tuck planche

My progress towards the Planche/Maltese on the floor was stalled by my inability to hold a tuck planche.  I would get intense cramping in my abs, specifically the top left bump of the six-pack.  It looked like a hard-boiled egg was implanted subcutaneously, and man did it hurt.  I encountered no such pain nor cramping when doing roll-outs, front lever progressions, or any other ab exercise.  It then occurred to me that some pretty taxing ab exercise usually preceded my tuck planche attempts.  Aha!  A thought bubble formed above my head.  Forget the intense warm-up, just do the tuck planches.  And so I did.

5-7-12
- single db C&P (2x5x5, 24 kgs)
- tuck planche holds (6x10 secs)

On Mondays I like to do squat cleans, but the thought of hoisting the 2 db's was unappealing today.  I grabbed a single db and performed alternating sets of 5 reps at a fast pace.  Before you knew it 50 reps had flown by, and I was breathing hard.  The tuck planches weren't so onerous by themselves.  How far away are advanced tuck and straddle planches I wonder.

6-6-11
-11x(10 burpees +3 weighted dips, 20 lbs)

I'd like to be dipping as much weight as I can chin, but ever since my shoulder troubles, it looks, for the moment, unlikely. I hope the shoulder improves down the road.

6-7-11
-10x(10 burpees+5 kneeling roll-outs)

Last night I dreamt I'd started my kids on a regimen of planks. Roll-outs are more hard-core so I incorporated them in today's workout.

9,485/[238]

More unilateral fun with single arm snatches.

2-16-11

-single arm snatches (60)

-kneeling to standing ab roll-outs (2x10)

-20 close grip chin-ups

Snatching a dumbbell is not nearly as technical as with a kettlebell, and that's why I like it. With a kb, even experts occasionally end up with bruised arms and skin missing from their hands. I suppose chalk and ace bandages might address these kb negatives, but why bother when a db is more user friendly. I didn't pace myself with this one, just went after it until I got tired.

If you've mastered the kneeling ab-wheel roll-out, try this progression, kneeling roll-out to a standing concentric contraction. Once you are extended from the kneeling position, straighten your knees so that your feet and the wheel are the only contact points with the ground. Pause for a second or two, then draw the wheels to your feet.

I finished with "20 is the new 10" straight set of chin-ups.