*fistbump*
This forum is archived information and is no longer active.
My Current Focus: HBP/PE2
Started by Nash, February 20, 2015 · 434 Replies · 25,461 Views
Today: 13r, 12r, 12r, 12r, 8r
Total Reps: 57 
Alcohol last night + no midweek pushups to grease the groove.
I hate you Gray Goose!
im hot on your six, Nash 
5x9r!
Come on, guys!
I finally got around to videoing my HBP/PE2. This was my last workout of my week 7, so 5x9. Curious what you guys think. Advance to next microcycle, or repeat? I'm using 5lbs for the Xiaopengs, and in the video, this looks really puny (heh ... d'oh). But at the end of set 5 my shoulders are burning, and as you can see, my last reps are not solid. I'm interested in all constructive criticism, thanks.
If you move on, you'll be repeating that cycle on week 9 most likely. You'd probably be better off repeating what you're doing now.
Watch the rib elevation. As you are pressing up your ribs are moving away from the hips which extends the back causing a shear load. This is more noticeable on the last set. This strategy of lifting the ribs will overactivate the psoas and cam lead to back pain. The rib lift is also happening on the xiopengs. As you rotate the shoulder keep the front of the robs down so they are in line with the front of the pelvis. This will work the shoulder through a fuller range of motion and the rotator cuff activating.
At the top of the push up try to get your elbow pits facing forwards. This also will help the external shoulder rotators to wake up. As you fatigue you can see the elbow pits facing each other rather than forwards.
These changes will most likely make it harder but the shoulders and back will be healthier and not get injured.
Nash, how's it coming along? Your HBP/PE2 is my MN/PE2! (And a lot of other people's, it seems!)
NickM said:Nash, how's it coming along?
It's a bitch. An ugly bitch.
Today: 13r, 12r, 12r, 12r, 11r
Total Reps: 60
I had to pause a couple of seconds at some reps during last two sets. A few days ago I did a set of 20 just to keep them in my system.
What a brutal plateau this is. I'm starting to go crazy.
https://youtu.be/7l_tFa4-5OM?t=49s
> Your HBP/PE2 is my MN/PE2! (And a lot of other people's, it seems!)
Master the pancake first, then go for this.
-Nash
Nash said:...
I had to pause a couple of seconds at some reps during last two sets.
This isn't a problem, is it?
Problem for development no.
Problem for proving mastery yes. Mastery is doing the reps and sets, with proper form and tempo ie, no pausing
De-loading this week.
I realized that I hadn't deloaded since I started doing these once a week.
If intrain an exercise once a week i usually deload the sets and keep the reps the same. I would then do the full sets of iM.
Keilani,
I'm looking in my rear-view mirror and can't see you anymore. Where are you?
Today: 13r, 12r, 12r, 12r, 12r
Total Reps: 61
On the last 6 reps of last set, I assessed each pushup as I did it and then I held a bit at the top to make sure I can do the next one. Longest pause was about 2 to 3 seconds.
-Nash
Nice progress. I don't think you need to worry too much about "resting" for 2-3 seconds in the up position, while holding ppt & elbow rotation (pit of the elbows facing forwards). I don't think that violates "proper form and tempo." If you think it does though, then my next opinion is that it's not something to worry about now. I've read on the forums, or heard on the podcasts, that Coach says you can only work one of strength or endurance at a time -- the example that illustrates this the best to me was with planche leans; someone was increasing his level of lean at the same time he was increasing the length of his holds, and crashed after a few weeks. I would say that if your focus is on increasing your sets & reps, you should not simultaneously be concerned with eliminating 2-3s pauses in the up position. Either keep your reps/sets constant and focus on removing pauses, or increase your sets/reps and allow yourself pauses or tempo anomalies which do not impact form.
Would you consider videoing a full set of pushups & Xiopengs on one of your work days, start to finish?
wamarler said:
wamarler said:Nice progress.....
Would you consider videoing a full set of pushups & Xiopengs on one of your work days, start to finish?
Thanks!
I did a while back. Look a few pages back. I filmed all 5 sets.
-Nash
When doing the im I feel/hear my shoulder doing some clicking. Just after I hit the top and start to come back down behind me. It reaches this point and then click/pop/click. Usually just once but it happens every rotation. Is this normal for someone with zombie mobility? Should I stop?
edit: It happens in both shoulders
thats cause im cruising in your blind side!Nash said:Keilani,
I'm looking in my rear-view mirror and can't see you anymore. Where are you?
Today: 13r, 12r, 12r, 12r, 12r
Total Reps: 61
On the last 6 reps of last set, I assessed each pushup as I did it and then I held a bit at the top to make sure I can do the next one. Longest pause was about 2 to 3 seconds.
-Nash
i'll update on the third week, sep. 14 monday. target is 5x11r.
I finally mastered HBP PE2 a few months ago. Unfortunately, I suffered a shoulder and wrist injury while weightlifting when a maximal clean & jerk went awry, and now am starting back over at HBP PE1 slowly building back up the range of motion and strength in my upper body. Let me give my $0.02 on why you might be having trouble mastering HBP PE2 and some advice that probably will not sit well with Coach Sommer and some of the well-estabilished and more advanced participants on this forum. But, I am trying to think out of the box here, based on my experiences in finally mastering this PE after struggling with it for some time, and as someone who uses GST to supplement my other training and not as my main form of training.
If you are struggling month after month without progress, then something is wrong. What could be holding you back (assuming you are genuinely working diligently)? In my opinion (and experience) the reason you are having trouble getting 5x15 is that you need more maximal strength.
To be clear, 5x15 with short "rest" periods to perform the iM (which isn't really a rest period since it further taxes your shoulder strength) is definitely in the realm of strength-endurance work. I understand why this work is so important and why coach Sommer has these 15 rep standards for many of the early PEs -- because these higher reps with short rest periods will build connective tissue strength which will be needed for the more advanced elements where greater stresses are being placed on the joints. Also, operating in this rep range will initially build some modest muscle gains, particularly among people not used to working out or unused to strength endurance work of this duration. In the parlance of the traditional periodization model, this is the anatomical adaptation phase, where building tendon and ligament strength is of high priority and since such strength is built with higher reps, lower resistance, and shorter rest periods, it makes complete sense to spend some time developing these qualities.
However, as Coach Sommer himself writes in "Building the Gymnastic Body" at p.62, in reference to pushups
"...high levels of strength endurance are not necessarily an indication of high levels of maximal strength. Once you reach and sustain a reasonable level of proficiency with a movement, move on to the next harder variation."
If my memory serves me correctly, on average, a pushup requires that you lift roughly 80% of your bodyweight (the percentage is a little higher at the bottom and a little lighter at the top due to changing angles). Now, if you are fairly typical, in my experience, you will experience a 2-3 rep drop off from set to set when performing strength endurance work in this rep range with the sort of short (and fatiguing) rest periods demanded of this PE. Also, if you consider that demonstrating mastery means that you would still have a little bit of gas in the tank on the final rep of the final set. So, let's arbitrarily call this another 2-3 reps. So, what I am suggesting is that to demonstrate mastery of this PE, you should probably be capable of performing 30 or more reps in a row at the correct tempo.
If my memory serves correctly someone's 15 rep max is roughly 60% of someone's 1 RM (obviously this isn't exact and can be altered by emphasizing endurance work or strength work, but bear with me as the exact numbers aren't that important, rather this underlying reasoning I use to get to my long-winded point is what I hope you focus on). After this, as the rep max increases, the percentage by which it decreases becomes less and less exact, but at least one well-known and respected strength coach estimates that the drop off is approximately 1% of so per rep after this point (IIRC, I am getting this from Charles Poliquin).
So, assuming this is accurate (and shortly I'll show why it doesn't need to be exact), that would means that to demonstrate mastery of this particular PE, a pushup would need to be in the range of 45% of one's 1RM. Now, let's recall that you are lifting about 80% of your bodyweight in a pushup. This means that you should be capable of performing a 1 RM pushup carrying a total of around 1.8x your bodyweight. Since you are already carrying 80% of your bodyweight in a regular pushup, that means the ability to do a 1RM pushup with weight on your shoulders equal to your own bodyweight.
To equate this to the bench press (and for the sake of argument, assume that you have to lift 10% of your bodyweight in addition to the barbell and that the bench press is a reasonable barbell equivalent to the pushup), that would mean a max bench press of 1.7x your bodyweight. For a 150 lb. person, this means being able to bench press approximately 250+ lbs.
Now, I will be the first to admit there are a LOT of approximations and assumptions in my calculation. But, as I said above, these calculations don't have to be exact to make my point. Let's assume that I have overestimated the strength needed by a factor of 20%. It still means that you should be able to perform a 1RM push-up at proper temp with an additional 70% of your bodyweight resting on your upper back (i.e., a 1 RM of 1.5x bodyweight pushup or to use the bench press example, that you be able to execute a 1 RM bench press with about 1.4x your bodyweight).
Again, the precise numbers aren't that important. What is important is to demonstrate the importance of maximal strength to being able to develop strength endurance. Strength endurance work doesn't markedly develop maximal strength other than in beginners, and even then only up to a point. Strength tends to be built with lower repetitions and longer rest periods. A good rep range for developing maximal strength is the 3-5 range. I understand why you might see pre-teens able to meet these standards much easier than an adult and it has to do with bodyweight. I won't go into all the details, but essentially comparing strength between different those with a different bodyweight isn't as simple as dividing amount lifted by bodyweight. As noted exercise scientist (and former gymnast) Vladimir Zatsiorsky points out, strength is in proportion to the surface area of the of muscle and and weight increase by the volume. So if you were to magically increase the same person to be twice as big, his strength to weight ratio would massively drop. There is a whole science to how this is calculated that you can investigate more if you care to and is how weightlifters from different weight classes are compared to one another.
Sorry for the tangent...
So, how did I finally master HBP PE2 a few months ago (before my injury)?
As I mentioned above, I train at Olympic weightlifting. About a year ago I was stuck on HBP PE2 and it looked like I was never going to advance. I was training with weights, but not for my upper body, only the competition lifts and squats/pulls. My upper body program was entirely Foundation 1. And I was stalled for several repeats of Bloc 3 and not seeming to improve at all despite pushing myself quite hard.
Then I took a several month hiatus from pretty much all training after my second child was born. When I came back to training, I started with bodyweight training, but not Foundations. I was trying to regain some muscle and strength, so I did exercises with lower reps and greater rest periods. A few months after that I picked up weightlifting again. This time, I started seriously training with the barbell for upper body strength (primarily strict presses and push-presses). I worked primarily in the 3-5 rep range on upper body presses. After several months of developing upper body barbell strength, I started performing Foundations again. To be quite clear, I got VERY strong in pressing. That said, I was shocked to find that it took me only 8-12 weeks after I started training Foundations again (I cannot recall if it was 8 or 12 weeks, but no longer than 12) to get through mastery of HBP PE2, and I didn't have to repeat Bloc 3 as part of that.
So, I guess my this is my VERY long-winded way of saying that if you are struggling with mastery of the 15 rep template for month upon month and not seeming to progress, I think you probably need to supplement your training with maximal strength work. You simply aren't strong enough to be able to display the strength-endurance needed to demonstrate mastery. I don't think it really matters whether you develop that maximal strength through bodyweight or barbell training, but the bottom line is that you are weak and need to get stronger. You still need to demonstrate mastery of the 15r template... after all, the tendon and ligament strength will be critical for further advancement later on, but adding in a little judicious use of low rep, heavy resistance, long rest training might just be the ticket to get you out of your rut.
^ I think he partially has a good point. Coach had said himself that playing around with harder variations after your training can be good for you over all. Not using these elements as training, but just to get a feel for them and get some neurological stimulus. Which is pretty much what I recommended with the isometric pushups, which help build strength in the bottom position.
Enkidu said:I finally mastered HBP PE2 a few months ago. Unfortunately, I suffered a shoulder and wrist injury while weightlifting when a maximal clean & jerk went awry, and now am starting back over at HBP PE1 slowly building back up the range of motion and strength in my upper body. Let me give my $0.02 on why you might be having trouble mastering HBP PE2 and some advice that probably will not sit well with Coach Sommer and some of the well-estabilished and more advanced participants on this forum. But, I am trying to think out of the box here, based on my experiences in finally mastering this PE after struggling with it for some time, and as someone who uses GST to supplement my other training and not as my main form of training.
If you are struggling month after month without progress, then something is wrong. What could be holding you back (assuming you are genuinely working diligently)? In my opinion (and experience) the reason you are having trouble getting 5x15 is that you need more maximal strength.
To be clear, 5x15 with short "rest" periods to perform the iM (which isn't really a rest period since it further taxes your shoulder strength) is definitely in the realm of strength-endurance work. I understand why this work is so important and why coach Sommer has these 15 rep standards for many of the early PEs -- because these higher reps with short rest periods will build connective tissue strength which will be needed for the more advanced elements where greater stresses are being placed on the joints. Also, operating in this rep range will initially build some modest muscle gains, particularly among people not used to working out or unused to strength endurance work of this duration. In the parlance of the traditional periodization model, this is the anatomical adaptation phase, where building tendon and ligament strength is of high priority and since such strength is built with higher reps, lower resistance, and shorter rest periods, it makes complete sense to spend some time developing these qualities.
However, as Coach Sommer himself writes in "Building the Gymnastic Body" at p.62, in reference to pushups
"...high levels of strength endurance are not necessarily an indication of high levels of maximal strength. Once you reach and sustain a reasonable level of proficiency with a movement, move on to the next harder variation."
If my memory serves me correctly, on average, a pushup requires that you lift roughly 80% of your bodyweight (the percentage is a little higher at the bottom and a little lighter at the top due to changing angles). Now, if you are fairly typical, in my experience, you will experience a 2-3 rep drop off from set to set when performing strength endurance work in this rep range with the sort of short (and fatiguing) rest periods demanded of this PE. Also, if you consider that demonstrating mastery means that you would still have a little bit of gas in the tank on the final rep of the final set. So, let's arbitrarily call this another 2-3 reps. So, what I am suggesting is that to demonstrate mastery of this PE, you should probably be capable of performing 30 or more reps in a row at the correct tempo.
If my memory serves correctly someone's 15 rep max is roughly 60% of someone's 1 RM (obviously this isn't exact and can be altered by emphasizing endurance work or strength work, but bear with me as the exact numbers aren't that important, rather this underlying reasoning I use to get to my long-winded point is what I hope you focus on). After this, as the rep max increases, the percentage by which it decreases becomes less and less exact, but at least one well-known and respected strength coach estimates that the drop off is approximately 1% of so per rep after this point (IIRC, I am getting this from Charles Poliquin).
So, assuming this is accurate (and shortly I'll show why it doesn't need to be exact), that would means that to demonstrate mastery of this particular PE, a pushup would need to be in the range of 45% of one's 1RM. Now, let's recall that you are lifting about 80% of your bodyweight in a pushup. This means that you should be capable of performing a 1 RM pushup carrying a total of around 1.8x your bodyweight. Since you are already carrying 80% of your bodyweight in a regular pushup, that means the ability to do a 1RM pushup with weight on your shoulders equal to your own bodyweight.
To equate this to the bench press (and for the sake of argument, assume that you have to lift 10% of your bodyweight in addition to the barbell and that the bench press is a reasonable barbell equivalent to the pushup), that would mean a max bench press of 1.7x your bodyweight. For a 150 lb. person, this means being able to bench press approximately 250+ lbs.
Now, I will be the first to admit there are a LOT of approximations and assumptions in my calculation. But, as I said above, these calculations don't have to be exact to make my point. Let's assume that I have overestimated the strength needed by a factor of 20%. It still means that you should be able to perform a 1RM push-up at proper temp with an additional 70% of your bodyweight resting on your upper back (i.e., a 1 RM of 1.5x bodyweight pushup or to use the bench press example, that you be able to execute a 1 RM bench press with about 1.4x your bodyweight).
Again, the precise numbers aren't that important. What is important is to demonstrate the importance of maximal strength to being able to develop strength endurance. Strength endurance work doesn't markedly develop maximal strength other than in beginners, and even then only up to a point. Strength tends to be built with lower repetitions and longer rest periods. A good rep range for developing maximal strength is the 3-5 range. I understand why you might see pre-teens able to meet these standards much easier than an adult and it has to do with bodyweight. I won't go into all the details, but essentially comparing strength between different those with a different bodyweight isn't as simple as dividing amount lifted by bodyweight. As noted exercise scientist (and former gymnast) Vladimir Zatsiorsky points out, strength is in proportion to the surface area of the of muscle and and weight increase by the volume. So if you were to magically increase the same person to be twice as big, his strength to weight ratio would massively drop. There is a whole science to how this is calculated that you can investigate more if you care to and is how weightlifters from different weight classes are compared to one another.
Sorry for the tangent...
So, how did I finally master HBP PE2 a few months ago (before my injury)?
As I mentioned above, I train at Olympic weightlifting. About a year ago I was stuck on HBP PE2 and it looked like I was never going to advance. I was training with weights, but not for my upper body, only the competition lifts and squats/pulls. My upper body program was entirely Foundation 1. And I was stalled for several repeats of Bloc 3 and not seeming to improve at all despite pushing myself quite hard.
Then I took a several month hiatus from pretty much all training after my second child was born. When I came back to training, I started with bodyweight training, but not Foundations. I was trying to regain some muscle and strength, so I did exercises with lower reps and greater rest periods. A few months after that I picked up weightlifting again. This time, I started seriously training with the barbell for upper body strength (primarily strict presses and push-presses). I worked primarily in the 3-5 rep range on upper body presses. After several months of developing upper body barbell strength, I started performing Foundations again. To be quite clear, I got VERY strong in pressing. That said, I was shocked to find that it took me only 8-12 weeks after I started training Foundations again (I cannot recall if it was 8 or 12 weeks, but no longer than 12) to get through mastery of HBP PE2, and I didn't have to repeat Bloc 3 as part of that.
So, I guess my this is my VERY long-winded way of saying that if you are struggling with mastery of the 15 rep template for month upon month and not seeming to progress, I think you probably need to supplement your training with maximal strength work. You simply aren't strong enough to be able to display the strength-endurance needed to demonstrate mastery. I don't think it really matters whether you develop that maximal strength through bodyweight or barbell training, but the bottom line is that you are weak and need to get stronger. You still need to demonstrate mastery of the 15r template... after all, the tendon and ligament strength will be critical for further advancement later on, but adding in a little judicious use of low rep, heavy resistance, long rest training might just be the ticket to get you out of your rut.
I am trying to understand your logic in your conclusion. Placing different methods aside and looking at exercise physiology, you said you developed strength with 3-5 rep range. Is not block 1, wk 2 of the push up (HBP/PE2), a strength prescription at 5x3r? Is it possible one attempts to enter into strength-endurance block 3 without mastering the strength and perfect form needed for the 5x3 template? I wonder if block 1 of Coach's programming is sometimes overlooked. This fisrt block appears to be a golden oppurtunity to gain strength and aquire good form, while allowing the respective connective tissues to adapt. I do not care if I had to ride out this fisrt block for a while, as long as I was "progressing".
Again, in regards to the methods you discuss, you are comparing apples to oranges. HBP/PE2 requires some nice ~90 degree loaded wrist extension. Is this level of load through the wrist component emphasized in a barbell movement? Also, the 5x3 strength prescription in block 1, as we all know, is matched with a movement that creates a healthy rotator cuff. I do not want to sit around and rest for 3-5 minutes between movements to gain strength personally. Did you enjoy the rest part of you strength training? All-in-all, congrats on your non-linear journey to mastering HBP/PE2.
And as side note: GO NASH! I love keeping up on your effort.
Ryan
Honestly I'm enjoying the updates too. Watching progress occur : )
Ryan Bailey said:I am trying to understand your logic in your conclusion. Placing different methods aside and looking at exercise physiology, you said you developed strength with 3-5 rep range. Is not block 1, wk 2 of the push up (HBP/PE2), a strength prescription at 5x3r? Is it possible one attempts to enter into strength-endurance block 3 without mastering the strength and perfect form needed for the 5x3 template? I wonder if block 1 of Coach's programming is sometimes overlooked. This fisrt block appears to be a golden oppurtunity to gain strength and aquire good form, while allowing the respective connective tissues to adapt. I do not care if I had to ride out this fisrt block for a while, as long as I was "progressing".
Again, in regards to the methods you discuss, you are comparing apples to oranges. HBP/PE2 requires some nice ~90 degree loaded wrist extension. Is this level of load through the wrist component emphasized in a barbell movement? Also, the 5x3 strength prescription in block 1, as we all know, is matched with a movement that creates a healthy rotator cuff. I do not want to sit around and rest for 3-5 minutes between movements to gain strength personally. Did you enjoy the rest part of you strength training? All-in-all, congrats on your non-linear journey to mastering HBP/PE2.
And as side note: GO NASH! I love keeping up on your effort.
Ryan
The logic behind the conclusion is rather simple, although perhaps I didn't state it concisely enough. Here are some of the premises of my conclusion that supplementing HBP PE2 training with heavy resistance bent-armed pressing strength movements might be helpful for someone who is finding he isn't progressing and is stuck at training bloc 3 month after month:
1. Increases in maximal strength increase the potential to display strength-endurance (assuming one actually trains strength-endurance).
2. Increasing strength-endurance has a limited potential to increase maximal strength.
3. Mastery of HBP PE2 (5x15 with short rest periods in which the shoulder is still being taxed) requires the development of a reasonably high level of strength endurance with resistance that equates somewhere around 80% of your bodyweight.
4. Increases in maximal strength occur preferentially when training with a resistance that is 85% or more of your maximal strength levels which generally equates to resistance that only allows 5 or fewer reps.
5. The ability to master HBP PE2 requires not only high levels of strength endurance, but maximal strength levels that are well in excess of your bodyweight.
