Incredible Finding

So there I am on my night shift, it's around 12:30AM still got 6 hours to go, I decide to do a set of handstand pushups. To my horror, I struggle to do 1 free-standing of course. It feels very tough for me to push. So I keep attempting and on the 5th attempt manage 2 but it still feels tough.

I come back half an hour later and do 4. Then 40 minutes later I manage 5. 20 minutes later I did 7.

And so on until I was banging out 10 consistently.

So why is this?

I have done this again afterwards on many occasions and notice I can always do more HSPUs if I practice throughout the day, I feel I get stronger as the number I do increases.

IS this greasing the groove? I thought not, because my number sincrease within hours, so I obviously already have the strength. Could this be a weakness? Mental maybe?

Although on some days I can go down and hit 10-12 straight away no problem nose to floor.

... What a strange finding... Also, I notice I rarely, if EVER get muscle soreness from doing HSPU's I have been doing them for many years, and even doing full range of motion (record is only 4 how disgusting) I never feel sore afterwards.

Getting warmed up perhaps?

Sounds like a case of simply getting sufficiently warmed up. Many years ago when I was on crutches it was nothing to drop down and do sets of 35 HeSPU; however in retrospect I was already warmed up from being on crutches all the time.

Also it is important to note that "nose to floor" is a HeSPU, not a HSPU.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I agree with Stefahinote. But I think it's also muscle coördination. The first time you're using more strength because you use bad muscle activation. But after a while, you repeatedly to the same motion and your body tries to find a more sufficient way to do it. So you start using only the muscles that are required and you start using them in a more sufficient way. I had this with my back-lever. I never tried them, but I got on the rings and attempted one. I failed miserably. Tried it again and I got 2 seconds, tried it again and got 10 seconds. This was after a long workout!

Thanks guys.

I did not know it was Hespu I assume that's headstand pushup. SO a Handstand pushup is with the head in a neutral position?

A HeSPU is where the head lowers to the floor. A HSPU is where the shoulders lower to the hands.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer