Started by Cappe, October 10, 2012 · 15 Replies · 15,036 Views
've been wondering, when I do these exercises, how should I keep my hands, this is how I do it at the moment?
Tuck planche: on pushup bars at the moment and a bit wider than shoulder width
pseudo planche pushups: on floor, fingers pointing forward at the moment a bit wider than shoulder width.
Planche leans: Fingers pointing backwards, wider than shoulder width.
Are these hand positions the best for learning the planche?
According to everything about the planche that was written by Coach I've read, hand positioning is completely optional. You don't need to have a hand position! 
Just do whatever feels best.
Ah ok, nothing to worry about then 
Well planche with fingers forward is easier than fingers sideways which is easier than fingers back. I can imagine fingers forward and sideways would be easier to balance too like fingers forward handstand compared to fingers back handstand. Fingers back also require more strength from every muscle, stresses the elbows more, has less stress on the wrists, and also transfers well to the rings planche. So if you want the best floor planche then go with fingers back. If you don't really care then go with the one that is most comfortable to you.
B1214N said:Well planche with fingers forward is easier than fingers sideways which is easier than fingers back. I can imagine fingers forward and sideways would be easier to balance too like fingers forward handstand compared to fingers back handstand. Fingers back also require more strength from every muscle, stresses the elbows more, has less stress on the wrists, and also transfers well to the rings planche. So if you want the best floor planche then go with fingers back. If you don't really care then go with the one that is most comfortable to you.
This isn't quite accurate. Fingers forward is much harder on the wrist flexors and the joint itself, but tends to be easier because of the counter-lever effect, much like a Z-style chair leg.
Fingers back is harder on the elbow and requires more strength in general, but carries over more to the rings.
In my opinion you should split your time on these. They are different, and you aren't going to be able to easily press to HS or anything else with your fingers pointed backwards on floor, so if you can then it isn't a bad idea to learn fingers forward as well.
Yeah, I shouldn't have said fingers back planche requires more strength in every muscle, I only really meant the pressing muscles (shoulders and chest) and the elbow flexors because of the counter-lever effect from the wrists. The fingers forward planche is really only harder on the wrist flexors and the wrists and probably has more side delt recruitment. I remember that you said a fingers back straddle planche can be harder than a full planche with fingers forward.
I believe a fingers back planche press handstand can be doable, just much harder and you can also rotate your hands forward while pressing up if you can't have the fingers back the whole time in the press to handstand. I agree that it is best to master all hand placements for the planche and probably even the fingertips one.
I want to attain fingers forward and sideways full planche as well, but I have really inflexible wrists so I've only attained the full planche with fingers back. I can only do a straddle planche for the sideways hand placement and even that hurts and I can't really do a tucked planche with the fingers forward. 
Even fingers forward handstands hurt my wrists and I just injured my left wrist a couple days ago from just practicing stomach to wall handstands for the first time. I think my next step for the planche will be to transition it to the rings before I start conditioning my wrists and work for the other two hand placements.
I recall Coach said something to the effect that he didn't want trainees at our level to turn the hands out past 90 degrees due the the amount of brachialis strength required.
Thanks for the tips! 
I'll be doing as I'm doing at the moment then.
Tuck planche on handles, PPP fingers pointing forward/side, planche leans fingers pointing backwards.
Cole Dano said:I recall Coach said something to the effect that he didn't want trainees at our level to turn the hands out past 90 degrees due the the amount of brachialis strength required.
True.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
Coach Sommer said:Cole Dano said:I recall Coach said something to the effect that he didn't want trainees at our level to turn the hands out past 90 degrees due the the amount of brachialis strength required.True.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
If you never train for fingers back planche, how will you ever build the strength required?
By training it at the right time with the proper progressions. However as you are not yet at that point, your progress will be much faster if you concentrate on what you need to do right now rather than worrying about what you might need to do later.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
Coach Sommer said:By training it at the right time with the proper progressions. However as you are not yet at that point, your progress will be much faster if you concentrate on what you need to do right now rather than worrying about what you might need to do later. (...)
QFT!
Where can I buy the Tee Shirt?
Cole Dano said:I recall Coach said something to the effect that he didn't want trainees at our level to turn the hands out past 90 degrees due the the amount of brachialis strength required.
I don't understand what you mean when you said "don't turn the hands out past 90 degrees". I'm having a hard time picturing this.
vinni20 said:I don't understand what you mean when you said "don't turn the hands out past 90 degrees". I'm having a hard time picturing this.
Pointing your fingers forwards is OK. Turning them 90 degress so they point out to the sides is OK. Turning them further so that they point behind you is not OK.
Could you name some of the progressions for hands pointing backwards planche?
Well the progressing there is quite simple and straight forward, once you reach your full/straddle PL, start turning the hands very slowly backwards. And slowly is 10 degrees a month or so.
Or you could just follow the guidelines for preparing the elbows for IC, which I think was ring supports, swinging supports, ring HS, ring presses and so on.