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In this week’s show I talk about one of my favorite “bridge” exercises, the pike.
For those of you working handstand and press handstands, it’s extremely important to learn the pike, it not only teaches you the proper arm mechanics for a press handstand, but it also helps you build the necessary strength!
And if you’re wondering, it does take MORE strength to hold a pike than it does to hold a handstand.
In today’s show this is what you’ll learn:
- The difference between pushing with your triceps vs. pushing with your shoulders
- Why it COULD BE your hip flexors holding you back from sticking your pike
- The main “invisible barriers” that stop people from holding a pike
- The proprioceptive difference between a handstand and a pike
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Hi Brian,
Great podcast as always! I really get what you are saying about pushing through the triceps. I really struggle with jumping into pike but find that if I bend my arms slightly before I jump and then straighten them I can stick it much better,which makes sense as I an pushing with the triceps. Any suggestions for developing triceps strength specifically for press handstand? Handstand push-ups and L sit?
Thank you!
Olga, work on holding L-sits, even if your feet don’t lift off the ground that’s okay, focus on simply trying to pull the hips back as much as you can, that’ll help to train your triceps. Holding straight arm exercises in general really help you to feel what it’s like push with your triceps as long as you’re keeping your traps in check!
Cheers,
Brian
Ha! Anyone complaining that a handstand is not part of yoga probably can’t do one! Great show. Thanks!
Josh, right on man, I can’t stand those people! Glad you enjoyed the show!
Brian
Wow….I hope you were kidding, but still…not very Yogic of you (“I can’t stand those people!”) 🙁 As a 55 year old teacher, I have been working on press handstand for over 2 years now and am still not there. So sorry, but it’s not “my” Yoga, and perhaps it never will be…the handstand is NOT the point of Yoga. We follow the principle of Ahimsa. For anyone who considers themselves a Yogi and compares themselves to others as “better” because they can accomplish “more”, what a shame. Maybe you should call yourselves gymnasts instead.
Dani, I never said I was better than anyone for doing a handstand. I admire people who work towards goals and definitely don’t think less of people of people who can’t do these things. And yes, obviously handstand isn’t the point of yoga, but some people really enjoy them, who are we to judge? And no, I wasn’t kidding, I can’t stand whiners and degenerates that use ancient philosophy as an excuse to be lazy and instead spend their time bashing others who don’t share their same viewpoints.
Great podcast Brian! Thank you for the tips! Very helpful!
Greetings,
Mandy Elorduy 🙂
Mandy glad you enjoyed it!
I LOVE your Podcast! ??✨??
Dana, so glad you enjoying it! Any specific topics you’d like to see me cover in the future?
Cheers,
Brian
very nice, detailed, and comforting tone and tenor.
Appreciate it – thanks
Ajit, I’ll get that for you in a future episode!
Cheers,
Brian
may I get some concrete analysis for L-Sit ?
will be very helpful – thanks
I enjoyed this podcast. I have some students who are very physically fit and always like a challenge and so pike will be perfect for them. I love the way you break down the process which helps with my teaching too!
Elaine, glad you enjoyed it! And a pike is always a great thing to challenge fit students with. 🙂
I love how you bring your engineering gifting in to the way you teach yoga asanas! You explain them so very well, Thank you!
Ann thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I like your no BS approach to the work that needs to be
done in order to get the handstand and pike press accomplished.
I’ve been in the fitness and training industry for years and
see so many “fitness guru’s” water down the amount of work
that is required to do even the most basic activities, So I applaud
your frankness.
Question: If the goal is to do a pike press to handstand, what are
your thoughts on training with a straddle press first to get the feel
of hips past the shoulder along with the positioning and strength
required to do it. I’m thinking that the straddle is easier and would
help build strength and confidence while learning the pike alongside
the straddle.
Jack, thanks! Straddle press is fine to get started with. The most important thing is to learn the proper hip position. Once you learn that and have the hamstring flexibility, the thing becomes effortless. The trick for being able to press over and over is to be able to pull your hips over your shoulders without the feet actually leaving the ground. Make sense? Check out this video, I’ll help you out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FGdL_N9hKA&t=7s
Cheers,
Brian
Great podcast! I have recently picked hand balancing back up again after many years. I am 53 and my goal right now is to hit a press handstand. My issue is the first 2-3 inches from the ground. After that I can get there. I am working on my compression strength and flexibility as well as shoulder strength, am I on the right path? Also do you plan on coming to the Seattle/Tacoma area sometime to teach a handstand seminar? That would be great.
Thanks
Hi Keith, sounds like you’re on the right path. In fact that first 2-3 inches is the toughest. Getting the proper hip position takes work. And for some people, it simply just boils down to not having enough flexibility to actually get the hips in the right place and it sounds like you’re working on it! At the moment, unfortunately I don’t have any plans to come to the Seattle area. I’m doing less and less workshops these days because The Asana Academy takes so much time to run. Glad you enjoyed the show!
Cheers,
Brian
Hey Brian,
Loved this! Where might I find the equilateral triangle exercise you talked about. It was seated drawing a triangle. Would love to watch that!
Brenda, I thought I had a video up on youtube showing that exercise, but it looks like I don’t. It’s something I’ll make in the future.
Really enjoyed this podcast – learned a lot about the connectivity of body in pike. Time to work on core!
Hellen, glad you enjoyed it!