TB first session (did I almost die?) May I have some advice, please?

Today, I did my first TB sessions. Started super excited. It was straight after my pole fitness class. Already the first two exercises I thought I would die, haha. My shoulders was so not working with me. So I kept working through the exercises, moaning and groaning, toward the end, and here I got some problems. 

1) There is no way I could lift myself on elevated TB (SE16). I don't have any access to the gymnastic rails, just the normal railing so people wouldn't fall off from the balcony/stretching area. I think the railing itself could work (you can see it in the video), but I just couldn't lift myself up. Legs lower or higher, it didn't go. I can push myself up when my feet are on the floor. 

2) Even if I push myself up on the floor, I cannot hold 60 seconds. Maybe just 10. So because I couldn't do those exercises, I didn't want to skip, so I did 6 sets of 10 seconds of a bridge with feet on the ground. Not sure if it is good to do if my form is not right. 

3) The walking down the rail bridge—I cannot even reach the rail, which is too low. On the wall, it goes just a few inches  

4) My prone thoracic band pull (SE11) is almost non-existent. I lift only a few inches off the ground, it's like my body doesn't want to go that way :-) 

Is there something I could do (some little exercises) during the week, until my next session, so I could improve myself until then? I am posting a video of my floor bridge, just so you would see my level of flexibility/stiffness, where I am now. Maybe it can help with your suggestions how to proceed. Thank you so much!

(what was funny, was that during this bridge, I felt like my legs are completely straight and the shoulders above my hands… at least the body was screaming at me that way… far far far from that when I saw the video)

I hope you don't mind me replying, as I'm in a very similar position and wanted to share my experience as well... Isn't the course so hard! I did it 2 days ago and today my upper spine is still tight!

SE16... Do you mean SE17? I can't do that either, at all! However I found that you can kick up into a handstand with your back to the wall/stallbars with your hands 1m away from the wall or so, let your feet hit the wall, and then try to walk them down whilst trying to arch from the upper back and not from the lower back. (See my picture) With experimenting you'll find what distance from the wall works for you, and eventually when we can open the shoulders up more we'll be able to go into elevated bridge from the floor... One day  Meanwhile that's as much of a back bend that I can do without straining lower back.

Your bridge is looking pretty good actually! As long as you are not feeling pressure on the lower back - and 6x 10sec is defo better than none at all, your shoulders are working hard and getting stronger!

Even an inch of wall walks is better than nothing  just concentrate on keeping your core tight... and in a few sessions time you'll be surprised by the progress!

SE11 - where do you attach the band? I found that if the band is attached low, it makes me arch from the lower back, and if it is attached at a hip-height it is very helpful with pulling the arms up first and it is possible to stay in control better... Experiment! Hope this helps... Keep posting your progress, looking forward to seeing it!

11 hours ago, Suzanna McGee said:

Today, I did my first TB sessions. Started super excited. It was straight after my pole fitness class. Already the first two exercises I thought I would die, haha. My shoulders was so not working with me. So I kept working through the exercises, moaning and groaning, toward the end, and here I got some problems. 

1) There is no way I could lift myself on elevated TB (SE16). I don't have any access to the gymnastic rails, just the normal railing so people wouldn't fall off from the balcony/stretching area. I think the railing itself could work (you can see it in the video), but I just couldn't lift myself up. Legs lower or higher, it didn't go. I can push myself up when my feet are on the floor. 

2) Even if I push myself up on the floor, I cannot hold 60 seconds. Maybe just 10. So because I couldn't do those exercises, I didn't want to skip, so I did 6 sets of 10 seconds of a bridge with feet on the ground. Not sure if it is good to do if my form is not right. 

3) The walking down the rail bridge—I cannot even reach the rail, which is too low. On the wall, it goes just a few inches  

4) My prone thoracic band pull (SE11) is almost non-existent. I lift only a few inches off the ground, it's like my body doesn't want to go that way :-) 

Is there something I could do (some little exercises) during the week, until my next session, so I could improve myself until then? I am posting a video of my floor bridge, just so you would see my level of flexibility/stiffness, where I am now. Maybe it can help with your suggestions how to proceed. Thank you so much!

