Beginning Gymnastics Training

Hi all,

I am 18 years old, and I have recently started to get interested in training with bodyweight and achieving a strong body. I have the current book, and started doing some searching, am doing this workout laid out by swarovski three times a week which can be found here:

http://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=6371&p=56698#p56631

I am currently trying to achieve 60 secs on each of the FSP prerequisites, and then will try to get 3x60 on all of them before progressing further to harder progressions.

For the FBEs, I plan to alternate between the three planes for the upperbody, as I will be able to get through all three in a week, whilst doing the basic progressions of each movement before moving onto harder versions which can be found in the book. For the core, I feel I should start off with Vups, before moving onto HLLs, as I feel my core lacks the strength to do this exercise properly. For my legs, I will go through the progressions of deck squats before progressing to SLS and its harder versions.

I am also currently doing martial arts training (very leg endurance orientated), as well as the beginner plyo workout twice a week in the vertical jump bible which I use to try to improve my vertical jump and once I get time to will start lifting heavy again (squats, snatches). I currently go to no gymnastics class, but in the near future will join one. I am very interested in ring training and tumbling, and want strong upperbody, and an equally strong and explosive lowerbody.

My questions are as follows:

Do you feel this is the right progression for me right now?

Do you guys feel I should do HLLs anyway? I have read about how the HLL has a great carryover to the Lsit, so I may use this aswell.

Should I incorporate any lower back/oblique/straight body variations in my core workout right now? Also, should I add hamstring variations to my leg workout?

Would the VJB be an appropriate workout for me to improve leg power, so I can jump higher to do tumbling? If not, what would you suggest for a beginner gymnast?

I probably would want to program sprints in the near future, should I start off with some jogging before progressing to sprints? Also how would I program sprints to get the most benefits?

I had a workout today, testing my FSP pre-requisites. They are currently as follows:

Plank - easy 60 secs

Reverse plank - easy 60 secs

Arch hold - 40 secs

Hollow hold - 35 secs

PB Support hold - 60 seconds

Dead hang - 60 secs

Handstand - 60 secs

Inverted Hang - 60 secs

L sit tuck on blocks - 25 secs

I'm going to be doing these first in my workout. 3 sets of each, as I feel it will give me the most benefit, until I can get 3x60 of each. Keep doing them at 3x60 until everything is stable (probably a few weeks until I get even close to this) then use them as warmup, and focusing on harder FSPs.

Is my approach correct?

P.S. I also figured out that when I do Lsit tuck on dip bars, they feel ridiculously easy (nothing on my abs), whereas when I do them on chairs/blocks, they feel really hard on my arms and abs. Why is this?

Id say thats a solid plan, stick with it until youre too strong for the fsp parts.

As far as HLLs, Id totally do them. Even if they prove to rough, just do half ones

To be honest Im not sure, I'd add some box presses for the back, but its up to you.

As far as sprints, go for it. You dont need to build much of an aerobic base for short interval sprints, so thats completely up to you, but jogging wont hurt.

igm503 said:

Id say thats a solid plan, stick with it until youre too strong for the fsp parts.

As far as HLLs, Id totally do them. Even if they prove to rough, just do half ones

To be honest Im not sure, I'd add some box presses for the back, but its up to you.

As far as sprints, go for it. You dont need to build much of an aerobic base for short interval sprints, so thats completely up to you, but jogging wont hurt.

Thanks for the advice mate. Really appreciate it.

I've been taking your advice, been doing half HLLs and been getting a lot better at them. I'm not totally sure what you mean by box presses, so if you could explain further I'll be grateful

Anyway, I'm going to add in archups for my core, 5x5 after the HLLs. I'm also going to be alternating between SLS and a hamstring variation once I get my SLS to 5x5 (which I'll also start doing weighted aswell).

I was wondering what FSPs I should start off with and progress from after my pre-reqs are good enough (3x60 on all) so I can start preparing for the future.

Thanks in advance.

Good stuff

Once you get the pre reqs out of the way, id start training the l-sit and the german hang before doing anything else, and once you can hold a full l-sit for 30 seconds and a german hang for at least 3x30 seconds, you can start training the levers and planche

And heres an article on box presses! http://maximalimpact.blogspot.com/2012/04/box-press-hspuhespu.html :wink:

igm503 said:

Good stuff

Once you get the pre reqs out of the way, id start training the l-sit and the german hang before doing anything else, and once you can hold a full l-sit for 30 seconds and a german hang for at least 3x30 seconds, you can start training the levers and planche

And heres an article on box presses! http://maximalimpact.blogspot.com/2012/04/box-press-hspuhespu.html :wink:

Thanks again mate. Seems like I still have a long road ahead of me, but good things come to those who are patient .

Another question for you (and others of course) - when, and how, should I incorporate dynamic exercises. Explosiveness, both in the upperbody and lowerbody, is something me, as a martial artist, requires.

That one Im not sure of :? i'd think that once you can do some of those exercises with good form(like swinging dips for example), and you can hit more than 2-3 reps, you could start inserting them into workouts. Perhaps someone else can answer this more confidently :wink:

igm503 said:

That one Im not sure of :? i'd think that once you can do some of those exercises with good form(like swinging dips for example), and you can hit more than 2-3 reps, you could start inserting them into workouts. Perhaps someone else can answer this more confidently :wink:

No problem mate, thanks anyway.

I remember reading BtGB and Coach stated that dynamic exercises should be incorporated from the beginning, but he did not state which exercises, and how, should be incorporated into a beginner's program.

Anyone else have any input?

igm503 said:

And heres an article on box presses! http://maximalimpact.blogspot.com/2012/04/box-press-hspuhespu.html :wink:

Wait, so these are done against the wall with the back flat? This is different from the RLLs in the book, then, yes? Those allow the back to move, as they are done free balancing.

Does anyone have any info on the difference here?

Id say its based on your skill level. If you can do them freestanding theyre definitely better, but many will have to use a wall :wink:

bump, anyone?