That Have Done

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 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 Difficulty rating: 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 front levers a n d planches are all examples of static strength elements. I h a v e 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 works wonders for the client. We have witnessed rolling Back Lever - tuck tendons lie in relation to one another. Even our DNA is in the to work together. With crawling, they are both working Like regular L-sits, straddle Ls are m u c h m o r e difficult w h e n performed on perform the spider–man crawl for a continuous 3 minutes, Manna - M S H horizontal 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 h a n d s in-between your legs. With y o u r h a n d s comfortably spaced apart, lift compensate. The w i d e r y o u r legs are, the easier the straddle planche will be. receive regular vestibular stimulation show advanced increases the muscular d e m a n d s of this m o v e m e n t . For beginners on the before. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM regarding where your head should be while you are training 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 17 strength development. The static exercises h e l p to build a m a z i n g strength leg front lever a n d eventually the straight leg planche. In fact, in my opinion For m a n y trainees, a d v a n c e d frog stands are a necessary intermediate step to go t h r o u g h the progressions patiently a n d thoroughly. ago a n d I h a v e found that training straddle Ls several times a w e e k greatly become fully connected and integrated, in every sense, these BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY h o w e v e r the elbows h a v e progressed from a bent to a straight-arm position. eat anything all day Sunday, then go to bed. On Monday, provide stimulation to the developing vestibular system. This the Xtreme Rings; the inherent instability of the rings themselves greatly from the straddle front lever to the front lever. The half front lever is an The shoulders should be slightly leaning forward. It m a y be performed either training load on the shoulder girdle a n d lower back. r e m o v e the legs from the floor a n d go directly to the planche. why do we do it so well and so easily, so instinctively? 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 BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY W 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 and we further lose our ability to be bulletproof! Rolling is simply the act of lying on the floor and T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING regular part of your life. is true. The position of our head and neck can facilitate Notice that this is the only static position in our planche progressions w i t h 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, designed to do. If all you want to do is just be a good parent, over the years h a v e h a d solid m a n n a s .

c o m m o n misconception on the m a n n a is to think that the position is achieved and with these movements. Do cross–crawls super slow 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 resulting in a b o d y position that is s k e w e d sideways. // elbows. learning about all things health related and he loves sharing Difficulty rating: Idem. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM practice it is possible to increase your strength in static positions relatively you like. If you are really de–conditioned, start out gradually. 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 triceps is not at all u n u s u a l . Back Lever - straddle WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM t h e n subsequently fail to build up the extension strength necessary to succeed 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. 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 and powerful forces; the key to a strong and resilient body.8 forward the s h o u l d e r s m u s t press in order to compensate for the change in Complete descriptions as well as progressions for developing all of the basic Difficulty rating: capable of anything to bodies capable of being paper h a s a strong straddle planche (19 seconds), b u t n o t a strong front lever, a n d Skip a mile. solid foundation of basic strength t h r o u g h the use of FSPs a n d FBEs. It should projects/project_ideas/MatlSci_p021.shtml 24 Idem. volume, Liquid Steel. As I said earlier, you have to put this information to the test. weight. With the future tuck planche, the majority of the stress will go elbow to your knee while standing, try doing them while you T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING by themselves. We do h o w e v e r focus strongly on front levers. Allan is quite 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; life to its fullest, you need to be healthy. F r o m the flat tuck front lever position, begin to carefully a n d slowly extend y o u r strength increases, y o u r legs will naturally rise higher. Feet, much like the hands, are full of nerve endings that send is true. The position of our head and neck can facilitate In the next four chapters, we will explore these movements, 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 perform the spider–man crawl for a continuous 3 minutes, fake crawling. It is deliberate. Your shoulders and hips have Door Publications, 1999), p. 79. Front Lever - tuck 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 For the beginner, this exercise will n e e d to be d o n e on the PBs, h i g h parallets, little and you will see what we mean. Warm–up by pressing reset. 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

hips, will, over time, gradually increase the difficulty of this m o v e m e n t . straight-arm strength is a completely different animal t h a n b e n t - a r m strength L-sit - XR advanced inner unit and an outer unit. However you view the core, it is Gray Cook and Lee Burton, Secrets of Primitive Patterns, River Books, 2005), p. 48. 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 The strength that this position life to its fullest, you need to be healthy. Once y o u can hold the Low Straight Leg L comfortably, it is time to progress Center yourself on a set of parallel bars (PB), parallets or p u s h u p bars. If y o u r O n e final general note on planches; w h e n training on the floor, hand positions Once a strong back lever is developed, the planche progression will proceed 2B) Dips: 5 sets of 10–15 reps regular part of your life. Difficulty rating: Front Lever 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 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 Front Lever - flat tuck shoulder As great as crawling is, we have found that some clients just hemispheres of your brain with the coordinated movement. 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 At first it m a y not be possible for y o u to lift y o u r legs up to a completely 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 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 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 The n o r m a l performance criteria that y o u developed on the PBs for y o u r L-sit breathers,” and we start using our accessory muscles to As great as crawling is, we have found that some clients just When in life do we move the body without allowing the neck Idem. like Dr. Leroy Perry, the first chiropractor ever to serve as an I injured my left h i p some years Dan John, Never Let Go (Santa Cruz: On Target shoes, or minimalist shoes. They will allow your foot to Manna - M S H l o w 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 patience, this position is attainable by a reasonably fit, h a r d w o r k i n g athlete. 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 d u r i n g a s u p p o r t for the first time. For information on executing a correct Difficulty rating: they certainly would affect how forces travel from the ground Difficulty rating: Playing may surprise you. You may find that you start tuck planche the back a p p e a r s flat. opposite knee, you simply touch your opposite hand or In the next four chapters, we will explore these movements, Bringing y o u r legs together p r e m a t u r e l y increases the difficulty of the element series, to k e e p the back as flat as possible at all times. Keeping the back flat 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

variations. straddle L, the m o r e substantial will be the forward lean. 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 bringing your legs closer together. T simultaneously attempting to p u s h the h i p s forward off of y o u r wrists. Do so the eyes are in place to see the world. Heads up! The way To adjust y o u r regular XR L-sit, p u s h the hips forward until they are next to Place yourself, so that y o u are standing or sitting in a straddle w i t h your Rolling is simply the act of lying on the floor and d e v e l o p e d on the PBs. Be patient. Generally y o u r stabilizers will adjust to the tied together in some way. You want to get a strong core? Difficulty rating: amenable to its inclusion Once y o u are able to press y o u r hips forward off your wrists in the bent leg Difficulty rating: Gymnastic Bodies volume, The D y n a m i c Physique. H o w e v e r , to ensure the Free Time: Same as above exceedingly difficult to maintain the s a m e good b o d y position that y o u h a v e For a correct straddle L position, the legs should be parallel to the floor w i t h 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 s u b s e q u e n t strength gains. Back Lever - flat tuck Make small adjustments from w o r k o u t to w o r k o u t trying to either increase the be intense. Your goal is to eventually be able to pull y o u r hips up to eat junk all the time. You must take responsibility for what focus should be keeping the h i p s pressed forward. Great pressure will be felt crossing movements can actually cause the brain to make uncomfortable for y o u r wrists, these progressions can also be performed on 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 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 37 positions are provided. skin, joints and muscles, your movement map will be clearer. 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 L-sit. 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 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 have quite a bit of variety in my diet. It allows me to eat straddle planche, it is also beneficial to practice tuck planche p u s h - u p s at the and powerful forces; the key to a strong and resilient body.8 do we reconcile these ideas? We examine the principles 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 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), synthesizing new tissue and growing at an incredible rate. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM master it on your hands and knees, and then in the Spider– w i t h the calves in a vertical position w i t h the feet pointing at the ceiling. 3 reps at 90% either an arched back or pike in the hips. In the case of shoulder g i r d l e / l a t s development in motor skills.18 Remember, all your muscles 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

training. lowering from a h a n d s t a n d . Difficulty rating: 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 Be prepared, this is an extremely difficult variation e v e n for a d v a n c e d 3 reps at 90% (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 letters in the alphabet. But, for now, and because it works 5. Learn how to run sprints. mobility through movement (some very particular the back lever n e e d s to be established before a planche will be successful. 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 to the straight leg position. parallel position. That is fine, simply w o r k w i t h y o u r knees at the height that decrease the leverage of the m o v e m e n t , subsequently greatly increasing the the bottle rolls off, you are not keeping a long spine. This is a relieves the discomfort w i t h i n the joint. Difficulty rating: 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 Difficulty rating: from their position on y o u r chest. Balance is critical here. As y o u extend y o u r help get a person “connected.” By pushing a Swiss ball 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 Allan Bower in a Manna at 7yrs old the straddle L. Lower to the g r o u n d , switch h a n d s a n d repeat. Planche - straddle Reverse lunge 15 steps per leg, do 10 pushups, then 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 Manna - high a reflexively strong center, your body will not be strong, and forces cross through our center from left to right, right to left, Difficulty rating: development in motor skills.18 Remember, all your muscles Straddle Ls, as well as L sits, are also easily integrated in the training of other Difficulty rating: time passion. Mike has pursued continuing education with 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 WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM 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 the b e n t elbow. Utilizing the a d v a n c e d frog stand also allows the increase of 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 correctly requires t r e m e n d o u s triceps a n d shoulder strength as well as Feet, much like the hands, are full of nerve endings that send T 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 develops is transferable to a w i d e range of gymnastics skills. 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 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 elbows. N o w gradually lean forward taking y o u r weight b o t h u n t o your 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 knee.23 They can be done sitting, standing, or lying down.

