Multiple Form Checks

Yes true they're barely in the back of the video... they were just much more obvious in this one. And to me in my head my toes were pointed... I was very surprised to see them straight up and down like that.

Anyway... I'm still not sure what to do about the PPP's... how do I keep my shoulders protracted when pushing up?

M K Mossop said:

 

Anyway... I'm still not sure what to do about the PPP's... how do I keep my shoulders protracted when pushing up?

Use your lats to keep everything tight and stop flexing at the hips.

Ok well I've fixed the feet thing. I think everything is ok here other than my ass being a bit too high.

Also could someone comment on my mn/pe2? I've been working on it for a long time but still have trouble bringing my legs and chest higher.

M K Mossop said:

Ok well I've fixed the feet thing. I think everything is ok here other than my ass being a bit too high.

 

Looks better, you're getting there! It seems everyone struggles with keeping their ass low.

I think it's one of those annoying things you have to keep working on until your brain learns how to behave properly! Just remember to keep extending straight backwards as you increase your lean forward.

Yes it's difficult. Part of the problem is that I'm not sure how my form is unless I'm looking in the mirror. I always need to check multiple times to see that I'm maintaining form.

M K Mossop said:

Yes it's difficult. Part of the problem is that I'm not sure how my form is unless I'm looking in the mirror. I always need to check multiple times to see that I'm maintaining form.

That's normal, and it's part of the training. A big part of Foundation is teaching your body to automatically lock into certain fundamental body positions that a first seem awkward and unnatural. As you constantly examine and correct yourself over time, you'll eventually develop the proprioception/body sense to know your body position without looking.

Going back to the HBP, how are you actual push ups (PE2)? Can you post a form check of those as they might need some work

Not sure about my actual pushups... I never posted a video. I think they were ok. I could make a video. The ppp's are killer though... I'm barely making progress.

Could someone comment on my MN/PE2? Does it look anywhere close to ok?

thecolin said:

Don't think about bringing your chest to the floor, maintain the hollow (try to get more PPT). Point your toes, keep your legs straight and touch your quads to the ground. In hollow, your chest wont touch the ground, but your ROM will be the same.

 

 

 

what about the regular push ups (HBP Pe2)? if you maintain proper hollow can you touch the chest to the ground? because it seems to me that when I touch my chest to the ground while doing regular push ups I lose hollow a bit.

athleticandrey said:

what about the regular push ups (HBP Pe2)? if you maintain proper hollow can you touch the chest to the ground?

You have to retract to get full contact with your chest on the ground, in my experience. I think you'll need to choose if you're doing standard push-ups, or if you're going to maintain a hollow body.

thank you for your reply Colin,

I'm still a bit confused though.

1) I thought that scapulas always retract when you lower to the bottom position of a push up? but I do feel that when I try to touch my chest to the ground that shoulder blades  retract even more.

2)why would retracting scapulas affect hollow body position in any way?

3) you say that I have to choose if i'm doing a standard push up or hollow body but what is standard form push up for foundation purposes?

sorry for asking so many questions.

Andrey

While I'm not an expert on the subject, here's my basic understanding.

The hollow position (protracted scapula, posterior pelvic tilt, strong core/lat activation) creates a stronger base for pressing for moves like the hollow back press, planche and similar positions on rings. 

Do you see how his upper back stays nice and round all the way to the bottom position?

It's not a big deal for basic push-ups, but eventually that upper back tension through strong protraction will help create lift through the feet to keep them suspended. But since we're training neurological connections as well as muscles, you should start training the proper body positions right from the start. While the course doesn't specifically require it for PE 2, you'll need to start practicing maintaining a hollow body through the full ROM for PE 3, so you may as well get a head start. 

With standard push-ups for general conditioning, you'd of course want to train through as full a ROM as possible. But Foundation trains strength and flexibility for full articulation of the shoulders and upper back, so it's not something we need to worry about.

thank you! now I understand what you meant. When I do push ups I touch my chest to the floor and at the top of the rep I protract scapulas I figured this way I'd get the biggest ROM possible for a push up. 

one last question. it's not specified in the instructions for the video but I assume that it's necessary to maintain ppt during regular push up in foundation?

Yes, ppt should be maintained for HBP PE1, PE2, and PE3, even though it's not specifically mentioned in the form notes for PE1 &2 if you look at the video and understand what ppt looks like (namely a lack of arch in the lower back) you can see that ppt is being maintained in both.