NEW STUDENTS READ FIRST - Sets and Reps

Still completely confused and without guidance here. For instance, I'm finding the crab super difficult. I can't get my hips close to the elevation they need and they higher I raise them the more intense (almost painful) the stretch in my wrist becomes. So where's the progression? What do I do in order to work on it? Hold in a moderately uncomfortable position until I tire? Push hard through discomfort to closer to the optimal position, even if I have to drop back to the floor pretty quickly? Start with the walks even if the positioning is terrible or hold off on the dynamic walking until I'm strong enough to get into a reasonably correct static position?

So you found yourself a week link. The way to solve is to spend time with your wink links.

in your example I would hold it in the moderately uncomfortable position don't push through discomfort. Start off with the walks and do as well as you can. We all started somewhere.

As an example, I've coaching a guy with no previous experience, one of his weak links was the squat (no weights) and he just couldn't get past 90 degrees. Now after one year he can sit on the floor and rise up without using his hands. He spent a lot of time in his squat. Almost every day. So pend a lot of time in the position that you can get into, have patience and listen carefully to your body especially your joints.

1 hour ago, Ryan McKillen said:

Still completely confused and without guidance here. For instance, I'm finding the crab super difficult. I can't get my hips close to the elevation they need and they higher I raise them the more intense (almost painful) the stretch in my wrist becomes. So where's the progression? What do I do in order to work on it? Hold in a moderately uncomfortable position until I tire? Push hard through discomfort to closer to the optimal position, even if I have to drop back to the floor pretty quickly? Start with the walks even if the positioning is terrible or hold off on the dynamic walking until I'm strong enough to get into a reasonably correct static position?

Try not to be too worried about progressions as Fundamentals leads you to starting Foundation and Handstand. There are literally hundreds of progressions that will keep you busy. The Fundamental exercises will improve for years. Before Fundamentals those before you did not know about exercises like the crab. Yet as we have progressed in Foundation exercises like the crab have become easier.

Coach has designed Fundamentals because a lot of people with poor mobility struggled with Foundation. At the moment just explore the movements to highlight your weak and tight areas. 

Awesome. Thank you. I think that sharing that context about foundations at the top of fundamentals would alleviate much of the angst shared in this thread.

Hi Guys,

I have already covered in some detail why there are no reps/sets in Fundamentals.  Please spend some time browsing thru previous posts on the same subject prior to reposting.  

Fundamentals - no sets, no reps.  This is intentional and is not going to change.  The primary purpose of Fundamentals is to identify previously unsuspected mobility and strength deficiencies.  And to begin making some small progress towards their eventual resolution.  

Foundation - completely controlled sets and reps.  A clearly defined, and required, path of progression towards achieving mastery on both targeted mobility and strength elements.  Ironically soon some of those who are currently unhappy with the freedom of Fundamentals are going to also be unhappy with the meticulously programmed structure of Foundation.  Some days ... 

As with anything else in life, in order to effectively learn a new subject matter, it is important to gradually move from the general to the specific.  Attempting to focus on specifics too early in the game eventually leads to a stagnation in progress.

Enjoy your time in Fundamentals.  Have fun exploring your body's capabilities and embrace the basics.  I promise that I will be kicking your asses with Foundation One challenges that you feel to be completely unreasonable and overly challenging soon enough.  

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

p.s.  I would highly recommend that everyone use the forum search function to look up my other posts.  With over 6,100+ posts, more than likely I have already addressed many of the questions that you are currently struggling with!

On June 9, 2016 at 2:35 PM, Coach Sommer said:

 

Fundamentals - no sets, no reps.

Foundation - completely controlled sets and reps

Thanks Coach Sommer for the clarification.   Maybe I didn't see the post laying out these specifics, but this helps me understand that the current programing is only temporary in understanding your body and that the "work" begins in the FOUNDATIONS course.   

Hi Kevin,

Yes and no.

Note that reps and sets are not the only prerequisites for 'work' to occur.   Training within an established block of time is also highly effective.  A lesson which many students have learned from me first hand at GB seminars.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

On 6/4/2016 at 2:58 PM, Ryan McKillen said:

+1 to what others are saying on here

And per the intro post on this thread:

I don't even have a frame of reference for what would be considered, consistency and moderation, super-compensation or what pushes the joints over the edges.

Some loose guidance, please.

 

Was there a response to this question? I just started 3 days ago. I'm VERY frustrated that there are no recommendations on how to use the material. "Take 5 min to try out this position to the best of your ability" or "someone brand new to gymnastic activity might consider ________ while more advanced might like to try ____________". Value of the course comes from my ability to implement. I don't even know what that would or should look like right now.  

From what I can gather now on week 2, fundamentals is nothing more than a cognitive introduction to some basic movement patterns. At the end of each week, there's a block review, which is a video that more or less takes you through each movement from the prior week one at a time. I think the foundations courses may have the kind of structure we're looking for.

I also got to know GST via the Tim Ferriss podcast, after which I immediately knew that the GB courses were exactly what I was looking for all my life, without even knowing it existed. Better late than never. For those who haven't listened to it, the F1 Webinar is also very informative to listen to. I love the fact that coach Sommer is always happy to get into questions and specifics even after having been talking for hours, like in the podcast; that is pretty rare. I'm enjoying every minute of the courses, and I feel my body getting healthier and stronger every day. Many thanks to Coach Sommer and the team that put together these amazing courses.They really deserve to be called lifechanging.

Hi - I'm also at this via the Tim Ferris interview, thank you for the interview and also for your well thought out system.

I am an ashtanga yoga practitioner, daily practice of 45 min - 1 1/2 hours, depending on my schedule -  4 - 6 days a week for the last 17 years - and before that, martial arts, mostly boxing, for around also 15 years (I'm in my mid 50s). I plateaued with Ashtanga after a few years - I practice to the midpoint of 2nd series since 2002 or so.  I've been adding in the foundation exercises at points where it seems appropriate with my Ashtanga practice / and it's interesting to see the correspondence between these 2 systems, ie complimentary exercises; for sure I've been 'stuck' with the yoga attempts at increasing flexibility with my more bound places.  The less static Fundamental exercises, eg Crab, Ape, seem to yield the greatest benefits, and so I've continued to do them daily (and have taken around 3 weeks to get to 'day 7').  I'm also keeping up with daily transport cycling, jumping rope, kettlebells.  And since I have a daily baseline to assess against, ie my yoga practice, I can see there is big change.

Just wanted to say thank you and that I look forward to the more rigorous Foundation courses.

Thanks for all of these questions and answers.  They help a lot.  The only thing I still find a little vague is at what point do I move past fundamentals.  I feel like I could stay there for a year before I get to what the coaches in the video are doing.  Should I stay longer and keep doing those things - or should I move on past fundamentals after I have worked thru the videos one time.  

Thanks

Hi Jay - 

I think your question is answered in this thread:

Judith

Thanks Judith.  That was what I was looking for.  

So like many people i joined after the Tim Ferris podcast, and i'm super excited to get stuck in! However, also like many other people I'm confused over duration/reps etc that i should be aiming for each session. 

I've read Coach Sommer's response, and while I get what is being said I also found it extremely frustrating. Should I try crab for 10, 20, or even 30 minutes? Who knows, I certainly don't. I'm just wondering what other people are doing, so i can try and establish a benchmark for me to aim for/surpass.

Currently I do 5 reps of both crab and ape, moving a total distance of 20 feet for one rep. My mobility sucks, so I don't have proper form. If I can't do crab and ape (with proper form) do I keep trying? Or should I be doing other stretches/exercises to help me establish proper form? Right now i'm just trying to complete 5 reps @ 20 feet with best form I can manage.

I'm just not sure if I'm doing enough to get the results I want. I'm 31 and my mobility sucks, I'm really excited for the program and will put in whatever time it will take to get my mobility back. Just need a little guidance please!

The basic approach here is understanding limitations and getting confidence with basic position and motion. In order to get confidence with new technical aspects of GST you to repeat and repeat. I think that you can adjust the position in function of your limitations. when you can manage a good for (also accepting your limitations) it is fine and it is time to move on looking for more advanced courses and dedicated stretch work. if your major problem is the mobility consider the idea of put more effort on the stretch series. no necessity to work all of them together, if you major problem is the shoulders then go for shoulders series.

thank you coach, my burning question is answered!

I'm pretty advanced by what I can see so far in day 1. How do I unlock several days at a time so that I can move through this fundamentals course more quickly?

There is not a way for you to unlock multiple days at once. Take your time and consider spending an extra few minutes on previous lessons as you progress through.

I too am feeling completely lost without any sort of guidance on time/sets/reps. I am on day two of the Fundamentals and it took me just two minutes to do the movements. I'm not feeling tired, but am not sure how much I should be doing. What about the previous days movements? Any guidance would be super helpful.

Hi Santos, 

Try not to over think it. My recommendation is to set up a timer and shoot for 10-15 minutes of Fundamentals work. You can do rounds of the exercises, you want to perfect each move. Many athletes continue to use the Fundamentals as warm up for other courses. I like Everett's advice on taking your time and working through each day. 

Remember Fundamentals is a nice introductory to the Foundations One course!  

Hi Tanya,

Thanks for your suggestions. Looking forward to moving ahead

Hello Everyone,

- Fundamentals is a novice level GST course for those who are relatively deconditioned with potentially significant mobility deficits.  Of course the programming provided is simplistic at this level.  

As a side note, in years past this was also the same approach that I used for brand new introductory level athletes in my own gym.

- Simply because you are used to a programming structure of reps and sets does not mean you need reps and sets at this stage of your training.

- If you find this frustrating - fine.  It is what it is.  Deal with it and move on.  

- Guidance of how to approach training the Fundamentals elements has already been provided in detail in the essay I stickied at the top of the Days 1-6 section.

- No, you may not have several days unlocked at the same time.  No, I do not care how advanced you think you are.  

There is one national team coach present in this conversation and my experience is that the vast majority of people would rather spend their time browsing than actually deeply exploring a movement and becoming intimately familiar with their mobility deficits and movement restrictions.

The programming template employed with Fundamentals is expressly designed to both acknowledge and mitigate this consistent human foible.

- Begin taking a moderate degree of ownership for your own training and progress.  Rather than immediately posting a question that has already been answered many times, take a moment to use the forum search function.  The forum is a tremendous asset for fast tracking your own progress; if used appropriately.

- You will also find it quite instructive to also use the forum search function to explore my many other forum posts.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer