Hello from the UK.

[VeganMartin]

Greetings!

This is a great forum. Thanks to Coach Sommer for providing it, and to all the people who have made informative posts and videos.

I started practising the tuck plance about two years ago. I reached a point where I could hold it for 27, 19, and then 16 seconds. With 40 second rests between sets. Well, I call it a tuck planche - but my hips weren't level with my shoulders. Then a previous back injury made me give up the practice. For nearly two years I couldn't walk properly and was in constant pain for over a year. I think it will be another year before I can walk properly again. But for most of that time I have exercised whenever I thought it advisable. I have given up overhead pressing, bent over rowing, heavily weighted squats, single leg squats, deadlifts and bench pressing. My weight training now consists of chin ups, dips and step ups - all with extra weight. And I have started doing handstand press ups with my hands on the floor and going down far enough to touch my forehead to the floor. Or headstand press ups, as I've now learned to call them after reading on this forum. For cardio-vascular fitness I do squat thrusts and/or a form of burpees in an interval training method.

I started practising handstands in early August this year and would hold them for 12 seconds frequently throughout the day with my feet against the wall. I then started holding them for 20 seconds. After a few weeks of doing this I tried a headstand press up and did it easily. I had been unable to do one before. I was dead chuffed (translation: I was exceedingly pleased). I can also hold a one-hand handstand for 15 - 20 seconds. In the last two weeks I have begun to do more unsupported handstands and can now often hold them for 4 to 6 seconds. I have managed to do them for 9, 10 and 12 seconds but, on those three occasions, my feet hit the wall after kicking up and I pushed off from the wall before holding them. I feel that handstands and bird-dogs have helped my back because I saw great progress after starting them. The bird-dogs have been more helpful but handstands have definitely contributed.

I have recently made a few attempts at the tuck planche but can only hold it for 4 or 5 seconds. It hurt my back a month ago when I tried but now doesn't cause pain. I'm not sure how well I'll progress because I have lost the lordotic curve in my lower back and that might cause problems. I don't know if the curve will return one day. I'll keep a light burning in the window so it can find its way home. The curve has probably gone because the spine is trying to protect itself, so I'll let it decide when it wants to return to the proper shape. It is obviously wiser than I am.

I've always been fit and strong and I've exercised regularly since I was aged 15. I have been vegan for 30 years and I am aged 57. Not the best age to start doing these things but, to paraphrase the poem: age shall not weary me nor the years condemn. So I'm not bothered about age, as good living can keep it at bay for longer than normal.

My goals are to be able to do an unsupported handstand for at least 30 seconds, a one-hand handstand for at least 3 seconds, a straddle planche (at least) for at least 5 seconds, a straddle front lever (at least) for at least 5 seconds, and I want to get back to doing one-hand press ups with my elbow by my side. A one arm chin up would be nice, too. And some true handstand press ups.

That's all for now. If you have been, thanks for reading.

And now I'm off to bed.

Martin.

[Coach Sommer]

I have recently made a few attempts at the tuck planche but can only hold it for 4 or 5 seconds. It hurt my back a month ago when I tried but now doesn't cause pain.

With your history of a very serious back injury which was previously aggravated by planche work, I would recommend foregoing planche work for the foreseeable future. This is not a crisis in and of itself as there are many other Gymnastic Strength Training™ variations which you will be able to employ without unnecessarily risking re-injuring your back.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[VeganMartin]

Thanks.

It wasn't the planche work that aggravated the back trouble. I should have made that clear. I forgot about another injury that stopped me doing them. Looking back through my training diary I see that it was a bench press injury to my chest that made me give them up. :oops: Then, a couple of months later, I hurt my back and there was no chance of doing them again.

I think I will give them a rest because they are much more difficult to do now. No pain - I'm just unable to get the balance. I did an elbow lever last night and held it for about 5 seconds. That was the first time I've tried to do one this century and probably only the third or fourth time ever. It didn't hurt my back. I'm confident I will be able to do a single arm one once I perfect my balance.

Regards,

Martin.

[Blairbob]

Go back to the frogstand variations, either bent or straight. When I'm fatigued, I typically cannot balance my advanced/tuck planche at all.

[VeganMartin]

Yes, I will probably have to do that. I'll wait a few weeks before I start, though. Thanks.

Martin.