Need Feedback on New Integrated Steady State Cycle

This will be my first Gymnastic Strength Training™ cycle. I have been experimenting with a multitude of body weight training exercises (mostly on rings) and it inevitably led me here. Needless to say I am sold on it or I wouldn't have bought the book already and spent countless hours pouring over it's pages trying to pick out workouts. I believe this to be a pretty straightforward program I started it today. The workouts below are rotated on a Mon, Tues, Thurs split with Sun reserved for either climbing or a Ropes course that I am lucky enough to have access to above the pool where I work. I am desperately seeking any constructive criticism on the plan, so that I don't waste 8 weeks and hurt myself. I admit that it looks a little aggressive for just starting out but I am using the fact that I have a pretty substantial strength base from rock climbing and some advanced military training. I have also modified some of the workouts already after some trial and error, to better fit my "actual" ability level rather than try to fuel my ego. I plan on using the leg workouts just as often as the upper body workouts, since I only constructed two of them, they will just get rotated every other workout. Anyone has been playing with this for awhile please let me know what you think I am missing or maybe need to tone down. Thanks for the help, the workouts are posted below.

STRENGTH TRAINING WORKOUTS

LEGS #1:

Front Lever Tuck 10x6 Sec (Static/Straight Bar)

Natural Leg Curls 3x5

Jumping Deck Squats 3x5

Legs #2

Front Lever Tuck 10x6 Sec (Static/Straight Bar)

SLS Negatives 3x5

Half GHR 3x5

UPPER BODY #1:

Planche Frogstand (Static/Floor)

PPP 3x5 (Rings)

Straddle-L (Static/PB)

Hanging Leg Lifts 3x5

UPPER BODY #2:

Back Lever Tuck 6x10 Sec (Static/Rings)

Inverted Pull-Ups 3x5

L-Sit 6x10 Sec (Static/Rings)

Hanging Leg Lifts 3x5

UPPER BODY #3:

Planche Frogstand (Static/Floor)

Ring Dips 3x5

Back Pull Negative 3x5

Back Lever Tuck 6x10 Sec

L-Pull Ups 3x5

UPPER BODY #4:

Planche Frogstand (Static/Floor)

HeSPU 3x5 (Wall)

Back Lever Tuck 6x10Sec

Jumping Muscle Ups 3x5

Front Pull Negative 3x5

As you can see I just integrated the static work with my pulling and pressing, once I complete the static work for a given position I move to the FBE that it is paired with. Every Mon, Tue, Thur I will have one of the two leg workouts paired with one of the four upper body workouts. I will do about 30 min of warm up and then complete the workout.

Didn't I see this workout elsewhere. I liked it if I remember.

Thanks for the reply I was having trouble getting any feedback so I posted it on two forums. I am starting week 4 tomorrow and the results are good so far. Already see a difference in strength plus small gains in chest shoulders and arms. Overall body tension is also substantially greater. Only other question I have is, when doing static integrated with FBE's is it best to do all the static sets first and then switch to the FBE it is paired with or to do them as supersets one static hold then one set of movement exercise and so on. Thanks for any advice.

-Kilch

you can do it either way. you will have to change your rest periods to reflect that.

I could probably do all 3 statics in a row with a short rest in between each, like 3 breaths but if I were to do static+FBE, there is no way I could do all 3+FBE. I tried and it didn't work out very well.

hey kilch,

I'm using integrated training, too. My workouts look like WOD's 090716 or 090706 with my choice of FBE

e.g. viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2349

I like going directly (20 seconds of rest inbetween) from FSP to FBE. Maybe that helps the mind-muscle-connection... Not sure about that, but every workout feels great and coach sommer gives advice on the length of the rest periods.

Of course I don't neglect HS work. I posted a question elsewhere whether there is integrated training for HS but it wasn't answered. Maybe Blairbob can tell us about that ?! Or coach Sommer?

So far I'm doing integrated training 3 times a week and one day I train strap HS on rings.

Hope that helps and good luck with your training :wink:

I'd like to hear as well.

My guess is that it would be HS hold with HSPU or HS press or wall run work.

I also thought of HS hold + cast wall walks or press to shoulderstand or something like that.

I don't have any handstand work in my program yet. It seems to be what I am lacking as everyone else seems to be doing a lot of it. Although my motives for training are not gymnastic performance oriented, and strictly for strength and balance to transfer into other activities I would still like to develop the handstand to round out my program a little better. I will probably put it on my next training cycle though and stick with what I have for now as it seems to be working well. Any advice on beginner handstand development is always appreciated, I guess I am a little intimidated by it at this time.

-Kilch

http://drillsandskills.com/articles/

3 articles on HS stuff. Pretty thorough and should give you an idea on what you can be doing HS wise.

Honestly, HS and Cartwheel tell me a lot about balance, awareness, and coordination.

Thanks for the resources, I look forward to reading them. I am pretty sure I posses the Strength, but the balance may take a little more practice. I will probably start experimenting a little before this cycle is over. I'll let you know how it goes.

On a side note I had a question about hypertrophy. I am not overly concerned with it because my training is for performance not looks, but I do like to know what I am talking about, and even more importantly what is happening to my body. I am 5' 7 1/2" tall @ 155 lbs. and a body fat of 10%. I thought I was actually gaining weight but it turns out I have lost a few pounds. None the less I look bigger and more muscular like back when I was lifting weights a few years ago, and have gotten numerous remarks from other people about my size gains when I have made none. Is this due to hypertrophy or are my muscles just carrying more water weight making them look bigger than usual.

-Kilch

Could be sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.

kilch012 said:

Thanks for the resources, I look forward to reading them. I am pretty sure I posses the Strength, but the balance may take a little more practice. I will probably start experimenting a little before this cycle is over. I'll let you know how it goes.

On a side note I had a question about hypertrophy. I am not overly concerned with it because my training is for performance not looks, but I do like to know what I am talking about, and even more importantly what is happening to my body. I am 5' 7 1/2" tall @ 155 lbs. and a body fat of 10%. I thought I was actually gaining weight but it turns out I have lost a few pounds. None the less I look bigger and more muscular like back when I was lifting weights a few years ago, and have gotten numerous remarks from other people about my size gains when I have made none. Is this due to hypertrophy or are my muscles just carrying more water weight making them look bigger than usual.

-Kilch

Since you lost a few pounds it could be that you are just a little bit leaner than you used to be, thus making you look bigger. You could also be carrying yourself with more confidence or using better posture, both can make you look better (and bigger) physically.

Sarcoplasmawhat?

kilch012 said:

Sarcoplasmawhat?

"During sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, the volume of sarcoplasmic fluid in the muscle cell increases with no accompanying increase in muscular strength."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_hypertrophy

Its just an increase in fluid.

Hmmm? Well that sucks, what do you need to do to keep the strength and muscle increases coming along with it?