maltese

Well, I was gonna piggyback on someone elses thread, but I didn't see any other threads about training the maltese (on rings that is.. as opposed to DBs) so hopefully this topic can be on that.

Here's what I got so far... a bit more progress from last time (probably within about 20-25 degs or so):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 3399&hl=en

Mostly been working on straddle planche transitioning to 1/2 lay or full planche and maltese leans like this.

I do remember Coach Sommer saying something about a band/pulley system to help train it if a spotter wasn't around. I can pretty easily obtain some bands now I believe so.. thoughts? Any suggestions?

P.S. The book is good. I'll probably start picking the manna back up again.. we shall see. Also, the progression beyond the assisted elevator on rings... WOW. Can barely do some slow negative elevators.. so actual inverted muscle up is still pretty absurd (even with assistance).

My suggestion is with straight legs, because with tuck legs you change your center of body mass. Therefore your arms must be wider to reastablish a balance, because your center of mass is elsewhere (higher) and you'll have a problems with straight arms...

Technic:there are two or three diffrent technics for maltese, so I would suggest to try all before you further.

1. your technic, with sholders straight

2. with sholders roll in and with small hollow upper back (not lower back)

3. sholders roll back or up with arch (I wouldn't suggest that)

I'm doing the second one and for me it's the easiest and I can feel all the muscles, on a other hand, with other two technics I didn't feel all muscles and with no or a little succsess.

->you can put your elastic below your chest...

braindx said:

Mostly been working on straddle planche transitioning to 1/2 lay or full planche and maltese leans like this.

In planche are working diffrent muscles, then in maltese->so I would suggest if you are doing planche just for mlatese->learn to hold corrcet back position for swallows.

Here's originally what Coach Sommer said:

You may find it helpful to note that it is also quite acceptable to adjust your body position as necessary (tuck, straddle, 1/2 lay etc.) while performing these leans. In the long run, you will probably find that it is more helpful to get deeper into the maltese with an adjusted body position than staying extended but with a much higher degree of angle.

Also do not lift your head or allow your back to arch, this makes the maltese unnecessarily more difficult.

A spotter is necessary to maximize the benefits of this movement. In the absence of a spotter, I prefer iron woody bands (or pallet bands or bungees) to a pulley system. Set up correctly, a bungee-type arrangement can provide a customized assistance to a surprising degree.

I will take a look with the shoulders rolled forward more though in a couple days with both 1/2 lay and straight body (probably gonna end up arching a bit). Try to figure out which is better & I'll try to rig up the band. Definitely not going to roll the shoulders back with an arch. Doesn't look right.

As for planche & maltese, I am working towards both at the same time. As I get stronger with my anterior delts mostly I can feel I'm progressing more with both which is nice. I may go back to dedicated maltese. We'll see.

About tuck and stradle->For my point of wiew it's better with stradlle and not tuck and even better with spotter...

I can tell you a weird thing->I performed maltese half year faster then a planche, but not beacuse it's harder, but because I didn't work with planches. One more thing I never holded planche more then 5s, but i did maltese with 15 and more seconds hold (correct position with no deduction->maybe last 4-5 seconds for 0,1). So planche is not must to do exercise to perform maltese, you can do it both together as you are doing....

Yeah, I know. A couple of national level gymnasts I have talked to have NEVER had a planche and learned maltese. They even told me that if you want maltese badly just skip planche altogether.... I just want both so I'm working on both though.

what do you think is the best way to train maltese holds my 15 year old gymnasts is a great ringgymnast and has some great holds for his age. he makes stadled planches and pretty good crosses we're working on maltese but the progression doesn't come that quick.

what do any of you suggest

Patients

Try diffrent variations of malteses: hands close to the body, mybe wider like gelder, shoulders turn in with chest in, shoulders normal,...experiment and you will see wich technique suits him best.

Work on pully system, spotting and one try on training always on his alone (I prefer after few spotted malteses, simply because of feeling and not to much tiredness).

do you have a video/pic showing the best way to spot or use the bands for assistance? i really like the bands in learning the cross and i'm curious about using them to learn maltease/planche... thanks

griffdrc said:

do you have a video/pic showing the best way to spot or use the bands for assistance? i really like the bands in learning the cross and i'm curious about using them to learn maltease/planche... thanks

It's hard to use bands for assistance (for maltese ofcourse). Maybe if you put elastic band at your belly???? :roll:

Spot is easy. Basic spot is one hand on a chests and other hand on legs (rings must be somewhere in line of a spotters head). There are few spotting technique but that is basic, other spotting techniques are for more advanced and to correct line of maltese.

thanks gregor...

