HSPU, stomach to wall - elbows out?

Hi all,

I've been wondering about the HSPU against the wall. Normally I do these with my back to the wall, but since I started implementing stomach to wall handstands to teach a straight body line would it be any good to do HSPU's with stomach to wall? My main concern is that when performing HSPU's with stomach to the wall my elbows have to point out to the sides while lowering, i've read somewhere that this is not preferable and since I don't want to teach myself bad technique I thought i'd ask here.

Are any of you guys doing HSPU with stomach to wall? If my goal is performing freestanding HSPU should I stick with stomach-to-wall HS holds and back-to-wall HSPU's or would training HSPU with stomach to wall and elbows out do any good?

Hope someone can share his opinion on this topic.

Danny

Danniboi,

I'm surprised no one has chimed in yet to this. I used to do a ton HeSPUs with my back against the wall. Later, I found out about having my chest toward the wall from a co-worker(ex-gymnast). HeSPUs are quite a bit more difficult this way. I don't flare my arms out though. I'm close to wall but not a few inches away like I am for static holds. I perfer chest against the wall better. I'm not an ex-gymnast though so these other guys could help out a bit more. All this thinking and writing about HSPUs makes me wanna add in some tomorrow. Maybe it's in the WOD. Good luck.

Will

I prefer elbows in to sides but those weaker will need to do them with elbows out. A lot of our girls do them with elbows out when doing them off a box.

Elbows out recruit more deltoids, and elbows in emphasise on triceps?

RandomHavoc said:

Elbows out recruit more deltoids, and elbows in emphasise on triceps?

Elbows in (shoulder flexion) generally emphasize the anterior deltoid, while elbows out (shoulder abduction) generally emphasize anterior deltoid and lateral deltoid. Pectoralis major (chest) activation may also be different.

The degree of triceps activation has to do with the angle between forearm and upper arm throughout the movement.

The HSPU is similar to a squat. If you sit back more in a squat, you place less emphasis on the quads.

You should be performing HSPUs with elbow out, HSPUs with elbows in, and even HSPUs with elbows in between in and out.

The same is true for pushups, pullups, rows, and dips.

Donar said:

RandomHavoc said:

Elbows out recruit more deltoids, and elbows in emphasise on triceps?

Elbows in (shoulder flexion) generally emphasize the anterior deltoid, while elbows out (shoulder abduction) generally emphasize anterior deltoid and lateral deltoid. Pectoralis major (chest) activation may also be different.

The degree of triceps activation has to do with the angle between forearm and upper arm throughout the movement.

The HSPU is similar to a squat. If you sit back more in a squat, you place less emphasis on the quads.

Thanks for the clarification and the analogy.

If you are keeping a hollow body you will find that medial deltoids are very important during this, especially doing these freestanding off of the ground. It's pretty awesome, really. When you arch you lose almost everything except for anterior deltoids and upper chest. This goes for both hand positions, but I actually notice more work being done by the medial delts and upper traps when I do elbows in and hollow body.

I think the reason why you are struggling to keep your elbows in is that you are too close to the wall. When doing a pure static HS get as close to the wall as you can, but when doing wall HSPU get your hands about a foot away from the wall, keep a nice hollow body and allow the head to go forward of the hands and u'll be able to keep your elbows in. This mimics the free-standing hspu technique. Whereas if you are too close to the wall you will find it difficult as your body must go on an angle during the HSPU.

Give it a try and i hope this helps.

Oh and i recommend always doing them stomach to wall.

Demus said:

I think the reason why you are struggling to keep your elbows in is that you are too close to the wall. When doing a pure static HS get as close to the wall as you can, but when doing wall HSPU get your hands about a foot away from the wall, keep a nice hollow body and allow the head to go forward of the hands and u'll be able to keep your elbows in. This mimics the free-standing hspu technique. Whereas if you are too close to the wall you will find it difficult as your body must go on an angle during the HSPU.

Give it a try and i hope this helps.

Oh and i recommend always doing them stomach to wall.

Agreed. Stomach to wall carries over to freestanding a LOT more than back to wall. Personally I think they are harder too. That's a great description!

Demus said:

I think the reason why you are struggling to keep your elbows in is that you are too close to the wall. When doing a pure static HS get as close to the wall as you can, but when doing wall HSPU get your hands about a foot away from the wall, keep a nice hollow body and allow the head to go forward of the hands and u'll be able to keep your elbows in. This mimics the free-standing hspu technique. Whereas if you are too close to the wall you will find it difficult as your body must go on an angle during the HSPU.

Give it a try and i hope this helps.

Oh and i recommend always doing them stomach to wall.

Demus, thanks for your thorough explanation. This makes perfect sense, I can't wait to hop on the wall and try it out.

This is probably stupid, but what is this about doing hspu's, pullups or pushups with the elbows out or in? How is that?

For example are the partial hspu's that this guy does are done with elbows in or out?

He does them at 1:15:

It's not extremely wide as they are still somewhat in, but they are a bit flared out.

He suffers from a bit of tight shoulders as well. However, he could probably learn to do it elbows in very easily. Damn strong.

How does one get into chest facing wall position? Cartwheel up from the side?

Cast wall walks. Start in a pushup position and use your legs to walk up the wall while pushing your hands closer and closer to the wall.

RandomHavoc said:

Cast wall walks. Start in a pushup position and use your legs to walk up the wall while pushing your hands closer and closer to the wall.

interesting, thank you

dnj23 said:

How does one get into chest facing wall position? Cartwheel up from the side?

No. Simply get in front of the wall/whatever you're going to use (by in front i mean your back would actually face the wall/whatever) then put your hands on the floor and walk up with your feet and your hands at the same time. Simplest thing in the world.