JAYLENE'S FIRST POST AND WOD!

First proper workout since I got the flu, was feeling pretty crappy since last post, but almost 100% now which is good. The storeman at work is on holidays and I'm filling in for him for the next 3 weeks. Normally work late afternoon/evening so 3am starts are a shock to the system. Taken almost all week to adjust, so finally back on track. Such is life I guess!

WOD 110830

5 sets of scaled Ring Series 1 + 2min rest between sets - focused on strict form, false grip and the MU negative. Connective tissue took a beating, not so much the muscle, Its a little strange to feel fatigued but its not muscle tiredness! No pain though and haven't regressed too much from the very little training this week. Static holds were great, feels good to get back at it.

then 5 sets of

FL tuck 15s (I think this might have turned into flat tuck without me really noticing. will get a friend to record it for me...) to 15s stomach to wall HS to 15s German hang.

German hangs have improved, I'm now at the very bottom of the hang, and cant make it extend any further and down to big toe spots on the ground to just take the pressure of my full weight off the shoulders. Soon I think I'll have a completly unassisted hang and I'll have my first proper gymnastic move accomplished. Woot!

2x10 wall extensions + 1x10 on the floor, just so I could relax into the very top and very bottom of the ROM and hold the positions for a while. Felt excellent afterwards.

Well, as I said in last post, I'll get a friend to record stuff for me. Didn't get a friend to do it, but I finally brought a phone that can record good video. In a lot of ways, I wish I didn't bother, after checking my form and correcting it, i'm pretty depressed and upset at how crap and piss-weak i am. Months of training and trying hard and it didn't mean anything.

so, I'm cutting back my FSP SSC to three holds, tuck FL, GH and tuck l-sit. These seem to be the core three and most bang for buck. Anything else at the moment is in my opinion, a waste of time.

after correction my actual max and new SSC is:

horizontal tuck FL - max hold 4sec

unassisted GH palms facing down (little past horizontal) - Max 6sec

L- sit tuck, hips forward as much as possible - max 11sec

so, SSC consists of

6x11sec tuck L-sit

30x2sec tuck FL

20x3sec GH

Still sticking at my MU progression, and in light of my actual abilities, I'm just gunna work FSP+ Handstands and basic pull-ups, dips and supports, flexibility and joint preparation.

As for the rest of it, core, legs, ect...I'll figure something out after I've finished being depressed, pissed off and disallusioned with training. I wanna be strong, but at the moment, it just feels like an impossibility miles out of reach.

That's how it always goes at first.

Just try to relax and enjoy the movements. Strength comes slowly, especially at first with this stuff.

Keep going and don't give up! You are taking a road less traveled and remember that the reason we do it in the first place is that it is fun. If you accomplished all your strength goals tomorrow, it would be somewhat boring. It will pick up though! Remember that being happy is anabolic!

Thanks phil, slizz. Its still a very bitter pill to swallow, and at the moment training is not fun, and I dont think it will be until I actually acheive something. Going by my current record, maybe in four years time.

So my WOD for today.

SSC FSP - 6x11s tuck l-sit

30x2s tuck FL

20x3s GH

PB dip 10x2 reps, 30s rest between sets

Pull up 10x1 rep, 30s rest between sets

Chin up 10x1 rep, 30s rest between sets

MU transition 10x1 rep, 30s rest between sets

3x30s HS, chest to wall

wrist & elbow prehab

Static holds fried me, FL was a hold for the first 2 seconds, trying to actually hold the lever position and failing for the next 29 attempts. GH was a lot better, actually could hold that for the 3 seconds needed to do a working set. Wow.

Chins and pull ups were leg assisted, same with MU transition. Do it all again tomorrow.

During FL work, and all levers, keep your hips high enough to have at least a 15-20s hold. I don't care if that means you're only 10 degrees below vertical!