BTW, why maltese is named maltese? (I'm not english)

this night my gymnast tried diffrent ways to preform the maltese and he is forced in a sertain position so i think he has to gain strength however is read in an other topic to push very late in the azarian and that worked very very good

Felipe said:

BTW, why maltese is named maltese? (I'm not english)

Why maltese? I don't know. Original english name is swallow.

deljosque said:

this night my gymnast tried diffrent ways to preform the maltese and he is forced in a sertain position so i think he has to gain strength however is read in an other topic to push very late in the azarian and that worked very very good

All in time, don't rush. Maybe hollow position. He must get used of the strongest technique in the correct line, and to do that you must spot more weight or go on pully.

How's the maltese coming along, Steven?

sasquatch said:

How's the maltese coming along, Steven?

Actually just recently started working it again.

With DBs I can probably do +35/40 lbs maltese push to planche position so I'm about 20-25 lbs off doing it with my bodyweight. I'd estimate about 8-12 months or so.

braindx said:

sasquatch said:

How's the maltese coming along, Steven?

Actually just recently started working it again.

With DBs I can probably do +35/40 lbs maltese push to planche position so I'm about 20-25 lbs off doing it with my bodyweight. I'd estimate about 8-12 months or so.

I think it's best not to think about your maltese strength in terms of how much weight you can do with db maltese drills. I can hold a maltese and there's no way I could do that exercise with 60 lb weights!

I think the best thing you can do right now is maybe find a partner to work out with you, or if you are in a gym, get a coach to spot you on a maltese! To me, the hardest part is keeping your body flat once you can hold the maltese position! Good luck with that!

i saw your video and noticed that you did it in a half lay position. one of my team mates did the same thing and would put light weights on his neck to help get his back flat and legs up. i personally did not work malteses in this manner and can't comment on its efficacy but it seemed to work for him. something to try maybe?

Do you think mere mortals like us will ever achieve maltese? I'm 22 this yr, hope that I can achieve that 1 day, or is it a dream too far?

gymmie said:

Do you think mere mortals like us will ever achieve maltese? I'm 22 this yr, hope that I can achieve that 1 day, or is it a dream too far?

It depends on many things...But certanly is not imposible.

Alright that sounds great So right now should I concentrate on getting planche down before starting any maltese training? Or can I start on any maltese drill or anything?

Wangtang6911 said:

braindx said:

sasquatch said:

How's the maltese coming along, Steven?

Actually just recently started working it again.

With DBs I can probably do +35/40 lbs maltese push to planche position so I'm about 20-25 lbs off doing it with my bodyweight. I'd estimate about 8-12 months or so.

I think it's best not to think about your maltese strength in terms of how much weight you can do with db maltese drills. I can hold a maltese and there's no way I could do that exercise with 60 lb weights!

I think the best thing you can do right now is maybe find a partner to work out with you, or if you are in a gym, get a coach to spot you on a maltese! To me, the hardest part is keeping your body flat once you can hold the maltese position! Good luck with that!

Thanks for the advice. I may try it out this way... it's hard to get decent spotters since I am coaching now but I'll try.

ts00nami said:

i saw your video and noticed that you did it in a half lay position. one of my team mates did the same thing and would put light weights on his neck to help get his back flat and legs up. i personally did not work malteses in this manner and can't comment on its efficacy but it seemed to work for him. something to try maybe?

I haven't work 1/2 lay for a bit. Although it may be a good idea to work it again.

Just focused on developing it from rings flys except hands to the sides like it should be. Have been making good progress, but I am going to go back to support lean to see how that turns out now.

gymmie said:

Do you think mere mortals like us will ever achieve maltese? I'm 22 this yr, hope that I can achieve that 1 day, or is it a dream too far?

Of course. I'm 24 and really started training at about 20 years old. I definitely took the slow way because I had to figure out my own programming so with better programming you should be able to get it at a younger age than me. I will have it within 2 years I am sure of that.

I do need to gain some weight though. When I started training I was 5'8" 107 lbs.. now up I'm to 5'8" 137-140 lbs. I still need more mass to get it though which is why I have been focusing on a the maltese fly ish because I can get reps out of those for the hypertrophy + eating a lot.

You can do it both together...I've got my maltese first and then planche (due to not working on planches at all). I still don't have any planchees on rings but have two maltesees (first F and second E)...

Thanks guys, those are definitely some moral boosters for me Will try to figure out a better program seems the ones now I'm doing now is not getting me gains than I expected. Btw what are the maltese drills you guys did in order to build up?