Day 1 Session 1- Hand Balancing

In teaching you must start by creating a common language: “terminology”

Phase 1 Terminology- From the teacher’s mouth to the student’s ears/mind

Phase 2 Terminology- From the student’s mind to his her/his body (action)

Scapular movement

Protraction- scaps move away from spine

Retraction- scaps move in toward spine

Elevation- scaps move up

Depression- scaps move down

Upward rotation- bottom of scaps move away from spine, top of scaps move toward spine

Downward rotation- bottom of scaps move toward spine, top of scaps move away from spine

Internal rotation (really arm movement)

External rotation (really arm movement)

Exercise: Sit on floor with legs out straight, arms straight up overhead, shoulders depressed.
Elevate scapulas as only movement to touch partner’s hands positioned just above. Each time
partner moves hands slightly higher

Exercise (scap push ups): In with plank with full scapular protraction, hold for 3 seconds then
partner touches spine; move to full retraction, then back up. 10 reps

-Progression: Shift forward to tops of toes, feet straight, shoulders in front of feet

Un-coupling movement- reversing commonly paired movement patterns to increase movement

Upward rotation and elevation / downward rotation and depression- practice inverting
movements to upward rotation and depression / downward rotation and elevation

Pelvic movement

Anterior tilt- front of pelvis tips downward; glutes and abs are turned of

Posterior tilt- front of pelvis tips backwards; glutes and abs and engaged. (Couples with feet
turning out)

Chest movement

Open chest couples with protraction and external rotation

Closed chest couples with retraction and internal rotation

Exercise: Lay down, knees bent, feet together, arms crossed, posterior pelvic tilt (low back flat)

-Partner slides hand to butt; minimal posterior pelvic tilt to lift butt out of the way

-Partner slides hand to low back; minimal anterior pelvic tilt to lift low back out of the way

-Partner slides hand to shoulders; minimal shoulder elevation (like beginning of a sit-up) to lift
shoulders out of the way

-Partner chooses at random which points to move toward; singling visibly where s/he is going

-Goal with all partner exercises is to have partner succeed 80% of the time. This allows them to
work at a pace that is functional and shows results. Do not make too easy but not seek to trick
or beat, this does not allow for optimal growth but focuses attention of frustration.

Handstand

-One necessary aspect of a handstand is having your center of mass over your point of contact
with the ground

-Should be as straight as possible, not “hollow”

-Need stability to remain rigid with mass over support

-To spot a chest to wall handstand, squat down in a wide stance, cup under partner’s shoulders
and brace as they walk up and when they come down
Exercise: “Front line drill” lay on face, feet together, arms out 45 degrees. Partner rotates your
hips into a posterior tilt, belly button should stay on the floor. Practice a steady hold, partner
poking to test glute and ab contraction 60 seconds.

-Same as above, only arms over head with hands and wrists slightly elevated of the
ground

-Same as above only hold a PVC overhead. If you lose tilt or bodyline three times move back in
the progression

Wrist prep- low dosages as a part of your warm-up

First knuckle raises: Plank with index fingers parallel. Press of palms onto only fingers (whole
fingers, not tips), thumbs of ground

-Steps down: on knees; on knees, butt on heels; leaning against wall

Fin push-ups: Push-ups on wrists with fingers pointed back. Hands should be wide enough that
forearms are vertical at bottom.

-Same step down variations

Dorsal push-ups: Push-ups with arms internally rotated, ideally pinkys pointed back, at least
inward.