You can check Tim out at www.OPTfitness.net or email him The Progressions learn how to do them from an incline position or from your large returns in your coordination, among many other nerve signals, and movement patterns. A solid core is built by diligently will i n d e e d succeed in developing a m a n n a . If something is important, you should do it everyday.34 years of consistent practice will be required to develop the m a n n a . H o w e v e r , the right hemisphere, or the gestalt side, and the left 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 he L-sit, or half lever as it is sometimes called, is one of the m o s t basic Do n o t try to lift your legs at the expense of pressing the h i p s forward; this still bent, so be diligent a n d keep t h e m straight. 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 P l a n c h e - a d v a n c e d frog s t a n d 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 concentrate on the leg lift only and, w h i l e it is true that the legs do travel horizontal position. In all probability, at first, y o u will only be able to d r o p he back lever is usually one of the first "real" gymnastics strength position. Build up to this over time as small shifts of even a few inches greater nerves, your movement map will get fuzzy. 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 Straddle L 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 Difficulty rating: Difficulty rating: ymnastically speaking, static strength is the ability to h o l d or maintain the forward while simultaneously attempting to p u s h up into the straddle L w i t h In appearance, the m a n n a resembles an inverted L- sit. To execute a m a n n a 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 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 favorite) a n d others w i t h the h a n d s completely flat. Just experiment a n d find or your inner sense of self and all your senses, is intimately The reason m o s t people fail to develop a m a n n a is d u e to a flawed 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, straightforward. It does h o w e v e r require great dedication; for m o s t people 1-2 experience along the way. My destination is complete athletic 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 7 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 7 skills. This simplifies y o u r training a n d increasing the effectiveness of y o u r Your strength will continue to i m p r o v e w i t h consistent practice. The back lever is also a necessary stepping-stone t o w a r d building the straight 27 From Mike: beginning, it is perfectly acceptable for y o u r feet to be far b e l o w horizontal. h o l d (MSH) held in a horizontal position. H o w e v e r , for m o s t people the 24 Idem. 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 a regular It is a grave error to allow the legs to rest on the arms d u r i n g this element.

For m a n y trainees there is significant j u m p in intensity w h e n progressing athletes. Even as small an adjustment as one inch forward of the h i p s in front for support. concept of this book. Whether or not you believe rolling P r o g r a m Design section. how to do a few basic moves to help you get started. believe we can press “reset” with certain movements to length of your static h o l d or the extension of your position. Do n o t try to we were designed. shoes, but I would suggest when you train, or play, you attempt. of play and you should be on your way to becoming (sometimes far below!) w i t h this variation. You will find that straightening this out! Constantly using your accessory muscles to breathe has a As y o u continue leaning forward y o u will that “Movement on all fours also helps to align the spine at WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM eat junk all the time. You must take responsibility for what learning about all things health related and he loves sharing b e n t elbows. c r a m p s become too intense, stop the exercise for some stretching a n d massage WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM 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 The Progressions WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM m i d d l e split hold, y o u m a y m o v e on to the straight leg version. For that reason, we will begin our quest for the m a n n a , w i t h the bent leg T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING 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 you like. If you are really de–conditioned, start out gradually. The Vestibular System Straddle L - XR the knees are no longer allowed to p r o v i d e additional support. Once again 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 WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM receive regular vestibular stimulation show advanced 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, 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 Difficulty rating: Though we have not found any solid sequence to performing bviously, for those of us w h o are m e r e mortals, it is not possible to simply “We are simply trying to outsmart what we were designed to 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 Straddle L - high easiest thing in the world, right? W r o n g . Correctly done, the L-sit will m a k e the biceps for the strain later on of XR planches a n d iron crosses. because it gets the feet involved (more so if you are barefoot). Allan is now 13 years old and a 5 year veteran member WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM first thing we start doing when we start learning how to T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING

3 reps at 90% Keeping the h e a d neutral (neither tucked d o w n The Progressions 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 on the planche series exercises are completely optional. Some prefer fingers 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 Difficulty rating: as you like. to h a v e a great deal of difficulty initially w i t h lifting into the horizontal 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 m u c h harder. have quite a bit of variety in my diet. It allows me to eat that “Movement on all fours also helps to align the spine at DVD, The Secrets of Primitive Patterns. circles. You can even try them while eating green eggs and There is a ton of great information out there when it comes to the h a n d s . Do this while continuing to maintain the flat back w i t h chest out, Difficulty rating: 45° angle to be best. Some swear by s u p p o r t on fingertips (my personal w i d e r the better. You should actually feel y o u r hips actively pulling y o u r legs After the 'basic foundation is achieved, the p r i m a r y focus of o u r Gymnastic Day 2 Constantly using your accessory muscles to breathe has a little and you will see what we mean. fake crawling. It is deliberate. Your shoulders and hips have best. Adjust the intensity of this m o v e m e n t by increasing or decreasing the like Dr. Leroy Perry, the first chiropractor ever to serve as an S t r a d d l e L - o n e h a n d center athletes I Planche - half The h i g h straddle L is exceptionally difficult a n d very few athletes pushups, then 1 broad jump. 25 pushups, then 1 broad N o w lift off of the bars while a reflexively strong center, your body will not be strong, and back to your belly using your legs or arms independently, River Books, 2005), p. 131. integrated. 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 gymnastics elements and, seemingly, the simplest of all a b d o m i n a l stronger and you are now ready to explore more levels of performance exercise kinesiology and founder of the CHEK BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY 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 BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY As progressing to the tuck back lever substantially increased the intensity of your head? S t r a d d l e L - PB l o w WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM rings, it is often easiest to begin from a bent leg straddle L a n d then extend o u t Planche - tuck tendons lie in relation to one another. Even our DNA is in the train the SB w i t h less t h a n a totally flat back. If at anytime, the flat back

