FSP Question - Testing your new max

[Eddie Stelling]

I am on the 8th week of my FSP steady state routine. I would like to test my new max holds next week. My question is, how do you effectively get your max hold time if you find that you have progressed to a harder postion during the test. For example, say this coming Monday I hold the advanced frog stand for 90s, do I take a break and then time myself on the tuck planche or do I wait until Tuesday and test the tuck planche? A little confused on this, any suggestions??

[Blairbob]

First off, I wouldn't bother testing the advanced frogstand for up to 90s if you want to find out about the tuck planche. Hit your 60s, take whatever rest you need and re-test.

Testing week may end up being a light week, especially if you end up wanting to test various things.

[James Portillo]

Figured I'd throw this question in here as well..

Although I've been doing the WODs + FSP SSC for about 2 months, I've also been a little confused about testing for a new max; do you test for your new maxes on the FSPs the first workout day of the week, for example on Monday, and then once you get your new FSP work set times you do your FSP warmup like normal before the day's WOD? Or do you test it on the Monday, go straight to the WOD and then continue on tuesday with the new work set times for the warm up before the WOD?

Just a bit confused and I want to do this right so that I don't end up overdoing it after a test day, and/or end up doing less work for the FSPs as I should've for the day.

[Blairbob]

I would test it during an off week after the 8th or 12th week. So, 9th or 13th. Spend the days testing new maxes and stay active if it bothers you that it's an off week or do partial volume. Maybe just the WOD besides SSC.

[Eddie Stelling]

FSP: Tested new maxs

Straddle L (bent legs) = 60s

Front Lever (adv. flat tuck) = 33s

Adv. frog stand = 52s

Reverse Push up = 60s

German Hang = 60s

L-sit = 33s

XR Support Hold = 33s

PL lean = 25s

Definitely didn't hold most of these as long as I thought. I was smoked when attempting most of them. It seems like a should have only tested a couple at a time. I did them all in the same workout before the WOD. My support hold was 20s less then when it was part of a crossfit WOD last week, got 52s last week. The adv. frog stand, I know I can hold longer. Also on the front lever I only progressed 3 sec. I feel like I am getting no where with the FL. The other isssue was that after achieving the 60s on a few of the holds, I didn't attempt a new position because I was smoked and didn't want to take away from the other FSPs anymore than I already had. I still progressed on every one of them but I know it was not my best. How should I go about testing the times in the new positions? Should I start over on the FL, frog stand, L-sit, Support Hold, and PL Lean doing them 1-2 a day? Any advice??

[Blairbob]

This is why I said it's better to just test a few a day.

Whenever my guys would have testing week, I had a very hard time doing multiple tests per day within 2-3 hours. Generally 1 or 2 at most push/pull, ab/leg.

[Eddie Stelling]

I get it now! Haha, I guess I didn't read your posts clearly enough. I didn't know you said to tests only a 1-2 a day. That was crazy hard. I am going to spend the rest of the week, like you said :wink: , and get this done properly. Thanks for the advice!

[Eddie Stelling]

Sorry to keep buggin you Blairbob about this but, I do greatly appreciate your help and anyone else who can help, Slizzardman!! I have a few more questions.

1. For my straddle L - bent legs, I have been doing them on a box or elevated surface with my hands close together (thumbs touching), which I held for 60s. Should I simply change to P-bars where my hands are shoulder width apart and stay bent legs, or keep my hands close and shoot to straighten the legs/move to the floor?

2. The adv. frog stand - I tested this again last night and only improved slightly from 52s to 56s. The problem is that I have been doing 3x30s in the adv. frog stand in my routine with ease! Should I keep this at 3x30s or drop it back to 3x28s, this seems silly to go backwards when 3x30s is easy to me?? I plan on resting and trying again friday, but at the same time I should be hitting a 60s easily with consistency and perfect form to move on. So maybe I should keep working the adv. frog stand before moving to the tuck PL, I am not sure. What do yall think?

3. Reverse push-up - Should I move my hands further to my hips or move to the manna progressions? Also was doing 3x30s and sliding my fairly close to my hips.

[Marlon]

For the straddle l-sit you always want to make sure your hands are shoulder width apart. This is for two reasons. 1) the straddle l is generally used as a position that you transition through to a handstand or planche and handstands and planches done with your hands touching are of course much more difficult than shoulder width. 2) the straddle-l sit is a pre-requisit for Manna development and the reason for this largely because of the active straddle flexibility it develops, which you severely reduce if you perform the exercise with your hands less than shoulder width apart. So you should stay with what ever progression is appropriate for you after widening your hands.

I would continue to hold off on the manna progressions until you have a 60 second l-sit and straddle l-sit (they are both pre-requisits) for manna developement. Just stick with the reverse planche, move your hands closer to your hips and make sure you are really opening your chest fully.

As for the advanced frog stand, I don't really know. I'm surprised that you are un-able to do 60s. Is it possible that the limiting factor is more a matter of balance than where your strength is currently at?

[Coach Sommer]

... I would continue to hold off on the manna progressions until you have a 60 second l-sit and straddle l-sit (they are both pre-requisits) for manna developement ...

Excellent advice.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[James Portillo]

I would test it during an off week after the 8th or 12th week. So, 9th or 13th. Spend the days testing new maxes and stay active if it bothers you that it's an off week or do partial volume. Maybe just the WOD besides SSC.

Awesome, this week is my testing week; testing two things a day, which includes tuck FL/low straddle L, frogstand with knees on elbows/reverse PU, PB straight L-Sit/German hang, PL lean/XR Support holds, and Hollow/Arch holds.

One last question, once I get my results, do I just start with the new hold times the following week? Also, feel free to let me know if how i'm going about this is correct.

[Eddie Stelling]

JamesP, sound like you got it right. You want to be as fresh as possible so that you get your true max hold. Blairbob reccomened to take the week off from doing the SSC FSPs and only test 1-2 positions and do the WOD. Then, the following week have your FSP sets setup and start doing them. I tried to do all in one day and it just didn't give me accurate numbers. Didn't hit a min on the Adv. Frog Stand, so I rested and re-tested this past Friday and got 2 sets of 60s with 1-2 min of rest in between! So, my confusion is when you advance to a new position, you have to come back to it and test the new position (i.e. adv. frog stand to tuck PL). I have been sick lately so I still have to test the tuck PL and the straddle L. Since I already have my sets set up for the others, I am going to test these first and then do the all the FSPs doing what I can on the two that I test. This might be a little less structured than what you are used to with the SSC, but its only for a week and the goal is to get the best times for all your holds. Good luck bud!

Thanks to all who gave me advice!