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

Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
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
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
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
10th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
16x
Same as 9th!

Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
16x
Same as 9th!


Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
11th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
17x
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
17x
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
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.
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
Thanks for the good luck wishes :)RobertB wrote: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.
12th August 2011
Press Ups with feet on my bed
20x
20x
17x
Same as yesterday :(
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Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
ps. Set up a thread for discussion..
if you want, so we dont pollute this one.
if you want, so we dont pollute this one.
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
I've got no problems discussing my log and progress on this thread :)Oscar_Actuary wrote:ps. Set up a thread for discussion..
if you want, so we dont pollute this one.
13th August 2011
Rested - no press ups.
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
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
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
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
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!
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!
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
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.
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.
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
It's always at the bottom part when my nose is touching the floor.jlmoss wrote: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...
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.jlmoss wrote: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 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!jlmoss wrote: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.
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.jlmoss wrote: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.
Thanks for the constructive criticism!
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
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!
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!
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Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
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.
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.
Re: Uggy's Journey to the free hold handstand Push Up!
lol being light has its benefits :).Oscar_Actuary wrote:must be nice to be "light".
Pretty sure, I'd slam the dryer against the wall
Thanks a lot!Oscar_Actuary wrote: nice work on the 20 incline and the determination.
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.Oscar_Actuary wrote: I can only do 60 pushups, if I do 10x6, but for me, I was surprised, pleasently.
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!