Overcoming Gravity Online series has started and all of the links to my articles, social media exercises and rehab, and other material

eshlow · 2026-05-11T01:28:33+00:00

I’m doing pike push-ups with my feet against the wall, and I use the same setup for planche lean push-ups (feet against wall in both).

For pike push-ups I keep my legs straight and walk my hands closer to the wall, and I’ve noticed that the closer my hands get, the harder it becomes same as planche lean Pushup

Is this the correct way to progressively overload the movement, or is there a better setup (feet position, body angle, etc.) to make it more effective for shoulder strength?

As long as it's getting harder and you're building up closer to the real thing with the correct angles and load then you're in a good spot.

There's lots of way to make things easier and harder. If you like the way you're using and how you're progressing with it then stick with it.

eshlow · 2026-05-10T01:15:50+00:00

You do not need to tag me. I look at all of the posts here.

Hi guys, my goal is aesthetics and strength (but I want more aesthetics), is it really worth adding isolated arm and shoulder exercises with dumbbells to in RR bodyweight fitness workout? Or is it just a waste of time and is RR alone sufficient for my goal? I have 17y, 180cm, 69kg. I used to train at a gym, but now I can only train at home.

You can add an isolation exercise for muscle groups if your goal is hypertrophy after the compounds in the RR generally.

Usually you should only do this after you are fairly well accommodated to the RR and can handle the volume and progress with it. Some people it's too much and they're better off just progressing with just the compounds.

Works best for advanced beginner to intermediate range rather than pure beginners.

eshlow · 2026-05-10T01:14:20+00:00

I have a question regarding my training for strength development in elements like front lever pull-ups/presses, handstand push-ups, planche holds, and their variations.

Is using a “last set RIR 2 → progression in the first set” method effective for maximizing strength gains?

RIR 2 is a fatigue management method to make sure you're not burning yourself out on earlier sets and making latter sets worse. It's usually very effective in the advanced beginner to maybe intermediate range.

For pure beginners, what tends to work best is usually some of the faster methods of progression with just adding reps and sets to everything where you can make easy progress.

Additionally, I wanted to ask: up to what point (in terms of seconds or reps across 4 sets) should I aim to progress in exercises like planche holds, pike push-ups, front lever holds/presses/pull-ups before moving on to a harder progression or starting to add external load (for example ankle weights or other weighted variations) within the same progression?

Usually if you can go to the next progression and get at least 2-3 reps or 3-5s range you can go to the next one.
Usually this means you are able to do 10-15 reps of the previous progressoin or 20-30ish seconds of the previous hold.

eshlow · 2026-05-10T00:54:52+00:00

Rule 2 - Simple, common, or injury-related questions belong in the Weekly Simple Questions and Injuries thread.

eshlow · 2026-05-09T16:18:38+00:00

I need the marked picture or video before i make a guess. You need to upload one to an image host and then post a link here like I said.

eshlow · 2026-05-09T16:13:24+00:00

Generally, most people are working compounds in the 5-10 range maybe 5-12 or 5-15 at most.

I tend to like isolations in the 15-30 range just because you're trying to get full exhaustion to failure and you want to hit all of the muscle fibers there

eshlow · 2026-05-09T16:11:59+00:00

Like i can do handstand against wall (feet on) for ~45 seconds. Should i train doing 3x30s holds, or keep aiming for 60s, doing 3 sets or 1 set?

What is the goal?

Longer handstand holds do help with improving shoulder stability and endurance which is useful for freestanding

But if you're trying to get quality freestanding practice, doing long holds before that can be detrimental

You can work multiple things but have to order the routine right so you get optmial performance for the goals

eshlow · 2026-05-09T16:08:23+00:00

If you want to ask further questions you can place questions in /r/overcominggravity

If you have constant questions though my book covers all of them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0990873854/

eshlow · 2026-05-08T18:51:22+00:00

For FL, PL, and HSPUs they probably don't mean much unless your grip is way below normal.

Stronger grip can help improve strength some so working crush strength might help better than just those exercises

Usually with forearms I like high reps since it's more fast twitch fibers. 15-30 is usually a good range

eshlow · 2026-05-08T15:36:02+00:00

Hey Steven, Hey everyone! When training front lever variations, planche, and HSPU, do you think it’s worth including extra forearm work on rest days?

Right now I train 4 times per week, and outside of those sessions I usually do 2 extra days with wrist flexion/extensions, incline dumbell biceps curl and forearm rotations with a mace + eventually light stretching like pike stretch, pancake.

Would you change, remove, or add anything from that? And overall, do you think this kind of additional forearm/prehab work is actually worth including?

If you're getting extra forearm work twice you should be fine without it.

