Saturday, August 01, 2020

Research on training ideas for Handstand Pushup and other exercises

Today was an active recovery day, playing with standing kettlebell pullover once in a while to try to get the feel of resisting extension as the weight goes behind my head, keeping core squeezed and shoulders pulled down. I also did a couple of test pullups after seeing Mindful Mover's tips about pulling the elbows.

Most of the day was taking a look at an HSPU tutorial that I hadn't seen before, then searching for training ideas.

Thoughts on the Yaad Handstand Pushup Tutorial

I came across this Handstand Pushup Tutorial by Yaad Mohammed, as well as documentation by Antranik on his website.


I found Yaad's video tutorial to be quite entertaining.  Comparing this tutorial to GMB's tutorial these are the differences that I can observe:
  • Yaad has you working towards the Bent-Arm Stand in parallel with the Pike Pushup (GMB calls this "Inverted Press").  GMB has you build strength with the Inverted Press progression first, all the way up to feet on the wall, in Stage 1 of their tutorial, then work on Bent-Arm Stand in Step 2, using the strength you gained from Step 1.
  • There are prereqiusites which are being able to do 20 pushups, 15 dips, and hold a 10-sec. handstand.  This is another big difference.  In GMB's tutorial, the only prerequisite is that you are able to start practicing the Bear, which is a movement GMB loves to have trainees practice to develop the necessary attributes to start working on Inverted Presses.   They don't require you be able to do a handstand before you can even start.  You don't really have to start working on a handstand until you're about halfway into Step 2.
I didn't see anything in Yaad's tutorial to convince me to switch away from the GMB approach, despite the chuckles I got from Yaad's comedic voices.  GMB has generally shied away from recommending trainees be able to do X reps of a particular movement before progressing, because everyone is just too different.  They instead advise that the trainee use Quality and Ease scores to gauge one's performance and indicate when it's time to move up a progression to a more difficulat exercise.  Another point in favor of GMB's method is they have you start from the Bear instead of insisting you do 20 pushups and 15 dips. 

Yaad's tutorial insists on improving hamstring flexibility if you can't straighten your legs when you progress to pike pushups with elevated feet.   This doesn't make sense to me, because as you work your feet higher and higher, like up a wall, you'll need hamstring flexibility less and less.

Requiring someone to have achieved a handstand first seems questionable.  You need a baseline level of upper body strength in order to support your bodyweight on your hands for the handstand.  Achieving this strength is possible by training directly for the handstand, but if your goal is to achieve an HSPU, you're going to be building that upper body strength anyway by training the HSPU progression.  Training to achieve a handstand first thus seems like the longer way around.  If you get strong by working up to HSPU against a wall then working on the Bent-Arm Stand progression, I'm guessing you will spend less time working on achieving a proper handstand.

Mindful Mover does not approve of static holds for training as they believe they are a waste of your precious training time.  Yaad's method relies on a lot of static holds.  I think it's useful to hold a position for a few seconds to help analyze my form and observe what's going on in my body, but I'm not sure working towards a 30-second or even 10-second hold is as effective as fans of static holds think.  In GMB's approach for working towards a full Bent-Arm Stand, there is no hold for as long as 30-seconds.  Instead all the exercises are dynamic, involving a controlled jump into the position for most of Step 2, and lowering from a handstand into the position in the later stages of Step 2.

Tom Merrick on bridging the gap between Handstand Pushup on wall and freestanding Handstand Pushup

Here Merrick acknowledges that slow negatives from handstand down to the bottom of the handstand pushup is a piece of the puzzle, but then he also advises training the concentric movement from a headstand, and goes into some details about that.  It's a different approach compared to GMB's, in that the GMB method would be to work up to straight-leg handstand negative to Bent-Arm Stand, then progress to pressing from Tuck Bent-Arm Stand to Handstand.  Might be worth trying Merrick's method if I get stuck with the GMB method.


Training ideas from Mindful Mover

I visited Mindful Mover's Instagram account to try to get more of their perspective on training for the HSPU and found a lot more than I'd originally intended to look for.

About 2 years ago, they recommended 20-30 total reps in a session for longer-term gains.  It would be interesting to see if they still think that today:
https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/8v2qcc/when_are_your_reps_per_set_too_small_to_progress/

Tip for pulling exercises - pull the elbows back!







