Bringing it Together (Jon's Foundation 2.0)

3 hours ago, Patrick Rentz said:

Nice. That was my plan, as well considering the new changes. Basically F7 twice a week (almost). I feel like I can focus more on the elements not doing all 7 in one day, and maybe even do some extra afterward to nail down form. Had a great upper workout this week adding in some additional planks and playing around with the planche position.

You're doing Stretch and HS along with those, right? Seems like HS will work well on Upper days, although fatigue may be a factor at higher levels of Foundation.

It's not so bad. Trying to make my 30s handstand more consistent and solid the strength is not a problem, it's all balance and alignment. I haven't found it interfering with anything, it can slot in anywhere now

Small update;

In practise I have non-GST physical commitments MTTF and my mornings sometimes get cramped with goin-to-actual-gym turnaround time, so I've reversed it to HS mornings/Foundation afternoons, MTTFS, to score a couple rest days. Upper MTh, core TuF, lower M and lower mobility  (no str) on Th. Movement S of course, i forget to write that because it's too fun   

I'm also working in some low rep Olympic lifts of an afternoon as I have access to a good coach at my new gym, and am finding it a nice supplement. When i have logged a couple months of this I will try to write up my findings; too early days yet.

1 hour ago, Jon Douglas said:

Small update;

In practise I have non-GST physical commitments MTTF and my mornings sometimes get cramped with goin-to-actual-gym turnaround time, so I've reversed it to HS mornings/Foundation afternoons, MTTFS, to score a couple rest days. Upper MTh, core TuF, lower M and lower mobility  (no str) on Th. Movement S of course, i forget to write that because it's too fun   

I'm also working in some low rep Olympic lifts of an afternoon as I have access to a good coach at my new gym, and am finding it a nice supplement. When i have logged a couple months of this I will try to write up my findings; too early days yet.

Lol, and I handled a lot of volume?! Looking forward to your months later update. 

Jon where did you get your body from?  I read your posts with considerable envy and think I need to send mine back to the factory as it seems to be defective.  Defective in that it's taking me months (years) to get some basic mobility / strength - even something as simple as pushups, to get 5 x 15reps with minimal rest is just not happening quickly for me.  Whereas yours seems to just respond to anything and everything!

Do you think I can get a refund? I lost the receipt   

On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 9:02 PM, Paul Gray said:

Jon where did you get your body from?  I read your posts with considerable envy and think I need to send mine back to the factory as it seems to be defective.  Defective in that it's taking me months (years) to get some basic mobility / strength - even something as simple as pushups, to get 5 x 15reps with minimal rest is just not happening quickly for me.  Whereas yours seems to just respond to anything and everything!

Do you think I can get a refund? I lost the receipt   

I was in this exact position watching Leo, not long ago! It's not as if I'm not willing to work hard, how come so many of these guys are overtaking me?? 

Increasing mobility work and heading back to basics, spending a few months drilling things like weighted pancakes that I felt would never get better, and taking the time on easy elements that I could nonetheless not do quite 100% right.

The difference in a year is huge.  No crackling; I do warmup but I can also bridge or handstand without it. I can train productively in the morning-- some elements such as side levers would give me shoulder or biceps trouble trying to exert with straight arms (credit time spent tweaking my dislocates to be symmetrical on that one). Shoulder impingement just a memory. Straight handstand line and although still inconsistent, straddle presses, when this time last year my lower traps were so weak that Coach exhausted them within about 10 minutes of drill. 

This cycle I've been training 2x a day--- 

M

AM Upper

PM Weighted mobility/HS

T

AM Core

PM Lower/ w mobility/Hs (I've finished SLS so its 1x a week maintenance)

W off

T AM Upper

PM Weighted mobility / HS

F

AM Core

PM Weighted mobility / HS / R1

I keep the workouts short and sharp (like a 45minute turnaround including warmup, less for handstands) and have other physical activities/sports on MTTF during the day. At the moment I'm doing somuch that Movement is a most week but not every week thing.

