Planche help

Hi, I've been working on planches for some time now. Using mostly the progressions from Coach Sommer's article and doing pseudo push ups. I'm trying to advance from tucked planche to advanced tuck planche now but I'm just not having much success. The way I'm trying to get into advanced tuck planche is from tucked planche I just try to bring my legs back, but every time I do that my knees just hit the floor. Can I get any tips on how to move on? Also are there any other exercises I should be doing to help me attain a full planche? I've been working on them for quite some time and my progress has been pretty minimal.

Also for L-sit, I've heard that you are supposed to feel it most in your abs, but I feel it more in my arms atm ( I still haven't got full legs extended). Is this normal or am I positioning wrong?

For your first issue, perhaps your hips are not lifted high enough. Are you certain that they are level with your shoulders?

As for the second, I have always felt the L-Sit in my triceps more than in my abs. I think it varies from person to person, it's all about where you are stronger.

ah ok, it could very well be that my hips aren't high enough. As for L-sit I think I also need to build more flexibility for it...

Can you touch your toes with your legs straight?

Just barely and I only attained just barely very recently lol. I breakdance and I've been working flexibility wise mainly on splits (so close right now) and back flexibility. I realized a little while ago that I was neglecting many other aspects of flexibility and I only started working on touching my toes and doing other stretching exercises then. I figured if I can't sit totally straight with my back on the floor and my legs out then how can I do that while holding myself up on my arms (l-sit)- (also for pancake stretch for splits). So yea, my flexibility in that area is getting better now but can you give me any stretches to improve it faster?

And I have long legs which probably conribute to my problems with l-sit.

For me flexibility in the hamstrings increased really fast. What I used to do was try to hold my fingers to my toes for 10 seconds a few times. After I could do that easily I would press my knuckles to my toes, then I would do my palms on the top of my feet and then I moved on to palms on the ground. That's just how I progressed with pike flexibility though. there's lot's of other way that are probably better.

Specifically for pike flexibility this is what I do [rather, did, until I injured my back].

After warming up a bit reach for your toes and pull them back statically for 3x10 seconds

Then instead of grabbing the toes, point them and grab your heels and pull down. 3x10 seconds

Eventually when your flexibility improves it will be better to grab the back of your calf and pull down. Strive to keep your back straight and put your chest to your legs instead of your nose.

You should also work on active flexibility. ie. Stretching into a pike without your hands.

thx, greatly appreciate. Also, how many times a week would you suggest doing planche trainning? is two enough?

Even if you do it once a week you should see improvement.

It's all personal preference.

I do it anywhere from two to four times a week.

[the above statement is a lie, I SHOULD do it that often though. =p I've been slacking]

ok thx

Well today is planche day and I was working on getting my hips up like you said. At first I just couldn't do it for some reason and I was getting all frustrated but I finally got it after actually using my body lol. I always thought my knees were too visible past my hands in the tucked planche and now I finally got it to look like the pic in the article and I held a brief (very brief) adv tuck. thx again lol

Congratz man!

It only gets better from here

thx (although can't do it anymore tonight, my body just won't let me anymore lol...) so how long should I work up to for holding it before trying to move on?

20 second hold would probably suffice

The way I see it, many of these strength moves are skills as much as they are strength. Therefore, to get better at them we must train them as often as we can within regards to recovery and whatever else you are doing.

This is why I like training them 4 days a week.

For strength testing today, I hit tuck to advanced tuck to a momentary straddle planche but only scored myself as advanced tuck. It's not something I could use as my worksets but was cool to try. Erik however beat me going from tuck to advanced tuck and extending out to straddle planche which was actually more horizontal than it usually is as it tends to be a bit high.

According to my scoring system, straddle planche is 5 stars while planche is 7. We test on the floor or parallettes, but not on rings ( most of my little guys are only hitting frogstand or straight arm frogstand or tuck planche ).

thx guys , btw how long on average does it usually take to be able to do full planche? Or even straddle?

I think that from zero for a reasonably fit dude it would take 6-12 (coach stated in his article about FL and planche that it should take ~6 as far as I remember, while in another one, by a different author it was said that 9-12) months depending on the body shape, genetics etc. and i mean months of constant, solid training, but I'm no authority here.

Cheers,

Chris

I'm not an experienced gymnast, I can't even do a straddle planche. I do a ****load of research though. I would suggest, for you, to practice leaning forward. Just lean forward when you go to do your tuck planches. It puts a lot more on your chest and shoulders, and you can stay in the same position but in a way that you start towards others.

You always notice them leaning way forward in planches, now, don't you? Adapt and use to your advantage, I say!

Chris said:

I think that from zero for a reasonably fit dude it would take 6-12 (coach stated in his article about FL and planche that it should take ~6 as far as I remember, while in another one, by a different author it was said that 9-12) months depending on the body shape, genetics etc. and i mean months of constant, solid training, but I'm no authority here.

Cheers,

Chris

Haha, that would nice if it was that fast.

More like 2-3 years on average for planche.

Front lever can be done in about a year or so.

Depending on height and weight of course. If you're fairly skinny coming in and not over 5'6" it's likely that what I said above is correct.

braindx said:

Chris said:

I think that from zero for a reasonably fit dude it would take 6-12 (coach stated in his article about FL and planche that it should take ~6 as far as I remember, while in another one, by a different author it was said that 9-12) months depending on the body shape, genetics etc. and i mean months of constant, solid training, but I'm no authority here.

Cheers,

Chris

Haha, that would nice if it was that fast.

More like 2-3 years on average for planche.

Front lever can be done in about a year or so.

Depending on height and weight of course. If you're fairly skinny coming in and not over 5'6" it's likely that what I said above is correct.

damn

well I'm skinny but I'm over 6'0 (about 6'1 or 6'2). How long would it take for straddle planche?

Syrenz said:

well I'm skinny but I'm over 6'0 (about 6'1 or 6'2). How long would it take for straddle planche?

1-3 years probably..

Train as smart as you can and find out! These results are very heavily affected by individual effort and consistency, along with nutrition and sleep. The more you sleep and the better you eat and the smarter you train, the faster you will progress.

I am just starting to try and straddle my adv tuck planche and I have been seriously training for about 1 year and 3 months. Just to note I started with NO strength foundation whatsoever, 1 pull up (on a good day!), and 3 dips (also on a good day!). :shock: I am 6 feet tall as well and started at 190lbs and am now at 155, I am lean and mean for sure. The planche is defiantly a difficult position for people of our stature but it is defiantly possible . . .so is the iron cross (which I am making slow but steady progress on as well).

Just educate yourself as much as possible but dont forget that its the hard work in the gym that counts not the number of books you have read! Also remember to be consistent!

thx guys

I think I've been working on planches for around 5-6 months now and am only starting to be able to do proper adv tuck now