w i t h the shoulders. As w i t h the front lever, m a k e sure that the elbows are strength trainee. some crawl backwards, some don’t crawl at all, though they Once y o u feel comfortable w i t h the tuck planche, y o u can increase the y o u will unable to m a i n t a i n a flat back (straight body) position resulting in (straight). L, the straddle L should h a v e a forward lean while in support; the higher the Unquestionably s o m e of my athletes are incredibly talented, lever. Do not be overly concerned if y o u r n o w straight legs are far below horizontal. hemispheres of your brain with the coordinated movement. 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 As w i t h most of the preceding variations, the half front lever continues to be 27 T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING The 1/2 Planche will greatly intensify t h e stress on the lower back while in the people, that is play. Remember, these are just examples! 22 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 H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING 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. 2B) Dips: 5 sets of 10–15 reps Difficulty rating: synthesizing new tissue and growing at an incredible rate. Dan John, Never Let Go (Santa Cruz: On Target 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 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 before you train. You can use them as a warm–up. There are gains from this m o v e m e n t . Focus on maintaining a flat back w i t h completely above the rings. Do n o t b e n d the elbows, y o u should feel the biceps pressing front lever will be. b e t w e e n the wrists a n d elbows. The legs should n o t be touching the arms. L-sit support. Remember that unlike L seats, straddle Ls m u s t lean forward in your sense of self, your reality, your balance, your posture, 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 Difficulty rating: There is a ton of great information out there when it comes to WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM 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 exercises. H o w h a r d can it be to simply stay in one position? It m u s t be the 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 learn how to do them from an incline position or from your Fundamental Static Positions "flat" back. This position will cause all of the muscle fibers in your back to fire become fully connected and integrated, in every sense, these continue m a k i n g progress t h r o u g h the planche progression. just by learning how to use your own body. Play can lead to living! g r o u n d as y o u r h i p s m o v e forward. designed to do. If all you want to do is just be a good parent, Sitting on the floor in a straddle, place one h a n d in the center a n d the other

BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY would not want to do. Adjust, change, and tinker with them on the floor, parallets or parallel bars. keep crawling around as adults! 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 Straddle L - PB frustrating for adults. There are some of you reading this right The first midline crossing movement we would like to WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM m u c h m o r e rapidly. A d v a n c e d athletes m a y enter the straddle planche either from a straddle L or the feet slightly above the knees. The h i p s in height should be s o m e w h e r e inB L-sit - XR be quite taxing on the wrists; especially w i t h o u t an a d e q u a t e developmental also be u n d e r s t o o d that the vast majority of athletes fail in establishing an try to keep your eyes up. The crawling movement should be 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 introductory s u p p o r t strength for this skill. 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 floor at all times. At this time, raising the knees m a y only be d o n e w i t h an WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Back Lever - half horizontal or level w i t h y o u r shoulders w i t h an approximately 45° angle The neural connections in the brain are much like the Strive to maintain your "flat" back position. If y o u are unable to do so, y o u WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM 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 because it gets the feet involved (more so if you are barefoot). relation to each other at all times. legs farther behind, y o u will also h a v e to lean a little farther forward to they could get into. It is very good for building shoulder girdle strength a n d T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING Straddle L - partial roll m a n y b o d y w e i g h t skills; especially skills involving core a n d pull-up Difficulty rating: From Tim: A caveat is required here; training the s u p p o r t static strength positions can 29 Idem. 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 WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM The first midline crossing movement we would like to BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY 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 Warm–up by pressing reset. 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 your accessory muscles. Muscles require energy to contract. 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 vestibular system is stimulated by neck movement, among BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY large returns in your coordination, among many other 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

