GTG for HeSPU - new try

Hi.

I am currently trying out new things to achieve the HeSPU.

For two weeks now, I have done GTG for pike pushups with feet on ground. 5 reps is challenging, but not exhausting. 10 sets of 5 over the course of one day.

This has worked extremely well for me, better than everything else I've tried. Now I can go down until the nose is approx. 10cm off the ground on freestanding HeSPU, and head to ground on wall HeSPU! 

Is this a routine anybody has done with success before?

How would I proceed? Singles throughout the day? Elevate feet on pike pushups? Please let me know your thoughts! 

I think the reason I have struggled so much with HeSPU is because I have very long arms. I hate making excuses, but is arm length a factor? The reach between my fingertips is 10cm more than my height! And I'm 187cm long. And my elbows is hypermobile.

Thanks!

edit:

Thanks ausswe for your reply in the other thread. I measured my wingspan to be exactly 2 metres. Maybe I'll try climbing!

Holy moly... That's a big reach! Anyway if I were you I'd do like a minute of handstand work several times through out the day to get used to the handstand that in itself will aid you in the handstand push-up greatly but I you really are keen to get those handstand push ups just follow f1 and h1 when It comes out in a day or so.

Those 2 combined you can't go wrong! If you like you can add some separate work with box headstand push-ups but I would honestly just follow the f1 and more importantly the h1. You cannot go wrong with those

Haha, I happen to have the same exact dimensions as you - around 187cm tall and wingspan close to 2m. I doubt arm length is a huge factor - yes, it's probably easier with shorter arms, just like some strength positions on rings are; however, that shouldn't be a deterrent. I still don't have a proper HeSPU, although it's gotten better - the tough part is being really strict on your form - no arching whatsoever. 

I'm following the F1 progression for bent-arm strength, and hopefully that brings me closer to the HeSPU - not really doing any exercise-specific things at to moment. Other ideas could be to try to hold a bent arm hollow handstand against the wall for time (though I found it quite hard, which probably means I'm not ready for it yet), or 90 degree box pushups, making sure that the arms move the same way as they would in a HeSPU and that your body stays hollow. And controlled negatives, of course.

I can hold a straight he for 1minute an 20 seconds. Unfortunately for me this has had no bearing whatsoever on my HeSPU. I can do a free standing negative slowly but the only time I can press up is in a bent arm press and even that is only once in a while. I will say your approach is fantastic. Because gtg has helped me with a lot of things I sucked at like back levers. Now I can hold a good form straddle for 10s. Philip chubb suggested to me to lower to a HeSPU negtive as slow as possible and when your head is on the ground lower your feet and put them on a box and when u push back up it's just a box hespu. This worked well for me too until I ranout of things tobout my feet on. Try it.

Ian Legrow

Ausswe: the wingspan was put to good use in competetive swimming! But thanks for your suggestion. I will allow myself a little more HS time each day. I can already hold a minute of freestanding.

Pashamur: it sure has its benefits! But a question, are your elbows also hypermobile? And another question, are we supposed to have no arch AND completely vertical body line? I've seen some on youtube and they don't arch, but they put their body in a more horizontal position, maybe 60-70 degrees. I am also following F1, on top of regular bent arm calisthenic strength training. Thank you for your help!

Ianlegrow: nice handstand time! And respect for 10sec straddle BL. I have continued with around 5 sets of 5 of decline pike push with an object at knee height. I will continue with this until i can do wall hespus for reps. I will check back when i have progressed some more to confirm.

Thank you for your help. Greatly appreciated!

No, I think my elbows are normal, though my shoulders are double-jointed aka hypermobile, haha.

As per the second question - it's quite normal to deviate from vertical near the bottom of the HeSPU - in fact, you wouldn't be able to keep your balance in the handstand otherwise. The no arch part is critical though.

I have had huge success with gtg on a lot of different things, hspu included. I learned my first bowers this way. I would do singles throughout the day here and there but never many. Then I would become able to do 2 or 3 sometimes but I never pushed it to the max. 

From my experience gtg if done right, is one of the most efficient ways of learning, and works very well with building freestanding handstands.

Handbalancer said:

I have had huge success with gtg on a lot of different things, hspu included. I learned my first bowers this way. I would do singles throughout the day here and there but never many. Then I would become able to do 2 or 3 sometimes but I never pushed it to the max. 

From my experience gtg if done right, is one of the most efficient ways of learning, and works very well with building freestanding handstands.

The key is to remember that you are practicing a movement once or twice, and not looking for the feeling of having had a good workout.

Handbalancer said:

I have had huge success with gtg on a lot of different things, hspu included. I learned my first bowers this way. I would do singles throughout the day here and there but never many. Then I would become able to do 2 or 3 sometimes but I never pushed it to the max. 

From my experience gtg if done right, is one of the most efficient ways of learning, and works very well with building freestanding handstands.

I agree! I achieved my levers and planche through almost only gtg methods.

If someone has problems applying GTG (volume too high, or not enough time, per example), spending more time on the pike push-ups (increasing the reps, or the range of motion) can help a lot, and doing 5x3 HeSPU going as low as possible on each rep can get you there fairly fast, too.