Ideas for new cycle?

Starting a new cycle now and I'd like to change things up as doing pretty much the same thing for almost a year is dragging me down a bit.

I just did my test today:

Tuck Planche: 18 sec (last test: 15sec)

Back Lever: 1/2 straddle 10sec (last test: 18sec but form much, much better now)

Front Lever Full Straddle: 15sec (last test: 15 sec but form much better now)

L-sit on floor: 19sec (last test: 22sec Adv L-sit but on push-up bars)

Wall handstand (back to wall):86sec (last test: 90sec)

For the cycle that ended today I was doing this for FBEs:

Pulling: Lsit pull up / front lever row (flat tuck/half straddle) / front lever pull (flat tuck) 5reps x 3sets

Pushing: HeSPU Negatives / Cast Wall Walks / Planche Leans 5reps x 3 sets

Core: HLL V to L / L-sit lift / Body Lever 5reps x 3

Handstand: 45sec x 8 sets (90sec rest inbetween... more than 70% of the hold time in freestanding)

For this cycle I've got 3 things on my mind.

1) I've always worked by doing a warm-up, core FBE, then statics, then FBEs. I've been eyeing the "intergrated training" section of the book for a while, and thinking if I should change into doing this... but I have no idea how to really program it. I understand the idea of pairing the static holds with FBE's, but I have the usual question (which I've seen several people post on): since I'll only be doing 3 (or 3-5?) reps of statics, what progression and amount of time should I be using (keeping in mind my test results from above)? For instance, if I'm doing only 3 sets, should I be doing a progression where I can hold for 20sec (since 20x3 = 60 total), or does the whole "60sec total" idea go out the window when doing intergrated? How long should the hold times be for statics in this protocol and how hard should those holds be (like half max, or...?) Or... should I not even do intergrated thing at all and stick with what I've been doing?

2) There has been new ideas emerging about the hold times and approaches of statics, as mentioned in this post:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4306

Basically it seems each progression in each exercise has it's own ideal hold time (before moving on to the next higher progression)... which is different from the book -which simply says when you can do 15sec of a hold (and 3-5sec of the next higher progression) then you move up. So... does anyone have any idea of what the ideal hold times are for the progressions I'm working with? The reason I ask is it seems the key to breaking through my planche-stagnation wall is to not work tuck planche that much but work Adv Frog for 60sec holds (basically NOT following the advice in the book). Should I also apply this idea to my other three statics? If so, for my test results above what should I do? For instance, for front lever where I've got a solid 15sec straddle hold... should I again continue (as I did last cycle) with Straddle 8secx8, or... should I instead do Flat Tuck 30sec x5 (that going down to an easier progression and holding it for longer times)? Same thing for Back Lever...? Do Flat tuck 30sec x 5 instead of half-straddle 8x8 like I've done for two cycles? What about L-sit?

3) For FBE's I've always done 5reps x 3 sets... should I change this up? 3x3 of harder exercises? 5x5 of easier? Or...?

Thanks, dudes...

I can honestly say that following the WODs to the best of your ability will give better results than the most careful training you can plan, unless you basically come up with the same thing as the WODs.

Your lack of Manna work could be stalling your FL since the manna strengthens many of the muscles in the upper back and arms differently, which could lead to your body simply lowering neural inhibitions. Correct body lever statics at parallel will also help tremendously.

You know, it's funny because after I posted I began to look at the WOD's which I've never really looked at before. Mostly because the exercises seem far above what I'm able to do. But I guess you can scale them to whatever is the one you can do in the correct rep/set range... correct? Also, I have no rings, only a doorway chin-up bar... not sure if that will be an issue. But, basically... just forget my own programing totally and start following the WOD's, doing only what's there (no other, extra things), you believe this is the best way forward?

HamdiC said:

You know, it's funny because after I posted I began to look at the WOD's which I've never really looked at before. Mostly because the exercises seem far above what I'm able to do. But I guess you can scale them to whatever is the one you can do in the correct rep/set range... correct? Also, I have no rings, only a doorway chin-up bar... not sure if that will be an issue. But, basically... just forget my own programing totally and start following the WOD's, doing only what's there (no other, extra things), you believe this is the best way forward?

