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Pike stretches alone aren't enough, you actually need to stretch the knees.
SBG, you are correct (in my opinion) about being able to lift the heels off the ground while sitting in a pike on the floor with a flat back and squeezing the quads (that's the point I agree with gymdog on). My experience and preference is about 1 inch. Anything less, and it is difficult to achieve a completely straight (I didn't say tight) knee/leg. If you go more, and I have seen as much as 6-8 inches! I believe you create instability, a recipe for hyper-extension, and just plain not very esthetically pleasing (banana legs). I have the girls sit in a pike with their heals on a panel mat and gently apply pressure to the knees. It should be done slowly and without pain. We do lots of drills and conditioning to help keep the knees strong and stable as you would want in any case. What you are doing with the thera bands is also very good.Gymsanity; What are you hand stretching? (Quadriceps femoris, bicep femoris, avascular structures, combos, others? )
Context: I have experienced some difficult rehab with personal alignment (injury related) and stretching. I understand that in order to straighten the leg, the lower limb needs to be brought into alignment with upper. Extensors straighten the limb. Commonly the knee can hyper-flex by approximately 5 degrees.
Back to point - In the gym I work lower leg flex with gymnasts w/flexed foot using thera bands. You can work the small muscles in the ankle at the same time. Hyper flex the leg, lift the heel off the ground is the goal. This engages the quads and at the same time can work bicep femurs and hamstring connections.
Thanks, SBG -