P Let Handstand Progress

P let Progress from Full Circle on Vimeo.

Paleo Diet as Type II Diabetes Intervention

For this post, I am going to share a link to some European research comparing the effects of two diets on Type II Diabetes treatment.

Happy readin'

Comments welcome.

Windmill for Grapplers and Pre-Hab

Some suggestions for Windmill training:

-Weight isn't important at first, and for many trainees, is never that important. The benefits come from functional active stretching for the TFL/IT band

-Focus on lateral hip movement. Like back squatting or RDL'ing, you need to focus on pushing your hips horizontally first before worrying about anything going 'down'. And just like those other movements, if you're good about the hips going to the side, well then you'll likely find yourself headed down without trying

-Once full ROM is achieved (palm on the floor) then start adding weight. Generally 1/3rd total weight up top, 2/3rds in the lower hand

-Placement of the weight and type of weight greatly affects training effect. More weight up top places the emphasis on shoulder stability, whereas heavier weights in the bottom hand turn this in to more of a squat/dl type of training. The further the COM of the object from your grip or the longer the lever arms away from your grip the more challenge you'll get in balance and grip.

-You don't have to limit yourself to one type of implement: Some of my favorite objects to do the windmill with include dumbbells, barbells and plates (held like a waiter's tray)

-There are a variety of protocols you could use to train this lift. Some of my favorite are PTTP, 3-5 rule and maximum effort style protocols. Pavel always recommend this be treated as a low rep, high weight type of movement, and I basically agree.

Give them all a try, but for the sake of simplicity, start with 10lb dumbbell or the like and get it right! You'll thank me later. Leave comments.

Thanks!

Front Squat Work Out

Front Squat Workout from Full Circle on Vimeo.

I Wanna ROCK!

Coconut Milk is seriously sweet.

So the can in the video is "Mae Ploy" brand coconut milk, and its ok. I bought it for $1.75 at my local chinese grocery store, and it's 19oz total (big).

It has seven servings, each serving consisting of about 1/3 cup.

17g F (12g Saturated)

3g C

2gP

10% Iron

No real sodium or cholesterol

For a hard core ass Paleo shake, my recommendation:

6oz Coconut Milk

3-4 TBS frozen Pineapple

1 drop vanilla extract

2 Eggs

Starting the Hand Stand Push Up... On Rings

HANDSTAND PUSH UPS!

There, so with your attention. I will now proceed.

In Crossfit, we are usually talking about something like this:

Diane from Jesse Hickey on Vimeo.

I don't know Jesse, but I applaud him. Got a cool looking place, and some decent squats.

In Gymnastics, we are usually talking about something like this:

This kid is just beast!

My favorite are these:

At least as far as a WOD goes, you need the wall or something in order to maintain balance and focus on speed.

Which I think is why/how the HSPU as done on RINGS actually works. It's just no one is strong enough to do them.

Well, this guy is:

Anyways, if you've been following the blog for a while, you know that I have been working for a while on my parallette handstand, and my handstand push up. Well, sucking as I do at pressing, I have still got a long way to go. I let it slide for a little while, bringing up my jerks and my bench press instead, which can't hurt.

Why I have not been working on is the rings. At first I wasn't sure how to get up. I started with the band assisted handstand, and stepped up to the rings:

Handstand Push Ups on Rings from Full Circle on Vimeo.

I eventually figured out how to do it right; Something I had learned a year or two ago from Jeff Tucker and from Jim Bathurst: The forward roll. This position is traditionally used by gymnasts to start what they call the 'press to handstand' which is frankly, the easiest way to get in to the handstand...

Forward Roll Entry from Full Circle on Vimeo.

Just goes to show you; you can reinvent the wheel, or you can read the instruction manual. It's up to you!

Now that I know what I am doing, I also know that you have to be seriously strong as shit to do a single press to handstand or a push up from the handstand. My bodyweight is around 160, my press is about 130lbs. Not great. My bench is likely about 210 and my jerk is 195-235 depending on starting position. I am no where near getting my first unassisted HSPU on the rings (or parallettes for that matter). The wall and short ROM ain't so bad. The P-lets... i can start but get stuck. The rings? I don't even move. I don't stir. Whatsoever.

I know what I need to work on!

Sometimes I am surprised

Hey everybody!

So, I was thinking about some of the ideas I had about covering my favorite pulling training, and it occurred to me...

Whenever I see something that is really popular all of the sudden, I am often surprised. Well not surprised. I think that I am like "That's nothing to freak out about: we've all been doing that for years."

Then I realize that maybe I don't know what a lot of people are doing. Or what their not doing. Hehe... There's a great article a few months back about Donald Rumsfeld's 'unknown unknowns', and not to get all philosophical on you, but maybe I don't know what you don't know. Maybe you don't know that you don't know it. Whatever the case, there's probably stuff you want to read more about.

So what is it?

PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE: Post your thoughts to comments. I like figuring out how to manage the long term training of athletes that have a WIDE VARIETY of physical demands placed on them. So, I like looking at how to handle the the training load and volume of a grappler who's got to go to BJJ 4 times a week, and Judo twice a week, and he lifts 2-4 times a week and there's no set 'season'. I want to know 'enough' about powerlifting, weightlifting, plyometrics and conditioning such that I can prepare someone like that widely and broadly. I like doing it with KBs, barbells, rings, parallettes, bags, dumbbells, bodies etc.

What do you like? What should we cover more of on RCPC?

Leave your thoughts in comments.