Can't read the acronyms

Darn, caught feeding the troll!

That'll teach me.

As Christian says, watch the videos plenty of times and even try out the xercises at home if you can. There are only 7 that you need to remember, 14 with the mobility drills. After a few sessions you will know what exercise to do.

I only write down the name of my current progressions and all the sets and reps for all 12 weeks and only update once I make it to a new progression.

I have never used the planner, just looking up each movement in the description page.

rahukala said:

Hi Charm, thanks. That helps. So what's your strategy? Do you copy/paste your schedule into word, then do replace all one by one with the terms for the acronyms? Either there must be a better way or people who do this course don't have jobs...

I just jot down the exercise + mobility exercise pair and reps in a text document, in 7 different divisions. As I progress I add another pair in each division and erase the previous set/rep scheme, changing it to something I can do at a warmup sort of intensity. It certainly takes no time

Is there not now a 'your first workout' page on the menu bar that covers this?

after reading two pages i'm still like.......WTF?????

i still don't understand the problem...

if you don't understand what FL/PE1 stands for than just look it up in the f1 manual. there are pictures and a video...if you don't

have access to the internet all the times make some notes.

e.g. FL/PE1 = Front Lever Preparatory Element 1 --> lay on your back and lift your legs and shoulders; keep head in neutral position, keep 90 degree bent in your knees;

dude...

One possible cause for the confusion that occurred to me... is your web browser up to date? When i first got F1 i was looking at it at work (shh.. don't tell) where I'm forced to use the ancient Internet Explorer 7 and the format was completey jacked up. Nothing made sense at all and I couldn't see the videos. Just a thought...

Otherwise, as others have said, you will need to take your workout plan with all its acronyms and cross-reference that with the descriptions to find out what to do.

Fred & P5yx: I honestly can't read that acronyms.

Gohei, Hercules, Christian, Charm:

Thanks. Not sure that will be enough to bring the time investment down to something reasonable, but your suggestions in combination must be the best approach. I appreciate the help.

My suggestions to the course creators stand based on the fact that Gohei had a few years experience and still found it difficult and still doesn't use the planner, Charm might be a similar case, and there are probably lots more. Perhaps a significant percentage just give up quietly.

Dananimal: thanks. I'll try a different browser. Yes, I am using IE7. Wish I could take work time to sort this because it takes a lot of work.

It's best viewed on Firefox for me.

Just to be clear though, the workout planner was not active when the course was released. So I did not have much of a choice. I do not know how the planner works cuz I think my method works just fine.

rahukala said:

Fred & P5yx: grow up guys.

 

I don't get it as the rest of your posts...

If you are at level 1 (PE1) on all exercises, and on the four day per week split:

Do each set as first the exercise on the left (which is known as PE1), then the one on the right (which is known as PE1<iM, and is a mobility exercise used to 'rest' between sets of the PE1). Then repeat for the required number of times. NOTE that the number of reps and seconds listed for the exercises on the left refer to the amount done on week 11. The actual amount of work depends on what week you are on. But the workout planner WILL tell you that.

rahukala said:

Fred & P5yx: I honestly can't read that acronyms.

 

Gohei, Hercules, Christian, Charm:

Thanks. Not sure that will be enough to bring the time investment down to something reasonable, but your suggestions in combination must be the best approach. I appreciate the help.

 

My suggestions to the course creators stand based on the fact that Gohei had a few years experience and still found it difficult and still doesn't use the planner, Charm might be a similar case, and there are probably lots more. Perhaps a significant percentage just give up quietly.

 

Dananimal: thanks. I'll try a different browser. Yes, I am using IE7. Wish I could take work time to sort this because it takes a lot of work.

I'm not, I found it straightforward and began Foundation work the day it was released. I have frequented these forums for a little while though so I knew what FL, HBP etc were referring to.

Anyway, glad we could help, in tandem. Unless you have more questions on this topic I think we're pretty well done here guys

-The use of acronyms on the workout planner is Coach's direct request.

-There is a major update I'm working on that includes automated workout logs, notes, mobile-friendly daily workout view, and links to the course pages in the schedule. There's no current release date as of yet, but it should make the experience easier. 

