My routine...help please

[Ashok Raju Kothapalli]

Hi guys

I have been following this routine for a while (a month or so)

my goals are to build some basic GST strength so please help me add or remove stuff from my routine

5 sets of 2 rep pullups on rings

5 sets of 2 rep ring dips

3 sets of 8 rep ring pushups

i follow the above 3 times a week

and i do handstands 5-6 days a week and some frog stands to help with that

 

so i need to know whether the routine is appropriate for strength building to a basic level?

what should i add or remove?

what should my rep/set goal be for pullups and dips be for basic strength

also i was thinking of removing pushups since i feel confident with that and they seem pointless now

and i was thinking of adding some leg work....so please help out

[ZRX38]

I would recommend you search for the prerequisites and killroy70 template in the GB forum. If you are more serious about your training you may also invest in F1 or H1, look them up.

[Connor Davies]

Well, obviously Foundation 1 would be absolutely perfect, but unfortunately not everyone has the money or the equipment or the time.  It can be very depressing.

 

A Beginner routine that I found quite helpful goes something like this.

 

1. Skin the cats - From a dead hang pull through the rings in a tucked position until you are in an inverted hang, then lower down with your arms behind your back until you feel a decent stretch in your shoulders.  Then pull back through.  It can be made easier by bending the arms, rotating the rings and kicking the feet, but all these should be eliminated eventually.  The palm of the hand should eventually face the ground while in the tucked back lever / german hang position.  Make sure to work on increasing the range of motion at a comfortable pace.

 

2. Ring Pullups - Ensure your shoulder blades are pulled back and down.  These can be done with any grip that you want.  Most people find supinated (palms facing you) easier, due to increased bicep involvement, so if you're looking for increased strength, you can face the hands away from you to stress your back more.  Once again kipping can make this move easier, but for the best results, begin in a dead hang and move slowly.

 

3. Ring Dips - In the beginning your hands will tend to rotate inwards, but this will eventually need to be overcome.  Work up to at least a neutral position, with rings turned out being the ultimate goal.  If it doesn't bother your elbows too much, turn the rings out fully at the top of each rep.  If your shoulders are up to the task, touch your thumbs to your pecs, or similar if you are working a more advanced hand position.

 

4. Pistols - Squat down on one leg until your hamstrings touch your calves, then rise up again to full extension.  In the beginning you may need to push off the ground with your alternate hand, or move rapidly to make use of the stretch shorten reflex.  Over time you should endeavor to rely on this less, and pause for a second or two at the bottom of each rep in order to begin from a dead start.  I find the best way to do this to lower on one leg, and raise on the other.  If these are too difficult for you at first, the best way to build up to them is to hold onto some kind of vertical pole and practice the movement.

 

So that's the program.  Do each exercise for 10 sets, and add reps when you can do the same number of reps for all 10 sets.

 

Obviously this workout is missing some key ingredients, hand balancing, L sits, planche work and such.  But it's a great starting point. When you can do say, 6 reps for each set it's probably time to move on.  I see you're doing handstands already, which is brilliant.  Another thing you might consider is working on false grip rows, if you ever plan on having a muscle up someday.  Pushups are great as a conditioning/endurance exercise, but don't let them detract from your strength work.  If you want to make them harder, try turning the rings out so that your palms are facing forward.

[Jon Douglas]

Money I can understand, but I don't think equipment or time is a valid criticism of Foundation. You should seriously see some of the improvising I'm doing to get a workout in

[Ashok Raju Kothapalli]

@bipocni THanks for the advice i will try to do pistols but i dont know if i will have the time for skin the cats....since i am doing handstands and frogstands etc anyway thanks...just curious as to what equipment you will need for foundation one?...btw for ring dips i read somewhere that the forearms are not supposed to touch the rings and the straps, straps i understand but rings? i thought it was ok to touch the rings with your forearms, am i right ?

[Connor Davies]

At first it's okay for your arms to touch the rings, but over time you'll want to eliminate this as your strength gets higher.  For foundation one I've heard mostly what you need is someplace to hang some rings and some light weights for mobility work, but I'm sure there's other stuff if you want to do it all 100% 

 

You should definitely make time for skin the cats.  They're great for conditioning your shoulders and core for lever work.  Also back levers will do wonders for conditioning your elbows for planche work.  I had this problem when I tried to go from bent arm frogstand to straight arm frogstand, my elbows just couldn't handle it.  I'm sure there are proper planche progressions like planche leans ect but skin the cats work everything.