And I have been recovering no worries so far. I've improved each week and my handstand is showing the most marked improvememt. I think this could be tweaked even better following Coachs preference of MWF 2x a day + a longer session Sat, but I have had to compromise with activities i can't reschedule to keep my rest days.

Note that I built the capacity to train like this on a 3 day/week split with 2 handstand days in between for most of this year, with a heavy focus on mobility. Efficient movement paths, resistance to injury, and soft tissue prep set you up. There is no need to live in the gym; I just have it handy and it has stall bars and stuff so I can make it a quick trip and move on with my (currently very busy) day.

I'll comment on rings because i know someone will; the feeling in the arms and shoulders is great. No sensation of strain or stretch, except in the biceps; otherwise it just pumps up my forearms  chest and back. Working conservatively through it seeing improvements from 1x a week inclusion and in no rush with it. It's funny to think that the stress I thought was conditioning in my play on the rings before now was actually a warning sign that I was not prepared for what I was doing. If a German hang doesn't feel easy and comfortable, for example, thats the sign to go back and as Coach says fix your inadequacies. Along with shoulder and lats mobility obviously a lot of rope climbs are what make this happen.

Not a star by any means but feel I'm gaining like the talented guys have from the start. All that from attending two seminars and listening to every word Coach said; asking a lot of questions; reading tons from people like Alessandro; then goin back to the unglamorous exercises with a video camera and as i said in the first post of this thread, not moving on until it was 110% sure.

On 9/22/2016 at 7:36 PM, Jon Douglas said:

Wk1 M Upper T Core W Lower T Upper F Core

Wk2 M Lower T Upper W Core

Etc...

@Jon Douglas Thanks for keeping up with this log! Lots to learn. I've recently been playing around with the idea in my head of creating a "mobility series" to do 2x/week or so that would be around 20-30m long, like a stretch series, but instead this would cycle through a bunch of iMs from Foundation 1 and HS, especially the weighted ones (Xiaopengs, J Curls, Weighted obliques [many variations], Windmill) plus some other favorites (cat-cow, swivel hips, scap shrugs, table, shoulder ext, pikes from HS2). Basically a limbering on steroids.

I feel like in order to keep good balance, or correct imbalances, doing iM only twice a week with Foundation isn't enough for me. I don't know that it needs to be intense, but I have read a bunch of stuff from PTs and other guys in the biz where there are basic movements like integrated mobility that are prescribed to be done every day in order to teach the body the symmetries it needs to correct/not develop imbalances and to correct posture. It's easy to develop bad habits under load because you do what you can to complete the reps and not always thinking about perfect symmetry.

1 hour ago, Jon Douglas said:

I was in this exact position watching Leo, not long ago! It's not as if I'm not willing to work hard, how come so many of these guys are overtaking me?? 

Increasing mobility work and heading back to basics, spending a few months drilling things like weighted pancakes that I felt would never get better, and taking the time on easy elements that I could nonetheless not do quite 100% right.

The difference in a year is huge.  No crackling; I do warmup but I can also bridge or handstand without it. I can train productively in the morning-- some elements such as side levers would give me shoulder or biceps trouble trying to exert with straight arms (credit time spent tweaking my dislocates to be symmetrical on that one). Shoulder impingement just a memory. Straight handstand line and although still inconsistent, straddle presses, when this time last year my lower traps were so weak that Coach exhausted them within about 10 minutes of drill. 

This cycle I've been training 2x a day--- 

M

AM Upper

PM Weighted mobility/HS

T

AM Core

PM Lower/ w mobility/Hs (I've finished SLS so its 1x a week maintenance)

W off

T AM Upper

PM Weighted mobility / HS

F

AM Core

PM Weighted mobility / HS / R1

 

I keep the workouts short and sharp (like a 45minute turnaround including warmup, less for handstands) and have other physical activities/sports on MTTF during the day. At the moment I'm doing somuch that Movement is a most week but not every week thing.

And I have been recovering no worries so far. I've improved each week and my handstand is showing the most marked improvememt. I think this could be tweaked even better following Coachs preference of MWF 2x a day + a longer session Sat, but I have had to compromise with activities i can't reschedule to keep my rest days.

Note that I built the capacity to train like this on a 3 day/week split with 2 handstand days in between for most of this year, with a heavy focus on mobility. Efficient movement paths, resistance to injury, and soft tissue prep set you up. There is no need to live in the gym; I just have it handy and it has stall bars and stuff so I can make it a quick trip and move on with my (currently very busy) day.

I'll comment on rings because i know someone will; the feeling in the arms and shoulders is great. No sensation of strain or stretch, except in the biceps; otherwise it just pumps up my forearms  chest and back. Working conservatively through it seeing improvements from 1x a week inclusion and in no rush with it. It's funny to think that the stress I thought was conditioning in my play on the rings before now was actually a warning sign that I was not prepared for what I was doing. If a German hang doesn't feel easy and comfortable, for example, thats the sign to go back and as Coach says fix your inadequacies. Along with shoulder and lats mobility obviously a lot of rope climbs are what make this happen.

Not a star by any means but feel I'm gaining like the talented guys have from the start. All that from attending two seminars and listening to every word Coach said; asking a lot of questions; reading tons from people like Alessandro; then goin back to the unglamorous exercises with a video camera and as i said in the first post of this thread, not moving on until it was 110% sure.

 

When, at all, do you fit in the Stretch Series?

1 hour ago, Daniel Taylor-Shaut said:

When, at all, do you fit in the Stretch Series?

M middle split

Thurs bridge  (not my biggest priority as I am strongest at this one)

Fri Front split

All PM between workout and dinner

I definitely don't miss Mon or Fri stretch but if something comes up Thurs can be a bit flexible (heh heh heh)

Very interesting, Jon. Are you following any specific routine for the weighted mobilty PM sessions? Would you care to share a few more details about what exactly you are doing during those sessions.

4 hours ago, Luzian Scherrer said:

Very interesting, Jon. Are you following any specific routine for the weighted mobilty PM sessions? Would you care to share a few more details about what exactly you are doing during those sessions.

Jcurls / Straddle Jcurls

Dislocate over/undergrip

Rings 1 mobility (also great before an AM session particularly upper)

H1 wrist prep

Weighted pancakes

....That's about it, onto HS. No particular structure. I keep Xiaopengs in my hbp warmup, bridge every warmup, and do an extra set of 10each dislocates after rings and before SL too.

On 10/15/2016 at 0:48 AM, Jon Douglas said:

M middle split

Thurs bridge  (not my biggest priority as I am strongest at this one)

Fri Front split

All PM between workout and dinner

I definitely don't miss Mon or Fri stretch but if something comes up Thurs can be a bit flexible (heh heh heh)

Hi Jon,

Just to clarify...when you mention middle split/bridge/front split stretch series here...are you doing them as part of your PM weighted mobility series? Or separate to this?

Thanks

6 hours ago, David Boyle said:

Hi Jon,

 

Just to clarify...when you mention middle split/bridge/front split stretch series here...are you doing them as part of your PM weighted mobility series? Or separate to this?

 

Thanks

Separate to this, after Handstand  

15 hours ago, Jon Douglas said:

Separate to this, after Handstand  

Thanks!

I haven't got the stretch series but am strongly considering getting them when the wallet can afford it. At the minute i'm just trying to figure out where to put them in my schedule...

Is it ok to do a lower body stretch session (ie. middle or front split) in the afternoon after doing lower body and/or core GB in the morning? Similarly, could I do the thoracic stretch series in the afternoon after upper body GB in the morning?

Thanks for the help!

14 hours ago, David Boyle said:

Thanks!

 

I haven't got the stretch series but am strongly considering getting them when the wallet can afford it. At the minute i'm just trying to figure out where to put them in my schedule...

 

Is it ok to do a lower body stretch session (ie. middle or front split) in the afternoon after doing lower body and/or core GB in the morning? Similarly, could I do the thoracic stretch series in the afternoon after upper body GB in the morning?

 

Thanks for the help!

 

 

That would be the best times to do them. Preferably right after, but the same day is better than never. I find that doing all the lower or upper focused training/stretching allows for greater time to recover (read: improve). So, that would be a safe bet.

End of first deload.

Initial impressions are this is the best format I have ever tried. After more cycles I will confirm or retract this (I'm expecting confirm).

Handstand has improved a great deal in four weeks with shorter duration, daily training and self video checks to clean up my line. I'm a bit self conscious, and it was a bit of a milestone for me yesterday to for the first time train handstands in the gym, in public. 40- 60s controlled, consistent holds with a good line between Rings sets is a really nice combination  

Not an ache,  a pain, a click or creak in a single joints and neither tired nor restless during the day. Polishing up hollow body rocks for a few weeks; I know I can do all of F2 in one test so I've had to reach further back

My motivation is sky high, it helps my concentration, I sleep like a baby and I am progressing solidly week to week.

I also came in 12th / 100 on a 7km hilly run having not run more than 2km since around May. Loving it. I know I've said it before, but is this how the talented guys felt *all this time*?!

I feel like I'm finally doing it how it is supposed to be done, and got there by removing the obstacles between myself and good movement over the course of the first six months this year (MOBILITY~). Everyone in my gym is asking me what I'm doing and the physical instructors are asking for flex and prehab advice. 

Still just doing a four-day split with a bit of extra mobility and handstand work in the afternoon (Legs/Rings on Tues and Fri respectively). No desire to change the volume at this point; may make some tweaks to it once I finish H1 and make press handstands my central focus (which now seems achievable sooner than later  )

Jon to what do you  attribute the press handstand coming into your window of seeming achievable sooner than later? Flexibility in pike and pancake? Time spent mastering regular handstands? Both?

To a beginner like me who lacks both of the above, it doesn't seem anywhere nearly achievable any time soon, and that's totally fine, I was just curious what you feel are/were the main hurdles: strength, or flexibility, or both?

4 hours ago, Patrick Rentz said:

Jon to what do you  attribute the press handstand coming into your window of seeming achievable sooner than later? Flexibility in pike and pancake? Time spent mastering regular handstands? Both?

To a beginner like me who lacks both of the above, it doesn't seem anywhere nearly achievable any time soon, and that's totally fine, I was just curious what you feel are/were the main hurdles: strength, or flexibility, or both?

Solid handstand (quality time in with a video camera), pike/pancake flexibility (see Jcurls and weighted pancakrs), shoulder/wrist prep and flexibility (see near daily H1 drills). My press HS reps have been there but inconsistent for a few months but I figured the best way to improve them was to sort out flexibility and trap str, while putting handstand front and centre. I do better with narrower goals.

I also recommend the Movement series. Drilling straight-arm back extension rolls to handstand is the drill that really made me feel my lower traps for the first time, as well as giving me a much better sense of my body and alignment in space, while getting in a ton of reps of jumping through pike and straddle to HS. 

Hi Guys, I guess my post didn't get through. Thank you very much for sharing your training schedule @Jon Douglas. I would just want to clarify the reset/retest back to PE1. When I hit a wall in 3 or more elements then thats the time I do it. I don't go back to PE1 when I struggle only on a few reps or few seconds on one Element.

My schedule before for Foundation One and Handstand One was simple:

Mon F4

Tue HS+F3

Wed F4

Th HS+F3

Fri F4

then reverse this on the following week.

after my first GB Seminar 2014 my warmup was completely different and in a whole new level. You will find out once you invest on a GB Seminar. I restarted everything with the same schedule but I add Handstand Two in those schedules if I can squeeze it to schedule.

after my second GB Seminar 2015, I took a break from training for 3 months (personal reasons) then came back with this schedule:

Mon R1 F4 HS1 HS2

Tue F3

Wed Stretch

Th R1 F4 HS1 HS2

Fri Stretch

at first this schedule was okay but in the end it was not sustainable. 

