🥞 Master the Pancake | Hip Mobility & Flexibility | 3 Phases for All-Levels

Jun 25
3 min read

Updated: Jun 30

The pancake is one of the most useful stretches you can train—not just for calisthenics, handstands, and higher kicks, but for everyday life too.

In this tutorial, we’ll walk through 8 essential exercises that blend strength and flexibility—across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. You’ll learn how to increase range of motion and strengthen the muscles that support deep, functional flexibility.

Beginner Phase: Foundations of Hip Mobility

If you're new to hip mobility or the pancake stretch, the goal is to get strong and comfortable in a wide-legged position—with bent knees to reduce tension.

🔹 Strength: Horse Stance Squat

Toe-heel your feet wide 2–3x
Keep the inner edges of your feet parallel
Bend the knees and sink low, squeezing the hips to drive the knees outward
If you feel blocked, roll the hips slightly forward

🔹 Flexibility: Butterfly Stretch

Sit tall with hips rooted and feet together
Squeeze outer hips to pull knees toward the ground
Use a dumbbell, hands, or forearms for gentle pressure
Add PAILs/RAILs for deeper gains:
- PAILs: Drive knees into hands (resist the stretch)
- RAILs: Pull knees toward the floor (go with the stretch)

Progress when:

You can hold horse stance with thighs parallel and bring knees close to the ground in butterfly actively.

Intermediate Phase: Strength Through Range

At this stage, you’re learning to move and control deeper ranges of motion. Strength meets mobility.

🔹 Strength: Cossack Squat

Wide stance, feet turned slightly out
Shift weight, bend one knee, keep other leg straight
Keep torso upright (some forward lean is okay)
Experiment with toe position on straight leg: flat for adductors, toes up for hamstrings
Add weight or elevate the straight leg for more challenge

🔹 Flexibility: Straddle Jefferson Curl

Stand on two boxes or chairs with a gap between
Flex spine segmentally, fold forward slowly
Tuck the tail and reverse to stand back up
Start bodyweight, then add load (KB or DB)

🔹 Mobility: Seated Leg Raises (Pike & Straddle)

Sit in a forward fold, spine long
Lift legs off the ground using only your core
Keep knees locked, pause at the top
Try double leg, single leg, or hover over blocks
Circle the legs for added difficulty

Progress when:

You can reach full depth in your Cossack (hamstring to calf), maintain spinal alignment in Jefferson Curls, and raise straight legs with control in Seated leg Raises.

Advanced Phase: Maximize Strength + Mobility

Now you're ready to train deeper range with power, control, and awareness.

🔹 Strength: Seated Good Mornings

Sit on a bench with knees bent ~90°
Hinge forward with a straight spine, chest to thighs
Add load with weights or bands
Progress to the floor over time, straightening legs gradually

🔹 Mobility: Kinetic Pancake Stretch

Sit in a straddle with hands behind head
Fold forward actively, keeping spine long
Return upright by contracting hamstrings and adductors
Use bands or weights if needed, then reduce over time
Finish with passive stretch or add a “block push” to go deeper

🔹 Bonus: Pancake PAILs/RAILs

In your deepest stretch:
- PAILs: Drive legs down and together (resist)
- RAILs: Lift legs off the floor and spread wider (assist)
- Finish in passive stretch to seal the gains