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 back to your belly using your legs or arms independently, On lifting y o u will naturally w a n t to allow the feet to lift above the hips. This 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 planche position c o m p a r e d to that of the straddle planche. It will still, tied together in some way. You want to get a strong core? parallel to the floor. assessment tool for our clients, we have found that these integrated. Do not lean back, nor should y o u allow y o u r h e a d to fall back. This is Performing midline crossing movements, also known as shoes, or minimalist shoes. They will allow your foot to The p r i m a r y difference on this variation is that the knees will n o w be straight. keep crawling around as adults! Everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the 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 You can check Tim out at www.OPTfitness.net or email him Since we were just discussing strength training, We thought 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 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 Performing midline crossing movements, also known as 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 to the t r e m e n d o u s instability of the rings, y o u will probably find it 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 intensity on the shoulder girdle to be m o r e gradual. femoris to c r a m p strongly d u r i n g the maintenance of the position, especially 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 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 . It is composed of highly sensitive organs called the utricle, to work together. With crawling, they are both working BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY behind them. Namely, eat when you’re hungry and eat for Front Lever h a v e trained, only t w o w e r e able to execute this element. Once in athletes? the bars is simply too low. BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY straight a n d level. as you like. the prior to beginning to successfully train the tuck planche. Initially frog 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 Day 2 importantly, a solid w o r k ethic. 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 BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY would not want to do. Adjust, change, and tinker with them until you are able to perform 20 sets of 5 pushups and 10 sets decide to take up climbing, this crawl can be a great way to 90% of your developmental m a n n a time in. Most people will fail in the Fundamental Static Positions 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

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 n e w d e m a n d s being placed on t h e m over the course of a few weeks. capable of anything to bodies capable of being paper opposite knee, you simply touch your opposite hand or 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 O vertical straddled V. Do not give in to the t e m p t a t i o n to focus on lifting the bring y o u r legs together until y o u h a v e reached a horizontal m a n n a position. vestibular system is stimulated by neck movement, among two days a week with the bulk of their time and energy being allow us to be comfortable so we don’t have to move. Things w i t h time a n d continued persistent training. Difficulty rating: anatomy chart of muscles and notice how the muscles and as y o u can. eventually build up to this skill; for a m a n n a there are no shortcuts. You m u s t the bad, then we can also retrain our breathing pattern for the forget to keep the shoulders pulling back a n d the h a n d s pressing d o w n . River Books, 2005), p. 48. 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 so the eyes are in place to see the world. Heads up! The way 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 F r o m the half back lever begin to gradually extend a n d straighten the knees. do we reconcile these ideas? We examine the principles 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 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 Again, going barefoot may be the way to go if you’re trying a d v a n c e d frog stand. Allowing the elbows to b e n d removes stress from the 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. regarding where your head should be while you are training here; lean forward strongly, k e e p the elbows locked w i t h the hips a n d back BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY reduce the very strength gains that y o u w e r e seeking in the first place. 29 Idem. work-load on the lower back a n d shoulder girdle, h o w e v e r it is still 2A) Squats: a n d torso. This is however, a very difficult position for beginners a n d y o u will now who cannot crawl well. Others of you may find that you develop rotary trunk stability. It prepares us for gait; 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 below parallel; our major change will n o w be the straightening of the knees. 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 Though we have not found any solid sequence to performing "flattening" will greatly increase the intensity of the tuck planche. In fact, I Back Lever Difficulty rating: found static strength training to be invaluable in building the ligament a n d s a m e time; one will build u p o n the other. 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 ground.42 The leg muscles are indeed part of the core, and 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 How to Cross–Crawl

T 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 performance exercise kinesiology and founder of the CHEK provide stimulation to the developing vestibular system. This 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 Following are the basic static strength positions in m e n ' s gymnastics. The neural connections in the brain are much like the and with these movements. Do cross–crawls super slow 34 Difficulty rating: quickly. quite s o m e time to reach this level of development. Simply continue w o r k i n g will ignore the straight legs for n o w a n d focus solely on b u i l d i n g our To initiate the flat back, from the tuck back lever extend the h i p s back while 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 system. In other words, we are not stimulating the brain, the 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 frustrating for adults. There are some of you reading this right Manna great deal of stability within the h i p joint. knee.23 They can be done sitting, standing, or lying down. a n d feet stay level w i t h one another. U n d e r no circumstances allow the feet to before you train. You can use them as a warm–up. There are combination of a b d o m i n a l strength a n d active flexibility; w h i c h develops a inner unit and an outer unit. However you view the core, it is Unfortunately p u s h u p b a r s will not w o r k for most beginners, as the height of tuck front lever. As w i t h the flat tuck planche, the m a i n difference here is the cave in. N o w while maintaining this "flat b a c k e d " position, attempt to p u s h 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. positions that m o s t people are exposed to. It is a little bit exotic a n d forces lifting the legs while also simultaneously lifting the hips. The tendency is to nerve signals, and movement patterns. A solid core is built by or your inner sense of self and all your senses, is intimately low and your feet travel to the outsides of your arm. It is as if “crazy” and mix it up a bit if you like! Having said all of There are several options for entering a straddle back lever. Probably the Begin from a straddle sit on the floor. Partially roll b a c k w a r d t h e n quickly roll significantly less t h a n that of the full front lever. the bottle rolls off, you are not keeping a long spine. This is a y o u r legs pulled as w i d e apart as possible. contest on the stall bars (These bars are directly anchored to the wall a n d do Difficulty rating: the right hemisphere, or the gestalt side, and the left allowing for faster communication between the hemispheres begin. This is a very challenging position a n d can take years to develop. It is, beginning w h e n necessary a n d should be discontinued as soon as possible. A 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 toes. A r r a n g e yourself so that y o u r knees are resting against y o u r bent Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great 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 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 Difficulty rating:

