elevated thoracic bridge - pressing up problem

Hello,

going through the stretch courses consistently through the last month I realised a problem that is familiar to me from the handstand.

The first move this problem appears in is during the 60 sec. elevated thoracic bridge where you have to press yourself up from 'head on the ground' to elevation. Even with the help of my elevated feet I am simply not able to push myself up, my head does not leave the ground, not even a little bit.

The same problem accurs during handstand and I think it is the same problem/weak muscle group. I am not able to push myself up from a HEADstand to a HANDstand.

So,

a)

I am really interested in what muscle (group) is primarily involved in this pressing motions because it obviously needs some work... ('shoulder' maybe is not specific enough...)

Are handstands agains a wall with arms 45 degrees bent and then  pushing back up a good idea? Or some barbell exercises?

b)

What can I do to 'get elevated' without risking to hurt myself, any ideas? This "simple" problem seems to be not that simple at all...

Or maybe there are alternative exercises?

Thank's for the support and greetings from Germany

Daniel

A headstand push up is much harder than getting into position for the elevated bridge. Check your hand position, You should start in headstand position, and push through the feet first.

I know this and I already checked my hand positioning, otherwise I wouldn't post this. So, this can't be the problem. But thank's so far...

Start from a wall handstand and walk the hands out while walking the feet down the wall.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

In case you have trouble getting into the elevated bridge even using Coach's suggestion, I have been using a super-awkward but still effective method of spotting myself into the elevated bridge with a physioball. I'm not sure I can describe this clearly but:

1) I push the ball up against the dresser I use for my feet, (which is in the corner of the room so I have the wall there to help),

2) Then I sit sideways on the ball.

3) Next I swing my feet up on the dresser and kind of balance using the wall and walk myself back into an arch, getting my hands placed on the floor. So I'm lying arched over the ball with my feet up and my hands placed.

4) From there I am able to straighten my arms and push myself up into the bridge. The ball just kind of rolls away and there you are.

Just holding the bridge in this position was a shaky challenge the first time I did it, but it is getting easier. I have been doing the thoracic series for six weeks now, and yesterday for the first time I was actually able to push myself into the elevated bridge without my goofy physioball struggle.

Thank you Melanie, I will try this.

Coach Sommer said:

Start from a wall handstand and walk the hands out while walking the feet down the wall.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I thought that was a great idea but I can´t walk my hands out, I can´t even lift them in that position! I can only kick to the HS from a bigger distance than usual to have a more suitable distance, but hesitate to go too far, since if I missed that would force a back limber without having the flexibility for it.

I have a reasonable flexibility in other areas like pike but for backbends I´m at mummy (worse than zombie) category. I can walk the hands in/out if I have my belly turned to the wall like it´s done in the HS series and do wall runs, but not walk the hands out in the position suggested here

You can try these options:

1. Use a partner to spot you at the shoulders and help you lift into the bridge and help lower you down to the ground. This is probably the easiest version, but requires a second person.

2. Use a tall plyo box in between where your feet are going to go and where your hands are going to be. Lay your back on the box and reach your hands behind you to the floor. If you use a tall enough box your hands should be completely straight at this point then you just lift your hips and voilà! (you can substitute the Plyo box for anything else that is flat and sturdy. You can use a couch or Ottoman or your bed.)

3. If this is too much I would just do it from a standing position onto the wall instead of the floor, or use the arm rest of your couch to put your hands on, feet on the floor for a "lower bridge" than a standing one on the wall.

Hope this helps!

Romulo said:

... at mummy (worse than zombie) category.

(not laughing at you, but at such a hilarious description)

Yeah, I need to transform into Mumm-Ra before being able to move like that.

paleoyard said:

3. If this is too much I would just do it from a standing position onto the wall instead of the floor, or use the arm rest of your couch to put your hands on, feet on the floor for a "lower bridge" than a standing one on the wall.

Hope this helps!

Thank you, I´m not sure I understood your third option. One of the reasons of elevating the feet is to not focus on lower back but I can´t visualize your description and match it to the objective of the exercise. Could you post an image or sketch of it?

I had this problem for a while as well.  I would press up into a bridge on the floor, then walk my feet up the bars until it took the pressure out of the lumbar and was focused in the thoracic.  This option may not work for a lot of people though.

Romulo said:

Thank you, I´m not sure I understood your third option. One of the reasons of elevating the feet is to not focus on lower back but I can´t visualize your description and match it to the objective of the exercise. Could you post an image or sketch of it?

Here's a photo. You do have to be disciplined to keep the lower half of your body as straight as possible and stretch the thoracic.

Yippee!!!

Third time doing the TB series and I could already lift from the floor at the elevated bridge. Soon I´ll be able to leave the sarcophagus