XR support

So - I have finally pushed myself past the initial period where training only hurts and is absolutely no fun whatsoever. I have also realized that the prerequisities make up quite a set of exercises!

I used to hit the gym a lot and enjoyed the results. However, I felt like I was never able to train the area between my shoulders, like upper medial back or something, and, I found it hard to train my abs. Well, I wish I knew about hollow holds and XR support back then!

But, I have a question. Right now I find support between two chairs to be very, very easy, however, I find XR support to be ridiculously hard. I tend to fall forward, relying more on pectoralis. This is probably bad.

So, today I tried something new: standing on a chair, I assumed what I believe was a good support position, then I slowly lowered myself, letting my upper body take more and more of my weight. What happened? Well, I realized that I am very far from being able to perform a perfect XR support, even for very modest times...

Any ideas? Are there steps between support between chairs and XR support?

With about 45 degrees between me and rings, I can hold a support for 60s.

With 90 degrees between rings and me (I think this is the "right" way of doing it) support is something of which I can only dream.

I guess I could do 60s holds, continuously trying to open the rings, but I am afraid that this approach would make me rely on the wrong muscles?

Thanks a lot. It sounds reasonable. Not sure about posting video just yet, maybe later, when I believe myself to be "there"!

I think this exercise alone has the potential to revolutionize the way I carry myself.

Do rto straight arm plank/push up/prone support

for the XR support, first you do it with rings turned in a bit and make sure you keep both of them as close to your body as possible. Don't worry about rings or straps touching your body first. Keep hollow posture, very important, and engage the lats, and don't forget to breathe, I think you should be able to do this, at the very least.

Let me know how things go.

seiyafan said:

Keep hollow posture, very important, and engage the lats, and don't forget to breathe, I think you should be able to do this, at the very least.

I'm a little confused about this. I always thougth that I should try to push my shoulders back and down and because of this I am a little arched in my upper back. Or did I get something totally wrong? :shock:

Thx

Fox said:

seiyafan said:

Keep hollow posture, very important, and engage the lats, and don't forget to breathe, I think you should be able to do this, at the very least.

I'm a little confused about this. I always thougth that I should try to push my shoulders back and down and because of this I am a little arched in my upper back. Or did I get something totally wrong? :shock:

Thx

Your back is arching because that is what you are used to doing when you press back and down. It does not have to be that way, but this requires mindfulness and effort. You can't learn this by starting on rings, you have to learn on PB first because it is much easier. Eventually, when you can perform PB support this way for a few sets of 60 seconds(without arched back, and I think if you watch yourself in a video you will see that you are actually arching BELOW the shoulder blades and not in the upper t-spine), meaning with a flat back (a fully extended hollow body position) you will be ready to do so with a slight backwards lean as well as something of a flat back tuck L sit. Both require strong downward + backward pressure. When THOSE become solid, meaning 2-3x 60s, you should be able to do the same thing on rings without too much trouble. Then you build up your time on the rings.

Everyone seems to not understand how difficult proper support positions are to hold, and that without a proper support you will never have proper advanced skills. This is all part of building the basic structure that will allow advanced strength to be developed! Don't think "MAN why am I spending so much time on this beginning stuff?!?!"

Instead think "Hell yea, I am getting STRONG! When I finally have this support stuff down I will be BEAST!" And you know what? It's the truth. Once you have a very strong support, moving into and out of the support position isn't anywhere near as difficult as it seems right now. That means easier muscle ups, easier dips, easier pressing into planche, easier everything.

Joshua Naterman said:

(...) Everyone seems to not understand how difficult proper support positions are to hold, and that without a proper support you will never have proper advanced skills. This is all part of building the basic structure that will allow advanced strength to be developed! Don't think "MAN why am I spending so much time on this beginning stuff?!?!"

Instead think "Hell yea, I am getting STRONG! When I finally have this support stuff down I will be BEAST!" And you know what? It's the truth. Once you have a very strong support, moving into and out of the support position isn't anywhere near as difficult as it seems right now. That means easier muscle ups, easier dips, easier pressing into planche, easier everything.

Many thanks Joshua,

I guess that is why we are so fortunate to have you here, willing to repeat these things to us and keep us on track Joshua. :wink:

These things are not easy to understand and accept as is; they bear repeating, both for the sake of emphasis, and as a reassurance that we are on the right track. To me, you are like the golden needle on a compass, always pointing towards the correct path, and always there when we get lost or discouraged.

Fred

FredInChina said:

Joshua Naterman said:

(...) Everyone seems to not understand how difficult proper support positions are to hold, and that without a proper support you will never have proper advanced skills. This is all part of building the basic structure that will allow advanced strength to be developed! Don't think "MAN why am I spending so much time on this beginning stuff?!?!"

Instead think "Hell yea, I am getting STRONG! When I finally have this support stuff down I will be BEAST!" And you know what? It's the truth. Once you have a very strong support, moving into and out of the support position isn't anywhere near as difficult as it seems right now. That means easier muscle ups, easier dips, easier pressing into planche, easier everything.

Many thanks Joshua,

I guess that is why we are so fortunate to have you here, willing to repeat these things to us and keep us on track Joshua. :wink:

These things are not easy to understand and accept as is; they bear repeating, both for the sake of emphasis, and as a reassurance that we are on the right track. To me, you are like the golden needle on a compass, always pointing towards the correct path, and always there when we get lost or discouraged.

Fred

Thanks Fred! I do try.

It takes a while to really adopt a healthy mindset towards training... what mass market advertising has led people to believe is just not well-grounded in reality. What we see is how they make the quick cash. What we NEED is to know how to become the athlete we wish to be, and that requires knowing how to build a body capable of withstanding the forces generated during different exercises and movements during proper execution of said exercises and movements! The gymnastic body is such a body.