2 questions: Weighting handstands and Iron cross vs. squatting

Grissim Connery · 03-07-2010, 04:23 PM

Question 1: Pretty self explanatory- is there any easy way to weight a handstand? I have my weight vest, but it's kinda awkward inverting with it on. recently i've been noticing a lot of benefits from just weighting basic positions in their helpfulness in developing more advanced positions.

Question 2: Realistically, would it be advisable to significantly reduce squatting to get better at iron crosses? i'm not saying i would do this, but it just seems that the more weight you could cut from your legs, the easier a cross would be.

Steven Low · 03-07-2010, 04:29 PM

Well, if you're mass gaining yeah.

If you're eating isocalorically you shouldn't be putting on too much muscle mass unless you have an appreciable amount of fat...

Brandon Oto · 03-07-2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grissim Connery

Question 1: Pretty self explanatory- is there any easy way to weight a handstand? I have my weight vest, but it's kinda awkward inverting with it on. recently i've been noticing a lot of benefits from just weighting basic positions in their helpfulness in developing more advanced positions.

Free or supported?

Garrett Smith · 03-07-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grissim Connery

Question 1: Pretty self explanatory- is there any easy way to weight a handstand? I have my weight vest, but it's kinda awkward inverting with it on. recently i've been noticing a lot of benefits from just weighting basic positions in their helpfulness in developing more advanced positions.

What is the "more advanced" position from a basic handstand that you're thinking this might help you to achieve?

As far as the legs/squats, I remember reading somewhere that "bird-like" legs were most desirable for a ringman. I'll pass, but whatever floats your boat.

Grissim Connery · 03-08-2010, 09:29 PM

brandon: i was thinking free handstand, but now that you mention it, i guess it would be easier to weight supported.

garrett: this one's a little trickier than others. in another example, in my front lever work, i've been switching between full front levers and weighted tuck levers. i've been finding that i can sometimes feel a lot more activation when i weight a basic tuck lever just because i can adjust the pounds so that i hold it for the exact time i want. when doing a free front lever, i am really at the mercy of my limited ability. on a good day i can get some activation. on a bad day, i can't hold a lever long enough to feel anything.

with this being said, i'm not sure exactly what would technically be a harder handstand. i'm workin on ring handstands, but i guess that's not just an increased need for strength but also ring coordination and balance. i've also been trying handstands with straddled legs, but because i don't have a wide straddle, my hips fold when they approach parallel. thus this shifts my weight to slightly more of a planche, and therefore more strength rather than balance is required (although, a better straddle would help a lot).

I figured if i could just weight a basic handstand, then maybe i could get more stuff to activate.

Brandon Oto · 03-09-2010, 07:46 AM

Supported's not a terrible idea. Try to hold the right positions. Consider... hmm... weight belt on the feet? Sounds hazardous. Chains might work.

Grissim Connery · 03-09-2010, 11:33 AM

i've found that for me personally, it's better to use more weight at the hips than less weight at the end of the feet. for example, if i'm doing hanging leg raises, strapping weight at my ankles hardly feels harder. if i use a weight belt at the hips though, the motion becomes crazy harder. i think it's because i'm used to locking out legs when playing open guards in BJJ, but i'm not forced to thrust my hips in these guards to the same extent that a manna or, in this case, weighted hanging leg lift requires.

i guess i feel that if i put weight on the ends of my feet in a handstand, it would make the balance more of a challenge when i really just wanna increase the strength demands. ring handstands are a hard enough balance demand as it is.

maybe if i could just strap a plate to my face.....jk.....or am i.....

Brandon Oto · 03-09-2010, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grissim Connery

i've found that for me personally, it's better to use more weight at the hips than less weight at the end of the feet.

This makes excellent sense.

Steven Low · 03-09-2010, 05:02 PM

You shouldn't really use weight at the feet until you can do full front levers IMO.

Always weight the hips... and it's easier.

Blair Lowe · 03-09-2010, 11:36 PM

My friend does use a weight vest for his HSPU work but then again he was a collegiate gymnast.