Finishing F1. Next course advice

Hi Everyone,
I would appreciate some advice on which course to take next. I am just finishing Foundation 1. I started with Fundamentals in October and have progressed to the end of Foundation 1. Total time about 5 months. 

Should I go straight into Foundation 2? And, if so, any thoughts on adding the Stretch Series or the Handstand Series? Pros and cons? At first blush, I'm most interested in the Skills Bundle. I would like to start working on handstand and mobility is always attractive. 

As for me - I'm 42 and use my fitness to bike, hike and ski. Thank you in advance for any insight.

Best Regards, Wade

Hi Wade,

Thanks for reaching out and well done with almost finishing up Foundation One. 

The next step to advance further with your training will be Foundation Two. Coach Sommer recommends supplementing your Foundation training with the Stretch and Handstand Courses. Handstand One and Two can be done simultaneously. The Stretch series will also help you develop the active and passive flexibility you need to advance further with your GST  

Hey Wade, 

Once all of the progressions in a movement category in Foundation One are mastered you are clear to advance to Foundation Two. I suggest prioritizing moving to Foundation Two. Then, if you are able to invest in more courses, I suggest the Stretch Series. Once you have the Stretch Series and Foundations, go with the Skills Bundle.

I always suggest the Stretch Series  before the skills courses because most adults will benefit more from the flexibility training in the three stretch courses. Stretching will prevent roadblocks and plateaus due to lack of mobility. In an ideal situation you would be able to train the entire beginner level curriculum each week. I understand that is not always immediately possible so upgrade when you can to the Series and then the skill courses. 

Hi Wade looking to the number of posts you put on the forum I highly recommend you to post some form checks, 5 months to complete foundations 1 it is a very short time.

As soon as I read your post i thought the same than Alessandro. To complete F1 in 5 months you should be a beast and even been a beast you must have a lot of mobility and flexibility. In my case, I couldn t progress in F1 without following the strecht courses. Manna progressions or single leg squat are an example of tremendous needed mobility, at least for me.

Or the above is true or you have been mastering progressions without proper form, tempo and range, which mean not mastering. I recommend you very very much submitting check forms for almost every mastered progression showing your PE and paired mobility and the time you need to complete. Better to check it before is too late. And ask all doubts you have about the program!

Thank you everyone. I appreciate your assistance and feedback.

I agree. Submit mastery check videos. It helps so much. I'm also 42 and quite strong/lean/fit in my peer group but F1 is kicking my ass when I do things properly. Be sure before you move on. Video review. 

5 months! No form checks? Hmmm I'd say post form checks to see if you have mastered F1.

Thanks again everyone. I got the stretch series and have tried out thoracic bridge and middle split so far. Great stuff. Holding positions for time reminds me of Yin Yoga practice.

Everett, this was the nugget I was looking for, 'I always suggest the Stretch Series  before the skills courses because most adults will benefit more from the flexibility training in the three stretch courses.' 

Glad you're enjoying the Stretch series, Wade. We'd love to follow your progress, feel free to share your training  

Wow! 5 months is some time to complete F1!  I'm 37, 5 months in and still on PE1 and PE2. 

It would be great to see some of your mastery videos since we are of similar age.

Hi Garry. I am not interested in posting videos. I get why coaches on here want videos - they're trying to help. Everyone else feels like they are projecting on me. Good grief. If I want feedback for me - I can drive down the mountains to Denver, Colorado and go to the GymnasticBodies gym there. 

Let's just say I came into the program with an extensive athletic and workout and racing history. Swimming from Alcatraz is my kind of fun. Along with cardio and strength training, I have been practicing yoga for over 20 years. I didn't limp into Gymnastic Bodies. Please there's no reason to compare by age or length of time in the program (I regret I put that on my post). Who cares? I workout by myself, for myself, for my own reasons. Just do your best! Hopefully that helps everyone's understanding of my progress.

Good luck in your training! I hope you meet your goals. I'm very happy with mine. Thanks!

2 hours ago, Wade Wilson said:

Everyone else feels like they are projecting on me. Good grief. If I want feedback for me

Maybe they don't want a feedback on you, but and inspiration from you… it is always nice to see what's possible.

But I completely understand you don't want to participate. I am just saying… :-) 

8 hours ago, Wade Wilson said:

Hi Garry. I am not interested in posting videos. I get why coaches on here want videos - they're trying to help. Everyone else feels like they are projecting on me. Good grief. If I want feedback for me - I can drive down the mountains to Denver, Colorado and go to the GymnasticBodies gym there. 

Let's just say I came into the program with an extensive athletic and workout and racing history. Swimming from Alcatraz is my kind of fun. Along with cardio and strength training, I have been practicing yoga for over 20 years. I didn't limp into Gymnastic Bodies. Please there's no reason to compare by age or length of time in the program (I regret I put that on my post). Who cares? I workout by myself, for myself, for my own reasons. Just do your best! Hopefully that helps everyone's understanding of my progress.

Good luck in your training! I hope you meet your goals. I'm very happy with mine. Thanks!

Please do not take our check form recommendations as an offense to your progress. Maybe we ve been too repetitive but from the time I ve been on this GST family I ve really realized almost everyone here wants to help each other, not to compare o distrust people. Sometimes, even coaches can be hard with us when we are not working properly (I m not saying you re not), but they are doing for a good purpose. Many of us, speacially at the beggining of our GST jouerny, have done many mistakes. I was doing myself so many mistakes in form and using the program as I wanted and I didn t realized until I come to the forum. So I think we are just worried that this could happen to other people. And for sure it s coaches work to make sure everyone is getting the program right. They want it to work for us and forever. You should take into account that this program is built for absolutely everyone, for someone who never realized any sport and for already athletes. It s really great that you have progress almost till the beggining of F1 but it s not only because of the time that some people where asking about posting form checks. If you told me you have spent 2 years in completing with no check forms I still would tell you to post your check forms at least on some of the progressions. At least in my case, I didn t want to offense you, your progress or you way of training and I think any one here pretended. I understand you didn t like when everyone was putting on doubt your words. Sorry for that, but we just care about the people here. Read on the forum and you ll check I am right! So good luck with your training!

Although of course I am a bit jealous!

Hi Wade

I once watched a great video on Youtube with people of 70-95 year of age performing front levers/side levers etc... and I still can't touch them so I never underestimate anyone.

I have also always trained by myself but have made huge mistakes and finding the GB foundation course and forum has completely changed things around for me.

Like Suzanna wrote it was purely for inspiration that I would have liked to have see your videos as I often watch other form check videos for the same reason and to pick up tips from the coaches.