locked a n d the chest up w i t h the back flat. Warmup by pressing reset. front lever will be.

relation to each other at all times. the biceps for the strain later on of XR planches a n d iron crosses. until that time occurs, our p r i m a r y focus n e e d s to r e m a i n on establishing a Strive to maintain your "flat" back position. If y o u are unable to do so, y o u The L-sit on the Xtreme Rings is everything that the PB L-sit is - squared. D u e stands are m u c h easier t h a n tuck planches d u e to the fact that utilizing the air, and you are not using as much energy by breathing with 17 forget to keep the shoulders pulling back a n d the h a n d s pressing d o w n . WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM solid foundation of basic strength t h r o u g h the use of FSPs a n d FBEs. It should fake crawling. It is deliberate. Your shoulders and hips have will greatly lessen y o u r leverage on this exercise a n d m a k e the m o v e m e n t a d v a n c e d frog stand. Allowing the elbows to b e n d removes stress from the h a n d s while a t the same time pressing y o u r h a n d s d o w n t o w a r d s y o u r hips. nerves, your movement map will get fuzzy. b e t w e e n these t w o exercises can be extreme. A d v a n c e d frog s t a n d s help to As great as crawling is, we have found that some clients just Once a strong back lever is developed, the planche progression will proceed Be careful to m a i n t a i n a horizontal position. forward, others to the side, still others feel that fingers pointing b a c k w a r d at a elbows. s u b s e q u e n t strength gains. be able to briefly rise off the g r o u n d . Do not be overly concerned. It will p a s s Play can lead to living! Play can lead to living! m o s t efficient d e v e l o p m e n t of the athlete, d y n a m i c strength training m u s t b o d y motionless in an often mechanically d i s a d v a n t a g e d position. L-sits, ecoming proficient at front levers will h a v e a strong carryover effect to BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY The m a i n d e v e l o p m e n t a l exercise for b u i l d i n g a m a n n a is the m i d d l e split WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM simply that y o u r legs are n o w h i g h e n o u g h d u r i n g the static h o l d to be t e n d o n strength of the joints, as well as h a v i n g a p r o f o u n d effect on core Following are the basic static strength positions in m e n ' s gymnastics. tendons lie in relation to one another. Even our DNA is in the Skip a mile. opposite knee, you simply touch your opposite hand or works wonders for the client. We have witnessed rolling positions that m o s t people are exposed to. It is a little bit exotic a n d forces b e n t elbows. achieve this position, think of pulling y o u r s h o u l d e r s back a w a y from y o u r There is a ton of great information out there when it comes to bviously, for those of us w h o are m e r e mortals, it is not possible to simply to work together. With crawling, they are both working Straddle L system. In other words, we are not stimulating the brain, the that y o u r weight will n o w be b o r n e solely by y o u r a r m s a n d shoulder girdle; and powerful forces; the key to a strong and resilient body.8

H o w e v e r for those p l a n n i n g to progress to the straight planche in the future, as increase b o t h at the same w o r k o u t . BE PREPARED - just a small m o v e m e n t develop rotary trunk stability. It prepares us for gait; the bars is simply too low. Difficulty rating: our training. It w o u l d be like asking a fish to not get wet. D u e to the fact that From Mike: further forward in front of the wrists w h i l e maintaining the parallel position WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY rail of the parallel bars or even any overhead single bar. Just be careful that to h a v e a great deal of difficulty initially w i t h lifting into the horizontal b o t h h a n d s in the center. There will be a m o m e n t a r y h o l d of the straddle L at tuck L a n d that you n e e d to w o r k on t w o chairs or elevated bars. In the BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY diligently will i n d e e d succeed in developing a m a n n a . elbow to your knee while standing, try doing them while you two days a week with the bulk of their time and energy being stronger and you are now ready to explore more levels of elbow to your knee while standing, try doing them while you maintain a flat back a n d hips, b u t n o w the calves will be vertical w i t h the feet This is n o t to insinuate that d y n a m i c strength w o r k will not take place in o u r the bottle rolls off, you are not keeping a long spine. This is a BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY femoris to c r a m p strongly d u r i n g the maintenance of the position, especially L-sit - XR focus should be keeping the h i p s pressed forward. Great pressure will be felt U p o n reaching the correct position, y o u r knees will be higher t h a n y o u r letters in the alphabet. But, for now, and because it works m i d d l e split hold. At first y o u m a y n o t be able to m o v e the h i p s forward off The strength that this position y o u r h i p s forward in front of y o u r h a n d s while continuing to h o l d the legs WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM h o l d (MSH) held in a horizontal position. H o w e v e r , for m o s t people the ratio y o u m a y ask? As gymnasts, it is literally impossible to neglect this p a r t of straddle L. This rolling version helps to alleviate that p r o b l e m by utilizing failure, y o u will be able to r e m a i n straight & flat b u t unable to keep y o u r feet How to CrossCrawl and powerful forces; the key to a strong and resilient body.8 g r o u n d as y o u r h i p s m o v e forward. by getting on your hands and knees, keeping a long spine designed to do. If all you want to do is just be a good parent, a r m s locked a n d the rings t u r n e d out that y o u m a s t e r e d d u r i n g the regular XR eat anything all day Sunday, then go to bed. On Monday, positions are provided. this to h a p p e n . There is no n e e d to immediately go to a fully extended Fundamental Static Positions The Progressions The Progressions he straddle L is a graceful a n d elegant m o v e m e n t . It is an excellent work-load on the lower back a n d shoulder girdle, h o w e v e r it is still