Example of hand balancing session:

General mobility work

Specific joint prep (shoulders/wrists) 1-3 sets

Bodyline work (front line drill 60 sec/ rest 60 sec 3-5 sets)

Chest to wall handstands 30-60 sec 1-1 work to rest ratio (make sure to use the same variation as
the bodyline drill)

Extra wrist prep 3 sets (can do a circuit of 3 exercises, 10 reps, 3 circuits)

Stick drills

Types of grip

Pronated

Suppentated

Eagle (extreme suppenated)

Exercises:

The following are examples of “kinetic koans”

-Hold stick at hips, pike, hold stick with hips and let hands hang. Re-stand

-Variation: same but add squat after pike

-Hold with double supinated grip, slide to one side, twist to eagle and back (rotating body into
open side makes it easier)

-Same thing at eye level, overhead, behind the back (flexing at the pelvis makes it easier), same
between legs

-Hold with one eagle, one supinated grip, slide toward supinated, then rotate to eagle

-Same thing overhead, between legs, in front keeping parallel, behind back

-Grip stick with fingertips, step over one foot at a time then back without touching

-Hope over and back; Jump over and back; Jump over and back of rebound

-Sit with feet of of the ground, hold stick and move from touching hips to butt without touching
your feet

-Progression- same with straight legs; straight feet

-Stick on floor, rotate 360 degrees while keeping stick planted and body on same side (twist stick
around, then lower stick and untwist arm)

-Same in reverse direction

-Same with two sticks (starts the same but once arms are tangled, step out on high arm side. Try
same in reverse direction.

-Lay on back with legs up, stick balancing on feet; end laying on stomach, knees bent with stick
still on feet- don’t use your arms

(two answers: twist to one side; backward roll)

-Activation game: partner drops stick at diferent angles, catch as close to the ground and quietly
as possible

-Try catching in squats

-Try catching in pike

-Partner calls which hand you catch with

Hanging

Anything with an anchor point and straight arm

Scapula and grip tend to bring weak links in pulling movements

If you can’t maintain a particular hang for at least 30 seconds use a support

Look at Dr. Kirsch book on hanging for surgical rehab (this book?)

Types of hang (should be totally relaxed except for grip)

Dead/passive- start with pronated grip, elevate upwardly rotated scapulas

Active- start with depressed scapula

Practice moving from passive to active, hold 3 seconds, dead hang 1 second x10 reps

Arch- “nipples to the sky,” arch and retract scapulas, externally rotate arms
German- Start on low hanging rings and rotate arms into position then squat as low as possible
to simulate full range. Actively protract scapulas

One-arm

Levers

Meat hook

Others

Dynamic hang has movement

Front to back kipping is most common

Side to side is safer and should be taught first. Once swing is strong, practice letting go on flexed
side. Then practice changing grip (supinated to pronated then back)

End of day workout

3s NFT (3 sets not for time):

Active hang variation x5 (arch 3sec, release)

Stomach to wall handstand walk up x3 (bodyline variation)

German hang variation (rings x10 sec)

Scap push-ups (full x10)

Finite isolation

Neck

Hold up index fingers about one inch from either side of chin, practice gliding neck side to side
until touching fingers. No turning or rotating, glide just the head with orientation staying
constant

Same thing but forward and back so that fingers disappear from peripheral vision

Circles

Sternum

Hold arms straight out to sides, practice gliding sternum side to side. No turning or rotating
chest or hips, glide just chest keeping arm and hip orientation constant

Simple seeming movements but hard to do, present a new neural pattern. Once you are able to
do one easily, find a new challenge

Exercises:

-Partner chops to neck slowly, glide away, then back and around

-Shoulder blades depressed, chop under ear, drop head to shoulder then down and around.
Think about head moving forward and down not just down

-Arms straight out to sides, partner chops to ribs, glide away then back and around

-Arms straight out to sides, partner chop to ribs, flex sternum to side, then rotate forward and
down and around

-Arms straight out to sides, partner chop to ribs, flex sternum to side, then rotate backward and
down and around (if needed can flex hips, tilt head back, raise heels to make easier)

-Partner squats and chops to waist, glide pelvis to side then hinge and circle backward and
around (if needed can bend knees or raise heels to make easier)

-Partner squats and chops to knees, rotate each knee inward, back and around as needed
-Combine diferent heights at random with other random chops.

