and diamond frog, are really being impeded by my super tight piriformis. If I sit cross legged my knees are up by my shoulders. I've been relaxing into a static modified pigeon pose for 5 minutes every day, but I know my body responds much better to loaded stretches. I tried loading pigeon but if I don't use my hands for support then my hips tighten up to support my body weight before I lean forward enough to enter a new ROM.  I tried doing a loaded firelog pose, but I don't feel that as deep into my piriformis. This is where loaded stretching started, so I'm here to ask the experts for a loaded routine for my locked up piriformis. I'm ready to work. Thanks! 

Hi Michale, reading your words seems that your hips are very very tight and probably is not a muscle problem but a capsule problem. in this case, since the capsule is a passive stabilization part the loaded work it is not something that I recommend to you. in this case you need first to make a deeper research maybe with a physiotherapist in order to check for possible capsule restriction. any additional suggestion you can get here does not represent a realistic solution.

Hi Alessandro, thank you for your reply. I've been seeing a physiotherapist and he said I do not have a capsule restriction. When i add weights to firelog pose, by the fifth set, my top leg can rest totally flat on the bottom leg. Also, sometimes when I'm really warmed up, I can push my knees to the floor sitting cross legged without feeling a stretch. My default state is really tight and that is why I think loaded stretching is the solution. I want to be able to wake up cold with loose hips. I just can't find an effective loaded routine for my piriformis. 

One thing that you need to consider is that weak muscles tend to respond less to stretch exercise, are you doing any sort of strength work for your legs?

waking up cold with loosed hips is something more concerned with strength training. the more the strength at the end of the range of motion of the stretched muscles, the more the range you can show on cold flexibility.

I used to deadlift and squat 2x/week when i was really inflexible, but I stopped to focus on flexibility. I thought the focus of loaded stretching is to strengthen at the end range of motion.

Yes it is but it should be planned carefully. the loaded stretch is a strength work. too much? no result. too less? no result. for this reason at the beginning, you simply need to spend here more time.