PSon WO log (super beginner Lvl).

Hello there,

I think keeping track of what I've down might help me progressing. I have been training in gymnastics from September and barely made any progress since there is no coach on the room (only an over-looker) and is quite frustratring, I hope I'll move forward with your good advices and the useful tips on there.

I am a 23 y.o. french guy, 1.76m , 70 kgs ( 8 kgs of useless fat to lose ). I stopped training 4 years ago after heavy injuries on the elbows and wrists (tendinitis mainly, and cysts, that prevented me from even holding a pen) since I were training around 14hours a week in rock climbing (with a 57kgs bodyweight for the same heigth, that makes a huge difference in my performances... ). The re-start is pretty hard. ATM my better perf's are 12 chins / 11 pulls / 13 dips / push-ups around 40 in a row.

My schedule is 3h30 gymnastics on Monday and Wednesday, 2h Trampolin on Thursday and 1h30 conditioning on Saturday.

As it has been stated before, one should not over exert himself when beginning so I'll take it easy and take my time to perform my WO, then training some very basic gymnastics skills such as swing on every apparatuses.

My conditioning Schedule thereby, will be on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. I'll take one more conditioning day later if I feel I am able to.

Edit : forgot to set my goals : I want to build functional strength and good gymnastics abilities, although I am not trying to be a competitive gymnast or anything that way. I'll work as a gymnast to build the same capacities, that's all. As an optional aim, I want an aesthetic body as well (but that's only a consequence of the functional strength, else I would be lifting weights I guess).

The whole prehab I'll be using is as follows : (I use Chinese white crane of the south qi-gong prehab for the wrists, shoulders, back, elbows, hips knees and ankles in addition, on the morning and evening ) :

raising body t° with either light jog for ~5/10 min or jumping rope ~5 min

wrists :

-novel movements

-Coach Sommer's routine

-weighted wrists routine ( flexions, extensions, abductions, adductions x10 each)

shoulders :

-Ido Portal Shoulders routine

-weighted shoulders routine ( circumduction , elevation x 10 each)

trunk and back :

-roll over x10

-extensions x10

-rotations x10

-heel kicks x10

-rotators from the back stretching

-extensors from the back stretching

lower body and ankles (I am especially frail in the ankles ) :

-Ido Portal squat clinic routine

-weighted ankles routines (flexions , dorsal flexions, inversion, eversion x10)

-Pilates knees and ankles routine (heels up, one leg heels ups, heels up and squat x10 each)

Specific warm up :

-HS 60 sec (on the wall as I can't freestand for that much yet)

-plank 60 sec

-reverse plank 60sec

-hollow body 60 sec

-arch hold superman flying 60sec

-PB support 60 sec

-ring support 60 sec

-chin up grip hang 60 sec (30sec top, 30 sec bottom)

-wrists hang (false grip training) 30sec

-shoulder dislocate x10 (going easy)

-wall extensions x10 (easy, too)

-bridge 60 sec | those two are done only on

-wall walk ~10 (need rest between each wall walk) | Mondays

Then the WO I made in SSC, integrated training (I am not using the WOD since I can't perform even the simpliest FSP at all).

EDIT : I have added the 12th form of Da Mo (buddhist Qi-gong) in my training, since it helps for my wrists and elbows, and build some grip too actually, although I don't really need more grip. It certainly is good for the tendons, that I really need.

I perform the exercices on mornings and evenings, everydays. Hope to feel some results in strength, and not only in pain release, soon.

EDIT 2 : the red thing are not performed anymore

on the contrary, the blue things are new exercices added to the usual routine

Monday 14/11/2011

Whole prehab + warm-up performed (the wall walks were indeed hard, but done anyway).

