Me teaching someone else planche :O

Okay So I have this friend who is 20 (I think) who wants to learn the planche, So I gave him the quick crash course test in BTGB planche training (Frogstand 60 seconds then adv Frog...) so about 2 or so weeks later when I see him again he said that he had to lay of doing it any because he hurt something in his back while doing the Reg frog stand. He has had no previous gymnastic experience although he is quite strong from working on his family's farm. Anyways I have never heard of the planche injuring/hurting your back. any ideas anyone? I did not have the time to show him any basic stretch's, maybe I should have :oops: ?

Well here is my "prescribed" workout for him

M, T, Th, F

60 Seconds of L-sit

60 Seconds Reg Frogstand

3-5 L-pull ups

Critique anyone? He has a packed schedule so I wanted to make it as short and effective as possible.

Thanks for the help and critique in advance, this is my first time teaching someone else so I really appreciate any pointers.

The hopefully notsonewguy

Upper or lower back? Does he wing out his shoulderblades? Does he have any previous back injuries? Did you tell him to do half max holds?

You didn't follow the proper progressions.

Lavastine said:

Upper or lower back? Does he wing out his shoulderblades? Does he have any previous back injuries? Did you tell him to do half max holds?

I am not sure about Upper or Lower, but I do not believe that he has had any previous back injuries.

Without more information I couldn't tell you anything, but without a previous injury or a scapular problem I really dont see any reason for frog stands to hurt somebodies back.

His body is probably just not used to the positions. You always have to start off way easier than you think you should be working and allow 3-4 weeks to work up to a 'real workout' in order to avoid small issues like this. His muscles probably cramped up because they aren't used to moving his back into the position he was in!

cat/cow for warm up every day will help his back get used to moving around the way it needs to, and very short frogstand holds, like 5-10s and just a few per day for the first few weeks, and slowly increase the time even if he's easily completing the workouts. It takes time for the body to learn how to hold itself in position in the various positions we use!

Edit: Because farm labor is fairly repetitive he may have trigger points in his back that need to be worked out by a massage therapist. Those can cause all kinds of pain in frogstand if they are there. He could also have one or more vertebrae that are out of alignment. It happens.

Thanks slizz, Exactly what I needed to know, Thanks