where to start??

Hello Coach,

In anticipation for your upcoming books i'm sure i'm not alone in wanting to be preparing as best as possible for them. My goals are to look and perform as best i can to mimick a gymnast, my interests are more strength holds and presses etc rather than tumbling.

I'm confused as to where i should be starting, i'm sure this is the main purpose of your first book but could you please share some light on which exercise i should be working now.. or indded should i be working moves?!

I'm not sure if i should be training 'classic' moves like pull ups, push ups (psedo planch etc) and the like or also be adding handstand work. And then if i should be doing a bit of everything is there 'rules' regarding should i be able to do a free standing handstand for x amount of time before working presses or should i start from day 1?

I hope this makes sense, i just want to get the best 'bang for my buck' in my new training program?

thanks for any help,

we look forward to the books!

Ricky, london, England

Ok, well maybe this is a harder question than i had hoped...

in that case can anyone especially coach reccomend the 'top ten' or so moves/holds/exercises so i can be working in the 'best' way for gymnastic development?

i thank you in advanced for any help...

Ricky, London, England

Hi Ricky,

Welcome to the forum. Since your original question was not so much hard, as a little generalised ...I'll give it a go myself.

For a basic nudge in the right direction, there are a number of threads dotted around with people's workout plans/schedules, which commonly include:

> dynamic work (pullups, handstand pushups)

> static work (planche, front-lever)

> various core/leg exercises depending on personal taste and goals.

> stretching and prehab exercises

You'll get a lot of the information you're after from Coach's articles on the main site, and from taking a look around the forum. While you're forming a workout plan it will help a lot if you have a good idea of where you are, and what you want to be achieving first. You may even find that someone has devised a workout plan that pretty much fits you already!!

I received some good advice that before training the planche/front-lever progressions I should be able to complete at least 10 each of: pullups, deep (paralette) pushups and hanging leg-raises - so that's where I started!!

Cheers,

George.