Planche Update, One Extreme Or The Other, Quite Like My Personality

Before I was piked, now I arch! It seems my body can only do one or the other. How can I stop the arch? And on the chance I can't stop the arch, which is better to train the planche, piked or arched?

On another note, I found out how to engage my lats more which helps a bit. I pretend I'm one of the streets sharks and then I found I can actually protract them more than I realized, I imagine myself squeezing the floor with my lat strength as I planche.

Still though, even though my lats are better engaged, I don't know how to make my scapula look like this:

http://tribal-fitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Top-Planche-Fingers-Facing-Forward1.bmp

You definitely should scale back one or two progressions. You aren't protracting at all and that's very important.

jamesters said:

Still though, even though my lats are better engaged, I don't know how to make my scapula look like this:

Think about "sucking up your chest".

Both piking and arching the back shorten the body length, making the hold easier. If you're unable to get rid of either, it's likely that you're not quite strong enough yet. As Rik said, go back a progression or two and try to maintain good form.

Piking shortens the lever and brings CoM both lower and closer to the hands.

The arch actually just brings the COM lower, but the net effect is similar: Your body is reducing the net leverage disadvantage to a point where they muscles that you ARE using can handle the load.

As others have stated, you definitely need to work on your protraction strength a lot. 

As for your question, you are better off working the piked version with proper protraction.

As Rik pionted out, you probably need to go back to adv tuck or tuck and spend most of your time there while you develop the proper protraction, and focus on that as you extend out into flat tuck and then straddle as time goes on.

Body shape is always more important than lever extension. Only extend your levers as far as you can maintain proper shape!

Step 1: hollow planche-shape planks with horizontal body.

Step 2: Turn step 1 into planche lean little by little.

Ok so I had a nice piece typed up but I cannot post from the computer browser so you get a short version.

Protraction has been hammered above and you have to address this. Now take a look at your hips. Even with the arch they are still piking. You need to also check your active flexibility with glute contraction. Looking at you if you protract your hips will end up the same as before. You're arching to compensate not addressing the problem.

Try narrowing your straddle a bit. To check it, lie flat on your stomach and straddle your legs, toes pointed. Now lift and get your feet off the floor while trying to maintain some kind of hollow as best you can. See how it feels. Glute cramps and tight hips are a possibility.

Fix your protraction...

After reading these comments, I now worry that maybe I was never protracting to my full potential. So here's a video. Tell me 1) if it looks like I'm protracting fully and properly. Also, I do a tuck planche trying to stay protracted, but even here it seems the integrity is lost. What can I do to not lose integrity and what's the best training route I should take from here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVJNVHvYfu4

Nic Branson said:

Ok so I had a nice piece typed up but I cannot post from the computer browser so you get a short version.

Protraction has been hammered above and you have to address this. Now take a look at your hips. Even with the arch they are still piking. You need to also check your active flexibility with glute contraction. Looking at you if you protract your hips will end up the same as before. You're arching to compensate not addressing the problem.

Try narrowing your straddle a bit. To check it, lie flat on your stomach and straddle your legs, toes pointed. Now lift and get your feet off the floor while trying to maintain some kind of hollow as best you can. See how it feels. Glute cramps and tight hips are a possibility.

Fix your protraction...

I tested this in different positions. My flexibility doesn't seem to be as good when compared to a hand stand, likely since gravity assists there, but I don't feel extreme difficult in glutes or anywhere else, so I don't think I have a problem. But here's a video if it helps you diagnose something I don't notice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp09fX_h_tg

Look at your position when you hang. You should be able to hollow more and straddle, your turning your pelvis back.