Plank to Pike

plank to pike video

Springload:

⚪️ 1 white

Duration:

60-90 seconds

Regression:

  • smaller range of motion
  • on the knees

Progression:

  • On the forearms
  • On the back

3-POINT SET-UP:

  1. Hands on the (front platform / carriage facing the back)

  2. Toes on the (carriage / platform)

  3. Hips up in line with your shoulders

Body Part • Direction • Action Verb:

  • PIKE your hips up towards the ceiling [insert tempo count]

  • RESIST back to a plank [insert tempo count]

Range of Motion:

  • About halfway to the ceiling

  • Not so high that you lose your form.

note: higher is not better!

 Kinetic Checkpoints:

HEAD:
❌ Immediately look at your knees or toes as you pike your hips
❌ Keep your head (or gaze) in a fixed position throughout the movement, such as looking at the platform the entire time

✅ Move your neck AS you move your spine so that they stay connected. No more, no less.

SHOULDERS:
❌ Allow your shoulders to shrug or become disconnected as you pike your hips up
❌ Rise up so far out of your shoulders that your upper back begins to round
❌ Sink into your shoulders as you return to plank

✅ Work to keep your shoulders neutral and down away from your ears throughout the movement

HIPS:
❌ Allow your hips to tuck under as you lift your hips up
❌ Allow your lower back to arch or drop at any point
❌ Lift your hips TOO HIGH!! (Think “halfway”)

✅ HINGE from your hips as you pike!
✅ Stop at about halfway OR when you can no longer keep your spine neutral

HINT: this exercise is really just a plank combined with a HIP HINGE! 🤯

KNEES:
❌ Bend your knees as you pike your hips up (<- this could mean your range of motion is too high)

✅ Keep your legs straight throughout the movement

HANDS/FEET:
❌ Let your heels drop as you pike up
❌ Allow your bodyweight to rock or transfer at any point

✅ Keep your heels lifted HIGH throughout the movement
✅ Keep your bodyweight EVENLY distributed throughout the movement

⚠️ A great tool you can use is to watch your clients’ heels as they pike up. If you can visually see their heels dropping you will know that they are transferring their bodyweight! Use your hands to keep their heels lifted as they pike!

Talking Points:

  • This exercise is NOT a crunch and will not feel like a gripping type of contraction

  • Your abs are working hard to support and maintain a neutral spine as you HINGE your hips

  • Your spine remains neutral or “frozen” and your HIPS do the moving. Your HIPS rotate or HINGE to pike up

  • Think about taking your hips UP instead of pulling your carriage IN

Common Mistakes.