Prerequisite Training/Log

Hi all, I'm new here. I'm 32years old, 190lbs and about 25% body fat. More fat than I'd like but I'm working on it. I eat well about 90-95% of the time.

Been doing 5X5 strength training for about a year now, but I've lost considerable flexibility in my hips, lower back, and shoulders and injured my knees (tendonitis) and elbows (old tendon injury, pain is gone but not fully recovered yet), so I'm taking a few months off to recover.

I've never been very athletic, but I've always been obsessed with men's gymnastics and stumbled upon this site by luck.

After looking through the BtGB eBook and giving some of the FSPs and FBEs a try, I'm surprised by how my strength from weightlifting failed to carry over. But then I read through the site and and that's normal. Once my knees get better, squats will be the only thing I carry over from weight routine.

Until then, here's my routine so far:

Mobility Stuff -

1. Wrist Circles

2. Wrist Pushups (3 X 5, on knees - weak wrists)

3. Shoulder/Scapula Pushups and Mobility (3X5)

4. Wall Slides (3X5)

5. Band Dislocates

6. Bridge Walks (3 X 10 sec)

7. Bridge (3 X 5 sec)

8. Ankle Stretches and Mobility

9. Leg Stretches (Butterfly, Hamstring Stretch)

10. Ido Portal's Squat Clinic Stuff

Strength Stuff -

1. 60s Straight Arm Plank (3 X 20sec)

2. 60s Reverse Plank (6 X 10sec)

3. 60s Side Plank (6 X 10sec each side)

4. 60s Hollow Hold (6 X 10sec)

5. 60s Arch Hold (6 X 10sec)

6. 60s Parallel Bar Support Hold (4 X 15sec)

7. 60s Chin-Up Grip Dead Hang (10 X 6sec)

8. Diamond Pushups (3 X 5)

9. Dorsal Pushups (3 X 5)

I just started and my goal is to do it 3-4X a week using the Steady State Training Cycle. My form isn't perfect on all of them due to lack of strength and/or flexibility, but my goal is to stay with the same sets/reps/times while improving my form, control, and range of movement if possible in each workout.

It takes me a good hour-hour and a half to get through it all. Which is about the same time I used to spend in the gym 3X a week.

I already feel stronger in my wrists and forearms. Wall Extensions killed my shoulders, but in a good way. Just lining up everything against the wall was a challenge. And it's a lot more fun than a routine that consists solely of hindu squats and pushups.

I was hoping to get some feedback as to what to add/remove to best reach my fitness goal of being able to do full Handstand Pushups, Planche Pushups, and an Iron Cross and other ring maneuvers (one day, in the near or distant future - I'm patient and consistent).

Thanks for taking a look.

-Rajesh

So my program is fine for a beginner like me?

Here are my 2 cents. I was kinda hoping somebody more experienced would reply, but .. .

Is there any reasoning behind excluding FBE work except push-ups?

I would add rows to push-ups to have both horizontal pulling and pushing FBEs and also add vertical exercises in a form of dip and pull-up variations. I would alternate between FSP + horizontal FBE, FSP + vertical FBE and then FSP + core/legs.

Later you can add inverted (HSPU, curl variations), multiplane, combined push/pull FBEs, handstand & XR support FSPs, etc. But your FPSs and horizontal + vertical FBEs together with core & leg exercises seems to me as a good start.

Some more details: http://gymnasticbodies.com/forum/viewto ... 513#p67222 .

Maybe you can do less reps of mobility & prehab (let's say from 3 to 2 sets) or split FSPs if you cannot afford to make your training sessions longer.

Thanks for the link and the tips. Rows, pull ups, and dips have all been added to my work out now. I'm also adding some archups as I tried a wall climb into a wall handstand yesterday and it killed my lower back.

I'm not really sure how to progress into deck squats because I'm not flexible (strong?) enough to do them yet. I have a hard time coming from the roll into a squat position I can stand up from. Even with an explosive burst during the rolling movement.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by

alternate between FSP + horizontal FBE, FSP + vertical FBE and then FSP + core/legs

Do you mean day 1 - FSP + Horizontal FBE, day 2 - FSP + vertical FBE, day 3 FSP + core/legs?

Or are you referring to ordering in that way through a single work out?

If so, does sequencing affect recovery or ability to do the work out?

Thanks again, and sorry if these questions are idiotic.

rajeshB said:

I'm also adding some archups as I tried a wall climb into a wall handstand yesterday and it killed my lower back.

I hope by "killed" you don't mean an injury, but only that your lower back is not strong enough .

rajeshB said:

I'm not really sure how to progress into deck squats because I'm not flexible (strong?) enough to do them yet. I have a hard time coming from the roll into a squat position I can stand up from. Even with an explosive burst during the rolling movement.

If you have elastic bands, you can use them to support you when you are lifting yourself from the ground - you will wrap the band around some object, hold the band, go far enough and when lifting yourself you will use band's assistance to get up.