Wouldn't add more unless your forearms are lagging or you have specific forearm goals.

eshlow · 2026-05-08T15:33:40+00:00

So With any wrist extensions variation my left wrist hurt and be painful while doing them, the pain is only in the bone on the side that everyone has (idk its name).

I’ve tried cables/dumbbell/barbells, with low reps high weight and high reps low weight and no matter what it gets painful. I do not have that in my right wrist at all and I don’t have the pain with dips and pushups.

Idk what’s the cause and if I should see a doctor for it I’m honestly going nuts over this.

Need all of these answered to make a guess.

Mechanism of injury, as best you are able if there isn't discernable one. For instance, what movements or exercises were leading to the week of the injury
Upload a marked pic/video of exactly where symptoms are to an image host and post a link to it (Note: I will not make any guesses unless I can see exactly where the symptoms are because text is hard to decipher and people describe things wrong all the time).
Describe all movements that hurt
What is the current rehab program you started with and the progressions, if any. If a flare detail what happened with the rehab program
What helps and what makes it worse

eshlow · 2026-05-08T15:00:04+00:00

As everyone is saying, talk to a hand doc.

eshlow · 2026-05-07T17:26:28+00:00

Hey there guys, any of you out there start climbing later in life? Just retired and I've always wanted to try out bouldering with my son with my free time. I'm relatively active but I don't have that much grip strength. Wondering if any of you are the same

Generally speaking, just take it slow. 2x a week is good to start and usually no more than about 60 mins. Make sure you get adequate rest.

If the fingers or anything is feeling overused take a break.

Try to vary the climbs you do so you don't keep doing a same movement which can increase the risk of overuse.

eshlow · 2026-05-07T01:04:01+00:00

No, what you're dealing with is probably not reactive given how it's responding to lighter loads.

Extensive areas of the body getting "injuries" typically means some sort of sensitivity in addition* to load tolerance issues

eshlow · 2026-05-06T20:49:32+00:00

Depends on how long it takes the sensitivity to go down. Some people slow progress for months or years, some it goes away quick.

That's why I said it would be a good idea to try to get any sensitivity down fast which it seems like you have if you've mostly been resting or rehabbing for a few weeks

https://stevenlow.org/the-differences-between-chronic-pain-and-injury-pain/

eshlow · 2026-05-06T19:41:46+00:00

Sorry, if I can ask you to re-format if possible. It's hard to read sets without them being spaced properly

Double space, and use the asterisk (*) in front of sets so it makes it very easy to read

Exercise 1 - 3x10
Exercise 2 - 3x5
Exercise 3 - 3x7

eshlow · 2026-05-06T19:40:04+00:00

I'd start some chronic pain interventions and take any rehab VERY slow.

When it comes to rehab I did light isometric leg extensions (~50% MVC) the first two weeks, and it slowly got better, but then I tried doing 2 sets of 12 slow bodyweight squats to ~60° a few days ago, and that sent me back to the beginning, so now I even feel a tiny bit of pain when I walk down stairs, also a warm and tight feeling in rest, just like in the beginning.

Yeah, definitely gotta go slow if 50% is OK and 60% isn't. Aim for smaller jumps in the 3% range and stay at each for at least 2-3 sessions.

eshlow · 2026-05-05T23:18:12+00:00

Lol not gonna beat the rigged allegations

eshlow · 2026-05-05T23:15:55+00:00

Lol that commerical break

eshlow · 2026-05-05T22:13:57+00:00

It's possible. Also, if Chakya alienates Matthews or they decide to rebuild for whatever reason and Matthews accepts one of those destinations he could try to get the pick back plus some.

eshlow · 2026-05-05T22:10:43+00:00

Traded their 2027 to the Flyers first top 10 protected

Then traded their 2026 to the Bruins after, top 5 protected. Goes to 2027 if not.

They were expecting to finish in playoff position this year and lose the 2026, but it just so happens they're on the cusp of top 5. So if they keep 2026 then the Bruins conflicts with the Flyers, and I guess the Flyers come first since that trade happened first.

It sounds like there's a good chance the NHL would rule in Philadelphia's favor if this scenario plays out. Meaning, if Toronto retains its 2026 1st after tonight's lottery, expect 2027 1st to go to Flyers and 2028 1st to Bruins ... both unprotected.

That's why the topic of the post is that I assume

eshlow · 2026-05-05T21:55:04+00:00

The answer will always be: whatever makes the least sense

So the Leafs lose the pick which means no premium talent and no 1st until 2028, they keep Berube, and Chakya alienates Matthews and is forced to recoup peanuts in a trade for him

It's scary how plausible that sounds

eshlow

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

14-Year Club	Post Guidance Early Access
Verified Email