Setting Up a Programme - Inital Testing

Hello Everyone

I've finished the Fundamentals course and have decided to proceed into the Foundations and Handstand courses.

I've read the F.A.Q's and apologies in advance if these are really obvious questions but I just needed some clarification.

I'm able to train Monday to Saturday for an hour at a time and was wondering about the initial testing. Is there a table I should be referring to see where I should be starting on each of the 7 movements plus handstand.  

Also, with the testing shall I just run through them all on one day or split them over a couple of days.

I see with the online planner I can programme in Handstands and Foundations on the same day and I'm guessing this is recommended too?

Finally(!) I have practiced Thoracic Bridging in the past and noticed a LOT of tightness in my left shoulder.  Whenever I do shoulder circles on that side there is always pain when I reach back plus some weakness when I protract the shoulder.  I was wondering if I was worth getting the Thoracic Bridge programme and making that my 45 minute Saturday workout instead?

I know there are a lot of questions here but I'm stoked to be getting started on this journey as I enjoyed Fundamentals so much.

Really appreciate any feedback.

Have you read all of the course material, you have access to? A lot of your course related questions are already answered in the course material you have access to.  As far as which schedule to pick... just pick one. If you are working on the Handstand course look at the training schedules that include Handstand work, rather than purely Foundation work. The workout scheduler will help you program your workouts that will work with your schedule and your recovery ability.

In regards to the thoracic bridge... you will be working on that as you progress through the foundation course, however I believe the stretch courses are co-requisites for the more difficult, yet to be released, Gymnast Strength Training courses. (IE: Handstand 3, Movement 2-3) 

Personally speaking and at the moment, my training schedule is the two day HS intergrated schedule.

Hi Philip,

The workout scheduler tool should answer most of your questions once you plug in your information. 

However, I'll get you started anyway

Foundation can be trained either as a split or all in one go, and on either the same day or separately to HS. The further you progress; the more overlap occurs. Unless you have a background in gymnastics strength training i highly recommend starting with a split, which you can see by populating the template of the same name, and ramping it up gradually to find the balance of volume/recovery that keeps you progressing best week to week.

Stretch courses are best performed after your workouts and make a good wind down. That said getting them done is more important than getting the minutiae of optimal timing off the bat. Put it where it fits.

I have tried many permutations, and am happiest with my current setup ; a 3 day F split performed MWF with a stretch series after each workout and an extra workout in the morning, a weighted mobility session followed by H1+2 Tues and Thurs, and Movement on Saturday.

Thank you for this.

I appreciate a lot of what I've asked is "read the f'n manual!" Sitting down today and inputting all my info.

Thanks for the help.