We have a 60+ year old man, Billy, who started off that way and now 3 years later (I think, someone please correct me on Billy's timeline) has a pretty strong full lay FL! I couldn't believe what I was seeing three weeks ago, it was crazy! He basically did exactly what I am recommending you to do... stop trying to hold the real positon and start working on what you can actually do. Your progress will come as you are able to hit 30-40s holds and then you can lower to where you are hitting 15s again and stay there until you get back to 30-40s and then lower some more. You will end up in a nice tuck, and from there you can SLOWLY start uncurling towards flat tuck, and so on. The smaller your steps are the better your progress will be.

Okay, will do Slizz. As of this arvo, non-horizontal levers happening.

Levers have been adjusted and I've finished having a sook. Well for now anyway, I'm a girl, so the chances of it happening again is about 99%.

FSP SSC - 4x15s tuck FL - about 40 degrees from vertical, not quite at 45, elbows straight.

4x15s tuck GH - looks sorta like a tuck BL, but I'm aiming to extend lower so I'm holding like Slizz-boss said, where I can do 15-20 seconds, elbows locked and palms down.

6x11s bent l-sit

WOD - same as yesterday + 3x10 wrist push-ups, wrist & elbow prehab

Solid little workout, now gunna eat, wash and play some Disgaea before sleep.

Had boxing training today, muscle soreness didn't impact really, which was good. Today's training was much the same as yesterday, though my arms crapped out on the last HS hold at 21s. So did some wall runs until they died again. Noticing different muscles being worked now I've move exclusively to chest to the wall HS. Playing with freestand and freestand walking...few bruises from falling a bit weird, and a bit of a laugh. Really have to work on body tightness to get somewhere with these.

Ten hour day at work and when I got home got stuck in straight away.

SSC FSP - 6x11s tuck l-sit

4x15 tuck FL

4x15s GH

PB dip 10x2 reps, 30s rest between sets

Pull up 10x1 rep, 30s rest between sets (light assist on the last few)

Chin up 10x1 rep, 30s rest between sets

MU transition 10x1 rep, 30s rest between sets (chair assist)

wrist & elbow prehab

6x10s weighted(10kg) pike stretch

Not gunna do HS work today, (considering it is nearly Friday as I post this) I will swap MU transitions out and do some wall runs instead in tomorrows workout. To tired to reflect on anything else, I'll edit it tomoz if it's important.

Same as yesterday, except, gave the MU transitions a miss and did 4x30s chest to wall HS. This little routine is going to be pretty boring and not change a great deal as I'm sticking with it until I can do 5x5 pull-ups and dips, then a MU should follow according to the plan. I'll update my log each workout anyway, though there will not be anything much to write. Will do extra pike stretching and wrist/elbow prehab before getting some sleep.

Monday, things got away from me and only had time to do FSP and a 1.5km run in the morning... today was much better. WoD was a little different to allow a tendon in my wrist I jarred again at boxing to heal. The only thing it affects is chin-ups and a small part of MU transitions, basically anything where I have my palm face me and pull strongly. An old Hapkido injury, due to an overzealous wrist lock.

Anyway, it will be right in a couple of weeks, will just work around it until then.

Warm up - FSP SSC

6x11s tuck l-sit

4x15 tuck FL

4x15s GH

PB dip 10x2 reps, 30s rest between sets

Pull up 10x1 rep, 30s rest between sets (light assist on the last two)

3x30s wall HS (stomach to wall)

1x5 pike press HeS

1x10 straddle press HeS

6x10s weighted(10kg) pike stretch

Hot and cold treatment for wrist and mild prehab/rehab

Workouts have been pretty much the same since last post, FSP are feeling a little more solid, especially wall HS, Thrown in some planche leans for some extra straight arm work. The negative part of MU transitions getting a little better. Still not doing chins, the tendon in the wrist I tweaked is almost better, but still needs a bit more time. So just pull ups at the moment.

Also, will pick the forums apart tomorrow for a solid forearm strengthening....routine...thingy, as they are the equivalent of Gumby's arms and holding back some progress.

Slizz posts, here I come.

Thick grip work and supported wrist roller work will be your most productive tools. Thick grip work does include rope climbing progressions.

