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Started by Coach Sommer, January 29, 2013 · 325 Replies · 94,949 Views
jfslocum said:Front lever hold is not necessarily the peak of the foundation. There are further progressions. Like front lever pulls, front lever pullups, circle front levers, etc.
But even those things shouldn't take 6 years if you start from square one, don't you think?
RatioFitness said:But even those things shouldn't take 6 years if you start from square one, don't you think?
It is unlikely to take most people that long to move through the progressions. These are simply all of the baby steps along the way. When you find a baby step is unnecessary and you've genuinely met mastery, you may skip it.
Well, I purchased the preorder of all the Foundation Series sets and did my first workout tonight. Being Thursday, I attempted the workouts prescribed based on the 5 day/week plan. I achieved master in 2 of the first PEs (with some difficulty), and I fell short on the SL.
These progressions are immensely satisfying. Although quite a departure from the statics/WODs I'm used to, the relatively low-intensity/relatively high-rep workout I did today challenged me in a way that I'm not used to. It's difficult to explain, but it's almost as though I can feel the effects of this workout filling in the chinks that existed in the GST armor I've built from guessing my way through the WODs.
I've never been so pleased to be humbled. Purchasing this course really is like having Coach Sommer as your personal trainer! I could't recommend this product with more enthusiasm!
I plan on buying the complete Foundation series, but not until im walking again (foot injury) in mid march. (dont want to purchase now and be salivating everyday without actually being able to do any of the movements).
*praying to god the series will still be around that $225 price in March*
Paulo said:I plan on buying the complete Foundation series, but not until im walking again (foot injury) in mid march. (dont want to purchase now and be salivating everyday without actually being able to do any of the movements).
*praying to god the series will still be around that $225 price in March*
This is a permanent price for the Foundation Series bundle.
yonder200 said:18 months for foundation 1. Will it take 18 months for each foundation course? That is, will it take 72 months to complete all four courses? 6 years to get a front lever sounds pretty long.
If, as I think, this foundation series takes you safely to that level of strength, mobility and skill, 6 years is nothing!
It is not a race 
How many years some of you have trained basically treading water, getting injured, self sabotaging, & basically going nowhere near the place you could have been?
This program gives you a vision of the future, a means to make it yours, and a large degree of certainty...
It also comes with a community of common culture, knowledge and goals to support you along the way.
It surely is worth every penny!
It was mentioned by Coach that HS1 will be released next month. When is the scheduled release date for the following Levels 2, 3, and 4 Foundations materials? Are these materials already complete or are they currently still in development? I ask as I'm hesitant to pre-order these materials without any stated timeline. Could you please let us know? Thanks in advance!
FredInChina said:If, as I think, this foundation series takes you safely to that level of strength, mobility and skill, 6 years is nothing!
It is not a race
I see this sentiment echoed from time to time in various disciplines. It's only half true.
These things are somewhat of a race, given that we have a limited window of adaptation before we grow old.
Personally, I would like to achieve the highest level of skill that I am capable of. I'm interest to know what I can achieve.
If I have no care for speed then I may fall short. One day I will wake up and find that my goals must shift from reaching the highest level I can, to slowing my decline to death.
In a race analogy: there may be no finish line, but that doesn't mean the distance you travel is meaningless.
Given the limited window of opportunity, how fast you travel does make a difference in how far you get.
RatioFitness said:I see this sentiment echoed from time to time in various disciplines. It's only half true.
These things are somewhat of a race, given that we have a limited window of adaptation before we grow old.
Personally, I would like to achieve the highest level of skill that I am capable of. I'm interest to know what I can achieve.
If I have no care for speed then I may fall short. One day I will wake up and find that my goals must shift from reaching the highest level I can, to slowing my decline to death.
In a race analogy: there may be no finish line, but that doesn't mean the distance you travel is meaningless.
Given the limited window of opportunity, how fast you travel does make a difference in how far you get.
Yet, I think you are at a good place to achieve your goals.
How old are you?
"When is the best time to plant a tree?
The best time was 20 years ago.
The second best time is right now!"
~ African proverb.
FredInChina said:How old are you?
31.
Thank you - I'll be 50 soon...
I used to think like you when I was 31... I was wrong
Haste is the shortest path from where you are to where you don't want to be... take your time and build on solid ground.
That doesn't mean you can't go fast, just take your time and enjoy the road ahead, not just the destination.
FredInChina said:Thank you - I'll be 50 soon...
I used to think like you when I was 31... I was wrong
Haste is the shortest path from where you are to where you don't want to be... take your time and build on solid ground.
That doesn't mean you can't go fast, just take your time and enjoy the road ahead, not just the destination.
If you don't build a solid foundation, then you won't achieve your fullest potential, which is the opposite of what I advocated.
