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Started by Tomas Johansson, February 1, 2013 · 53 Replies · 53,266 Views
I have been using the first book in my training for some time, have a ok flat tuck front and backlever and single leg squats and hanging legraises are no problem.
How far will the new program help me, all the way to a full frontlever, backlever and straddleplanche and so on or only a bit on the way and then continuing in "Foundation two"?
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Well F1 by itself won't get you all the way to the final element. But it will cover the base foundation ( hence the name...) needed to nail those elements. you barely even use rings in F1. You don't even get into tuck levers, but the elements shown will DEFINITELY help.
I tried the FL/PE1 mastery req last night and had a rude awakening. BUT, it's also got me excited because I'd had very slow progress in my FL, and I believe that these progressions will indeed address my weaknesses.
guys, trust me. the progressions are so clear and so precise in moving you through a stable process of layering functional training plus it's mobility element to prevent atrophy during the training steps towards more advanced beginner elements that it's ridiculous not to get it. I can already do muscle ups for reps with some lean but am nowhere near as smooth as Coaches athletes because he worked on components within the elements building up to said progressions that make it so that once you get to that point in your training where you tackle(pseudo planche pushups for example) it will feel smooth and not an impossibility to complete.
I went from a 3 day cycle to a 5 day training cycle because of all the time I was wasting on not spacing components(leg strength, upper body press/pull in all ranges of motion, core) in the way that would allow 5 day training without injury. now I can train every single day AND do kung fu without suffering injuries.
is it worth getting? absolutely yes. besides in the event that you do not find the material fulfilling, coach has a 100% guarantee on his products and you can get your money back and probably re-invest it in another section of the Foundation series(even though if you purchase the entire program you'll get one program free)
I can't wait for Handstand One! I'm sooooooo stoked
On looking over the content I'm seeing a lot of prepatory exercises but I thought it would involve some aspects of the actual goal exercise I thought for example, that book 1 would take you to a basic level - such as tuck front lever and rope pullups where book 2 would take you to straddle lever, short up and down rope climb, that sort of thing. But I'm not seeing that the first level is tied into anything like that.
So does this mean that we are supposed to stop doing those progressions?
For example, I have recently started on Coach's and Josh's advice to do
towel and rope pull ups (when available), and am working towards 10. Should I stop that?
Or can I still perform on the basic actual FL / Rope progression (for example)?
I didn't expect to have to wait till book 2, 3 or even 4 to get to a basic level of performance.
Am I wrong? Hopefully...
Please advise...
- To address your primary question, why would I assign more advanced progressions if the beginning steps have not yet demonstrated mastery?
- It is within the realm of possibility that your preparation is as thorough as you believe. However in all my years of working with adult GST students this has never been the case, nor we will know if this is indeed the case with you unless it is demonstrated by quantitative means.
- Nor, if you are indeed thoroughly prepared, will this demonstration of mastery require an exorbitant amount of time. Done correctly, only a few weeks will be required.
- If you are able to perform the mastery requirement for an element and its integrated mobility do so and then next workout move on the to the next element in that particular progression. If you are truly as strong and prepared as you feel, then you would hve moved through all of the elements and integrated mobility in two weeks or so.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
Coach Sommer said:- To address your primary question, why would I assign more advanced progressions if the beginning steps have not yet demonstrated mastery?
- It is within the realm of possibility that your preparation is as thorough as you believe. However in all my years of working with adult GST students this has never been the case, nor we will know if this is indeed the case with you unless it is demonstrated by quantitative means.
- Nor, if you are indeed thoroughly prepared, will this demonstration of mastery require an exorbitant amount of time. Done correctly, only a few weeks will be required.
- If you are able to perform the mastery requirement for and element and its integrated mobility do so and then next workout move on the to the next element in that particular progression. If you are truly as strong and prepared as you feel, then you would hve moved through all of the elements and integrated mobility in two weeks or so.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
I didn't indicate that I felt that I was exceptionally strong. Just that I had started on basic progressions (not advanced ones) in the book and discussed the forum. I am strong enough to do what I can do. But I know I am weak in may of the preliminary moves in the new release, and that it will take a lot of time for me to get some of these down to the levels indicated.
So are you saying that we should not attempt to perform any exercises progressions from the Btgb book or discussed in the forum until completing the full series of 4? Essentially, throw out the old book, and just go by the new release...for now?
FiN: I think that, for now, your primary training should focus on the Foundation work, for this sake of finding weak links and strengthening your foundation. Your concern (I think?) is that this is basically throwing out a lot of other work that has been your primary training for many months.
Personally, I don't think you will lose a great deal if you drop those old 'basic' elements for now in favour of the new foundation preparatory elements. You will still be training, indirectly, muscles, movements, and motor patterns which will benefit the more exercises you had been working on.
I don't think this means that you absolutely shouldn't ever touch any of the higher elements until you've completed all prep elements, but I just don't think it's worth using them as your primary training. I mean, I'm still working on the very earliest prep elements for all the exercises, but maybe once a fortnight, I'll try doing a front lever, just 'for fun'. I don't think I've regressed on them at all, despite not specifically training them for the past few months.
