Important Programming Answers

Hello all,

Well, I'm a complete gymnastics newbie who has a few questions after reading BtGB. I've just set up my first integrated steady state cycle that has me training the full body on Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri. My questions are referring to warmup, prehab, mobility, stretch, and handstand work. For the sake of brevity, here they are:

What should I...the complete beginner...do besides the steady state cycle?

How should I do it?

When should I do it?

I think it would be extremely helpful to all BtGB first timers to have some sort of basic outline of what else we should do and how it should be done. I would have loved to find the answers to these questions in a sticky titled Important Programming Answers :wink:

Thanks in advance.

http://gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1794

Hmm. I would hit your SSC first.

Then I would add in your HS work.

Following Steve Low's suggestion of 1-2 exercises of push, pull, core, and legs make a lot of sense. 3 sets of 5 reps, test a progression and do half the numbers. I rotate horizontal, inverted, and vertical pushing and pulling exercises.

Or you could do HS work and muscle-ups. Then work some core movement and lower body movement. Finish with the prevention stuff.

Hey Blairbob,

Thanks for the response. I already have my FSP with FBE routine set up in an integrated steady state cycle as Coach recommends in his book. I don't have any questions regarding the "main workout" or its exercises. My question is based upon whether or not a person new to gymnastics, attempting their first integrated steady state cycle to be performed on monday, tuesday, thursday , and friday, should perform anything in addition to the main workout such as handstand work, prehab work, mobility, and flexibility work? From your response and the link you provided, it seems as though you would recommend this order:

Warmup

Handstand Work

Main Workout (FSP's + FBE's)

Flexibility Work

Prehab

Do you agree with this?

Should this be done every workout day (mon, tues, thurs, fri)?

Should some things be done on the off days?

How should Warmup be programmed?

How should Handstand work be programmed?

How should Flexibility work be programmed?

How should Prehab work be programmed?

I realize that I am asking a lot of questions, but I think they are important questions for the beginner.

Thanks.

Liosis said:

Hey Blairbob,

Thanks for the response. I already have my FSP with FBE routine set up in an integrated steady state cycle as Coach recommends in his book. I don't have any questions regarding the "main workout" or its exercises. My question is based upon whether or not a person new to gymnastics, attempting their first integrated steady state cycle to be performed on monday, tuesday, thursday , and friday, should perform anything in addition to the main workout such as handstand work, prehab work, mobility, and flexibility work? From your response and the link you provided, it seems as though you would recommend this order:

Warmup

Handstand Work

Main Workout (FSP's + FBE's)

Flexibility Work

Prehab

1 Do you agree with this?

2 Should this be done every workout day (mon, tues, thurs, fri)?

3 Should some things be done on the off days?

4 How should Warmup be programmed?

5 How should Handstand work be programmed?

6 How should Flexibility work be programmed?

7 How should Prehab work be programmed?

I realize that I am asking a lot of questions, but I think they are important questions for the beginner.

Thanks.

1 Yes

2 Yes

3 Skill work, flexibility, prehab

4 Anything that gets you warm. Generally a circuit of basic skills that doesn't fatigue you.

5 Depends.. perfect form is better than longer holds

6 Static stretching.... I like 3-5 sets of 30s reps

7 ... depends on your injuries or whats imbalanced. Most of the time structured the same as workouts.

Thanks for the reply braindx. I think I now get the crux of how it all fits together. I'm going to give it a try.

One of the easiest ways to budget your workout time is to start off with how much time you have. Subtract and figure out warmup time, any skill work, how much time for whatever program you are on including rest periods besides anything else after. Then arrange it so it meets how much time you have budgeted to work out.

Blairbob said:

One of the easiest ways to budget your workout time is to start off with how much time you have. Subtract and figure out warmup time, any skill work, how much time for whatever program you are on including rest periods besides anything else after. Then arrange it so it meets how much time you have budgeted to work out.

I was just doing this. I put everything I would ideally like to be doing together, and realized that some things are going to have to be dropped in the interest of keeping the routine manageable from a time point of view. It's a process of weeding out the excess, non-critical aspects. I think I just about have it put together. Thanks again and great advice.

For myself, I have plenty of time typically but it's helpful for when I am time limited with classes or my team workout or creating workout plans for people.