As far as training bloc 1 being a strength building bloc, I am sure for someone who is relatively weak it is. If doing 5 push-ups for just one set is a challenge, then doing 5x3 is most certainly strength building because 80% of your bodyweight is a higher percentage of your maximal strength. However, for someone who can perform a single set of push-ups for 20 reps, performing 5 sets of 3 probably isn't particularly strength building because a single push-up represents less than 60% of his maximal strength.
Once you have built strength and muscle performing blocs 1 & 2, using your bodyweight (which is relatively fixed) trying to perform more and more reps isn't going to build much, if any, maximal strength. It will develop strength endurance. Training at strength endurance is necessary to build strength endurance, but training at maximal strength is a way to increase your potential to develop strength endurance. So, you may hit a wall as to how many reps you can perform in the push-up if all you do is perform push-ups and just try to increase the reps. Eventually, you just cannot add any more reps because you aren't strong enough and just training more reps with the same weight won't build maximal strength any more.
By way of example, let's take 2 people. One can bench press 300 lbs. and the other can bench press 200 lbs. The goal is to bench press 150 lbs. as many times as possible. For the trainee who bench presses 150 lbs., this weight is 75% of his maximum. For the trainee who benches 300 lbs., the weight is 50% of his maximum. Even if the weaker trainee trains specifically for strength endurance with this weight, his potential strength-endurance is limited by his maximal strength. The second trainee might gas out quickly from never training strength-endurance, but his potential to display strength-endurance is much higher once he actually trains it. Conversely, the training specifically for strength endurance with 150 lbs. might marginally improve trainee 1's strength, but not markedly. However, if trainee 1 started training with heavy weights (and as a result, low reps and longer rest periods), his maximal strength levels would go up faster and thus his ability to increase the number of reps performed with 150 lbs.
There is a reason that powerlifters don't use a fixed weight and just keep adding more reps. It isn't a good way to build strength once the resistance drops below a threshold percentage of your 1 rep max. Now, during the period pre-injury that I mastered HBP PE2, I developed my strict barbell press to a level that was approximately me pressing my own bodyweight on the bar overhead for a single rep. That is a moderately high level of pressing strength.
Also, you misunderstand me regarding the use of the barbell. I happen to use the barbell because a barbell sport is my main sport (Olympic weightlifting), so it works for me. I realized that I had made a mistake depending solely the competition lifts, Foundations and H1 for my upper body strength. I needed actual heavy weight, low rep lifting to develop more pressing strength. I also expressly pointed out that you don't have to use a barbell -- you can also use harder bodyweight pressing exercises to improve strength. As noted by Nick Roy, Coach suggests "playing" with more advanced progressions. So if the barbell isn't your cup of tea, then you can supplement HBP PE2 training with PPPU (HBP PE3), feet-elevated push-ups, dips, ring push-ups, push-ups with a weighted vest, etc. Basically, picking some form of bent-armed pressing work that is sufficiently heavy that it develops maximal strength rather than strength endurance and your maximal strength will go up. If your maximal strength goes up, it will make it easier to develop strength endurance.
Also, I am not suggesting everyone go this route, nor am I suggesting this route in lieu of HBP PE2. I suggest it as a possibility for people who are stuck for some time repeating HBP PE 2 bloc 3 without improving. And I only suggest that someone consider supplementing their HBP PE2 work with the additional maximal strength work (not replace it). So all the benefits of tendon and ligament strength and wrist conditioning will be preserved. This probably isn't necessary for really light trainees (including kids) because strength-to-weight ratios are higher the lighter you are. Nor do trainees who already possess high levels of strength probably need it. And, while I understand that you might not want to rest 3 minutes between sets to build maximal strength, it is nice to know it is an option if you ever get stuck for a long period of time. Would your rather be stuck without progress for 6+ months or take maybe 2-3 months of adding in 1-2 days a week where you do some additional strength work for 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps with 2-3 minute rest periods between sets. I guess to each his own, but i think that it is better to find ways to progress once it has stalled rather than keep banging away at something where there is no progress.
Again, some people, many perhaps, won't stall out for months at a time repeating the same bloc several times without seeing an increase in reps during week 3. For these people, good for you, you don't need to look for any other ways to master the PE. Other people might not be so lucky.
I'll also say again that I don't necessarily expect Coach Sommer or his coaches (or the more experienced GST athletes here) to agree with all of my advice (although they might agree with some of it), but I would rather give my experiences and what worked for me. Your mileage my vary.
We can safely say that reading this thread in its entirety will qualify you for a PhD in push-ups.
Naterman should chime in lol