Calisteniapp / Straddle Press
Straddle Press: your step-by-step plan.
The straddle press is an advanced exercise that involves moving up from a straddle plank position to a handstand position, without bending your arms or arching your back.
Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.
Explore my path
Objective
Being able to perform at least one straddle press with good technique.
- Frequence
- See program guidance
- First session duration
- 36 min
- Program
- 15 estimated weeks
01 / Requirements
Required prerequisites
- 5" Straddle planche
Necessary equipment
This program can be done at home without any equipment. You will only work with your bodyweight.
02 / Program
Build your path.
Each phase prepares you for the next. Weeks are a guide: repeat a phase when you need more practice before moving on.
Week 1–3Straddle reinforcement
What you will practise
In this first phase, we want to make sure you have a real foundation to build the Straddle press. The work revolves around the Straddle planche, the Tucked press, and the Descent from handstand to straddle planche, three patterns that teach you to support your weight with your shoulders projected forward, to compress the body, and to control the transition between horizontal and vertical pushing. In addition, you will greatly strengthen your shoulders, serratus, biceps, triceps, and core, which are key to lifting the hips without losing body line. The work on Handstand and Handstand push-ups will also give you overhead stability and confidence in the inverted position.
Week 4–7Press reinforcement
What you will practise
In this phase, you move from preparing the movement to developing the specific strength that will really make it possible. Straddle planche push-ups and 45º push-ups are now the center of the work, because they combine pushing, lean, and scapular control at angles very similar to those you need to take off in the Straddle press. You continue maintaining the Straddle planche and the transition exercises so as not to lose the foundation you have built, but the main goal here is for your shoulders and triceps to be able to produce more force in demanding positions, while the core keeps the pelvis stable and prevents compensations with the back.
Week 8–11Assisted press
What you will practise
In this third phase, you begin to practice the specific press pattern, but with an easier version: the Straddle press with bent elbows. This variation allows you to go through the full pattern with more margin, while you continue strengthening the support points with Straddle planche push-ups, 45º push-ups, and Tucked press. The goal is for your body to learn to coordinate compression, forward lean, and upward pushing in a single sequence. At the muscular level, you will continue placing a lot of work on the shoulders, biceps, triceps, and serratus, but now core coordination and active hip mobility take on even more importance.
Week 12–15Straddle press
What you will practise
In this final phase, you are now working on the full Straddle press. The goal is to bring together everything you have built before: pushing strength in a lean, compression, scapular control, Handstand stability, and the ability to transition without bending the arms or arching the back. The Straddle press with bent elbows is still present as support, together with Straddle planche push-ups, 45º push-ups, and the Straddle planche, to keep reinforcing exactly the points that most limit the final movement. Here the dominant pattern is a very demanding mix of vertical and horizontal pushing, with enormous demand on the shoulders, biceps, triceps, serratus, and abdominals.
Estimated end of the plan
Choose a valid date to preview your plan.
This date reflects the planned duration, not a guaranteed date for completing Straddle Press. Your progress may take additional weeks.
03 / Calisteniapp
Your first session, step by step.
Here is the first session of the program, so you have a reference for how the sessions are structured.
Estimated duration of 36 min depending on the rest periods you choose. Sets and reps are a reference: adjust them to your level.
The exercises you will discover.
Every movement that appears at least once across the program.
Straddle planche
Tucked press
Descent from handstand to straddle planche
Handstand push-ups
Assisted handstand push-ups
Planche lean
Frog to handstand
Negative wall assisted handstand to tucked planche
Handstand
L-sit to handstand
Pike push-ups
Hollow dips
Wall assisted handstand
Straddle planche push-ups
45º push-ups
Straddle press with bent elbows
Straddle press
Understand the reason behind each step.
- With this method we will learn to do the straddle press first by flexing the arms and then in the strict form.
- The program is designed to be done twice a week, with an extra routine in case you want to do a third session.
- Being strength routines, with few repetitions, we recommend taking long breaks, between 2' and 3', in which you fully recover, especially in the first exercises.
They train with Calisteniapp.
App reviews already published on our website. These are not specific to this program.
The best. I've been on the pro plan for two years and have achieved excellent results. Resistance, strength, skill, and aesthetics, I've obtained it all thanks to the guidance of this app on this beautiful calisthenics journey.
If the free option is already great, the pro option has to be amazing. I'm super happy. I'm a beginner, a very beginner, and really everything is simple, the exercises can be done anywhere without equipment, and it's helping me a lot.
From “one day” to your first session.
Download Calisteniapp on your phone.
Find Straddle Press and check its access options.
Review the terms shown in the app and start the first phase.
If the app offers you a 7-day trial, check the subsequent price, billing period, renewal and cancellation before activating it. Availability and terms are those shown in your account and store.
Before you start.
Is it mandatory to do the extra routine?
No, only if you want to add one more day of training or if you notice that you are stuck and need reinforcement.
What rest times to use?
We recommend using intermediate breaks of between 2' and 3'. If in any phase you find it difficult to advance and you feel stuck, you can try using longer rest times to try to complete it.
What requirements must I meet to be able to do this program?
Before starting this plan, make sure you have some mastery of the straddle plank, at least 5 seconds, if not, you can use the straddle plank program to achieve it.
Every step counts.
Start with preparation. Follow the path. Give your progress time.
Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.