Developing a routine for b-boying (breakdancing)

[Mary Lee Wilson]

Hi everyone,

I'm a b-boy, or break-dancer, whatever you want to call it, and I'm trying to develop a body-weight routine. I'm essentially trying to develop a gymnast's body. It's hard to find information about this topic specific to dance, so I just assumed that this place would be the most knowledgeable and helpful. I've been sedentary for most of my life before b-boying and I haven't really focused on more challenging moves in my dance career. For short, I'm pretty weak.

 

These are my goals: the planche, a strong handstand, the l-sit, the straddle hold, and strong leg strength. So, keeping this in mind, I've chosen 14 exercises that I believe will help me achieve these (correct me if i'm wrong, please). 

 

1. Pike PU

2. Dive bomber PU

3. Hindu PU

4. Pseudo PU

5. Hollow body holds

6. V-ups

7. The straddle stance

8. L-sit progression exercises (I actually got this section of the workout from a video, available here: 

)

9. Wall sits

10. Lunges

11. 1 legged squat variations

12. V-ups

13. Plank

14. Side plank

15. Push-up with shoulders extended over the fingers (simulating a planche) to increase shoulder strength

 

 

My main problem is trying to develop the routine. How much volume do I need? How do I organize the exercises? Frequency? (I practice every day, so stamina is an issue) What constitutes 'too easy'? When do I move to a more challenging exercise? Do I push to failure to every exercise, or should I do sets and reps? Or am I grossly overthinking this and should focus on the daily progressions, instead?

I am extremely grateful for whatever help you can give me. Thanks A LOT!

[James Portillo]

I know where you're coming from (i'm a b-boy as well) and it can be pretty hard to figure out what to devote most of your time and physical energy to. If b-boying is your main priority, then you'd want to supplement your dance with GST instead of making GST itself your focus.

 

At the moment I don't practice nearly as much as I used to or want to, but I treat a lot of my b-boy practice as skill work and as such do it as part of my warm up along with handstands, turtle freezes, baby freezes, chair freezes, shoulder freezes, headstands, forearm freezes, footwork/floor work and combos.

 

First thing I'd say is to get Foundation One, use that as part of your warm-up and structure GST around your breakin' sessions rather than the other way around.

[FREDERIC DUPONT]

my goals: the planche, a strong handstand, the l-sit, the straddle hold, and strong leg strength. So, keeping this in mind, I've chosen 14 exercises that I believe will help me achieve these (correct me if i'm wrong, please).

 

(...) First thing I'd say is to get Foundation One, use that as part of your warm-up and structure GST around your breakin' sessions rather than the other way around.

 

What JamesP, our yet to be Marine said: get F1 ASAP

[Mary Lee Wilson]

Hi, I really appreciate your reply.

Yes, finding the balance between breakin' and conditioning FOR breakin' is pretty hard. I can never really decide which will be more beneficial. However, I can complete a workout in the beginning of the day and still practice in the evening, just no power-moves or anything demanding. 

 

I've read about F1, and it seems like exactly what I need, but couldn't find much information about the scheduling or programming of the course. Is it a full course with daily workouts? Or does it offer some modifications for people like me.

 

Thanks GMB.

 

[Joshua Slocum]

I've read about F1, and it seems like exactly what I need, but couldn't find much information about the scheduling or programming of the course. Is it a full course with daily workouts? Or does it offer some modifications for people like me.

 

Thanks GMB.

 

It has workouts, but you can do them 3, 4 or 5 times a week. They take about 20-40 minutes each. 

 

How often do you practice, and for how long? 

[Mary Lee Wilson]

I practice about 2 hours per day, every day. 

[Joshua Slocum]

I practice about 2 hours per day, every day. 

 

If you're putting that much time into practicing, you would gain a lot from devoting a couple of those hours each week to strength training. Definitely get F1. You will benefit immensely from it, and realistically it won't take more than about 2 hours of your time per week. 

[Mary Lee Wilson]

Hi, I have just purchased F1 and I am really excited. I start today!

 

Thanks for all your help, everyone. 

[Mary Lee Wilson]

One last question:

With regards to my situation, would a more frequent but less strenuous workout plan (i.e. 5 days) be more beneficial? Or should I aim for a more strenuous workout that is more infrequent (i.e. 3 days)? Or is it purely personal preference? 

[Joshua Slocum]

Both the 3 and 5-day plans are of equivalent intensity. The only difference is that you work out 2 more days a week in the 5-day plan. 

 

If you can handle the 5-day plan, it will develop more strength, faster. But strength training 5 days a week requires having extremely good recovery. I would start out with 3 days a week; once you complete a 12-week cycle, ask yourself if you think you could have handled another day a week of strength training. If so, try 4 days a week for the next 12-week cycle, and then if you think you can do more still, try 5 days a week on the third cycle. The key is to increase volume slowly, to avoid injury. 

[Coach Sommer]

Both the 3 and 5-day plans are of equivalent intensity. The only difference is that you work out 2 more days a week in the 5-day plan. 

 

If you can handle the 5-day plan, it will develop more strength, faster. But strength training 5 days a week requires having extremely good recovery. I would start out with 3 days a week; once you complete a 12-week cycle, ask yourself if you think you could have handled another day a week of strength training. If so, try 4 days a week for the next 12-week cycle, and then if you think you can do more still, try 5 days a week on the third cycle. The key is to increase volume slowly, to avoid injury. 

 

Excellent advice.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Mary Lee Wilson]

Thank-you kindly Coach and Hari,

You have been a great help.

[James Portillo]

The trick is knowing when you've been pushing yourself too hard in either field (GST or breakin') and to allocate time and energy accordingly to whichever one you feel you need/want to improve the most on. If you want to progress in your dance GST is perfect for conditioning as a lot of the movements are similar to some of the moves we do as b-boys and both artforms are about mastering your body through space. IMHO they're perfect compliments to each other and a lot more similar than people give credit for.

 

I just wish the Gymnastics style of conditioning was more mainstream in the b-boy community as many b-boys think bodybuilding style workouts and things like P90X "help" with their b-boying.

[Mary Lee Wilson]

The trick is knowing when you've been pushing yourself too hard in either field (GST or breakin') and to allocate time and energy accordingly to whichever one you feel you need/want to improve the most on. If you want to progress in your dance GST is perfect for conditioning as a lot of the movements are similar to some of the moves we do as b-boys and both artforms are about mastering your body through space. IMHO they're perfect compliments to each other and a lot more similar than people give credit for.

 

I just wish the Gymnastics style of conditioning was more mainstream in the b-boy community as many b-boys think bodybuilding style workouts and things like P90X "help" with their b-boying.

Yes, I agree with the last statement. While spending lots of time researching the subject, I found so many people just doing weights. I couldn't imagine how that would be useful :S. I love F1 basically because I don't have to think anymore lol.

[yonder200]

Yes, I agree with the last statement. While spending lots of time researching the subject, I found so many people just doing weights. I couldn't imagine how that would be useful :S. I love F1 basically because I don't have to think anymore lol.

 

Exactly! The beauty about F1 is that you don't have to waste any time with programming or looking up what movements to work on next. The other benefit comes if you allow yourself to trust that coach Sommer knows what he's doing and just let yourself to be guided by his instructions. This can save you a lot of time in terms of research, but also in terms of no longer constantly doubting whether your routine isn't as good as the latest one you read about on the net and tinkering endlessly, something I have suffered a lot from in the past.

 

I also like the fact that this routine is so much easier yet progressive than anything I ever designed for myself while also including mobility work, and realize now that I probably always pushed myself too hard in the past, thereby limiting my progress and motivation.