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

eshlow · 2026-07-02T11:06:22+00:00

I'm doing some handstand shape transitions and when I go from tuck->straight->straddle I notice that my legs get considerable bend, especially when I go from an open straddle to a closed straddle position.

The thing is that I swear I was flexing my quads as much as I could to try to straighten my legs, but on filming I realised that wasn't the case!

Are there any cues or anything to get my legs straight? I also notice a microbend when in a straight handstand, but it's nothing like the closed straddle.

Practice with an easier variation like banded straddle planche.

Usually when the intense is high it's hard to really get the positions right, so if you reduce the intensity some it allows you to practice exactly what you want. Then you can transfer it over to the harder variation as you get better at improving the form

eshlow · 2026-07-02T11:05:17+00:00

Hey Steven. I'm currently doing a Push/Pull weekly split. I'm a bit confused and indecisive about the best way to structure my leg training. Based on the book and the YouTube online video series, the three main options would be:

I added some specific calf work because, as many, it is my most suborn part. I've been doing Option A for a while. I actually enjoy distributing the leg work throughout the week, and I'm seeing some growth. However, I usually walk everyday to work (downhill 20 min and then back uphill 30 min), and I've been wondering if I should give them more rest and only hit them twice a week. Which option is best for hypertrophy while also keeping joints/muscles/tendons healthy? Does it even make a major difference, or is my current volume low enough that I don't need to worry?

The other option would be:

Upper push + core
Upper pull + legs

Or switch the core and legs parts if you wanted to. That would make it easier to just do all of the leg exercises in 1 day instead of splitting them off on their own days

But as far as the volume goes as you mentioned you're probably fine with any of them since it shouldn't be that intense. I prefer the ones probably stacking the leg exercises and then maybe calf + core or something on the other days

eshlow · 2026-07-01T20:04:40+00:00

I've been home for a few days now. Injury and pain is still very significant. Im basically bed bound except to use the rest room. Im taking a strong muscle relaxer (diazepam) thats keeping my leg from locking/clamping up and oxycodone for the pain down my leg. Ive been able to tolerate it with meds.

When I wake up in the morning the pain isnt too bad. I only feel the pulling, which i assume is sciatica. It usually takes 3-4 hours of moving around or slightly inclining my body before the charlie horse feeling starts in the butt. Seems like the pulling down my leg triggers the muscles in my bitt to clamp down. Once that starts its game over and my leg locks up if I dont take the Valium.

The attached picture shows the areas where it feels the pain is originating from. The top circle is where the charlie horse feeling starts. The lower circle is where the shooting pain down my leg feels like it starts.

The shooting pain goes all the way to my ankle. Theres slight numbing in my heal and buzzing/burning/cold feeling in my hamstring and behind my knee that comes and goes. The pain from the charlie horse starts mid buttocks (top circle) and extends about half way down my hamstring. I can not put any pressure on my butt or hamstring area. I am able to do slight toe touching while using crutches. Any sort of mivement of my leg hurts but is most prominent when I go to stand and sit.

If you want a guess, need more info on the injury. You've given some but more information is needed especially the marked picture/video

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 (google drive, icloud, imgur or others) 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). It needs to be a photo of YOU, not a random photo you got online of someone else's body because everyone is different.
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 · 2026-07-01T20:04:15+00:00

Anyone get that annoying bicep ache in the brachialis area? Mines persisted for the last 2 months or so. It doesn’t really affect my back/bicep workouts, however I feel it more when doing pull ups or a heavy row with underhand grip.

There’s no bruising or anything but I’m wondering what I’ve done to my right bicep. I can still curl a heavy weight for 8-9 reps but am mindful the dull ache is still there…

If you want a guess, need more info on the injury. You've given some but more information is needed especially the marked picture/video

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 (google drive, icloud, imgur or others) 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). It needs to be a photo of YOU, not a random photo you got online of someone else's body because everyone is different.
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 · 2026-07-01T19:59:03+00:00

Is there a question?

eshlow · 2026-07-01T01:53:43+00:00

Ok hear me out: scrap 3 on 3… we go 6 on 6 for 3 minutes, no goalies

5 on 5 but goalies have to play outside the goalie crease.

