A new modification

About halfway into month five of pregnancy, I was so impressed with my ability to still do handstand push ups.  (Well, mostly.  I needed an ab mat or two under my head, but before pregnancy, I swear I was decently close to getting at least one HSPU Rx).  Kicking up to the wall and being upside down was such a great source of joy and a feeling of accomplishment.  There was a rush, a surge of excitement, a feeling of bliss in those few seconds.  I don't really understand why I have such a love for HSPUs, especially since I was the child who hated the monkey bars and could barely do a decent somersault or cartwheel.  While I've always been fascinated with gymnastics and used to obsessively watch competitions on TV as a child, I was terrified of gymnastics myself -- what if I fell and broke my arm or my neck?  Overly cautious, I was not an athletic risk taker by any stretch of the imagination.
So as an adult, falling in love with HSPUs was my redemptive moment -- my chance to reclaim was I was too scared to do as a kid.

Photo from Saint Clair Studio

Today's WOD was "Mary," an AMRAP 20 of 5 handstand push ups, 10 pistols (which are one legged squats) and 15 pull ups.  I needed a band for my pull ups and for support with the pistols-- I can do pistols on my left side, but not my right, and I've never figured out why-- and I put down an ab mat to help my range of motion for my HSPUs.  While practicing my HSPUs before the WOD, my back spasmed as I lowered myself down to the floor.  I shook it off, and figured it was bad form or an off moment.  But when the WOD came, I was barely able to make it through those first five HSPUs.  As I meandered over to the rig and stuck my foot in a band for pull ups, I called my coach over to let him know.  Was my form off?  What changed from the last time I was successful with my lovely, wonderful, HSPUs?

"You can't hollow your body anymore because of your belly.  I assume it's your lower back that's bothering you?"  I nodded.  So, we agreed I would do push ups instead.  Happily, I still have full range of motion for my push ups, and quickly got through the sets of five of "chest to deck" (which is more like "belly to deck") push ups.  But now, almost six months into pregnancy, HSPUs are off the table.

Good-bye, handstand push ups.  We had a great relationship while it lasted.  I'll be excited to see you again in a few months.  And at that point, hopefully I'll be rocking the kipping pull ups by then, too!