To answer your last question first: Absolutely. The WODs are incredible. They don't take that much time and don't seem like much until you do them, scaled to your ability, with the timing and rest periods prescribed. You will get strong very fast. You'll be doing enough to stimulate pretty much all of your muscles and basic movements, and you won't be doing enough to be 'over-trained'.

Doorway chin up bars are a good start! Rings will absolutely help a lot, don't miss out on them if you don't have to! You can see in my recent videos that i have made my own rings due to my nearly empty wallet status. I can't wait to get another pair of Xtreme Rings, but until then these will do. The best thing to do is to buy two 2 foot pieces of 1" PVC, schedule 40. Fill your sink with a few inches of cold water. Put them in your oven on bake at 225 degrees for around 10 minutes once you get the oven heated up. With oven mitts, take one pvc tube out and bend it into a half circle that is around 8-9 inches in diameter on the inside. Now, holding it in that shape, take the tube and dunk it in the cold water. Hold it there for a bout 10 seconds. Done!

Now repeat with the other one.

The PVC tube should be very pliable when you take it out of the oven. Do this correctly, bu holding the PVC at the ends, and there should be no kinks at all. It will be somewhat flattened, but that's just a part of bending pipe. Now you have 2 PVC "U" shapes! Run some cheap 4-500 lb chain through them, it's skinny and will fit easily. Clip that together with a heavy duty spring clip or carabeener and then use the 400 lb truck straps that have the slide buckle for your straps. This will be nowhere near as good as the xtreme rings, so I'd buy them if you can. If you can't, this is a good 25 buck alternative for beginner stuff. I'd buy the Xtreme rings when you get to where you can do a kip up to L-sit, because they are way stronger. That's a long way off though.

Finally, you can and SHOULD scale the WODs to your ability. Look at the WOD posts, you'll see how people are scaling their WODs and with that as a guide and the book as your exercise list you should be able to figure out what you need! The smart way to do this is to select a few options for each listed exercise in the WOD that you think might be too easy, just right, and too hard. That way you don't have to feel lost if something's not right, you can just adjust with your next set by switching the exercise for a more appropriate one if you need to! The WODs are quite fun!

Hamdi,

I don't know if you settled on a prescription yet, but this subject has come up in threads other than your link above.

There've been a couple posts in which Ido Portal has addressed planche plateau issues.

If you search "planche volume" you'll find some interesting thoughts as well as the original context of these posts.

I hope some of this is helpful,

jason

Sometimes there is a need to increase work capacity through volume manipulation before further strength gains

can be made. (intensity)

At one time I was perfoming 10-12 sets of 12 sec straddle planche before I was able to steady a 5 sec full planche and not only perform it once in a while - as before.

This is very individual, but striving for a 10 sec straddle holds is a good mark if you want to advance even further.

Use 60-120 total sec of planche time, using those guide lines and building volume...

Supplement your training with an auxiliary exercise concentrating on shoulders, perheps the maltese-planche dumbell straight arm lifts or another.

By the way, using the straps on the feet is inferior for that variation. I prefer to place it at waist level, just like a good spotter in the gym will support you. It will provide you with a more 'realistic' boost, and not delude you into believing you are ready for a more advanced variation of the planche before you realy are.

I suggest you start to accumulate more volume with your current tuck planche work in order to move forward. When one is unable to increase intensity, it can be due to supercompensation not being triggred by enough volume.

Crazyness is described as doing the same things again and again but expecting different results. Change things up. Add an auxilliary exercise and increase the volume on the planche work slowly. (even up to twice as much as now)

After hammering like this for another 4-6 weeks, take a bit of rest and retest. I am sure you will be surprised.

I will repeat it again and again, work capacity is the mother of all problems with most trainees. People do not accumulate enough work to take them to the next level. A full planche will not be developed by someone who can not go through a lot of work, daily, and recuperate. Do not expect to do 45 min of conditioning work a day and become an olympian ring specialist in two years. All great athletes I have known in my life share this quality - the ability to recuperate from great amounts of training quickly. (AKA Work Capacity)