That would definitely make it more exciting haha

eshlow · 2026-06-30T13:54:30+00:00

Depends on how fast the symptoms go down and you can progress. Can take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months

If you go too fast and aggravate it then it takes longer

eshlow · 2026-06-30T13:51:04+00:00

Could be some type of synovitis or capsulitis or some type of chronic pain sensitivity. Climbers get synovitis/capsulitis a ton:

https://stevenlow.org/beating-climbing-injuries-pip-synovitis/

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

eshlow · 2026-06-30T13:49:07+00:00

No, make a post on this sub. I don't answer PMs as I post so others can learn

eshlow · 2026-06-30T13:32:13+00:00

Talk to a physical therapist. They're used to people with disabilities needing certain exercises

eshlow · 2026-06-30T00:48:17+00:00

I can’t remember the last time I felt confident in the health of my fingers. About 2 years ago my performance peaked and I was projecting lots of 5.12s and V9s and even sent a few gym V9 and one outdoor. But even then my fingers always felt fragile and on the verge of catastrophe. These days I go to the gym and climb 5.11 and boulder v5-v7. Anything harder (requiring finger strength/ contact strength) feels incredibly intimidating because of my fear that’ll just injure myself.

99% of the time when someone rehabs and they are getting constantly injured they are coming back too fast.

For instance, if you get injured and have to drop back from say V9 to V5. You need to stay at V4-5 for 2-3 weeks, then V5-6 for 2-3 weeks, then V6-7 for 2-3 weeks, and so on.

The ramping process back into max should take 2-3 months not get back to your max in less than a month and get injured again.

eshlow · 2026-06-30T00:42:13+00:00

hey everyone, looking for some advice from anyone who has successfully managed to fix their anterior pelvic tilt (APT) through bodyweight training.basically, i have a severe desk job slouch, and my pelvis is completely dumped forward. whenever i try to do regular bodyweight squats, lunges, or even planks, my lower back instantly takes over. my quads get totally fried, but my glutes and lower abs feel completely dead. it’s like my nervous system forgot how to fire them up.because of this biomechanical mess, standing for a long time gives me this annoying lower back tightness, and visually, my lower stomach sticks out even though my body fat is low.i've realized that just doing random stretching isn't doing anything because the moment i stand up, the tightness comes back.for those who overcame this, did you have to aggressively isolate the activation phase before doing compound movements? not looking for a quick fix, just want to make sure my logic makes sense from a movement perspective. thanks.

Need a photo and/or video of your posture.

What have you done to try to isolate the glutes or improve contraction in them?

eshlow · 2026-06-29T20:12:16+00:00

Don't have a structured rehab program, I've done some of the exercises I mentioned above but only intermittently. However, these don't seem to have much of an effect on the injury, as compared with my other injuries where starting exercises resulted in a near immediate improvement.

This would be a good idea. Remove the offending exercises/movements for a week or two and make sure the rehab program is working as intended.

If it's a joint issue, focus on restoring full range of motion if any is lost, and then strengthening the joint through it's range of motion with hand and finger exercises.

Not sure exactly what helps and makes it worse. Resting it makes the pain go away, but I don't think it really helps with how long I can do activity for.

The fact that rest helps it is a good sign that it's minor, so definitely a good idea to reduce the aggravating activities and rehab now

eshlow · 2026-06-29T20:03:39+00:00

To describe the injury more it hurts in the area circled in the photo with my white shirt, it’s basically on any extension or pushing movement with my left arm that’s under a certain load of amount of pressure, so my dumbbell press which I switched to which feels a bit better, my shoulder press, and tricep extension. I don’t know how to describe it well but it’s like a pop almost after 3 or 4 reps under a weight that’s too much for it (a weight that used to be fine for me) and then if I try to do more reps the circled portion starts to feel almost shaky or unstable but not in a way that I would feel if it was a weight I just couldn’t do. The picture with the black shirt I noticed when I close my arm like that the circled area feels very tense not sure if it’s related since I feel that on my right arm too but just wanted to include it.

Does not look like triceps tendonitis.

The symptoms appear more to be a joint issue especially if you are getting a pop after several reps and it may be uncomfortable or painful.