My own suggestions are for the course creators:

1. How about a narrow list of acronyms/definitions/photos in the margin? That would help.
2. How about popup definitions when you hover the pointer? That would help.
3. How about both? That would really help. 
4. How about redefining each acronym the first time its used on a new page throughout Foundation One, since its for beginners? That would help too.

Something like this is already in the works. Development, however, does take time.

Look into the return rate of your customers--it may be in your interest to improve the course legibility. check how many customers don't return so you won't be fooled by the convergence of opinions of the committed crowd in the forum. My suggestion is that you have an actual problem in your product that is obscured by looking at those who have chosen to persist. In other words, you may have untapped audience out there and might receive the benefit of far greater word of mouth advertising if you address this.

Quite an incorrect assumption, actually. I keep statistics on everything and it's far from the picture you've painted. 

Do we plan to improve the courses over time? Of course. We simply can't do everything every person wants all at once. Up to this point, we've largely seen the acronym issue as one that can be solved in 30 seconds by writing a sticky note and putting it by the monitor as you read. We'll revisit Foundation One, but it won't be instant changes.

rahukala said:

 

Dananimal: thanks. I'll try a different browser. Yes, I am using IE7. Wish I could take work time to sort this because it takes a lot of work.

We don't really support Internet Explorer 7 as it was released in 2006 and is now used only by 1.5% of the entire browser marketshare. Using a current browser is one of the best things you can do for anything on the internet.

Cory Fair said:

Do we plan to improve the courses over time? Of course. We simply can't do everything every person wants all at once. Up to this point, we've largely seen the acronym issue as one that can be solved in 30 seconds by writing a sticky note and putting it by the monitor as you read. We'll revisit Foundation One, but it won't be instant changes.

IMHO the simplest solution to the issue is to generate the workout in the scheduler with links to each movement. Takes any necessary knowledge needed out of the equation - aside from clicking a link, and if a person can't manage to do that, well ...

- Chris

chobbs said:

IMHO the simplest solution to the issue is to generate the workout in the scheduler with links to each movement. Takes any necessary knowledge needed out of the equation - aside from clicking a link, and if a person can't manage to do that, well ...

 

- Chris

Already in the works, read my first post.

Cory Fair said:

Already in the works, read my first post.

Sure, but if you lump it in with all that other stuff (which does sound cool) it may be some time coming. The format needed for the links is basically the same as the acronym name (one just needs to substitute the forward slash with a dash) - thus generating the links is a trivial change that could be done in a few minutes at most and might make a big difference in the interim. I know my wife struggled with it.

- Chris

Charm said:

I'm not, I found it straightforward and began Foundation work the day it was released.

 

I will say, I am a newcomer too, and has also felt it frustrating to start getting an overview of this. I have come to think, though, that it is also partly a deliberate pedagogical effort to force people to take ownership over the program. The program requires you to self-evaluate, to understand which week you should be training for each exercise, and to rigorously enforce perfect form in exercises rather than focusing on progress. It is a program that requires enthusiasm - but I will also say that it breeds enthusiasm. The highly rigorous standards, the clear progression, and the potential gain from following the program are highly motivational. But it is not, at this point, plug-and-play.

Michael Borregaard: thanks for extracting my schedule for me. That was the most helpful post on this.

***

I gather from the last few posts that a number of folks here are programmers? That clarifies a lot!

Cory and others: 

Fair enough that improvements take time. But this is a not-cheap paid service advertised as easy, simple, clear and for beginners. This is apparently not accurate. Maybe revise the adverts or add disclaimers until those improvements are delivered? Just for honesty's sake.

Good luck.

To be frank, I may take heat for this, this program is spoon fed to you as it is. All the progressions are laid out, reps, sets, times, and holds. The names and acronyms are listed within the program and its simply asking one to remember them. If one cannot even take a few moments of their time to memorize a few names then I doubt their intention on completing the course.

