CrossFit Hackney Skills: HeSPU – week 1

Over the next 4 weeks the CrossFit Hackney Skills class will focus on improving Handstand Push-up strength and skill.

Warm-up and Midline Stability for Handstands

7 min isometric holds (midline stability / Shapes)

(taken from mentorship course at http://www.bodydevelopment.co.uk/)

–       High Plank with toes pointed (also know as front support)

–       Side Plank (left)

–       Side Plank (right)

–       Low Plank (increase difficulty with prone arch walk outs (taken from http://theoutlawway.com/)

–       Cobra (superman)

–       Reverse Plank

–       Dish (hollow position)*

*Another approach to the hollow position

1. Start with keens bent, feet on the floor at the top of a sit-up position.
2. Slowly roll down a single vertebra at a time until your feet lift off the ground
3. Maintain midline flexion, keep your lower back in contact with the floor and extend legs

Dynamic Mobility

PVC Shoulder passes – shoulder mobility 3x 15reps

Shoulder Extensions on box/rings hold 3x :30sec

Wrist & Elbow Circles

Active Shoulders

There is an easy rule to remember for safe shoulder positioning:

“Actively push/pull your shoulder to directly oppose the force being placed upon them.” (http://crossfitgymnastics.com/)

What comes first Strength or Skill?

Always aim to improve strict numbers before focusing on the kipping numbers.  Strength will improve kipping potential.

This done not mean we cannot practice the kipping technique.  Below we will look at the kipping HeSPU on in a horizontal style (see taking HeSPU to the floor)

Strength

Different athletes will be at different abilities:

First Test: Can you do 10 Strict Press-ups?

Second Test: Can you do wall walks with correct form?

– Scale Feet on Box Inversions

Third Test: How man strict HeSPU’s can you do?

Fourth Test: Can you do deficit strict HeSPU’s, if so what depth?

Fifth Test: How many UB Kipping HeSPU’s can you do?

How to improve push-up strength?

Eccentric: Perform eccentric reps

3 x ME eccentric press-ups 10,0,x,0

Volume: Perform 100 press-ups in a day (do them anywhere any time)

Weighted: Improving you bench press can help to improve push-up strength. You will make faster gains with dumbbells than the barbell. Why?

–       Unilateral work

–       Works stabalisation muscles

–       OHP movements with Kettlebells, Dumbbells and Barbells will also help improve pressing strength.

How to improve HeSPU strength?

Eccentric: Perform eccentric reps

3 x ME eccentric press-ups 50×0

Remember strength is gained in the range of motion trained.  Performing 1/2 reps will never get you strong in the bottom range of the HeSPU.  Performing deficit eccentrics will certainly help improve HeSPU strength.

Volume: 3 x ME eccentric press-ups 50×0, then perform 8-10 Kipping reps with 50×0 eccentric.  Or you could perform as many strict reps as possible in 5minutes.

Weighted: Use strict OHP DB/KB/BB to improve pressing strength

A different Stimulus – Stability

Ring Push-ups – stability – increase difficulty by raising feet on box.

3 x 10-12reps feet on floor

OR

3 x 10-12reps feet elevated

Note: Working agonist muscles will also improve pushing strength.  Exercise like pull-ups, bent over rows, ring rows, etc..

Skill – taking HeSPU to the floor:

Taking it from the floor (gymnasticswod.com)

Understanding the points on contact and how to use your hands or balance.

–       fingers should be bent so you can push them into the floor

–       wrists need to be mobile

–       shoulders need to stay externally rotated for healthy pressing mechanics

–      Can you find a tripod on the ground

• Make sure you can see your hands
• Get comfortable here, as this is the bottom of your HeSPU. You must be able to recreate this position when lowering yourself down.

–      Stack Knees on Elbows (hold)

–      Single leg lifts

–      Lift both legs (flatten back, working towards HeSPU).  The ability to control the orientation of your hips is important for HeSPUs

–      TEST: Shoulder Strength

• Rock between head and toes
• Keep the forearm vertical

–      Integrate hips

• Kick legs out into push-up position (head on ground), keep feet together
• Kick out and press-up at the same time. Legs before arm is important as it will translate into the HeSPU.
• Increase range of motion: kick out past the push-up position (head through the hole)

All of the above strength and skill work is designed to help improve you kipping HeSPU technique. By getting the basics right you will see improvements in you form.  Perfect practice makes perfect.