Igor's F & H quest

Hi there, folks. After two big hiatos due to surgeries, bad recovery and infections, I'm finally and gladly back to my former zombie self! Literally! Nearly 4 months completely stoped, a fake recovery and na infection.

So, I decided to put on my log in here for accountability (anyone interested?) and the helpful advice from other members. I'll aim to :

• 4-day Split F and 2-day H.
• Record semi-set vídeos for form check at least monthly
• Enjoy all feedback I can get from this nice community

So, today I decided to stabilish a baseline. It went like this:

FL PE1 4x24. If form in vídeo is good, than I've found my starting point.

sPL PE1 4x6. If form is also good, another sweet spot. Last 2 reps felt uneasy, but I guess it was muscular.

HBP PE1 4x6. I think I don't get the hollow shape. I don't understand how to have a hollow shape without putting an angle with my hips. I can lock it and get straight bodyline, How can I fix it?

RC PE1 3x3. This (and ABH, of course) was my nemesis. I just can't get to 90 degrees. However, in this particular session, I think I got a hint from different muscular activation that allowed me to get a bit further. What do you think?

Good luck with your journey! 

For RC PE1, I think you are over-doing it. It is supposed to just be a hinge movement and you seem to be tightening everything around the hip region when it is meant to be relaxed. There shouldn't be much effort in hinging from floor to 90 degrees. Also note that in the video, the model has his elbows further away from the body than you do.

Thanks, LateStarter. I think it may be because I'm trying not to slip while getting to the 90 degrees. I tried it today and it can be way softer than that. Will film again next week!

As for today's WO:

• SL PE1 3x10: (0:07) yeah, the timing is wrong. I just forgot to use the count down timer and can't count very well while straining. Anyway, I do think my quads can get straighter. I did feel the effort above my lumbar musculature, but not tiring on the thorax. I guess there's a lot of room for ROM on mobilizing the hips and the upper spine. Any thoughts?
• Mn PE1 2x9: (0:21) without my mat, my cyst scars are really troublesome. You can see on the first rep that I nearly stoped. So I'll just get that right next time. As for form, I think sync can be enhanced and the movement will be smoother once it's not aching in the wrong places. What do you think?
• SLS PE1 4x9: (0:50) I do think the squats are OK, but can't say the same about skiers. Perhaps the body should be straighter and more upwards (too much incline forward)?
• HS PE1: (1:44) I guess form is good. A bit of shaking on the first set, but it disapeared on the following. Is it good enough?

I found out that, to take proper vídeos of iMs, I usually have to stay further away from the camera (just though about it while doing SLS, so that's why there's no other iM vídeos today). So, next week, I should be able to record them properly =)

You are disgustingly good at these, I'm not talking to you anymore! ;-)

For the skiers, I think you rotate your upper body too much. Just copy the model in the video.

Nice one!

Hey there! Ysterday was a good day!

FL PE1 4x24. These were just fine. In the spirit of trying harder, I did try 4x48. First and second set were ok. But third set my lower back got lifted from the ground after 30s. So I guess I'll just keep on this microcycle.

sPL PE1 4x6, These were good too. It didn't feel straining, as was last WO.

HBP PE1 4x6. Locked my back and tucked in the pelvis. This makes it way harder, but way more stable!

RC PE1 3x3. I did have a breakthrough thanks to LateStarter (can't thank you enough!), I struggled to get to 90 degrees because my arms were completely in front of my body while the model puts it a little more to the side. This just makes the exercise feasible! And I actually went for 3x5 and managed it!

Skipped one day, but I'll make up =)

Today was B-day training, so:

Mn PE1 4x12: (0:41 / 1:29) I decided to make it harder, as 4x6 was not really challenging. If form is good, I guess it won't take long for PE2!

SLS PE1 4x12: (1:57 / 3:06) Just the same as above. We can really push ourselves when really inclined to!

HS PE1 5x60: (3:51 / 5:03 & 0:00) If the iM form is good, my guess is I am good to go. What can you say?

Day 5 (F1 A) went just like day 3. But I missed day 6 partialy (no H1 work) because of poor planning.

Day 7 (F1 A) got an increase in sets.

1. FL PE1 4x36 (0:02 / 0:43): I should be able to get better form, but on the last 10 secs of last set, PT fails me and I just can't back on track for longer than 20 secs on the retry. So I should remain this week. As for iM, I guess I'm still somewhat clueless (or am without the proper proprioception) about extending the middle of the back. What do you think about the iM?
2. sPL PE1 5x9 (1:14 / 1:47): shoulders complained on last set, but hey, they did it on the 4th last week and not anymore!.
3. HBP PE1 5x9 (2:15): I think I'm beginning to understand the hollow position and how the glutes can lock the whole thing.
4. RC PE1 3x6 (3:14): the most painful part is the iM. I'm doing it in a hard to record place and the holding surface is just plan thin. But I think it's great progress now!

