Up to 5x9 on this one. Is my form any good?
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SL/PE6
Started by Shellberight, November 15, 2015 · 28 Replies · 629 Views
Video is unavailable 
It worked on youtube but I couldn't make the link work so I uploaded it again. Here goes:
Anyone? Is this mastery form?
It looks like most of the rotation is taking place around your upper torso, your head and arms. The rotation should be through the entire trunk, much like standing trunk circles (SL/Pe2>iM).
I actually think that the standing trunk circles are intended to prepare us for circle arch ups in a way.
Thanks for your feedback, Atticus. Back to the drawing board for me...
Watch the course video again and compare what you do against what is done in the video.
You also need to strengthen your middle to lower back more so that you can lift your torso higher.
Generally speaking your greatest strength gains will come from using very little momentum, if any at all.
I tried to involve my lower trunk more and made them higher as per your advice. They look more circular than before. What do you guys think?
- When initiating the movement at the bottom you are twisting the wrong way. If you watch the video again, you will see that the athlete twists right as he rotates his trunk to the left, and he twists left as he rotates his trunk to the right. You are doing the opposite.
Pull your elbows back so that they are in-line with your back.
Hard to tell from the front, but it looks like you could extend more at the top.
Good observation, thanks Garrick. It totally escaped me.
Garrick Sevilla said:
- When initiating the movement at the bottom you are twisting the wrong way. If you watch the video again, you will see that the athlete twists right as he rotates his trunk to the left, and he twists left as he rotates his trunk to the right. You are doing the opposite.
- Pull your elbows back so that they are in-line with your back.
- Hard to tell from the front, but it looks like you could extend more at the top.
Another thing to watch for are your elbows. Try to keep them in one straight line. (I.e., do not try to cover your ears with your forearms, kind of like what we do when somebody is making a loud noise and we want to block the noise out.)
So if you can imagine that your elbows were attached to a straight bar, and they could not move while you were doing the movement, that's what I mean. Take another look at the athletes elbows, and you'll see what I'm saying.
** I was also bending my arms and bringing my elbows forward, and realized that I had to correct that.
Seeing as the OP is doing them by twisting the wrong way, there's no point in commenting any further, until he posts a corrected video.
The sad thing here is how many posts were made before the most basic and critical correction was given. 
Here's a new version with hopefully the most glaring errors eliminated.
To my eye, you need to twist your trunk more and hold the twist as you circle upward. When I do this PE, it helps me to think of "opening" my armpit to the sky. The attached picture shows what I am talking about - it compares your form at horizontal to the athlete in the course video as both of you circle right. The athlete's trunk is twisted to the right whereas yours looks flat.
Maybe the easiest way to think of it is to always be facing the center.
I added more twist and tried to hold it longer. I think I managed to do that in this video except for two reps. What do you think?
I have to struggle in order not to slide off the support when twisting and raising. A wider support would be better.
First half is good. Now when you get to the top, twist your elbows back around towards where you came from and then begin the descent.
Is this good?
For a while now I've tried to get the form down on this one and have received heaps of good advise but there's always been something else to change after I've made the corrections . I'd really appreciate it if someone who's mastered this would comment on my form. If I seem to struggle at times it's because I'm trying not to slide off the narrow support as I'm twisting and raising.
Thanks Zach. I'll start to put in more volume now and strive to keep that arc at the top as you say. Because of the instability I may not be able to make it a completely smooth movement unless I find a way to stop myself sliding off. Maybe I can put a weight lifting belt around my hips and the upper support.
I used a couple of weight-lifting belts around my hips to prevent me from sliding off the support. These are way easier now.
How's my form now?
Better than last time, but Zack's earlier advice still applies.
Get used to your improved set up, and once you feel you can trust it it should start to get more fluid.
This is a great exercise, so time spent here is not wasted.
Cheers Cole. So is it now just a matter of making the circles more fluid? If so I suppose I can increase the sets to 5 x 10 for every session and keep at it until they're fully fluid.
Here's a sample of today's circle arch ups. I'm deloading so only a short set. Looking fluid?
It's getting better; smoothness and ROM are good.
You could still twist back in more on the descent, another way of saying it is that the twist at the end of the rep should look like the twist at the start of the rep.