(what was funny, was that during this bridge, I felt like my legs are completely straight and the shoulders above my hands… at least the body was screaming at me that way… far far far from that when I saw the video)

 

the best exercises to help you with your TB is from the integrated mobility from Foundation One. the integrated mobility of Front Lever, HollowBack Press and Rope Climb really helped me a lot.

11 hours ago, Suzanna McGee said:

Today, I did my first TB sessions. Started super excited. It was straight after my pole fitness class. Already the first two exercises I thought I would die, haha. My shoulders was so not working with me. So I kept working through the exercises, moaning and groaning, toward the end, and here I got some problems. 

1) There is no way I could lift myself on elevated TB (SE16). I don't have any access to the gymnastic rails, just the normal railing so people wouldn't fall off from the balcony/stretching area. I think the railing itself could work (you can see it in the video), but I just couldn't lift myself up. Legs lower or higher, it didn't go. I can push myself up when my feet are on the floor. 

2) Even if I push myself up on the floor, I cannot hold 60 seconds. Maybe just 10. So because I couldn't do those exercises, I didn't want to skip, so I did 6 sets of 10 seconds of a bridge with feet on the ground. Not sure if it is good to do if my form is not right. 

3) The walking down the rail bridge—I cannot even reach the rail, which is too low. On the wall, it goes just a few inches  

4) My prone thoracic band pull (SE11) is almost non-existent. I lift only a few inches off the ground, it's like my body doesn't want to go that way :-) 

Is there something I could do (some little exercises) during the week, until my next session, so I could improve myself until then? I am posting a video of my floor bridge, just so you would see my level of flexibility/stiffness, where I am now. Maybe it can help with your suggestions how to proceed. Thank you so much!

(what was funny, was that during this bridge, I felt like my legs are completely straight and the shoulders above my hands… at least the body was screaming at me that way… far far far from that when I saw the video)

 

 

 

I would only focus on the other workouts and deal with each stretch series as they come up in your workout schedule. For instance, HS training helps with these, as do Front Lever mobilities, but there's no need to tack on a lot more mobility work unless you're in pain or struggling throughout. You don't seem to be, your flexibility isn't Olympic gold by any means, but it's certainly way better than mine was when I started. If you can't push up into an elevated bridge, you could try standing up and leaning back until you get a stretch in your thoracic (they demonstrate this is as an appropriate regression on the SE focus points). That's what I do, and I find it the best regression until I can work lower, which I aim for week-to-week. As for the band pulls, they suck. They are really hard, but work the HS ims and these will get easier as your traps get stronger and your thoracic spine more mobile. Just be patient and recognize that stopping a set early, once your form deteriorates, is in no way a failure. There are no "progressions" to the stretch series. You're doing the final elements each time through (unlike with Foundations, Handstand, or Movement, where you slowly progress to harder more complex elements), so scaling the intensity back to reflect your range of motion now will help to increase your range of motion later. There's no shame in that, and there is a lot to be gained from doing that (my ROM in the past month and a half has made HUGE leaps since I've focused on not pushing each stretch and respecting my current ROM--my body has liked that approach much better).

@Katerina Sourkova thank you for all your inputs! My band (SE11) is attached low. I tried to do everything how they did it in the video. I will try to have it higher next time. Hope that will make me to feel the stretch more in my shoulders/thoracic… The good thing is that I don't feel any strain in the lower back in any of the exercises. Possibly tightness in the front (abs/hipflexors/quads).  Regarding the elevated bridge starting from a handstand… I wish!!!! But I am in the beginning of my HS course (PE5), so that is not an option for me. I wish though  :-)  Glad to hear your experience with TB course as you are starting it as well. Thank you for your pointers. 

