Joshua Naterman Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 SBLkYMWCNeU This is Dominic Lacosse's video for pike and straddle pike flexibility. Training recommendations are at the end of the video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 So its kind of funny that people have been talking about this now. I feel like I've been lost trying to develop a stretching routine to develop pike and straddle flexibility. About 2 weeks ago I decided I'd follow this routine just without the partner stretches because I don't have a partner. I do it 2X a week after some foam rolling. Anyone have any suggestions of good ways to simulate the partner stretching w/out a partner. Is it better to just repeat some of the positions? I've already thought about increasing the hold times in some of the static stretches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 You could simulate partner stretches but you will need two fixed pulleys, a 2x10 or 2x12, probably 3/8 nylon rope, and a belt of some sort. I'd recommend a cheap used velcro weightlifting belt. I have some ideas for other things, but this is the simplest that I have right off the top of my head. You may even need to do some more mods to this, I don't know, but the idea is this: the belt goes tight around your ribs. From the belt goes a cord, which goes through one pulley that is around where your sternum would be in a perfect flat pike. From that first pulley, the cord then goes straight in front of you for 3 feet or so into a second pulley. These pulleys do NOT pivot. You could use eyebolts if you're feeling cheap. In fact, that's a great way to test this concept. Anyhow. From the second pulley or eyebolt that is a few feet in front of you, the rope comes back to you. You pull on that rope, and thanks to the pulleys you will have the exact same pressure on your back as a partner would give, only YOU can directly control it! How cool is that?! This would cost less than 30 bucks to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Stein Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 You could simulate partner stretches but you will need two fixed pulleys, a 2x10 or 2x12, probably 3/8 nylon rope, and a belt of some sort. I'd recommend a cheap used velcro weightlifting belt. I have some ideas for other things, but this is the simplest that I have right off the top of my head. You may even need to do some more mods to this, I don't know, but the idea is this: the belt goes tight around your ribs. From the belt goes a cord, which goes through one pulley that is around where your sternum would be in a perfect flat pike. From that first pulley, the cord then goes straight in front of you for 3 feet or so into a second pulley. These pulleys do NOT pivot. You could use eyebolts if you're feeling cheap. In fact, that's a great way to test this concept. Anyhow. From the second pulley or eyebolt that is a few feet in front of you, the rope comes back to you. You pull on that rope, and thanks to the pulleys you will have the exact same pressure on your back as a partner would give, only YOU can directly control it! How cool is that?! This would cost less than 30 bucks to make.That's pretty involved.I would just get a stretch band. Attach one end to a post or table leg (or Swedish ladder). Put the other around your chest. You'll figure out distance and direction depending on your needs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole Dano Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Another great way to work on it with out any thing special is to try it on your back. Bring your feet into the pike and the floor becomes your partner. Even in conjunction with the previous ideas this would be a great warm up. Try to get your feet and hips to the same level and then flatten your back onto the floor as much as possible.One very big caveat IMHO, if your hips aren't getting past 90 degrees partner pushing can be dangerous. Just like in a good backbend, the spine also will lengthen in a good forward bend so don't just think about compressing down. Not sure if this applies to you but just putting it out there.I used to do some work with a belt around the hips sitting at 90 with straight legs. Loop a long strap around your hips and feet with bent legs, then straighten the legs so that the strap pulls yours hips forwards of 90 and all your lumbar vertabra are 'in' rather than poking out.I've been working on alot with my pike stretch is to make sure that the lumbar vertabra are not sticking out in the pike even while deeply compressed. Its another important way of making the stretch active and the lumbar area more bullet proof. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 I'll figure out which of those suggestions is gonna work for me with the equipment/furniture I have lol. Then I'll give it some time and see how it goes.It took a few months and a lot of work but I worked myself to being able to put my head to my knees in a straight leg seated pike from a really inflexible starting point. And then I realized that my back was pretty much as rounded as can be so now I've got to fix that problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 You could simulate partner stretches but you will need two fixed pulleys, a 2x10 or 2x12, probably 3/8 nylon rope, and a belt of some sort. I'd recommend a cheap used velcro weightlifting belt. I have some ideas for other things, but this is the simplest that I have right off the top of my head. You may even need to do some more mods to this, I don't know, but the idea is this: the belt goes tight around your ribs. From the belt goes a cord, which goes through one pulley that is around where your sternum would be in a perfect flat pike. From that first pulley, the cord then goes straight in front of you for 3 feet or so into a second pulley. These pulleys do NOT pivot. You could use eyebolts if you're feeling cheap. In fact, that's a great way to test this concept. Anyhow. From the second pulley or eyebolt that is a few feet in front of you, the rope comes back to you. You pull on that rope, and thanks to the pulleys you will have the exact same pressure on your back as a partner would give, only YOU can directly control it! How cool is that?! This would cost less than 30 bucks to make.Thanks for the suggestion. I'm pretty big into making my own equipment but there is absolutely no way I could get away with that. I've been trying to talk the wife into letting me build an indoor stall bar on the section of wall I use for HS training and/or hang a rope inside for climbing(2 story ceiling) but so far no luck so I have to pick and choose my battles. After watching your video recently I've been looking on Craigslist for a power rack with the right sized safety rails drilled to make a stall bar because that can be kept outside but no luck so far =/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 Just make free-standing stall bars! It's super easy. Make the stal bars, and once they're together you just put 3 foot long 2x10 or 2x12 feet on them at the bottom as feet. They will be as stable as if they were drilled into the wall. That's how mine are! You can have the feet stick out 6-10 inches in the back if that makes you more comfortable, but it's not necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted June 20, 2010 Author Share Posted June 20, 2010 I'll figure out which of those suggestions is gonna work for me with the equipment/furniture I have lol. Then I'll give it some time and see how it goes.It took a few months and a lot of work but I worked myself to being able to put my head to my knees in a straight leg seated pike from a really inflexible starting point. And then I realized that my back was pretty much as rounded as can be so now I've got to fix that problemDefinitely take Mr Brady's technique and use it. On the floor, I grab my feet and then I try to use my hip flexors to pull my belly button towards my knee caps. This technique will help you flatten your back. You'll learn to use your core muscles more effectively for compression as well, because you'll HAVE to use them to do this right. Just do your seated pike and try this, you'll see right away how it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Awesome and thanks for the idea about the freestanding stall bars. Honestly I just never thought it would work so I didn't really consider it. I'm a pretty big guy so I was worried about it tipping over but I think your way bigger than me so if it works for you I'm off to Home Depot right ASAP. You have any schematics or plans on how to attach the feet at the bottom. Like I think I'm picturing what you mean but I'm not sure. Or is there a shot in any of your videos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted June 21, 2010 Author Share Posted June 21, 2010 I will post pictures of mine today so that you can see exactly what I have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 I will post pictures of mine today so that you can see exactly what I have done.any hope for some pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Van Bockxmeer Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 in the mean time you can look at mine http://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3774&hilit=+stall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 in the mean time you can look at mine http://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3774&hilit=+stallThanks! I actually have looked at your plans before, it is very helpful and how I got the specs for what I'll be doing. I just want some insight on making the feet. Pretty sure I could figure it out but might as well go with a design that has proven to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted July 1, 2010 Author Share Posted July 1, 2010 HAHAHA sorry! I've just been super busy. I'll take some now.Close up of the attachment site, I used 10 3" wood screws.Slightly more zoomed out so you can see the foot I used. It's just a 2x12.And finally, the actual rig! You can see this is freestanding from the wall. Coach joked that you could land a 747 on it when I told him I made my stall bars using 4x6's for uprights lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 looks beautiful. Thanks so much for posting. How much did all that lumber cost ya? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted July 1, 2010 Author Share Posted July 1, 2010 Each 2x6 was 20 bucks, and I needed six 6 foot long 1.25" pine dowels. All together I think that's 50 bucks or so. If you REALLY want to be awesome, buy 8 dowels and go all the way down to the floor with the horizontal bars. I'm going to have to add them... sigh. What a bother.The 2x12 was free, but a 2x12x8 is only 5-10 bucks so you're looking at total cost of 70 bucks for wood (with 8 dowels), probably 5 bucks for screws, and that's really it. Not too bad, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Duelley Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 hmmm, I might have to make me some of these when I finish school and have access to my dads woodshop 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 OK So I've bought all my lumber. Everything is treated wood except for the dowels which I have water sealed. I had to buy a 2X12X8 so I'm going to make two feet per side. I spoke to a few people and it seems like I'd need to buy a drill press to be able to make the holes accurate enough without some luck on my side. Rather than cross my fingers I've contacted the local boys and girls club that has a woodshop to hopefully come in and make some holes for a small donation. Slizzardman, I know you have freestanding stahl bars so I'm wondering what the differences in construction are or if there are any tips you have for me. Is the only thing connecting the 2 upright the dowels? If so did you glue them in and nail them or are they not connected at all?Thanks for all your help so far. Hopefully I can actually get access to that woodshop. I was going to go with steel pipe but then that would have been about 100 dollars as opposed to $20 for the dowels and sealant I paid. Also if I have to sand them down a bit to get them to fit that would be harder with steel I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted October 20, 2010 Author Share Posted October 20, 2010 I pounded mine through a 4x6 and made all my holes by marking the wood and then eyeballing, and the wood wasn't even lying level when I was drilling, and I still got mine together. The people telling you it's so hard are half-wrong. It's all about how you do it. In a moment of inspiration I punched all the dowels into one 4x6 far enough to where I could hang it off of my power rack across the safety bars. 4x6x8 is heavy! Next, I lined up the two dowels on each end with the appropriate holes in the other upright and hammered them in. I held a large bolt on the dowel once it was inside the 4x6. For a 2x12 I would just put the dowels flush with the outside once it's finished. At first put them further through and then pound them back into place. Put them into place one at a time, starting with the two ends. You may need to use your foot and knee to bend the dowels into place if your holes are as far off as mine were, but it will work. Once they were in place I drilled a hole and then put a 3" drywall screw in. Because of the intense pressure on the dowels from my horribly misaligned holes I did not have to worry about additional bracing, but you can always put a few 1x4's across the back for additional stability once you have gotten the dowels in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 Awesome thanks. Glad to know the holes don't have to be perfect. I'll probably do this soon then as I don't think the woman I spoke to is keen on me using their wood shop. I'm also using dowelsnthat are 4 feet and just planning on letting them stick out a few inches on each side. Thanks for all the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted October 20, 2010 Author Share Posted October 20, 2010 Just do your best, having the wood laying level will help a ton. As long as you pre-mark the center of all your holes you will be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 built! I've only nailed in the feet with 2 nails per board so its a bit wobbly right now. Tomorrow I'll be using about 6 screws per 2X12 to really solidify the whole thing. Thanks for all the help Slizz. I'll try to get some pics up in the next day or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Naterman Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Congrats!!!Stall bars are probably the most useful piece of equipment for flexibility and core training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Coad Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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