MN PE2 Form Check

Hey folks. How do my Straddle-Ups look? Would love feedback/form improvements.

Hey Benjamin,

Thanks for sending this in. The biggest thing I want you to work on right now is keeping your knees straight. Really work on maintaining tension in your legs throughout each set. Engaging your quads and keeping your toes pointed will really help with this. 

Just now, Everett Carroll said:

Hey Benjamin,

Thanks for sending this in. The biggest thing I want you to work on right now is keeping your knees straight. Really work on maintaining tension in your legs throughout each set. Engaging your quads and keeping your toes pointed will really help with this. 

Thank you for your quick feedback, @Everett Carroll. I'll work on this cue and post an update next time I train this movement - hopefully it looks better then!

@Everett Carroll, I focused on squeezing the quads super hard to keep the legs as straight as possible. I feel like #1 and #3 look pretty okay and #2 looks rough. Thoughts?

On 4/2/2018 at 1:02 PM, Benjamin Nutt said:

@Everett Carroll, I focused on squeezing the quads super hard to keep the legs as straight as possible. I feel like #1 and #3 look pretty okay and #2 looks rough. Thoughts?

Bumping - can I get some feedback as to whether or not any of these reps are looking better?

You're headed in the right direction, Benjamin! You are still picking up a small amount of knee bend during your reps, however, you've already improved quite a bit. Keep it up!

13 minutes ago, Jeffrey Bittner said:

You're headed in the right direction, Benjamin! You are still picking up a small amount of knee bend during your reps, however, you've already improved quite a bit. Keep it up!

Thanks jeffrey! I’ve actually decided to use the 5*5 and 5*10 templates for now and focus SUPER hard on locking out my legs before moving on to the 5*15 template!

Side note: the Batman PJs are awesome. 

1 hour ago, Mark Chin said:

Side note: the Batman PJs are awesome. 

Haha, indeed, I was just about to write that!! 

11 hours ago, Mark Chin said:

Side note: the Batman PJs are awesome. 

Haha, thank you! As you see I take my training very seriously.

wanted to post an updated Form Check. I’ve been focused on contracting my legs super hard and keeping them straight.

how am I looking?

Hey Benjamin,

The legs are looking better. Keeping your quads engaged is a great habit to form early on so nice job attending to it. My only suggestion now is to work on sitting up taller and lifting your legs higher without compromising the width of your straddle. 

Awesome, @Everett Carroll. Thank you for the feedback. 

Would you suggest staying at this step and working on those two points before moving on to Step 5?

No, keep advancing but keep a strong focus on increasing your ROM.

Try adding 2-3 sets of roughly 30-second static holds after each workout where you aim to "balance" in the top position and compress as much as possible.

Wonderful. Thanks!

Still cranking away at these!

HI Benjamin, only for my curiosity, are you doing any sort of additional work for your pancake?

1 minute ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

HI Benjamin, only for my curiosity, are you doing any sort of additional work for your pancake?

I certainly am, @Alessandro Mainente  - I've been doing the GB Middle Split course once a week for the past year and a half.

I'm open to any suggestions you might have for further training! My flexibility has improved over time, but it clearly still has a LONG way to go.

Probaly I would add an exercise from the MS course all the days in order to improve a bit more your pancake.

3 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Probaly I would add an exercise from the MS course all the days in order to improve a bit more your pancake.

Got it! Any specific recommendations?

Well, during pancake where do you feel the tension? groin or knees?