Xiaopengs?

Can anyone tell me a little more about Xiaopengs?

 

I've seen different arm circles before but haven't seen this one before Foundation. It's for shoulder mobility of course but, since it's weighted, is part of the purpose to strengthen certain muscles? Is there a benefit to working towards heavier weights? 

 

I moved away from Foundation for a while and my shoulder started bothering me again, I have a problem with a stabilizer somewhere misbehaving. Could Xiaopengs be what was keeping my shoulder happy? Are there any tips to maximize the benefits from this exercise?

The Hansenator said:

I have a problem with a stabilizer somewhere misbehaving. Could Xiaopengs be what was keeping my shoulder happy?

I've had a shoulder problem for about a year know and have now finally over the past 2 months gotten controll over it.

Things I've done

Every time I train (4-5 times a week) i ALWAYS warm up with:

All the HBP Im's from F1 and some from F2.

The band series from R1.

I also see a good Osteopath once every 4-6 weeks.

I NEVER skip that warmup. If I have limited time to train I never let the warm up suffer.

I can now train almost everything. I'm still very careful with exercises where my (bent) elbow goes behind my back/shoulder like deep dips, pushups, Korean dips etc.

Mats, that's probably a good idea, I might borrow it. That and some of the H1 stuff seems really good.

 

Is there a recommended weight to work up to with the Xiaopengs? 

The Hansenator said:

Mats, that's probably a good idea, I might borrow it. That and some of the H1 stuff seems really good.

 

Is there a recommended weight to work up to with the Xiaopengs? 

I can't immediately find the link but I have a quote here from Coach that Xiao Peng himself used 12kg for this exercise, assuming slow movement with perfect form.

I was thinking that 10 kg was the mastery....

Jon Douglas said:

I can't immediately find the link but I have a quote here from Coach that Xiao Peng himself used 12kg for this exercise, assuming slow movement with perfect form.

holy freaking christ. That must be xiao peng forward only, right? Right? No way that was backward. Holy mother of god...

how? The...wha...

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/10953-xiaopeng-and-stiff-leg-windmill-weight/?p=106279

 

 

Coach Sommer said:

Sorry guys, you are focusing on the wrong part of the movement.  When performed correctly even Xiaopeng only used approx 10-12kg for Xiaopengs.  At your levels of development if you are using even close to that amount of weight, I would say with a fair degree of certainty that you are performing this iM incorrectly.  

 

On forward Xiaopengs the most common error is failing to rotate the arm completely at the top of the movement prior to the descent so that you are as close to HS as possible with the palm of the hand pointing toward the floor.

 

On backward Xiaopengs the most common error is allowing the hand to roll sideways prematurely.  This makes the iM much easier and also much less productive.

 

Hopefully you can see from my previous comments that the most important section of the FWD Xiaopengs is how close to HS you can be after the roll and on BWD Xiaopengs how close to HS you can be prior to the roll.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

 

Coach's quote about Xiaopeng here

Alan, thank you for the link! I had no idea about rotating the arm to HS and such.

 

I always felt xiaopeng working my traps and mid delts. But I just implemented Coach's instructions into my workout today and I felt a deep, incredibly stimulating contraction in my infraspinatus. Never experienced something like this. I felt much more stable and strong in xiaopeng and my shoulder girdle feels amazing right now

Yeah, these are a gold exercise. Forget what weight you're using until it no longer gives you a stretch, no rush when rom is the goal

^ This

"Forget what weight you're using until it no longer gives you a stretch, no rush when rom is the goal"

This sentence can be applied to ALL questions that involve weighted iM!

Hey was wondering if there is such a quote as the one alan provided but for stiff leg windmills?

Rafa said:

Hey was wondering if there is such a quote as the one alan provided but for stiff leg windmills?

Two posts here from Nic Branson: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/10626-stiff-legged-windmill/

How frequently can you do xiaopengs and still benefit? What's the point of diminishing returns?

