Mastering FSPs one at a time?

Hello,

I'm a 24 year-old male, 6'3" and 195lbs, with completed pre-reqs and miserable flexibility. I swam competitively for 5 years (butterfly and freestyle). I have no prior injuries. Is mastering FSPs one-by-one a reasonable approach to training? Handstands would be done regardless. To illustrate:

1. 
   [*:39yua1oz]I'd start with just the L-sit progression, doing a short daily SSC comprised of holds, embedded entries/exits, relevant FBEs and stretches (though not necessarily all on the same day). This way all of my limited attention and effort can be focused on perfecting a few movement patterns.
   [*:39yua1oz]Once I've got an XR Advanced L-sit mastered, I'd begin Back Lever work and relegate L-sit maintenance to the warm-up.
   [*:39yua1oz]Likewise, once Back Lever is mastered, I'd start on Front lever work, warming up with L-sits and Back Levers. And so on...
   

I'm in no hurry. I'd like this to be as automatic as brushing my teeth, with a similiar risk of injury.

Thanks for your guidance!

What other training will you be doing?

While it makes sense that certainly some FSPs should be worked on before others (e.g. get a decent L-sit before starting PL work, or whatever), I don't think working to soley 'master' a single FSP at a time would be effective. Working complementary exercises might be more useful to you just to balance your strength development in different planes. It does seem worthwhile picking primary ones that you really want to focus more effort on, however.

It also depends on what point you would consider an FSP 'mastered'. You will probably find diminishing returns at a certain point, where it's just requiring a monumental amount of effort to improve just a little more in your focus FSP. If you're not starting on the back lever just because you haven't got a perfect XR Advanced L-sit, then I feel you'd be missing out on some valuable development that could be gained from doing the BL work.

Hi,

Can you do prerequisite fsp?

For the static you have not need "really" mastery XR Lsit advanced for begin another fsp, like a planche ou front lever, just a Lsit floor or pb for 30-60s with perfect form is correct.

Don't forget mastery german hang without any bl work.

Kris said:

Can you do prerequisite fsp?

OP said he'd completed the pre-reqs

I don't believe you need to train them one at a time.

For me as of right now, I'm only working the L sit and GH/BL.

Before I begin the PL work I want to have a 30 sec L sit.

And before I begin FL I want to have a solid 3x60s Hollow Hold with perfect technique.

Manna work will eventually come as I progress with L sit/Straddle L.

I wouldn't recommend doing them one at a time. I did that when I first started, and now certain things are really lagging behind everything else. Some of the FSPs are almost like prereqs for the others, but I'm not certain the level of depth I can get into that.

You mentioned atrocious flexibility (I can relate to that), but that will really help out with the straddle L.

I do L-sit, FL, BL, handstand, planche on the same day. I see that you are younger than me, you gotta push yourself.

When I was in dance school, if you don't achieve this amount of flexibility, or this number of pirouettes, or this technique because you can't jump high up, or if you can't pick your partner up over the head ........well, they will just fail you for that semester and you have to repeat it or flunk out of school. I know this topic is debatable and I am not against the scientific ways of training, but from what I experienced in my life, sometimes you just have to push yourself. Did I suffer injury before? You bet. Did I suffer injury right before a show? Many times. Did I still go on stage? You bet. (except missing a few )

Actually, i'm working back lever, front lever, handstand and planche in my workouts (4 times a week)

i think there's no problem as you are woking diferent planes and kind of motion...

Thanks for the feedback! Erik & Thanners were particularly helpful. Since focusing on a single FSP is not a good idea, I decided to test all of my FSPs (except Straddle & Manna) and sort it out from there:

FSP Test #1 -- 3/23/12, to technique failure:

37s FL Tuck (on pull-up bar, failed w/ elbows started bending)

47s BL Tuck (on pull-up bar, failed w/ started locking arms on lats)

44s PL Frog Stand (on floor, failed w/ wrist discomfort and balance)

46s L-sit (on chairs, failed w/ dropped to obtuse angle)

I started playing with the BL tucks and unsupported german hangs a few days ago, and they left a warm, itchy sensation near my distal biceps brachii tendon that lasted a few hours. Since yesterday's FSP test, my left elbow/forearm has had a slight ache that does not feel like DOMS. Sharper pain can be induced about two inches below the crux of the elbow by externally rotating my arm and making a fist.

I'm concerned that it might develop into a tendinopathy unless I'm careful. I doubt swimming has done much for my tendons, due to high mechanical advantages at low loads. I've also been sedentary since November 2011.

I think I'll focus on preparing straight arm strength and wrists (XR-supports, Planche leans, reverse pushups, L-sits, Straddles), flexibility (maybe supported german hangs, definitely pikes) and FBEs (still figuring this out). Depending on how that goes, I'll start the BL/FL/PL progressions during the summer.

NO. I say again, no. NO.

At some point into I me you have to do some bloody work unless you want to take forever in getting simple stuff accomplished.

Back off on the GH. Do them assisted. I like doing them on a swiss ball, then extending forward to load up and stretch the shoulder.

Do the prerequisite stuff, l work and hs, maybe bridging. Develop a base of that.