Bodyweight Tension during Pistol

[mikhael]

Strongfirst Community, how to solve a problem with tension in lats during Pistol? I'm starting from one leg elevated, bracing ABS, tensioning lats, and all other high tension techniques, but on the way down tension in my lats is off. How do you perform Pistol while keeping the fired all the time?

 

[Ege]

Hi Michael, I am very new to high tension techniques and trying to understand the very basics. But with an attempt to be helpful, I will throw in my two cents however I might be wrong totally.

I try to solve this issue by holding a counter weight. When I have a counterweight, I “squeeze ” the weight to engage my lats. ( I can not do this w good form at all but am playing with “this” trying to learn)

I am looking forward to read expert advices on this thread and will be more than happy if I get corrected.

 

[mikhael]

I was doing Pistols with counter weight when I was still learning it. Now, when my form is pretty solid I don't need it. However, you solution seems to be good. Thanks for the response.

 

[jozko]

Ege's answer is great - counterweight indeed helps to keep tension.However, are you losing the tension at one particular point of your pistol? Maybe it's worth trying isometric contractions in that position, or around (higher and lower) that. You can even employ some Sanchin-like breathing in that position.

 

[Don Fairbanks]

I was doing Pistols with counter weight when I was still learning it. Now, when my form is pretty solid I don't need it. However, you solution seems to be good. Thanks for the response.

Could try squeezing a couple of small, capped -air filled water bottles to get the pattern down.

 

[mikhael]

Could try squeezing a couple of small, capped -air filled water bottles to get the pattern down.

That makes sense. I'll try to hold something and squeeze it during lowering phase.

 

[Steve W.]

how to solve a problem with tension in lats during Pistol?

Why would you need or want tense lats for a pistol?

IMO, the pistol is a drill that works best with the least possible level of extraneous tension. In other words, the least tension necessary to complete the lift in a stable and controlled fashion. Excessive tension is counterproductive.

 

[bluejeff]

Why would you need or want tense lats for a pistol?

IMO, the pistol is a drill that works best with the least possible level of extraneous tension. In other words, the least tension necessary to complete the lift in a stable and controlled fashion. Excessive tension is counterproductive.

+1 . . .

. . .except maybe when doing pistols with a heavy weight/bell in the hands. Anything on one leg, for me, cannot be done with high global tension. I need the ability to make microcorrections in my body to keep balance.

 

[Don Fairbanks]

+1 . . .

. . .except maybe when doing pistols with a heavy weight/bell in the hands. Anything on one leg, for me, cannot be done with high global tension. I need the ability to make microcorrections in my body to keep balance.

Agreed, I like pulsing the hands coming up out of the hole.

 

[mikhael]

@Steve W. and @bluejeff sounds reasonable.

 

[mikhael]

@Steve W. @bluejeff and @Don Fairbanks so you suggest to focus only on the bare minimum tension in order to control stability?

 

[Don Fairbanks]

@Steve W. @bluejeff and @Don Fairbanks so you suggest to focus only on the bare minimum tension in order to control stability?

For me, a hard heel stamp followed by hinging back, lighting the glute up, pulling myself down, then hit the hand pulse and rise. Body stays pretty loose, like watching someone do a slack line, sorta.

 

[Steve W.]

@Steve W. @bluejeff and @Don Fairbanks so you suggest to focus only on the bare minimum tension in order to control stability?

I would just focus on making the lift.

If you're still transitioning to BW pistols without a counterweight and learning the balance, you'll inevitably have some unnecessary tension because you're fighting to keep stable. The better you get at it, the more you can just do the lift.

I witnessed a successful beast challenge a few years ago by a guy named Andy Speer at an Easy Strength seminar given by Dan John and Pavel.

He killed the press and especially the pullup (he did a double just for fun). On the pistol he lost balance and touched his free leg on his first attempt.

Pavel pulled him aside and said something to him and he nailed the second attempt easily. Afterwards, he said Pavel told him to relax and deliberately "anti-psyche" before the second attempt, then just make the lift. Pavel used it to illustrate that different lifts have different levels of optimal arousal (for example deadlift = high arousal; pistol = low).

 

[mikhael]

@Steve W. I get it. I do bodyweight Pistol. Current RM are 16 Left and 17 Right. I GTG daily, in sets of 5 reps. Maybe I should throw a set with kettlebell here and there.

 

[Don Fairbanks]

@mikhael , 16 and 17, more than ready to load.

 

[bluejeff]

@Steve W. @bluejeff and @Don Fairbanks so you suggest to focus only on the bare minimum tension in order to control stability?

I would echo what @Steve W. said, essentially. The bit about optimal arousal is spot-on. Too tense, and you will have a really hard time balancing and controlling the lift. Imo, high tension techniques are better suited to movements that require less nuance in coordination.

Pistols have always come easy for me, as I have always had great lower body mobility (I can comfortably squat ATG with both feet together). I would also echo that your mobility and where, specifically, your mobility is lesser/greater will dictate what tension you use and where in the pistol. Where you feel more tension may be an indicator of what may need mobilization.

 

[bluejeff]

For me, a hard heel stamp followed by hinging back, lighting the glute up, pulling myself down, then hit the hand pulse and rise. Body stays pretty loose, like watching someone do a slack line, sorta.

Out of curiosity: What "hand pulse" are you describing? I am having a hard time understanding what you mean.

 

[Don Fairbanks]

Out of curiosity: What "hand pulse" are you describing? I am having a hard time understanding what you mean.

A fast crush of your grip, then let it go.

 

[Abishai]

I would just focus on making the lift.

If you're still transitioning to BW pistols without a counterweight and learning the balance, you'll inevitably have some unnecessary tension because you're fighting to keep stable. The better you get at it, the more you can just do the lift.

I witnessed a successful beast challenge a few years ago by a guy named Andy Speer at an Easy Strength seminar given by Dan John and Pavel.

He killed the press and especially the pullup (he did a double just for fun). On the pistol he lost balance and touched his free leg on his first attempt.

Pavel pulled him aside and said something to him and he nailed the second attempt easily. Afterwards, he said Pavel told him to relax and deliberately "anti-psyche" before the second attempt, then just make the lift. Pavel used it to illustrate that different lifts have different levels of optimal arousal (for example deadlift = high arousal; pistol = low).

the sign of true master of a field is the ability to just look at someone and telling them exactly what they need to do diff.
All hail Pavel!

 

[Benjamin Renaud]

Your loss of tension might be due to body proportions or lack of mobility. With my build and mobility, I need to reach my hands forward a lot to maintain balance and not fall backwards so I need to protract my scapula and forget about keeping a flat back with tight lats. My ankle mobility is by no means restricted and probably even good. Maintaining tightness in the lats would require me to hold a counterweight (like others have suggested) to be able to hold that upright posture.