I have some questions with the books and DVDs.

Hi. Alot has come since I have been away. I am so happy with what Coach Sommers has achieved in regards to his successful team and the books and rings and dvds. May my luck and prayers be with you. I may have been away for at least a year now. I did not even know the book had came out. I waited like forever for it to come out. Now I am having a hard time choosing between buingy the book or the dvd. If I buy the book do I need the dvd and vice versa? Will the book teach some of the advanced variations we see on tv like the Iron Cross or the handstand push up on the rings.

Anotehr question. I used to wrestle but quit the season because my skills and conditioning as not in my ideal level. I went to bodybuiding and now I have stop. The gym is a joke and going there weekly is a hassle. I have now bloated up in my tummy area but not too bad just flabby, trying to bulk up. Anyway I am thinking of improving my conditioning during the sumer season for the next season and try to make a name of myself. Will any of the gymnastic stuff help? Just gymnastic. No weights. We will lift weights occsaionally during practice but I won't have weights at home and thinking about doing this instead of going to a gym again.

Thank you guys so much for helping me and I hope I will participate more on this board and get to know you guys again. :wink:

i think gymastic style training is great for wrestling... i stopped lifting weights except for some olympic lifting... i compete in greco and grappling... it has helped give me the strength i need without loosing flexibility... it took a little playing with to find the right amout of gymastics, oly lifing and wrestling... now i feel the best i ever have... last week i got my first oap (with the right arm... almost there with the left) this is something that i would have thought impossible about a year ago when i started... good luck

griffdrc said:

i think gymastic style training is great for wrestling... i stopped lifting weights except for some olympic lifting... i compete in greco and grappling... it has helped give me the strength i need without loosing flexibility... it took a little playing with to find the right amout of gymastics, oly lifing and wrestling... now i feel the best i ever have... last week i got my first oap (with the right arm... almost there with the left) this is something that i would have thought impossible about a year ago when i started... good luck

Thanks for your help, griffdrc. For the olympic lifting is that during your practice lifting? "OAP?" Do you mean one arm push up?

I also have another question. I am having a hard time choosing between buying the book or the dvd. If I buy the book do I need the dvd and vice versa?

The book is a priority for the program, in fact you can't really understand the program and exercises with just the DVD. The DVD is the next accessory as it will show you exactly in motion how the movements are to be done. For a non gymnast, they may or not be able to figure them out from the book. As a coach and gymnast for 8 years ( not much really ) the DVD wasn't really critical for me. However, it is so much easier to show the kids on video than try to explain it one by one or using one kid as an example. It's great for teaching groups in that regard. You could try to buy the book and see if you can figure out all the exercises from there and then get the DVD if you can't. The DVD also shows the form Coach Sommer wants people to use.

The book goes over HSPU to HSPU on rings but Iron Cross will be in another book titled, Advanced Ring Training or something like that. It's probably going to be the 4th book in the series since Coach Sommer is supposed to be working on the HS Chronicles and Liquid Steel™, which is all about the prehab and flexibility training.

Gymnastics will help your wrestling pretty well, imo.

OAPU usually refers to One Arm Pull up but it can mean the Push Up.

i'm not currently strongly affiliated with a team... some of the guys i work out with are and others are looking to get sponsored... haven't competed since oct 07 because of school... i graduated this spring and looking to start competeing again now that i'll have more time... stronger, healthier and more technical than ever... i'm excited!

oap = one arm pull-up

Blairbob said:

The book is a priority for the program, in fact you can't really understand the program and exercises with just the DVD. The DVD is the next accessory as it will show you exactly in motion how the movements are to be done. For a non gymnast, they may or not be able to figure them out from the book. As a coach and gymnast for 8 years ( not much really ) the DVD wasn't really critical for me. However, it is so much easier to show the kids on video than try to explain it one by one or using one kid as an example. It's great for teaching groups in that regard. You could try to buy the book and see if you can figure out all the exercises from there and then get the DVD if you can't. The DVD also shows the form Coach Sommer wants people to use.

The book goes over HSPU to HSPU on rings but Iron Cross will be in another book titled, Advanced Ring Training or something like that. It's probably going to be the 4th book in the series since Coach Sommer is supposed to be working on the HS Chronicles and Liquid Steel™, which is all about the prehab and flexibility training.

Gymnastics will help your wrestling pretty well, imo.

OAPU usually refers to One Arm Pull up but it can mean the Push Up.

I was hoping the iron cross were shown in the book. Anyway thanks for your advice. I'm hoping to get my hands on the book and the ring this summer.

griffdrc said:

i'm not currently strongly affiliated with a team... some of the guys i work out with are and others are looking to get sponsored... haven't competed since oct 07 because of school... i graduated this spring and looking to start competeing again now that i'll have more time... stronger, healthier and more technical than ever... i'm excited!

oap = one arm pull-up

What do you mean getting sposnored? You can get sponsor in wrestling?

its easier to be sponsored when you are on a team like sunkist or nyac... you can get wealthy individuals and businesses to sponsor you... this allows you to train more and work a "real" job less... it's how a lot of the guys on the senior circuit pay the bills... its not a life of luxary but you get to train

Hmm, I didn't know about those teams. I didn't know you could get paid to wrestle unless you're going for the olympics or pro wrestling. Thanks for the input.

that would be the goal... the last tournement i competed in was an olympic trials qualifier... i got 4th... only 1st place qualified...

If you are interested in the Iron Cross, Steven Low wrote an excellent article/program on it once. Google it but I think it's over on PerformanceMenu.

If you are interested in the Iron Cross, Steven Low wrote an excellent article/program on it once. Google it but I think it's over on PerformanceMenu.

I would discourage you from beginning iron cross work at this time. There is a reason that iron cross work is not included in my first volume on basic strength (BtGB); at this point in your development you are not yet advanced enough to do so safely without experiencing significant trauma to your elbows.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

PLEASE listen to Coach. I have experienced the pain of trying a cross too soon lol! Tendonitis from hell, it gives you. Trust me, with your current condition it will be at least a year, maybe two, before you are ready to start training the cross specifically. There is a reason that the Iron Cross is one of the highest scoring skills, and that reason is that it takes an incredible amount of strength to perform.

You can obviously do what you like, but you will pay with pain, injury, and time off when you should be training.

Coach Sommer said:

If you are interested in the Iron Cross, Steven Low wrote an excellent article/program on it once. Google it but I think it's over on PerformanceMenu.

I would discourage you from beginning iron cross work at this time. There is a reason that iron cross work is not included in my first volume on basic strength (BtGB); at this point in your development you are not yet advanced enough to do so safely without experiencing significant trauma to your elbows.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Ah, thanks for the warning, Coach Sommer.

slizzardman said:

PLEASE listen to Coach. I have experienced the pain of trying a cross too soon lol! Tendonitis from hell, it gives you. Trust me, with your current condition it will be at least a year, maybe two, before you are ready to start training the cross specifically. There is a reason that the Iron Cross is one of the highest scoring skills, and that reason is that it takes an incredible amount of strength to perform.

You can obviously do what you like, but you will pay with pain, injury, and time off when you should be training.

Yikes! Don't want to know what tendonitis feels like...hm I am a bit cruious though... LOL. :wink:

griffdrc said:

its easier to be sponsored when you are on a team like sunkist or nyac... you can get wealthy individuals and businesses to sponsor you... this allows you to train more and work a "real" job less... it's how a lot of the guys on the senior circuit pay the bills... its not a life of luxary but you get to train

Is the pay good?

it varies but in general there is no money in wrestling... not something to do if you're looking to make money