-Combine at random but include stepping

-Combine at random, responder avoids as much as needed then stays still until next chop

-Person chopping closes their eyes

-Everything without having to remain in spot (??)

Try to maintain consistent speed

Zen archer game

Participants walk around the room making eye contact with everyone they pass. When the
moderator says “start” one person begins as an “attacker” the other “defender.” Do nto bother
talking, someone will naturally assume the role and start attacking by slowly ingressing with all
body parts in all manner of movement. The defended flows with them, moving all ways possible
to avoid while staying close. On cue change roles or continue walking until you start again.

-Can be done with variations such as defender maintains point of contact with a wall

-Example of an “eternal game.” It has the right tools to be played forever like soccer, wrestling,
etc.
Day 2 Session 2

Human movement 101

With the spine we organize the body in space: needs mobility

With the hands we manipulate: needs complexity of range, ability to control loads

With the legs we create locomotion: needs strength and power

Mobility trumps stability

Scapulas create complexity, hips create intensity

Closed kinetic chain: Center of body mass moves toward the peripheral

Open kinetic chain: Peripheral moves toward the center of body mass

Why gymnastics is preferred for upper body training

More complexity

Complexity creates transferability of strength to other applications

Weight training is too specific in it’s range of motion/ expression of strength

Straight arm, bent arm, push, pull all at many angles- if you move to a new discipline you
probably have something that works for it

Certain amounts of risk allows for greater activation- need to find the sweet spot where there is
the right ratio

Develops proprioception and a lot of other attributes beyond strength

Develops grip strength

Those who work with closed kinetic chains fare better with an open kinetic chain than the
inverse

Multi-planar movement
Develops stability

Rings are “sweet spot” of instability that still allows loadability

Rings can transition between push and pull

Moves from isolation to integration to improvisation

Improvisation is the heart of the human condition: expression

Need to develop false grip- used as a support mechanism during the transition from pull to push

Grip

Start by gripping at the top of the ring

Rotate until grip is under the strap

Close elbows in toward one another to lock the grip

Start high with bent elbows and feet on ground for 15 second hold.

Progress to full hang with eagle grip

With grip think about actively suppenating

Support (at the top of the muscle up/finish)

Most important things are scapular depression and full elbow lock out

Rings turned out 30-45 degrees increases instability (2nd step in progression)

Release contact with straps by moving rings out from body (3rd step in progression)

Try 3 sets of 15 seconds hang, rest, then 15 seconds

From hang practice pulling rings to chest. Be in active arch

From support dip until forearm touches biceps

-To reduce instability have partner touch your wrists with her/his fingers

Bottom of dip: elbows up, forearm and biceps touching, thumbs touching body

From bottom of dip, keep thumbs touching body and trace body line (around edge of chest) until
in false grip hang. Hold for one minute x2 sets.
Bent arm strength workout examples

For beginners

AMRAP 30min (as many reps as possible) rest as little as needed

10-30 seconds eccentric dip + 10-30 seconds eccentric chin

90 seconds external rotation work x3 sets

Intermediate, working toward muscle up

AMRAP 30min

2 reps false grip pull up + 5 seconds pause on second rep

2 dips: 3 second eccentric, no pause at bottom, fast as possible concentric, 1 second pause

Muscle up transitions 60 seconds, 60-90 seconds rest x3 sets

Working to get multiple muscle ups

AMRAP 20-30min

1 muscle up + 2 second pause RTO (rings turned out) support and controlled eccentric

Advanced rIng routine, 3-5 sets:

2-4 muscle ups

L-sit 5 seconds

Shoulder stand 5 seconds, lower to support

2-4 forward rolls

Roll back, inversion hang

Back lever 5 seconds, pull to front lever 2-4 reps

3-5 minutes rest

Sample 8-day program

Bent arm strength

Straight arm strength

Rest

x2