Intro and questions on F1

Hi all, just bought F1, never trained for gymnastics before - I'm 45yo, very unfit, weak and stiff, and a little overweight (180cm/86kg), but this looks like the way I want to train.  I've tried free weights at the gym in the past and can't get along with it (eg standing in line for the squat cage annoys me), and running kills my knees, so I researched bodyweight training at home which led me here. 

At first I was somewhat dissapointed that the course wont have me doing FL and RC after 18 months, then I studied the exercises some more and eventually realised that I will struggle to complete week one of PE1... so I'm more in a "foundation" mindset now.

Couple of questions...

I can't seem to print out the exercises (using Firefox or Chrome). The images on the right of page don't print.  As a beginner I won't be able to remember 8 exercises and would like to be able to pin up the printouts next to my workout station.  Is this a bug in my system or by design?

I hung some straps from my ceiling last weekend, did an ad-lib workout on Sunday, and now have a good dose of DOMS in shoulders, triceps, chest, abs, and quads.  I'm guessing I need to recover from that, is there anything I can do to condition myself for starting F1 next week?  Or just get into it? (which is my usual way of handling things, but thought I should ask)

Hi Tim, I've started F1 a few weeks ahead of you and will be 46 this month. To answer your questions,I would recommend watching the videos several times and taking notes on how each element is done. Then just before your workout, look at the video again and have your notes next to you when you actually do it. It'll soon become engrained in your memory. Prior to starting F1, I would do a lot of moderate stretching. To get a better base fitness level without pounding your knees, try moderate sessions of cycling or rowing. Intensity and grinding out reps are out, good form is in.

If you are on 'desk patrol', start rebelling!

Good luck!

Thanks LateStarter.  Yes, I'm on desk duty most days lately, my posture has suffered accordingly and I am sure my mobility is far below what it should be to be healthy.   Can't get away from it unfortunately, there is no-one else to do the work.

I love the rower - I'll buy a Concept once I get some spare cash, but for now I think F1 will be more than enough to keep me occupied.

I think you've made the smart choice TimH. For us "old farts", Foundation is a gift!

Don't worry too much about your first week; maybe you can use it to play a little bit with each exercises, maybe trying to do the number of reps required, maybe not... your most important immediate task is to get a feel of how to do the exercises correctly, with good form.

I think that if you spend the week trying things out, that will give you enough of an "easing into it" to start next week on the first progressions, without excessive DOMS, or tiredness.

Looking forward to following your progress

I will spend a week getting to know the routines... despite still being sore and stiff I had a go at each exercise tonight and, well, IT'S HARD!

Swivel hips - can't get close to knees on the floor, maybe 45 degrees off vertical...

Tuck up - yeah, not happening today (must be the doms    )

Deck squat..... I should video that, it will be good for a laugh later on.

I can tell this is going to be fun!  Really looking forward to getting stuck into it.

PS Interesting link in your sig Fred, I had originally decided to start training in Karate (kyokushin derivative, don't really know what that means yet but not much choice where I live) - I decided I needed to get fit first, which brought me here.  I'll concentrate on Foundation for a while, but still want to start martial arts training once I have a stronger base.

TimH said:

(...)

PS Interesting link in your sig Fred, I had originally decided to start training in Karate (kyokushin derivative, don't really know what that means yet but not much choice where I live) - I decided I needed to get fit first, which brought me here.  I'll concentrate on Foundation for a while, but still want to start martial arts training once I have a stronger base.

hehehe... basically, it is sad to say, but kyokushin or derivative for a sedentary unfit overweight weak 45yo means injury! As I said, you've made the smart choice, Foundation is a gift.

Diligently training F1 will prepare you for the day you'll want to choose a martial art; we'll talk then if you like

Hi TimH, welcome to the forum.

Out of curiosity, how did you hear about the Foundation program?

Bipocni said:

Hi TimH, welcome to the forum.

 

Out of curiosity, how did you hear about the Foundation program?

Google - I started by seaching for bodyweight training systems, then realised I needed some sort of pull up bar, then realised it would be easier to fix rings to my ceiling than a bar, then searched for ring training, then stumbled upon this forum. 

Simple....