Still can't do HeSPUs

Hello,

I've been making steady but frustratingly slow progress on the HeSPU. I've been doing partial reps, using a stack of books under my head as a gauge, and increasing the ROM every month or so. I was hoping to reach the full ROM by my birthday but I see now it's not going to happen. This has been a big goal for me for a long time and I'm really looking forward to reaching it. Since I'm close (less than 3.5 inches away), I'd like to specialize in it for a short time and get it done. Can anyone offer advice?

I was thinking of trying gtg or maybe using an approach inspired by Pavel's "Power to the People" program where you do low volume almost daily. Maybe alternate between easy, medium, and hard days? Would it help to include isometrics or slow negatives?

Thanks.

I would disrecommend negatives simply because you can never track progress with them and as a personal experience I got no where with them. But other than that if you want advice I think people would want more information like how many times per week have you been training it? reps and sets? how is your handstand training? can you hold a solid handstand for at least 10 secs? is the HeSPU done against a wall or free standing?

I've seen this sort of thing pop up quite a few times, people are only ever disappointed in themselves. Not because they aren't dedicated, but because they're placing artificial time constraints on processes that happen at their own fixed pace(see BtGB towards the back). A HeSPU in a few months time will be just as satisfying as a HeSPU before your birthday. Plus you wont be making excess cortisol over it in the meantime.

It's my birthday next week, and I'm looking forward to a curry and a (paleo) cake with some friends. If I don't achieve any of my long term goals by then...who cares? They're still going to be hit, and when they are I'll be just as happy about it.

Also, what makes you immune to injury using this approach? Why should the other guy get tendon damage, but not you? Injuries are no fun at all...

Happy birthday. I look forward to hearing about your first HeSPU when it arrives. Be consistent, and in time good things will happen on their own.

GtG is definitely an idea. Though a HeSPU is not nearly as difficult as a HSPU, you need basic efficiency with pushups and dips of course.

Blairbob said:

GtG is definitely an idea. Though a HeSPU is not nearly as difficult as a HSPU, you need basic efficiency with pushups and dips of course.

First goal is a HeSPU, then I'll worry about HSPUs.

I think I'll do some low volume work every weekday morning. GTG might be better but it's easier for me to have it done before work.

Could you expand a little on the relation with pushups and dips? Would I make faster progress by including pushups and dips or by simply specializing in HeSPUs for a short time?

I just tried it again with one less book on the pile and I'm less than 3 inches away from full ROM.

Ive had the same problem as you. In this last steady state cycle, i've been adding handstand holds into my FSP warm-up and doing a couple bent arm holds for time (which are actually quite challenging), and i think i've been making some pretty good progress. I've also heard of people doing negatives or partial ROMs and then at the bottom when their head is on the floor, pushing against the ground as hard as they can for a few seconds......

everyone should master basic pushups before moving on to dips and so forth before moving on to HeSPU/HSPU.

Although I can't train overhead movements yet due to shoulder issues I was thinking about this the other day and wondered what people thought of using the pike or dive-bomber push-up as a preliminary progression? The progressions could go:

Pike Pushup - Box HeSPU - HeSPU - HSPU

Wouldn't it even be better to build up some volume on an easier variation first like how Ido advises before jumping between tuck and straddle movements?

Firstly AnimalOnFire your comment cracked me up on the train this morning to work infront of everyone on my carriage, - "It's my birthday next week, and I'm looking forward to a curry and a (paleo) cake with some friends" I think they thought I was a nutter!

Hansenator - I was thinking about this and remembered this thread from Slizz which you should DEFINITELY READ

http://gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4356&p=33883&hilit=hespu#p33883

What he recommends is doing your reps, but on the last rep of your last set do one slow negative....

....I've been having the same problems as you progressing and I think it's because i was doing roughly 4 reps, 3 reps, 3 reps at 3 inches above the ground followed by 1 set of 5 reps of negatives!!! (what a mistake) Personally I think the negatives !#@%* me over and on doing my 2nd session of the week I was so much weaker and getting fewer reps - the point being (to quote slizz) "Negatives require tons of recovery"

He also recommends on your non HeSPU days, dropping to the lowest point of your HeSPU and holding it for 10seconds, doing this twice a week. read Slizz's comments - it's all there.

I'm now following his advice and in the course of a few weeks have upped my reps to 5 x 4 x 4 at this height......enough said!!

Good luck!

Wait a second - Hansenator you actually started that previous thread I mentioned. Are you not reading replies to your own threads?! haha.

I'm confused as hell!!

DonGray said:

Wait a second - Hansenator you actually started that previous thread I mentioned. Are you not reading replies to your own threads?! haha.

I'm confused as hell!!

I'll definitely go back and read that again.

Right now I was wondering, since I'm getting close, if it would be worth focusing exclusively on HePSUs for a short time and how that might be done. I'm kind of excited about finally reaching this goal and I guess I'm getting impatient.

Do it man!

Go back an re-read. Since talking about following Slizz's protocol and following it for around 4 weeks now (getting rid of the negatives) last night i hit 3 sets of 5 reps at around 3 inches and a few weeks back i thought i was going to be struggling for a long time with 4 reps, 3 reps, 3 reps. I'm going to stick at this height for 4 more weeks to allow my body to adapt and then lower to around 1.5 inches....really need something i can stack that's in inches and comfortable on the noggin.

8)

DonGray said:

Do it man!

Go back an re-read. Since talking about following Slizz's protocol and following it for around 4 weeks now (getting rid of the negatives) last night i hit 3 sets of 5 reps at around 3 inches and a few weeks back i thought i was going to be struggling for a long time with 4 reps, 3 reps, 3 reps. I'm going to stick at this height for 4 more weeks to allow my body to adapt and then lower to around 1.5 inches....really need something i can stack that's in inches and comfortable on the noggin.

8)

I've been using these pads from a London based source-

http://www.yogamatters.com/product/716/ ... -foam.html

http://www.yogamatters.com/product/716/ ... -foam.html

They work well, are stable and in worst case situations you can land fairly hard. (How would i know that?

I think we are at the same place as i'm now down to 2 of thick ones which is about 4 inches.

For the HSPU WOD element that comes up i work my way down, starting with 4 pads, then 3 /2 etc....

Mr brady you are a legend! They look perfect.

They don't sag too much do they when you put your bodyweight on them? They look like they'll be handy to stack once the time comes to start elevating the hands to increase the depth to a full HSPU...would they be fit to use for this purpose?