Stuck on Tuck Ups

Howdy Y'all...hope everyone is rockin''!   So after a small hiatus, I'm finally back into my gymnasticbodies grind. Pretty stoked about it, however I feel as if I'm doing something incorrectly with my Manna progressions in my tuckups.  

I'm making steady progress everywhere else...even on my weaker Single-Leg Squat & Hollow Back Planches, yet I can't seem to extend my mobility enough for my knees to reach my chest during this execution.

I've tried spreading my legs out further during my Stiff-Legged Windmill, also trying to do pancakes with a weighted bar on my back. Not sure if I need to work on my adductors, psoas or hamstrings or more?  I do Jefferson curls 3-5 days/week, as well, just with the constant sitting I do at work. I'm up to 25 lbs with those, currently.

The first video is from this morning on my first set:

The 2nd video is me on my last set after trying some trial-&-error with different stances on my mobility. I am a pretty limber guy, for the most part, among a relative term. Definitely not by gymnastics standards, but not bad for an 'average joe'.  You can see a slight increase with my knees getting to my chest but I just don't feel any progressions, even minimal, on a weekly basis with this.

I expect slow progressions with my planches & single-leg squats, but not this son-of-a-gun!  

What else should I be doing or what muscle(s) should I be focusing more on stretching? What can I do?  

 

p.s. Even before my small 5 month hiatus, for 3 months prior I was stuck on tuck-ups.  I'm f-ing over this & am eager for some direction! Thanks y'all!

 

Hi Maurice, are you following one of the stretch series?  in the case of posterior hips capsule tightness, you cannot compress the upper leg into the upper body. the piriformis stretch in the middle split series is pretty useful for that, also all the pike variation on the front split one are very good.

Thanks Alessandro. I do have the Front Split series, but that's the only stretch one I have.  Is this piriformis stretch a pretty basic stretch? Or is there some kind of "gymnasticbodies" tweak to it that y'all do with it? 

I'll eventually get the other 2 stretch series, but I don't wanna overwhelm myself, either, while currently doing the Foundation & H1 courses, and sprinkling my Front Splits in weekly.

 

I think that the middle split is a good companion to complete the mobilization of your hips.