Today, I tested my mastery in the planche leans and push-ups. They didn't feel right. So later I recorded them, and I'm looking for some critiques.
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Planche lean/push-up check
Started by PrimalMove, November 20, 2013 · 24 Replies · 773 Views
I'd say first you've to take your shirt off to see better your upper back, but even with shirt I can say that you've totally flat back and also sunk it in your scapula. You've to create more hollow, so spent more time on planche leans and see all the thread about them to take cues in account.
About your PPP same thing, the motion of pushups makes your hip piked a little bit because your lean it's not addecuate, because youre not hollow.
Keep practice my friend 
I hope it helps.
Adriano Flo said:I'd say first you've to take your shirt off to see better your upper back, but even with shirt I can say that you've totally flat back and also sunk it in your scapula. You've to create more hollow, so spent more time on planche leans and see all the thread about them to take cues in account.
About your PPP same thing, the motion of pushups makes your hip piked a little bit because your lean it's not addecuate, because youre not hollow.
Keep practice my friend
Second all this-- I got sidetracked while writing almost exactly the same.
I would add that you might consider turning your hands out a little more as you lean further-- that one's up to you, if your wrists are fine then don't think twice about it, just a comfort thing.
Also, are your legs a touch bent in the PPP, or is that just a bit of hip pike creeping in?
Thank you for the advice and video. I'll work on my hollow form in the planche leans more then. I'm still fighting the whole shoulders retracted, depressed, chest out mentality to protect the shoulders when I was weight training.
Jon Douglas said:Second all this-- I got sidetracked while writing almost exactly the same.
I would add that you might consider turning your hands out a little more as you lean further-- that one's up to you, if your wrists are fine then don't think twice about it, just a comfort thing.
Also, are your legs a touch bent in the PPP, or is that just a bit of hip pike creeping in?
That's hip. I make it a habit to make sure my quads, glutes, and core are tight in any plank position. As for the wrists, I need to turn them out, but I'm really trying to increase range of motion.
PrimalMove said:That's hip. I make it a habit to make sure my quads, glutes, and core are tight in any plank position. As for the wrists, I need to turn them out, but I'm really trying to increase range of motion.
If your wrists are comfortable, then don't change your hand position. If you feel pressure on them as you lean, then consider experimenting with anywhere from straight forward to 90 degrees outward 
I wouldn't say uncomfortable, but I can definetely feel pressure as the wrist stretches out.
I envy your hand placement! I have mine at 90deg outwards because of poor wrist extensibility (which I work on for 20mins before doing these pushups).
LateStarter@46 said:I envy your hand placement! I have mine at 90deg outwards because of poor wrist extensibility (which I work on for 20mins before doing these pushups).
And many probably envy your work ethic.
Joakim Anderson said:And many probably envy your work ethic.
I envy his work ethic.
I spend 2-3 rounds of various 1min isometrics for mobility/ flexibility for my wrists, hips, shoulders, ankles, knees, and spine every morning, but I couldn't imagine 20min on just wrists.
^ Thanks guys :-)
I have a lot of catching up to do, being a Late Starter ;-)
Stretching work has really helped in getting the breakthrough on sticking points in the PEs e.g improved ankle flexibility finally killed off the deck squats. ABH is going to fall next!
Sorry to OP for hijacking the thread.
LateStarter@46 said:^ Thanks guys :-)
I have a lot of catching up to do, being a Late Starter ;-)
Stretching work has really helped in getting the breakthrough on sticking points in the PEs e.g improved ankle flexibility finally killed off the deck squats. ABH is going to fall next!
Sorry to OP for hijacking the thread.
Its all good. MY Questions were answered.
Im pretty new too, but my experience with physical therapy(dislocated my left shoulder during bjj tourney,) calisthenics, kettlebells, and sandbags carried over very well. We all have to start somewhere and foundation is an excellent source of information.
LateStarter@46 said:I envy your hand placement! I have mine at 90deg outwards because of poor wrist extensibility (which I work on for 20mins before doing these pushups).
Don't forget that you are also making it a bit harder on your prime movers than hands forward since there is less of a cantilever from the wrists. So you are actually building more strength.
B1214N said:Don't forget that you are also making it a bit harder on your prime movers than hands forward since there is less of a cantilever from the wrists. So you are actually building more strength.
So hands out would build more strength vs forward hand placement? Can you explain a little more?
PrimalMove said:So hands out would build more strength vs forward hand placement? Can you explain a little more?
It is because you get more support from the wrists when you are leaning into it which means your muscles don't have to work as hard. In your case, I would stick with the hands forward for now because you would still want to keep improving your wrist flexibility and eventually be able to do full planche with hands forward then you can train planche with the other hand placements if you like. If you don't really care about that extra wrist flexibility and wrist strength, then stick with any hand placement you feel most comfortable with.
B1214N said:It is because you get more support from the wrists when you are leaning into it which means your muscles don't have to work as hard. In your case, I would stick with the hands forward for now because you would still want to keep improving your wrist flexibility and eventually be able to do full planche with hands forward then you can train planche with the other hand placements if you like. If you don't really care about that extra wrist flexibility and wrist strength, then stick with any hand placement you feel most comfortable with.
Ah, that makes sense. Personally I've tried different hand placements, and for me, forward offers the most bang as long as I press through the floor focusing on over all tension.
I had to take some time off, but I'm restarting my planch leans and PPP again. Have I improve any?
PPP: http://youtu.be/pZiki1xjJ40
Planche leans: http://youtu.be/_8d_JgbKCAg
You've more hollow both planche leans and PPP, but not enough yet. Your scapulae are not fully retracted and depressed and that's a thing I can see even with your t-shirt covering your back; the peak of your scaps still are there.
On PPP you've to go all the way to the ground; those inches are brutal.
Definitely improve, but still work to do 
Adriano Flo said:You've more hollow both planche leans and PPP, but not enough yet. Your scapulae are not fully retracted and depressed and that's a thing I can see even with your t-shirt covering your back; the peak of your scaps still are there.
On PPP you've to go all the way to the ground; those inches are brutal.
Definitely improve, but still work to do
Thank you! My main issue with the hollow is with the lean. I was able to maintain it with scapular push-ups and plank, but the more I lean the more I feel like I need to straighten out my back. I guess I'm still not used to the static lean into my shoulders.
With the PPP I can get all the way down, but I completely lose form, or I'll pike at the hips. I know I should probably drop back to the first cycle, but I feel like there would be a lack of volume to learn the movement pattern.
Also, did you mean protracted and depressed? If not, Ive been doing it all wrong!
I'm getting ready to deload next week on my planche leans and PPP. I've decided to go back to push-ups until I can get proper lean form to prevent anymore torque on my shoulder.
Here is my last planche lean. Since the last few I posted had a shirt on, I did this one without... I still have 10-15 lbs to go before my goal, but considering I was at 315 a year and a half ago... I still have a lot of work.
Is this lean any better?
I reckon you're starting good, but then at 7" you can see your scapulae sinking and losing protraction.
From such a close-and-from-below camera it's hard to tell how much of protraction you have in first place.
I have the same problem and I need to constantly check myself on the mirror, meaning I didn't get this stance really sinking into my muscle memory... yet.
maolu said:I reckon you're starting good, but then at 7" you can see your scapulae sinking and losing protraction.
From such a close-and-from-below camera it's hard to tell how much of protraction you have in first place.
I have the same problem and I need to constantly check myself on the mirror, meaning I didn't get this stance really sinking into my muscle memory... yet.
Ah I see what you mean at 7. I think that's from trying to depress my shoulders while trying to maintain protraction. I'm still trying to work on that.
My 2 cnts don't try and lean anymore. Feel the correct muscle contractions and stabilisations before progressing with the lean. These PREPARTORY ELEMENTS are meant to build patterns in our muscle memory,/ patterns of activation before putting maximal force through them.
tom040287 said:My 2 cnts don't try and lean anymore. Feel the correct muscle contractions and stabilisations before progressing with the lean. These PREPARTORY ELEMENTS are meant to build patterns in our muscle memory,/ patterns of activation before putting maximal force through them.
Thank you Tom for the feedback. Whats been helping me improve my actual position was first, using a band to assist in getting into a tucked planch position to get the "feeling" of how my hips and shoulders should be. Then I took the cat/cow movement and applied it to my hollow position and help there before going into the lean.