Limiting Factor On Straddle Press Solved

Video to come. Although it's been covered elsewhere, thought I'd quickly share what was the limiting factor for me, so as to help other people who may have the same issue as me.

My back is very flexible from contortion work, and I have long had the habit of bending my back as well as my hips to get into (what I thought was) position to begin the press.

I spammed Coach's 'Turbo Charging Basic Hamstring Flexibility' drill of piking down and arching my back to reinforce the habit of folding from the hips, not the back, over the past few days. While stretching it again tonight, I found it remarkably easy to straddle up. Even though I felt like I was planching by keeping my back straight, truth is I twasn't, and up I went several times-- effortlessly.

The moral, as usual, train good habits and reinforce good positions. Otherwise you too may spend literal months exceeding gross strength and flexibility requirements for a given and relatively basic skill and yet be unable to perform it.

I'm very pleased by this somewhat anti-climactic discovery, and looking forward to developing it. Next project, pike press.

Hey really good job on your progress and breakthrough =)

I already searched it in the internet, but can you or someone else put up a vid with that excersise? Due to my limited english skills I dont really understand how to do it. Btw im german so maybe you can translate it if it happens that you are german too

I am... not German. but I'll tell you what worked for me.

First, this. Learn from this over any of my advice-->

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/page/index.html/_/tutorials/handstands/standing-straddle-press-handstand-r93

For me, the box presses were good, but I was stuck at knee height for a long time, and couldn't understand why my feet wouldn't rise past a certain point on the floor.

The stretch that made the difference for me was this-->

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/page/index.html/_/tutorials/mobility/turbo-charging-basic-hamstring-mobility-r58

In brief;

- Stand, legs together.

- Put your hands on the floor, grab your heels, stand on your fingers, whatever works. Keep your legs straight.

(If you can't get low enough, maybe the weighted pike stretches are better to start with, I came to GBodies with a flexibility: strength ratio very skewed to flexibility so I had a funny learning curve)

- Straighten, then arch your back, push your hips up. Get the stretch in the hamstrings, not your back. Learn to bend from hips while touching the ground, not reaching down.

- Remember you are training the position to be more natural, and to be comfortable in it. Don't stretch to pain or you won't want to stay in it, will you?

If your box presses are passable and this doesn't fix the gap then you have a different limiting factor to me. You need more specific advice from someone better educated about gymnastics/ handbalancing/ biomechanics.

I did these every few hours for 2-3 days, then randomly attempted and performed multiple presses easily. Along with everything else I have been doing of course, including continuing with box presses, HS wall runs, regular handstand practise and WoDs.

So that worked for me. Depending on your specific situation and abilties, other people will be able to tell you better Good luck.

Charm, I'm gonna read your post carefully on another moment, it's so interesting. I'm stuck with presses too and they are impressive skills that I want!

Thanks for that post.

Cheers Letance. This is basic stuff for a lot a people, but I'm noticing that its the basic, fundamental things which are hard to pick up as an adult, especially without a qualified instructor.

I've no doubt that anyone worth their salt would have spotted my back rounding and fixed it in 2 minutes long ago, but basic stuff like that is often omitted online because people take it for granted that it's been long since fixed. Identifying these limiting factors is really interesting to me, figuring out what needs to come together to make a given skill, and gymnastic elements are absolutely fascinating to try to break down to the simplest factors.

If I can help-- fantastic! If not, there are plenty of knowledgable people who can dial in on the problem with authority. But hopefully others will also benefit from my experiences going through Gbodies from the ground up

Thanks for the great posts it helped a lot to understand it. Oh and btw now I see that you are from Canada... silly me.

I'll let you know if it was the same for me

I'm actually Australian temporarily in Canada

Once you start dialling in on the press, Yuri / Handbalancer's posts will help you iron out details.

Incidentally, any chance of a detailed (DOs and DO NOTS) pike press tutorial coming up?

Anyone?

I find the pike press is pretty much the same as the straddle press. You just need good pike mobility and a little more press strength. 

jfslocum said:

I find the pike press is pretty much the same as the straddle press. You just need good pike mobility and a little more press strength. 

Fair enough. I'm confident I'll deduce my way to it soon enough, but if anything does occur that tipped the balance for you (or anyone you may have observed) then that would be very welcomed.

Charm said:

Fair enough. I'm confident I'll deduce my way to it soon enough, but if anything does occur that tipped the balance for you (or anyone you may have observed) then that would be very welcomed.

One slight difference is that you will have to let your shoulders go forward slightly more than in the straddle press, because the pike position puts more weight further back. But if you have a solid straddle press, this will be intuitive. 

jfslocum said:

One slight difference is that you will have to let your shoulders go forward slightly more than in the straddle press, because the pike position puts more weight further back. But if you have a solid straddle press, this will be intuitive. 

Forward as in, more of a lean? Shoulders over hands?

Not to pick your brain, I'm just hoping to shorten the learning curve where I can and ambiguity will drive me crazy all help and advice very much appreciated.

Charm said:

Forward as in, more of a lean? Shoulders over hands?

 

Not to pick your brain, I'm just hoping to shorten the learning curve where I can and ambiguity will drive me crazy all help and advice very much appreciated.

Forward as in the direction you were facing before you bent down. The direction your fingers point in. 

Cheers for that, I'll put in some work and come back with more informed questions.

Good thread, subscribed. I'll try these ideas next time I train.

emos said:

Good thread, subscribed. I'll try these ideas next time I train.

Always glad to help