Statics in rounds

Hello all,

 

With college still being rather busy I've been doing my static positions in rounds the past few weeks, and I am curious what your thoughts on this are. The only reason I have been doing them in rounds is to be as time efficient as I can be, but I feel this may be hindering my progress (as well as the way I have set the rounds up).

 

I have been doing 4-5 rounds of the following progressions, in the order from left to right: Back Lever, Planche, Front Lever, Manna. 

 

I am currently at: Tuck back lever with 1 leg out (did a full back lever for 4s, with bad form.), Tuck Planche (20s~around), Tuck front lever with 1 leg out (around 8s/per leg), and A 10s High L-sit.

 

I use 1-2 of the rounds as warmups with previous progressions such as advanced tuck front lever.

 

Is there a more time efficient way I could be doing this? Also, how does my set up sound? 

 

Much appreciated,

 

Chris.

I think rounds is fine as long as you using a steady-state approach to it so that the intensity is low. If you're going 70%+ intensity, I question whether you would be able to adequately focus on the static hold enough to get the proper neurological adaptation (not learning bad form).

For help in searching for more information on training in "rounds", that training style is typically referred to as "giant sets".

Hey RH, thanks for that point I had only briefly thought about neurological adaptation. I took it in to consideration for each exercise individually using modified prilepin charts for bodyweight isometrics (courtesy of Steven Low), but had not looked at them in a while. Also, I wonder if by doing them in rounds I am making the load significantly harder per exercise per round, or if it is not significant enough to have to pull back the times a bit more. 

Hmm, wouldn't the more difficult holds be first? As Front lever is incredibly tough to do properly under fatigue. Well for me it is which is why It's always my first exercise. How about pairing two exercises together? Such as Front lever + Back Lever, Planche + Manna? In this way, you don't have to transfer from rings to ground? 

Ahh, the primary reason I have them in that order is it is the order in which I want to attain them. I want to attain the back lever quicker and get it out of the way (as in, once I have a competent full back lever I can then rotate planche to first and give it priority, so there is less fatigue in later rounds caused by the back lever). Though, I do not know if this is flawed thinking on my part. 

 

The rounds are currently supersetted rounds, so I do Back lever progression, then 30-60s later Planche progression, 30-60s later Front Lever Progression, 30-60s later Manna progression, and then a big rest period. Oh, by the way whilst I do have the XR rings in college dorms I di not have anywhere to set them up, so I have been using my pull-up bar.

I would sequence them slightly differently. Something like: Back Lever --> Front Lever --> Planche --> Manna. Of course with giant sets, you will not get the same volume/quality as you would with individual or super sets due to the fatigue.

Otherwise, i would recommend doing supersets, with 2 isometrics paired such as back lever/manna and front lever/planche. It is also very time efficient, and you can do mobility work in the rest periods to increase your training efficiency.

 

I would suggest that you don't do the 1 leg progression for the back lever. Instead, try to do a straddle. I had the same issue, but with proper tension I became able to hold a straddle. You may want to try a piked straddle for the front lever, or accumulating time with the adv tuck. In my experience, the 1 leg progression doesn't lead anywhere.

 

Since your primary goal is the back lever, start the session with back lever training.