SL PE4+IM Form Check

Just started SL PE 4 and was hoping for a form check before I progress through the steps.  Is my back supposed to round on the way down in the PE, or should I keep it straight?  Also, what's the thing called that they hang on the stall bars to do this exercise in the demo video?  Can you recommend a brand?  Thank you!

Hi @Francisco Garcia,

Looking good and great substitute but you cannot consider this one mastery since you need your body to be parallel to the floor like in the video. (you need keep your body straight) Rounding the upper back is a different exercise. The thing they use in the video is called a strap and you can buy it in the GB Website. Your mobility looks good to me.  

Hi @Leo Trinidad, I'm confused about the body being parallel to the floor for SL-PE4.  In the picture (with the guy on the pommel horse and the the other guy holding his legs) it does look like he has his body pretty parallel, but in the follow-along video, Orange (sp?) and Grace are at an angle, and then in the tips video, Wes instructs Claire to have her feet on the bottom bar so she is at an even steeper angle.   Which is correct?

I tried purchasing the back strap from the GB website.  It said it was in stock but when i tried to add it to the cart, it said it was out of stock.  I found it on some site in Europe and ordered it.  

Hi @Francisco Garcia,

It was a typo. I meant legs. Sorry about that. 

Hi @Leo Trinidad, I understood that you meant legs.  My question about the differences in the videos applies to the legs.  In Wes' technique video, Claire's legs are not parallel to the floor (far from it!)

Hey Francisco, 

The closer your legs are to parallel, the more challenging the exercise is. It is also preferred for mastery to have parallel legs. This goes above minimum standards but results in more strength development which certainly comes in handy. @Leo Trinidad suggested that adjustment because he is the master at refining and perfecting the basics; that's where his super strength came from!

Thanks @Everett Carroll and @Leo Trinidad .  I will look to get my legs parallel, but will likely have to wait until my back strap arrives since I don't see an alternative that would let me do that.  Fortunately, I'm still on step 1 of this PE

Thanks @Everett Carroll, I'm not a master but as Coach said refinement is a continuous and life-long pursuit.  You keep on working on it @Francisco Garcia as you get better form, it gets harder. Until now I am still constantly working on it. I found out that because we started as an adult and because we are not short like most of the gymnasts that we need to work on the basics twice or maybe thrice as hard in order for the more advanced progressions be possible for us. I hope this helps. Good luck in training.

6 hours ago, Leo Trinidad said:

we are not short like most of the gymnasts that we need to work on the basics twice or maybe thrice as hard

Leo, how tall are you if I may ask? I am 6 feet (182 cm) with looooong limbs… I always like to see some tall GST role models for me, it helps to see a fellow tall one and hear about the experiences… (not too many 6-foot tall gymnastic ladies out there  :-( ) 

Hi @Suzanna McGee,

I am not that tall. hehe  I am 5'9 but @Everett Carroll is tall.

I still haven't received my strap (I'm starting to think it's not coming!).  I tried to come up with a set up that would work.  It is much more difficult with the legs parallel to the ground.  My ROM was much more limited. Is this enough ROM?  

Hi @Francisco Garcia,

Very nice. Its coming along nicely. Keep working on it. Make sure you hold and retract your scaps as you do the exercise. I love the setup and would prefer this while you don't have access to the strap yet. I see great strength coming.