Some delay in posting, but everything went according to the book on progressions. Some good News were mastery for Mn (after fixing the windmills) and Straddle Planche! I'm gonna skip a few vídeos (some problems on youtube) and post just the most recente workout:

Day 17 (FA):

HBP PE1 / iM 4x48 (0:00 / 0:22): Those were hard! Failed last set missing 10 seconds (managed to push a little using some placebo stuff by just touching my legs with fingers, but not even pressing them down). Gonna stay here for a while, I guess.
sPL PE2 / iM(i-iv) 5x60 (0:42 / 1:12; 1:29; 1:46; 2:13): If form is right (it does look ok for me), these will be a breeze. However, I'm not sure about iM. Shot it from 4 different perspectives so that you can see it on different angles and help me out =)
HBP PE1 4x12 (2:34): KIlling me. I was feeling tired after sPL and HBP (tríceps was not so fresh, abs were cramping), so I pushed to the point of getting dizzy and - a bit disgusting -, breathing so hard that I was drooling. Crap, it was ugly! And, for some reason, câmera cut short this - and the next - recording =(
RC PE1 4x6 (3:00): Those were hard too! Couldn't get myself to do the last iM (hands simply failed to hold the bar!)

Kit's second week program stretching to be followed later tonight.

Day 18 (FB)

• SL PE1 / iM 3x12 (0:02 / 0:22). I feel the stress going up the thorax and, after some sPL iM2, it seems to be coming more from the glute (or at least I perceive it more!). Now endurance path begins!
   
• Mn PE2 / iM 3x3 (0:34 / 1:02). Crap, these are made in hell. I'm curious about how to keep strength and endurance, as I'm not supposed to go up from 3x3 until a good form (compression and flexibility are lacking severely!) comes. What about iM? Any thoughts?
   
• SLS PE1 / iM 5x15 (1:47 / 2:17). Hey, I did forget I was supposed to go until 12, so I just decided to try 5x15. And managed it! Is it good form? If so, is it time for me to try SLS PE2 week 1 on next WO, so that this won't go out of sync?
   
• HS PE1 / iM 5x60. Just made them as iM ROM is not yet ready. This didn't prevent me to:
   
• HS PE2 / iM [craploads] x [little time] (2:42* / 3:29). Made these quite a bunch of times, trying to get the hang of it. I just can't lean as I'm supposed or my back fails me. Even getting up is still nearly impossible (it IS impossible if I try to emulate the model!). What should I be working on?

SL PE1 looks very nice.  

MN PE2, your straddle is more a pike.  I would practise holding the top position (or as high as you can get) for a while.  IM, looks ok, more weight I'd guess (20kg is a previously stated goal).

SLS PE1 try and keep arms away from ground.  SLS PE1 / im, I think you need a little more work, bit more feet together, sit back a little more, swing hips around a bit more.  I wouldn't progress to PE1 till that's done.

HS PE2 / im, palms down not up ie start with palms facing forwards.

(Re your earlier video with the windmill, the twisting of the humerus is a key part of this so people are going to ask to see your whole arm)

I can't add much to what Matthew has said except to advise you to focus more on curling your back one vertebrae at a time as you descend into the Jefferson Curl. So the chin drops first, then the upper back rounds, then the mid back, then the lower back, and only then begin to pike. If you find it difficult to get the feeling of this, try it with your back to the wall. For the ascent, do it all in reverse.

Most importantly, please do not post any more videos of H1 material in this forum. H1 questions belong in the H1 forum; that way only those who have actually paid for the course get to see the content.

Matthew Hanham said:

SL PE1 looks very nice.  

 

MN PE2, your straddle is more a pike.  I would practise holding the top position (or as high as you can get) for a while.  IM, looks ok, more weight I'd guess (20kg is a previously stated goal).

 

 

 

SLS PE1 try and keep arms away from ground.  SLS PE1 / im, I think you need a little more work, bit more feet together, sit back a little more, swing hips around a bit more.  I wouldn't progress to PE1 till that's done.

 

HS PE2 / im, palms down not up ie start with palms facing forwards.

 

(Re your earlier video with the windmill, the twisting of the humerus is a key part of this so people are going to ask to see your whole arm)

 

Thanks.

Mn: If I can't bring both legs and trunk up to the same degree, what should take precedence? Sit-up straight and them bring legs-up, the opposite or just try to balance both until proper ROM? As for the iM, I'll start adding weight veeery slowly, as I had a disc protrusion before. I'm thinking of 1kg per week and began with 5.

Mn/iM:

Will try to shoot it from another angle to properly record it. It's very possible I don't twist the humerus! Thanks for the input!

SLS: The only reason for me to keep arms on the ground is that, as I sweat, I glid far and away back each time I go down. Do arms make that much difference? If so, I'll have to wear a shirt not to glide! As for iM, if feet get together more than that (touching), my knees hurt in the begining of descente (pain in the front of the knees is a bad sign, right?). Is it possible to get mastery with that distance if sitting and hips are properly adjusted or should I look for something to fix this knee problem?

HBP: Crap, I missed that detail! Thanks!

HS: Missed that! Thanks!

KibboKift said:

 

I can't add much to what Matthew has said except to advise you to focus more on curling your back one vertebrae at a time as you descend into the Jefferson Curl. So the chin drops first, then the upper back rounds, then the mid back, then the lower back, and only then begin to pike. If you find it difficult to get the feeling of this, try it with your back to the wall. For the ascent, do it all in reverse.

 

 

 

Most importantly, please do not post any more videos of H1 material in this forum. H1 questions belong in the H1 forum; that way only those who have actually paid for the course get to see the content.

 

Will try to make it rounder and smother. Does that makes for a bit of contraction in the back in the beginning, in order to hold trunk in place while superior parts are generating torque forward?

Oops! My bad! Should I edit vídeos to cut that part off?