#TrainingTipTuesdayMM: Elbow Drive . A lot of people think that Chin-Ups (and rows) are about getting your chin over the bar. WRONG! If you want to make ALL the gains from any of your Chin-Up (or row) progressions, your emphasis should be on driving the elbows back behind you . Why? Because THAT gets you the full range of motion AND get your lats working HARD to complete the movement. A lot of people think that a rep being complete or not is dependent on if the chin reached over the bar. BUT this favors people with giraffe like necks and may or may not be a cue that gives you full range of motion. A better cue is to drive the elbows back like your ex is behind you critiquing your pulling performance. Drive them back HARD and get the full range of motion AND likely feel your lats in a totally new way than before. 😂 . This cue can be used all the way from Rows, to Chin-Ups, to Front Lever Rows, and to One Arm Chin-Ups. If you are pulling, focus on driving those elbows back and get aboard the Gain Train! . It’s like the rapper, Ice Cube, once said, “You can do it. Put your back into it.” He was talking about pulling strength 😂. Get your back into it by driving the elbows back! And make sure you check the IG stories to get an extra tip for more pulling gains!
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Accommodating Resistance for HSPU, One-arm Chin, etc.







#WeightedWednesdayMM: Weighted Lifts Vs Bodyweight . One of the BIGGEST advantages that Bodyweight exercises have over weighted lifts is that you can use maximal Accommodating Resistance pretty easily with bodyweight . For example, let’s compare a One Arm Chin Progression to a Weighted Chin-Up. With the Weighted Chin-Up, the load you add stays the same the entire time. If you use 50 pounds, the load stays 50 pounds. But with OAC progressions, you can use one hand to LIGHTLY assist AS needed on the way up and then assist even LESS on the way down. The entire range can be made maximal . The same can apply to Handstand Pushups and Overhead Presses. With the HSPu progressions, you can do something like use little to no help on the way down and then use the toes to help you on the way AS NEEDED so that the entire range is maximal. Unlike an Overhead Press where the weight is kept constant the entire time . The ability to MAXIMALLY load movements throughout the ENTIRE range of motion even when you don’t have a friend to help you is one of the reasons we really like bodyweight progressions over weighted ones. So incorporate them along with accommodating resistance and get aboard the Gain Train! . And check the IG stories to see the exception to that general rule!
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 A tip on progressing from Pike Pushup on Floor to Pike Pushup with elevated feet







#FrequentlyAskedFridayMM: Accommodating Resistance Handstand Pushup Progressions . “I’m having a hard time progressing from Piked Handstand Pushup to Wall Handstand Pushup. What should I do?”. The answer: use Accommodating Resistance . A lot of people notice that achieving the Wall Handstand Pushup (HSPU) can be quite difficult. And a big reason for this is that a lot of them aren’t working as HARD as they could be during their Piked HSPU progressions. Accommodating Resistance can help this . Look at the video and notice how on the way down, I shift the weight from my toes to my hands. Before I lower down, my toes have as LITTLE load as possible on them. And as I lower down, I keep as much of the load in my hands as possible . On the way back up, I shift some of my weight back but ONLY as much as needed to get the rep done . My goal throughout the entire rep is to have as MUCH weight on my hands throughout the range and as LITTLE weight on my toes. You can adjust that MID-REP to make sure the entire movement is maximal and get the most gains! . Give you progressions a try like THIS and you’ll probably see that even Piked HSPUs can be harder than you thought they were! Tag a friend who ALSO needs help bridging the gap between Pike HSPU and Wall HSPU and let’s ALL get on the Gain Train! . And check the IG stories for an extra tip!
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Another tip on Accommodating Resistance specifically for progressing from feet-elevated Inverted Press (Pike Pushup) to Wall Handstand Pushup







#StrengthSundayMM: Wall Handstand Pushups . The Wall Handstand Pushup can be a difficult movement to progress. Pike Pushups (the progression before the wall) can be too easy but Wall HSPUs can be too hard. If you are stuck between progressions, try implementing Accommodating Resistance using your toes! . What you will do is lower down SLOWLY and use the wall as LITTLE as possible. That will ensure the eccentric is difficult . On the way up, you can use your toes as needed to help you climb up. Remember to push FIRST and the toe help is SECONDARY . As you progress, you can go two routes: One is to add pauses to the way down and two is to use the toes less and less on the way up until you build a complete Wall HSPU! . Give it a try, tag a friend who ALSO needs help, and get aboard the Gain Train! And check the IG stories for one more method you can use with this technique!
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Idea on working through the HSPU progression using rings as an alternative to the floor:







#StrengthSundayMM: Ring HSPU Progressions . You don’t always need to add MORE exercises to your programs. Sometimes doing the same exercise in a different way can make you plenty of gains, itself! . For example, take your Handstand Pushup work and do it on RINGS instead of on the ground. To do it, follow these steps . Step One. Grab the rings and set your feet for the progression you want. Knees on a bench is easiest. Then pike position with your feet level to the rings. Then elevated pike. Followed by in a HS with feet on the straps . Step Two: lower down SLOWLY. As you lower down, put as MUCH weight into your hands as you can while maintaining a slow descent . Step Three: Push back up. Keep as MUCH weight in your hands as you push up. If you get STUCK on the way up, shift some of your weight back into your feet (or climb up the straps) . Now you can get more of those HSPU gains (like free Overhead Press and 90 Degree Pushup gains) while ALSO getting some variety by doing them on rings! Give it a try and get aboard the Gain Train! And check the IG stories to see more!
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How to get on the rings for Handstand Pushups on rings:







#FrequentlyAskedFridayMM: Ring Handstand Pushups . Ring Handstand Pushups are our highest goal for HSPU strength. A common question we get on them is “how do you get into a handstand on the rings?” . Here’s how you DON’T get into it 😂. You DEFINITELY don’t get into it by coming up with your feet together unless you are CONFIDENT in your ability to balance. You also should likely avoid being up one leg at a time because spinning around on a frictionless surface (the rings) can be scary at best and painful at worst . The best way we have found is to perform a bent arm press in a straddle. Start at the bottom of a shoulder stand and press your hips up with your legs in a straddle so your knee pits catch the straps . As you work on Handstand Pushup Progressions, you should likely gain the strength to press into this position on the rings for free. If you don’t have it yet, consider working more on the other progressions and coming back! . Give it a try and get aboard the Gain Train! And check the IG stories for more!
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It will be quite some time before I'll be ready to work on the Planche but for future reference here's an exercise for transitioning from Leaned Forward Pushup ( I think some also call this the Pseudo Planche Pushup) to the Tuck Planche Pushup:







#TrainingTipTuesdayMM: Leaned Forward Pushup to Planche Pushup . One of the gaps that can be hard to bridge for trainees in their Planche Pushup training is going from being able to do good Leaned Forward Pushups to Tuck Planche Pushups. If you have that problem, or know someone who does, there is an easy solution! . What you’ll do is use something called a “Mechanical Advantage Rep”. Here how you do it: . Step One. Start in a Leaned Forward Pushup position with your shoulders leaned FAR forward. Then, slide your knees to your chest until you are in a Tuck Planche. If you aren’t able to get into a Tuck Planche, you aren’t strong enough yet to perform the movement. . Step Two. Hold the Tuck Planche for 1-2 seconds, then lower down SLOWLY to the bottom of the Tuck Planche. The descent should be slow and controlled. If you fall so fast that you could have opened a parachute, save this movement for later . Step Three. At the bottom of the movement, extend your legs out while keeping your shoulders FORWARD in the same spot you came down in. From there, you will push back up to the top of the Leaned Forward Pushup . Step Four. Repeat steps 1-3 again for more reps . With this movement, you can take advantage of how we are stronger eccentrically (lowering) and use that to build the Planche Pushup strength and then use the Leaned Forward Pushup to bring yourself back up for more reps! . Give it a try, get aboard the Gain Train, tag a friend who also needs help with this, and check the IG stories to see one more tip that can help a LOT with this movement.
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Training for Planche with Accommodating Resistance:







#TrainingTipTuesdayMM: Intensity and Frequency . A lot of coaches and trainees have the belief that LOW FREQUENCY training is automatically a subpar method for training and gaining. Training only 1-2 times a week is thought of as something that is “better than nothing” or “non-optimal” etc etc blah blah… . For some STRANGE reason, the people who think this are often the VERY same people who train with the same intensity as a wet fart… 😭😂 . Low Frequency training MAY be subpar if you train without any intensity or mindfulness. If you train with our competitor, the “MindlLESS Mover”, then you probably better train everyday and multiple times each day. 😂 . But for a “Smarter, Not Harder” trainee who uses Accommodating Resistance, and High Intensity, and mindfulness, low frequency isn’t really a choice. You actually NEED more rest days to recover . Videoed here is an example of Accommodating Resistance, High Intensity (relative to me), and mindfulness. I start in a Half Lay Ring Planche, lower down DEEP into the bottom, then come up in a Straddle and try to bring the legs together before finishing the rep. It’s a BIG range of motion, a lot of time under tension, and high intensity throughout the ENTIRE range. How many “normal reps” do you think this rep is worth? . And more importantly, when using THIS kind of intensity, how often do you think you have to train to make gains…? 😉 . Frequency isn’t everything when you are a “Smarter, Not Harder” trainee. Be one and get aboard the Gain Train! And check the IG stories to see more.
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