Having gone over the course material, I have two questions, regarding the fingertip push ups and regarding the elbow supported HS.
The demonstration video for the FTP/PE1 to FTP/SE4 shows the gymnast to have admirable flexibility of the first joint of his middle finger. Lacking that flexibility, I have a choice between forming a tripod with my three (straight) middle fingers (by bending he middle finger backwards at the third joint; my preference), or bending the middle finger (in the “normal†direction at the third joint; puts less load on the middle finger). Which method will eventually get me past the Mastery test?
I am used to doing the elbow stand HS without supporting my head and pushing my upper arms and shoulders back (trying to straighten my upper arms while keeping my underarms as parallel as possible). I found it quite a test of my active shoulder flexibility (when holding it for 30 seconds). I now realize that I was doing (trying to do?) a shoulder flexibility exercise with 65 kg instead of 5 kg, which, probably, resulted more in strengthening my deltoids and trapezius than in improving my active shoulder flexibility (because I never got my upper arms vertical in line with the rest of my body). So, my question is whether I should discontinue doing this all together (until I can get my upper arms vertical in line with the rest of my body), or whether I can continue doing it (not as part of the course, but just as part of my other GST activities, like ring strength training).