Training edition

Here's this week's round up of your questions! If you want to submit your question, you can do so here:

I'm a handstand beginner. Can you share exercises to help with my handstand line? In standing, I can engage my core/pelvic muscles without any issues, but when I climb up a wall to get into a handstand position, I have an arch in my back/banana back and I can't engage my core/pelvic muscles.

First, I'd check your shoulder motion. If you don't have full shoulder motion in standing aka can't keep the back against a wall as you reach your hands straight overhead with your arms touching your shoulders, you're going to have troubles keeping the back flat in a handstand as your back is going to compensate for the lack of shoulder motion. This will cause the banana back and make it more difficult to engage the core!

If your shoulder motion is good, it's likely a strength/body awareness issue and adding in some drills to build strength and get used to being upside down would be helpful!

I do have 3 handstand programs in my app (handstand prep, strength, and balance) that have a ton of exercises to help!

The handstand prep program will help improve overhead shoulder motion and start to get you comfortable being upside down and putting weight through the arms. The handstand strength program will help you get even more comfortable being upside down and help you build the strength needed for handstands.

Is the foot and ankle prehab program good for runners?

Shoutout to @jamileloorena for asking! If you want your question answered, make sure you fill out the google form linked at the top or bottom of the email!

As always it depends! I'd say it wouldn't be bad to go through it or take a look at it, but especially if you have a history of foot/ankle issues (or even knee issues) it may not be a bad idea to do the full program.

It's more specific vs. a full lower body program so there aren't many compound exercises in it. But if you wanted to do the foot and ankle prehab program with the strength fundamentals 1 program, that would give you a bit of compound work as well!

Eventually, I'd like to have a strength training for runners program, but it's on the list for now along with many other programs! This month, I'm focusing on adding an intermediate mobility program!

It's hard for me to imagine I will achieve all the things. What helped you stay consistent in the beginning and seeing the end posture when it was not there?

Shoutout to Eni for asking! If you want your question answered, make sure you fill out the google form linked at the top or bottom of the email!

To be honest, at this point, I've learned that things take time and that if you work on too many things at once, that impacts your progress. At one point, I did things I wasn't quite ready for and ended up tweaking something and getting injured. I've spent years working on a ton of different things without making a lot of progress on anything.

Over the last year was the first time I truly focused my training again on a particular skill. This was when I actually made progress and got a new skill for the first time in a really long time.

Knowing that helps keep me focused on the small wins that come with the progress and focusing on the steps along the way are super helpful!

Can you recommend some exercises for strengthening the wrists? Recent KB routines with cleans/presses have taken a toll.

Shoutout to Joe for asking! If you want your question answered, make sure you fill out the google form linked at the top or bottom of the email!

I actually have a Youtube video talking about wrist health, although it more focuses on improving tolerance for weight bearing, there are some useful things in there! Plus, I also have a follow along wrist prep workout in the app too!

If your wrist is bothering you with KB work, I'd check your KB technique and make sure you're using the appropriate grip for a KB (and not a barbell) and then also work more on grip strength with some focus on eccentrics for the wrist extensors.

Where to start mobility training for (older) beginning triathlete and KB enthusiast?

You can include some of the mobility work with your KB training! Honestly @everygotdamndre is a great resource for that!

Always start where you are and progress from there! It doesn't have to be crazy! If you're looking for a basic mobility training program for beginners, my anti-sitting mobility program can be a great start or if you're looking for something a bit more challenging, I'll have an intermediate mobility program added in September in the app!

Do you think a lack of flexibility prevents muscle growth? I'm so tight from bodybuilding

At a certain point it can play a role, especially if you're not able to perform an exercise throughout the full range as using the full range can help improve muscle growth.

Is it going to make or break anything if you're a little stiff, but if it's extreme, than I'd say it can impact muscle growth as it impacts quality of motion.

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That's it for this week! If you have any questions to clarify my answers or found it super helpful, go ahead and hit that reply button!

Don't forget you can ask your questions below to be featured in an upcoming email!

Best, Laura Kummerle No one is perfect, and that in itself, is perfect!

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