Basic Strength + Static Strength :

-frog stance 6x10reps paired with

-pushup XR 3x5reps (have to work on the shape here)

-tuck BL 8x8reps paired with

-rows XR elevated 3x5reps (5 sec hold at top at the end of each set)

-L sit PB low 8x8reps

-V ups straddle 3x5 reps

+ -WW 3x5reps

-Squat stance held 30 sec before each set

-deck squat jumps 3x5reps

-tucked front lever 6x10reps

There was some spare time there, I trained on my swings on rings and Pbars, working on the Pbars with straight arm is a first for me, and although it's hard to control the momentum it sure feels better than with bent elbows, more stable and more strong ofc.

-10 min wall run (lots of rest... 5'30")

-30 min serious hard super stretching.

+- shoulder dislocates x10 (both grips, makes a total of 20)

General impressions :

-good points : The WO felt very good, and well balanced. No joint pain after, and I could perform everything although I have to improve in some exercises.

-bad points : Take lots of time to finish because I am not familiar with it yet, very hard time perfoming the wall walk and wall runs, really really hard time on the wall runs. Still shaking a lot while performing the 60 sec hollow body, but able to maintain perfect shape until the very end !! The stretching time is still unstructured, needs more attention and a proper well balanced program.

For Wednesday 17/11/2011

Full prehab and warm-up done (except bridge and wall walks, performend on Monday only).

Basic Strength + Static Strength :

-frog stance 6x10reps (approching advanced frog stance, with straight arms and less and less knee support) paired with

-dips 3x5 (full dips, shoulders to the hands)

-tuck BL 8x8reps paired with

-pull up 3x5 (was hard to do the last set, I clearly lack of strength in the back)

-L-sit pb low in straddle 8x8reps (hurt to the side of the hip, ouch !) paired with

-HLL half 5x5 (I tried to raise my legs just adove the 90° mark, but it's difficult without momentum yet, have to change the position of my pelvis at some point to do that)

+ -WW 5x5

-Squat stance (wide opening of the hips) 30 sec before each repetition of the following

-natural leg curl 3x5 (I hate this one, and I don't have something comfortable to do it either, my heels are in sheds)

-FL tuck 6x10 reps (this was hard compared to Monday)

-Many shoulder dislocates, Ido Portal Shoulders prehab, and thing like this between the PB, Horse and HB swings pratice, till the end, + some horse support training since I am not at ease on the pommels, with the knees in contact with the horse etc.

General impressions :

This WO was harder than before, I clearly feel the WO from Monday there.

Have to had that a terrible pain spread on the edges of my forearms, starting in the middle of them, when I release my grip from my planche practice... (just when I release the grip), don't know why but that hurts quite a lot in a tendinitis fashion for a very brief moment.

I noticed that with having the arms straight on the planche, having the front of the elbows pointing forward make the stance impossible to hold. Thus, I concentrate on keeping me elbows pointing on the side, more than backward (but still with straight arms).

EDIT : Okay, here is the diagnosis : heavy forearms splints, to the two arms hummm, not treatement, only rest. I was advised to use ice but well, I already tried that and it is totally uneffective, to say the least.

As it seems it could lead to fatigue fractures, I actually have to take those advises very seriously since mine is painful even when my forearms are at rests... . Have to stop as soon as I began, that sucks... I'll try to reduce the volume of pressing work first.

Saturday 19/11/2011 :

Abreviated prehab routine : (i got only 1h30 on Saturdays :s) :

-Coach wrists routine

-Pilates ankles and knees routine

+ full warm-up as usual

Basic Strength and Statics :

-frog stance (early stage, due to periostisis) 6x10reps

-HeSPU on boxe 3x5reps

-tuck BL 8x8reps

-chin ups inverted 3x5 reps (almost 90°)

-L sit pb low 8x8reps

-body lever 3x5 reps ; german hang pull 3x5 reps

-30sec squat stance before each set of the following

-deck squat jump 3x5

-Front Lever tuck 6x10reps

From next week on I'll ad lower back exercices on each days since it's not trained hard so far, except in wall runs that are only performend on Mondays... .

I find useful to work on a variation of each parts of the core exercices : abs / obliques / lower back / etc.

Good impressions on the routine, now I'm going for 2 months with those settings, hope I'll see some results soon.