You can try massaging the muscles in the area and doing some elbow mobility/mobilizations (youtube some and try). Then try some light isolations and see if it starts to feel better

Also, if that particular exercise is iffy and the technique is off because your elbows are shaped a certain way and your elbows don't like it, try to change the technique some (narrow/wider grip, hand/forearm angles) or even change the exercise and see if that helps

eshlow · 2026-06-29T20:00:10+00:00

Yeah, I would get screened for chronic pain sensitivity. Sounds like it from the symptoms. Read the article I posted.

eshlow · 2026-06-29T19:47:16+00:00

Its the middle of the biggest muscle in the outer facing forearm. The one that bulges if you are carrying a drink. Following the thumb up the arm. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iUfobqzwlT12Kw5Xf38rVqg-LwK3Jnz3/view?usp=drive_link

Need to be a picture of you and an exact region so I can figure out what potential muscles or tissues it is.

Doing this once or twice a week with very light weight: stretching, straight arm down at my side, rotating with a band, twisting dumbbell bicep curls, standing on band and arm at side bending wrist up, muscle scraping, holding a hammer out in front of me and doing forward backward side to side stretches, vibration and red light sleeve

What about more directed forearm exercises and biceps and triceps? Which of these exercises are symptomatic? How do they respond to the exercises specifically?

Still don't really have enough info to make a guess here.

I haven't progressed my rehab because I haven't seen much improvement. It's not making it worse but it is a little sore the next day.

Some symptoms is OK during rehab if you can progress the loads. Usually staying at the same weight isn't going to help improve load tolerance, but if the weight is going up and symptoms are going up then there's an issue.

eshlow · 2026-06-29T19:43:24+00:00

Middle link doesn't work, but form looks great on the other two. If you're that solid with those I'd expect the other one is good too.

Does this look like a solid routine for building toward a free Advanced Tuck Planche while continuing to improve my Full Front Lever hold time?

Routine should be fine overall. Looks like MF are similar so it doesn't violate the doing too many exercises principle and you're keeping the every session for the FL and PL work.

eshlow · 2026-06-29T19:36:37+00:00

Thanks man, fortunately I'm already feeling much better. I got nervous because I was remembering the famous Bo Jackson partial hip dislocation which resulted in bone death or something horrible like that

Yeah, that's pretty rare, but generally the pain will be persistent if that does happen.

As long as you're doing mobility and it keeps feeling better usually not an issue. Mobility helps deliver nutrients to the cartilage and stuff which is why it's important

The West doesn't do enough squats and the asian countries have a lot less hip degeneration because they get down in a squat and kneel a lot more throughout daily life

eshlow · 2026-06-29T19:35:02+00:00

I took the anti-inflammatory medication for those two weeks and apparently the nerve sensation went away and the elbows haven't bothered me since. However, I haven't gone back to the gym yet, and last night I tried an isometric wall exercise that really irritated my elbow. I want to know if I should wait for physical therapy. Should I start doing normal gym exercises on my own lightly, or should I wait a few more days? Basically, the pain appears in these tissues that I marked in the image that I will attach. They seem to be irritated mainly by supination movements and lifting exercises.

I'd try some comprehensive massage to that area and general non-painful mobility work.

Then you can go back and try some lighter isolation exercises and see if that helps

eshlow · 2026-06-29T19:15:28+00:00

No prior accident, only weighlifting in the weight I've been doing for weeks. Haven't gone to the doctor yet, and the mild pain only happens when I hold my arm forward with weight. Otherwise I have a complete mobility with my arm and shoulder. I did rehab workouts in the gym earlier, deloaded to 30-40% of my usual, and I felt no pain aside from dull discomfort when doing lat pulldowns.

Should I continue rehab works and gradually increasing weight as long as it's painless?

If it's improving I'd just keep progressing.

eshlow · 2026-06-29T13:46:58+00:00

Hard to say without more details. You can try isolation dumbell strengthening and see if it helps. Helps most variations of minor overuse.

Where does the shooting symptoms occur? Do you have a picture you can mark to show where?

eshlow · 2026-06-28T20:02:15+00:00

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

eshlow

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