Suspender Pike
Suspender Pike Exercise Description
The Suspender Pike is a bodyweight hip-flexion drill performed with a suspension trainer, starting from a high plank with the feet in the straps. The movement centers on lifting the hips toward the ceiling by flexing at the hips while keeping the knees straight and the spine neutral. Primary demand is on the anterior core (rectus abdominis and obliques) to resist lumbar extension, with strong contribution from the hip flexors and quadriceps to draw the legs forward. The shoulders, serratus anterior, and rotator cuff act isometrically to stabilize the scapulae and maintain solid support through the hands. Expect a significant mobility component from the posterior chain; only rise as high as you can without rounding the upper back or bending the knees.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Core, Waist
- Target Muscles: Rectus Abdominis
- Assisting Muscles: External Obliques, Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris
- Stabilizing Muscles: Infraspinatus, Serratus Anterior, Subscapularis, Supraspinatus, Teres Minor
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core, Torso
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: TRX Bands
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength, Suspension
- Functional Grouping: Trunk Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Stomach
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Suspender Pike Exercise
‘- Set straps so foot cradles hang a few inches off the floor. Place toes in cradles, face down.
– Start in a high plank: hands under shoulders, elbows straight, legs long, body in one line. Press the floor to avoid scapular winging.
– Brace the abdominals to keep a neutral lumbar spine; keep the neck long with eyes between the hands.
– Inhale to set; as you exhale, keep knees straight and lift the hips toward the ceiling, pulling the feet forward under the hips.
– Maintain shoulders stacked over or slightly in front of wrists; keep elbows locked and shoulder blades stable.
– Rise only as high as you can while keeping legs straight and spine neutral or slightly flexed; avoid shrugging.
– Lower the hips under control back to a straight, stable plank without letting the low back sag.
– Reset your plank alignment before the next repetition; stop if knees bend, shoulders drift behind wrists, or the low back extends.
Suspender Pike Tips
‘- Set the foot cradles just a few inches off the floor so your toes sit securely in the straps.
– In your starting plank, line hands directly under shoulders with elbows straight and legs long in one line.
– Actively press the floor away to prevent scapular winging and keep the shoulders stable.
– Brace your abdominals to maintain a neutral lumbar spine before you start moving.
– Keep your neck long with eyes looking between your hands throughout the movement.
– As you exhale, lift the hips toward the ceiling by flexing at the hips, keeping the knees straight.
– Pull the feet forward under the hips while maintaining shoulders stacked over or slightly in front of the wrists.
– Rise only as high as you can while legs stay straight and the spine remains neutral or only slightly flexed.
– Avoid shrugging the shoulders as you lift the hips; keep the shoulder blades stable.
– Lower the hips back down under control to a straight, stable plank without letting the low back sag, and reset alignment before the next rep.
Suspender Pike Beginner Introduction
The Suspender Pike uses a suspension trainer for a bodyweight movement that bends at the hips while the feet rest in the hanging straps and the body starts in a straight-arm plank. From this position, the hips travel upward and the legs sweep forward, with the knees held long and the back in a controlled, aligned position. The motion blends elements of a plank and a pike, creating a dynamic, gymnastic-style action while the hands stay fixed on the floor for support.
This drill places a heavy emphasis on the front of the midsection, especially the abs and side abs, which work hard to prevent the lower back from arching. The muscles at the front of the hips and the fronts of the thighs help draw the legs underneath the body, while the shoulders and chest contribute by holding the upper body steady over the hands. There is also a strong stretch and control demand through the back line of the body, particularly the rear of the legs and trunk, as the hips rise and lower under tension.