The GB Stretch Courses are Here

I only have one thing to say. Prepare for some pain!

Cory Fair said:

The series should be sufficiently intense enough for once a week. You can limber and explore flexibility daily but it should not be anywhere near the same intensity.

I see. And when limbering we can use the same exercises as well? Only with less intensity of course.

orangutan said:

Could you please explain this? There are "easier" and "advanced" stretches within each course I imagine, and us recovering zombies will have to start somewhere, no? 

You can make each stretch "easier" in some way by not going as deep into the stretch. Coach talks about all of this in the follow along video. Watching it answered pretty much all of the questions I had.

KingJR said:

You can make each stretch "easier" in some way by not going as deep into the stretch. Coach talks about all of this in the follow along video. Watching it answered pretty much all of the questions I had.

Thanks! Can't wait to try them out 

As a seminar attendee, the full follow-along videos in the Stretch courses are pretty much identical to what you'd expect to see in the actual seminars themselves.

timyu said:

Ok thanks! So this should not affect your performance when doing it the same day as the training. I guess my next question would be is that is there a more preferred way to do it before or after if you are doing it on the same day as Foundation or Handstand.

Always stretch AFTER your main conditioning workout.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

orangutan said:

Could you please explain this? There are "easier" and "advanced" stretches within each course I imagine, and us recovering zombies will have to start somewhere, no? 

Stretches are adjusted in intensity by how deep you go into a stretch; not by a change in stretch.  

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I'm a little confused, would like to clarify:

"The Stretch Courses develops Front Split, Middle Split, Thoracic Bridge, Pancake, Pike, Shoulder Flexion and Shoulder Extension."

But, I thought H1 was designed for shoulder flexion and extension, H2 was for pancake, FL for bridge, and MN for pike? What is the stretch series accomplishing that the F and H series are not, apart from splits?

Also, what are the equipment requirements? I'm guessing stall bars at the least?

Micawberian said:

I'm a little confused, would like to clarify:

"The Stretch Courses develops Front Split, Middle Split, Thoracic Bridge, Pancake, Pike, Shoulder Flexion and Shoulder Extension."

But, I thought H1 was designed for shoulder flexion and extension, H2 was for pancake, FL for bridge, and MN for pike? What is the stretch series accomplishing that the F and H series are not, apart from splits?

 

Also, what are the equipment requirements? I'm guessing stall bars at the least?

These are my thoughts

Micawberian said:

I'm a little confused, would like to clarify:

"The Stretch Courses develops Front Split, Middle Split, Thoracic Bridge, Pancake, Pike, Shoulder Flexion and Shoulder Extension."

But, I thought H1 was designed for shoulder flexion and extension, H2 was for pancake, FL for bridge, and MN for pike? What is the stretch series accomplishing that the F and H series are not, apart from splits?

 

Also, what are the equipment requirements? I'm guessing stall bars at the least?

Stretch courses are a much more in depth development of those areas. It is a completely new experience to do 3-5 sets of a single mobility for an area compared to an entire 45 minute flexibility session for it.

Minimal equipment. Stall bars are tremendously helpful but not required. The Thoracic Bridge Series uses resistance tubing which can be found widely online.

If this is to be done once a week, what about overlapping stretches in foundation? For example, if I am on a hamstring focused iM twice a week, and stretch once, would hat be too often? Or is the iM not supposed to be pushed as far as stretch series, and mostly for strengthening current ROM?

I see, thanks for the fast reply.

You gentlemen are over thinking things. Do the iMs in your Foundation work. In addition perform each of the stretch series once per week.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

There are some lo-o-o-ng holds in these courses.

I can see myself struggling to add three 45 minute sessions to my current F1 and H1 practice.

Would it be permissible to reduce some of these hold times to achieve shorter sessions that I am more likely to be able to fit in?

Most of the hold times seem divisible by three, so I was thinking a third and two-thirds times as 'short' and 'medium' versions

Depending on my available time I could then have options other than simply missing out the stretching!

Michael Taylor said:

There are some lo-o-o-ng holds in these courses.

I can see myself struggling to add three 45 minute sessions to my current F1 and H1 practice.

Would it be permissible to reduce some of these hold times to achieve shorter sessions that I am more likely to be able to fit in?

Most of the hold times seem divisible by three, so I was thinking a third and two-thirds times as 'short' and 'medium' versions

Depending on my available time I could then have options other than simply missing out the stretching!

No, shorter holds will not suffice.  I have found the long hold the most effective.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Just did the bridge series. You don't really need a stall bar as you can improvise using chairs, tables, and couches. You do need a swiss ball and a resistance band though. Speaking of which, can anyone suggest a good online source for bands with similar/appropriate intensity?

Some of the bridge work in this series... my god. 

-MR said:

... Some of the bridge work in this series... my god ...

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Quick question, I note the course says that it covers the following:

Front Split, Middle Split, Thoracic Bridge, Pancake, Pike, Shoulder Flexion and Shoulder Extension

However, there are only options for what appear to be:

Front Split, Middle Split, Thoracic Bridge and 'the stretch courses package'

Does the stretch courses package cover all stretches - including future courses (Pancake, Pike, Shoulder Flexion and Shoulder Extension) or do we have to buy them seperately?

Brisgym said:

Quick question, I note the course says that it covers the following:

 

Front Split, Middle Split, Thoracic Bridge, Pancake, Pike, Shoulder Flexion and Shoulder Extension

 

However, there are only options for what appear to be:

 

Front Split, Middle Split, Thoracic Bridge and 'the strecth courses package'

 

Does the stretch courses package cover all stretches - including future courses (Pancake, Pike, Shoulder Flexion and Shoulder Extension) or do we have to buy them seperately?

Sounds to me like front splits stretches develop the pike, middle split develops the pancake, thoracic bridge develops shoulder flexion and extension. They pretty much go hand in hand

Also keep in mind that in the front split series are some very nice hip flexor and quad stretches that I have yet to find a match for in F series.

Destiny said:

Sounds to me like front splits stretches develop the pike, middle split develops the pancake, thoracic bridge develops shoulder flexion and extension. They pretty much go hand in hand

That's interesting, I hope you are right. 

I imagine we'll get a definitive answer shortly.

Yes the thoracic bridge series addresses shoulder flexion and shoulder extension. How could it be otherwise?

In addition, the front split series heavily targets calves, tibialis, quad, hip flexor and hamstring. Again how could it be otherwise?

And yes the middle split series hits the adductors quite hard, gracilis, the abductors, the piriformis and the lower back. And I don't need to repeat the other phrase again do I?

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

How could it be otherwise? 

I think I'll start with Front Splits and Thoracic bridge. Those are the two I most need for my purposes. I'm constantly in need of stretching hip flexors and correcting where I arch in the back for life activities