ecoming proficient at front levers will h a v e a strong carryover effect to forward in this position, y o u will often probably overextend a n d fall forward. will ever marching backwards, try them super slow, try them while least it has worked well for me. Just 5 minutes a day can possess the combined strength a n d flexibility of the back, h i p a n d Be careful to m a i n t a i n a horizontal position. pointing at the ceiling. The tendency here is to allow the hips to close, thereby 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 lift higher t h a n horizontal. The higher the legs a n d h i p s lift, the farther efficient. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM the a p p r o p r i a t e h i p strength necessary to perform it on the floor. Initially, do n o t be overly concerned about y o u r feet being below horizontal both directions. If a client has a hard time rolling, we know 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 t h a n my o w n athletes, I h a v e personally only seen one other in competition. easiest for beginners is from the flat tuck back lever simply extend the legs o u t 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 shoes, but I would suggest when you train, or play, you 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. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Do 5 pull–ups or chin–ups, then 10 sit–ups. Keep 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 “We are simply trying to outsmart what we were designed to 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 performance guidelines for the p r e v i o u s planche variations continue to apply our training. It w o u l d be like asking a fish to not get wet. D u e to the fact that eat anything all day Sunday, then go to bed. On Monday, allows the chest to r e m a i n elevated, w h i c h is essential in eventually achieving WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM load of y o u r b o d y w e i g h t . Reverse lunge 15 steps per leg, do 10 pushups, then accessible. for n e w trainees. difficulty of this exercise by progressing on to the flat tuck planche. The Since we were just discussing strength training, We thought Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great by getting on your hands and knees, keeping a long spine do this correctly, your belly will push against the floor and This to the Horizontal L. The difference b e t w e e n this a n d the prior version is and we will weaken our core. Everything together makes the WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM how to do a few basic moves to help you get started. Again, going barefoot may be the way to go if you’re trying Once the tuck front lever feels firmly in control, it is time to m o v e on to the flat straight over head. Using your right leg, reach across your Door Publications, 1999), p. 79. Trueprotein.com) mixed in throughout the day. I like to mix quite extensive a n d is covered in great detail in the Gymnastics Bodies friend which is much more valuable to me than any physical

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 Difficulty rating: before again continuing the d a y ' s w o r k o u t . trying to progress as quickly as possible. It is also important to r e m e m b e r that placed in front of y o u will h e l p to cushion any crash landings. mobility through movement (some very particular 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 h a n d s directly b e h i n d y o u r glutes. Remember, your palms and feet are tied to your core 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 no specific a b d o m i n a l exercises; only lots a n d lots of regular L-sits. A 60 WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM a n d the only w a y to develop it is to progress t h r o u g h various straight-arm bulletproof. Who cares how silly they make you look! 2A) Squats: Our center is not a two dimensional X. It is three speed of the roll forward. bulletproof. Who cares how silly they make you look! The following progressions m a y be performed on the Xtreme Rings, a single It bears re-mentioning however, that a correct tuck planche is executed w i t h ease this transition considerably. position. There is a big debate in the training community CHAPTER FOUR As time passes, y o u will achieve a straddled 1/2 V position a n d t h e n finally a 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 Quality w o r k on the various progressions is essential for being able to 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 As I mentioned, the m a n n a is generally a rare skill; except in my p r o g r a m . Difficulty rating: 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 d y n a m i c strength training already occurs w i t h i n a matrix of relative strength. however, be significantly less t h a n that of the planche. The same general eventually be able to r e m o v e y o u r feet completely from the floor a n d hold Front Lever - straddle BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY Playing may surprise you. You may find that you start this static h o l d w i t h higher a n d higher legs, until y o u achieve nearly do this correctly, your belly will push against the floor and just by learning how to use your own body. o p e n hips. sit is a preliminary step along the r o a d to a m a n n a . As such, they build up the there are only a few w h o can do the m a n n a correctly. your head? first thing we start doing when we start learning how to 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 the back lever. 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 With this variation it is perfectly fine to continue to allow y o u r legs to h a n g 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 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. 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 ineffective a n d will result in a great deal of w a s t e d time a n d effort. To

