Starr H/M/L with handstand work

[David_S]

Hi KSC,

I'm setting up a Starr H/M/L and one of my goals is getting a free-standing handstand down (while progressing on my lifts). This is what I've come up with, I just want to make sure I'm on the right track.

Heavy/Mon
Squat, Press, Power Clean (all 3 x 3reps, across)

Medium/Wed
Squat, Power Clean (both 2 x 3reps, 90% of Mon)
Press to Handstand (as medium press, sort of)

Light/Fri
Squat, Power Clean (2x3 reps, 80% of Mon)
Handstand practice (as light press, sort of)

How much weight do you use on the heavy day relative to, say, a triple that I know I can do? Does this look reasonable for incorporating the handstand work?

Some great info on here, thank you!
David

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I've never done the HLM set up using all triples, so I don't know what is going to happen. 3x3 for a heavy day would probably be around 90-95% of a max triple.....just off the top of my head.

I would probably do like 4-8 weeks worth of 5's, hitting PR's in the last few weeks of the program, and then do 4-6 weeks of triples, trying for PR's on the last 2-3 weeks. Similar setup and concept to the old madcow 5x5 that floated around the net for all those years.

I have no idea on handstands. I quit doing them after 5th grade.

[D.W.]

I doubt handstands have any influence on your training. If you do a full gymnastics training there could be a problem, but just handstands is not much work. You could even press or bench on these days.
The handstand is mostly about coordination and skill, not so much about strength. In my gymnastics training are girls who can do a handstand for minutes and have a hard time doing 10 pushups.

[David_S]

So say, heavy day ramp 5 sets to a heavy set, med day ramp to a slightly lighter set of 5, and light day lighter still and only 4 sets, or something like that? I was not familiar with the madcow program so I had to Google it.

Thanks for your help

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

You could do sets across or ramped sets depending on your age, strength, and recuperative abilities. I personally like sets across and doing 5x5 heavy, 5x5 -20% of Monday, 5x5 -10% of Monday. When you delload to 3x3, this will produce a tremendous rebound effect. Otherwise, ramp up to a heavy set of 5, but keep the offset percentages the same.

[David_S]

Thank you again KSC I will follow your advice

D.W. - I would like to eventually progress toward more difficult skills (planche, front lever) and the only day I'm really doing "just handstands" is on light day right now (though I do work them throughout the week, I do more on light day). On heavy day it's heavy presses, and medium day is a straight-armed press from tuck planche to a handstand which seems to be somewhere between the two in terms of strength required. Do you think I should still press/bench at least on medium day? On both days? I appreciate the input.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

For HLM pressing work I really like the Bench-Press-Incline set up.

[D.W.]

I would just do the usual strength routine and not worry about the gymnastic stuff hindering your progress. If you don't do it before your strength training it will have positive effects and not make you weaker.
I don't know what your strength levels, recovery etc. are, so it's probably the best to test it and if you are sore/ tired/ weak on bench or presses cut back with the handstand work.

Hope this helps you.

[David_S]

Alright awesome, thanks both of you for your help

[Daniel's Jack]

A question regarding your favorite pressing setup:

For HLM pressing work I really like the Bench-Press-Incline set up.

According to PPST2 by Rip light intensity would mean something like 5 reps at 70% of 1RM (while ~85% would be "heavy").

Does this mean you train the press at reduced intensity all the time?
Or do you treat the press as an inherently "light" exercise and use higher intensity? If so, do both lifts progress weekly? Because in the Texas Method you only add weight to the press/bench every 2nd week.

I know, a lot of questions but I am confused about how to apply the Starr Method.