SL/SE1 and beyond (Equipment/exercise substitution advice)

Hello all!

I've been stuck at SL PE15 for the longest due to not having stall bars available in any shape or form for my job as I'm on the road alot. I want to progress so bad but don't know if there other ways I could get around this or have a way to train without side levers it and work on it when I get into a better situation where I have more freedom to train. Lately I've been just milking the mobility of easier exercises but it cuts off there.

I have a portable pull up bar that extends to 8 feet which is quite nice, PVC paralletes,  and 5ft olympic bar to do Foundation leg work with some weights but that's about all I'm limited to. This is kinda why I'm hoping Coach would finally put more of an emphasis on getting that Movement Series released already so I could at the very least work on repulsion/plyometrics.

Anyone have some ideas for me to do instead for oblique work? Thanks in advance!

Look around for playgrounds: they usually have ladders that are suitable for use as stall bars. 

I bet you could come up with a way to modify your portable pull up bar to do side lever work. It's a matter of working out how to add a second bar, and making sure the system is stable enough. 

Cole Dano said:

I bet you could come up with a way to modify your portable pull up bar to do side lever work. It's a matter of working out how to add a second bar, and making sure the system is stable enough.

Cole Dano said:

I bet you could come up with a way to modify your portable pull up bar to do side lever work. It's a matter of working out how to add a second bar, and making sure the system is stable enough.

http://tacticalathlete.com/store/tactical-athlete-pull-up-system-2

This is what I have Cole. There isn't any way for attachments with the exception of bands that I'll never use except for future mobility work.

I bet it would be possible to rig something up with that. It looks nice and sturdy anyway.

Here's a couple of ideas -

One option is attach an aluminium ladder, tie down straps at the top, tent stakes at the bottom.

Or you could have a bar custom made, weld a short length of the next size up square tubing to both ends of a steel tube. You'd have to drill holes in the rig so you could put a pin through to support the bar. A welding or engineering shop can do this for you.

It may be when you get to doing some later SL stuff the rig feels like it might tip. Guy wire and tent stakes will fix that.

Cole Dano said:

I bet it would be possible to rig something up with that. It looks nice and sturdy anyway.

 

Here's a couple of ideas -

 

One option is attach an aluminium ladder, tie down straps at the top, tent stakes at the bottom.

 

Or you could have a bar custom made, weld a short length of the next size up square tubing to both ends of a steel tube. You'd have to drill holes in the rig so you could put a pin through to support the bar. A welding or engineering shop can do this for you.

 

It may be when you get to doing some later SL stuff the rig feels like it might tip. Guy wire and tent stakes will fix that.

I might give that aluminum ladder idea a go and perhaps welding if that first idea doesn't go so smoothly. I gotta ask though, how vital is SL in respect to all the other elements?

strongyetagil3 said:

I might give that aluminum ladder idea a go and perhaps welding if that first idea doesn't go so smoothly. I gotta ask though, how vital is SL in respect to all the other elements?

Critical.

My athletes did not train side levers because they were 'cool'. They trained side levers because they are essential for fully developing the obliques and rotational strength of the thoracic spine.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Coach Sommer said:

Critical.

My athletes did not train side levers because they were 'cool'. They trained side levers because they are essential for fully developing the obliques and rotational strength of the thoracic spine.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

On the note of training them, should you alternate positions, or stick to one for all of the sets? I.e., my right arm on bottom and left arm on top, but if I have three sets for Week 1, do I complete all of them with the same arm position?

I'm under the assumption that your stronger arm should be on bottom, but who knows.

This is incorrect.

You do not only perform SL on your strong side; you perform the required number of sets on EACH arm. In other words, you will perform a SL set facing one direction and then your next set will be performed facing the other direction.

At your current strength level, that means to continue alternating directions in this manner until you have completed six total SL sets; three on each arm.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Ok, makes sense. Thanks.