How to start training pike flexibility
Over the last 18 months, I've been working to increase my flexibility.
As an adult, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we'll never be flexible.
"Either you're born with it, or you're not."
"I'm too old to start training flexibility."
I get it.
After years of training and competing in endurance sports and then doing CrossFit, I never thought of myself as someone who could be flexible.
Increasing flexibility is like building strength; it takes time and consistency and I believe it's never too late to increase flexibility
With that said, let's get back to the point of this post and talk about how to start training pike flexibility.
Check Your False Grip
If you’re working towards your first strict muscle-up, looking to increase your unbroken muscle-up reps, or searching for more advanced gymnastics rings training, this blog is for you.
In this blog, I'm gonna share some ideas around false grip training for gymnastics rings muscle-ups and more.
I also cover these checks in this YouTube video:
How to start training Pancake Flexibility
Are you a gymnastics skill seeker who wants to accomplish a chest-to-floor pancake?
When you sit on the floor to perform your pancake stretches, do you maintain a flat back, or do you round your back?
Do you need to maintain a flat back when training the pancake?
It's a fair assumption. We're often told to "maintain a flat back" in other hip-hinging movements such as deadlifts and good mornings.
"If you round you're back, you'll get injured".
Is that so?
I believe the fitness industry has taken the whole neutral spine idea too far.
Let's face it, real life and sport are not ridged and straight. We don't move through life with a neutral spine.
It's not very "functional" to only train with a neutral spine.
How to increase flexibility as an adult.
I never thought I'd be able to do a chest-to-floor pancake or hold a gymnastics bridge.
I've spent most of my adult life training for strength and fitness.
I never dedicated much time to stretching. I always made the excuse that I wasn't a flexible persona, and as long as I was doing full range of motion in my strength training, I had all the flexibility I needed to be "functional". Right?
What changed?
Stretch NOV 22 Training VLOG: Pike Flexibility, Press Handstand & Handstand Push-ups
It's the start of November 2022, and I'm just about to start a new Gymnastics Strength (GST) phase in my training. At the same time, I'm also starting a new mobility phase.
I plan to mix things up in my training and aim for three long sessions combining flexibility and GST and one shorter session focused on flexibility.
Building Straight-Arm Scapular Strength Part 2: The Foundations
Scapular push-ups, scapular rows, handstand shrugs, dip shrugs, RTO ring support holds, and passive and active hangs are all excellent tools for building scapular strength, but they can get a little boring once you’ve master them.
I still do them, but a good place for them is in the warm-up as activation drills.
If you're new to SASS and you're still getting ready to train front levers, planche and handstands, what can you do to build SASS?
Building Straight-Arm Scapular Strength Part 1: Awareness
I thought I was strong when I first started Gymnastics Strength Training (GST). I'd been lifting weights in the gym for years and increasing my squat, deadlift, chin-up, overhead press and bench numbers.
But it didn't prepare me for GST, especially Straight-Arm Scapular Strength (SASS) movements.
I couldn't hold a Tuck Planche.
I couldn't Skin The Cat or hold a Back or Front Lever.
I couldn't hold a Handstand.
I was strong. But what was I missing?
Why Gymnastics Skill Seekers should Skin The Cat.
As a gymnastics skill seeker, one of my goals was to master the back lever. In Gymnastics Strength Training (GST), the back lever is one of the first static straight arm strength-based movements to learn.
Working towards a full back lever prepares the body for many more advanced gymnastics movements. So, I set to work training back levers.
The back lever isn't a movement to launch into without preparation. Many gymnastics skill seekers experience elbow and shoulder pain or even injury when they fail to build the foundations of strength and flexibility required for back lever training.
One of the best exercises for hip mobility and strength.
A lot of gymnastics skill seekers want to have strong and flexible hips. We want to perform a chest-to-floor pancake, chest-to-thigh pike, L-Sits, V-Sits, strict toes to bar, gymnastic bridge, and all the sick gymnastics skills.
Gymnastics Strength Training (GST) is full of movements that require strong and flexible hips.
So, where do you start?
There are literally thousands of strength and flexibility drills you can choose from.
What's the best bang for your buck?
If you've been doing a lot of Yoga, you might already have flexible hips but not very strong hips.
If you've been doing a lot of weight lifting, you might have strong hips but not very flexible hips.
Is there an exercise that can help build both strength and flexibility?
Popeye was a gymnastics skills seeker
Today, I wanted to talk about forearms.
Whenever I think of forearms, the first character that comes to mind in Popeye.
I'm not going to tell you to eat your spinach so you can grow up to become a big and strong gymnast. But if you want to be able to perform sick gymnastics skills like handstands, planche, muscle-ups and forward rolls, you'll need to train your forearms.