is this flat tuck, flat? Or are my shoulders till rounded

nhIzobqgobI Hello! This is how i have been doing my FL tuck, but after having my wife film me yesterday, it looks like my back is flat, but maybe i am mistake. Can someone tell me yes or no?

thanks!

The doorway cuts the hip angle off a bit but to me it looks flat. Your progress recently has been impressive. Nice work!

Upper back looks flat enough but your elbows look bent.

Also, I hope at least 10 people make fun of you for wearing gloves.

Yea that is a flat tuck. Your shoulders are slightly protracted and arms slightly bent, but overall it is pretty good. Bent arms are usually an indicator of insufficient pulling strength at the position being held.

Thank you all very mucH! hahaha! I will focus hard on keeping my elbows locked. Its funny you mention the gloves canthar casue i really hate wearing them. But my Gold's Gym Pull up bar sucks. I honestly hat eit. All the grips on it came off, and the duct tape i own is old or something so when the tape came off, insetad of leaving sticky behind the now bare bar is slippery. I would not recommend this bar to anyon. But i digress, the gloves have rubber on the palms and makes gripping the bare slippery bar easier. Sooner or later though it won't be slippery anymore

Bdk1786 said:

Lol. Nothing wrong with soft, supple hands .

This. Plus, Ian is married. For some of use single guys callouses are okay and make for cool stories. For the married ones, having some soft hands is nice.

Ian, awesome tattoos first of all. Second, nice position. Are you able to squeeze your shoulder back more from there? Not that you should. I am just asking. Good work as always, my friend.

Ian Legrow said:

Thank you all very mucH! hahaha! I will focus hard on keeping my elbows locked. Its funny you mention the gloves canthar casue i really hate wearing them. But my Gold's Gym Pull up bar sucks. I honestly hat eit. All the grips on it came off, and the duct tape i own is old or something so when the tape came off, insetad of leaving sticky behind the now bare bar is slippery. I would not recommend this bar to anyon. But i digress, the gloves have rubber on the palms and makes gripping the bare slippery bar easier. Sooner or later though it won't be slippery anymore

Try placing the bar in between the palm and the fingers before closing the hand, rather than placing the bar in the palm of the hand. See this image from the Starting Strength wiki:

Ian try cleaning the bar with some rubbing alcohol.

Yep, rubbing alcohol and elbow grease.

I would then retape it with athletic tape. I did the same on my Weider PowerTower. Got an IronGym and it's fine as it but probably better if I were to tape it.

I use that tape for tennis rackets grip, it's cheap and really good...

Bdk1786 said:

PHILIP said:

Bdk1786 said:

Lol. Nothing wrong with soft, supple hands .

This. Plus, Ian is married. For some of use single guys callouses are okay and make for cool stories. For the married ones, having some soft hands is nice.

I must be blessed with calluses that are thick but not rock hard and don't rip. my wife is thankful for that. And I'd also never hear the end of it from her for wearing gloves. In that case, a light glove slap to signify a challenge would be in order.

You are definitely blessed, my friend. If I had facial hair, I could shave with mine. They're sharp for some reason.

HAHAHA! My wife makes me Pummous my hands...when she told me to i was like what the hell does that mean?! But thatsd only if my calluses rip off. If the wife is happy, everyone is happy!

Cole and Blairbob: thank you for the advice: i will definitely try that.

Phillip: I did leave some room for me to be able to squeeze my shoulder blades more. I did that so if i did not have a flat back, i would be able to squeeze more. I am happy you say i don't need to, but would it help if even though i have a flat back i squeeze harder?

Thanks again everyone!

-Ian

I use a foot scrub in the shower on my hands it helps. As for the bar I have one doorway bar that is smooth steel, bit of chalk and good to go when I do use it. Consider it a test of grip if you have issues with static holds on it.

I have been actually looking to get some chalk but i was not sure if it would help with a bar like that. But you have just helped explain it would. Thank you!

It does help with the sweat just don't over due the coating. Rock climbing store is an easy place to get chalk. At first if your grip is a bit weak you might slip some but it will get better fast.