Well, not really much more to report! still working All my FSP, have added hollow and arch in as well, and they are at working sets 3x30s. These are pretty easy and I think I will test a max set in a couple of weeks, well I am due to retest FSP anyway and do a new SSC. The wrist still hasn't healed properly, but after playing around, doing chin-ups using the rings is no problem, it doesn't aggravate the tendon, so if that's all I can do now, so be it. HS have improved nicely, so close to a free stand just having trouble adjusting the hands to catch over balances. Just more time inverted I guess.

Thanks for the tips Slizz, I'm working hanging from a thick bath towel looped over the chin-up bar, I have poor grip strength so these, even after 3 weeks are not progressing very well. It doesn't take very long for my tendons to get achy, but I'll just keep persisting.

MU transitions are still my sticking point, but I now know whats wrong, I have to be able to pull about 2 inches higher at the top of the pull up in order to roll my shoulders to the bottom of the dip, and Its a bit weird, but I'm having a problem figuring how to kip, but I don't really care! If I don't develop a kip, there's no bad habit to get rid of! (or on second thoughts, maybe I lack the strength to kip. Either way, a video of progress/MU will be posted in 4 weeks)

Towels are very tough, and slow progress is progress! That's totally ok. If 3x30 is feeling easy you are doing well! Keep it up!

Hey Slizz, when I say thanks for the support and helping out, taking time to read my pokey little workout log, I mean it. You're another reason to work hard and achieve what I can and It helps cause I feel like I don't wanna let you down, same with phillip, swarovski, newguy, Pat and the few others that chime in occasionally with words of wisdom and encouragement. One day I'll meet you all in person and there be drinks and hugs all round.

As to the towel work, yup, it's hard but I'm persisting. I'd like to start having a go at rope climbing but I don't see the point at the moment when I struggle with a bath towel, so something for the future when I'm stronger I guess.

WoD -

Warm up - skipping, joint rotations

Scaled ring series 1 - 3x1 3-5min rest between sets

Later in ze evening..

10x20 Hindu squats

3x30s Hollow

3x30s Superman

3x30 side planks (is that what they are called?) left and right side

Wanted to do lever work and HS, but during the ring series, I managed the slowest MU negatives I have ever done (yay!) and the tendons in my forearms and sorta the top of my biceps as it goes in under the delts? ache quite badly if I flex any muscles, and stay achy for a little while. It doesn't feel like I've hurt anything, but just pushed to the point before I hurt myself... so rest, though I really want to do more as it doesn't feel right not doing FSPs.

Have 30 min or so planned to stretch before sleep, which is starting to become a habit now I've been doing it every night for the last 2 weeks. It's relaxing crawling into bed after stretching out and I'm sleeping a lot better because of it.

Boxing training tomorrow, so hopefully I don't wake up too sore and my tendons are okay.

Be careful with those tendons! Don't be afraid to spot yourself during those slow negatives with a few toes or something to sort of gradually build up to full bodyweight!

In my opinion towels are actually harder than rope, they are squishy and slip easier than the rope does, at least in my hands. The rope is hard in different ways, but the towels teach you to grip HARD! You will need that on the rope, but don't be afraid to pick up 4-7 feet of 1.5" rope and make yourself a little rope pull up rig!

Don't worry Slizz, I'm being very careful with my tendons. Having had injuries to them before, I know how long they take to heal and it's not fun. It's pretty humbling to realize how little I can before I have to stop, but my tendons are getting stronger slowly.

Funds are tight currently, so rope for purchase will have to wait.

workout for the 6/12/11

stomach to wall HS - 20min rest+work

Lsit 6x11s

Front Lever 4x15s

Back Lever 6x11s

planche leans 4x15s

hollows 3x30s

superman 3x30s

Today's workout.

ring series 1 x3

ring dip 3x1

ppp 3x3

ring row 3x3

ring chin up 3x3

ring pullup 1x3

Stopped at one set of pull ups, tendons were just before achy, but pleased with the workout, slow negative through the MU was the same as last time I managed it, but tendons feel to be in better shape. Pleased with my ring dip, can only manage sets of the single one, any more is too much, but liking how they feel. starting to get some triceps from them!