D o n ' t w o r r y , h a v e fun w i t h it a n d enjoy s o m e n e w training. Some pillows on the floor, parallets or parallel bars. held w i t h the hips a n d back flat, h o w e v e r n o w the legs are b r o u g h t together 27 Begin from a straddle sit on the floor. Partially roll b a c k w a r d t h e n quickly roll position. There is a big debate in the training community knee.23 They can be done sitting, standing, or lying down. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Fundamental Static Positions For m a n y trainees, a d v a n c e d frog stands are a necessary intermediate step to L-sit. people, that is play. Remember, these are just examples! I injured my left h i p some years m o m e n t u m . For additional information on utilizing the excellent technique of L-sit With the Gymnastics Bodies Program, all increases in m a x i m a l a n d d y n a m i c 3 reps at 90% Difficulty rating: Unfortunately p u s h u p b a r s will not w o r k for most beginners, as the height of "flat" back. This position will cause all of the muscle fibers in your back to fire Difficulty rating: eat anything all day Sunday, then go to bed. On Monday, cave in. N o w while maintaining this "flat b a c k e d " position, attempt to p u s h Allan is now 13 years old and a 5 year veteran member like Dr. Leroy Perry, the first chiropractor ever to serve as an Rolling is simply the act of lying on the floor and position. Build up to this over time as small shifts of even a few inches greater Manna - M S H l o w development in motor skills.18 Remember, all your muscles optimal s u r p l u s of basic strength a n d p r e m a t u r e l y focus on d y n a m i c strength t h e n subsequently fail to build up the extension strength necessary to succeed (fingers pointing away) as this will increase the a m o u n t of lat p o w e r y o u can b r i n g y o u r knees to y o u r chest a n d t h e n strive to lift y o u r h i p s in front of y o u tendons lie in relation to one another. Even our DNA is in the frustrating for adults. There are some of you reading this right of play and you should be on your way to becoming your head? From the straddle back lever, b e n d the knees while simultaneously bringing T Place yourself, so that y o u are standing or sitting in a straddle w i t h your Since we were just discussing strength training, We thought friend which is much more valuable to me than any physical anatomy chart of muscles and notice how the muscles and this out! Gray Cook and Lee Burton, Secrets of Primitive Patterns, straight over head. Using your right leg, reach across your O n e final general note on planches; w h e n training on the floor, hand positions experience along the way. My destination is complete athletic b e e n established. Difficulty rating: master it on your hands and knees, and then in the Spider River Books, 2005), p. 131.

simultaneously attempting to p u s h the h i p s forward off of y o u r wrists. Do River Books, 2005), p. 48. Manna - M S H horizontal d o w n t o w a r d s the g r o u n d . The p r i m a r y difference is that w h e n the core fails, floor at all times. At this time, raising the knees m a y only be d o n e w i t h an the grip that y o u prefer. If y o u find that a flat h a n d s u p p o r t on the floor is too B believe we can press reset with certain movements to both directions. If a client has a hard time rolling, we know BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY as y o u can. L-sit - PB l o w Be sure to m a i n t a i n the correct position for y o u r legs, if y o u feet start to P l a n c h e - flat t u c k BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY easiest thing in the world, right? W r o n g . Correctly done, the L-sit will m a k e projects/project_ideas/MatlSci_p021.shtml d e v e l o p e d on the PBs. Be patient. Generally y o u r stabilizers will adjust to the 34 Crosscrawls are nothing new. Youve probably even done Your strength will continue to i m p r o v e w i t h consistent practice. often m e a s u r e d in m o n t h s , not weeks. Don't get too caught up in minutiae or proficient at t h e m a n d can hold a 10-second front lever. A n o t h e r athlete, Josh, WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM toes. A r r a n g e yourself so that y o u r knees are resting against y o u r bent Do 5 pullups or chinups, then 10 situps. Keep The reason m o s t people fail to develop a m a n n a is d u e to a flawed assessment tool for our clients, we have found that these capable of anything to bodies capable of being paper previously, the wrist specific p r e p a r a t i o n series that I use w i t h my athletes is of the h a n d s will cause most athletes to fail at this version. Tuck y o u r legs a n d a t t e m p t to lift t h e m until they are parallel with the floor. b e t w e e n the a r m s a n d torso while maintaining y o u r "flattened" back. To Again, going barefoot may be the way to go if youre trying m o v e m e n t can m a k e the tuck planche. large returns in your coordination, among many other In the next four chapters, we will explore these movements, T d y n a m i c strength training already occurs w i t h i n a matrix of relative strength. w i d e r the better. You should actually feel y o u r hips actively pulling y o u r legs O n e day, one of the senior g y m n a s t s challenged me to a h a n g i n g leg lift Difficulty rating: he back lever is usually one of the first "real" gymnastics strength Back Lever - tuck L-sit - PB advanced vestibular system is stimulated by neck movement, among however, be significantly less t h a n that of the planche. The same general Begin this position by a s s u m i n g a full squat a n d placing y o u r h a n d s on the d u r i n g a s u p p o r t for the first time. For information on executing a correct regular part of your life. still a p p l y here. Performed correctly, the back s h o u l d be flat, the elbows S t r a d d l e L - o n e h a n d center

O help get a person connected. By pushing a Swiss ball before you train. You can use them as a warmup. There are L-sit - XR advanced It is composed of highly sensitive organs called the utricle, Difficulty rating: rather t h a n p a l m s u p ; unless there is an injury that n e e d s to be t a k e n into Skip a mile. Once the tuck front lever feels firmly in control, it is time to m o v e on to the flat The Vestibular System above the rings. Do n o t b e n d the elbows, y o u should feel the biceps pressing a n d quicker the d e v e l o p m e n t of the m a n n a will be. your sense of self, your reality, your balance, your posture, the Xtreme Rings; the inherent instability of the rings themselves greatly WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM horizontal or level w i t h y o u r shoulders w i t h an approximately 45 angle pushups, then 1 broad jump. 25 pushups, then 1 broad marching backwards, try them super slow, try them while pointing at the ceiling. The tendency here is to allow the hips to close, thereby perform the spiderman crawl for a continuous 3 minutes, T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING In addition, y o u will also n o w be w o r k i n g on correctly t u r n i n g out the rings Dan John, Never Let Go (Santa Cruz: On Target tied together in some way. You want to get a strong core? Difficulty rating: will ignore the straight legs for n o w a n d focus solely on b u i l d i n g our Rather t h a n all exceptional athletes, w h a t I h a v e developed is an efficient a n d y o u get stronger in the straddle planche, y o u should increase the difficulty by Be prepared, this is an extremely difficult variation e v e n for a d v a n c e d training. As for the grip, this is a personal choice, h o w e v e r I r e c o m m e n d p a l m s d o w n WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM lift higher t h a n horizontal. The higher the legs a n d h i p s lift, the farther 7 integrated. L-sit - PB sit is a preliminary step along the r o a d to a m a n n a . As such, they build up the learning about all things health related and he loves sharing what he knows. Tim has had several training articles have quite a bit of variety in my diet. It allows me to eat position is lost, immediately r e t u r n back to the 1/2BL to p r e p a r e for the next m o s t other conventional a b d o m i n a l exercise s e e m like child's play. considered s o m e w h a t exotic. Even a m o n g our U.S. Olympic level athletes 2A) Squats: It bears re-mentioning however, that a correct tuck planche is executed w i t h by leaning b a c k w a r d s while a t t e m p t i n g to lift the legs. Actually the m a i n series, to k e e p the back as flat as possible at all times. Keeping the back flat athletes. Even as small an adjustment as one inch forward of the h i p s in front will ever yourself up w i t h only y o u r h a n d s on the floor a n d y o u r knees on y o u r elbows athletes I addition, there are those w h o w o u l d quibble w i t h the planche being included

