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.