HSPU Program Session 16

Prepare
Late start today, and my thoughts were influenced by Mindful Mover.  They don't seem to believe i warmups - not a great excuse on my part but it is what it is.

Practice

Lower Body circuit - 3 rounds with about 1-2 min. rest between rounds:
Beginner Pike Pull Through - 2-3 reps
Shrimp Squat (Knee to Ground, Arms to Front) - 3 reps
Hanging Leg Raise - 3-5 reps

Jefferson Curl with 16kg Kettlebell- 5 reps for 3 sets

Play
Cartwheel (lowest level)
Backward and Forward Shoulder Roll

Push
Waiter Walk w/ 16kg KB - 1 min/arm

Finish with Modified Pigeon, Half Pancake, and Brachial Hang

Ponder
Woke up with sore traps, which hasn't happened in a long time, and more shoulder soreness than usual.  It's probably because of the introduction of 4-count negatives to the Inverted Press movement.

Because of the late start, I decided to try only one of Jefferson Curl or Romanian Deadlift and went with Jefferson Curl, to see how my back would feel.  So far it seems to feel ok.  I tried it because it's one of the exercises various fitness personalities on Youtube and Instagram recommended to help loosen up the hamstrings.  It did give my hamstrings a nice stretch.  However, there seems to be controversy over the long-term effects of this movement on the spine.  Next time, I'll try the Single-Leg Deadlift with a kettlebell.

What I call the "beginner" Pike Pull Through was plenty challenging for me.  It's regressed from the full version in that the feet don't have to float and the hips only have to be pulled to shoulder height, not higher.  I don't have any plans to pursue the planche seriously right now, as the HSPU is about all I can handle but it'll be interesting to see how close it will actually take me to a tuck planche.  I decided to try it for the other promised benefit, which is that it will strengthen the core like the L-Sit does, and also improve hamstring flexibility.

Shrimp Squat with knee all the way to floor was easier than expected, though with the 4-second negative I still got a workout out of it.  I'll assess my performance for the next session - if I remember.

After a test set in which I was satisfied with how my shoulders felt, I decided to schedule Hanging Leg Raises for today's session in place of Top Position Knee Raises on rings.   I was encouraged by GMB Trainer Eduardo's Instagram post on "improper" form in the Hanging Leg Raise being worth practicing because even "wrong" hanging leg raises ("correct" form apparently means the torso should always stay perfectly upright - no leaning back!) still work the abs hard.  When you raise your legs from a hang instead of on top of rings or dip bars, you can use a pull to help pull your feet higher, and this increases the potential range for the negative (eccentric) portion of the movement. Unfortunately I forgot to do 4-sec. negatives this time.   On the positive side, I got my feet a little higher than my hips using the pulling cheat to raise my straight legs.

I thought I saw the Jefferson Curl in Pavel Tsatsouline's DVD course Resilient, so I rewatched it and found some interesting stuff I'd forgotten about:

1. For any back bend towards a wall, including the rotation into bridge movement featured in Vitamin and Ido Portal's website, squeeze the butt to protect the back.
2. The kettelbell windmill can be modified to emphasize shoulder mobility - thumb turned outward at the top, and turned inward at the bottom.  At the bottom position, squat to get lower to increase the shoulder ROM. 
3. Do hack squat for opening hips and conditioning knees
4.  What I thought was the Jefferson Curl was actually called a "Good Morning Plus".  With a KB to help pull your torso down, you hinge at the hips with straight legs (knees locked) as far as your hamstrings will allow.  Then you allow your lower back to lengthen.


Of the above 4,  I'm most likely to try 1 and 2 in the near future.