Overhead Pistol & Side Pistol

[Combat Student]

I hope this is the correct place to post this.
I'm sure folks somewhere/sometime have tried this. I just used a 15lb DB overhead & did a pistol on each leg. I held the DB up with the same side as the working leg. I did opposite arm/leg, but that felt awkward. I also did a Side Pistol. The Side Pistol was definitely a test of balance as much as strength.
Jim

[Lumpy Gravy]

I wrote a little peice on this where used two cb's and did an armpit cast, a head cast, and an iron cross while performing a pistol. Pretty tough. Until I tried this I never realized how much strength is derived from the legs because once my stable base was taken away, the movements became 10x harder. I just got an indo board, so maybe I'll take it up a level. ;)

[Flatland]

Paul-
You will have "fun" with clubbells on the Indo board. :wink:

Once you get used to the board, walk out to the nose into the classic "hang 10" position, and then try to do a pistol. With only bodyweight, you will still feel like you are lifting a heavy weight. (also, the pattern of muscular recruitment is a bit different, as the board will incline forward slightly. Feels like it becomes more quad dominant) Two 10 lb. Clubbells in this position was a max effort lift for me.

On a side note, I think you posted in a program log earlier in the year that you were working on the planche and front lever progressions from DD. Are you still working on these, and how did that go?

Scott Hagnas, CST
Camas, WA

[Combat Student]

Paul,
I read your article & got the idea to try a Squatting Club Iron Cross on my Bongo Board (similar to the Indo). It is definitely tough.
Scott,
If I was to try a pistol on my Bongo Board how should I position myself? I'm not sure what the "hang 10" position is?
Regards,
Jim

[Lumpy Gravy]

I'll definately give that a whirl, Scott. I've just gotten to the point where I can keep the board steady, do a very small ollie, and squat without my legs shaking, so I still have a little ways to go. I haven't had it for a week yet though. ;) As for the front lever and planche stuff, I stopped regularly training it, but I still do at least once a week. I can hold the tuck planche for about 5-10 seconds now, and I can do the straddle front lever for a good amount of time.

[Flatland]

Jim-
I'm not sure how the bongo might differ from the Indo, but this is how I do it. After you are balanced in the normal way, pivot one foot 90 degrees so it is on the nose of the board, then roll out to that foot. This foot will be centered over the roller, allowing you to unweight the back foot and bring it forward alongside the other. You will be standing parallel to the length of the board, and crosswise to the roller. Now, lift one foot carefully, and do a pistol. Reverse the steps to get out. This is pretty tough, especially holding clubbells!

Paul- I have been working with those holds also, and have gotten maddeningly close to the 60 second mark (56 seconds) in both the tuck planche and flat back tuck front lever. They seem slow to develop! My best progress came when I did a GTG week, doing 3 holds daily, to a RPE of 6-7. Now that I have finished my OCS cycle, I am going to try that again.

Earlier in the year, I got an opportunity to see world champion ringman Jordan Jovtchev when I filmed him for Tyler Hass' Ring Strength DVD. As a warmup, Jordan hopped on the parallel bars and got into a full planche, then did planche pushups, accelerating on each rep!! :shock: After struggling with the tuck version, this seems almost superhuman.

Scott Hagnas, CST
Camas, WA

[Combat Student]

Scott,
Thanks I'll give it a shot & see how it goes.
Jim