I'll update my log for everydays of training anyway

Also, I am happy I could manage to continue my planche training although the periostisis was very bad on Wednesday.

It seems that I can manage to go if I am (very) careful about my forearms.

Monday 21/11/2011

Whole prehab + warm-up as usual (bridge and wall runs 'cause we're Monday).

Basic Strength and Static holds :

-frog stance 6x10reps

-pushups XR 3x5reps (better shape than last Monday, and almost no shaking)

-tuck BL 8x8reps

-rows XR elevated 3x5reps (+5 sec hold at top on the end of each set)

-Lsit pb low 8x8reps (just behind the horizontal)

-V-ups straddle 3x5reps

-WW supine 3x5reps (I focused on glueing my belly button to my spinal column and finally felt the obliques work !)

-squat stance 30 sec before each set of the following (tight glutei muscles ownZ) :

-deck squat jump 3x5reps

-FL tuck 6x10reps (for some reasons, this one seem to be harder and harder, though it's supposed to be more and more easy..)

-curl ups 3x5 + 5 sec hold at top (this one is nice with tights abs and really slow work)

-10 min wall run

-30 min stretching... (chaos inside, really not serious enough, still have to build a proper stretching program).

General impressions :

Better than last Monday except for some things, such as the FL and wall runs that seems harder this week, BUT ! my HS seems to improve already from the HS.

As for the FL, my guess is that my form is better and better and so is the difficulty but it will be easier soon as I stabilize my form (I hope... else it means I am not recovering well).

Tuesday 22/11/2011

raising body t°

prehab for the wrists

warm up as usual

-frog stand 6x10 reps (damn, I wrote it the wrong way all along, really thought it was "stance" uh !)

-tuck BL 8x8 reps

-L sit pb low 8x8reps

-FL tuck 6x10 reps

Impressions :

Okay, I am feeling stunned now, I am feeling good, too good. I clearly cut down too much on my recovery capacity.

I shouldn't keep going on with more than 3 times a week on full training, even if it's only the FSP, BUT i'll try with only 30 sec hold, that would be a low intensity routine, almost an active recovery day. I'll do lots of prehab on those days instead of strength work, too.

Wednesday 23/11/2011

full prehab and warm-up as usual (takes me less and less time, I'm under an hour for the whole thing now !)

Basic Strength and Static Strength :

-frog stance 6x10reps

-dips 3x5reps

-tuck BL 8x8reps

-pull-ups 3x5reps (still hard, I'm surprised I didn't make any progress in that but well, two weeks is a bit fast to expect changes)

-L-sit pb low straddle 8x8reps (hard to perform since I MUST do them on the floor 'cause with the periostisis I can't press with the fingers pointing anywhere else but front, else it's too painful, and I am not so pumped-up on the hips flexors)

-HLL half 5x5reps(temps 3/1/3 always, since the beginning)

-WW supine 5x5 reps (I am not able to keep both hips on the ground and feel the work, when I balance to the left, if my right hip doesn't go up a bit I don't feel my obliques !)

-squat stance 30 sec before each set of the following :

-natural leg curl 3x5reps (this one is a knee killer)

-FL tuck 6x10reps (it seems harder and harder, too, just as the pull-ups O_O)

-curps-ups 3x5reps + 5sec static hold top, at the end of each set

Impressions :

As I was very tired, it didn't go so well. I am disappointed also 'cause I can't see progress yet, but I know I am being too hasty, two weeks is just the timed needed for the body to start to aknowledge the new moves in my case.

I'll keep my pace and manage my way through, although I'd like to have that super body with good recovery and super strength and work capacities... .

Today's tumbling session went like this (although I can't really call it tumbling) :

-general warm-up and joints mobility

-novel movement for wrists (with added pattern and adaptations from me)

-Wrists series from Coach

-wall walks

-shoulder dislocate, two grips ( x20 and x 10)

-various bridge training

-training in front/back limber with feet elevated (and there you learn what shoulder girdle flexibility REALLY mean )

For the one above, I go in HS, then try to slow down in front limber, but instead of standing front again I try to go back on a sort of half back limber, this is good stuff for the shoulders (strength and flexibility)

-stretch for the split !! (yes, as the coach there as pointed out, having a good active split can help landing the feet sooner thereby provide a better balance and more ease on limbers !!)

I'll have to organise something more serious with a bit of thougths put in it, but it felt good, and I like it ! (although everyone is mocking me 'cause they're all working on tramp's doing vault etc, I bet none of them can do a limber though )

Saturday 26/11/2011

Warm-up full, BUT only 30sec per positions as I have little time here + prehab, wrists and shoulders only

Basic Strength and Static Strength :

-frog stance 6x10reps

-HeSPU boxe 3x5 reps

-tuck BL 8x8reps

-chin-ups 8x8reps (I hit the 90° this time !, but only on the first rep..)

-L sit pb low 8x8reps

-body lever 3x5reps ; german hang 3x5reps

-squat stance 30 sec before each set of the following :

-deck squat jump 3x5

-FL tuck 6x10 reps (it finally start to become easier !!)

-I forgot the curl-ups today... -_-

Impressions :

Very good impressions on today's training, I tend to and adv tuck either in my BL or FL and I felt really strong and stable today.

The only thing I am sad to do little progress in is the planche progression, due to periostisis, but it can't be helped, have to wait and heal properly or I'll break a bone.

Monday 28/11/2011 :

Warm-up + prehab + wall walks etc

Basic and Static strength

I changed the times a bit although I shouldn't have, cause I can handle it and it takes less time to do the whole thing now.

-frog stand 10x6reps

-push-up XR 3x5reps (excellent form now, but a little shaking at the end)

-tuck BL 10x6reps (almost flat tuck possible, but staying on my variation till the end)

-rows XR elevated 3x5reps

-L sit pb low 10x6reps (very good improvements from this, I can rize above horizontal in HLL now, without momentum at all)

-V-ups straddle 3x5reps (not very challenging, so I'm trying to be very very stable while performing)

-squat stance 30 sec before each set of the following :

-deck squat jump 3x5reps

-front lever tuck 10x6reps (a little bit harder than 6x10 on this one !)

-10 min wall runs

-30 min real stretching

So after tree forced days off, I am back on tracks although not very at ease 'cause I was still hill yesterday ~~

4/12/2011's workout :

Prehab wrists and shoulders, and warm-up full

-frog stand 10x6reps

-HeSPU 3x5reps

-BL tuck 10x6reps

-inverted hang curls 3x5reps

-L sit 10x6reps

-body lever 3x5reps ; german hang pull 3x5reps

-FL 10x6reps

I forgot the curls-up again... !

That work out was not real good since I was very weak, felt ashes everywhere etc but well, have to start again as soon as possible all right. I was still able to perform in a proper manner, for all the exercises. Also, I included ring support training, with the straight arms and hands going outwards, that induce lots of shaking (although I am able to go with bent arms without shaking at all) that shows all the difference indeed. My abs strength's going up, and I am pleased with that, my back's starting to get broad again, too. So far so good.

Monday 06/12/2011 WO

full Warmp-up and Pre-hab routine (with the 10 wall walk and 60sec bridge since we are Monday !)

Basic Strength and Static Strength :

-frog stand 10x6reps

-push-up XR 3x5reps

-tuck BL 10x6reps

-rows XR elevated 3x5reps

-L sit pb low 10x6reps (almost horizontal)

-V-up straddle 3x5reps ; supine WW 3x5reps

30 sec squat stance before each set :

-deck squat jump 3x5reps

-FL tuck 10x6reps

-curl-up 3x5reps + 5sec iso top

-10min wall runs

-no stretch @_@ (I practiced swings on pommels and rings, + ring support, so didn't had the time to + I still have to make that damned stretch program and don't feel so enthusiastic about it... ).

Good strength, good feeling, a bit of fever still so I had to push a bit but that was okay. My frog stand naturally tend to a straight arm variation now, I am happy (although I have to restrain from it since I am still going with periostisis... ).

