Any true good news stories?

If you all have read my intro; I am new to GST/GB. I am on my second week of foundation 1 and I love it! I started from week one on all exercises because Mobility is my weakness and I am recovering from hip arthroscopy. From my post you may recall that I am/was a decent athlete, but I believe my full potential was hindered by BB style workouts.

So I'd like to hear (read) true stories of GB members who started in a similar position to me ( big and immobile but strong and solid) and with no prior GST developing decent pikes straddles, planches etc... Are there any out there?

Nothing?!?! C'mon athletes you guys are my source of inspiration in this GST!!!!

Well.. I couldn't touch my toes during V-ups.

Now I can.

Pretty proud actually.

Sorry dude, I'm just not there yet.

Never been in the big/strong/immobile category

Substantially bigger, stronger and more mobile now

Hollow Man, Awesome!!! Well lets keep this thread updates periodically with our successes. I am just starting but I am expecting big things with the effort I am gonna put forth!

Coach has frequently cited Orench Lagman as previously 'made of stone' before working with Coach.  He stars as the male lead in the stretch series, and while he isn't a gumby contortionist, he now has flexibility most of us would envy.  He's also built like a Greek god and apparently an incredibly nice person, so a good role model to build toward.

Is being "made of stone" a good thing or bad? I presume it means he is built but he isn't flexible or mobile...

When Coach says it, it's clear he means as mobile as a statue.  So not mobile at all.  He also says that if Orench can get flexible, then we can all get flexible.  That's an encouraging thought.

Sensei JP said:

When Coach says it, it's clear he means as mobile as a statue. So not mobile at all. He also says that if Orench can get flexible, then we can all get flexible. That's an encouraging thought.

This is awesome! Dude does look like a paid model. It's good to know that coach actually uses people that have gone through this process in his instructionals. Fellas, I am drinking the Kool aid! I am hoping I will get healed and improve flexibility. I also chose this program for the anticipated carry over into my brazilian Jiu jitsu practice.

Mad Grappler said:

I also chose this program for the anticipated carry over into my brazilian Jiu jitsu practice.

That's where I started here too

BJJ is just great!

On a more serious note (not that I am not proud of my V-ups):

You're probably not gonna read a post of someone who started as very fat, very weak and very inmobile but turned into an olympic champion. However, I am sure many here have gone through changes that means a lot to them, even if it looks like nothing in the eyes of others. That is what really matters.

For instance, I had a frozen left shoulder and impingement too, I couldn't even do wall extensions with a hugely arched back. literally impossible, now I am close to mastering it with PPT. I can even do shoulder dislocates with 2,5kg in mastery standard for H1.

Other points in terms of flexibility and mobility that changed, was my Pike: Could not touch my toes while standing, now putting my face on my shins. Pancake: could not even sit in that position, now I can place my elbows comfortably. Over all flexibility and mobility have improved for sure!

30-35s of hanstand record (never got passed 5s until I worked on bodyline with H1. seriously, balance is so much easier with open shoulders and PPT).

floor L-sit for 8 seconds. Couldn't even raise one leg at a time when first tried it. Never really worked on them either, just did manna work in F1. Guess I had some weaknesses.

Haven't really worked for a long time. maybe 4 months overall with a 4 month of not not working out at all window in between. So 3 months of gst then 4 months break (lost motivation because of other reasons) then 1 month now.

Very excited about sticking for 11 more months and then I have worked with GST for a whole year without a break, wonder how far I can come then.  

Hollow Man,

On the contrary, that is exactly what I want to read!!! A story like yours is motivating and inspiring! It reminds me to follow the program meticulously and put forth max effort. Hopefully, soon I will have my own story to add.

Just Like Coach Sommer has stated: In GST, you get what you give.

If you put in the hours and the work you'll get the results. Gst does not care about your excuses, it does not care whether or not you look like a fool doing deck squats in front of a hot girl. It simpy does not.

Mad Grappler said:

This is awesome! Dude does look like a paid model. It's good to know that coach actually uses people that have gone through this process in his instructionals. Fellas, I am drinking the Kool aid! I am hoping I will get healed and improve flexibility. I also chose this program for the anticipated carry over into my brazilian Jiu jitsu practice.

Orench was one of the first adults to start GB, he's as real as they get.

Started with no internal hip rotation at all. In only three months I feel them rotating like never before. This is HUGE for me. Increased shoulder mobility with relatively little but constant work.

Vytautas Pilkauskas said:

Started with no internal hip rotation at all. In only three months I feel them rotating like never before. This is HUGE for me. Increased shoulder mobility with relatively little but constant work.

I feel your pain with the IR of the hip. I had hip surgery in February and swivel hips are kicking my ass. I go until the edge of pain and stop. I think it is getting better slowly but surely. I still have one month of physical therapy left. I doubt ill be 100% in that time but I am glad that I have this program to develop further.

