Straight arms?

[JoeS]

Hi everyone,

I recently started this kind of training after reading coach's articles on DD. I'm not interested in gymnastics competition, being too big (6'1", 185#), too old (56), and too inflexible (barely palms flat). I'm a weightlifter, and only interested in the strength/rings work. My current level is: 20 sec hold tuck planche, 40 sec hold tuck front lever, a few reps in coach's "crank" exercise (version 1).

My problem is: while I do these with straight arms, I can't do them with elbows locked. Is there some reason other than scoring points in competition that you need to lock your elbows?

Thanks for advice!

[kbryk]

Locking your elbows is not only for good form, it helps you build strength, many gymnastic strength skills require good strong joints and you build those up by applying force to the joints by keeping your arms locked. And by keeping your arms locked or knees like in an l-sit you are applying more leverage so it takes more for you to keep your joints straight.

[David Picó García]

I'm sure you did, but if dont read the interview to coach from Tnation (its in articles section). I put here an extract:

'T-Nation: Wait a sec, these guys with the killer biceps don't do barbell and dumbbell curls?

Sommer: No, not a single one! In fact, their amazing biceps development isn't the result of any kind of curling movement at all, but primarily due to the straight arm leverage work which they do on the still rings. The straight-arm work is enormously difficult and puts tremendous strain on the biceps resulting in incredible growth. The key to success is being able to approach these exercises in a safe progressive manner. '

If you cant do it with locked elbow is because you don't have enough strength it that position. The pressure on biceps its totally different if you lock or not. in fact if you dont lock there almost no pressure on them.

The straight arm exercises is what call my attention at first in those kind of exercises due in weightlifting you never do any exercise locking elbows (perhaps for rest in presses).

Another examples are the support on rings its absolutely different exercise if you do it with locked arms or not. The cross or ring flyes are also examples that non gymnasts tend to do with non locked arms so theres no work on elbow joint, and when you do it the proper way you can understand what coach said. I can do ring flys with non locked elbows (al the pressure goes to pecs) but with straight i cant do a full ROM because of the great preassure on biceps.

[George Launchbury]

Hi JoeS,

I asked a similar question a while ago, which Coach Sommer was kind enough to answer (read it here).

To sum up, kbryk and serotonin are correct - training with straight joints is optimal. If you can do it safely, you should ...even if it means shifting back a progression (or two) to develop that around-the-joint strength. That goes for all aspects of good form, ensuring that the hips are at the same height as your shoulders, etc.

Also, after all that time and effort, you'll know that if your arms aren't locked ...it's not really a Planche! Which is something I'm gutted about, since one of mine won't straighten by a couple of degrees from an old injury.

Hope this helps,

George.

P.s. As serotonin mentioned, reading around Coach's articles/posts can be very informative. In case you haven't reaad through the old threads yet, you can easily find all of Coach's (or anyone's) posts by viewing their profile and clicking Find all posts by [them]. A great number of them are in mini-article format.