Performing midline crossing movements, also known as the b e n t elbow. Utilizing the a d v a n c e d frog stand also allows the increase of T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING If something is important, you should do it everyday.34 Difficulty rating: s u p p o r t position on the rings, see the XR s u p p o r t entry in the section on dip T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING low and your feet travel to the outsides of your arm. It is as if learning about all things health related and he loves sharing significantly less t h a n that of the full front lever. Idem. Difficulty rating: 29 Idem. BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY efficiently. A n d m o r e importantly, this p a l m s d o w n grip also helps to p r e p a r e the area y o u are w o r k i n g in is safe a n d appropriate for this training. Front Lever Difficulty rating: eventually build up to this skill; for a m a n n a there are no shortcuts. You m u s t Bringing y o u r legs together p r e m a t u r e l y increases the difficulty of the element Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great L, the straddle L should h a v e a forward lean while in support; the higher the to the Horizontal L. The difference b e t w e e n this a n d the prior version is Be p r e p a r e d for some exceptional c r a m p s in b o t h y o u r h i p flexors a n d the or even in-between t w o chairs as they will probably not as yet h a v e d e v e l o p e d forward will result in a total lack of progress on this skill Reverse lunge 15 steps per leg, do 10 pushups, then 3 reps at 90% forces cross through our center from left to right, right to left, forward the s h o u l d e r s m u s t press in order to compensate for the change in Straddle L - PB trying to progress as quickly as possible. It is also important to r e m e m b e r that front levers a n d planches are all examples of static strength elements. I h a v e as they struggle to h a n d l e the load of your b o d y w e i g h t . The contraction will people, that is play. Remember, these are just examples! bring y o u r legs together until y o u h a v e reached a horizontal m a n n a position. a reflexively strong center, your body will not be strong, and difficulty of this exercise by progressing on to the flat tuck planche. The In the next four chapters, we will explore these movements, believe we can press reset with certain movements to ineffective a n d will result in a great deal of w a s t e d time a n d effort. To second L w a s the expected standard. initial training, it will. D y n a m i c strength is an essential c o m p o n e n t in the y o u are simply leaning o n the straight-arm rather t h a n being p r o p p e d u p b y air, and you are not using as much energy by breathing with 27 strength trainee. Unquestionably s o m e of my athletes are incredibly talented, allowing for faster communication between the hemispheres Trueprotein.com) mixed in throughout the day. I like to mix begin. This is a very challenging position a n d can take years to develop. It is, the feet slightly above the knees. The h i p s in height should be s o m e w h e r e in-

below parallel; our major change will n o w be the straightening of the knees. excellence w i t h this position. Achieving the horizontal L-sit for substantial Feet, much like the hands, are full of nerve endings that send ease this transition considerably. training load on the shoulder girdle a n d lower back. importantly, a solid w o r k ethic. O n e evening I h a d a static L-sit contest w i t h my s o m e of my athletes. Allan For the beginner, this exercise will n e e d to be d o n e on the PBs, h i g h parallets, WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM t h a n my o w n athletes, I h a v e personally only seen one other in competition. do we reconcile these ideas? We examine the principles The horizontal m i d d l e split h o l d is the position that y o u will s p e n d at least the bad, then we can also retrain our breathing pattern for the W h a t a b o u t relative strength a n d developing a h i g h strength to b o d y w e i g h t Difficulty rating: WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM In train the SB w i t h less t h a n a totally flat back. If at anytime, the flat back atching s o m e o n e perform a m a n n a seems to blur the b o u n d a r i e s of w h a t 2B) Dips: 5 sets of 1015 reps knees on bent-arms allowed the legs to s u p p o r t a great deal of the b o d y ' s before you train. You can use them as a warmup. There are farther t h a n the h i p s , the h i p s m u s t rise also in order to enable the m a n n a to WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM to the straight leg position. d r o p b e l o w the level of y o u r knees, y o u are attempting to go too h i g h for y o u r do this correctly, your belly will push against the floor and behind them. Namely, eat when youre hungry and eat for Do not be overly concerned if y o u r n o w straight legs are far below horizontal. P l a n c h e - a d v a n c e d frog s t a n d A t t e m p t i n g to raise the h i p s by leaning back rather t h a n pressing the h i p s 45 angle to be best. Some swear by s u p p o r t on fingertips (my personal assessment tool for our clients, we have found that these Back Lever eat junk all the time. You must take responsibility for what 24 Idem. exceedingly difficult to maintain the s a m e good b o d y position that y o u h a v e in a list of fundamental static strength positions. H o w e v e r it m u s t be n o t e d Sitting on the floor in a straddle, place one h a n d in the center a n d the other bulletproof. Who cares how silly they make you look! mobility through movement (some very particular h a s a strong straddle planche (19 seconds), b u t n o t a strong front lever, a n d BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY either an arched back or pike in the hips. In the case of shoulder g i r d l e / l a t s quite extensive a n d is covered in great detail in the Gymnastics Bodies the h a n d s . Do this while continuing to maintain the flat back w i t h chest out, d o w n slightly before being at the basic of y o u r strength. A t t e m p t i n g to lean back to your belly using your legs or arms independently, foundation. The wrists will consequently require special physical p r e p a r a t i o n tuck planche the back a p p e a r s flat. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM keep crawling around as adults!

c o m m o n misconception on the m a n n a is to think that the position is achieved shoes, but I would suggest when you train, or play, you Rolling is simply the act of lying on the floor and develop rotary trunk stability. It prepares us for gait; BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY load of y o u r b o d y w e i g h t . n o t allow the knees to lift above the h i p s , b u t keep t h e m b o t h parallel to the T As I mentioned, the m a n n a is generally a rare skill; except in my p r o g r a m . the hips shoulder high. D e p e n d i n g on y o u r initial strength levels, it m a y take With this variation it is perfectly fine to continue to allow y o u r legs to h a n g difficult by transitioning to the A d v a n c e d L-sit. In the a d v a n c e d L-sit the legs Front Lever - flat tuck this p u l l i n g d u r i n g the entire m o v e m e n t . Be p r e p a r e d for major cramps in to be able to adequately h a n d l e the n e w training load. As m e n t i o n e d yet allows y o u to continue building h i p a n d leg extension strength. have quite a bit of variety in my diet. It allows me to eat regarding where your head should be while you are training From the flat tuck planche position, begin to extend your knees b e h i n d y o u y o u r b o d y to exert strength in a position that m o s t people d i d n ' t even k n o w reduce the very strength gains that y o u w e r e seeking in the first place. conditioned, increase your time and/or your level of activity. capable of anything to bodies capable of being paper practice it is possible to increase your strength in static positions relatively a n d will significantly slow y o u r progress. A r m s that are almost straight are h a v e trained, only t w o w e r e able to execute this element. Once in is true. The position of our head and neck can facilitate Do 5 pullups or chinups, then 10 situps. Keep Back Lever - straddle Again, going barefoot may be the way to go if youre trying knees on y o u r elbows will allow y o u r legs to h e l p y o u r shoulders bear the the right hemisphere, or the gestalt side, and the left possess the combined strength a n d flexibility of the back, h i p a n d and we will weaken our core. Everything together makes the WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM weight. With the future tuck planche, the majority of the stress will go Difficulty rating: Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great 37 We are simply trying to outsmart what we were designed to probably n e e d to build up to it gradually. At first, simply lift y o u r h i p s as h i g h Difficulty rating: athletes? There are several options for entering a straddle back lever. Probably the WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM In this position the a m o u n t of help that the knees can p r o v i d e is minimized as WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM spread, the easier the transition from the flat tuck front lever to the straddle WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM The Progressions We are simply trying to outsmart what we were designed to increases the muscular d e m a n d s of this m o v e m e n t . For beginners on the

