Wow, I really really appreciate you digging that video up and taking a real look. Answers:
* Active compression has been an on-and-off thing for me. I know that Tiny Coach (we'll call her that for now) has very specific drills about that, to the level of "use your psoas, not your quads" but in the meantime: only sometimes. Passive has been consistent.
* Shoulders can get open to 180 but it's not super comfortable. I've gotten there in the pike-press-from-desk exercise, like you found, and on the wall if I'm back-to-wall and doing a backbend so my butt is on the wall and my legs are up -- somewhere, I have a picture -- but my comfort isn't there and control isn't really great. Regarding the straight position, I think I revert to a place where my balance is better and I'm not having to use 90% of my neurons to keep my ribs in and shoulders open. Maybe it would be better to work it until I can get there actively and be more comfortable?
I saw your post on Insta about losing your press and, when I look at your successful presses, I do see a position that I don't go through. Which is: shoulders allll the way open while your legs are still down, like me with my pike-press-from-desk except straddled. There is probably a big clue there.
Overall, I agree I probably have the pieces now and am not DOING the right things.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2025-05-01 12:27 pm (UTC)* Active compression has been an on-and-off thing for me. I know that Tiny Coach (we'll call her that for now) has very specific drills about that, to the level of "use your psoas, not your quads" but in the meantime: only sometimes. Passive has been consistent.
* Shoulders can get open to 180 but it's not super comfortable. I've gotten there in the pike-press-from-desk exercise, like you found, and on the wall if I'm back-to-wall and doing a backbend so my butt is on the wall and my legs are up -- somewhere, I have a picture -- but my comfort isn't there and control isn't really great. Regarding the straight position, I think I revert to a place where my balance is better and I'm not having to use 90% of my neurons to keep my ribs in and shoulders open. Maybe it would be better to work it until I can get there actively and be more comfortable?
I saw your post on Insta about losing your press and, when I look at your successful presses, I do see a position that I don't go through. Which is: shoulders allll the way open while your legs are still down, like me with my pike-press-from-desk except straddled. There is probably a big clue there.
Overall, I agree I probably have the pieces now and am not DOING the right things.