Am I ready for the next exercise? HBP/PE1 Mastery Form Check

Hey!

I listened to Rayne's and Keegen's advice and today I did 5X15 reps at HBP/PE1(and iM too).

Am I ready for the next step-HBP/PE2 ? I'm not going to move up until I have the required form for mastery 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCq1yfFJgCY

Thanks!

P.S. I'm sorry my videos are long-I wanted to show how much rest I take between sets. Am I resting too much? Should I trim and only put the main parts of the clip next time?

First regarding rest time, you were kind of all over the place during these 5 sets, so it's tough to say how much you are resting between sets on a regular basis. If you want to claim mastery though you must perform the 5 sets of the PE and 5 sets of the iM back, to back, to back, etc... with no additional rest. Even on the sets where you took the least amount of time between doing the PE, iM, then did another set of the PE you were taking additional rest time (and on the sets where you took more you took way too much to claim mastery, though I understand that you were adjusting the camera for the purposes of the video that that may not have been an accurate depiction of your usual sets).

So based on that alone I would say you didn't demonstrate mastery.

Regarding your form you seem to be somewhat hinging (you kind of round your upper and middle back to bring yourself down towards the bar, then allow your back to extend as you press back up to plank position). You don't want to do this, instead your body should be a fixed, rigid lever with movement occurring only at the scapulae, glenohumeral joint (shoulders), elbows and to a degree wrists.

Again though, I am not a GB certified athlete or coach, so don't take my word or opinion as official.

Compare your performance with the course video.

You took too much rest time for it to be mastery. Plus, you break your tempo a lot. I know you're monitoring your form, but mastery means get ready, set and complete the set as a set, not a series of singles.

As for your form, I see overemphasis on protraction and not enough depression. The upper back should be flat. If you tried to do pushups on the floor like this, you simply wouldn't get full ROM.

iM looks good.

Okay guys,

First,  thanks for taking the time for watching the video and analysing it.

Second, it was very late when I wrote this topic so I asked a really dumb question   Yes, I was resting too much, but that's because I tried to capture different angles. I usually don't take any rest at all.

I've already compared the videos.  I just can't understand how to protract just the upper back. I'm 'exaggerating' with the amount of protraction and I'm not really able to lower my middle back.. I may also over thinking that.

In my next attempt, I will try to do the push-ups without protraction. My form might improve this way?

How's the form now? I think that my tempo is a bit faster than the course video ..

Better. Just make sure that you're depressing through the whole ROM. Kinda hard to see with the light. As for tempo, it doesn't need to exactly match the course video. As long as it is controlled and even throughout the set, you're good to go(except the negatives, of course ).

Yeah better. I think that your proprioceptive "picture" of what protraction is supposed to mean or feel like is incorrect and as a result you tend to round your middle back when you try to "protract". Protraction however is not about rounding the middle back but instead about moving the scapulae/shoulder blades.

Try this, stand up with your arms out in front of you (straight) like you are about to do a push-up on a wall (but you don't need a wall). Now close your eyes so you can reall feel what is going on in your body. Bring your shoulder blades back behind you to attempt to touch them, but don't arch your back to do so. That is retraction.

Now pull your shoulder blades apart, but don't allow your back to "round forwards" as you do so. That is protraction.

Now for contrast let your back arch and round. That is spinal extension and flexion. That is basically what you were doing before.

Also filming yourself do these actions unweighted would probably be a good idea so you can see what the difference looks like.

Hope this helps.

Duff said:

Better. Just make sure that you're depressing through the whole ROM. Kinda hard to see with the light. As for tempo, it doesn't need to exactly match the course video. As long as it is controlled and even throughout the set, you're good to go(except the negatives, of course ).

 

I have an update:

I hadn't done any foundation work for 2 weeks for a certain reason, so it was quite challenging to check mastery again, in spite of the fact that the bar was lower than required. 

I don't really think I can depress my scapula in inclined position.. I also noticed that my elbows ,compared to the course video, aren't reaching hips level. Is that a bad thing?

Keegan said:

Yeah better. I think that your proprioceptive "picture" of what protraction is supposed to mean or feel like is incorrect and as a result you tend to round your middle back when you try to "protract". Protraction however is not about rounding the middle back but instead about moving the scapulae/shoulder blades.

 

Thanks Keegan, now I sort of understand how to round most of the time my upper back

Am I ready to move on the next element guys?

Definitely better regarding the protraction. One thing to watch out for though is "craning" your head forward like you have a tendency to do. With PE1 it's not such a big deal, but it will get in your way in PE2 and not allow you to get full ROM.

Keegan said:

Definitely better regarding the protraction. One thing to watch out for though is "craning" your head forward like you have a tendency to do. With PE1 it's not such a big deal, but it will get in your way in PE2 and not allow you to get full ROM.

Whoa ! I didn't even notice I was doing that! It's awkward haha..In regular push-up I don't do that. I usually look forward in the bottom position. So, am I good to move on or not? 

I would say yes, but definitely post a form check of your PE2. If you tend to do that same thing in your PE2 you may want to go back and repeat the final microcycle of PE1 till you can iron it out.

Btw, you also tend to somewhat still hinge at your spine as you descend on these. You will definitely need to kick that habit and instead want to simply stabilize your body into one solid piece when you move to PE2 or again it will screw up your ROM.