This session was about continuing to build compression strength towards a straddle press to handstand and learning to control our bodyweight on rings through the shoulders with straight arms. We built on the previous sessions mobility work by adding an additional exercise and increasing the training volume. The straight arm ring became more specific and built towards back and front lever work. We also introduced the shoulder stand on parallettes, which will be explored in more depth in future sessions.

Focus to complete the following drills with precision after reviewing the demo videos and reading the recommended reps, sets, and notes. Each linked page will contain detailed cues and mistakes to aid in understanding the proper execution of these exercises. The more work you put in the more likely you will be to succeed. It is not enough to attend a single workshop, you have to work hard consistently to make gains.

Any questions you have are welcome. Reach out to me via email, or direct message on instagram. If you don’t have my email you can reach me using the contact form on this website. The next session will be Dec 4th and we will further explore compression and strength as it relates to the press to handstand and to holding the handstand. Ring strength will become more specific and incorporate greater challenges in both strength and coordination than we have seen thus far.

STRADDLE PRESS SKILLS

Happy hands and wrists are the cornerstone of handstand and gymnastics style training. Because these skills need to be practiced often, it is essential that you take good care of your wrists on a daily basis. 2-3 sessions per week is plenty to build strength and mobility. Because this stretching is intensive it should leave you a bit sore and in need of at least a single day off from hard stretching in between sessions. It is totally fine to do additional light stretching and mobility work everyday.

Wrist Prep: Daily

• Wrist Series – 90-120s x 1-2 sets
  • Freestyle. Be creative and spend more time working in ranges that are challenging for you to bring them up with the rest of your positions.
• First knuckle Push-up – @20×1 – 10 x 3 sets
  • Keep the shoulders over the fingertips. Control every millimeter on the way down. Only work in the full position if you can control it legit.
• Wrist Push-up – @20×1 – 10 x 3 sets
  • Get the backs of the wrists to the floor and keep your fists. Closer to the knees with the hands is easier. Be easy on this one until you build up the tissues in your wrists.

Mobility, Compression, and Straight Arm Pushing: 2-3 Sessions/wk

• Single Leg Good Morning – slow and controlled – 10/side + 10s hold on last rep x 1 sets
• Cossack Squat – Low – 60-90s alternating x  1 sets
• Sumo Good Morning – Super Wide – 10 + 30s static hold x 1 sets
• Scapular Push-up – @20×3 – 10 reps x 1 set
• Pancake Stretch – Weighted with Hips Elevated – 10 + 30s static hold x 4 sets
• Prone PVC Rollover – Weighted – 10 reps x 4 sets
• Pike Slide – 5-7 reps x 4 sets
• Seated Pike Compression + Finger Walk Down – 1 + max effort hold until failure in your best position x 4 sets
• Straddle Press Scaling Options – 1 perfect rep is goal
• Straddle Press – 1 perfect rep is goal

STRAIGHT ARM RING SKILLS

If you can not pull into the skin the cat with straight arms on the high rings, use the ‘Skin the Cat – Floor Entry’ for the recommended reps. Using momentum on the high rings is a fast way to avoid making progress and to risk potential injury.

Note that the more advanced skills that we explored in class, like the back lever and pulling with the flat back, are not included. These are rather advanced and increase the load on the associated joints by a significant margin. Spend two more weeks focusing to develop your movement quality on the following skills. Joints, tendons, and ligaments grow on a scale of months to years, whereas muscles grow over weeks and months. By focusing on basics for extended periods you will effectively bulletproof your body and be truly prepared to handle the intensity of more advanced positions on a regular basis.

Skin the Cat Progressions: 2 Sessions/wk

• Shoulder Extension Scap Pull – @20×3 – 6-8 reps x 3 sets
  • Work with diligent focus on strong scap protraction and progressively load more weight into the shoulders to cue activation and warm shoulder extension up gently
• Skin the Cat – Step in from Floor – 1+30 sec hold x 3 sets
  • Use both active protraction and passive retraction to explore your mobility and gently condition your shoulders to this position
• Skin the Cat – Floor Entry – 3-5 x 3 sets
  • Deep stretch in the bottom and precision slow exit
  • No momentum
  • Start and finish in the rings to chest position to build strength
• Skin the Cat – Drop – 15-30s static hold x 3 sets
  • Work to accumulate time in both the active protracted scap position as well as the passive position to develop both types of stabilizing contraction.
• Skin the Cat – 3-5 x 3 sets
  • Straight legs in and straight legs out is the goal
  • If you can’t do these without momentum use the floor entry to build strict strength
  • It is acceptable to tuck into the entry, but it is not acceptable to use momentum
  • If you are not strong enough to do this strict you have no business upside down on the rings and are asking for injury