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Started by Bipocni, January 2, 2014 · 19 Replies · 821 Views
Sorry if this has come up before, but why is the upper back rounded during the plank progressions?
To quote someone with much more experience than me, "long spines are strong spines." I always assumed that thoracic extension was still applicable during planks, pushups ect and so that's how I've been training them, but the question has been bugging me for a while.
Is it simply to make the exercise easier, or are there scapula muscles being engaged that I'm not aware of?
is not round the back and only round the back. it is activate the muscles that make the back rounded, it's a little bit different.
scapula muscles press the rib cage into the spine creating a more compact system that is stabilized also by abs contraction.
when the are abs are squeezed you are moving closer the different levers of the body. all those things create a unique stable body that, for definition, is easier to move.
grab a wood bar and a band of the same length. grab them from the extremity , wood in one hand and band with the other. then try to lift the opposite extremity at the same level of your hands. what's happen? wood bar is stable and represent the typical hollow body function.
Perhaps this isn't relevant, or even correct, but I've been finding that with my planche lean there's a synergy between protraction and pushing up strongly on the ground. I'm not sure if it's the protraction that creates the push, or the push that helps the protraction, but they definitely work together.
When you think to push you off the ground you are engaging the serratus anterior that creates protraction (the widening of the scaps)
It's more of wanting to be protracted as much as possible and that gives the rounded back shape. Rather than rounding for the sake of it. At the end of F4, Straddle Planche is protracted as much as possible. The planks progression isn't merely to achieve a plank, but to have a much easier exercise that also teaches you the protraction like sPL. The higher the progressions go, the harder it becomes to hold a protraction because of leverages. If you can't master Planks with maximum protraction, then how do you expect to master sPL with maximum protraction?
I think this post illustrates the point pretty well: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/13944-pushups-plank-form-check/#entry137521
The first picture is rounded. The second is far less rounded, but strongly protracted with the entire core more strongly engaged.
So should I be trying to hold a hollow then? Because I know in the hollow series we're supposed to attempt to flex at the thoracic spine as much as possible, which is pretty much the opposite of what I'm doing right now...
thecolin said:I think this post illustrates the point pretty well: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/13944-pushups-plank-form-check/#entry137521
The first picture is rounded. The second is far less rounded, but strongly protracted with the entire core more strongly engaged.
Bipocni said:So should I be trying to hold a hollow then? Because I know in the hollow series we're supposed to attempt to flex at the thoracic spine as much as possible, which is pretty much the opposite of what I'm doing right now...
To add to my pictures above, what really made the planks click was to first activate the lats(this was actually a great sensation, to activate a muscle you didn't even know you have:)) and then push away from the ground.
I don't know about the hollow, the abdominals are certianly working less than even in a bent hollow, but I do focus on squeezing my glutes.
I did two 9-12 microcycles on the planks to get the right activation going and I think it really paid off. I tried doing planche leans and shoulders aren't even working that hard, what limits me on these is the elbow and the wrist. But I still need to master one arm planks, my left side is lagging behind. Off to train I go 
Bipocni said:So should I be trying to hold a hollow then? Because I know in the hollow series we're supposed to attempt to flex at the thoracic spine as much as possible, which is pretty much the opposite of what I'm doing right now...
Yes, go to this thread where Dillon Zrike takes about preparing the hollow shape for planches
https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/5959-scapula-position-for-basic-and-static-exercises/
I have a question as well about this. Today during my workout, I experimented with different hand placements. I found that I had a better lean and hollow once I turned my hands almost completely backwards vs having then straight or angled. Is this incorrect?
I was also curious about width placement of the hands. Any tips?
Hands forward and backward changes the stress placed on the joint. Hands forward places more stress on wrist while backward places more stress on elbow. At this point it's way too early in the process to worry about that
You just said the differing positions do the same thing: "places more stress on wrist"
It felt way better on my wrists to turn my hands back. Doing so also activated my Lats much more, especially during the PPP. I am just curious because I have enough bad habits and don't need any more if hands backwards is wrong for later on.
IcedDante said:You just said the differing positions do the same thing: "places more stress on wrist"
Sorry I made mistake. hand forward = more stress on wrist, hand backward = more stress on elbows
Hmms said:Sorry I made mistake. hand forward = more stress on wrist, hand backward = more stress on elbows
Really? My elbows definitely feel like a weak point, maybe I should start turning my wrists back...
IcedDante said:Really? My elbows definitely feel like a weak point, maybe I should start turning my wrists back...
I don't think it's worth deviating from hands forward since that's against how it's performed in foundation. I'm guessing more elbow intensive will be in Rings (RTO exercises)
IcedDante said:Really? My elbows definitely feel like a weak point, maybe I should start turning my wrists back...
If they feel like a weak point, it's probably not best to expose them to excess stress. Wrists turned out slightly, locked elbows and a strong lean will put them under enough pressure to gradually condition them.
Hmms said:If you can't master Planks with maximum protraction, then how do you expect to master sPL with maximum protraction?
At these early progressions I can hold maximum protraction regardless of what my thoracic spine is doing. Rounding the upper back makes the exercise easier, but my shoulders don't change position in their joints.
Bipocni said:At these early progressions I can hold maximum protraction regardless of what my thoracic spine is doing. Rounding the upper back makes the exercise easier, but my shoulders don't change position in their joints.
I think it's easier because rounding the back pulls the feet forward as the back moves up and gives the impression of a lean without actually moving the shoulders forward that much. Leaning forward with a rigidly straight body loads all of the lean onto the shoulders. And the only way to move forward more is to lean more from the shoulder.
I can't say for certain if that's what you're doing, but it's certainly a mistake I did when I started planche leans.
Turning the fingers backward is too brachialis intensive for your current level of training.
For foundation work, keep the fingers either forward, sideward or somewhere in between.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer