Day 1 Clarification

"deeply pathetic mutated crab".  You guys are awesome.

- You have lifetime access to your Fundamentals course.  I simply control the release of curriculum material so that people will focus on one day's lesson at a time.

- For additional scaling options and performance pointers check out the new Technical videos in the 'Common Issues' tab within each day's lesson.  The first 6 days are currently available and the others are forthcoming.

- Amazing how tight lifting makes us without attention to mobility.  The good news is that it is MUCH easier to correct mobility than it was to build strength - as long as consistency is maintained.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Day1.  Well I didn't take photos of attempts at moving in "pathetic crab".  One inch at a time, exhausting and exhilarating.  I don't think I could move forward more than 8 inches.  I'm 69 and have been working with a trainer for several yearS.  He's good, but this is definitely a cut above!  50 years ago (before most of you were born) my right shoulder dislocated severely and I had an operation to fix it.  But that doesn't explain the tightness in my left side.  In any case, this is going to be an adventure!  Thank you, Coach and Cory.    Ape was also pathetic, but not as hard as crab...  I want to be able to get off the floor w/o using my hands, arms, knee on floor etc so I can enjoy my new grandkids.  

Hi, I'm a Tim Ferris sign-up too. Am about to attempt crab/ape now, having looked at the video and the issues clip too - no doubt I'm running ahead here, but should I be doing these two exercises every day, or just play with this day 1, and follow onto whatever you have on day 2? the tutor in the issues video mentioned 'months' in relation to getting the proper mobility for these, so I'm wondering if these are repeat exercises, or if it's better to just follow the 24 days as they are laid out. 

Thanks - great podcast with tim btw, listened to it roughly three times. This is def the first time I've forked over this sort of money for an online anything. 

Ken

The additional technical videos in the common sense area are a great supplement!  Thanks!

I think that everyone who is trying this there is nothing that's pathetic. Everyone is putting in the effort to better themselves.

That's being an awesome mutant!

Brilliant clarification video on the Crab and Ape.
It answered all my questions and concerns.

Well done!

I'm so glad I was able to find Coach Sommer and this program through the Tim Ferris podcast!  I'm 39 and have been extremely immobile my entire life due to heavy lifting and multiple sports injuries growing up.  I've tried massage therapy, chiropractors, yoga, etc. without seeing great results and thought I was stuck like this for the rest of my life. I'm very excited to start the journey to strength and mobility!

Hope I didn't miss this question in the earlier posts, but is there any benefit to simply holding still in the crab and ape starting posture for up to a minute or two?  I completed the excercises but found the movements very challenging, I felt a really good stretch by simply staying still in the postures. 

Thanks in advance!

Hey @Coach Sommer I'm loving the responsiveness your team has shown to the communities suggestions. The common issues videos are fantastic a fantastic addition to the original instructions. Well done.

Glad you are enjoying them.  This is how we operate.  Once a deficiency or need is clearly identified and then a solution created, we take action immediately.

Be aware however that not everything when working with adults is so easily dealt with.  Took us two years to figure out that weak/tight obliques is why many adults were unable to perform arch body rocks.  This was especially difficult to isolate because gymnasts have enormously strong, flexible obliques.  Once we did however, I completely restructured a large part of Foundation One to reflect this new knowledge.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Thanks, Coach Sommer!

The Crab and Ape definitely expose mobility issues! I'm tight all over! This is my first day doing the exercises, but I'm already feeling better. I look forward to this lifelong journey of health and mobility!

You guys are great for starting, that is the hardest part!

All of you will improve from your starting point, as long as you stay consistent as Coach Sommer has already said. We work with students of all ages and and everyone improves.

Marie, we have some students over here in England who are also in their 60's and they have made great progress over the last year and they all started displaying the "mutated pathetic crab" form 

A quick question!

I have a history of wrist trauma from my time in the skatepark. When doing the Crab, as well as the wrist exercises from Day 3, I find I have a decent range of motion, but I am experience a very sharp, shooting pain around my thumb. Along with the pain, I have been experiencing some numbness in the area afterwards. The numbness corresponds exactly to the red area marked as "Radial nerve, superficial branch" in the following image.

Should I be concerned about these sensations?

Great question Nolan!

It most definitely sounds like you are experiencing pressure upon that superficial branch of the radial nerve. we do mention in one of the videos, that sharp, electrical like twinges should not be pushed through.

Your previous history of trauma may mean some slightly altered architecture in some of the wrist bones (scaphoid perhaps) and as well as soft tissues like ligaments. 

Continue with the exercises but make sure you go slow on the painful side and work the wrist in ranges that do not provoke the pain. Temporary pressure upon a nerve will result in temporary parasthesia (altered sensation and even numbness) but is should return within minutes once relieved form the pressure.

Give it time and it may be a good idea to get some manual therapy on that hand/wrist/arm such as Osteopathy 

Hi from Southern Belgium!!

I listened to the captivating Podcast of Tim Ferriss and Coach Sommers with great interest and decided to sign up for this 24-day program. I did the ape and the crab exercises (Day 1) and found (as I already knew) that I had a problem in my arm, where my biceps and shoulder muscles come together. I can't lift my bottom up too high (it stays at the level of my elbows) because of the pain. And this is regardless of the way I place my hands. I'll see how this evolves as I do the following exercises.

I definitely struggled with the ape position. Holding position was not a problem but I had an extreme pain in my right hip flexor during the movement. Do i have to push through the pain or not? I have been working as a personal trainer for 16 years and I am in a decent shape for 40 years old. But I never been too flexible in the hips even though I took ballet and gymnastic classes when I was in school. Any advise will be helpful! 

Marianna do not push through pain.

You can try the ape without going to deep or even keeping the heels off the floor to begin with.Experiment with those two modifications as see what yiu can manage without provoking the pain. Work in that pain free range for now and over time (weeks) you may notice improvements in range.

Have a question on day 2 -- supine. Can you explain whether my lower and mid back are supposed to be touching the floor during this stretch? My glutes and upper back are touching the floor but not sure if the lower and mid back are supposed to as well. Thanks!

Hi Gang, Another Tim Ferrissite here! My issue is that I have shoulder issues when I do pushups and I now think it is probably lack of extension and flexibility. Crab is hard and I especially feel it in shoulders. But my shoulders feel amazing after doing it. I push so I feel the stretch in the position, but not forcing it. My hips drop when I try to walk, then I stop and push them up again and hold, then walk and repeat. It is getting better even after just a couple of days. 

9 hours ago, Barclay Brown said:

 It is getting better even after just a couple of days. 

Did I miss something, or are we to do each exercise every day?

After day 6, I ended up going back to day 1 and am doing each day's exercise on its day. 

BTW, when I quote someone, the resulting text is so dark in the editor that I cannot even see what I am quoting. Once posted, all is well though.

sup guys, joined up from Tim Ferris show too this is Day 1 for me just watched Crab and Ape. Looking forward to the grind! nek minit <kiwi speak for next minute> dead ha! 

Hello folks, 

@Coach Sommer

Coach, I missed the answer in the forums, are we to only do the exercise of the day, or build the exercises each day?

EDITED: Also just finished the body orientation and they mention holding the pose in the troubleshooting video but not the demo video... are we to hold the pose for a certain duration?

e.g.

Day 1 Crab and Ape

Day 2 Body Orientation with Crab and Ape

OR

Day 1 Crab and Ape

Day 2 Body Orientation

Thanks for your podcast with Tim Ferriss and your program, looking forward to moving through it. 

Javan

Hello, did sing up after going through the podcast. Have a history of elbow pain and a pulled hamstring from to ambitious BB training (i guess) and neck and upper back pain because of work. Did already switch to a bodyweight workout program which i love plus some mobility exercises from youtube. Wanted to gain (healthy) strength while also regaining mobility and becoming pain free - so it sounded like this program is perfect for me - also i work out at home.

Day 1 feels great - Ape was easy, but in the Crab i felt my triceps - i guess this is also a reason for my elbow pain in curling movements (lifting kids up).

What i miss is more advice on how to structure our workouts. (Edit - Just saw additional information in this forum)

Looking forward to more!

Jochen

Also arrived via the Tim Ferriss podcast.  Just did crab and ape and noticed where I need improvement.  I'm 59 and was looking for something besides weights and yoga to help with combatting aging. Also training for a 60 mile bike ride by November on the Silver Comet trail here in the Atlanta area, just so I can say I did 60 miles at 60 years.

Love the Common Issues videos as I have all of them! I was worried after seeing the perfect form for crab and ape but those fears were alleviated after seeing the common issues. Great work GB.

Hello,

I’m almost 50 and have been trail running for the last 10 years. I warm up before a run and stretch when I’m done, and yet I cannot touch my toes without bending my knees. You can probably imagine my ape and crab!

I discovered this program from the Tim Ferriss podcast with Coach Sommer and it is one of my favorite interviews. I’m looking forward to improving my ROM and building some strength.