Right now I am revamping everything since the launch of the new interface. Still going to fix my training schedule and improve my warmup even more. One thing is for sure, warmup for me would still be my number one priority. Training is easy, its the outside factors that make it hard. (imagine if the little gymnasts doesn't go to school...that would be interesting) 

Just be consistent and be honest with your training and you'll be surprised how you would progress and never compare yourself to others. Remember that you may train solo but you are not alone.

8 hours ago, Leo Trinidad said:

Hi Guys, I guess my post didn't get through. Thank you very much for sharing your training schedule @Jon Douglas. I would just want to clarify the reset/retest back to PE1. When I hit a wall in 3 or more elements then thats the time I do it. I don't go back to PE1 when I struggle only on a few reps or few seconds on one Element.

 

My schedule before for Foundation One and Handstand One was simple:

Mon F4

Tue HS+F3

Wed F4

Th HS+F3

Fri F4

then reverse this on the following week.

after my first GB Seminar 2014 my warmup was completely different and in a whole new level. You will find out once you invest on a GB Seminar. I restarted everything with the same schedule but I add Handstand Two in those schedules if I can squeeze it to schedule.

after my second GB Seminar 2015, I took a break from training for 3 months (personal reasons) then came back with this schedule:

Mon R1 F4 HS1 HS2

Tue F3

Wed Stretch

Th R1 F4 HS1 HS2

Fri Stretch

at first this schedule was okay but in the end it was not sustainable. 

Right now I am revamping everything since the launch of the new interface. Still going to fix my training schedule and improve my warmup even more. One thing is for sure, warmup for me would still be my number one priority. Training is easy, its the outside factors that make it hard. (imagine if the little gymnasts doesn't go to school...that would be interesting) 

Just be consistent and be honest with your training and you'll be surprised how you would progress and never compare yourself to others. Remember that you may train solo but you are not alone.

Hi Leo,

When you say F4 and F3 do you mean 4 foundation exercises and then 3 foundation exercises on the other day? 

F4 (FL, SPL, HBP, RC)

F3 (MN, SL, SLS)

I hope this clarifies things

Hi Jon / Leo

I always come back to this thread every now and then as it's so valuable.  Has there been another thread since this with an update on your routines?

+1. This is pure gold!

This is something I really love about the GB courses: everybody has their own way of doing them. Sure, Mastery is standardized, but everyone has their own way of getting there.

On 10/23/2016 at 3:18 PM, Leo Trinidad said:

Hi Guys, I guess my post didn't get through. Thank you very much for sharing your training schedule @Jon Douglas. I would just want to clarify the reset/retest back to PE1. When I hit a wall in 3 or more elements then thats the time I do it. I don't go back to PE1 when I struggle only on a few reps or few seconds on one Element.

 

My schedule before for Foundation One and Handstand One was simple:

Mon F4

Tue HS+F3

Wed F4

Th HS+F3

Fri F4

then reverse this on the following week.

after my first GB Seminar 2014 my warmup was completely different and in a whole new level. You will find out once you invest on a GB Seminar. I restarted everything with the same schedule but I add Handstand Two in those schedules if I can squeeze it to schedule.

after my second GB Seminar 2015, I took a break from training for 3 months (personal reasons) then came back with this schedule:

Mon R1 F4 HS1 HS2

Tue F3

Wed Stretch

Th R1 F4 HS1 HS2

Fri Stretch

at first this schedule was okay but in the end it was not sustainable. 

Right now I am revamping everything since the launch of the new interface. Still going to fix my training schedule and improve my warmup even more. One thing is for sure, warmup for me would still be my number one priority. Training is easy, its the outside factors that make it hard. (imagine if the little gymnasts doesn't go to school...that would be interesting) 

Just be consistent and be honest with your training and you'll be surprised how you would progress and never compare yourself to others. Remember that you may train solo but you are not alone.

Leo, when you hit that wall in 3+ elements and reset, do you reset ALL elements? Or just the ones with which you're struggling?

Hi @Benjamin Nutt,

ALL from PE1