Zach Armijo said:I will say this. During the May '12 seminar, a student restarted from scratch and mastered his 5x60s hbh. At the September seminar, his strength carried him half way through upper level FL training. Do not underestimate the simplicity of these exercises for they are far from it and you will be amazed at what a lvl 1 mastery will bring you. You are being fed with a damn platinum spoon. Now shut up and eat your training
Not underestimating but trying to wrap my head around it and decide if it's something I'm capable of, mentally and physically. Yes, I could just do it. But this isn't communist China. Yet.
thanners said:FiN: I think that, for now, your primary training should focus on the Foundation work, for this sake of finding weak links and strengthening your foundation. Your concern (I think?) is that this is basically throwing out a lot of other work that has been your primary training for many months.
Personally, I don't think you will lose a great deal if you drop those old 'basic' elements for now in favour of the new foundation preparatory elements. You will still be training, indirectly, muscles, movements, and motor patterns which will benefit the more exercises you had been working on.
I don't think this means that you absolutely shouldn't ever touch any of the higher elements until you've completed all prep elements, but I just don't think it's worth using them as your primary training. I mean, I'm still working on the very earliest prep elements for all the exercises, but maybe once a fortnight, I'll try doing a front lever, just 'for fun'. I don't think I've regressed on them at all, despite not specifically training them for the past few months.
Yes, basically it's a new road map. I don't recall it was stated that BtGB was being pre-empted by it - I had the impression that this complemented it. It's becoming clear now. The problem I have with it is that the fun quotient of prep work is pretty low. And since I'm not training for any serious objective like a livelihood or competition (but am seriously training) I need to decide if I can really stick to this programming day in and day out - even if it is more effective than the old programming which was at least somewhat fun to do...
But like you say you can occassionally just do stuff for fun and the heck of it.
The foundation work only takes 20-40 minutes a day. It certainly does not preclude you from performing other work that you find more fun at the same time. If you want to skip ahead and work on levers and such while also still doing the foundation, then do the foundation workout, and spend your remaining time playing around with levers. You'll quickly find that the foundation work is greatly beneficial.
Foundation 1 prescribes about 18 months of workouts. But that doesn't mean you will need all 18 to complete it. If you can perform an element at the indicated level mastery, you may continue on to the next element without spending 12 weeks training it. If you feel like you're close to mastery level, you can jump into the middle of the 12-week training cycle and spend just 4 or 8 weeks mastering the element.
FutureisNow said:... The problem I have with it is that the fun quotient of prep work is pretty low. And since I'm not training for any serious objective like a livelihood or competition (but am seriously training) I need to decide if I can really stick to this programming day in and day out - even if it is more effective than the old programming which was at least somewhat fun to do...
Nonsense.
You either want to make progress or you don't. The "entertainment" value of your training should come from the joy of making progress and the accompanying solid sense of self satisfaction.
Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer
FutureisNow said:Not underestimating but trying to wrap my head around it and decide if it's something I'm capable of, mentally and physically. Yes, I could just do it. But this isn't communist China. Yet.
Yes, basically it's a new road map. I don't recall it was stated that BtGB was being pre-empted by it - I had the impression that this complemented it. It's becoming clear now. The problem I have with it is that the fun quotient of prep work is pretty low. And since I'm not training for any serious objective like a livelihood or competition (but am seriously training) I need to decide if I can really stick to this programming day in and day out - even if it is more effective than the old programming which was at least somewhat fun to do...
But like you say you can occassionally just do stuff for fun and the heck of it.
I have to say, quite honestly, that I think that in many ways the mobility elements are quite a lot of fun, as they provide a LOT of variety as well as novel movement (for most people).
It's understandable to want to enjoy one's workout, and that means many things to many people, but I think there's going to be a fair bit of entertainment value in these as well, especially once people actually get started.
For people who want to do more, Lord knows that the foundation work isn't going to leave you dead for the rest of the day. There's plenty of energy left to go do whatever seems fun after the important stuff (foundation work) is completed.
I knock out my foundation stuff in around 20 minutes and then go do things that are fun, and sometimes I'll do fun stuff for lower body during rest periods for the foundation work.
I think that once you have the product, and see what the actual training commitment is, you will realize that you're definitely not going to need to exclusively do the foundation series. There's both plenty of time AND energy left to do just about anything you want.
I have to say, quite honestly, that I think that in many ways the mobility elements are quite a lot of fun, as they provide a LOT of variety as well as novel movement (for most people).
Yeah, for me at least, the mobility elements are pretty much the reason *why* I bought it in the first place. And they are excellent, just as I had hoped.
FutureisNow said:" this isn't communist China. Yet. "
This got me ROFL! 
I think you'll be shocked at the level of freedom you'll find when you come next to visit... In many ways, China is a lot less "communist" than the USA! 
Wake up to the 21st Century!
FredInChina said:This got me ROFL!
I think you'll be shocked at the level of freedom you'll find when you come next to visit... In many ways, China is a lot less "communist" than the USA!
Wake up to the 21st Century!
Good point! I'm still groggy from the 20th!