you like. If you are really deconditioned, start out gradually. m i d d l e split hold, y o u m a y m o v e on to the straight leg version. hemispheres of your brain with the coordinated movement. opposite knee, you simply touch your opposite hand or or your inner sense of self and all your senses, is intimately gains from this m o v e m e n t . Focus on maintaining a flat back w i t h completely m u c h m o r e rapidly. knees tightly to the chest will m a k e this exercise easier. At first y o u m a y only Crosscrawls are nothing new. Youve probably even done rectus femoris (the muscle in the u p p e r m i d d l e of y o u r quadriceps). If the frog stand, lean forward taking all of y o u r w e i g h t on y o u r a r m s a n d shoulders forward d u r i n g the back lever variations will greatly aid y o u in maintaining The p r i m a r y difference on this variation is that the knees will n o w be straight. development in motor skills.18 Remember, all your muscles F r o m a n inverted h a n g , while keeping y o u r back r o u n d e d w i t h y o u r knees Once y o u can hold the Low Straight Leg L comfortably, it is time to progress When in life do we move the body without allowing the neck h i p s forward off the wrists. W h e n d o n e correctly, y o u r legs will lift off the flat. The p r i m a r y difference of this variation is that n o w the knees will be b e n t 3 reps at 90% ground.42 The leg muscles are indeed part of the core, and Idem. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM tied together in some way. You want to get a strong core? Difficulty rating: effective m e t h o d of b u i l d i n g m a n n a s . The best w a y that I h a v e found over the intensity on the shoulder girdle to be m o r e gradual. ago a n d I h a v e found that training straddle Ls several times a w e e k greatly receive regular vestibular stimulation show advanced The Progressions Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great because it gets the feet involved (more so if you are barefoot). It is i m p o r t a n t to emphasize keeping the a r m s completely straight d u r i n g the strength). I cranked o u t ten repetitions w i t h o u t ever h a v i n g d o n e the exercise y o u r legs out from y o u r chest. As w i t h the planche, the w i d e r your legs are quickly. d e v e l o p m e n t of a m a n n a simply because they w e r e too impatient to s p e n d the The neural connections in the brain are much like the There is a ton of great information out there when it comes to introductory s u p p o r t strength for this skill. The neural connections in the brain are much like the Day 2 how to do a few basic moves to help you get started. order to preserve balance. This of course causes the h i p flexors a n d rectus 90% of your developmental m a n n a time in. Most people will fail in the while at the same time leaning back w i t h y o u r shoulders. At this time it is fine strength necessary for the V-sit, w h i c h is essentially a leg lift on the h a n d s a n d least it has worked well for me. Just 5 minutes a day can DVD, The Secrets of Primitive Patterns. w i t h y o u r shoulders w i t h an approximately 45 degree angle b e t w e e n the a r m s back to your belly using your legs or arms independently, become fully connected and integrated, in every sense, these

BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY shoes, or minimalist shoes. They will allow your foot to perform the spiderman crawl for a continuous 3 minutes, like Dr. Leroy Perry, the first chiropractor ever to serve as an breathers, and we start using our accessory muscles to u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the actual m o v e m e n t itself. The c o m m o n belief is that a Vlife to its fullest, you need to be healthy. horizontal position. In all probability, at first, y o u will only be able to d r o p 29 Idem. n e w d e m a n d s being placed on t h e m over the course of a few weeks. do we reconcile these ideas? We examine the principles Patience a n d perseverance are p o t e n t tools. Progress on the planche is most A b o u t 75% of my senior athletes can perform a m a n n a ; w i t h several of those years of consistent practice will be required to develop the m a n n a . H o w e v e r , Your goal is to eventually be able to pull y o u r h i p s up to horizontal or level 7 from their position on y o u r chest. Balance is critical here. As y o u extend y o u r he L-sit, or half lever as it is sometimes called, is one of the m o s t basic WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM strength. The reverse is h o w e v e r not true. The first midline crossing movement we would like to skin, joints and muscles, your movement map will be clearer. To initiate the flat back, from the tuck back lever extend the h i p s back while elbows. N o w gradually lean forward taking y o u r weight b o t h u n t o your breathers, and we start using our accessory muscles to skin, joints and muscles, your movement map will be clearer. and we further lose our ability to be bulletproof! because it gets the feet involved (more so if you are barefoot). Difficulty rating: lifting the legs while also simultaneously lifting the hips. The tendency is to The 1/2 Planche will greatly intensify t h e stress on the lower back while in the 24 Idem. the top position of the m a n n a . Difficulty rating: Difficulty rating: and we will weaken our core. Everything together makes the triceps is not at all u n u s u a l . conditioned, increase your time and/or your level of activity. w i t h the calves in a vertical position w i t h the feet pointing at the ceiling. Door Publications, 1999), p. 79. is n o w in sight. As w i t h the other planche variations, while learning the why do we do it so well and so easily, so instinctively? we were designed. exert d u r i n g these exercises. Also, as w i t h the u p c o m i n g planche series, it is y o u r strength increases, y o u r legs will naturally rise higher. decide to take up climbing, this crawl can be a great way to strength development. The static exercises h e l p to build a m a z i n g strength T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING over the years h a v e h a d solid m a n n a s . Be sure to r e m e m b e r to keep h i p s shoulder h i g h a n d elbows tight a n d straight. 19 Back Lever

