Pancake Stretch
The pancake stretch is a flexibility exercise that primarily enhances flexibility in the hips, groin area, inner thighs, and hamstrings. In this stretch, you sit on the floor with your legs spread apart and bend your upper body forward. The further you lean forward, the more intense the stretch becomes. The pancake stretch is a mobility prerequisite for the Press Handstand and a preparatory exercise for the Splits.
Necessary equipment
Pancake Stretch - the correct execution
- Start in wide seat
- Raise your arms overhead in extension of your torso
- Bend your hips and lower your chest towards the floor
- Your feet are turned in and the soles of your feet are on the floor
- Keep tension in back, abdomen and legs
The exercise Pancake Stretch is intended to be used as a mobility exercise.
Which muscles are trained by Pancake Stretch?
Primary trained muscles for Pancake Stretch
Glutes - The gluteus maximus is the large muscle in your buttocks. It is important for extending the hip, moving your leg backward, and stabilizing the hip joint.
Hamstrings - The hamstrings are muscle groups located at the back of your thigh. They help you bend your knee and extend your hip.
Secondary trained muscles for Pancake Stretch
Lower Back - The erector spinae muscle runs along your spine and helps you extend your back and stand upright.
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Similar exercises to Pancake Stretch
Pancake Good Mornings
Pancake Good Mornings strengthen and mobilize the posterior chain, especially the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. This exercise combines the forward bend of the Pancake Stretch with the hip extension of classic Good Mornings. It’s particularly useful for improving hip and hamstring flexibility and is an advanced version of regular Good Mornings, as it requires greater mobility.
Pancake Walk
Pancake Walks on the hands enhance flexibility in the hips and hamstrings. The exercise starts in a wide-legged forward fold, similar to the Pancake Stretch. You move forward, using your hands for support, and straighten up as you go. This allows you to work within your current range of motion in the hips and hamstrings. This exercise is a great preparation for both the Pancake and the Pancake Good Morning.
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