Is a reverse planche possible? What progressions to follow?

Is a reverse planche possible to achieve for a human in earth's gravity? In order to avoid any possible confusion I have added a sketch to show what position is meant. The reverse planche is intended to be a floor element, but may also be done on bars or rings if one desires to. The arms are not horizontal as in a Victorian, but point down at an angle.

Regardless of whether it is possible or not, what would be the down-scaled progression exercises for this?

Wouldn't manna be a scaled down version of this? Holy moly… 

Michael do you mean a "Victorian"?

A possible approach would be to acquire a solid manna first to develop basic shoulder extension/tricep strength and mobility, a bent arm FL (hands to hip height) might be useful but might not be necessary although it would provide many similar benefits. Then follow the progression layout for planche but instead using the inverted body position e.g. leans, tuck, adv. tuck, straddle, etc.

There's a slightly different version of this from an hanstand stand point while moving the feet in a sort of bridge, but that's in shoulder flexion... is it possible to keep balance in full shoulder extension like this while keeping the body straight? 

True, technically a Reverse Planche is a highly arched handstand with full shoulder flexion. A more appropriate term for this isometric would be inverted planche. Are you referring to a high manna Étienne?

43 minutes ago, Joaquin Malagon said:

Are you referring to a high manna Étienne?

Well, not exactly a manna, because, physically, no matter the type of manna, high or low, the center gravity is easy to keep (well...when you're strong enough to hold it ahah)  

I was actually refering to the reverse planche (the first picture).  Unless you're in victorian or have really short legs, I don't think it's possible to keep this form.  What do you think?

Hm, could you elaborate further Étienne? I'm not quite understanding your question haha.

23 minutes ago, Joaquin Malagon said:

Hm, could you elaborate further Étienne? I'm not quite understanding your question haha.

Simplifying it : Is it possible to hold this -

2 hours ago, Michel Hendrickson said:

 

- while keeping shoulder extension this way?

It looks to me physiologically impossible.  I don't see how we can produce so much force from our post-delt. and surroundings to keep this complete extension.

Ah, okay I understand now. Whether it is possible or not is entirely theoretical at this point because it has not been successfully executed. A straddled inverted planche seems possible as opposed to full lay, apart from the rear delt, the medial delt would also involved (more so with fingers facing backwards), the traps, rhomboids, pec minor, rotator cuff, triceps, etc. etc. But like I said, it's theoretical at this point.

with practically zero legs.

the guy in the video below shows for sure a legs problem

15 minutes ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

with practically zero legs.

the guy in the video below shows for sure a legs problem

 

He's piking, it's not a full planche, if that's what you mean't by legs problem.

He has no legs, its just a prop and it probably does not weight very much.

He is very strong tho 

He does exhibit a noticeable amount of lean.

8 hours ago, Joaquin Malagon said:

He does exhibit a noticeable amount of lean.

BUt not enough for a normal pair of legs.

15 hours ago, Luke Searra said:

Michael do you mean a "Victorian"?

A victorian is done on rings. The body is straight and horizontal, as are the arms.

The reverse planche is intended to be a floor element and may also be done on bars or rings if one desires to. The arms are not horizontal, but point down at an angle.

11 hours ago, Joaquin Malagon said:

Ah, okay I understand now. Whether it is possible or not is entirely theoretical at this point because it has not been successfully executed. A straddled inverted planche seems possible as opposed to full lay, apart from the rear delt, the medial delt would also involved (more so with fingers facing backwards), the traps, rhomboids, pec minor, rotator cuff, triceps, etc. etc. But like I said, it's theoretical at this point.

With straddle of course it depends a LOT on how flexible someone is. If they basically do full side split then it wouldn't be much more difficult than a high manna, strength-wise.

This is true, although I am referring to a straddle within the parameters of what is typically seen for a straddle planche which about 90° it seems. Comparing a Manna with a theoretical inverted planche would be somewhat difficult, due to the lean you are no longer generating force near maximal contractile length and you are able to generate more force. If successfully producible, it would be the missing link to the Victorian.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C4GkHvzRks8/hqdefault.jpg

What about this? This guy is pretty amazing. Search for "Simonster" in YouTube to see his channel. 

This guy is strong but by performing this skill in this way he will dislocate his shoulder soon or later with a labrum tear. this is the wrongest way to perform the reverse planche.

Yeah, but like we said in a previous posts, it's in shoulder flexion, not extension. He's mainly doing a hanstand with an arched back.

And bend elbows, this is the most common way to perform the reverse planche in the breakdancing world. not a case the number of labrum tears it is not uncommon.

it is very similar to the baseball player shooting phase when the shoulder it is forced here the risk of shoulder injury increases.

I can still think that with a very good handstand and a very good bridge you can reach the reverse planche one day. I reached a decent reverse planche by coupling the H1 with the Thoracic course elements.

On 11-7-2017 at 5:26 AM, Mark Chin said:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C4GkHvzRks8/hqdefault.jpg

What about this? This guy is pretty amazing. Search for "Simonster" in YouTube to see his channel. 

Yes I've seen this guy before. But the problem is that this is using an arched back, and shoulder flexion instead of extension, to put it in anatomical terms. As mentioned before, perhaps I should call my reverse planche an "inverted planche" to avoid confusion with the badly named, but widely known, "gymnastics reverse planche" which is essentially combining a handstand with a good bridge and has nothing to do with a true planche.

Either way I am a long long way off achieving an inverted planche, but I got curious because there are two variations of levers: back and front, while there is only one true planche. The missing link? Inverted planche!

So why do you never see this? I think it is because in the position of significant shoulder extension, your body naturally wants to return your arm to neutral (next to the hips), so you are fighting your body's own inflexibility at this point, and that is something the body just can't do.
Your pectoralis and front delts are being stretched, so they fight back like elastic bands. So you need not only force to do the exercise itself, but also to overcome that elastic effect of the pecs and front delts.

This is only true if you haven't addressed shoulder mobility first. The same problem can be seen amongst individuals who are training for handstand and are unable to achieve the desired bodyline, this is a scenario on the other end of the spectrum. This is why, as I stated before, Manna would be a very useful prerequisite for the inverted planche. 

@Joaquin Malagon

Yes, certainly. I will add manna to my list of goals. Shows again that mobility is at least as important as strength.