I'm in Canada - majority of new immigrants are from China. Some people aren't very happy there!
I don't know about that. But at least in China most of the parks have stall bars!
Crackalackahacka said:I don't know about that. But at least in China most of the parks have stall bars!
Stall bars, high bars and many other implements, that is true
The environment is great to exercise, with 4 generations of Chinese doing TaiChi, dancing, or other sort of physical activity.
You also have zero risk of getting mugged in the park, or anywhere else, at any time for that matter!
FredInChina said:Stall bars, high bars and many other implements, that is true
The environment is great to exercise, with 4 generations of Chinese doing TaiChi, dancing, or other sort of physical activity.
You also have zero risk of getting mugged in the park, or anywhere else, at any time for that matter!
Yes, execution is a great deterrent!
Anyway politics is best left for another thread. I've never been to China - hope to visit someday.
FutureisNow said:I didn't indicate that I felt that I was exceptionally strong. Just that I had started on basic progressions (not advanced ones) in the book and discussed the forum. I am strong enough to do what I can do. But I know I am weak in may of the preliminary moves in the new release, and that it will take a lot of time for me to get some of these down to the levels indicated.
So are you saying that we should not attempt to perform any exercises progressions from the Btgb book or discussed in the forum until completing the full series of 4? Essentially, throw out the old book, and just go by the new release...for now?
you know, Coach does honor his word in the sense that if you're not satisfied with the product, you can get your money back you know? the amount of work everyone here(including you, if you've been a part of GB for a while) has put to make such a thing come out to the world at large(in a nutshell, we're getting YEARS of preparatory AND end result skills that Gymnasts get for a pretty high price) and we're getting it for peanuts(in my opinion) Insanity was good for me for about 3 months....Foundation One alone is good for 18 months! Coach has a dream to create champions, my friend and YOU are part of that goal.
besides, i dont think he would have released such a program if he didn't think it would be absolutely beneficial AND if we as enthusiasts could tie it into our daily life/activity.
If you still have a doubt, which is fine because I have a lot, you can just gauge the quality answers you'll get here with the quality of your question. what im saying is, if your questions have bred answers that you didn't expect, perhaps if you restated your question for all of us to better understand what you're looking for
also, to wrap my head around the fact that in a few years I'll be doing hollowback presses and mannas...is beyond me. but I know it can be done, if I follow these steps.
KeilaniG said:you know, Coach does honor his word in the sense that if you're not satisfied with the product, you can get your money back you know? the amount of work everyone here(including you, if you've been a part of GB for a while) has put to make such a thing come out to the world at large(in a nutshell, we're getting YEARS of preparatory AND end result skills that Gymnasts get for a pretty high price) and we're getting it for peanuts(in my opinion) Insanity was good for me for about 3 months....Foundation One alone is good for 18 months! Coach has a dream to create champions, my friend and YOU are part of that goal.
besides, i dont think he would have released such a program if he didn't think it would be absolutely beneficial AND if we as enthusiasts could tie it into our daily life/activity.
If you still have a doubt, which is fine because I have a lot, you can just gauge the quality answers you'll get here with the quality of your question. what im saying is, if your questions have bred answers that you didn't expect, perhaps if you restated your question for all of us to better understand what you're looking for
also, to wrap my head around the fact that in a few years I'll be doing hollowback presses and mannas...is beyond me. but I know it can be done, if I follow these steps.
I don't have a problem with the costing or value of the product - it's just that I am personally not ready to commit to the long-term process of re-inventing myself right now. I may be in a few months perhaps. As well has having certain physical and mental concerns, my training and sport situation has been in flux and I am hoping to settle that soon. So I am backing off for now, but certainly encourage anyone who is ready to embrace it. When there are other ways to support the GB community and gymnastics in general, I am certainly willing to put my money where my mouth is.
Happy that you're happy and wish you the best in attaining your goals!
it would bee nice to have a list of what you will have mastered by the end of this book on here somewhere for those who may have already mastered them and end up spending the money just to find out that they are far beyond this book. or for those who just want to see how far this first edition goes for example you should have (___) mastered and (___) mastered by the end of this book. I personally am trying to decided if i can afford that money right now as I am working 12 hours a day every day to meet my 2 month deadline to save about $4-5000 euro and every penny counts! but I want this program so badly... AH bugger it im buying it now! ill just work more!
FiN, unless your form is particularly horrible the best thing to do would be to focus on foundation 1 and then maintain your current abilities with whatever your minimum training investment to actually maintain those abilities is. 1-2 sets per training day is probably plenty.
That allows you to keep what you have, and spend the bulk of your time and energy on the foundational work.
What we are getting with Foundation is the preliminary training that all gymnasts get. It is THAT training that makes them exceptionally strong, and leaves them prepared for learning all the cool stuff we all want to do!
You know what they say about building houses, the foundation is everything.
Joshua Naterman said:Foundation is the preliminary training that all gymnasts get.
That's sadly a bit of an overstatement 
If only all gymnasts received this grade of methodical training!
i'm getting ready to pre purchase all volumes. when do the other volumes come out? are they still a work in progress?