as you like. alone. Do not use y o u r knees on y o u r elbows for assistance. H o l d i n g the and with these movements. Do crosscrawls super slow position. There is a big debate in the training community y o u r legs pulled as w i d e apart as possible. legs farther behind, y o u will also h a v e to lean a little farther forward to N o w from the straddle sit on the floor, place y o u r h a n d s b e h i n d y o u r legs For a correct straddle L position, the legs should be parallel to the floor w i t h Do not lean back, nor should y o u allow y o u r h e a d to fall back. This is contest on the stall bars (These bars are directly anchored to the wall a n d do m a n n a is forward extension of the h i p s in front of the h a n d s ; or m o r e simply The Progressions quite s o m e time to reach this level of development. Simply continue w o r k i n g performance exercise kinesiology and founder of the CHEK what he knows. Tim has had several training articles As I said earlier, you have to put this information to the test. Difficulty rating: speed of the roll forward. Keeping the h e a d neutral (neither tucked d o w n power boosting reflex is called the positive support reaction. we were designed. T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING p r i m a r y difference b e t w e e n the tuck a n d flat tuck planche is the position of this static h o l d w i t h higher a n d higher legs, until y o u achieve nearly leg front lever a n d eventually the straight leg planche. In fact, in my opinion P r o g r a m Design section. a b d o m i n a l strength is very low, you m a y also begin on t w o chairs, as this will reducing the strain on the lower back, b u t also greatly lessening the strength are too far extended forward a n d n e e d to pull y o u r legs back a bit. D o n ' t excellent lower back strength a n d flexibility. be intense. Your goal is to eventually be able to pull y o u r hips up to right next to y o u r hips. W i t h the a r m s straight, once again strive to p u s h the ground.42 The leg muscles are indeed part of the core, and allows the chest to r e m a i n elevated, w h i c h is essential in eventually achieving shoulder girdle & elbow joint, w h i c h is exactly w h e r e it n e e d s to be in order to compensate. The w i d e r y o u r legs are, the easier the straddle planche will be. r e m a i n a secondary focus until an a d e q u a t e foundation of basic strength h a s the a p p r o p r i a t e h i p strength necessary to perform it on the floor. Manna WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Start w i t h a H M S M on the floor. Emphasize h i p s in front of the h a n d s . A designed to do. If all you want to do is just be a good parent, WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM time passion. Mike has pursued continuing education with uncomfortable for y o u r wrists, these progressions can also be performed on learn how to do them from an incline position or from your straddle L, the m o r e substantial will be the forward lean. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM W a y back w h e n , w h e n I w a s a b e g i n n i n g gymnast, my first coach h a d us do synthesizing new tissue and growing at an incredible rate. It is essential on this m o v e m e n t as w i t h all of the progressions in the m a n n a efficient.

easiest for beginners is from the flat tuck back lever simply extend the legs o u t Difficulty rating: of the knees a n d hips. Front Lever - half From Tim: still bent, so be diligent a n d keep t h e m straight. Straightening the angle of the knees, while continuing to m a i n t a i n the flat the position, striving to lift y o u r h i p s to shoulder high. With consistent mobility through movement (some very particular some crawl backwards, some dont crawl at all, though they works wonders for the client. We have witnessed rolling shoes, but I would suggest when you train, or play, you S t r a d d l e L - PB l o w Front Lever - straddle they could get into. It is very good for building shoulder girdle strength a n d do this correctly, your belly will push against the floor and they certainly would affect how forces travel from the ground Everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the held tightly into y o u r chest, a t t e m p t to lower y o u r hips b e h i n d y o u to a begin in a full squat a n d place your h a n d s next to y o u r toes. N o w , as in the provide stimulation to the developing vestibular system. This N o w lift off of the bars while your accessory muscles. Muscles require energy to contract. the floor as well as on the bars. W o r k h a r d a n d persevere in the p u r s u i t of correctly requires t r e m e n d o u s triceps a n d shoulder strength as well as n o t allow y o u to lean back at all or to pull d o w n w i t h y o u r lats - all p u r e core this by allowing y o u r legs to d r o p as l o w as necessary in order to succeed in allow y o u to start w i t h y o u feet m u c h lower a n d m a k e the exercise m o r e skills. This simplifies y o u r training a n d increasing the effectiveness of y o u r h a n d s a n d also u n t o y o u r knees b y leaning t h e m o n y o u r elbows. Using your is incorrect. It is essential on a t t e m p t i n g to rise up into position that the h i p s parallel to the floor. This variation requires vastly less flexibility t h a n b o t h h a n d s in the center a n d function or the joints to move. This distorts the proprioceptive Straddle L - partial roll exercises. H o w h a r d can it be to simply stay in one position? It m u s t be the will absolutely crush the core a n d lower back of the beginning gymnastics Once y o u feel comfortable w i t h the tuck planche, y o u can increase the a n d torso. This is however, a very difficult position for beginners a n d y o u will Difficulty rating: inner unit and an outer unit. However you view the core, it is For the front lever series m a k e sure to use a shoulder w i d t h o v e r h a n d grip elevated. While w o r k i n g the various planche variations, strive to h o l d the hips level Difficulty rating: a n d the only w a y to develop it is to progress t h r o u g h various straight-arm hemispheres of your brain with the coordinated movement. Once y o u h a v e m a s t e r e d the flat tuck planche position y o u are r e a d y to w o r k 5. Learn how to run sprints. frustrating for adults. There are some of you reading this right lever. also w o r k i n g on developing a solid h i g h m a n n a . Are they all exceptional

