Seated Pike Pulses (Active Compression)

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Content last reviewed: 2026-07-06

Seated Pike Pulses (Active Compression) — start/setup and end/loaded positions — Left: start / setup position. Right: end / loaded position.

How to do it

Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, feet together, and toes pointed.
Lean your torso slightly forward and place your hands flat on the floor next to your knees or mid-thighs.
Lock your knees perfectly straight.
Using only your core and hip flexors, lift both legs (or one leg at a time) a few inches off the floor.
Hold for 1 second, lower without resting completely, and repeat.

Form cues

Do not lean backward when you lift the legs; keep the torso leaning forward
If lifting both legs is too hard, lift one leg at a time

Dosage

Frequency: 3–4×/week
Volume: 3 sets × 10–15 reps
Hold: 1 s at the top.

Muscles worked

hamstrings — anatomical illustration — hamstringsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

hip flexors — anatomical illustration — hip flexorsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

quadriceps — anatomical illustration — quadricepsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

abdominals — anatomical illustration — abdominalsAnatomical illustration from Z-Anatomy (derived from BodyParts3D), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Stretches: hamstrings

Strengthens: hip flexors, quadriceps, abdominals

Target muscles

Hamstrings Hip Flexors Quadriceps Abdominals

Wall-Standing Postural Exercise One-Joint Hip Flexor Stretch (Supine, Knee to Chest)Standing Door-Frame Hip Flexor Stretch (Posterior Pelvic Tilt)Craniocervical Flexion (Deep Neck Flexor Activation)Isometric Cervical Retraction PIR / PFS for the Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas & Rectus Femoris)