Wednesday 07/12/2011

Full prehab - warm-up routine.

Basic Strength and Static Strength training :

-frog stand 10x6reps (almost straight arms, knees behind elbows, the pressure on wrists is huge)

-dips 3x5reps

-tuck BL 10x6reps (I am tending toward advanced tuck)

-pull-ups 3x5reps (for some reason, I didn't progress in this, the last set is still quite hard to me)

-L-sit pb lowstraddle 10x6reps (in this one I am much better, but my hips flexors still feel like steack afterward)

-HLL half 3x5 (tempo, able to go above horizontal without momentum) ; WW supine 3x5reps

squat stance 30 sec then :

-deck squat jump 3x5reps (yes, I did a mistake so I followed with

-natural leg curl 3x5reps (very uncomfortable on the knees, and very hard to perform).

-curl-ups 3x5reps + 5 sec iso top.

-I worked my ring support straight arms hands outward, not easy as always

I practiced my PB swings and HB swings. Now that I look at my foot on the backward movement, I am very stable and at ease on PB swings (but 10 is my limit, still, after I tend to lose my body tightness and to fall forward) but I can't seem to grasp the HB swing, I am not able to do one proper swing at all... .

My impressions :

I had still a slight fever and felt cold chills all over the body, and a bit weak too. I think I might have to rest well before I get hill again, so it felt uncomfortable and pretty hard, I could not take my breath after the exercices.

Saturday 11/12/2011

prehab for wrists shoulders and knees/ankles + warm-up half time

Basic and Static Strength :

-frog stand 10x6reps almost straight arms

-HeSPU 3x5reps (feel pain in left elbow and left wrist, don't know why but I have to take care of this shit)

-BL tuck 10x6reps

-inverted chin-ups 3x5reps

-L sit pb low 10x6reps (I can slightly push my hips forward now, I am happy)

-body lever 3x5reps ; german hang 3x5reps

-deck squat jump 3x5reps (with 30sec static squat stance before each set)

-Fl 10x6reps (I am tending to advanced tuck with this)

-curl-ups I forgot them again, I'm always in a rush on Saturday since we have only 1h30 for everything.

Well ,nice work out except the damn pain. Seems that I quite a problem to get another one. My periostisis was down, but I got another one that is painful on another move... since I started practicing my pommel swings. But well, I have them at the least, same with my PB swing. All that is left is a stable straight arm ring support and that damn HB swings.

Monday 13/12/2011

wrists and ankles prehab + full warm-up + wall walksx10 since we are Monday

Basic & Static Strength :

-frog stand 10x6reps

-push-ups XR 3x5reps

-tuck BL 10x6reps

-rows XR elevated 3x5reps + 5 sec iso top

-Lsit pb low 10x6reps

-v-ups straddle 3x5; WWsupine 3x5

-deck squat jump 3x5reps with 30sec iso squat stance before each set

-FL tuck 10x6reps

-curl-ups 3x5reps + 5 sec iso top end of each set

-10 min wall walks

-various shoulder prehab and exercices, ring support training, ring swings and a little pommel swing but periostisis hurts a lot so I stopped early.

I am feeling more strong overall, that's good. I want to get ride of the periostisis so that I can have nice progress in my planche, 'cause I have the strength (I tested it) but I am hurting my forearms and that is annoying... Same when I do too much PB/Pommel swings, that's damn boring now.

Wednesday 14/12/2011 (forgot to write about it ! )

warm-up full + prehab wrists / knees/ankles (+ the usuals shoulder dislocate etc that I don't write down, but perform each time, with the various wall extensions and other stuffs !)

I'll redo my prehab as the previous one is too extensive and not enough focused on the weaker joints. Also, I'll ad the wrists exercices that Slizzardman present for the strength building of the muscle up (you can find the video here, I hope the owner doesn't mind if I post the link on my workout logs :

). It comes handy since I had not real idea of what should be done for this damn transition (I am totally stuck on the transition and it's VERY frustrating now).

Basic and Static Strength :

-frog stand 10x6reps (now able to peform with almost locked elbows, without too much pains on the periostisis area !!)

-dips 3x5reps

-tuck BL 10x6reps

-pull-ups 3x5reps

-Lsit pb low (I forgot the straddle though) 10x6reps

-HLL half 3x5reps , ww supine 3w5reps

-natural leg curl 3x5reps with 30sec wide hips squat stance before each set

-tuck FL 10x6reps

-curl-ups 3x5reps

I worked on my HB swings and my ring straight arms open hands support.

And... I don't remember how it felt this day, not bad I think but I was a little tired.

EDIT : forgot to add that I am now able to hold a 2/3sec tuck planche position, at the great surprise of my wrists and shoulders ('cause I tried it out of the blue without warm-up or anything) fortunately I didn't hurt myself, but the pain was enough for me to understand that I should not do it again. I wonder if I should be happy to have this in this amount of time, or worried of the slow progression. Nonetheless I am happy I made progress at least (I couldn't do this before).

EDIT 2 : from now on I'll work on the transition at the low position of the dips, in russian dips (only the transition though as I don't want to do more strength press since I don't recover so well).

Saturday 17/12/2011 (16)

Half time warm-up + wrists prehab

Basic and Static :

-frog stand 10x6

-HeSPU 3x5

-BL 10x6

-chin ups inverted 3x5 (without help of the strap, my legs are fully controlled by my upper body)

-Lsit 10x6

-german hang 3x5 (no body lever today, I have some pain between the scapulae and the body lever put lots of stress there)

-deck squat 3x5 with the usual squat stance held 30sec before each set

-FL 10x6 on the rings (different sensations, I don't like FL on ring TBH)

-curl up 3x5 as usual

I tried the pull ups on the wrists : impossible, I held 4x20sec on the wrists instead.

I tried the dips russian variation, and I hurt my left elbow quite badly. Not the first time it happens, when I do a muscle-up transition something pop on my left elbow and then I feel a big pain for several days, don't know what it is. So, as a preparation I am doing push-up with the hands before my shoulders, and instead of lowering my body, I go on my elbows, and then on my hands again, elbows / hands etc, that mimic the transition of the russian dips with less pressure on the elbows (and that still hurt my elbow... ). I think I'll have an hard time with that transition, my right elbow is totallfine though.. .

Monday 19/12/2011

warm-up full with wrists / knees / ankles / shoulders prehab before. I didn't do the wall walk has I had a slight fever and felt very weak. No bridge either.

Basic and Static Strength :

-frog stand 10x6reps

-push up XR elevated 3x5reps

-BL tuck 10x6reps (I can do advanced tuck but I stay with my tuck for now, until 2012)

-rows xr elevated 3x5reps

-Lsit pb low 10x6reps

-V-up straddle 3x5; WW supine 3x5

-deck squat jump with the squat stance 30sec before each set

-FL tuck 10x6reps (can keep advanced tuck also, but stay with my tuck until 2012 here, too)

various shoulder dislocate and elastband thingy for wrists, shoulders, elbows etc

Hello there, long time no see.

I started back my training last Monday, but since I had a break of almost 1 month, I took my former program back, until the end of January at least, before trying the new one. So here we go :

on Monday 16/01/2012 :

prehab for wrists etc.

total warm-up

-frog stand 6x10

-pushup xr 3x5

-tuck bl 6x10

-rows xr elevated 3x5

-lsit pb low 6x10

-v-ups straddle 3x5 , ww supine 3x5

-squat stance 30 s then deck squat jump

-Fl tuck 6x10

Wednesday 18/01/2012

full warm-up + prehab

-frog stand 6x10

-dips 3x5

-tuck bl 6x10

-pull-ups 3x5 (hard)

-lsit pb low straddle 6x10 (ouch... )

-Hll half 3x5 , ww supine 3x5

-Fl tuck 6x10

As we can see my program is a bit shortened here and there, the after-break is a bit rough tbh. I didn't have my usual last training on saturday, too.. .