SL/PE1 & iM

I'm back with the next installment of starting over, checking form, and retesting mastery

Didn't feel like I was going fast in the PE, but I can see now I should slow down!

PE like you say you could slow down, and add a pause at the bottom of the rep.  Try to twist from the torso and then only lower the arms to touch behind your hip, I think your trying to over exaggerate by reaching back with your arms.  Pause your video at 1 second and you will see what I mean.

iM looks like you need more time here to smoothen it out.  Push your hips strongly to the sides. Watch the guys head in the course video it doesn't change height at all.  Probably because he can go out to the sides the same amount he goes forward and back.

Here are some updated videos for feedback. I'm feeling better about the Russian twists, but I'm lost on what to focus on/improve/change with the iM. 

Hi there! Your range of motion in the PE is quite lovely. Well done. I would try to keep your knees together and minimize the hip movement by engaging the lower abs more. But I’ve been called out on being too picky so take that with a grain of salt! 

For the >iM, try starting and leading the movement with your hips, so that your hips draw a circle (picture hula hoop) and the torso follows along naturally. Make the hips movement your focal point and see if that helps. Right now, you start by leaning back and it appears as if the nice ROM you have in your spine (thumbs up) is taking away from the motion that you could be doing at the hips. 

You're holding your spine in a much straighter line in the 2nd video, good.

The next thing to work on here is to stabilise all the movement at your knees, it may mean a reduced ROM at first, that's fine.

For the iM, I actually liked the 1st video better, it almost feels like you are trying to hard in the 2nd and getting jammed up as a result.

Just move your hips in a natural circle and let the shoulders follow as they will. No need to milk anymore ROM out, you're fine.

Thanks, Eva and Cole!

I'll work on keeping my knees together for the PE. Eva, can you elaborate on what you mean by hip movement? 

Of all the exercises, this IM is sticks in my craw because it should be simple and I can find nothing physically holding me back. I just clearly don't get it. In this video, I focused entirely on completing the movement with my hips and NOT moving/arching my upper body (except as it follows my hips) and yet it appears I'm compensating with my back? Ack! I'll try again focusing on putting less effort in for more natural circles. 

I mean, I feel like this is weird to say, but I can hoola hoop pretty well. The whole thing baffles me

As I read your post, you may have misunderstood.

The spine will twist in this exercise, but it remains straight during the entire twist. The hips are your anchor in this one.

I like to think of sequencing the twist so it starts from the waist and continues to the upper back as you end the rep, and light touch the weight to the floor.

Yes, sure. In your video the hips were rocking, wiggling a bit, like sit bones were not planted firmly into the ground. If you watch the course vid, the athlete's hips don't move much. the key point is to bring the knees together, which will take care of that. 

Yeah, more natural circles, that's it. Don't think it. If you're a pretty good hula hooper, this is almost too easy for you and the thinking is getting in the way. Go with the flow (of your hips).

Well, I didn't think I was confused, but now maybe I am If you're talking about the PE, then yes, that makes sense to me. The back should be straight (no crunching in the middle or rounding of the spine), but the twisting happens as the waist turns. The deeper the ROM of the twist the more the twist travels up your back, right? 

If I read your post correctly, all the above is improved in my second video but I need to work on stabilizing my knees (which may temporarily decrease my ROM). Right? 

All the hips/spine/arch stuff I mentioned in my last post was for the IM, not the PE. 

Sorry Julia, I'm an idiot, and confused the PE and iM. You did the iM just fine in your first video, and in the second it looks like you're trying too hard. Just relax and move your hips naturally. And it really is from the hips just like a hula hoop, body just follows like a counter balance.

Got it, guys! That gave me a good laugh.

Sorry if I steered you wrong on your first video.  I'm glad Cole and Eva undid the damage.

No damage done!

So I thought I had stabilized my knees (they were glued together!), but I videoed and saw that I was still rocking with my hips and while the knees were together, their placement/height alternated. 

So I reduced my ROM further and thought about really putting my weight into the opposite hip as I twisted (for instance, as I twisted to my right shoulder, really putting weight onto my left sit bone).

But I'm still wobbling!

Any tips?? 

That amount of wobble is fine, I think the biggest thing for you to do is just turn your head so you can get the full ROM.

14 minutes ago, Cole Dano said:

That amount of wobble is fine, I think the biggest thing for you to do is just turn your head so you can get the full ROM.

Oh, thank God! 

I should be able to test (and pass) mastery for this later this week, then. I would have this morning, but thought I was wobbling too much. I'll definitely turn my head and check my form after  the set instead of during  

I'm working with a PT on shoulder impingement. For right now, I'm not allowed to do elbow side twisting planks  Once I pass mastery here, should I

1. work on side over arches, and then drop back to twisting planks once I'm cleared by my PT?
2. keep working russian twists until I'm cleared? 
3. proceed with some other course of action? 

Happy to do whatever you think is best. 

I'd move on to the arch ups and then circle back when you are cleared. I don't think the overarches will do you any favours if the twisting planks are an issue.

Then when you do circle back flip the order, over arch first, twisting 2nd to help build some stability first.

Great direction; thanks, Cole! 

@Cole Dano, good to move on to arch ups? 

That looks good Julia.

Yipee!

Good work!