T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING 21 at the m a n n a . In my experience, the correct p r i m a r y focus for developing a the a t t e m p t at the 60-second L-sit crushed him. w i t h the shoulders. As w i t h the front lever, m a k e sure that the elbows are The following progressions m a y be performed on the Xtreme Rings, a single your accessory muscles. Muscles require energy to contract. The Progressions your sense of self, your reality, your balance, your posture, least it has worked well for me. Just 5 minutes a day can synthesizing new tissue and growing at an incredible rate. for support. Difficulty rating: As w i t h most of the preceding variations, the half front lever continues to be accessible. attempt. k e e p y o u r legs bent in this first variation of the straddle L. Unlike the regular 3 reps at 90% hips, will, over time, gradually increase the difficulty of this m o v e m e n t . and we further lose our ability to be bulletproof! years to build a m a n n a also h a p p e n s to be the simplest a n d most straight-arm strength is a completely different animal t h a n b e n t - a r m strength w i t h patience a n d a lot of sweat, m a n y of the people w h o follow my p r o g r a m For m a n y trainees there is significant j u m p in intensity w h e n progressing placed in front of y o u will h e l p to cushion any crash landings. Remember, your palms and feet are tied to your core tuck front lever. As w i t h the flat tuck planche, the m a i n difference here is the An extremely stable m a n n a is a m a n d a t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t for even attempting held up simply means crown of your head to the sky, and Bodies training will shift to the d e v e l o p m e n t of " p o w e r " utilizing gymnastic experience along the way. My destination is complete athletic As the leverage is m u c h less on this exercise a n d the difficulty is higher, y o u nerve signals, and movement patterns. A solid core is built by straightforward. It does h o w e v e r require great dedication; for m o s t people 1-2 so the eyes are in place to see the world. Heads up! The way (straight). integrated. H M S H is a very challenging position a n d will n e e d to be built up to gradually. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM continue m a k i n g progress t h r o u g h the planche progression. p r o g r a m s a r o u n d the country the m a n n a is a relatively rare skill a n d You can check Tim out at www.OPTfitness.net or email him It is composed of highly sensitive organs called the utricle, on the straddle planche. Finally! After m o n t h s of h a r d consistent w o r k the e n d also be u n d e r s t o o d that the vast majority of athletes fail in establishing an forward while simultaneously attempting to p u s h up into the straddle L w i t h before again continuing the d a y ' s w o r k o u t . a c c o m p a n y i n g lift of the hips. Constantly strive to p u s h the h i p s further a n d To adjust y o u r regular XR L-sit, p u s h the hips forward until they are next to The n o r m a l performance criteria that y o u developed on the PBs for y o u r L-sit function or the joints to move. This distorts the proprioceptive a n d feet stay level w i t h one another. U n d e r no circumstances allow the feet to

This master it on your hands and knees, and then in the Spider River Books, 2005), p. 131. of the US Jr. National Team Initially, do n o t be overly concerned about y o u r feet being below horizontal conditioning p r o g r a m . Press h a n d s t a n d s , pull-ups a n d d i p s are especially ymnastically speaking, static strength is the ability to h o l d or maintain the best. Adjust the intensity of this m o v e m e n t by increasing or decreasing the Performing midline crossing movements, also known as straight over head. Using your right leg, reach across your Back Lever - flat tuck Once y o u are able to press y o u r hips forward off your wrists in the bent leg As I said earlier, you have to put this information to the test. Difficulty rating: Straddle L - PB bent WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY so the eyes are in place to see the world. Heads up! The way that this is a n o t a ring planche a n d that w i t h the p r o p e r progressions a n d A d v a n c e d athletes m a y enter the straddle planche either from a straddle L or Our center is not a two dimensional X. It is three power boosting reflex is called the positive support reaction. Difficulty rating: crossing movements can actually cause the brain to make beginning w h e n necessary a n d should be discontinued as soon as possible. A are still straight a n d level a n d the a r m s are locked, h o w e v e r n o w the back is Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great d o w n w a r d to the g r o u n d ) . Bringing the legs together greatly increases t h e If something is important, you should do it everyday.34 WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM y o u are comfortable. Sit up straight a n d be sure to keep y o u r elbows locked h i p s back a n d u p . Your forward lean will increase as y o u r hips go higher. lowering from a h a n d s t a n d . just by learning how to use your own body. Constantly using your accessory muscles to breathe has a Free Time: Same as above Playing may surprise you. You may find that you start The Vestibular System Planche - straddle concentrate on the leg lift only and, w h i l e it is true that the legs do travel regular part of your life. eat junk all the time. You must take responsibility for what is true. The position of our head and neck can facilitate by themselves. We do h o w e v e r focus strongly on front levers. Allan is quite vestibular system is stimulated by neck movement, among BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC B O D Y the h i g h m a n n a . To proceed to the h i g h m a n n a from the m a n n a , focus on Difficulty rating: 2B) Dips: 5 sets of 1015 reps Balance is also a key to this exercise. As y o u first begin to learn h o w to lean d e v e l o p m e n t of gymnastic abilities a n d is explored t h o r o u g h l y in the m a n y b o d y w e i g h t skills; especially skills involving core a n d pull-up

G BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY a n d will greatly increase the time required to master this position. The back lever is also a necessary stepping-stone t o w a r d building the straight you like. If you are really deconditioned, start out gradually. here; lean forward strongly, k e e p the elbows locked w i t h the hips a n d back directly to the shoulder girdle. For m a n y non-gymnasts, the j u m p in intensity the knees greatly increases the strength d e m a n d s on y o u r hips. A c c o m m o d a t e become fully connected and integrated, in every sense, these either raise above or d r o p b e n e a t h t h e hips, they s h o u l d r e m a i n level in just by learning how to use your own body. key to becoming bulletproof. It is the key to life. The next levers to completely trash y o u r core. R e m e m b e r that y o u are s u p p o r t i n g the a regular increase the height of y o u r m a n n a , simply p u s h y o u r hips forward. Keep WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM think y o u will be extremely surprised at h o w m u c h h a r d e r such a small beginning, it is perfectly acceptable for y o u r feet to be far b e l o w horizontal. It is a grave error to allow the legs to rest on the arms d u r i n g this element. straddle planche, it is also beneficial to practice tuck planche p u s h - u p s at the efficient. of play and you should be on your way to becoming friend which is much more valuable to me than any physical go t h r o u g h the progressions patiently a n d thoroughly. extending the legs behind. Our center is not a two dimensional X. It is three As progressing to the tuck back lever substantially increased the intensity of y o u r h a n d s . This will result in y o u r h i p s gradually rising higher a n d higher. entire w e i g h t of y o u r legs a n d mid-section w i t h an extremely d i s a d v a n t a g e d h o w e v e r m o s t are simply persistent w i t h average talent and, m o s t p a l m s d o w n will b u i l d greater biceps strength in addition to allowing the life to its fullest, you need to be healthy. relieves the discomfort w i t h i n the joint. that Movement on all fours also helps to align the spine at Manna 44 girdle to be able to successfully perform it. O u t of the t h o u s a n d s of the back lever n e e d s to be established before a planche will be successful. As y o u continue leaning forward y o u will however, w o r t h the effort. The majority of the c h a m p i o n s I h a v e developed lever. gymnastics elements and, seemingly, the simplest of all a b d o m i n a l volume, Liquid Steel. fake crawling. It is deliberate. Your shoulders and hips have the h a n d s a n d wrists, especially while m a i n t a i n i n g straight legs. Therefore we now who cannot crawl well. Others of you may find that you strength will automatically equate to increases in relative strength as well. Reverse lunge 15 steps per leg, do 10 pushups, then found static strength training to be invaluable in building the ligament a n d Door Publications, 1999), p. 79. planche position c o m p a r e d to that of the straddle planche. It will still, T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING

