HS PE1 & IM form check please

Hi, could people kindly provide me with any feedback on the above. Both are in the same video.

Thanks

PE looks fine. As for iM, here's a copy paste of the last advice I gave:

You wanna straighten that back up and you should be good. Also, 3-5lbs is the recommended starting weight so feel free to move down if it helps ROM as well. Check here and here for more specifications.

 

You wanna focus on shrugging hard, shoulders up to ears as you would in an actual HS. No shoulder rotation going on(i.e. no dislocate).

Thanks TANSTAAFL!

I think a lot of your movement on the iM is comming from lifting your chest. You want to be able to pull your arms back and pull your ribs down at the same time.

How's this looking now?

Thanks

Looks a lot better w/ back being straight. Just make sure you're not dislocating at all. Not saying you are, just making sure.

Cheers, nah I'm not dislocating. I'm just trying to follow your advice, pushing my shoulders all the way up and then leaning forward.

BeanLion said:

How's this looking now?

 

It's a bit difficult to see with the lighting, but it looks like the pits of your elbows go from facing inwards to forwards as you pull back which would indicate rotation in the shoulders. Focus on keeping the insides of your elbows facing inwards towards each other as you pull backwards. And tuck your ribs more. When you pull your arms back straight without rotating and focus on pulling your ribs down it will feel like the two movements are in opposition to one another, but this is where the mobility develops for this move. You may want to lower the weight you are using to get a better feeling for this movement.

Thanks for the tips, just in time for my handstand session today! I'll record a new video (hopefully with better lighting).

The bar I'm using is deceivingly light, it's just a 5kg bar so I think this is an acceptable weight to use until I get better at this iM.

Thanks

BeanLion said:

 

The bar I'm using is deceivingly light, it's just a 5kg

You're right, I thought it was a 20kg olympic bar. 

I'm not trying to be a ball buster, but this iM is a bit more exacting than it first appears. But once you nail it, all the later progressions become a lot more clear. I (and a lot of people) wasted a lot of time dislocating while trying to learn this move.

Haha, luckily now they've labeled the bars in the gym. I remember when I first joined there I was doing a standard weightlifting routine, some days the lighter ones were left in the racks so I'd out some weights on it and thought I was getting a lot stronger. Then the next week I wondered why I was so weak when I was using a proper 20kg bar.

No I appreciate all the advice I can get, I'd much rather get it spot on than waste time doing it wrong.

Here's a clip from today's session, I tried moving my grip narrower here. I could definitely feel the strain in my traps at the shoulder.

I'm kinda thinking it'll be easier to see if I shot this at more of an angle.

BeanLion said:

Here's a clip from today's session, I tried moving my grip narrower here. I could definitely feel the strain in my traps at the shoulder.

 

It's looking way better now, great work. That feeling in the top of your traps is exactly what you're looking for. As you build more strength in that area, you'll gradually be able to lean further forward and maintain the same alignment.

Agreed with thecolin. You're substantial reduction in ROM at the shoulders is exactly what I want to see .

Thanks for the help with this. My traps were sore the next day so getting into that position was definitely new for me.

How much lean is generally required for it to be classed as mastery?

BeanLion said:

Thanks for the help with this. My traps were sore the next day so getting into that position was definitely new for me.

How much lean is generally required for it to be classed as mastery?

Usually whatever demo vid shows. I would say probably a little more than what you have, but make sure the lean doesn't kink up the straight back. It helps to massage/stretch/etc. the quads, glutes, hip flexors, ankles, or whatever else is tight for you beforehand.

So if you get a 'splendid cramp' in the lower traps/rhomboids, its a good sign?

How much forward lean should be aimed for?