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How to train for a seated straddle press with no strength?
Heya, I’ve just done a great stretching session- around an hour I guess- and I am progressing really well. I see improvement every single time I stretch.
BUT I cannot for the life of me do the move where you sit with legs apart in a straddle position and put our hands in front of you and just lift your bum off the ground- it’s a precursor move to a full straddle press and I can’t do it. At all.
I don’t know what to do to get strength for press movements (ie press handstands etc) because I can’t even do the introductory moves that are supposed to get you strong enough for the full move.
Here’s a youtube clip that shows the easy version- I can’t even get my bum off the ground, let alone my legs 🙁
So I don’t know what I can do to work up to this… anyone?
It’s like my body simply doesn’t even know where to start with this and getting my core and shoulders strong enough to do this move is a goal of mine so any advice would be great 🙂
Cheers,
Emma x -
18 Replies
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Whoops… here’s the link haha https://youtu.be/bMB4qc6YJ28
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Have you ever been pregnant and if so were you checked for diastasis recti? Just a thought as the core muscles used on the exercises shown would be negatively impacted by that condition. The exercises done to recover from it could potentially assist in strengthening for the straddle press. Disclaimer: not medical person
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Where the muscles split? Yeah- I have that.
I also had a 5cm wide hernia in my pelvic wall fixed last year after they managed to herniate the whole area doing extensive plating and bone grafts after my pelvis was broken in 3 places and refused to heal.
So I had my caesarian scar reopened for the hernia repair and my lower belly is definitely weak now.
I also had the split during pregnancy even though I was working 4 nights a week pole dancing and was fit and even slightly underweight, so bad luck on my part I guess.
I’m dealing with a pelvis that looks like this inside now :\
It’s kinda fucked my body up tbqh but I so desperately want to get my strength back…
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Sorry to hear that. Sounds very hard. Did you get given rehab exercises for your core? If not, then starting the diastasis recti rehab programme could help and certainly won’t hurt – Veena will probably have suggestions of which lessons here will help?
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Thanks 🙂 Yeah, it’s been rough- I had a pelvic osteotomy to help fix my hip dusplasia but I had very unusual complications and didn’t heal properly so spent 1 1/2 years on crutches and then on a walking cane (which I still use sometimes).
I get paid next week so I will finally have my years subscription so hopefully there will be exercises outlined that I can do to help strengthen my left leg (It’s flexible, just weak) and my core.
I mean, I can do an invert already on the pole, but there’s definitely areas where I have zero strength :p
Thanks for your help- it never occurred to me that the split muscles would be a problem- my daughter’s 11 now but AFAIK my muscles never healed after my pregnancy- even though she was only 2.5lbs when she was born so it’s not like I got big or anything… just one of those things I guess.
I’ll also ask my GP if he knows of things I could do to help. -
There will be threads here on it and also stuff online. I hope you can get help from GP or women’s physio expert x
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Thanks so much 🙂
I sincerely hope so, it’s just one of those things I’d really like to conquer. I’m already getting close to the front splits and will get there soon but this move has always eluded me so of course I want to get it simply because I can’t haha
Plus I need a photo like this of me grinning ridiculously while doing something super hard hehehe
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I am sure you will get there! It might take self-education, extra workarounds and some regular reconditioning drills but you can heal your core and find your straddle power! And we will all cheer you on!
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Aww thanks 🙂 Everyone here is so supportive, it’s great.
And yep, I’m determined to get it, so I will (at some point haha) -
you might be able to try this: start in the lifted position. meaning, start with your butt already lifted off the ground, but your feet are touching the ground while in a straddle position. from there, just try holding that position and slowly lowering to the ground. this way you are starting with your butt already lifted. this might be easier than trying to lift your butt off the floor. maybe once these get strong you can try lifting later on. I actually really like that video you posted from youtube. I have been using that video as a prep for handstand press. I’m nowhere near a handstand press freestanding, but i am able to handstand press if I use the pole. eventually I want to do it freestanding. I know its frustrating to find prep exercises just so you can do the prep exercises! haha! I’ve had to do the same for almost everything I do in pole. now, it’s kind of fun figuring out how to get there. youre already ahead of the game because you are asking the right questions to get you there. good for you! millions of baby steps will get you there. I’m working on this straddle press too,it is very hard. we will get this!!
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in addition you can strengthen the hip flexors, getting you ready for eventually lifting your feet off the ground in this position by sitting on your butt then lifting your feet. i have found i can lift very much, but even a fraction of an inch is good. do several reps. she may even have that in the youtube video you posted. cant remember…
another way to try lifting your butt is by putting some sort of cushion under your butt and try lifting again. you may find that when you have a little boost you may be able to lift a little bit.
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OMG even the “beginner” variation is NOT easy and there’s no reason to feel you should be able to just up and lift yourself off the floor! I would suggest training with yoga blocks under the hands first. You have to also have a lot of upper body strength!!! If you have had abdominal separation you’ll want to address that first before doing any kind of heavy ab work. Avoid moves like forward plank (facing the floor), crunches and anything that focuses on the rectus abdominis (6 pack) area. Work on exercises that focus on the Transverse abs and obliques!
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Hey Emma! I can’t offer any better advide that all it’s already been given to you but it’s curious how you asked for this and I just happened to achieve it last week! (with both feet still touching the ground, but hey, the rest is up!). I had exactly the same problem as you: I couldn’t lift myself and I didn’t even know how to get better. In my case I wanted to lift myself to be able to do the middle split better (I don’t know if I explain myself correctly, I’m not checking the dictionary). The only thing I did was try it every time I was stretching during class, which was twice a week. Two weeks later I did it! And I was able to “walk” with my hands too (because at first I could lift myself but I couldn’t move at all).
So I can assure you you will get there! Ah, don’t forget to show us a pic! 😉
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I agree with Veena, that beginner variation is still very hard. something I should point out is that video is targeted to experienced gymnasts. she is a gymnastics coach and her audience is generally gymnasts. so yes, even the beginner version is crazy hard.
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I just want to point out that, yes, this is the start position for the seated straddle press but it is also one of the most difficult parts of the move. You can still definitely train other areas of the press. For example; holding a free standing handstand, standing straddle press, lowering out of handstand with control (into standing and eventually into sitting), and the list goes on. Try working on other parts of the goal and you will build the strength to do the more difficult parts. I hope that helps and good luck this is a very difficult and advanced move… regardless of how many 6 year old gymnasts are doing it on youtube. ☺ ☺ ☺
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