Monumental Training Program question!!! HELP

[Samuel Carr]

Okay so for my program, i train (from the Building the Gymnastic Body book) all pressing variations + planche static hold on monday. All Core variations + l-sit static holds on tuesday. Thursday is all pulling exercises and back lever static holds. and Friday is all leg variations + front lever static holds.

I was flipping thru the book, and i see that in the program design section it says that each day is a full body workout, and to train one variation from pressing, pulling, core, and legs each day.... So does this mean that training only pulling or pressing or core or legs for each day isn't the way to go? Please help thanks

[Blairbob]

You can do either.

It kind of depends on how much time you have and what your goals are.

But I prefer a whole body workout to splits.

It can also depend on how much volume you are able to do, how much time you have, how much energy you have.

[Samuel Carr]

I have enough time to do anything that i could possibly do. It would make sense blending, say pulling and pressing variations tho, because then you could do a pressing variation set while u wait to recover for your next pulling variation set. Im never really sore or that tired after most workouts, so would doing this lead to larger improvements in strength?

[JaKri]

I don´t think, that a 4-day splitt routine will be the best choice for strength gains. Strength is built through neurophysical adpations and not so much an effect of the protein reduction caused by the training volume. Therefore, you need to have a sufficient training frequency for strength improvements to induce these adaptions. A Pull/Pull-splitt might be an option for you. I have the best results with a total body training. But I am not an expert in BWE/Gymnastics yet.

[Joshua Naterman]

The body responds no matter what exercises you are doing. If you want strength, whole body workouts structured around opposing movement pairs is the most efficient method. It's not the only method that works, but you'll get better results. You also need to take your time and slowly build up your volume over 4-6 months. If you try to do 4 full body workouts a week, with 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps per workout, you will overtrain if you are working with the intensity level needed to make strength gains. If you want to make the best strength gains you want to be doing sets of 3 reps with 90% intensity. That means take a variation where if you give it everything you've got, you can crank out 5 reps. That 5th rep might be a little ugly and might need a slight spot, but you can get it. Use that variation in sets of 3. Each week focus on performing those sets a little bit faster(around 10%, it's a good idea to have someone watch you with a stopwatch, but you can just record your workout and look at the video's time display) with good form, and knock off 5-10 seconds of rest between sets. Speed and rest progressions are your best bets for your strength gains, because the speed progressions develop the amount of force your muscles can exert, and the rest progressions provide a small endurance element along with whatever size gains you may need in certain muscles to continue your progression. This is minimal hypertrophy and will help you achieve a better size/strength ratio. That's the simple explanation You really should have workouts with different intensity levels and set/rep schemes, but that will hold you for quite a while. Just remember, be explosive with good form!

[Samuel Carr]

Ya i all the variations for whatever type of movement im doing that day with 3 sets of 5 reps. If im not needing a rest after this, i do a harder level of that variation. But okay so i guess i will just stick to my 1 movement per workout session routine. Also, i dont think that 4 days a week is too much because i feel fine and my body can handle it

[Coach Sommer]

My preference is usually to condition the entire body during a workout, however I also know some very good gymnastics coaches who prefer to workout similar to what you outlined in your initial post. As slizzardman pointed out, the style of your workout is not nearly as important as showing up with the intent to work hard. Without this first condition being met, all else is simply entertaining fantasies.

I found your proposed workout template an interesting variation. If my many years in the gym have taught me anything, it is that there is not only one way to succeed. At this point, given your personal preferences, I would recommend that you go with your first workout plan and then adjust as or if necessary.

Please keep updated on your progress.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Samuel Carr]

Alright thanks. Yeah there has definately been some progress with the way im training

[Joshua Naterman]

As long as you are achieving your progress goals, you shouldn't change what you are doing no matter what any of us say unless there is some sort of safety concern from someone knowledgeable. If you start getting diminishing returns, you should consider using new training ideas to modify your workout.