Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!

[uggy]

I've made a log because I thought it could be fun.
Goal it to do press ups in handstand position! (still can't post images)

Stats:
Weight: 69kg/152lbs
Standing Military Press: 40kg/90lbs (5x5)

My method of progression:
Work from a normal press up to a press up where my feet are placed on an incline. Then keep increasing the incline.
Work towards 3 sets of 20 with only 2 minutes rest between sets.

1st August 2011
Normal Press Ups
20x
20x
15x

2nd August 2011
Normal Press Ups
20x
20x
15x

3rd August 2011
Normal Press Ups
20x
20x
17x


4th August 2011
Normal Press Ups
20x
20x
19x


5th August 2011
Normal Press Ups
20x
20x
20x

Reached 3 sets of 20 on normal push ups last week going to rest 1 day then move onto an incline for my feet.

[uggy]

Bed is approx 50cm/19.6in tall

7th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
17x
11x

8th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
19x
15x

9th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
16x

[uggy]

10th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
16x

Same as 9th!

[uggy]

11th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
17x

[RobertB]

hehe sounds like a cool/fun target - a guy in our gym did 5 the other day - he said he's much better when he is lighter. Good luck.

[uggy]

hehe sounds like a cool/fun target - a guy in our gym did 5 the other day - he said he's much better when he is lighter. Good luck.

Thanks for the good luck wishes :)

12th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
17x

Same as yesterday :(

[Oscar_Actuary]

ps. Set up a thread for discussion..
if you want, so we dont pollute this one.

[uggy]

ps. Set up a thread for discussion..
if you want, so we dont pollute this one.

I've got no problems discussing my log and progress on this thread :)

13th August 2011
Rested - no press ups.

[uggy]

14th August 2011
Press Ups off bed

Only did one set to failure today - will go back to normal three sets and see how I fare tomorrow.

Set 1: 34

[uggy]

15th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
17x

F*ck! With the day off I thought I would get 20 on the third set! ARGHHHHH

Want to get 3x20 by the end of the week and move to a higher incline!

[jlmoss]

Where are you getting stuck on the push up? It's possible that you may need to add some accessory exercises to bring up the lagging muscles? Like, if you were getting stuck just near the end of locking out, your triceps may be lagging...

It might also be beneficial to add in some weight lifting exercises after your main push up exercise to help with muscle endurance.

Of course, I'm a newb on the forums but if you want to do handstand push-up's I'm not sure graduating from different inclines would help much. As of now, you may be working your pecs more than your shoulders but as you increase the incline, your pecs become less of the major workers and more of the stabilizers. Maybe you could start doing some assisted handstand push-up's somehow with resistance bands or something, then finish the workout off with some tricep and delt assistance weight lifting exercises. Just a thought.

As I've heard/seen typed, if you want to get better in something, you need to do that particular exercise not some form or variation of it that uses radically different sets of muscles. Doing the exact exercise but with assistance will get your stabalizer muscles used to the hold that is required to keep you balanced also so it will be easier to transition from assisted/being held up to free hold handstand push up.

[uggy]

Where are you getting stuck on the push up? It's possible that you may need to add some accessory exercises to bring up the lagging muscles? Like, if you were getting stuck just near the end of locking out, your triceps may be lagging...

It's always at the bottom part when my nose is touching the floor.

If you want to do handstand push-up's I'm not sure graduating from different inclines would help much. As of now, you may be working your pecs more than your shoulders but as you increase the incline, your pecs become less of the major workers and more of the stabilizers.

I definitely understand what you are saying and on the current incline I am working with my pecs are definitely the major muscle being worked. But I have been waking up with a little muscle ache in my anterior deltoid also; so I know they are being worked somewhat too.

Maybe you could start doing some assisted handstand push-up's somehow with resistance bands or something, then finish the workout off with some tricep and delt assistance weight lifting exercises. Just a thought.

I think that adding resistance bands is a great idea. I've ordered one off of eBay and will definitely include assisted handstand press ups in the progression somewhere. Thanks!

As I've heard/seen typed, if you want to get better in something, you need to do that particular exercise not some form or variation of it that uses radically different sets of muscles. Doing the exact exercise but with assistance will get your stabalizer muscles used to the hold that is required to keep you balanced also so it will be easier to transition from assisted/being held up to free hold handstand push up.

My intention is to keep raising the incline until I am doing handstand press ups with my feet resting on a wall. That way I will allow my body to adapt to being upside down (if I need more help in this I may purchase some anti-gravity boots and hang upside down from my chin up bar). When I am able to do 3x20 press ups with my feet resting on a wall I believe my deltoids will no longer be the limiting factor in the lift but as you rightly said it will be my stabiliser muscles. Any attempt at doing the handstand press up when I know my deltoids will be the limiting factor is a bit premature in my opinion since they will be the main mover in the lift.

Thanks for the constructive criticism!

[uggy]

16th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed

None] - wasn't at home for the whole day; got in at around 2am was shattered went straight to bed.

17th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
20x

I GOT 20!
Very happy I am seeing progress :) Moving on to the next incline which is placing my feet on top of the dryer lol.

It stands tall at 83cm/33inches!

[Oscar_Actuary]

must be nice to be "light".
Pretty sure, I'd slam the dryer against the wall

nice work on the 20 incline and the determination.

I can only do 60 pushups, if I do 10x6, but for me, I was surprised, pleasently.

[uggy]

must be nice to be "light".
Pretty sure, I'd slam the dryer against the wall

lol being light has its benefits :).

nice work on the 20 incline and the determination.

Thanks a lot!

I can only do 60 pushups, if I do 10x6, but for me, I was surprised, pleasently.

60 press ups is still very respectable. I know a lot of people (my brother included) who struggle to do just 10 with good form.

18th August 2011
Didn't do any press ups instead I went to the gym and dumbbell shoulder pressed for a change.
Set 1 - 5x26kg dumbbells
Set 2 - 5x26kg
Set 3 - 5x26kg

Tomorrow I'm going to do my first set with my feet placed on my dryer!