HS PE2 Form Check

I can't remember if I ever posted a form check on this earlier in my progression, but I've definitely improved a lot, especially in reducing the hip pike.  My endurance does still need work.  My shoulders get very fatigued by the end, and I think that subconsciously triggers my internal clock to speed up.  I also need to start setting a timer on my phone so I'm not cutting my sets short.  As for the mobility, I think I need to get my hands a little bit higher, then bring them in a bit closer.  Thanks in advance for any comments or suggestions.

HI Josh,

on the PE: point your toes 

on the im: decrease the hands stance, decrease the weight until you can lift at least to 90°. then while holding the same weight decrease the grip. once you reached the shoulders width, increase the weight and begin again.

On 11/1/2016 at 6:56 PM, Alessandro Mainente said:

HI Josh,

on the PE: point your toes 

on the im: decrease the hands stance, decrease the weight until you can lift at least to 90°. then while holding the same weight decrease the grip. once you reached the shoulders width, increase the weight and begin again.

Thanks for the feedback.  After another month, I think I'm almost there.  After getting up to 90* with a wider grip, I brought the grip in, but I'm still a little short of 90* with the narrower grip. 

Hey Josh,

Nice improvement. Be sure your glutes and core are squeezed tight in the headstand. Your body line was not bad but it was hard to be sure of your pelvic tilt because of your shirt. 

You are correct in that you need a bit more ROM for the iM before moving on. On your next submission, can you please show the iM from both the side and the back?

Hi Josh, please remember that quality comes before quantity. this means that the IM2 quality work begins when you lift the bar up to 90°, if not the grip must be adjusted in order to achieve the 90° before begin the lift.

Coaches will correct me if I am wrong, but I think for the iM, you shouldn't  roll your shoulders forward. You need to keep your chest up and retract shoulder blades on your way up. It is a huge difference in the ROM you'll get so don't freak out. ;-) But from the side view, your body needs to be in a straight line (including head).

I don't think I'm quite there yet on the iM, but I think (hope) at least my headstand is up to mastery level. 

For the iM, I set up facing the camera first to show my grip width.  Is my grip narrow enough for mastery? Then I turn so I could see how much extension I'm getting.  In addition to the iM, I typically transition into a standing pike with shoulder extension whatever it's called to try to let gravity help get some more extension, then try to hold the extension when I stand back up. 

Hey Josh,

For your headstand:

-You have a slight pike in your hips. Keep working on stacking your legs right over your hips and then locking that position in by keeping engaged core and glutes. 

For your shoulder extension iM:

-I suggest moving your hands a little further apart and working on opening up your chest even more. Try to bring your shoulder blades together and open your chest. 

-Don't allow your head or chest to move forward as you lift the bar. 

I played around a little with a broomstick today, trying different widths on the iM.  On the widest grip, I can get my hands up all the way, but how's the rest of my positioning.  On the second width, I couldn't quite get my hands up all the way.  The rest of the widths obviously need more work.  How should I work on this?  Do I need to improve the first width, or should I work on getting the second width higher?  Any other pointers that can help accelerate my progress, other than the bridge stretch series, which I'm doing once per week?  Thanks.

Hi Josh,

You're off to a pretty good start. This progression can take some time to master, but keep working at it!

You should first focus on being able to extend the arms to shoulder height while keeping your chest open and head up. Once you are able to do this, you can begin to bring your hands closer together little by little until they are no wider than shoulder width apart. After you can successfully do both of these things simultaneously, you can start to add weight.

I wish I could say I've been working on this consistently these last eight months since I last posted a form check, but I'd be lying.  I started over and have been building back up.  I feel like my PE is pretty solid, still just working on step 8/9 to improve stamina a little better.  I'm still a long way away on the iM though.  In this video I'm showing a grip that's a few inches wider than what I've been working with.  This is a width that I feel like my ROM is good.  I showed it from both sides and the front.  I've noticed I have more trouble getting full extension in my left shoulder than my right. 
 

Nice headstand, Josh. Glad you're back at it!!!   

You're spot on with the left shoulder lagging behind in the iM. Luckily, the fix is simple: perform these in front of the mirror and keep the bar level, even if your feeling the stretch almost entirely in the left side.

Let that side catch up to the right and then continue progressing toward shoulder height. Once you reach shoulder height and symmetry between sides, you can narrow the grip slightly and restart the process of building to shoulder height. 

I've worked on this for a few more months and I think I'm almost there.  Is my grip width good?  Anything I still need to work on?

Bump for feedback.  I noticed in the video it looks like my left shoulder is lagging behind like it was in my last form check.  I do most of my sets facing the mirror and I make sure to get both shoulders level, so I'm pretty sure this is just due to the low camera angle.

NI ce work Josh! feel free to tag one of the coaches next time!