Will Foundation help me with this? Every opinion appreciated!

[misssunshine]

Hello guys!

I am 21 years old and I am doing ballet since I was a kid and and freerunning (great combo, I know) for 5 years. I am really flexible and good at tumbling.

I am from Sweden and studying sports here.
We have 4 big categories we need to do: gymnastics, swimming, track&field and games.

Each student chooses his/her favorite sports which he/she will specialize in. Every 3 years, they choose the three best students in each category who then gets a scholarship and the possibility to get trained as a coach for the beginner student’s classes, which is not only great fun but also a good way to earn money.

I, of course, chose gymnastics and I really really want to be one of the three chosen people. The next test is March 2015.

They have 3 categories they test you in: flexibility, tumbling and strength. I know that I am the best one in flexibility and also one of the best tumblers, so if I would be able to master the required strength skills, I would definitely make it!

Here is what they test the girls/women for:

15 L to V leg lifts on stall bars
10 “side leg raises” (I don’t know what they are called… but it is like if you do a L to V leg lift but you go from the right side to the top and then to the left side and then to the top again and so on)
10 pull-ups
5 L  pull-ups
10 chin-up pullovers in a row
10 Hanging V to inverted Hang

and then the following flow:
standing pike pressàlowering to straddle holdàstraddle press to handstandàlowering to L-Sità5 secs V-Sit

I never did any strength workout besides the little bit of conditioning at freerunning. I can do maybe 5 full leg lifts on stall bars, but maybe just one L to V. I can do a straddle press but only from floor and standing. My handstand is good though, I can hold it for about 1 minute.

So when I asked at the gym if someone knew someone or something that could help me, one of my teammates gave me the tip to look at this website! I read a lot of threads and what I learned so far is that this program is all about good preparation and right programming.
I think this is VERY important!

But what I also noticed is that GymnasticBodies should help you to achieve the 7 skills, which I actually don’t need. But I think that it might give me a good base anyways!
But the problem is, that I will need the strength by next year.
Many people in my gym said it would be possible if I work hard, because all of them require core strength, which can be trained quite easily.

I made myself a work-out plan which I want to follow 3 times a week.
I would appreciate if you could judge it!

3 sets of tucked V-Sits (progression: V-Sit)
3 sets of L-Sits
3 sets of trying to get from an L-sit on parallettes to standing on them (progression: from L-Sit to straddle, then press up immediately and press a little higher every time until in full handstand, try lowering down again to L-Sit)
3 sets of pike presses against the wall (progression: once I can go up and down very slowly and controlled 3 times in a row I try to move to the floor, press up from an elevated surface and so on)
3 sets of leg lifts on stall bars (progression: L to V leg lifts)
3 sets of pull-ups progression: L pull-ups
3 sets of inverted hangs (progression: V Hang to inverted Hang)
3 sets of push-ups

I am always doing as many reps/secs per set as possible. Once I am able to do one of the progressions I will do them instead of the original exercises (for example L-pull-ups instead of pull-ups, V-Sit instead of tucked V-Sit etc.)

Of course I warm up and stretch before working out!

Do you think this is going to work?
Any criticism on my workout?
Should I go for the F course? If it will help me, I will go for it!
What is the difference between handstand presses on p bars and on floor? Which one is harder?

I am just a little helpless at the moment. This is a lot!

Thanks in advance!

[Raidho]

Coolt! Lycka till! Håller tummarna att det går vägen 

[misssunshine]

Coolt! Lycka till! Håller tummarna att det går vägen 

tack!

[Mark Collins]

The exercises you listed as strength tests are all in Foundation. You will develop far more than those levels by following foundation, H1 and H2.

[Douglas Wadle]

Most people are limited by their flexibility/mobility.  If you are already very good with flexibility, I would expect you to progress much faster than the rest of us mere mortals.  I too would recommend foundation.  there is a lot of overlap amonst the skills, and you will improve much faster than the program you're outlining above.  As you get within a couple months of your test, you can train more specifically for the test items, but I think Foundation would be perfect for what you're describing.  Good luck!

[Redwan Haque]

The fact that you've been doing ballet for so long and that you probably have very good pike/pancake flexibility will help a lot. Considering your goals, I think you should add in some extra work in pike/straddle compression strength to progressively develop full control over those ROMs. Like this:

 

 

If you get strong enough with your L-sits you can even start working compression lifts like this:

 

 

Handstand wall runs, and if you're strong enough, one arm holds against the wall focusing on protraction and elevation while maintaining an open shoulder angle are good for developing pressing strength, and recommended around here pretty often.

 

 

F1/2 and H1/2 will give you a wide array of exercises to target any strength or mobility deficiencies you may have, should you choose to get them.