Form Follows Function, PL Questions

I'm working on tuck planche form at the minute and I am aware that I should not arch my back, protract and depress to the maximum, hips at shoulder height maximise my lean.  When I look at some of the later progressions in the course though, the hips are slightly higher: at head height.

 

This applies to PL/SE4 and 5/6 when extending the legs into straddle.  I am just wondering what the benefit of me trying to keep my hips at shoulder height is in tuck planche when in open planche the hips are raised?

 

I find that arching the back allows the hips to be raised higher and I now know this is incorrect and instead one must lean into it maintaining a rounder back however when I look at straddle the back looks arched slightly to me?  

 

The protraction in the videos doesn't look like 100% maximum either which is what I am trying to achieve at the moment, stopping the set when I feel the slightest decrease.

 

I wonder if I am focusing too much on form when instead I should aim to just get my hold times up and improve form afterwards?  Or is there little point in training with say for example protraction that is slightly less maximised than at the start of the set.

 

Is this what 'form follows function' means?

 

Should I count sets of planche work that are less than 100% protracted, depressed, hips at shoulder height, etc?  Will I still see a carry over to 100% protracted/depressed work or is it a fruitless endeavour like trying to train bent arm planche for straight arm carry over?

 

Thanks

 

David

Hi Zach,

 

Can you please provide the mechanics of why the traps are the determining factor in getting hips to shoulder height in Tuck Planche? Is this because the traps control the depression of the scapulae, which in turn allows more lat/serratus activation?

 

Thanks

I'll have a stab as I need to verify my anatomy  

The lower Trapezius connects between the scapula and spine, so it depresses the scapula (as you do for sPL PE5 & 6) or extends the lower Thoracic spine (sPL PE7) or (for the tuck planche) with fixed scapulae, isometrically holds the trunk in a static position.

thanks Zach, I am however a little confused about the 100% thing.  I suppose a better way of looking at it is: is there a minimum level of protraction for mastery?  

 

The reason I ask is that my protraction slowly sinks over the course of the set so I wanted to know some kind of cut off point for when to stop counting due to not getting any benefit from training the set any more so e.g.:

 

- when hips drop below shoulder height definitely

- if knees are in front of the elbows?

- the scapula drop so far that they begin create a bump in the line of the back when viewed square on from the side.  I think I read you called that the 'scapula bump' somewhere but I can't remember lol

 

Cheers,

 

David