Soreness after heavy stretching

Hi guys,

I'm planning to start the front split course because I want to improve my hamstring flexibility. The problem is that everytime I do heavy hamstring stretches, like Jefferson curl (just 20 kg), inverted pike in the stall bars or just standing pikes, I end up with hamstring soreness for 2 or more days. Has been like that since forever, and the sport pt says that my biomechanics are fine, no compensations, almost equal level of mobility on each side of my body, very good range on motion in every joint, just a bit tight at shoulders but way better than the average.

Probably I overuse the hamstrings mobility, because I do gymnastics 2 times a week and I use a lot the pike in the somersaults, and I train front splits one time a week and narrow straddle pancake one time a week other day too.

Should I go for the front split course? My goal is to have nice hamstring flexibility to do just pikes with just a bit of warm up whenever needed, I love the days when I feel that my hip flexion is easy and I don't have to do a long warm up to loosen the hamstrings.

1 hour ago, Eloy Bote said:

Hi guys,

I'm planning to start the front split course because I want to improve my hamstring flexibility. The problem is that everytime I do heavy hamstring stretches, like Jefferson curl (just 20 kg), inverted pike in the stall bars or just standing pikes, I end up with hamstring soreness for 2 or more days. Has been like that since forever, and the sport pt says that my biomechanics are fine, no compensations, almost equal level of mobility on each side of my body, very good range on motion in every joint, just a bit tight at shoulders but way better than the average.

Probably I overuse the hamstrings mobility, because I do gymnastics 2 times a week and I use a lot the pike in the somersaults, and I train front splits one time a week and narrow straddle pancake one time a week other day too.

Should I go for the front split course? My goal is to have nice hamstring flexibility to do just pikes with just a bit of warm up whenever needed, I love the days when I feel that my hip flexion is easy and I don't have to do a long warm up to loosen the hamstrings.

Hi Eloy, Jefferson curl and inverted pike stretch at the stall bar are weighted mobility that can have much more effect of the body than normal stretch sequence. in fact, the stretch series of the front split does not include them.

9 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Eloy, Jefferson curl and inverted pike stretch at the stall bar are weighted mobility that can have much more effect of the body than normal stretch sequence. in fact, the stretch series of the front split does not include them.

Thank you Alessandro, I will go for the front split course let's see if my pike comes easier. The thoracic bridge is going fine with no soreness and being easier everytime

Yeah the front split course gave me nice soreness haha. Too bad because the next day I wasn't able to even pike during tumbling but I hope it will get better with time. Any tips for the soreness? Maybe some kind of exercises to do the next day to recover faster? I take (very) cold shower after workout.

The foam roller can help and also having a good cardiovascular system can help.