Headstand Plateau

Hi gang,

I've been doing the HS series 3x/week for about 3.5 months now.  I've made great progress with the wrist exercises, and my shoulder mobility has gotten a lot better--especially shoulder extension.  I was able to breeze through the tripod headstands.  However, I've hit a real plateau at 48 second headstands (HS/PE2).  I can usually hit a full rep or two but at around 43-45 seconds I get tanked.  I've been stuck on it for what seems like two months.

Can anyone advise on some strategies to break through the plateau?  Should I try doing extra reps with less time, a single rep to max, etc?  I've already tried deloading--starting from 3x12sec and working my way back up again..

Thanks,

James

Hey James,

We can definitely help you bust this plateau. To start, can we see your form for the PE and iM?

Sure thing, here you go!

Just a note--my spine is fused from L3-T1 (meaning the top of my lumbar spine and my entire thoracic spine) from a surgery to correct severe degenerative scoliosis.  At least some of the asymmetry you are seeing in my shoulder extension (and my hips in the PE) is due to my body not being totally symmetrical..

Also--in the side-view of my headstand it looks as if my legs aren't totally straight, but I assure you they are--my knees were locked throughout the rep.

iM front view--

iM side view--

PE front view--

PE side view--

Thanks for your help!

James

Hello James,

Are you experiencing pain from your spinal fusion when you training headstands or is this simply a matter of endurance?

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Nope, no pain at all.  I had the fusion 20 years ago--it doesn't bother me during this type of training.  I just mentioned it because it effects my mobility, and there are asymmetries in my body that aren't going anywhere.  During the headstands I'm mainly having issues with gassing out too soon.

Thanks coach!,

James

Thank you, James.  As long as there is no pain and it is simply a matter of endurance then continue pushing through.  

As I often told my own athletes, the way to build endurance is to endure.  And just to give you a frame of reference on how reasonable a 60sec HeS is; the headstand record for my youngest group of competitive athletes (6-8yrs old) was just over 30minutes!

How did I build this kind of endurance with such a young group of athletes?  We played.  All kinds of contests, all the time.  Pushup wars, headstand wars, dip wars etc etc; winner takes on the next challenger and the loser sits down.  Did I mention that these contests were back to back.  This would continue for several rounds so that the losers had a chance to take on the winner(s) after the winners were nice and tired.    

Good for the winners, taught them to learn to push themselves while fatigued.  Good for the losers, gave them a another chance to beat the winners after the winner was already fried.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I like it!--I'm going to get creative and push through this plateau.

Thanks again,

James

@Everett Carroll @Alessandro Mainente any technical advice you can give me based on the videos i uploaded?  i've pushed through the 48 second plateau and now i'm just working on building towards 60 second holds.  focusing on keeping my legs and glutes engaged, legs straight and toes pointed is helping.  i've corrected the slight imbalance in my iM (you can see it clearly in the back view), progressed through a narrow grip with 2.5lbs and i'm currently working 5lbs with a wide grip.

thanks all,

james

Probably holding the sternum-in can move the cog in a better position so that arms work less. Also, consider that in the haeadstand your weigth is shifted more to your right arm and when it becomes weak you need to get off from the position.

Good call, I feel like my right arm is the limiting factor most of the time.  It's the first thing to wear out.  How do you recommend accounting for that?

By holding the sternum in, do you mean the same muscle action that activates the core and PPT?  

Thanks for your help,

James

1 hour ago, James O'Boyle said:

Good call, I feel like my right arm is the limiting factor most of the time.  It's the first thing to wear out.  How do you recommend accounting for that?

 

It's normal to have imbalances. As long as you keep working at maintaining a symmetric headstand, it will sort out. Keep posting form checks. 

1 hour ago, James O'Boyle said:

 By holding the sternum in, do you mean the same muscle action that activates the core and PPT?  

 

Exactly. To get that feeling warmed up before each handstand session, try doing 1x10r of HS/PE9/iM and HS/PE10/iM before you start this exercise.

Thanks guys, I'll give that a shot!  I'll post another form check soon!

@Alessandro Mainente @Everett Carroll

here are a couple of videos from my last set tonight.  the video of the PE cut short but i was able to hold a couple reps for around 60 seconds tonight.  it's hard for me to determine whether or not my extension is crooked on the iM since my body is *actually* a bit crooked--but how is the height of the extension and hand width? 

PE:

iM:

thanks for your help, guys!

james

Not bad at all, seems that the line adjustment should be done by tilting the hips rather than moving the feet.

I see what you mean, thank you!

@Alessandro Mainente I'm getting pretty close to 60sec holds on this so I thought it was time for another form check.

I'm noticing my elbows drift outwards when I fatigue--does this mean that I should try placing my hands wider when I set up?

Thanks,

James

Hey James, you need to do the opposite. i mean to move the elbows closer, the position si anterior shoulder dominant, moving the elbows outside is a sign that the anterior delt is out of the game and that your brain is trying to use more the lateral deltoid. I recommend in this case to avoid this situation and stopping the hold before the elbows begin moving outside.

@Alessandro Mainente Got it, will do.  Thanks!

Moving the hands a little closer has helped a lot, I'm feeling more and more stable in this position. 

@Alessandro Mainente  Hi again Alessandro!  Working towards mastery of HBP PE2 has helped a lot with this PE.  60 sec reps are feeling very smooth now.  Here is another form check for you.  How does it look?

PE:

iM:

Thanks,

James

Hi James, the PE looks ok. The IM unfortunately no.

As stated un many many posts regarding hs IM2, the first goal is a range of motion. this means that no matter if you are using 1,2,3,6,50,100 kg and if your hands are touching. if you do not lift the arms up to horizontal position the exercise is wrong.

reduce the weigth to the minimum of 1 kg , increase the grip so that you can raise the bar to shoulder level. ALMOST shoulder level is no shoulder level.

@Alessandro Mainente Got it, I'll drop the weight and continue to work on the iM.  Can you suggest any supplemental stretching I can do to help increase my ROM?  I do the TB stretch series once per week already.

Thanks,

James

@Alessandro Mainente Hi Alessandro, I've dropped the weight and widened my hands.  Am I reaching the correct ROM here or do I need to widen the hands further?

Thanks,

James

From the side, is ok...what about a back view? it is fundamental for evaluating asymmetrical shoulders.

@Alessandro Mainente  Sure thing, here you go:

Do you think I should try to reduce the width of my hands a little?

Thanks,

James