WAG stuck at a skill; what can I do?

[pumpkinpie]

BIIIIG UPDATE!

I don't know if you remember, but in February I started a post about my girlfriend who started to train with me about 10 months ago (I did gymnastics since I was 5 and I am coaching young boys). She has been a cheerleader for ages, so she has good body awareness, but never did anything strength related until last year when she started working out with me 3 days a week.

While I was lifting my weights in the gym, I gave her all the basic stuff to do like pull-ups, push-ups, core work etc.

She gets stronger every week, which is so great to see!

She managed to do her first standing straddle press handstand about 3-4 months ago. Now she is at a point where she almost never fails in pressing up, she can also start of with legs closed, press up some inches, then straddle up.

I wanted to take it to the next step and start with straddle presses from straddle L. She can do a 25secs straddle support. But she just can't get her butt over and up to press into a handstand!

It's weird, because if I work this with my little boys, they usually get if after some tries, although some can't support themselves in a straddle hold for 25 secs.

I don't know what's going on and why she isn't doing "the right thing". She definitely understands the technique, if I sport here, she is doing it perfectly. Her flexibility is great, she can do oversplits and a "hyper" pancake stretch.

I guess it must be a lack of strength in her traps and shoulders?

At the moment, this is what she does:
10 standing straddle press handstands
some tucked V-Sits
full leg lifts (she can do 5x5)
tucked leg lifts (she can do 5x10)
pull-ups (she can do 5x3)
push-ups (she can do 5x15)
pistol squats (she can do 5x3)
10 standing straddle press handstands

What can I add in to supplement her press handstand training best? Should I add in more core+back? Like L-sits, straddle-L's, planks, sit-ups, hollow rockers, arch rockers?
Or more traps like handstand shoulder touches?

Hope you can help me!

 

[BlairBob]

Spotted stalder presses. Spot standing in front of her with one knee against one shoulder.

Straddle leg lifts. Just like pike leg lifts from a hang but open up legs in a straddle and pull toes to bar or into an inverted stalder position.

Mini straddle L presses from a candlestick rock or abbreviated rock. This can also be done on top of a panel mat.

Handstand lower to straddle-L on her own. So an eccentric stalder press. You can also spot these much easier as you don't really need to spot until she is in a handstand with straddle legs on the descent.

Little boys also have much shorter limbs and levers and weigh anywhere from 2/5 to 3/4 of what she probably weighs.

 

[pumpkinpie]

Spotted stalder presses. Spot standing in front of her with one knee against one shoulder.

Straddle leg lifts. Just like pike leg lifts from a hang but open up legs in a straddle and pull toes to bar or into an inverted stalder position.

Mini straddle L presses from a candlestick rock or abbreviated rock. This can also be done on top of a panel mat.

Handstand lower to straddle-L on her own. So an eccentric stalder press. You can also spot these much easier as you don't really need to spot until she is in a handstand with straddle legs on the descent.

Little boys also have much shorter limbs and levers and weigh anywhere from 2/5 to 3/4 of what she probably weighs.

Thanks for your answer! I will definitely try it!

So no need of L-sits and straddle L's if she can do them already for ~20secs?
Which muscle group is he lacking if she can press from straddle L to stand? Traps?

 

[BlairBob]

It's hard to say without video.

Yes, it would help if she had a stronger L and straddle-L, especially being an adult.

Other things to add would be Headstand leg lifts, ideally HS leglifts against the wall and possibly reverse leg lifts besides dips and headstandpushups. She needs to move beyond the pushup (unless she is doing them with elbows flared out).

 

[GikiGirl]

She could also try pike drag ups: facing a beam or a hard spotting block (or a bench if at the gym) jump to support and from there drag legs up the side. if she can drag all the way up then she could press from there. like a press mount on beam from the ground. She needs to learn how to push into the surface to elevate her body. Also she could do things focusing on active compression such as, while she is pancake stretching, 'try' to lift her toes up. They probably won't go anywhere, but those muscles need to activate so she can make her body shape flat when trying to press. Also, hold an L sit on pbars and try to press thru to feet without 'rocking' into it.

 

[GikiGirl]

Also I've seen people get a press by actually propping their legs on their triceps while they sit in a straddle L. and almost kicking off the triceps to press up. this kind of teaches a bend arm press but it might help get her over the roadbloack.

I think she needs more specific training to the motions as well as core and back.

 

[pumpkinpie]

Also I've seen people get a press by actually propping their legs on their triceps while they sit in a straddle L. and almost kicking off the triceps to press up. this kind of teaches a bend arm press but it might help get her over the roadbloack.

I think she needs more specific training to the motions as well as core and back.

Thank you for your reply!

Ok, so I will let her work on handstand push-ups, pike presses against the wall, L-Sits on floor, and those "pike drags". Thank you!

 

[pumpkinpie]

It's hard to say without video.

Yes, it would help if she had a stronger L and straddle-L, especially being an adult.

Other things to add would be Headstand leg lifts, ideally HS leglifts against the wall and possibly reverse leg lifts besides dips and headstandpushups. She needs to move beyond the pushup (unless she is doing them with elbows flared out).

Thanks! She can do some pike push-ups already, so I will make her work on them and then progress to handstand push-ups.

 

[gymnastforever1234]

I am stuck at my roundoff back handspring. I can do it on tumble trak but not on floor plsase help