Pike Hold

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and feet together.
2. Walk your feet toward your hands while keeping your legs straight, driving your hips toward the ceiling.
3. Continue walking in until your torso is as vertical as possible, forming an inverted 'V' shape.
4. Position your head between your biceps so you are looking back toward your feet.

How to do it

1. Actively push the floor away through your palms, shrugging your shoulders toward your ears to fully engage the traps and deltoids.
2. Contract your quadriceps to keep your legs straight and pull your belly button toward your spine to stabilize the core.
3. Maintain a steady, controlled breathing pattern, inhaling and exhaling deeply through the nose while holding the position.
4. Hold for the target duration, then slowly walk your feet back to a plank position to exit.

Form checklist

• Keep your elbows fully locked out throughout the entire hold.
• Ensure your weight is shifted forward onto your hands rather than sitting back in your heels.
• Maintain a neutral spine by avoiding excessive arching in the lower back.
• Keep your ears aligned with your biceps to ensure a vertical line from wrists to hips.
• Press through the entire hand, including the fingertips, to protect the wrists.

Pro tips

• To maximize shoulder activation, focus on 'opening' the armpits toward the wall behind you.
• Think about pulling your sit-bones toward the ceiling to deepen the hamstring stretch and improve the vertical angle of the torso.

Make it harder

• Elevate your feet on a bench or box to shift a higher percentage of your body weight onto your shoulders.
• Perform a Single-Leg Pike Hold by lifting one leg straight up toward the ceiling to challenge balance and increase the load.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the pike hold work?

The pike hold primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and trapezius, and also works the obliques and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the pike hold?

The pike hold requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the pike hold good for beginners?

The pike hold is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Around The World Superman HoldIntermediate · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and trapezius
• Back LeverAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, pectorals, and trapezius
• Barbell Clean And JerkAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius