F1 Question about Progressions and Programming

Hey Everyone, 

 

I had a question about F1 progressions, a buddy of mine let me look at his copy to see what I'm getting into. I had a question about the progressions and how they correlate for a workout. In some areas I'm stonger than others - but sPL for example. 

I can do a single arm plank for 30s - to the standard. So would i move onto Planche Lean? And just work the progressions for a 30/r(s)? And then, coupled with that - would I work through all of the mobility movements 1-whatever level I am on? Or just the mobility move that correlates to Planche Lean for example - IE Prone Half Straddle Planche Single Leg extension? Please advise. I'm on like page 30 of the accompanying Foundation One Manual, but am just trying to clarify the notation and work prescription. 

 

I know the prevailing thought is start at the bottom - but I figure if I can do a certain levels prescribed work to the standard, i can start there and proveed. MN for instance, though, I am starting on Level 1 as the Stiff Leg Windmill and Jefferson Curl i find to be great exercises, but with something like HBP, i have the requisite strength and mobility to start at Single Bar Dip/Static Cat. 

 

Can someone please help on the best way to work thru the progressions. Thanks! 

If you are strong enough, you have to prove it.  No exceptions.  This means each workout you would test mastery (the required reps and sets with little rest, only the associated mobility).  If you can do it, great, next time you test the next progressions, so on and so on until you can't, and that progression becomes your workout element until you master it.

 

Never assume.  I can do a Single Leg Squat, but it has taken me ten months to get past the first two progressions for it in the Foundation program.  Why?  Because though I had strength, I also had weaknesses.  By fixing those weaknesses, I now have a much better SLS, and my legs overall feel better.  Same with HBP: I regularly did dips on rings before, not much problem.  However, I spent roughly six months going through 'easier' pushup variations.  Why?  Same as before, I was strong in some ways but not strong in others.  Foundation will help you get strong everywhere and prevent injuries along the way, at least compared to just jumping in at your highest (perceived) level and going gungho from there.

 

During your workouts, you only do the exercise you are on and the accompanied mobility.  Other exercises and mobility can and should be placed in your warmup, which ones depending on your own personal needs and what feels best.

Start from the beginning and test yourself on each element. You can move on to the next element if you're able to do 5 sets of the PE and iM with perfect form and no additional rest. If you're almost there but not quite, it's worth spending a few weeks nailing the movement down. When I started, I could hold a front lever and a straddle planche and a side lever, as well as do a hollow-back press and climb a rope. I still started by testing myself on PE1 on every element. And I've found it to be quite productive!

 

Raw strength is only part of the picture: in addition to strength, Foundation also emphasizes developing work capacity, mobility, body awareness, control, and skill. Rather than thinking of the progressions as a way to build toward certain elements, think of them as a way to systematically identify and eliminate weaknesses. 

What if you are lets say doing FL/PE1 in Week 7 and you just progressed to SLS/PE2 this week, what do you do? Do you simply wait until Week 11 before switching exercises (so all the progressions are done in deload week) and then we just reset program?

If you're in the middle of a cycle and test out of an element, you can immediately begin the next element. Just make sure to deload that element at the same time as other elements. You always want to deload all elements during the same week. 

Hi, I have the same situation: I am currently on F1 and H1 PE1, and just got to max level (week 11) on 3 of the components, but am up to 8 weeks behind in other components. 

 

Questions:

So assuming that I want to deload all exercises at the same time before moving onto PE2, should I just keep repeating the week 11 workouts until my lagging areas catch up?  Then Deload all at once?

 

What about the Handstand components? If I am up to week 11 in H1 PE1, should I also wait on that until my lagging Foundation areas catch up?  Or is it OK to move ahead with Handstand PE2?

You have a slight misunderstanding of the deload concept, Joel.

 

For every four weeks of training, the fourth one should be at deload volume, regardless if you passed the previous week's requirement.  You may pass week 9 but get stuck on week 10, having to do it over.  That's three weeks.  Your next week will thus be at deload volume; after that you can attempt to get through the whole cycle.  To keep it simple, every fourth week, make everything a deload.

 

Personally, if I hit mastery during Week 11, I will deload it normally and then start the next element on the following week.  During the deload week, you can play with the new movement, get a sense for it and figure out if you should start at week 1, 5 or 11.  It is perfectly normal to have some elements at a higher PE while others play catch-up.  I would only pause a progression if a very wide gap emerged, for example being on HBP PE2 but F3  or F4 on everything else.

Ah, thanks Sensei. Now I see how the program automatically schedules a  deload workout every 4 weeks.  Which also explains why you can only choose 4 week increments when setting the program.  At first I had only noticed the week 12 deload i.e. last workout before moving on to the next progression. 

 

I will just stay the course and trust the program!