Too inflexible for straddle up and V-up

For the Straddle up and V-up, some of the first few Manna strength exercises, I seem to be too inflexible to complete them.  Is there anything I can replace them with?  I've worked on them for at least 6 weeks but have not improved in them at all..

The straddle up is impossible for me to do. I can't reach the full "up" position where the legs are spread and hands on the ground, my hamstrings are too inflexible and my legs bend before I get there.  

I then tried the V- up since it seems like your hamstrings don't have to extend as much.  I can complete this better than the straddle up but I still can't get my torso and legs together like in the video and my back rounds completely as I try to reach up with my hands.  

The movements are both really awkward for me,  especially the V-up, as my legs come up I pretty much always get rolled onto my back.  

Improvement is not a linear function of time, and 6 weeks is nothing; some of us have been on this for over 6 months already.

Nope, there are no by pass, no free pass & no exemptions, nice try! Keep at it, it will come!

------> use the search function for tips and pointers in the Foundation one forum, there are plenty!

adimi24 said:

 Is there anything I can replace them with?

Not really, if you want a manna. There are plenty of threads on addressing flexibility deficits for straddle ups in particular.

Oops, sorry, I completely forgot there was a Foundation series forum!  I'll go do some reading

FIC no  free pass lol  6 weeks thats nothing over 3 months and 3 weeks for me. Keep working at it. Just plain and simple.

FredInChina said:

------> use the search function for tips and pointers in the Foundation one forum, there are plenty!

This needs to be your new sig or added to your current one.

Supplement with some work on straddle flexibility and straddle lifts. Some hip flexor stretches will also help.

Try also  say using a wall as assist just get the legs up there and try to get the torso up. Hold to get a feel for the compression while trying to open your chest.

It sucks but be you gotta be patient. MN work in general will be much easier down if you become more flexible.

Vincearoo said:

This needs to be your new sig or added to your current one.

Agree, something like FredUseTheSearchDangItInChina :-)

To the original poster: 'build it and they will come', do more on the flexibility side of things, improvements will come.

you have to optimize your time. consider the idea to insert more stretching in between exercises, for example if you do HBP before manna, when finished the HBP do 2-3 sets stretching alternating hamstring stretch with adductors stretch, at least 45-50 seconds each set. in this way your manna execution will be easier whit the tight muscles elongated.

adimi24 said:

For the Straddle up and V-up, some of the first few Manna strength exercises, I seem to be too inflexible to complete them.  Is there anything I can replace them with?  I've worked on them for at least 6 weeks but have not improved in them at all..

 

The straddle up is impossible for me to do. I can't reach the full "up" position where the legs are spread and hands on the ground, my hamstrings are too inflexible and my legs bend before I get there.  

 

I then tried the V- up since it seems like your hamstrings don't have to extend as much.  I can complete this better than the straddle up but I still can't get my torso and legs together like in the video and my back rounds completely as I try to reach up with my hands.  

 

The movements are both really awkward for me,  especially the V-up, as my legs come up I pretty much always get rolled

onto my back.  

This is the final position you are training for:

You're going to need that hamstring flexibility.

Keep working the iM's, and consider adding in some supplemental stretching work. 

is the final position 5 sets for 60 seconds

m6shifter said:

is the final position 5 sets for 60 seconds

That certainly would demonstrate mastery wouldn't it?

Actually... how long DOES one work up to on manna, typically?

I know Coach's requirements for leg lifts were a minimum 10-15 seconds solid hold...

Who am I to judge here but are the arms a little bent on that final position pic. He has got to be on the final set at about 10 seconds to go then

m6shifter said:

Who am I to judge here but are the arms a little bent on that final position pic. He has got to be on the final set at about 10 seconds to go then

The arms in the picture are bent because the athlete's elbows hyper-extend. 

m6shifter said:

Who am I to judge here but are the arms a little bent on that final position pic. He has got to be on the final set at about 10 seconds to go then

Actually I think they are bent, except the wrong way

m6shifter said:

Who am I to judge here but are the arms a little bent on that final position pic. He has got to be on the final set at about 10 seconds to go then

Are we looking at the same final position pic? Because if you're referring to the Manna pic, his arms are not only bent, they are completely locked out and even slightly hyperextended.

So any recommended stretches to build up the flexibility for this movement? Just general touch your toes hamstring stuff?

M K Mossop said:

So any recommended stretches to build up the flexibility for this movement? Just general touch your toes hamstring stuff?

just follow the iM's and do the PE's

You might find the supplemental exercise Daniel describes in https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/11928-explain-compression-to-me/?p=115427 useful as well.

Kit Laughlin book and an obsession to improve flexibility. Our main weak link with Foundation series, at least at the beginning, wil be (and actually is) always mobility/flexibility. So in order to improve it: you've to practice it! 

There's no solution besides that

Ah, and I've been on this PE since march

My question is wouldn't it make sense to do something more productive instead of the straddle ups while working on flexibility and coming back to it once a sufficient flexibility has been achieved.  It seems rather pointless for me to role around around on the ground doing the exercise completely wrong.

Can somebody explain the harm in say going to the next PE, half tuck hanging leg lift, and working flexibility hard for 12 weeks then going back to the Vup?  I don't see how this would seriously impact long term progress in the Manna

adimi24 said:

My question is wouldn't it make sense to do something more productive instead of the straddle ups while working on flexibility and coming back to it once a sufficient flexibility has been achieved.  It seems rather pointless for me to role around around on the ground doing the exercise completely wrong.

 

Can somebody explain the harm in say going to the next PE, half tuck hanging leg lift, and working flexibility hard for 12 weeks then going back to the Vup?  I don't see how this would seriously impact long term progress in the Manna

It's unlikely to cause any serious long-term repercussions. But you can't get very far that way. You might master PE 4 and 5, but you'd run into the same fundamental problem for PE6. Ultimately this flexibility is something that you need to develop if you want to achieve a manna, so it's worth putting in the time to develop it now. 

adimi24 said:

My question is wouldn't it make sense to do something more productive instead of the straddle ups while working on flexibility and coming back to it once a sufficient flexibility has been achieved.  It seems rather pointless for me to role around around on the ground doing the exercise completely wrong.

 

Can somebody explain the harm in say going to the next PE, half tuck hanging leg lift, and working flexibility hard for 12 weeks then going back to the Vup?  I don't see how this would seriously impact long term progress in the Manna

if you haven't posted a video for a form check upto now, that'd be a good alternative to personal speculation. i'd also read up on the other Straddle up threads. everyone has had a combination of having the strength but not having the right end position due to mobility. 

there is no "foul" in doing so, only that you're not taking care of what is right infront of you. building that compression at the angle of floor will feel challenging now. once you do it -against- gravity, you'll feel the need to take a step back and work on your mobility, which is what you're doing now to begin with. so you'll essentially take "a step forward" to then have to take a step back anyway. 

work on week 1-4 until your mobility is upto par. that means, straddle lifts or compression for warm ups (mix it up with static holds and lifts) do the PE + Jefferson curls and stretch a bit afterwards. (open straddle, stretch to the right, stretch to the left, then the middle.) rise and repeat until mastery

you might think this is petty play, but if you take yourself and your progression level seriously, there will be more than enough strength at the end of the tunnel for you. just take care of what you need to do, don't go forward unless you've earned it

Why are we on page two?

The question was fully answered on page one already!