You can also try to to split the exercise - do normal deep squats (add some explosiveness if you wish) and do rolls trying to get on your feet. After some time you should be able to have enough momentum and enough strength to execute deck squats.

Maybe someone else has a better idea .

rajeshB said:

alternate between FSP + horizontal FBE, FSP + vertical FBE and then FSP + core/legs

Do you mean day 1 - FSP + Horizontal FBE, day 2 - FSP + vertical FBE, day 3 FSP + core/legs?

Yes, exactly this. Sorry for not being specific enough :oops: .

rajeshB said:

Thanks again, and sorry if these questions are idiotic.

Glad to help! Those questions are not idiotic at all, no worries .

dzejkej said:

handstand & XR support FSPs, etc.

Those FSPs, along with german hang and L-sit are the groundwork for almost everything else. I'd prioritize those and hold off on planche, front lever and back lever until I got those to the prereqs as stated in the prerequisites thread (3x30s L-sit for PL and 3x30s GH for FL and BL) and then go with BL, FL and PL.

I see that you've combined mobility and stretching into one.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't mobility come before the workout and stretching come after?

I know I much prefer bridge work, hamstrings, and wall walks at the end, but maybe that's just preference?

Rik de Kort said:

dzejkej said:

handstand & XR support FSPs, etc.

Those FSPs, along with german hang and L-sit are the groundwork for almost everything else. I'd prioritize those and hold off on planche, front lever and back lever until I got those to the prereqs as stated in the prerequisites thread (3x30s L-sit for PL and 3x30s GH for FL and BL) and then go with BL, FL and PL.

Good point! I haven't even mentioned levers and planches as I consider those to be "the next step" after everything mentioned previously, but it is definitely a better idea to state it explicitely .

@rajeshB:

Here is the prereq thread mentioned by Rik. It contains a lot of useful information. Make sure to follow them .

dzejkej - haha, no, fortunately no new injuries. My lower back just isn't strong enough yet. It'll get there. And thanks for clarifying further. I'll definitely split my routine like that then and get something to assist on the deck squats.

Rik de Kort - Cheers. I was thinking those would be things I'd have to progress into as well (my chin up grip dead hang sucks, so I thought I'd hold off on inverted and german hangs until I got that right). But perhaps its just a matter of doing it till I get it right and letting those muscles develop along the way.

Vincearoo - It may be preference, or ignorance on my part. I do some light stretching after my workouts but perhaps I'd recover sooner with those stretches at the end...so thanks

edit: just saw the latest reply, and will do.

rajeshB said:

be things I'd have to progress into as well (my chin up grip dead hang sucks, so I thought I'd hold off on inverted and german hangs until I got that right). But perhaps its just a matter of doing it till I get it right and letting those muscles develop along the way.

Chinup deadhang comes before inverted, which can be used as an intermediary step between deadhang and GH if I recall correctly.

Cheers, Rik.

the mobility stuff is fine as a WU.

Most of all your strength stuff is basically WU stuff for real strength unless you are super weak. I would consider the PreFSP stuff, mobility warmup. It can be that easy for some.

So yeah, if you're weak, add basic pushups and maybe dips and just HS to your pressing work and rows and pullups. You can wait on the inverted pullups for now and just use inversion holds for inverted pull work.

For a newbie, you don't have to worry about the levers and planche. HS and L work and the above and maybe skin the cats.

Obviously you have to master the basic hangs and support. Supinated and Pronated hang for grip strength and mobility. Work inverted hangs if your dead hangs are decent. Don't start working an inverted hang without decent grip strength unless you want to land on your head.

German hang can be done on low rings with the feet still on the floor and bending the knees. Reverse straight arm plank is the first step of this to start stretching your shoulders in extension. Work on it until the point you can be sitting in a sort of L fashion with your hands behind you and your upper back nearly touching the floor or getting as close as you can.

As for the deck squat, just work a decent bodyweight squat (not bodyweight extra on a bar on your back but just unloaded). Really work just holding the bottom portion like they do in the 3rd world. Goblet squats are good for developing that flexibility so do A LOT.

You can work the rolling deck squat by putting a mat or something to roll your butt back on so that's it's higher than your feet when your feet hit the ground. This is what I do for adults and the lil munchkins.

Blairbob said:

German hang can be done on low rings with the feet still on the floor and bending the knees. Reverse straight arm plank is the first step of this to start stretching your shoulders in extension. Work on it until the point you can be sitting in a sort of L fashion with your hands behind you and your upper back nearly touching the floor or getting as close as you can.

Wait, are you talking about as hyperextended as in a high manna? Or am I seeing this all wrong?

Cheers, BB.

Yes, my upper body is fairly weak. Pushups, rows, pull ups, dips, and archups are part of my routine currently and I'll be adding HS and Goblet Squats as well. As well as skin the cats and german hangs once I purchase my rings. The tip on deck squats is priceless.

Thanks