Structured Rmu Training

I understand that one should not begin structured R1 work until F4 is completed. However, my Rope Climb (and HBP) work is well ahead of any straight arm elements; thus after RC mastery can I begin the Rmu progressions (not just as play)?

Also, would it be appropriate to begin R1 back lever work after finishing RC, or are the other straight arm elements absolute pre-reqs?

Hi Hardy,

I'm guessing it would be best to avoid the ring series until you've fully completed F4.  The reasons are multiple:  1) it will slow your progress through the remainder of F series; 2) you won't be able to do the appropriate warmup; 3) Your straight arm strength is lagging and will predispose you to brachialis/elbow problems until it catches up.  I know it's hard to resist, and great work on your bent arm strength.  Now you can really focus your time and energy on your mobility and your straight arm strength.  

Thank you for the reply MT Nordic.

Granted, I'm not quite there on either RC or HBP, but I'm close on RC and HBP is progressing much faster than any other SA element--so I feel very confident in saying that i'll have both finished well before I've mastered a single SA element.

So what should one do as they master Foundation elements? I expected my original question to be nixed, so I guess I'll just work on more advanced bent arm pulling and pushing elements after I finish FBAS.

Even after you master it (foundation level), you need to be able to do the 7m rope climbs as warm up (it's almost like another mastery level...). The same for the HBP, it needs to feel like warm up. I think even when foundation has been mastered, ultimately it needs to be done as a warm up and I think this hasn't really sunk in yet until actually attempting it.

Personally after completing the F4 there is some additional work to do.

This additional work is being able to do at least a triple rc in a row.

Only the HBP and RC numbers look genuinely intimidating there.... the rest should certainly be easy for an F4 graduate.

No doubt as R1 says you can be 'moderately successful' with training rings prior to that, but all bets are off on how productive that actually is. The more patience you can exercise now to delay the rings, the more you will get out of it (and the faster you will progress). Moving up a few levels now is not comparable to being strong enough to test through R2+ bent arm material

That all makes sense, and I'm convinced

So then what would people recommend I do once I get RC to the point of a triple and two doubles being fairly easy? This is getting kind of far down the line, but I'm curious and I know that I'll get that down before I master elements such as Spl and and Manna.

Weighted climbs? Cirques?

chameleons (upside down), climb in front lever position, climb with hands behind the head, climbing in meathook variations are some that I've seen on youtube

BMJD said:

chameleons (upside down), climb in front lever position, climb with hands behind the head, climbing in meathook variations are some that I've seen on youtube

Okay, thank you. I think I'll climb in several different planes--i.e. normal, FL, and chameleons--and do some weighted climbing. I'll add in cirques when I feel ready.

Note that a weighted climb involves a weighted negative-- in my own training I would rather get a nice controlled cirque descent first. But, depends on your goals and priorities.

If you have access to *two* ropes together you can have even more fun

Can you manage easily 15-16 mt or rope climb in a row , rest for some breaths then 10-12 mts, rest for some breaths then again 10-12 mts?

alex87 said:

Can you manage easily 15-16 mt or rope climb in a row , rest for some breaths then 10-12 mts, rest for some breaths then again 10-12 mts?

No, no, not quite there yet. Still have an SE to master in F4. RC is just very far ahead of any other element; in fact I put both SL and SPL work on the back-burner b/c forearm splints, so I know that I will finish RC well before I'm done with all of F4. Just looking ahead

when you will have what I have stated the splint will be the last of your problems!

Haha I have no doubt, the SE's and one-handed IM's feel great on them.

Hardy Evans said:

No, no, not quite there yet. Still have an SE to master in F4. RC is just very far ahead of any other element; in fact I put both SL and SPL work on the back-burner b/c forearm splints, so I know that I will finish RC well before I'm done with all of F4. Just looking ahead

Getting forearm splints from these lower level skills is indicative that you are not yet strong enough to be worrying about increasing maximal strength. Bent arm pulling strength is only a part of the physical preparation needed to be successful at ring strength training.

Go back, slow down and do things right. In the long run, it results in much faster progress later if you are slow and meticulous establishing your foundation in the beginning.

There are no shortcuts.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Coach Sommer said:

Getting forearm splints from these lower level skills is indicative that you are not yet strong enough to be worrying about increasing maximal strength. Bent arm pulling strength is only a part of the physical preparation needed to be successful at ring strength training.

Go back, slow down and do things right. In the long run, it results in much faster progress later if you are slow and meticulous establishing your foundation in the beginning.

There are no shortcuts.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Thank you for the advice Coach Sommer. 

I admit, I didn't understand the necessity of attention to detail in GST training, particularly your system. I sped through in the beginning, and I'm currently nursing my wounds as a result. 

Luckily, I independently realized the advice you gave me above, and a few months ago I brought all of my progressions back to where they should be. Unfortunately I still did some damage, so I slowed down my progress by more than I'd like to admit.