@Leo Trinidad I so wish I had all the courses. But I only have HS and now TB. I was already playing with the idea to buy them all, but I have to control myself, because I am already so full in my training schedule (gym 5–6 days a week, pole fitness classes, tennis, biking, stretching… and now HS and PB). I know I probably will get the Foundation Series too one day, but right now I have to control myself or I will neglect all the other aspects in my life, ha ha (such as my business, and writing, etc) 

@Daniel Taylor-Shaut Great advice, thank you. I am not in any pain in my back, by any means. Other than I became "in a hurry" with my backbend stretches because I want to look great on that pole, the new thing that I am learning (pole fitness)  :-)  I guess there is no hurry with that either. Other than my personal impatience. I do have the HS course, I am in the beginning (PE5), so I keep doing those exercises, and my dislocates, and hope for a better shoulder mobility as time goes. And just keep doing whatever my body lets me to do in this TB program. Thank you! (hee hee, loved your reminder that my flexibility is lacking a little bit for the Olympic status  ;-) )

How good are you on the first four PEs? Because if you've truly mastered them and taken them past mastery--say with upwards of 10-15lbs--then the band curls shouldn't be that difficult. Have you done form checks for PE1-PE4 on HS? I would be sure that do before going into dislocates. Dislocates are great but mastering the im of HS/PE1-3 will make them that much greater. 

@Suzanna McGee I used to follow the TB video too, but then I found about the Fitness section of the website, where all individual exercises are broken down. In terms of the SE11 (band pull), the detailed video shows the band being set up higher - that's how I found to try it https://my.gymnasticbodies.com/tbs-se11/ Check out those pages for progressions for the things that you can't do at the moment.

Since then I actually made the point of watching every single video for every progression, and have learned a lot on what to feel, what to tense, what to open up etc...

BTW impressed with the amount of exercise you're managing to fit into your life  good luck!

13 hours ago, Suzanna McGee said:

@Katerina Sourkova thank you for all your inputs! My band (SE11) is attached low. I tried to do everything how they did it in the video. I will try to have it higher next time. Hope that will make me to feel the stretch more in my shoulders/thoracic… The good thing is that I don't feel any strain in the lower back in any of the exercises. Possibly tightness in the front (abs/hipflexors/quads).  Regarding the elevated bridge starting from a handstand… I wish!!!! But I am in the beginning of my HS course (PE5), so that is not an option for me. I wish though  :-)  Glad to hear your experience with TB course as you are starting it as well. Thank you for your pointers. 

@Leo Trinidad I so wish I had all the courses. But I only have HS and now TB. I was already playing with the idea to buy them all, but I have to control myself, because I am already so full in my training schedule (gym 5–6 days a week, pole fitness classes, tennis, biking, stretching… and now HS and PB). I know I probably will get the Foundation Series too one day, but right now I have to control myself or I will neglect all the other aspects in my life, ha ha (such as my business, and writing, etc) 

@Daniel Taylor-Shaut Great advice, thank you. I am not in any pain in my back, by any means. Other than I became "in a hurry" with my backbend stretches because I want to look great on that pole, the new thing that I am learning (pole fitness)  :-)  I guess there is no hurry with that either. Other than my personal impatience. I do have the HS course, I am in the beginning (PE5), so I keep doing those exercises, and my dislocates, and hope for a better shoulder mobility as time goes. And just keep doing whatever my body lets me to do in this TB program. Thank you! (hee hee, loved your reminder that my flexibility is lacking a little bit for the Olympic status  ;-) )

the Foundations is the equalizer and it really doesn't take much of your time if done properly. From my experience before they released the Stretch Courses i was just doing the Foundation 1 and Handstand 1 and really got me close to getting my TB. again i am just sharing my experience and hope it will help you guys. the best thing about the Foundation Courses is that it will help you eliminate or minimize your imbalances and overall make you a better athlete.

It is very true, I'm loving the F1 workouts actually - the mobility exercises have highlighted some very bizarre imbalances which are slowly being ironed out, and it brings me a tonne of joy feeling the improvements. The reduction in grinding/creaking/popping sensations just after a few weeks feels very rewarding, never mind the slowly increasing mobility... Slow and steady!

