How to balance F1 with other goals

I'm interested in a discussion here - it's not a problem I'm trying to solve per se, but one I'm interested in generally. 

A lot of us (I think) use F1 to improve other activities we do, like martial arts or acrobatics or crossfit competitions.   What has been your experience balancing training for those and training for F1?  

We (mortals) all have training and recovery limits, right?   We can't do everything.

On the one hand, I've seen (often from coach) the mantra that you must put F1 first.  And I totally get that if you aren't happy with your F1 progress, it might be other training that is interfering.  Clearly, that which you prioritize will have the greatest chance of success.  You have to make choices.

On the other hand, F1 is a means to an end.  Although I love F1, I get my real joy from acrobatics and trapeze.  I wouldn't give that up to make progress in F1 if it had to be either/or.   I couldn't.  

Fortunately it's not that black or white, and one can achieve a reasonable balance.  I'm interested in other's experience finding that balance.  Was it hard?  What would you change if you were to do it again?  

If I were to do "it" again, I would put F1 (and H1) first. HTH

You need to earn your right to "play".

If you currently lack the physical preparation necessary to do both F1 and the outside activity of your choice, the outside activity must be set aside until your work capacity has improved to the point where you handle both.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

One thing to keep in mind is that the further you progress through the Foundation series, the more enjoyable other physical activities will become. Which would you rather drive around in - a Civic or a Ferrari? Doing Foundation work today make's tomorrow's trapeze that much more enjoyable. 

It's important to keep in mind that Foundation is a means and not an end. On the other hand, if your everyday trapeze/acrobatics work is so difficult for you that it impedes your F1 progress, that's a sign that you may be working with too much intensity for your current level of physical preparation.  

Joshua Slocum said:

 Doing Foundation work today make's tomorrow's trapeze that much more enjoyable. 

 

  

Yep totally. That's why I'm doing it!    I'm glad I'm here.  But if I had to drop circus for a year?  I wouldn't trade cars.  I'd stay in the civic.  Life's too short.  Fortunately I don't think I have to do that, my work capacity is decently high.

But I'm still interested in the experiences of people that managed both.  I was hoping to learn something.

I'll give my relatively short experience as an example:

I train 8-12 hours a week in addition to F1/H1 and stretching.  Some of it is very hard on the body (static doubles) and some of it is pretty easy (trampoline). And I do a little cardio.

Adding F1 and H1, I could see would push my limits - so I've made these three changes in the last month.  So far they are working for me:

1) I adapted my diet a lot to reflect the perfect workout nutrition standards.  It seems to be helping a lot, as well as some modest supplements.  I had a great macro diet before, but the pre and post workout nutrition have worked a lot.

2)  I've had to switch the sPL/PE1 iM with MN/PE1 im so that I can get all the shoulder stuff in one block.  Since trapeze is shoulder intensive, I have to try hard to group shoulder work together , train trapeze and give it the time off.  (I would never test mastery with the im switched) 

3) hI have had to focus really hard on ensuring I get recovery periods, particularly with my shoulders.    It's required changing my schedule a lot, and foregoing some activities I used to do freely like climbing.  

4) I've cut my trapeze training by maybe 25% to accomodate.   

All in all it's working for me but I had to make adaptations.   I was curious what other folks had done to make it work.

I only do foundation/handstand once a week and making slow but steady progress.

Tuesday - Crossfit (metcon) and High Volume Heavy squat/press/deadlift

Thursday - Crossfit (metcon) and Light Squat/Press day

Friday - (Olympic) weightlifitng

Saturday - Crossfit (metcon) and Heavy but Low Volume Squat/Press

Sunday - Handstand followed by Foundation

Throughout the week I try work on mobility several times a day - swivel hips, table, etc. since right now I am held back on a lot of progressions due to being very unflexable.

Once I get to harder strength elements I will probably take out one of the crossfit workouts and replace with a GB session.  i am hoping to one day get to through the rings courses....seems very far away since I am stuck at multiple mobility elements.

I am an endurance athlete, and spend most of my training time cross country skiing and trail running.  Of the 10-12 hours or so I train every week, 2/3 is doing these things.  I spend an hour 4 days per week doing strength training.  I don't feel it impedes my progress too much, but I do time my deload weeks based on my endurance calendar, and not on a strict 4 week calendar.  I think my foundation progress would be faster if I could contribute all my energy to it.  It is fun and it is great seeing progress over time, but it also helps me in my other sports.  I consider it my general training, and it keeps my body in line, has dramatically improved my mobility/flexibility, and I feel more solid and injury resistant when training. especially with the cross country skiing, it helped my poling power quite a bit.  I don't like the gangly appearance of most endurance athletes, and like being more well-rounded.  I am a generalist at heart.  I do know if I try to train foundation after a 20 mile trail run, I am not going to be successful, so I do strength work on M/T/TH/F (including Handstand).  My biggest running days are wednesday and the weekends.  I do shorter 3-5 mile runs as warmups for my GST days, or else i do some jump rope or rowing.