Tomorrow is boxing training, and I will work statics and HS tomorrow afterwards if I don't pull up too tired.

Today's workout was a little slack, ran out of time, tired, work and boxing training. Will do better tomorrow.

Planche leans 4x7s

Tuck FL 4x15s

Tuck BL 6x11s

Tuck L-sit 6x11s

Hollow 3x30s

Superman 3x30s

Wall walk - Total 122 steps in 6 sets(dunno how long it took, was aiming for 150. Didn't quite make it.)

Planche leans I have adjusted form after reading about them, a post Dillon put up with pictures(pics were enormously helpful btw, so thanks) and 7 seconds is all I can manage before I fall on my face so it's all good. With fingers pointing backward although it's harder, it feels more right, so I'm sticking with it.

Now off for some much needed sleep.

Today was boxing training, before class I did 3 sets of scaled ring series 1, and later in the evening after dinner:

WOD 081222

complete 5 giant sets -

Inverted hang to tuck BL 7s hold + 2 full ROM bar chin-ups

rested between sets but never more than 60s.

2x10 wall extensions - and will complete stretching before bed. Nothing really to report on, just keep on working it...

In the morning - ring series 1 x4 reps, as much rest as needed between, then 2x3 false grip chinups.

after work - WOD 081223

Complete 5 giant sets

2 reps Planche lean for 10s + 3 HeSPU negs

- rested as needed, but they were brief. Tendons are holding up nicely, no pain even though they are getting more work focus than I used to do. Progress on MU will be posted up as video late next week, early week after as promised. Not gunna get my 2011 new year's resolution completed this year, but it will happen 100% next year!

Yesterday played with planche leans and PPP on the floor. Established that I can do PPP with my hands level with the bottom of my ribs as working sets of 3-4 reps. Pleased with that, didn't realize I could lean that far forward.

Today came home from work, did a quick warm up and did my usual 3 sets of ring series 1 and then

WOD 081225

Complete four rounds of the following: (Scaled from actual WOD)

30s of front, back, left and right side planks

10 reps of clapping PU from knees

Progression 3(according to Blairbob) of Ag walk approx 7m

Finished with 2x10 wrist pushups.

Nice little workout, last round was nasty, enjoyed it though. Only have stretching and towel hangs to do after dinner.

Filmed my MU attempts today, and they are not going to get any better in the next few days so here's the best one. Apoligies for the incorrect viewing angle. Only had the phone camera.

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WOD 081226

Complete 3 sets of a general ring strength series (scaled ring series 1)

3x5 - BL tuck pull to FL tuck and reverse the motion. (super scaled tick tocks)

2x10 wall extensions

Also worked as many MU as I could within 10min with rest, and later this evening will work stretching and some BL work.

I can embed and rotate videos! It only took me the better part of a day to iron the bugs out of my learning curve. And 1/2 hour searching the forum for clear instructions. (Thanks Patrick )

warm up with shoulder dislocates, joint rotations enough jump rope to get slightly out of breath. Dunno how long it took, wasn't timing.

WOD 081229

Preform 3 giant sets rest 1-2 min between sets

inverted hang lower to tuck BL 5sec x2 + 3 ring rows feet on ground

planche lean 5sec x2 + 3 PPP hands level with bottom of ribs, feet on ground.(should I elevate them ideally?)

lower to tuck FL 5sec x2 + 3 HLL tuck half (had a go at L half, still not strong enough. Nevermind.)

Finished with 10 bridge wall walks

Also did 3x3 ring pull-ups and practised wall HS, working on getting the freestand for longer that two damn seconds. Well really it would be one second. Takes a second to lose the balance point...also playing with leaning forward carefully with the shoulders in stomach to wall HS, as it's what needs to happen for press to HS from what I have observed with those who can do them.