@Katerina Sourkova Thanks for the tip on the detailed videos… I did briefly check them before my first session, but did not remember all the details, and there is no good signal in my gym stretching area upstairs to keep looking during my session. I will go through it again, and will write down some notes for my next sessions. Also, thanks for all your tips and experience sharing with F1. I am an athlete too, who has accumulated many imbalances (that I am pro-actively trying to take care of). So your experience sounds very encouraging and I guess I should invest in F1 already now, rather than waiting for later. Yea, I managed to put a lot of training in my schedule, especially now during summer time… I have myself a 100-day goal to achieve a quite complicated (sort of gymnastic) move on my pole. That's why I became so obsessively focused on building my foundations in strength and flexibility, and that's how I found Gymnastic Bodies. After the summer I have to figure out better/more balanced training schedule, as I cannot neglect my other (more cerebral) duties as much as I do now  :-) 

@Leo Trinidad Thanks again for your sharing your experience with F1. It sounds like you and Katerina have similar experiences. And I really should look into the F1 program already now rather than waiting for later. Thanks again for sharing and your encouragement. I truly value it. 

@Daniel Taylor-Shaut Yes, I got them checked, and I did not struggle with those exercises much. It seems that with those rubber band pulls, going backwards, it was more that I couldn't bend in my back that way and that was so tiring. Also Katerina suggested to have the band higher, which I will try next time. Mine was very low, and it was very strong band too (I bought a better one, meanwhile). So it felt uncomfortable and a struggle. I see how it goes next time with more appropriate band and having it tied a little bit higher. 

Hi, Suzanna! Here's one exercise I did before I got the TB series that tremendously helped my TB:

Lay on on the ground with a roller under your thoracic spine (you'll have to play around a bit to find the right the spot for you). 

Hold a bar or dowel in your hands above your head, just off the ground, and have a partner try to lift to the bar up while you try to pull it back to the ground. I did about 3 sets of 6-10s of work. 

Then switch to your partner pushing the bar down to the ground and you trying to lift it up. Again, about 3 sets of 6-10s. 

You can also do it solo by pulling down on a band and lifting a weighted bar, but a partner is easier and more precise.

The improvement for me was dramatic (see attached photos).

@Julia Quigley Thank you so much for your tip. I will try that. Your TB looks great, and wow, what an improvement, indeed!!! Congratulations. 

Thanks! It's getting there  Let me know how that exercise goes after you try it!

On August 17, 2016 at 7:44 AM, Julia Quigley said:

Hi, Suzanna! Here's one exercise I did before I got the TB series that tremendously helped my TB:

Lay on on the ground with a roller under your thoracic spine (you'll have to play around a bit to find the right the spot for you). 

Hold a bar or dowel in your hands above your head, just off the ground, and have a partner try to lift to the bar up while you try to pull it back to the ground. I did about 3 sets of 6-10s of work. 

Then switch to your partner pushing the bar down to the ground and you trying to lift it up. Again, about 3 sets of 6-10s. 

You can also do it solo by pulling down on a band and lifting a weighted bar, but a partner is easier and more precise.

The improvement for me was dramatic (see attached photos).

 

Julia,

What a dramatic improvement indeed! What type of roller do you use, and how frequently do you do this procedure?

Would you be able to provide a link for the place you acquired the roller (if this was something that you purchased)? I'd like to start incorporating this in my workouts ASAP.

Thanks very much for sharing your experience visually.

Thanks, @John Kiggundu! I use whatever foam roller is avaiable--obviously the larger diameter the roller the more intense the exercise will be. 

At home, I've used the grid roller available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_iwLTxbDQJPX4K). 

I did this routine 2-3 times for a couple weeks and worked up to doing it with the foam roller on top of a 25 lb weight plate and a 5 lb weight plate... and then I stopped because I started foundations haha

Thoracic conditioning has really taken a backseat to other issues/training, but I'll probably start this up again in the future. 

I hope you see good results with it too! I'll caution that it is intense in the shoulders, too. It was fine for me but my boyfriend didn't have enough shoulder mobility and felt immediate discomfort. So as with everything, go slowly and stop if you experience pain!