SUSPENSION TRAINER PIKE
The Suspension Trainer Pike is an intermediate exercise that requires your abs to work through a wider range of motion compared to many other abdominal exercises. By suspending yourself with a suspension trainer you will be better able to isolate your core muscles; thereby, taking pressure off your lower back and hip flexors, which often tend to dominate many core-strengthening exercises.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Training: Isolation
Type: Strength
Force: Pull
Equipment: Suspension Trainer
1° Muscles: Rectus Abdominus, Transverse Abdominus, Internal Obliques, External Obliques
2° Muscles: Gluteals, Deltoids
SET-UP
- Set the handles of the suspension trainer to an appropriate height (for most, something close to a foot off the floor should be fine).
- Place a foot in each stirrup and extend your body out into a straight arm plank position so that your body is held in a straight line from your ankles, through your knees and hips to your shoulders.
- Ensure the stirrups rest flat against your feet and your hands are directly under your shoulders.
- Engage your core so your hips do not droop towards the floor.
EXECUTION
- Keeping your legs extended, hinge at your hips and use your abdominals to move your ankles towards your wrists as you exhale.
- Stop pulling when your glutes are as high as possible, or you can no longer maintain stable shoulders and a tight core.
- After a brief pause, inhale as you slowly lower your hips so your ankles move away from your wrists back to the start position to complete one rep.
- Repeat for the prescribed number of reps and sets.
- Ensure your shoulders remain above your arms for the entire range of motion by focussing on maintaining straight wrists and stable shoulders.
- Do not allow your hips to dip below the line between your feet and shoulders to avoid placing undue pressure on your lower back.
- Keep the movement controlled throughout the exercise.
- Stability Ball Pike
- Barbell Rollout
- Hanging Leg Raises
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