Beginning my gymnastic strength training

Hello all-

I just got my rings and BtGB today, and after a read through and some messing around with ring set-up I got started. Although I've got quite a few questions, the workout I had today has convinced me that this is it when it comes to upper body training.

Based on my understanding of Coach Sommer's programming guidelines, here was today's workout:

3 sets of 5 reps XR PPP

alternated with...

3 sets of 5 reps of XR rows with feet about level with rings.

Then I did 3 sets 5 reps of the V-Up Tuck

alternated with...

3 sets 5 reps Deck Squats for Height

I followed this (what I understand to be work on FBE "basic strength") with some FSP. Today I worked with L-Sits and Front Lever Tuck (approaching flat at times). I finished off with 10 minutes rope skipping.

Here are the questions I can think of at the moment:

Coach says to work a push, a pull, a core, and a leg movement each session. You work a different variation each of the four sessions, starting over with the first variation the next week. Correct? If so...

1) I assume I should work on one of each per session, and that things like upper body pulling, multiple-plane pulling/pressing, and curls would count as one of these once I'm able to to them. So a multiple-plane pull would count as a pull, a curl would be a pull, etc?

2) On the issue of set reps, at this point I needn't shoot for more than 5 reps per set, and when I feel that that's easy I move to the next progression for the movement? I did read about PTTP and Steady State, but within the context of these movements should I quit at 5 even if I can do more? Despite my desire to go harder, I'm thinking the patience and dedication of steady state is the way to go at least at the onset.

3) Fundamental Static Position work. I like this at the end of the strength training session, like Coach Sommers suggested. I know to work up to a comminlative minute with sets of 1/2 my maximum ability, but how many positions should I aim to work per session? Should I cycle the positions in a manner similar to the cycle of strength moves (here, cycling through a series every four session)?

Thanks to everyone for your patience and assistance. I'm excited to continue on with this training and am ready to put in some serious effort.

Steve Sisk said:

Hello all-

I just got my rings and BtGB today, and after a read through and some messing around with ring set-up I got started. Although I've got quite a few questions, the workout I had today has convinced me that this is it when it comes to upper body training.

First off, welcome to the forums! I'm glad you're enjoying your rings and the book, the first workout really is an "Aha!" moment, isn't it?

Here are the questions I can think of at the moment:

Coach says to work a push, a pull, a core, and a leg movement each session. You work a different variation each of the four sessions, starting over with the first variation the next week. Correct? If so...

1) I assume I should work on one of each per session, and that things like upper body pulling, multiple-plane pulling/pressing, and curls would count as one of these once I'm able to to them. So a multiple-plane pull would count as a pull, a curl would be a pull, etc?

2) On the issue of set reps, at this point I needn't shoot for more than 5 reps per set, and when I feel that that's easy I move to the next progression for the movement? I did read about PTTP and Steady State, but within the context of these movements should I quit at 5 even if I can do more? Despite my desire to go harder, I'm thinking the patience and dedication of steady state is the way to go at least at the onset.

3) Fundamental Static Position work. I like this at the end of the strength training session, like Coach Sommers suggested. I know to work up to a comminlative minute with sets of 1/2 my maximum ability, but how many positions should I aim to work per session? Should I cycle the positions in a manner similar to the cycle of strength moves (here, cycling through a series every four session)?

1. You'll get your best results by having a single theme for the workout. Maximal pressing strength, dynamic pressing, dynamic pulling, maximal pulling, submaximal pulling, submaximal pressing, dynamic legs, maximal legs, submaximal legs, and handstand work are all good themes. These each pursue one particular training effect, and they all stack when performed in a correct complex cycle. Your best results, by far, will come from following the Workouts of the Day. You'll hear them referred to as WODs. The WODs are the exact format used to develop all of Coach's athletes from the day they start until the day they retire. They have built a long, long line of state, regional and national champions because the WOD cycle is a cutting edge complex cycle. You build maximal strength, strength-endurance, explosive strength, AND reactive/plyometric strength simultaneously in your upper body, lower body, and core. Professional athletes often pay coaches thousands of dollars to be given this kind of training, so I can say that you would be nuts to not use this. Start browsing the forums. Many of us, myself included, have had a lot of success with our own programming but we are ALL doing better with the WODs. THey will keep your body balanced and injury free while building all of the athletic attributes I have mentioned just about as quickly as is safely possible. You really don't get any better than that.

2. The concept of reps and sets is to set the intensity level. If you're doing 5 reps it's because you physically can NOT do more than maybe 7 reps of a given exercise. If you can do 15 reps, you should make the exercise harder. 5 reps will not make you stronger if you're doing easy reps. If you really want to understand a lot about this, you'll need to research the following topics: time under tension; intensity, volume and frequency of training and how they interact to create different training effects; central nervous system fatigue, how it happens, and how the nervous system adapts to training; sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar hypertrophy.

No matter how advanced you get, you must remember that you are training to become stronger and more capable, NOT to exhaust yourself. The research you do on those topics will help you understand what the limitations are on your training sessions.

3. Never think about the FSP as strength moves, and never train them with strength in mind. All 6 should be trained each session, 4 days a week. This ensures the muscle and flexibility balance of the shoulder girdle and keeps your shoulders resistant to injury. Do NOT skip Manna. At first, just work on reverse push up holds for a while. Watch my FSP Warm Up video on my youtube channel. The link is at the bottom of this post. It will help you understand what this is all about, and give you an idea of the intensity you should be using. FSP are warm ups. Anything done in the WODS will be of a more difficult nature and should not be confused or substituted with the warm up. FOr example, if you are expected to do 5s FSP holds of some sort, like FL for example, as a part of the WOD those are going to be a harder variation than your warm up, and those sets in the WOD should not be subtracted from the warm up. The only time I make an exception to this is if the WOD has me do 5 sets of 15s german hangs, or something like that. On those WODS I'll only do 1 set of german hangs for warm up. I don't actually know how Coach feels about that particular exception of mine, but that's what I'm doing at the moment.

The book is also not entirely clear on how to determine when you're ready to move on. For the first 3-4 progressions of each FSP, meaning through and including advanced tuck BL, PL, FL; low MSH, low straight Straddle L, and regular L sit you need to build up to a 60s hold before you try to move on. Not 60s total, 60s in one perfect set. Yes, this will take a while. Yes, you will get very strong while doing this. Yes, this will keep you from getting hurt. Search my recent posts (over the last month or so) to learn much more about why this is. I'm not typing all that again, sorry!

Great questions, by the way! You are putting a lot of good thought into this. I think you are going to do really well.

Thanks for the detailed reply! I'm actually in the process of researching the forums for more info at the moment. I'll definitely take a look at your recent posts as well as your videos. I really appreciate you giving me some pointers to set me in the right directions.

Also, I see you're located in Atlanta. I just moved to Marietta to attend Life University. Small world!

Nice! Life has quite a good reputation for developing good chiropractors. I hope you do well at school! I am at GSU.

Hi Steve, and welcome.

I'll second everything that slizzardman just said. I started with a similar program design straight from the book, which helped my body to become accustomed to the types of exercise that traditional weight training just doesn't prepare you for. That work was as nothing compared to the WOD's.

The WOD's look very intimidating at first, and they are a difficult workout. But they can all be scaled to a quite remedial level that still works what needs to be worked. I am not particularly advanced myself, but I can already tell that this will change!

Have fun!