Static holds, the importance of the parameters
Back in the days , when I was young and stupid , I was passionate about training . I remember that for a short period of time I committed to working out 20 hours per week ( please don’t judge me for my youthful folly ) and I was training more than one skill at a time .
I was particularly taken by static skills, and I had this relentless passion for the planche . Nonetheless, after a first period of improvement ( due to a natural predisposition of our SNC to make quick improvement for any movement that is new for our body ) I got into a plateau . I never experienced a state of overtraining, but I was starting to feel tired during my training .
Well , now you are thinking : “ of course, you are training 20 hours per week , you idiot “ , and in fact it is the same thought I had . I decided then to cut the volume of my training week . However, before this cut , I noticed that even with this huge ( for a beginner/intermediate) amount of training volume, I was able to improve all of the skills I was focusing on . All but one. The planche.
This status of very low progress ( or none ) in planche it continued over the months, even with a more rational program . I was stuck with my advanced tuck planche , which for many is a real deal breaker. I met so many individuals trapped in the advance tuck loop for years .
At the beginning I thought it was because of my very low predisposition towards “ pushing “ skills, which , despite myself , I discovered in the following years being true ( all of my favorite skills are about “ pushing”) . But this couldn’t be the only reason . And in fact it wasn’t .
This is why I want to talk with you about parameters.
MY ADVANCED TUCK PLANCHE PROBLEM
In this specific case, when I talk about parameters , I am not referring to the classic training parameters, like intensity , volume etc ... but something related to the advanced tuck planche technique .
Something I learnt about these skills is that you need to have a good awareness ( proprioception) of every single segment of your body , especially about your lower body . Something that doesn’t really happen during the tuck planche ( beside the position of your butt ) . This is true for the straddle planche ,the half full planche or the half straddle planche as well .
What I am talking about is the relations between your torso and thigh and your thigh and calves , that in turn is going to affect the degree between your arms and torso.
I try to explain with the use of some pictures
Advanced tuck 1
In this case there we have a 90 degree angle between thigh and calves and a 90 degree angle between thigh and torso
Advanced tuck 2
In this case there we have a 90 degree angle between thigh and calves and a less than 90 degree angle between thigh and torso
Advanced tuck 3
In this case there we have less than 90 degree angle between thigh and calves and a 90 degree angle between thigh and torso
So , what do you notice ? Well , that even if the three exercises look exactly the same, they are not .
What happens when you are doing the number 2 instead of the number 1 ? That you tend to lean less forward , because there is less weight on the “back”. This in turn will affect the angle of the shoulder( between arm and torso ) , so , for example, let’s assume that in the n.1 the angle can be 50 degree, well in the n.2 the angle is 52 degree ( this are random number , but is just to get you the idea) . The strength , in static hold in particular, is very subjected to the angle specificity , which means that if you want to improve in something , you have to reproduce the same patterns( in this case the same angles) .
The problem occurs when during a session or even the same exercise you alternate n.1 one with the n.2 ( or the n.2 with the n.3 and so on ) . So , for example you have 4 sets of 10 seconds of advanced tuck planche , in the first one you perform the n.1, in the second sets the n.2, then again the n.1 and you finish with the n.2. (because of a lack of perception of what you are doing, or a lack of mobility or a lack of strength ) . What happens is that your brain is learning 2 things ( or more) at once , which in this case is not good because you are just confusing him .
According to science resources we know that we can have a transfer of strength between movement, or , in this case, between static holds, if there is no more than 15 degree of angle difference between the two . This is what allows us to progress from a tuck planche to advance tuck for example. However if we are not genetically gifted ,and we don’t follow these parameters , we can build seconds over seconds on a static hold ( ex advanced tuck ) but we’ll never gonna be able to move to the next step ( ex half straddle )
For most of you the planche journey is going to be tough , I don't wanna lie. The first step to get stuck is not to rush , thinking only at your goal , and to do this you need to respect the parameters at first and then follow a well thought program .