favorite) a n d others w i t h the h a n d s completely flat. Just experiment a n d find shoes, or minimalist shoes. They will allow your foot to Technically this is not a p u r e static strength element, b u t rather an e m b e d d e d they certainly would affect how forces travel from the ground The m a i n difference b e t w e e n an a d v a n c e d frog stand a n d the tuck planche is eventually be able to r e m o v e y o u r feet completely from the floor a n d hold circles. You can even try them while eating green eggs and Though we have not found any solid sequence to performing A caveat is required here; training the s u p p o r t static strength positions can this out! lessen the intensity of these exercises a n d thereby dramatically lower the or your inner sense of self and all your senses, is intimately Like regular L-sits, straddle Ls are m u c h m o r e difficult w h e n performed on keep crawling around as adults! T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING pushups, then 1 broad jump. 25 pushups, then 1 broad straddle L, n o w a t t e m p t to lift y o u r h i p s to shoulder high by pressing y o u r Difficulty rating: current level of strength. Be sure to w o r k in a clear area, w h e r e y o u have r o o m to roll b a c k w a r d if great deal of stability within the h i p joint. to work together. With crawling, they are both working crazy and mix it up a bit if you like! Having said all of Everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the resulting in a b o d y position that is s k e w e d sideways. crossing movements can actually cause the brain to make the right hemisphere, or the gestalt side, and the left we are w o r k i n g w i t h b o d y w e i g h t progressions, all of our maximal a n d on the triceps a n d back of the shoulders; initially severe c r a m p i n g of the Remember, your palms and feet are tied to your core Once again the h i p s will struggle to close d u r i n g the extension, do not allow decrease the leverage of the m o v e m e n t , subsequently greatly increasing the stronger and you are now ready to explore more levels of the straddle L. Lower to the g r o u n d , switch h a n d s a n d repeat. 2A) Squats: You can check Tim out at www.OPTfitness.net or email him for n e w trainees. allowing for faster communication between the hemispheres necessary. N o w simply sit on the g r o u n d w i t h y o u r legs straddled (apart), the try to keep your eyes up. The crawling movement should be there are only a few w h o can do the m a n n a correctly. (sometimes far below!) w i t h this variation. You will find that straightening WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM account. It is t r u e that p a l m s up will place less stress on the biceps, b u t the Gymnastic Bodies volume, The D y n a m i c Physique. H o w e v e r , to ensure the s a m e time; one will build u p o n the other. Dan John, Never Let Go (Santa Cruz: On Target straight a n d level. 17 the prior to beginning to successfully train the tuck planche. Initially frog The shoulders should be slightly leaning forward. It m a y be performed either large returns in your coordination, among many other

marching backwards, try them super slow, try them while Manna - M S H bent would not want to do. Adjust, change, and tinker with them Gray Cook and Lee Burton, Secrets of Primitive Patterns, will h a v e e n o u g h height a n d clearance to, if y o u wish, w o r k this exercise on circles. You can even try them while eating green eggs and g r o u n d directly in front of y o u r feet. By directly, I m e a n right next to y o u r bringing your legs closer together. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM stated - p u s h i n g the hips forward in front of the h a n d s , not on lifting the legs. As time passes, y o u will achieve a straddled 1/2 V position a n d t h e n finally a y o u r static hold. As y o u r strength improves, gradually attempt to perform Straddle L - high Center yourself on a set of parallel bars (PB), parallets or p u s h u p bars. If y o u r allow us to be comfortable so we dont have to move. Things concept of this book. Whether or not you believe rolling low and your feet travel to the outsides of your arm. It is as if parallets, on p u s h u p bars or e v e n on a set of kettlebells. try to keep your eyes up. The crawling movement should be DVD, The Secrets of Primitive Patterns. While h o l d i n g y o u r h i p s shoulder high, time will be a major milestone in y o u r athletic development. When in life do we move the body without allowing the neck the bottle rolls off, you are not keeping a long spine. This is a 19 j u m p in intensity of load. Do n o t u n d e r any circumstances, allow yourself to try to extend y o u r h i p s back b e h i n d y o u until y o u r back is flat. o p e n hips. shoulder inner unit and an outer unit. However you view the core, it is CHAPTER FOUR regarding where your head should be while you are training Warmup by pressing reset. rings, it is often easiest to begin from a bent leg straddle L a n d then extend o u t For that reason, we will begin our quest for the m a n n a , w i t h the bent leg some crawl backwards, some dont crawl at all, though they Complete descriptions as well as progressions for developing all of the basic the knees are no longer allowed to p r o v i d e additional support. Once again the back. N o t e that in the tuck planche the back is curved, while in the flat decide to take up climbing, this crawl can be a great way to b e t w e e n the wrists a n d elbows. The legs should n o t be touching the arms. your head? the load on the back, the straddle back lever will once again be a q u a n t u m c o m m o n mistake by beginners is to squeeze one lat h a r d e r t h a n the other combination of a b d o m i n a l strength a n d active flexibility; w h i c h develops a held flat w i t h no h u n c h i n g or c u r v a t u r e allowed. Do n o t allow y o u r chest to system. In other words, we are not stimulating the brain, the horizontal legs. The h i g h straddle L is exceptionally difficult a n d very few athletes by getting on your hands and knees, keeping a long spine Make small adjustments from w o r k o u t to w o r k o u t trying to either increase the patience, this position is attainable by a reasonably fit, h a r d w o r k i n g athlete.

that Movement on all fours also helps to align the spine at Allan Bower in a Manna at 7yrs old both directions. If a client has a hard time rolling, we know support. Remember that unlike L seats, straddle Ls m u s t lean forward in Front Lever receive regular vestibular stimulation show advanced length of your static h o l d or the extension of your position. Do n o t try to h a n d outside of y o u r leg just in front of the hips. P u s h up a n d a t t e m p t to h o l d c r a m p s become too intense, stop the exercise for some stretching a n d massage Difficulty rating: Notice that this is the only static position in our planche progressions w i t h W y o u will unable to m a i n t a i n a flat back (straight body) position resulting in Straddle L - XR first thing we start doing when we start learning how to until you are able to perform 20 sets of 5 pushups and 10 sets WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM projects/project_ideas/MatlSci_p021.shtml requisite a m o u n t of time developing the H M S H . nor lifted u p ) will aid in m a i n t a i n i n g a flat back d u r i n g the straddle back we h a d t h o u g h t w a s physically possible. In fact, in most gymnastics 5. Learn how to run sprints. Difficulty rating: legs, continue to focus on pressing the hips forward; this is essential. Do n o t As y o u r strength improves, continue to press y o u r hips further in front of T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING why do we do it so well and so easily, so instinctively? WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM a n d to the side. M a k e sure to continue to lean forward strongly w h e n From Tim: Difficulty rating: D e p e n d i n g on y o u r individual strengths, yes it is quite c o m m o n for front straight. Bending the elbows greatly lessens the intensity of these exercises little and you will see what we mean. Planche - tuck first thing we start doing when we start learning how to forward strongly. Also strive to k e e p the t h u m b s t u r n e d out d u r i n g the BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY parallel position. That is fine, simply w o r k w i t h y o u r knees at the height that provide stimulation to the developing vestibular system. This very i m p o r t a n t to keep the elbows straight, as b e n d i n g the elbows will greatly m u c h harder. the legs together. In the final position, a half back lever will continue to key to becoming bulletproof. It is the key to life. The next ,, how to do a few basic moves to help you get started. nerve signals, and movement patterns. A solid core is built by allow us to be comfortable so we dont have to move. Things e m b e d d e d statics in y o u r training, they are discussed t h o r o u g h l y in the Free Time: Same as above great assistance to you. This practice h o w e v e r should only be u s e d in the If the m a n n a is a rare skill, the h i g h m a n n a is nearly non-existent. In fact, other

b u t w i t h the knees b e n t at 90 (in this position the feet will be p o i n t i n g to the t r e m e n d o u s instability of the rings, y o u will probably find it From Mike: 22 F r o m the half back lever begin to gradually extend a n d straighten the knees. For m o r e advanced athletes, the regular L - s i t m a y be m a d e m u c h m o r e h a n d s in-between your legs. With y o u r h a n d s comfortably spaced apart, lift variations. In b o t h instances of either core or s h o u l d e r / g i r d l e failure, the feet will sink Planche - half Planche and with these movements. Do crosscrawls super slow w i t h time a n d continued persistent training. w h i c h quite frankly cannot be d e v e l o p e d any other w a y . In appearance, the m a n n a resembles an inverted L- sit. To execute a m a n n a develops is transferable to a w i d e range of gymnastics skills. L-sit - PB tuck to allow y o u r back to curve as y o u learn a n d b u i l d strength in the m o v e m e n t . Constantly using your accessory muscles to breathe has a Since we were just discussing strength training, We thought River Books, 2005), p. 48. Front Lever - tuck F r o m the flat tuck front lever position, begin to carefully a n d slowly extend Playing may surprise you. You may find that you start nerves, your movement map will get fuzzy. Difficulty rating: held up simply means crown of your head to the sky, and movements. In an a d v a n c e d frog stand the knees continue to be braced on the arms; Do n o t try to lift your legs at the expense of pressing the h i p s forward; this How to CrossCrawl performance exercise kinesiology and founder of the CHEK from the straddle front lever to the front lever. The half front lever is an be quite taxing on the wrists; especially w i t h o u t an a d e q u a t e developmental The first midline crossing movement we would like to time passion. Mike has pursued continuing education with bulletproof. Who cares how silly they make you look! // Day 2 knee.23 They can be done sitting, standing, or lying down. excellent intermediate step. d y n a m i c strength exercises, as outlined in The D y n a m i c Physique. H o w e v e r the back lever. would not want to do. Adjust, change, and tinker with them forces cross through our center from left to right, right to left, As great as crawling is, we have found that some clients just the bad, then we can also retrain our breathing pattern for the Difficulty rating: little and you will see what we mean. Straddle Ls, as well as L sits, are also easily integrated in the training of other amenable to its inclusion behind them. Namely, eat when youre hungry and eat for

Difficulty rating: At first it m a y not be possible for y o u to lift y o u r legs up to a completely learn how to do them from an incline position or from your Though we have not found any solid sequence to performing no specific a b d o m i n a l exercises; only lots a n d lots of regular L-sits. A 60 While h a n g i n g in an o v e r h a n d grip (i.e. w i t h fingers p o i n t i n g a w a y from you), On lifting y o u will naturally w a n t to allow the feet to lift above the hips. This Quality w o r k on the various progressions is essential for being able to a reflexively strong center, your body will not be strong, and anatomy chart of muscles and notice how the muscles and y o u r h i p flexors, h o w e v e r the w i d e r a n d m o r e stable your legs are, the easier Feet, much like the hands, are full of nerve endings that send In the beginning, squeezing i n w a r d w i t h the a r m s into y o u r lats will also be of performance guidelines for the p r e v i o u s planche variations continue to apply concept of this book. Whether or not you believe rolling as w i d e as possible a n d t h e n striving to pull t h e m w i d e r still. C o n t i n u e to feel N o w that a basic foundation h a s b e e n laid, w o r k on the M a n n a itself can r e m o v e the legs from the floor a n d go directly to the planche. Difficulty rating: on the planche series exercises are completely optional. Some prefer fingers h o w e v e r the elbows h a v e progressed from a bent to a straight-arm position. Planche - frog stand help get a person connected. By pushing a Swiss ball until you are able to perform 20 sets of 5 pushups and 10 sets as you like. T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING crazy and mix it up a bit if you like! Having said all of Manna - high vertical straddled V. Do not give in to the t e m p t a t i o n to focus on lifting the athlete to transition into a n d out of the back lever from other positions m o r e the center of gravity. Using the e n d of the parallel bars, parallets or even t w o chairs sit w i t h y o u r static strength element. H o w e v e r it is not u n c o m m o n for a beginning trainee y o u r buttocks up a n d attempt to bring y o u r legs up in front of you. Be sure to As y o u will n o w be h o l d i n g y o u r legs horizontal a n d parallel to the floor y o u simultaneously lifting the shoulders a n d p u s h i n g b a c k w a r d w i t h the h a n d s . h a n d s directly b e h i n d y o u r glutes. before. Back Lever - half "flattening" will greatly increase the intensity of the tuck planche. In fact, I now who cannot crawl well. Others of you may find that you BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY will simply stop y o u r m o t i o n at a V-sit. As y o u continue p u s h i n g forward a n d Trueprotein.com) mixed in throughout the day. I like to mix will probably find that y o u cannot h o l d y o u r legs as h i g h as y o u did in the W h e n performing a straddle L on the rings always attempt to lift the legs letters in the alphabet. But, for now, and because it works two days a week with the bulk of their time and energy being While it will greatly reduce the intensity of this m o v e m e n t , it will also greatly held a 60-second L that night; despite our never w o r k i n g extended h o l d L-sits forward in this position, y o u will often probably overextend a n d fall forward. After the 'basic foundation is achieved, the p r i m a r y focus of o u r Gymnastic