programming schedule

Hopefully this is the right forum for this. I do foundation and am at L3/4 for a lot of stuff. My question is about volume for all the other stuff, i.e. powermoves, bar/calisthenics, tumbling, parkour, and handbalancing. Sometimes it feels like too much and I don't see progress. At a certain point is it just better to become a specialist and focus on one thing? On the flip side, does anyone have tips for scheduling that will promote development and bot overtraining and stagnation? Thanks!

Sounds like you are spreading yourself too thin and there is a lot overlap that could be sapping your energy. 

For example, if you are following the GB program there is no sense at all in also doing bar/calisthenics one will sap the energy from the other and lead to poor results in both.

Similarly with powermoves, parkour etc.. better to focus one only one at least until you have reached some level of proficiency.

Thanks for the reply!

By calisthenics, I mean the tricks like 360 muscle up, flyaway, and some others.

By powermoves, I am at the level of flare-90-flare, 20+ flares, 5 airtracks, etc.

By tumbling, I am at roundoff-backfull, standing full.

I'm not a kid anymore, so I want to make my training solid, not risk injury, or just "sap" my energy like you said.

For example, if I work powermoves for like an hour or so, plus foundation, and some standing flips or tumbling, I am spent.  The next day's training lags.  But if I only do powermoves once a week, I decrease in stamina from 20 flares to like 10 flares.  There is so much to work on and maintain...

There is no powermoves without active hips control over splits position and straddle planche, also correct airflares require the strenght of press to handstand. for what I mentioned before you need handstand for the airflare varioations.

For tumbling you need handstand, bridge and basic shapes.

Can you demonstrate all of them? 

Alessandro, thanks for the feedback.  I can do split press from all directions (like iron cross for legs), straddle planche, and press to handstand, as well as all sorts of handstands and hollowbacks.  I've worked on all this stuff for years, but it is a lot to maintain and continue to develop new skills.  I feel like my three options are these:

1.  Morning = foundation work

     Evening = powermoves, tumbling/tricking, bar tricks, parkour (this is a lot to do everyday with not a whole lot of progress, and more fatigue than anything)

2.  Morning = foundation work

     A different discipline each evening:  M = tumbling, T = bar tricks, W = tumbling, Th = parkour, F = fun (some progress, but no maintenance from week to week)

3.  Evenings only (foundation included each day):  M/W = tumbling/powermoves, T/Th = bar tricks/parkour (what I used to do, but my strength training suffered)

I just don't know how the gymnasts keep up all their events!  It's a lot, and I'm not even near their level.

I'd like to get roundoff-doubleback, doubleback flyaway, and keep all my powermoves and corks, but it's like when I focus on tumbling, my powermoves go away.  I hope this makes sense.

law123, I don't know if this helps or not, but coach Sommer stated in a podcast that it's best to make the GST training your priority and, in the example of someone who is passionate about weightlifting, to throw in only those things after your GST program is complete for the day and only if you have the energy/resources for it.  He compared it to leaving some tread on the tires and explained that you want to take a slow "blue collar" approach by putting in a little each day instead of exhausting all of your resources and burning out.  

We all like to take on too much too soon because the end result is so appealing, but in the end a solid foundation will give you an incredible foundation to build the additional skills you are seeking to refine later.  You'll find having the proper foundation will allow you to build those other skill much more quickly, because you will have already prepared yourself for them physically.  

Thanks for the reply. I get that and agree with it to a certain extent. However, I know athletes aren't just doing foundation alone. They are developing tricks and routines in order to go compete too. Plus, there are thousands of bboys and trickers who don't do foundation in the regimented way as outlined in GB. I like the program and made it a priority for a long time. And if it is done in the mornings, it really doesn't sap any energy for the rest of the day. But the issue is maintaining everything I have worked hard to get and continuing to learn. Thanks!

gettingstarted said:

law123, I don't know if this helps or not, but coach Sommer stated in a podcast that it's best to make the GST training your priority and, in the example of someone who is passionate about weightlifting, to throw in only those things after your GST program is complete for the day and only if you have the energy/resources for it. He compared it to leaving some tread on the tires and explained that you want to take a slow "blue collar" approach by putting in a little each day instead of exhausting all of your resources and burning out.

We all like to take on too much too soon because the end result is so appealing, but in the end a solid foundation will give you an incredible foundation to build the additional skills you are seeking to refine later. You'll find having the proper foundation will allow you to build those other skill much more quickly, because you will have already prepared yourself for them physically.

law123 said:

Alessandro, thanks for the feedback.  I can do split press from all directions (like iron cross for legs), straddle planche, and press to handstand, as well as all sorts of handstands and hollowbacks.  I've worked on all this stuff for years, but it is a lot to maintain and continue to develop new skills.  I feel like my three options are these:

 

1.  Morning = foundation work

     Evening = powermoves, tumbling/tricking, bar tricks, parkour (this is a lot to do everyday with not a whole lot of progress, and more fatigue than anything)

 

2.  Morning = foundation work

     A different discipline each evening:  M = tumbling, T = bar tricks, W = tumbling, Th = parkour, F = fun (some progress, but no maintenance from week to week)

 

3.  Evenings only (foundation included each day):  M/W = tumbling/powermoves, T/Th = bar tricks/parkour (what I used to do, but my strength training suffered)

 

I just don't know how the gymnasts keep up all their events!  It's a lot, and I'm not even near their level.

I'd like to get roundoff-doubleback, doubleback flyaway, and keep all my powermoves and corks, but it's like when I focus on tumbling, my powermoves go away.  I hope this makes sense.

- Where are you in the Foundations program?

- Finding the right balance is an art, there really isn't a cookie cutter answer. You've already noticed that two of your options aren't going to work for you for recovery reasons. That leaves the middle option.

- Recovery is king, you have to see what frequency works best for you, test and experiment. 

planche ~5 sec.

5 pbar hspu

10 headstand pu

front lever ~10 sec.

flag ~10 sec.

low manna / v-stand 30 sec.