@rahukala: Do you even recognize that we achieve information from a jr. national coach here? i don't think the products are

expensive at all compared to the information we get. i would pay way more for them even if there wouldn't be anything like

a schedule planner or so... just for the pics, videos and his notes. nevertheless i hope coach isn't rising the price after this post (i'm a poor student) .

i really think critics are a good thing and i don't want to offense you personally but the manual is cristal clear.

the right answer to your question was READ the manual again until you get it instead of getting spoon fed. information are all there. guess what foundation is easy, simply, clear and for beginners but those words are pretty relative...

once again i don't want to be offensive but i can't tolerate critics which just are total nonsense...

OK.

Have you ever seen  duya dubya dubya forgingelitesarcasm dot com ?

But most of the responses here on this site were helpful and appreciated.

Good luck with your workouts.

Wow - I'm not alone! I don't ever recall feeling so mentally numb.

Firstly I understand Rahukalas frustration. I purchased F1 a couple of days ago and it hasn't been easy and I personally feel that this is not dummy proof. I'm more excited than bitter though. It's clear that the admin team have listened because they added in the acronym pop up which has been useful.

I read the "your first workout" section and feel like pulling my teeth out because it says "your first workout will be PE1 with a PE1 IM in week 11" - What has my week 1 got to do with my week 11? I'm just struggling to piece this together so forgive me.

Anyway, let me type out whilst I think it through. I'm begging for a little validation here and I hope it comes to light as I type.

>I've just clicked workout configuration

>>Given that I am a novice who wants to start out properly I'm going to go ahead an PE1 for all 7 postures.

>>>And yes, it'll be my week 1. So, I've selected Week 1 for all 7 seven postures.

>Ok, so now I'll retrieve my workout.

>>Wow - All printed out for me. Clever.

>>>Monday looks busy. Can't wait.

This is what I expect to do on Monday.

FL/PE1: 3x12s [That's 12 seconds of BHBH right?]

5r FL/PE1-iM after each work set [immediately after my first set I do 5 reps of....one moment...CAT COWS!]

Then I repeat the above 3 times with NO REST?

Then again, I move on to the next exercise. Can't I have a rest between exercises? If so, how long?

SPL/PE1: 3x3r [This means I do 3 reps of this. The video is not clear. Is this like a press up?]

5r SPL/PE1-iM after each work set [immediately after my first set I do 5 reps of...hold on let me find it...SWIVEL HIPS!]

Then I repeat the above 3 times with NO REST?

Ok so lets move on.... still on Monday

HBP/PE1:3x3r [That's 3 reps of incline push ups. Can I do this off a chair?]

10r HBP/PE1-iM after each work set [immediately after the above, I do my 10 reps of German Arm Swings. It looks like our chap did 5, so I'm guessing 1 rep means swinging two arms??]

Then repeat the above 3 times right?

and finally

RC/PE1:3x3r [That's 3 reps of Hinge row...]

30s RC/PE1-iM after each work set [immediately after the Hinge Row I do 30 seconds of Upright Lat Leans]

And that's Monday right? If that's correct then I'm euphoric right now. I can see why this is a very complex work out to architect so well done that Sommers man.

Now for my biggest challenge!

I don't have rings or facilities to do this at home nor can I install them as I live out of hotels. I do however have a local gym... so can I improvise?

Lots of questions and I sincerely appreciate any help.

Thanks

RQ

rahukala said:

OK.

 

Have you ever seen  duya dubya dubya forgingelitesarcasm dot com ?

 

But most of the responses here on this site were helpful and appreciated.

 

Good luck with your workouts.

No what is it ?

rizqasim1 said:

 

And that's Monday right? If that's correct then I'm euphoric right now. 

That is correct - provided you start all exercises at week 1. But people start this program at very different levels of strength and mobility. Thus every new exercise can be started on weeks 1, 5 or 9. The purpose of starting with the 'week 11' workout is that week 11 has the highest intensity of repetitions - so it is used to figure out whether you need to start the program on week 1, 5 or 9 of each exercise. Every time you upgrade to a new exercise (after passing week 12), you do a 'week 11' workout of the new exercise, to figure out where in the progression to start.