THE WHAT & HOW:
These progressive 'shoulder-loading' variations are used to condition & strengthen the anterior shoulders & upper-back muscles, as well as hip-flexion & the abdominal "crunch" toward maximising 'compression' potential (the ACTIVE forward-folding strength compressing the upper-body...

THE WHAT:
A locomotive pattern for developing & conditioning overhead straight-arm strength. Whilst the contexts are entirely scalable to the practitioner, a MAXIMAL effort should be made for a straight-arm, overhead press on each "step", regardless of variation.

As strength & mobility come to b...

THE WHAT:
The 'Cast Walk' is a straight-arm strength (SAS) development context in which the strength-curve is maximal in the LAST 90-degrees (90-180) of arm-flexion (i.e. arms straight out in front, until overhead). This makes it particularly valuable in developing the strength of straight-arm, O...

THE WHAT:
A wall-supported drill which isolates the 'open/closed' shoulder-pattern whilst maintaing a tight line, also developing straight-arm strength in the process. It is an accessible & useful accessory development tool toward building the 'press HS', 'handstand pushup', and also contributes ...

THE WHAT:
Patterning the open-to-closed & closed-to-open-shoulder handstand forms with an eye toward its application in progressive handstand strength movements, such as the 'Press HS' and 'HS pushup'. In the press-handstand, it represents the final 'opening' of the shoulders after the press whic...

THE WHAT & HOW:
An accessory tool for developing an understanding of the patterning & "firing-sequence" for the straddle press-HS, namely: 1. OPEN-straddle (open = the open HIP angle), 2. CLOSED-straddle (closed = the closed HIP angle), 3. Lumbar-'curl', 4. Compress & pike.

It should be noted t...

THE WHAT:
Whilst this context does not significantly contribute to the straight-arm strength required to perform the full 'Press handstand', it allows development of the "popping" texture required for an efficient jump-up into straddle-handstand position which contributes to calibration of power-...

THE WHAT & HOW:
A supported context which develops transferable strength and patterning toward the full 'Straddle press-handstand'. It is important to note from the outset that the effectiveness of this drill is very much determined by the available range in your 'Pancake' form, as well as your a...

THE WHAT:
A wall-supported patterning & straight-arm strength development drill toward developing understanding & capacities to perform the press HS. It is important to note from the outset that the effectiveness of this drill is very much determined by the available range in your 'Pancake' form,...

THE WHAT & HOW:
Development of the 'Straddle press-handstand' benefits from an understanding of the isolated 'open/closed' straddle phase of the press "firing-sequence", one already established in practice of the 'Lying press-HS pattern'. Brought now into balancing inversion, the 'Open-straddle, ...

THE WHAT:
Straight-arm strength (SAS) & patterning development of the 'high-press' phase of the straddle press-handstand, incorporating both the eccentric AND concentric-phases. Whist the first context isolates the “open/closed” shoulder-pattern necessary for bringing the shoulders BACK over the ...

THE WHAT:
For those endowed with a high-capacity in straight-arm strength pressing or significant active-range in leg-abduction & compression (or, even more fortunate, both at the same time), these conceptually-progressive ‘Full-range straddle press-HS’ variations may be immediately available for...

THE WHAT:
Contexts for developing toward the 'Pike press-HS', a straight-arm strength context which essentially involves lifting the legs, straight & TOGETHER, from the floor into a handstand, and back then back again, in a controlled manner.

As having the legs straight and together to the FRONT...

THE WHAT & HOW:
An integrated SAS/S context which transitions from a DOWNWARD-pushing 'L-sit', through the HORIZONTAL arc of a "piked" planche-form, and then finishing with a maximal OVERHEAD press.

In optimal execution, the sensation will be of a "locking out" overhead, as in the "take-off" pha...

THE WHAT & HOW:
An integrated SAS/S context which transitions from a DOWNWARD-pushing 'L-sit', through the HORIZONTAL arc of a "piked" planche-form, finishing with an OVERHEAD ‘Pike-press’ into the Handstand form… and then returning again.

It brings the ‘low-press’ aspect into the ‘Pike press-HS...

THE WHAT:
An integrated straddle-compression (i.e. active lifting of the extended legs) and straight-arm scapular-strength (SASS) drill in the context of vertical pushing. Ultimately, these two aspects integrate into a fundamental isometric form which both serves for strength-conditioning and 'ac...

THE WHAT:
Isolated pieces for development toward the "Stalder-press", an integrated straight-arm strength & balance skill which demonstrates an optimal marriage between strength, mobility, & handstand development.

These contexts are used for specifically developing straight-arm strength in the "...

THE WHAT & HOW:
Progressions for practicing the eccentric 'stalder-press', an integrated straight-arm strength & balance skill which demonstrates an optimal marriage between strength, mobility, & handstand development.

Whilst straight-arm strength & front-folding/pancake forms must be of a certa...

THE WHAT:
The mighty ‘Stalder-press’. For those with the ‘Straddle press-handstand’ in sights, or even already proficient in multiple reps, there is a voice in the back of the mind which knows that the work is never really complete until the full ‘Stalder’ has been “unlocked” – and for good reaso...