Using Pulleys?

[Robert Stejskal]

Is there a reason why GB doesn't advocate using pulleys to help achieve positions?  Personally, I've found them helpful.  Much better than bands IMO because you can use as little or as much counterbalance as you want and it is constant across your range of motion.

 

http://roughstrength.com/pulley-system-best-thing-happened-calisthenics/

 

I'm pretty sure gymnastics gyms use pulleys.  But I've never heard of them used with this system.

 

Thoughts?

[Alessandro Mainente]

PUlley system is useful for certain advanced skills or trasition. for basic skill if you have the knowledge to understand how lever and muscles work, you do not need them. 

people who teach muscle up with bands, basically they have no idea of progression, preparatory element and specific element, that's the reality.

[Robert Stejskal]

Interesting.  For me pulleys have been a godsend.  I'm 6' 1" and weigh 225 lbs. 

 

As an example, for me, the "distance" between Tuck Planche >>> Open Planche >>> Open Planche Single Leg is MASSIVE. Tuck Planche I could do fine with no pulley, but the transition to the Open Planche was IMPOSSIBLE without using the pulley.  The gulf is just too large. 

 

And its the same for other skills.  Sometimes I find the gulf between Coach Sommers progressions to be just to far for me.

[Alessandro Mainente]

I would like to see your mastery on tuck planche and other progression.

[Robert Stejskal]

You might be correct.  I always think my Tuck Planche is good, but I can't see myself, so perhaps that's the problem. 

 

Even so, I can't really see a downside to holding a full planche (for example) while being clipped into a cable with XX lbs. of weight counterbalancing and slowly removing the counterbalance weight bit by bit.  Am I missing something?

[Jon Douglas]

Coach has spoken at length about using pulley systems and dream machines to achieve serious volume in ring strength (that generally people aren't strong enough to achieve in ring elements). For planche he has gone into some depth with spotting at the waist vs. feet for adequately prepared athletes.

AFAIK there hasn't been much on the use of pulleys for basic strength development; I don't have any experience with it but I would be curious in hearing about your experience.

[Robert Stejskal]

I got mine set up just a few weeks ago.  I've been stuck in progressions for a while and am hoping this will get me over the hump.  I'll post back here and let everyone know how it goes.  I posted yesterday to see if anyone out here had feedback on using pulleys, so I knew if I was heading down a road with potential, a dead end, or worse yet an injury waiting to happen.

[Jim Gunther]

As an example, for me, the "distance" between some planche variations it is MASSIVE. Some transitions were  IMPOSSIBLE without using the pulley.  The gulf is just too large.

[Alessandro Mainente]

Hi Jim , well i'm 175 cm and I weight approximately 84 kg, if you are less then me you do not need the pulley. the question is: did you mastered completely the tuck planche variation before moving forward? the question it is pretty natural because all my clients no matter weight or height they  can manage at least some seconds of the new variations after s strict master of the previous elements.