Easily get the Straddle Planche in Street Workout

Hi there, Ihope you're well!

After having written an article on how to obtain the Flag, the Front Lever or even succeed in holding Handstand, we're going to tackle another mythical Street Workout figure: the Straddle Planche.
In this article, we'll look at the prerequisites for success on this figure, as well as the best possible training structure, the alternatives, the equipment to have and the techniques tolimit injuries. 

Let's go it's on! 🔥

PREREQUISITE STRADDLE PLANCHE

For the plank prerequisites, it's best to hold the Tuck Plank for 12 to 15 seconds. This is essential, not only for your muscles to get used to this position, but also for your perception of your body in space. 

Have a good Handstand and Back Lever will help you greatly, it will strengthen your elbows and teach you to put them in the right direction.

Finally, having strong and flexible wrists will be essential for obtaining this figure, we do not want the wrists to limit our performance.

WARM-UP 

 Before tackling the Straddle Planche, we advise you towarm up your shoulders, elbows and wrists, as they will be under considerable stress during the effort. 

You can perform scapular push-ups, classic push-ups, pull-ups, Handstand or Tuck Planche. 

Now you're ready to get started! 💪

THE EXECUTION OF THE STRADDLE PLANCHE ?

If you're a beginner, there are several important steps to follow. 

Before each level, we recommend that you place your hands outwards to avoid putting too much tension on them.

To move from one level to the next, you can film yourself making sure your position is perfect. And off you go! 

Level 1: 

In squatting position, you have to put your hands on the paddles and place your knees at the same height as your elbows. In order to have a better center of gravity it will be necessary to advance slightly the shoulders towards the front.

As you repeat, you'll be able to hold on longer and longer and find your reference points more easily.

Level 2: 

You'll have to do the same thing, but this time remove the knee support and place your legs on the inside of your arms. You'll notice that it gets harder, but don't panic, just get used to it and repeat the movement as often as possible. The Plank is one of the hardest Street Workout exercises there is, so you'll be proud of yourself as you gradually work your way through the stages. 

The goal will be to increase the angle thigh / bust, the idea is to move the thighs away from the bust as much as possible to end up at 90 °. 

Level 3:

Once you've consolidated step 2, the aim of this level is to spread your thighs when you're at 90°. Try to hold this position as long as possible, and you'll be ready for the final step. 

For levels 3 and 4, it is possible to use an elastic band to be placed on the pelvis to stay in levitation and have a glimpse of the final result.  

Level 4:

You're almost there! Now you're going to have to spread your legs and stretch them as far as you can.  

This step is difficult, but there's no reason why you can't do it. The more you repeat the movement, the greater your progress will be towards the ultimate step: getting your full board.   

EQUIPMENT TO HAVE 

When performing the plank, your hands will be under a great deal of strain. That's why we recommend using either low or high parallettes, depending on your preference.

Whether you have fragile wrists or not, this equipment will be of great importance. It's not very pleasant to put your hands on the floor, which can be cold or hot depending on the season, or simply dirty.

STRADDLE PLANCHE TRAINING

Exercise 1: 

Let's start the workout with the hardest one: 4 sets of your max time. You can start lifting the plank via the floor or from a handstand. We advise you to come down as slowly as possible from the handstand, this is a better way to enter Straddle more progressively with better form.  

Exercise 2: 

We pass now on the Tuck Planche Push Ups with 3 series of your maximum. Alternating between isometric, negative and straight/bent arm work allows you to work efficiently and be as complete as possible. 

Remember to write down the number of repetitions for each set on your phone so that you'll want to do more the next time! 

Exercise 3: 

We're going back to Tuck Planche maxes, so we're going to want to give it our all and work on our mental strength. Your goal will be to achieve 45 to 60 seconds of Tuck Planche over all your cumulative sets. If it takes you 6 or 7 sets, don't stop until you've reached your target.   

Exercise 4: 

Finally, the Facing Wall HSPU is an excellent exercise for training your shoulders. You can do 2-3 sets of your maximum reps. 

Now you've got the routine for getting and improving your Straddle Planche, all you have to do is apply it. 

LIMIT INJURIES

To limit injuries, it's important to have the right equipment, such as parallettes, to limit the strain on your joints. 

Strengthening your flexors and extensors is a good way to avoid injury, and you can incorporate exercises into your routine such as push-ups on the back of the hands, working your false grip with pull-ups or slow muscle-ups. Finally, you can use an elastic band to extend your wrists. 

That's it for this article about the Straddle Planche. 

I hope you enjoyed it! Don't hesitate to visit our sports store to get the best equipment for your quest for this emblematic figure of street workout. 

See you soon, 

Eric Flag