Planche Lean

What is Planche Lean:

The Planche Lean, planche hold specifically, is a foundational bodyweight static pushing exercise primarily working the shoulder flexors, particularly the anterior deltoids. In this exercise, you lean your body forward while maintaining straight arms and a neutral spine, mimicking the mechanics of the advanced planche hold and putting most of your weight on your shoulders. It serves as a preparatory drill for achieving the planche— a challenging gymnastic and calisthenics move where the body is held parallel to the ground with no leg support.

Key Benefits:

  • Strength Development: Builds upper body and core strength, particularly in the shoulders, triceps, and scapular stabilizers.
  • Biceps Tendon Resiliency: This exercise puts the biceps tendon under great load in the lengthened position, strengthening the tendon.
  • Wrist Mobility and Resiliency: Enhances the wrist joints' mobility and resiliency, making them less prone to injuries.
  • Skill Progression: Acts as a stepping stone toward unlocking the full planche and other advanced straight-arm bodyweight moves.
  • Convenience: This exercise can be performed virtually anywhere without equipment, making it accessible and convenient for most individuals.

Variations:

  • Tuck Planche: An advanced variation with no support from the legs and the legs tucked to the chest.
  • Advanced Tuck Planche: An advanced variation with no support from the legs and the lower back extended, hips flexed at around 90 degrees, and knee flexed at around 140 degrees.
  • Straddle Planche: An advanced variation with no support from the legs and an extended lower back, hips and knees, and straddled legs.
  • Half-lay Planche: An advanced variation with no support from the legs, the lower back and hips extended, and around 90 degrees of knee flexion.
  • Planche: An advanced variation with no leg support and an extended lower back, hips, and knees.
  • Elevated Planche Lean: Performing the exercise with the leg elevated, increasing the load on the shoulders.
  • Maltese: A more advanced variation than the planche performed with the arms spread out as much as possible.

Grip Variations:

  • On Parallettes - Easier on the wrists.
  • On Rings - Harder due to instability. The longer the straps, the less stable it becomes.
  • Pronated Hand Position - Most stress on the wrists.
  • Neutral Hand Position - Less stress on the wrists.
  • Supinated Hand Position - More stress on the biceps tendon and least stress on the wrists.

How to perform Planche Lean:

  • Setup: Begin in a high plank or push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward or slightly outward.
  • Engagement: Keep your arms straight, shoulders protracted and depressed, and core and glutes engaged.
  • Entry: Gradually shift your weight on your shoulders by leaning forward as far as you can manage and control.
  • Hold Position: Hold the position for your desired duration or as long as you can without form breakdown, then stop once your form starts to degrade.
  • Release: Either slowly shift your weight back by leaning backward to the starting position or use one of your legs to stop the exercise and catch yourself.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Deep then Shallow Breaths: Take a deep breath as you go into the position, then take shallow breaths while holding the position at a comfortable interval.
  • Avoid Holding your Breath: Unless what you're doing lasts only a few seconds and you can endure holding your breath without issue, it's advisable to not hold it as this could lead to lightheadedness.
  • Shoulder Rotation: Maintain some degree of internal shoulder rotation for shoulder stability and optimal performance.
  • Scapular Position: Maintain depression and protraction of the scapulae for optimal performance.
  • Toes: Let your toes point backward as you lean forward enough, making it serve as a limiter to your leaning so you don't overdo it and collapse.
  • Hand Position: Turn your hands slightly outwards so that the gap of your thumb and index finger forms a wide v-shape pointing straight forward to reduce the strain on your wrists.
  • Surface Texture: If you have sweaty palms, either opt for a surface texture that is not slippery and provides a good grip or use something like a rubber mat to overcome this issue to not mess with your confidence and focus in your training.
  • Alternatives: Since this exercise has the most demand on the shoulders and biceps, you can instead train for it and its other advanced variations using other exercises that work those muscle groups to a high degree, especially the shoulders with exercises like pike and handstand push-ups.
  • Use Parallettes: Parallettes or yoga blocks can reduce wrist strain and improve control by allowing you to use your grip more efficiently.
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    Additional Information:

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Repping out the entrance - hold for a second or how long you want, then back and repeat
    • Decreasing the forward lean
    • Using external force for support - resistance bands, a partner, or something
    • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Holding it for as long as you can
    • Doing it on a declined position
    • Leaning forward as far as you can
    • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise