Bodyweight Hardstyle plank progressions

[Ricky01]

Hey everyone

The Hardstyle plank is not something I use alot of but I have used it to help teach people about short duration ramping of tension and encouraging muscles to work alongside each other.

I usually use and prescribe 10 second holds though I have seen it done for up to 15 (too long for me).

Have any of you progressed the movement and if so, how?

Thanks

Richard

 

[Steve Freides]

@Ricky01, it’s a drill, not a skill we need to progress.

-S-

 

[Benjamin Renaud]

I've done hardstyle type side planks and bird dogs. Stuart McGill's Big3 call for side planks and bird dogs while creating full body tension for short 8-10 second holds. Not quite a progression as much as variety.

 

[Ricky01]

I have found that over time, more time isn't needed....what happens as you get stronger is that you can create more force through your muscles as you tense them during the 10 second period.

So the movement should never feel that different or easier. Get stronger, apply more force etc etc.

Richard

 

[Benjamin Renaud]

I have found that over time, more time isn't needed....what happens as you get stronger is that you can create more force through your muscles as you tense them during the 10 second period.

So the movement should never feel that different or easier. Get stronger, apply more force etc etc.

Richard

Exactly, I've found they actually get harder as I learn to create more tension.

 

[pet']

Hello,



Before, I used to perform Dragon Fly at the end of each session. This is a great drill for full body tension.

HLR, as once kindly recommended to me by @Mike Torres are even better because they allow more volume.

Since I have been practicing them, my swings are way better. So as far as short but intense bouts of effort are concerned, HardStyle delivers !

Recently, I wanted to try a core military routine. It is described here (page 5, post #81):

Other/Mixed - Suggested programm or book for special forces

Hello, To keep going with this topic, the French Foreign Legion now present some of its training. There a different style of video (drills for rope climbing, conditionning, core, etc...). With this post, I'll give details for the core. This is in line with the "philosophy" of my previous...

www.strongfirst.com

I did it on Friday and thought my full tension HLR routine would have made it easy but...not really. I ended up shaking ! In this case, rest is very low, and you still try to put as much tension as you can. Therefore, intensity comes from both volume and duration.

In this case, I think that even core training has to be adaptated to the goal. If you are after some kind of blend between strength and endurance, then slightly higher reps are needed (in the case I mentioned, walking with full gear and carrying moderately heavy for long time). If lifting heavy is the goal, then full tension 'StrongFirst style' core is the way to go.

I was surprised though. Full tension OA push (so relatively low volume) transfer so well to endurance (long sets of regular push ups). It seems different for core then.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Ricky01]

When done properly and with intent, the hardstyle plank and other movements performed in a Timed Static Contraction (TSC) manner are powerful.

Really focusing hard on Lats, glutes, quads during the hardstyle plank .... and squeezing a yoga block between your elbows, forearms, hands will also light up the chest and increase anterior core firing.

More to it than it is given credit for.

Richard

 

[Ricky01]

Bumping this back up....

Really enjoying this....sometimes hard to 'not see progress' . What I mean is, the weights aren't going up etc, but if you squeeze everything ie
Quads .. glutes .. pull your self towards your feet using tibialis anterior .. pull yourself forwards using Lats .. squeeze elbows/hands in using chest .. squeeze arms ........ then you will notice a difference.

A set/rep of 10 to 15 seconds repeated 2-4 times .. and done nearly daily will bring on some surprising results.

It is part of a build up to Christmas challenge I have going with some clients. Progress being made already (eg reduction in back/shoulder pain).

Richard

 

[Ricky01]

Hey everyone

I finished some TSC work.

I performed the hardstyle plank almost daily. This is golden - 3x10 seconds max muscles involved.

Other muscles set up as:
Sunday - shoulder press band TSC 20/20/20

Monday - band row band TSC 20/20/20

Tuesday - band wall sit press TSC 20/20/20

Wednesday - band pushup TSC 20/20/20

Thursday - elbows on table pulldown TSC 20/20/20

Felt great, low time demand, maximum effort....felt great.

I retested a band resisted pushup. After a previous best (after a 4 rep PB using a daily 10/10/10 pushup hold**) of 20 reps. I tested again and got 18.
Now this drop in 2 reps could be down to many reasons, but it generally felt harder during the last few reps.

All in all. The solely TSC work done once a week per movement, but for longer time frames left me feeling good and strong just actually resulted in a drop in total reps.

Intersting.

Richard

** I had been using a 10/10/10 range for (50%, 75% and 100% effort) once through for pulldown, lat raise, pushup, wall sit and row - a total of 2.5 minutes work.

Maybe the lower working time but more regular exposure to movements (daily as opposed to once weekly) resulted in greater strength increases (it certainly did in my case).

Thr TSC method is also amazing when you focus on breathing as deeply as possible using the diaphragm.