Maltese presses

[Volodzko]

I've been going to the gym to perform maltese presses on a bench with dumbbells (lying on my back doing maltese press to planche position then lower back to maltese, or lower through to back lever position then press up to maltese). My question is, not yet able to hold a cross, am I wasting my time or making things easier for myself down the road?

[kbryk]

Maltese presses with dumbbells does not necessarily make crosses easier but they do tie into joint preparation, best way to learn crosses is with cross pullouts with a spotter or resistance bands. So stick with it in your training routine.

[Gregor]

That exercise is not for cross!!! it can help you only if you are doing malteses and even then depends.....

You are wasting your time if you want with that exercise reach the cross.

[David Picó García]

i've been doing some of this, and for cross i think is good for getting the biceps-elbow stronger, and is easier to adapt the resistence with dumbells. But if your goal is the maltesse is think it would be ok at first, although i dont even think about it until i get ten times stronger and be able to do a cross, just simply because i probably need to be 15 times stronger to be able to do the maltese.

[Blairbob]

Interesting, I have never really tried this I think.

[Coach Sommer]

Maltese Finishing Movement

I use this movement as a finisher after all other ring strength is completed and before beginning joint pre-habilitation for the elbows. I have my advanced ring strength athletes perform 5 sets of 3 reps with a 5 second static hold on each repetition. To date, I have not found it is necessary to go over 20 lbs on this movement as the primary goal is not to develop a "maltese" per se, but to specifically strengthen the biceps insertion into the elbow.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Gregor]

But still there is a lot of exercises where you can include your biceps more functional and more time efective,...Like planches, those exercises for planche that I posted (I feel more elbow biceps then in that exercise with 30lbs dumbell).

I to do this exercise but still I think it's waste of time if you are doing it for cross.

[Volodzko]

Yes sorry, I should've clarified; I've been doing this to build general gymnastics strength and for preliminary maltese strength. Certainly the motion's quite different from a cross and would only peripherally help with that, if much at all.

[Coach Sommer]

Victorian Presses Also

I believe that Gregor and I are in agreement, that maltese presses with a dumbbell will have little carryover for a cross. It should once again be emphasized that these are also more of a pre-habilitation movement to prevent long term over-use issues.

By the way, rolling over and performing dumbbell victorian presses with the same format will give you cramps throughout the triceps and rear delts like you have never known .

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Volodzko]

Suh-weet.

[Blairbob]

Interesting, interesting.

[John Sapinoso]

one more maltese exercise with free weights:

I learned this from one of my coaches

for this one you need to be on an elevated surface (a panel mat works just fine) and something to hold your legs (a partner works).

you start with your upper body hanging off the edge of the mat while your lower body is being held down and you hold the dumbbells in the maltese.

from there, perform a straight leg sit up as you press from the maltese to an open shoulder position then lower back down to the maltese.

[Gregor]

If I understand right- you are with knees on higher surface (somebody is holding your legs or holding your-self with swedish ladder) and you are lowering your body (like glute hame rise) and in hands dumbells to the maltese position- and again up?

That would be insain difficult exercise, so I think i didn't understand right!

But if it is, then this is not quite good maltese exercise, but much more victorian exercise because you are pushing up and not down. So here you could turn your palms facing back for more like victorian-glute ham rise exercise.

But I think I didn't get it right :oops: :oops: :oops:

[John Sapinoso]

well you have the right idea...just upside down.

you will be laying on your back for this exercise, if you don't get it i'll post a vid.

[Gregor]

I think I get it, you could post the vid anyway :oops:

[John Sapinoso]

sure, next time i get a chance to i'll record it

[Gregor]

sure, next time i get a chance to i'll record it

Thanks!

[John Sapinoso]

camera isn't working but here:

press from 1 to 2 and then lower back down.

i also had the idea to experiment with different elevations on this but im not sure how well it would work:

start suspended upside down by ankles holding weights in a german hang (arms in back) then press up while doing an inverted situp

[Gregor]

OOO I understand know-great exercise, but you must be strict in body position not completly straight, but in position in wich you'll hold the maltese..

I'll post some of my swallows in near future...

[Walt Peacock]

Someone should definitely post a video of these as well as the victorian presses Coach was talking about. I am still unclear of what they should look like. Any help? Thanks