Progression Is The Key

5 Minutes:
Row 1000m
Max Handstand Push Ups
Rest 2:30
4 Minutes:
Row 800m
Max Handstand Push Ups
Rest 2:00
3 Minutes:
Row 600m
Max Handstand Push Ups
Rest 1:30
2 Minutes:
Row 400m
Max Handstand Push Ups
Rest 1:00
1 Minute:
Row 200m
Max Handstand Push Ups

Handstand Push-Up Progressions from Laura Nielsen/Outlaw CrossFit on Vimeo.

Here are a few ideas on scaling the Handstand Push Up.  Although it is important to practice getting inverted, the real strength pre-requisite to handstand push ups is regular push ups.  If you can't do regular push ups with good form and full range of motion, get some mastery over that first and practice getting inverted separately in your warmups or after class.

If you have solid push ups and are comfortable in a handstand position, its time to start using progressions.  Piking from a box is a good starting place, but you also will need other types of HSPU variations, if you are ever going to get to CF style Handstand Push Ups.

Using bands is a good way to start to approach the HSPU, there are a couple ways to do this and some may require spotting.  Another way to start building strength is by learning to kip HSPUs.  Play with variations with your stomach towards the wall.

Another important element of training the strength required for good HSPUs is alignment.  You must form a triangle between your hands and where your head touches the floor.  If your head is coming down right between your hands, you are in a weak position and leaving out the majority of muscle mass available to press you up off the floor.  Keep a vertical forearm and move your head forward of your fingers as descend to the bottom of any HSPU variation.

In my opinion, one of the worst things you can do is shorten the range of motion by using AbMats or other objects.  Short range of motion exercise will not lead to full range of motion.  Find ways to increase range of motion yet still keep quality in your movements.  Add parallettes to the pike push up.  Kipping and bands will both help increase range of motion as well in an inverted HSPU progression.  Doing negatives or slowly lowering through a range of motion is also a good way to develop strength.  Just be careful not to land on your dome too hard or you'll be seeing your chiropractor.

If you are already a HSPU Jedi, well you might think you are, and you might even be in the CF world, but there is still so far to go.  The ultimate in HSPU would be freestanding full range of motion HSPU on parallel bars or parallettes.  Progressing beyond strict HSPU with your head to the floor may not be the best choice for a WOD because it would lower your power output, but you should always work to progress your skills.  After all if you are pretty good at CF style HSPUs, think how easy they could be if you were bad ass enough to be knocking out HSPU up on some parallel bars while balancing your entire body. 

Whatever level you are at, get creative and be persistent.  If you try different variations of the movement on a daily basis and force yourself to make the movements slightly harder on a regular basis, you can become a CF HSPU Jedi.  Whatever you do, lets be sure we aren't always recycling the same boring versions of the HSPU.  Ask your coach for help with progressions so you can make progress.

Comments

[Jamie P]

If anyone's listening to the radio webcast of the Games today, please post updates. I'll be in depositions allllll day.......

[Scott]

Justin: interesting. I had never thought about doing box pushups ("piking.")

[Scott]

On a totally unrelated topic, here's something I found interesting from a blog called "Critical MAS"

Protein Powder – Pure garbage. The limiting factor in gaining muscle is not protein. It is calories. I only wish I have figured this out years ago. I’ll be doing a separate post on this topic. In the meantime, if you are a young ectomorphic male, don’t waste your money on this crap. Buy ice cream instead. I’m not kidding.

http://criticalmas.com/2012/07/thinking-about-supplements-2012-edition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thinking-about-supplements-2012-edition

[brother mike]

Scott, not being a biochemist (or even playing one on tv) my opinion may not count for a lot on the protein powder thing, but I believe there are certain amino acids we cannot make from other nutrients. Not that every protein powder has those (and maybe some ice creams have some of them), but it would seem that sufficient calories from a quality protein source would be the best way to build muscle versus eating ice cream.

[Scott]

Mike: I didn't take the ice cream recommendation seriously. I think the point is eat more calories (I'm guessing he meant carbs/fat calories, not more protein.)

[Matt P]

Scott- Ive tried the ice cream diet and it sure works to build mass... and ass and gut and that waddle under your chin. I'll have to pass.

Oh, anyone looking at the workout and thinking "hey, thats a lot of handstand crap".... i quickly realized it was a 3000m row workout too.

[Scott]

OK, let's try this again. Ahem ... for certain people eating lots of protein doesn't build lean muscle because lack of protein is not the problem, it's lack of calories.

Forget the ice cream. Eat more bacon and drink more beer.

[Matt P]

Scott- you are right on with the bacon and beer!

[brother mike]

The row was the easy part.

[Justin Riley]

Lack of calories can be a problem as can lack of strength training or lack of hormones that support hypertrophy. Coordination and intensity can also factors effecting the quality of your strength training.

Protein is only a factor for all you vagatarians out there.

[brother mike]

I am not sure if that was a typo or if Justin thinks some of us get it so much we actually deserve that designation.

[Brooke]

brother mike you are surviving, not thriving. Eat some meat.

[brother mike]

Heard a comment on muscle up progression regarding muscle ups. Any thoughts on ice cream makers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDgetUeXnbA

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1086475482]

Ice cream makers are hard!

[Scott]

Justin: I'd like to assume that lack of weight training isn't a problem at CFES.

[Justin Riley]

Ice cream makers are awesome. Josh has been working on them and can come real close to holding the lever position now.

[Kate]

If you get the old-time hand-crank type of ice cream maker, pack it well with ice and rock salt, and crank it for hours on end to produce homemade ice cream (I suggest making one like this with a custard base of eggs and organic cream: http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/buttermilk-ice-cream/), you will build muscle mass both while making the ice cream (thanks to all that cranking) and while consuming it (per Brother Mike, above). And it will be more fun than doing that impossible-looking thing in the video.

(Just trying to bring the discussion full circle.)