When you implied that 6 years to finish the foundation series really isn't "bad," I feel you are advocating a waste of time. I'm sure you don't see it that way, but there's nothing wrong with someone seeing that sentiment as not being the right path for them.
Im pretty sure even though it's called foundation, if you can perform multiple sets of perfect form with a FL, PL, RC, HBP, SLS, SL, and MN you are already stronger than 99.9% of the population. 5 or 6 years to achieve being stronger than pretty much everyone is not really that much of an ask in my books, and as Coach is well aware, the only place rushing and shortcuts leads to is injury and slower progress. Just gotta knuckle down and do the hard work.
Craig said:Im pretty sure even though it's called foundation, if you can perform multiple sets of perfect form with a FL, PL, RC, HBP, SLS, SL, and MN you are already stronger than 99.9% of the population. 5 or 6 years to achieve being stronger than pretty much everyone is not really that much of an ask in my books, and as Coach is well aware, the only place rushing and shortcuts leads to is injury and slower progress. Just gotta knuckle down and do the hard work.
I don't think Coach would consider finishing the Foundation Series in 3 years instead of 6 as being "rushing and shortcuts," as one example. Not for most people anyway.
Very well said! I'm 40 and wish I knew that 20 years ago. Kids never learn till they lose there youth .
RatioFitness said:If you don't build a solid foundation, then you won't achieve your fullest potential, which is the opposite of what I advocated.
When you implied that 6 years to finish the foundation series really isn't "bad," I feel you are advocating a waste of time. I'm sure you don't see it that way, but there's nothing wrong with someone seeing that sentiment as not being the right path for them.
I understand, and I am not qualified to confirm or infirm what you are saying.
My point was that 6 years is really not all that long for a program that leads you to where you want to be, but I respect your opinion.
jfslocum said:Front lever hold is not necessarily the peak of the foundation. There are further progressions. Like front lever pulls, front lever pullups, circle front levers, etc.
For the most part these are all part of the progression, I won't revel when or where they show up though.
RatioFitness said:I don't think Coach would consider finishing the Foundation Series in 3 years instead of 6 as being "rushing and shortcuts," as one example. Not for most people anyway.
What Coach asks is that you can demonstrate the Week 11 Mastery requirement for each step along the way along with it's Integrated Mobility.
Everyone will be different on how long it takes, but some steps will prepare you for the next, so there will be some areas that may move faster than others.
However the program is laid out so if you can't do an element there is a clear roadmap to get there. That journey will take 12 weeks if all goes well.
Being in the 'older' set I find this to be a real boon.
Being from an entirely different background, I've liked having the 12 weeks to spend with an element. To get to know it so to speak.
There have been elements that I breezed though and others that still daunt me.
So if you find that you can do an element to the required standard right away, you're absolutely correct, that's not rushing. But like any subject of study, you are required to pass the test and then move on.
Can you post the table of contents please? I guess lots of people would appreciate it and it won't reveal any "secret" of the book - I'd just like to know (and I am not alone) what is the range of the book and to what level of strength it would take me.
MMarty said:Can you post the table of contents please? I guess lots of people would appreciate it and it won't reveal any "secret" of the book - I'd just like to know (and I am not alone) what is the range of the book and to what level of strength it would take me.
Yes - Table of contents and timeline for future releases please! I figured this would be standard info but somehow no one has answered these questions yet...
I would also really appreciate to see table of contents.. I´m sure F1 is perfect product, but I´m really curious what is waiting for me in there :-)
There's about 50 pages of introduction and instructions for programming and using the book. Then about 100 pages of progressions that cover 6 strength/mobility exercise pairs for each of the seven foundational exercises: front lever, straddle planche, side lever, manna, single leg squat, hollow-back press, rope climb. So 84 exercises in all. If you do not start with mastery of any exercises, it is about 18 months worth of content. Note that F1 does not take you to the point of performing each of the 7 exercises; it is a step towards mastering them.
As was stated in another post, seeing the ToC won't give you any more info than you already have.
I'm translating some post and information from this thread to my spanish friends interested in GST that are having the same doubts. They are potential buyers 
It's funny because I haven't the book yet... 
Has there been any commentary on how to integrate this training into a schedule that already includes some ring work/WODs? I've been at these for quite a while now, and although I certainly have things to accomplish within the Foundation 1 Series, but the look of things the volume/difficulty is much less than what I've gotten accustomed to with WOD/static practice.
Is there a suggested path for those of us who have built up a decent work volume with the more advanced training while accomplishing the Foundation goals? Should I simply drop this other training in favor of exclusively working the Foundation 1 stuff? I feel like I'm being lazy but if that's the path to greatest success I'm willing to tough it out.