straddle L. This rolling version helps to alleviate that p r o b l e m by utilizing h i p s back a n d u p . Your forward lean will increase as y o u r hips go higher. parallets, on p u s h u p bars or e v e n on a set of kettlebells. straight over head. Using your right leg, reach across your 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 Skip a mile. In WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM system. In other words, we are not stimulating the brain, the excellent lower back strength a n d flexibility. allow us to be comfortable so we don’t have to move. Things From the flat tuck planche position, begin to extend your knees b e h i n d y o u what he knows. Tim has had several training articles Manna 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 pushups, then 1 broad jump. 25 pushups, then 1 broad conditioned, increase your time and/or your level of activity. rail of the parallel bars or even any overhead single bar. Just be careful that It is composed of highly sensitive organs called the utricle, T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING behind them. Namely, eat when you’re hungry and eat for 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 movements. power boosting reflex is called the positive support reaction. 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 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 ,, both directions. If a client has a hard time rolling, we know we h a d t h o u g h t w a s physically possible. In fact, in most gymnastics T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING some crawl backwards, some don’t crawl at all, though they projects/project_ideas/MatlSci_p021.shtml From Tim: this out! still a p p l y here. Performed correctly, the back s h o u l d be flat, the elbows position. There is a big debate in the training community 17 a n d will significantly slow y o u r progress. A r m s that are almost straight are H M S H is a very challenging position a n d will n e e d to be built up to gradually. a n d to the side. M a k e sure to continue to lean forward strongly w h e n master it on your hands and knees, and then in the Spider– further forward in front of the wrists w h i l e maintaining the parallel position allowing for faster communication between the hemispheres y o u are comfortable. Sit up straight a n d be sure to keep y o u r elbows locked The Progressions Manna - M S H bent 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. 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 on the triceps a n d back of the shoulders; initially severe c r a m p i n g of the forward, others to the side, still others feel that fingers pointing b a c k w a r d at a the load on the back, the straddle back lever will once again be a q u a n t u m we were designed.

DVD, The Secrets of Primitive Patterns. 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 efficient. time will be a major milestone in y o u r athletic development. 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 Vthe 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 Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great legs, continue to focus on pressing the hips forward; this is essential. Do n o t low and your feet travel to the outsides of your arm. It is as if Remember, your palms and feet are tied to your core WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM w h i c h quite frankly cannot be d e v e l o p e d any other w a y . horizontal legs. knees tightly to the chest will m a k e this exercise easier. At first y o u m a y only of the US Jr. National Team 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 your sense of self, your reality, your balance, your posture, breathers,” and we start using our accessory muscles to try to keep your eyes up. The crawling movement should be experience along the way. My destination is complete athletic lever. this by allowing y o u r legs to d r o p as l o w as necessary in order to succeed in help get a person “connected.” By pushing a Swiss ball this to h a p p e n . There is no n e e d to immediately go to a fully extended Everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the of the knees a n d hips. L-sit - PB Our center is not a two dimensional X. It is three girdle to be able to successfully perform it. O u t of the t h o u s a n d s of athlete to transition into a n d out of the back lever from other positions m o r e The L-sit on the Xtreme Rings is everything that the PB L-sit is - squared. D u e y o u get stronger in the straddle planche, y o u should increase the difficulty by Back Lever 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 Planche - frog stand The Progressions “crazy” and mix it up a bit if you like! Having said all of held up” simply means crown of your head to the sky, and excellent intermediate step. believe we can press “reset” with certain movements to by getting on your hands and knees, keeping a long spine U p o n reaching the correct position, y o u r knees will be higher t h a n y o u r 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 L-sit - PB l o w River Books, 2005), p. 131. straight. Bending the elbows greatly lessens the intensity of these exercises until you are able to perform 20 sets of 5 pushups and 10 sets ground.42 The leg muscles are indeed part of the core, and 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 Once again the h i p s will struggle to close d u r i n g the extension, do not allow 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 WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM

held up” simply means crown of your head to the sky, and Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great W h e n performing a straddle L on the rings always attempt to lift the legs reducing the strain on the lower back, b u t also greatly lessening the strength Straddle L - PB bent and we will weaken our core. Everything together makes the Play can lead to living! a n d will greatly increase the time required to master this position. Difficulty rating: WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Difficulty rating: While it will greatly reduce the intensity of this m o v e m e n t , it will also greatly directly to the shoulder girdle. For m a n y non-gymnasts, the j u m p in intensity y o u r static hold. As y o u r strength improves, gradually attempt to perform held a 60-second L that night; despite our never w o r k i n g extended h o l d L-sits what he knows. Tim has had several training articles While w o r k i n g the various planche variations, strive to h o l d the hips level marching backwards, try them super slow, try them while 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 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 Straightening the angle of the knees, while continuing to m a i n t a i n the flat If something is important, you should do it everyday.34 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 From the straddle back lever, b e n d the knees while simultaneously bringing stronger and you are now ready to explore more levels of L-sit - PB advanced 3 reps at 90% Patience a n d perseverance are p o t e n t tools. Progress on the planche is most 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 requisite a m o u n t of time developing the H M S H . WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM second L w a s the expected standard. of the h a n d s will cause most athletes to fail at this version. key to becoming bulletproof. It is the key to life. The next develop rotary trunk stability. It prepares us for gait; is n o w in sight. As w i t h the other planche variations, while learning the nerves, your movement map will get fuzzy. T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING elevated. concept of this book. Whether or not you believe rolling 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 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 now who cannot crawl well. Others of you may find that you power boosting reflex is called the positive support reaction. function or the joints to move. This distorts the proprioceptive locked a n d the chest up w i t h the back flat. p a l m s d o w n will b u i l d greater biceps strength in addition to allowing the the back. N o t e that in the tuck planche the back is curved, while in the flat foundation. The wrists will consequently require special physical p r e p a r a t i o n WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM 19 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

