Arch ups & arch body holds

Hey there,

I am stuck in SL/PE4 since November at 5 sets of 8 reps. I posted a form check in video review and form looked good for coaches. I would like to know if arch body holds found in Fundamentals course would help me to achieve faster progress on this series of PEs?

 I thought as kind of building endurance on my back in the off days.

Thanks,

Feli

Hi Felipe, have you tried to add an additional set when you reach a plateau?

Hey Alessandro,

Thanks for your response. Yes I do that when I reach a plateau. In this case I do 5 or 6 of 8 reps, then 1 more to failure.., twice a week, but thought that arch body hold would feed somehow into arch ups if I do those regularly.

Hey Feli,

I suggest keeping the extra set and removing the set to failure. If you are bringing these to failure two times each week that could be what is causing the plateau. 

Hey Everett,

Thanks for your response. I didn't know that bringing a PE to failure could cause a plateau, good to know. Would like to know more about that kind of over-training, I am actually training 7 days a week, mainly due to additional sets on many of the handstand and foundation PEs. Would it be good to share my schedule here in order to review?

Thanks

Short answer;

The more often you train, the less often you should go to failure.

Working to failure in GST is useful primarily as a learning tool or to break a bad habit in an athlete, by forcing the body to find a more efficient path, but this is not a beginner strategy  

There is a lot of motor and coordination learning going on in Foundation, if you did not come to gymnastics shapes and positions as a child - just like learning a language, this makes the whole learning curve much smoother, but many of us missed that window  learning requires mental as well as physical resources.

My training philosophy is rooted in my martial arts background; It's all bs working yourself into the ground today if you can't perform tomorrow

It's important to challenge yourself but when rep speed or form drops too far from L /R of arc, it's a day. Show discipline, call it there, come back and do more tomorrow

Hey Jon,

Really appreciate your answer. My routine has some additional sets with proper form and orhers to failure so will check that.

Currently I am doing as follows:

Monday: RC, FL, HBP, SPL (1hr 15min). Then 30 min of circuit of FL, HBP and SPL. Then daily limber.

Tuesday: FL, SL, MN (1hr 15min) front split (45 min)

Wednesday: SLS, H1, H2 (2 hours). Then daily limber.

Thursday: Same as Monday

Friday: Same as Tuesday with middle split instead of front split.

Saturday: Same as wednesday.

Sunday: TBS.

removing additional circuits would allow me to progress faster?

Hey Feli,

I always suggest at least one day a week for rest or at least active recovery like stretching. Even if this means reducing your weekly volume, I recommend you adjust your schedule so there is at least one day that is complete rest from strength training. I always take at least one day off per week like Coach suggests. This extra recovery should help you burst through that plateau!

17 hours ago, Felipe Garcia Rosa said:

removing additional circuits would allow me to progress faster?

I don't suggest the additional circuits either. Stick to the programming provided  If you have extra energy after the workouts feel free to play for 5-10 minutes but I'll bet taking out the extra stuff and sticking to the programming will help your recovery and progress a bunch!

Thanks Everett that great to know!

Will follow your advice and post any update.

I was doing thoracic bridge only on Sundays but thats more strenght than active recovery right?

Sounds great and yes, stretching is an excellent way to actively recover.