Dear Coach Sommer,   I am yet to see an elevated side splits photo on the forum. To be honest I haven't gone through it in detail - It would be cool if I was the first.   Just letting you know I am an avid fan of your approach to training and a dedicated

The bodyweight row is an incredible exercise that many people mistakenly overlook, thus missing out on its potential benefits. Ring rows build the bodyweight strength necessary for rope climbing, and they help correct muscular imbalances and deficiencies that could lead to shoulder injuries. They are infinitely scalable to match or challenge your current level of strength, and they pay huge dividends

Imagine trying to drive your car with the parking brake on. While your engine is working hard to spin the wheels forward, the brakes are working just as hard to keep them in place! Smoke plumes out, rubber is burning, but your car is going nowhere! Unfortunately, this is how most people train: their hamstrings are

The pushup is one of the most common bodyweight exercises in the world, but the question is: are you doing them properly? Odds are you could build more strength than you ever thought possible by slightly tweaking how you perform this one simple exercise. Here at GymnasticBodies, the pushup is viewed as an entry-level progression for more

To help you in your Gymnastic Strength Training journey, we’ve picked five habits adopted by all of Coach Christopher Sommer's athletes. Developing these habits will not only accelerate your physical gains but will also help you out in other areas of life. GST is Potent If we had to pick one word to describe Gymnastic Strength Training

  Oftentimes our lives are anything but organized and focused. Between work, school, travel, or family, there are always multiple issues competing for our attention. Too often, unfortunately, the average trainee carries this hurried lack of focus into the gym as well: skipping a warm-up, loitering between sets, and giving subpar effort throughout the workout. Luckily,

Developing ridiculous upper body strength using gymnastic rings all begins by developing your basic strength, which includes your grip strength. The muscle-up is your gateway to powerful bodyweight ring strength and, while it has become a glorified movement in gyms and fitness studios all over the world, many are not doing it correctly. Most perform

Have you ever seen a properly prepared handstand and gazed in wonder and awe? While you might be able to spot a trained handstand when you see it, sometimes it is difficult for the untrained eye to decipher exactly what it is that distinguishes the good from the bad. Let's begin on the floor, where a

 As a group, US National Team Coaches are 100% focused on achieving tangible results; helping our athletes make the US National Team and then moving onward to World and Olympic Teams. Methods that are no longer adequate for the current training demands must be ruthlessly and swiftly set aside; regardless of how cherished or productive

Injury prevention and rehabilitation techniques are designed to help maximize long-term strength gains and properly manage unwanted aches and pains that may result from exercise or physical training. Remaining injury-free is most likely at the top of our priority list as adults with active and stressful lifestyles. But are you implementing the right mindset and