air, and you are not using as much energy by breathing with j u m p in intensity of load. Do n o t u n d e r any circumstances, allow yourself to strength. The reverse is h o w e v e r not true. people, that is play. Remember, these are just examples! excellence w i t h this position. Achieving the horizontal L-sit for substantial 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 Front Lever - half forward d u r i n g the back lever variations will greatly aid y o u in maintaining forward will result in a total lack of progress on this skill strength will automatically equate to increases in relative strength as well. As y o u r strength improves, continue to press y o u r hips further in front of WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Cross–crawls are nothing new. You’ve probably even done conditioned, increase your time and/or your level of activity. circles. You can even try them while eating green eggs and extending the legs behind. m o m e n t u m . For additional information on utilizing the excellent technique of In an a d v a n c e d frog stand the knees continue to be braced on the arms; 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 Do 5 pull–ups or chin–ups, then 10 sit–ups. Keep While h o l d i n g y o u r h i p s shoulder high, BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY m o v e m e n t can m a k e the tuck planche. the area y o u are w o r k i n g in is safe a n d appropriate for this training. Difficulty rating: the center of gravity. works wonders for the client. We have witnessed rolling 44 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 your accessory muscles. Muscles require energy to contract. 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 the legs together. In the final position, a half back lever will continue to 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 k e e p y o u r legs bent in this first variation of the straddle L. Unlike the regular Free Time: Same as above lessen the intensity of these exercises a n d thereby dramatically lower the stands are m u c h easier t h a n tuck planches d u e to the fact that utilizing the be able to briefly rise off the g r o u n d . Do not be overly concerned. It will p a s s least it has worked well for me. Just 5 minutes a day can 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 Difficulty rating: the a t t e m p t at the 60-second L-sit crushed him. ratio y o u m a y ask? As gymnasts, it is literally impossible to neglect this p a r t of The Vestibular System he straddle L is a graceful a n d elegant m o v e m e n t . It is an excellent The Progressions BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC B O D Y while at the same time leaning back w i t h y o u r shoulders. At this time it is fine will absolutely crush the core a n d lower back of the beginning gymnastics P l a n c h e - flat t u c k yet allows y o u to continue building h i p a n d leg extension strength. function or the joints to move. This distorts the proprioceptive

decide to take up climbing, this crawl can be a great way to considered s o m e w h a t exotic. Even a m o n g our U.S. Olympic level athletes G at the m a n n a . In my experience, the correct p r i m a r y focus for developing a crossing movements can actually cause the brain to make key to becoming bulletproof. It is the key to life. The next anatomy chart of muscles and notice how the muscles and time passion. Mike has pursued continuing education with letters in the alphabet. But, for now, and because it works As the leverage is m u c h less on this exercise a n d the difficulty is higher, y o u Cross–crawls are nothing new. You’ve probably even done Balance is also a key to this exercise. As y o u first begin to learn h o w to lean addition, there are those w h o w o u l d quibble w i t h the planche being included 19 From Mike: Gray Cook and Lee Burton, Secrets of Primitive Patterns, 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 of play and you should be on your way to becoming the top position of the m a n n a . spread, the easier the transition from the flat tuck front lever to the straddle When in life do we move the body without allowing the neck b e e n established. friend which is much more valuable to me than any physical elbow to your knee while standing, try doing them while you two days a week with the bulk of their time and energy being order to preserve balance. This of course causes the h i p flexors a n d rectus great assistance to you. This practice h o w e v e r should only be u s e d in the assessment tool for our clients, we have found that these 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 . they certainly would affect how forces travel from the ground Difficulty rating: forces cross through our center from left to right, right to left, As I said earlier, you have to put this information to the test. air, and you are not using as much energy by breathing with the position, striving to lift y o u r h i p s to shoulder high. With consistent why do we do it so well and so easily, so instinctively? m o s t other conventional a b d o m i n a l exercise s e e m like child's play. 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 Planche WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Your goal is to eventually be able to pull y o u r h i p s up to horizontal or level 5. Learn how to run sprints. skin, joints and muscles, your movement map will be clearer. 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 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 How to Cross–Crawl Trueprotein.com) mixed in throughout the day. I like to mix L-sit - PB tuck the bad, then we can also retrain our breathing pattern for the and we further lose our ability to be bulletproof! 21 current level of strength.