So whats the best way to learn a new strength skill? Is it bodyweight exercises, weight lifting, or attempting the skill itself over and over again.

Well none of the above. Although you do need (should have) a very general level of fitness to start training for any skill, you need to do specific exercises to build up strength for specific skills. If this sounds strange to you well let me explain.

Lets take the planche for example. To describe the planche briefly its a strength move where your hands are at your waist and with a very strong press you bring your body parallel to the ground. Arms are straight, scapula protracted, and feet off the ground.

So it resembles a push up in the sense that you are pushing and using associated muscles. The difference comes in with the amount of weight your expected to push up, and the balance aspect of the push. A planche is your whole body being elevated where as a push up keeps your feet grounded. So one requires more strength than the other but because of the hand positioning its also an uncommonly trained strength. When was the last time you did a bench press to your waist? This is where specific training comes in. Something like a tucked planche is going to help you progress towards a full planche better than a traditional push up. This stays true even if you are doing hundreds of push ups. Endurance does not travel over to high level strength.

Remember this general rule of thumb although I dont agree with it fully.

1 – 5 Reps Strength

8 – 12 Reps Hypertrophy

15+ Reps Endurance

I will end it with this, first determine your goals and then program around this. Your workout routine should reflect the goal you are working towards. So if its planche a lot of low level endurance exercises is not going to help you. If its basketball, playing baseball wont help you. If its jumping high, swimming isn’t going to help you. Train for your goal while still keeping a general level of fitness.