The Hansenator said:

How frequently can you do xiaopengs and still benefit? What's the point of diminishing returns?

Depends on your current level. Same as dislocates, I can do them daily with relatively little weight (5kg is a reasonable stretch/ROM work for my XP) but if I were trying to work them up I have and would be training 2x a week, 3 max depending on how I responded to it.

Jon Douglas said:

Depends on your current level. Same as dislocates, I can do them daily with relatively little weight (5kg is a reasonable stretch/ROM work for my XP) but if I were trying to work them up I have and would be training 2x a week, 3 max depending on how I responded to it.

Yeah, I suppose it depends on the individual, the weight used, and the volume. I was playing with it over the weekend because I'm excited about it right now and I'm really feeling it behind the shoulder blades right now.

If it's enough weight for you right now to get that post-workout stretched feeling, best to space it out a bit. When it feels like nothing during and after, then is a good time to increase either weight or frequency

Like weighted leg lifts, there just isn't so far to go with these-- the leverage doesn't allow it. The silver lining is that it doesn't REQUIRE much weight to have the desired effect (done right). So to reiterate, don't be in too much of a hurry with numbers the important thing is stimulate the response, rest it, repeat until new stimulus is required

On the Forward version, i feel a stretch mainly in my right bicep. Is that normal?  I do have anterior laxity in that shoulder, fyi.

 

Thanks

Micawberian said:

Alan, thank you for the link! I had no idea about rotating the arm to HS and such.

 

I always felt xiaopeng working my traps and mid delts. But I just implemented Coach's instructions into my workout today and I felt a deep, incredibly stimulating contraction in my infraspinatus. Never experienced something like this. I felt much more stable and strong in xiaopeng and my shoulder girdle feels amazing right now

Can someone elaborate a bit more? And what is meant by rotating the arm to HS (handstand?). 

 

I keep rewatching the video but all I see is weight up, twist at the top then down. I don't feel much a stretch when doing this (as the torse is moving too), more use of shoulder muscles. 

 

Any help is appreciated! 

Rafa said:

Hey was wondering if there is such a quote as the one alan provided but for stiff leg windmills?

Coach's quote about Windmills:

 

 

Coach Sommer said:

- Most of my intermediate level athletes will use from 20-25lbs.  My Elite level athletes usually use from 30-35lbs.  Formerly I personally used 45lbs.

 

- However, that being said, do not strain to maximize the weight you are using.  The weights listed above are comfortable weights for those particular athletes.  You should use however little or much weight allows you to best "feel" the rotation of the shoulder while maintaining good stability.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

 

 

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/9973-suggested-weight-for-mnpe1im/?p=96314

 

On forward Xiaopengs the most common error is failing to rotate the arm completely at the top of the movement prior to the descent so that you are as close to HS as possible with the palm of the hand pointing toward the floor.

 

On backward Xiaopengs the most common error is allowing the hand to roll sideways prematurely.  This makes the iM much easier and also much less productive.

 

 

I tried them both with THIS and it changes everything!

London Gymnast said:

Can someone elaborate a bit more? And what is meant by rotating the arm to HS (handstand?). 

 

I keep rewatching the video but all I see is weight up, twist at the top then down. I don't feel much a stretch when doing this (as the torse is moving too), more use of shoulder muscles. 

 

Any help is appreciated!

I had the same question as London about rotating the arm to HS. I tried to do what I thought it was saying and didnt feel any different, so maybe I have been doing it right from the beginning or I still need help figuring it out.

So, is there a strong shrug at the top? Because thats what ive been doing.

Elevate your shoulder just before and while twisting the arm.

At circus school, the teacher was always saying : "Try to push your shoulder above your ear and don't move that head"

And on the back/down-side of the motion, you really want to pronate the hand?

jaz said:

Elevate your shoulder just before and while twisting the arm.

At circus school, the teacher was always saying : "Try to push your shoulder above your ear and don't move that head"

So you're not trying to keep the shoulder packed? I might have been doing it wrong.