^ Hehe, Swivel Hips, the greatest nemesis. Believe me or not but with just little supplementary work for my hips I am rapidly getting close to mastery. I didn't see much success in the first 4 - 5 weeks but after that it started getting better and better every week. It works magicaly for me, I don't think about it too much and leave programing to do its job, I just keep on doing it. If for some reason I can't do the whole workout session that day, I make sure to do at least one set of each exercise and as much mobility work as possible.
Good luck with your therapy and recovery

What kind of supplementary work are you doing? I am just stretching my glutes (and hip flexors but I do that because of other purposes, not sure if it's relevant).

I'm doing some yoga my girlfriend shown me after asking about hip rotators and flexors. It takes about 15 - 20 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week. After we do this routine, I feel like all bones separated from each other and only tendons keep them in place.

When doing Foundation or HS work I make sure to really stretch targeted joints. This means that I do it slowly but this way I keep on improving really well.

I also bought one of the Stretch series (Front Split) a few days ago but I have to wait until my toe will heal. I tried some exercises I can do without any harm to my toe and I still feel sore calves and ankles. I am hoping to stay with this program since splits were my dream since I started bodyweight training and they never looked so achievable as in this Stretch series.

Vytautas Pilkauskas said:

I'm doing some yoga my girlfriend shown me after asking about hip rotators and flexors. It takes about 15 - 20 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week. After we do this routine, I feel like all bones separated from each other and only tendons keep them in place.

When doing Foundation or HS work I make sure to really stretch targeted joints. This means that I do it slowly but this way I keep on improving really well.

I also bought one of the Stretch series (Front Split) a few days ago but I have to wait until my toe will heal. I tried some exercises I can do without any harm to my toe and I still feel sore calves and ankles. I am hoping to stay with this program since splits were my dream since I started bodyweight training and they never looked so achievable as in this Stretch series.

Starting this summer I will be attending school for a year. I plan on reducing my bjj training and taking up yoga. I plan attending yoga classes 4-5 days/wk. I think this will aid in both my flexibility and recovery. Once school is up I think my schedule will look like this in the fall of 2016: foundation 5x wk, HS 3x Wk, yoga 3x week and BJJ 3x wk. I usually work out during lunch when I am chasing goals.

Update:

- After some more time I can now comfortably do shoulder dislocates with 2,5 kg (~5 lbs) with hands placed less than 1,5 shoulder width and it is getting better every week or two, hoping to get them to shoulder width in like 4 - 6 months or so. I started with hands two times shoulder width apart (using the same weight). You really have to take one thing the most seriously which is consistency. Coach emphasises: "Consistency is more important than volume".
 

- Overall hips strength and mobility. This one is something special. I can tell you that my everyday movement is becoming extremely better as hips get stronger, flexible and mobile. However I have to seriously work on APT (can't even sit up straight with legs straddle unless I'm sitting on a foot high box or something) but that's where Middle Split series comes to a play.

- While working only on F1 and H1, somehow I can do things like Russian Dips with zero momentum (I sometimes play with pushing and pulling movements on rings though, maybe that's why) regular pull ups with better ROM, hang on a bar/ring with a single arm (couldn't hang more than 5 seconds with right arm and couldn't hang with left arm at all).

- Fixing strength imbalances. Left leg, arm, shoulder, grip have cought up with the right side. Again, better everyday movement experience.

Thank you.

Vytautas Pilkauskas said:

Update:

- After some more time I can now comfortably do shoulder dislocates with 2,5 kg (~5 lbs) with hands placed less than 1,5 shoulder width and it is getting better every week or two, hoping to get them to shoulder width in like 4 - 6 months or so. I started with hands two times shoulder width apart (using the same weight). You really have to take one thing the most seriously which is consistency. Coach emphasises: "Consistency is more important than volume".

- Overall hips strength and mobility. This one is something special. I can tell you that my everyday movement is becoming extremely better as hips get stronger, flexible and mobile. However I have to seriously work on APT (can't even sit up straight with legs straddle unless I'm sitting on a foot high box or something) but that's where Middle Split series comes to a play.

- While working only on F1 and H1, somehow I can do things like Russian Dips with zero momentum (I sometimes play with pushing and pulling movements on rings though, maybe that's why) regular pull ups with better ROM, hang on a bar/ring with a single arm (couldn't hang more than 5 seconds with right arm and couldn't hang with left arm at all).

- Fixing strength imbalances. Left leg, arm, shoulder, grip have cought up with the right side. Again, better everyday movement experience.

Thank you.

Awesome bro! Keep it up. I will update you on my progress in a couple of months. I am looking to purchase the stretch series in a couple of weeks. I want to try everything for a few months before I give any updates. ISO however feel stronger and more mobile in my shoulders after 8 weeks.

Thank you
Those GB stretch series are the best remedy to all the stiffness in your body. Life is so much easier when you can move properly.

I'd say, give any GB course at least 3 months and magic will start to happen.