Powerful P
Planches, Pullups, Pistols, Power Swings and Pushups (one Arm)
So for the past two weeks, I've had very scattered focus of training. Not unproductive, but not goal oriented. It was not much of a plan but definitely got me in shape quickly to re-assess my goals and establish an understanding of where to proceed. I've decided to focus my energy on a few set goals organized through training blocks. After analysis of my past training weeks, I've come to what I'm looking to develop. I want to perform a "perfect one arm/one leg pushup, achieve a set of 20 pullups ( I will train with as near perfect form I can but for my set of 20 if it's not a "perfect set" i.e. I use a little english, and I stress a little, no kipping or cutting ROM, I'll be happy and achieve a perfect pistol with my left leg on the ground.) I'll also be working on the planche as a long term project.
Now, I've included many of these moves in my program already, but the constant variations, added volume of other accessory movements and a focus on too many ducks has made my training somewhat aimless and random. While it's developed my body, I have not achieved anything concrete. My one arm pushups have been very "Rocky style", elbows flared, feet splayed apart and all my pistol work has been done with a counterweight or heels elevated, thus I have not performed a pistol on the ground with my left leg and can not without falling. I've decided to set aside this block to master these moves in different ways. This is my powerful P program to follow and how I approach each lift. Swings are also added to keep my posterior in check. I don't think I have to rationalize the use of swings in this forum.
Max Strength vs Repetition strength
I have Three maximum tension moves in this program, OAP, Planches and pistols. Two presses because I must push myself in this department....get it? However, the planche is dynamic. The pullups and swings fall on the lighter end of the spectrum and constitute more repetition strength My implement for swinging is a 26 kg disc so the load is fixed. How I approach each lift differs for each lift, addressing each unique challenge presented with the individual movements.
OAP
The perfect OAP is something I've greatly wanted since learning of the discrepancy in mine. Flaring my elbows always proved stronger for me in every press because of my build. However, watching the SF instructors and seeing a perfect OAP lit my eyes up. The level hips, tucked elbows, rigid torso. It exemplified great strength. Over the past week, I've analyzed my own form. Much work needed. I've tested various heights, objects and performance anomalies that make this movement an outlier from the others. This will be my GTG movement for this reason, trained daily. I've found, so far, working from different heights, my baseline.
There is a difficulty in finding the perfect heights/objects of which to practice off of. Rails, benches with a convex edge and ramps serve me best. Any sharp 90 degree angle such as a curb or step represent a difficult angel for the wrist to press from. This is because of the bodies natural inclination, roughly 45 to the ground, puts the wrist at a position to only direct force purely vertical (hand flat on curb) or purely horizontal (like the hand is on a wall). Soft edges thus allow me to press more at the angle of the body. Here's where I'm at.
Easy 5 x 5 at waist height
Sets of 3 at around knee height.
Shin height, controlled negative but loses tension on pressing back up.
Floor- not even close yet.
The method of training the OAP is thus wavy. Volume will be acquired by working the easy heights more often and easing the lower heights to more reps over time, after they become easy. One Arm planks will also be practiced but for the most part, training will be vary the heights of the same move. Eventually, possible floor variations may be utilized such as Archer pushups or something similar, but for now, the progressive movement training and GTG is the main method.
The OAP is the only move I will use to GTG. The other 4 moves will be trained 3x a week on alternating days, one max strength move and one repetition move.
MAx Strength- Planche/Pistol
Repetition Strength- Pullups/Swings
As you can see, the back of the body receives volume and the front of the body receives max strength training. In the future, these two will reverse, however, I don't know what my PC move will be without a DL bar =(
So now that OAP are out of the way, here is the programming for these other P-lifts
Day 1) Planche/Swings
Day 2) Pistols/Pullups
Repeat
I like the mix here, haven't decided to superset or to leave alone yet. Swings would be easier to superset with Planches than pistols and pullups. Can't say for certain why, but pullups always seemed for overall draining and swings always feel more energizing to me. Here's how I plan to train each lift.
Planche
The planche will require a slow, steady progress of work. My biggest challenge will be trying not to do too much too fast, adding pushups and getting bored with repetition of the various holds. It will require prep work as far as stretching the wrists, hollow position warmup, etc as will the pistol. MY trouble with the planche has been my wrists. They take quite a bit and with my long arms, the forward lean nearly draws me up onto the fingers. A dedicated time slot, three times a week, will really help me nail down what needs to be done. In between my little sets, I will swing. I aim to complete 100 swings per workout this should be easy. Planche work, your break is 10 swings. As far as planche goes, my goal is to reach 5 sets of 20 seconds in each position before advancing to the next. However, an advancement to the next doesn't mean you abandon the previous progressio completely. It will still be needed to add volume and practice as in the beginning, the next progression may not even last a second. Since this will take much time to reach100 seconds for each hold, swings are easily added in between stretches and actual practice of each lift.
Pistols and Pullups
My ankle mobility of the left leg is what really restricts my pistol there. However, this could also be a hip imbalance, muscular imbalance, confidence issue, etc. For the pistol, I plan to do something along the lines of Karen Smith's BW strength program here, having a light, medium, heavy day. The light day would be pistols on a ramp. These I find pretty easy and could probably churn out several reps. Will this help me achieve y first pistol? The weighted pistol also helps and I'm very enthusiastic about not only mastering the pistol without the weight, which is harder for me as I just fall on my butt with my left leg, but to maintain absolute leg strength for when I meet the barbell again. Thus, I will include it as my heavy day with the 26 kg plate. My medium day will be pistols done to an increasing lower box. One thing I noticed in practicing my pistol today was that I put so much focus on my left leg, that my right leg was just in the way When I read the tip, drag your heel, I immediately made it just a tad bit lower to my calf high bench before losing tension. Something to note. As for pullups, my goal is to reach 50 every session. This will be accomplished in different ways depending on how I feel. Ladders on days when my technique needs work, a high rep first set if I'm feeling giddy or just sets that shy way short of failure if need be. For me my biggest challenge with pushups is my timing. I often find my body swinging, wasting energy on reps. Working on my hollow position could help here, which is where ladders would come into play. I'll have to play around a bit with them, and film to see where I'm losing myself and make adjustments if necessary.
Thus, this is my new plan and goals. Let's get to work.