Exercise Selection

Hello,

This is my first week on the Foundation and Handstand series and i have some questions about the planning of the exercises.  Can i add some progressions to the 3 already existing exercises or should i just stick to the prescribed sets and reps? For example i have done 3 upper body workouts like this: (every exercise paired with its mobility drill)

5x5 Bulgarian pullups 

5x5 ring dips

4x10 elevated rows

3x2 Pseudo Planche Pushups

4x24s plank

I followed this approach because, having some years of experience in bodyweight training, i think that it would promote the necessary muscle adaptations to match my goals of hypertrophy and strength alike. Is this beneficial to the overall progress of the foundation series? I should also say that my mobility level is much lower than my strength level, which kind of confuses me on how i should follow the progressions. Lastly, how should i fit the handstand series in during the week?

On 4/20/2020 at 10:25 PM, Alexis Drougkas said:

Hello,

This is my first week on the Foundation and Handstand series and i have some questions about the planning of the exercises.  Can i add some progressions to the 3 already existing exercises or should i just stick to the prescribed sets and reps? For example i have done 3 upper body workouts like this: (every exercise paired with its mobility drill)

5x5 Bulgarian pullups 

5x5 ring dips

4x10 elevated rows

3x2 Pseudo Planche Pushups

4x24s plank

 

I followed this approach because, having some years of experience in bodyweight training, i think that it would promote the necessary muscle adaptations to match my goals of hypertrophy and strength alike. Is this beneficial to the overall progress of the foundation series? I should also say that my mobility level is much lower than my strength level, which kind of confuses me on how i should follow the progressions. Lastly, how should i fit the handstand series in during the week?

Hi Alexis, i must progress exercises over exercise and after 10 years of work with GST I can say is the best approach for limiting overuse injuries. 

Another reflection that you need to choose...strength or hypertrophy? what is your primary goal? they have different requirements in terms of nutrition and programming.

I'm used to set the handstand day when i'm fresh.

20 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Alexis, i must progress exercises over exercise and after 10 years of work with GST I can say is the best approach for limiting overuse injuries. 

Another reflection that you need to choose...strength or hypertrophy? what is your primary goal? they have different requirements in terms of nutrition and programming.

I'm used to set the handstand day when i'm fresh.

Thank you for your reply. I am aware of the differences in nutrition and programming to achieve strength and hypertrophy. My concern is that, because i have a specific amount of  work capacity and strength overall due to the work i have done until now, the upper body work done in the prescribed way ( 3 exercises per workout) will not provide enough stimulus to cause the necessary adaptations in the muscles to increase strength or hypertrophy. In simpler words, i am concerned that the upper body work is not enough, and if i do it the prescribed way, i will loose both strength and muscle mass. However, i am new to the GST approach, so i am seeking guidance on how to progress on the foundations, but also progressing in terms of overall strength and hypertrophy with these two not being entirely different from one another. Should i execute the foundation progressions first in the workout and then address the other points of my training? 

I hope this makes sense because i may have written it in a complex way. Thank you in advance for your time. 

I suggest doing first GST.

The fact that you have more work capacity available dows not mean that joint tissue are prepared for heling more volume in the same time and this can be a problem.

I cannot suggest you do more because i basically know nothing about your condition, previous training, exercises execution, possible injury, mobility and so on.

I will proceed with caution in as to what i integrate to my training and put emphasis on the progressions of the foudations then. Thank you!