SAS push (horizontal)
When supporting bodyweight with the hands on the floor, as soon as an ANGLE is created between the torso & arms OR the arms “lean” out of a position of vertical support, there is increased LEVERAGE around the fulcrum (here the joints of the shoulders & wrists) and with it an increase in INTENSITY. This is the fundamental difference between ‘straight-arm SCAPULAR-strength’ (SASS) and ‘straight-ARM strength’ (SAS). This is also the fundamental concept in SAS pulling, as well as pushing, contexts.
‘SAS’ contexts function precisely by manipulating this leverage (referred to as creating mechanical-dis-/advantage’, i.e. the movement harder/easier) to elicit strength-development, and this manipulation happens by changing one’s structure. In general, the more extended the structure (i.e. legs further from body), the more unfavourable the leverage & more intense (compare a ‘Tuck planche’ to a ‘Straddle-planche’), and vice-versa. Again, this is precisely the same concept for SAS pulling (‘Tuck front-lever’ versus ‘Open-tuck’).
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‘Superman’ isometric & pushups
THE WHAT:
A prone, floor-based global-stability drill performed in either an isometric hold or “pushups” variation. Its optimal execution relies on an EMBODIED understanding of the "hollow-body" form, namely sustaining a strong 'neutral' spine-position through conscious posterior pelvic-tilt ('PP... -
'Scapular Pushup' & progressive 'Tuck-hold'
THE WHAT (SCAPULAR-PUSHUP):
An upper-body mobilization, neuro-muscular & strength-development context form which expresses straight-arm scapular/strength (SAS/S), in horizontal pushing.Structurally, it represents and practices a global "hollow" of the body (slight flexion from head-to-toes, lik...
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IN FOCUS: 'Lat-activated' scapular pushup & tuck-planche
THE WHAT:
Bringing attention to a subtle, yet significant, additional-intention which maximally "unifies" the strength of the upper-body "hollow" structure for transferability to the straight-arm 'Scapular-pushup' and 'Planche' variations, as well as bent-arm pushing such as the 'Protract-/Pike p... -
'Scapular-pushup' and 'Planche-lean'
THE WHAT:
An integrated straight-arm scapular-strength (SASS) and straight-arm strength (SAS) context in horizontal-pushing. It both relies, and builds directly on, foundations laid in the isolated SASS 'Scapular-pushup' and its variations, simply adding now a forward-lean which gradually accusto... -
AG Support to Manna Progression
THE WHAT:
Progressive tools for developing the strength of straight-arm PUSHING in shoulder extension. On the one side of the progressive scale we begin with the fundamental frame of 'AG Support', whilst on the other we look toward the 'Manna'.These tools are designed to attend to both the "clo...
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Elevated to Floor Tuck-Planche progressions
THE WHAT:
Beyond name & form, a 'tuck-planche' is ultimately the act of facing the floor and holding one's entire bodyweight in the hands whilst tucked into as small and tight a ball as possible. As such, it can be seen as a most truly fundamental form when it comes to bodyweight strength and man... -
Parallettes 'Planche' & 'L-/V-sit'
THE WHAT:
Developing these two fundamental SAS/S forms on the low-parallettes (or optionally high 'Parallel-bars') is essentially just a shift of modality from floor, to bar-support.Despite this apparently small difference, it can affect execution quite significantly depending on the individual...
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'Tuck' to 'Straddle-planche' forms & drills
THE WHAT:
The 'Planche' is a strength-skill based around the capacity to holds one's bodyweight off of the floor in a horizontal/prone position, supported with STRAIGHT-arms. Its difficulty is in/decreased through self-directed 'mechanical-advantage', essentially by extending or flexing one's spi... -
Fundamental 'P-bars' support to 'Pike-extensions'
THE WHAT:
Beginning with a fundamental, vertical-support position we develop straight-arm scapular-strength (SASS) in coordination with the global "hollow" structure. This structure is integral to nearly all bodyweight strength work, no matter straight-arm or bent-arm, nor the orientation of the ... -
Rings 'Pike-extension' and 'Tuck-planche'
THE WHAT:
Shifting the capacity to perform a 'Tuck-planche' to the unstable modality of the gymnastics rings. Toward accustoming to this instability, practice starts with the fundmental 'Pike extension' with the same form & executional checkpoints as in the stable 'P-bars' variation. From here, t... -
The 'Cast Walk'
THE WHAT:
The 'Cast Walk' is a straight-arm strength (SAS) development context in which the strength-curve is maximal in the LAST 90-degrees (90-180) of arm-flexion (i.e. arms straight out in front, until overhead). This makes it particularly valuable in developing the strength of straight-arm, O...
