Pike and Pancake compression

Hello Everyone!

I've just registered to the forum, and went trough a lot of material. I also bought the book and read it at least 3 times. I have a pair of rings too. Loving all this stuff

Here goes my question:

I want to learn the press handstand, and I'm starting to incorporate all the drills and exercises I need but I'm stuck at the issue of flexibility.

If I'm right, then the person who presses needs active flexibility in the hips and hamstrings, which I can improve by doing pike and pancake compressions, but I really do not know how to do it properly. Searching trough the forums gave me no results.

here is a website, if you scroll down to the very bottom you can find pictures of the compressions:

http://www.drillsandskills.com/article/16

is this the proper form to do them? Can anyone explain how to do them properly?

Thank you guys!

can someone help me in this please? I am a little confused about this topic, and not sure if I'm doing it right.

Yeah, that's how you ought to do them.

For pike. Sit on butt, put hands anywhere from mid hip to near the ankles. Lift heels off floor. It's important than you are leaning your torso and not back. Adjust hand placement for difficulty. Farther out more difficult.

Straddle is similar. Put hands in front of crotch. I don't believe you need to straddle like a middle split. Even a 90 degree split may be too much. Play with it.

Feel your abs and hip flexors burn.

okay, thanks for clarifying, one more thing, does it matter if I keep my arms or back straight? can any of it bend at all?

Arms can bend if you want, it doesn't really matter. With the back you just want to lean as far forward as possible but we are trying to compress the hips in pike or straddle.

Do you consider this also core work??? I tried it and my core is burning...I really think it can help my l-sit. Where would be a place for this in a workout? I am doing something similar to Killroy template...FSP, 1push,1pull, legs and core. Should I put it instead of core exercise or during stretching after workout?

Technically yes it does work core but i do not think it works it to the extent of say a front lever or an l-sit

Technically it is core work as Ian stated though it's less intense than Front Lever. Really, the thing is that it's isolated core/hip flexor work which L-sit/hang and FL aren't really.

So I can just add it to my flexibility work after training or even on off days?

Yes you can, that is what i do

An important part of the press handstand is your hands. You need to be strong enough to push down into the ground with your hands, with your fingers for example. Because when you lean forward to do a press handstand, if your hands are not strong enough, you will fall forward on your face.

What is happening to you then, is you are not leaning forward enough to do a press handstand because if you do, you will fall over due to your weak wrists.

I know this is not directly answering your question but this is a big problem I see, and probably one you are having. Strong hands!

acrobatlegend said:

An important part of the press handstand is your hands. You need to be strong enough to push down into the ground with your hands, with your fingers for example. Because when you lean forward to do a press handstand, if your hands are not strong enough, you will fall forward on your face.

What is happening to you then, is you are not leaning forward enough to do a press handstand because if you do, you will fall over due to your weak wrists.

I know this is not directly answering your question but this is a big problem I see, and probably one you are having. Strong hands!

I thought press handstands should have no lean as this would then become a planche press handstand.  Is this incorrect?  Are you supposed to lean?

Press Handstand should have little to no lean.

Ideally would be no lean at all, however, I can only manage to not lean on a straddle, pike I just need a little bit of lean. The more you lean, the more shoulder strength you need (a lot of = planche) the less lean, the more compression.

work on all drills you find online, I will post a good video as well. It would be good if someone could spot you on a few.

The press handstand is so complex, it is very hard to imagine if you can not do one, it seems almost impossible, but once you have it, it seems so simple. You just need to lean forward, push into the ground, lift your hips and compress your legs as much as you can all at the same time while maintaining balance. But I promise, practicing really helps you improve very fast. Use as many different drills as you can to train the motion. Straddle Lever Hold on floor, pressing up half way, presses against a wall etc.

I could not do a single standing press when I came to this board 2 years ago. Now I can do 5 straddle presses in a row plus L Sit Pike Press

 

Ideally would be no lean at all

In a straddle probably, but in a pike press, legs move CoG backwards so you have to counterbalance by leaning slightly forward.

Anyway, the proof that a manna with hands forward is possible is at 3:13!!! (not hold, but I believe he will )