Tension or Relaxation?

[Joachim Nagler]

Hey quick question,

should you tense every muscle from your fingers to your toes during easier statics like hollow hold or early progressions of the levers or should you relax everything that isn't needed to keep proper form?

I mean you couldn't do a planche without tensing every muscle, but should you start that at the earlier progressions?

Same question for FBE's?

[Paradox]

You should be focusing on the muscles that you need to perform the exercise. Keep them tensed. For other muscles that aren't used in the exercise, you simply should not even be thinking about them. Don't try to relax them because by relaxing them you are focusing on them. All concentration is focused on the muscles needed to keep the form and complete the exercise.

I.e., for pullups, you should be focusing on keeping a hollow position while concentrating on your lats and pulling your elbows down to your obliques. Focus should also be kept on keeping the shoulders shrugged downwards to engage the lower trap fibres. Focus should also be kept on pointing the toes and keeping the neck in proper alignment.

Hope this helps.