Skip to main content

Gymnastic Bodies

Inspired by Asclepius I've bought a copy of Chris Sommer's book Building the Gymnastic Body.

I might put a proper review up soon, but I am really enjoying the book. you can tell he publishes it himself in that it is not the best quality printing or binding, but it is good enough. His contention is that gymnastic training is actually the most effective means of building strength and he provides a series of progressions to get you to be effective at a range of gymnastic moves.

What I really want to achieve is a planche....just because they look so cool. I'm currently using the progression in the article here. It will take a while but I am progressing.

There are some amazing articles on YouTube from Sommer. For all you jump fans,check out this one:

Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'm waiting for my copy. Hoping it will arrive this week. It's great to hear that you are enjoying it!

I've been working on the planche for a while. It's a long trek, but I think I'm almost there. We'll have to compare notes.

Cheers,
Adam
January 25, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Anonymous said…
Wow! Those jumps were pretty impressive.
January 25, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Anonymous said…
Been trying to order a copy but having problems with their website. I'm also working on the planche, to some extend inspired and encouraged by by Ascepius. Also getting into the front lever - not as a static movement but as something to slowly go into from a dead hang and slowly unfurl from - three of those and your abs have worked harder than any set of crunches!
January 25, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dry January

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was taking part in "Dry January".  I didn't make a big song and dance about it, but I decided to go for a calendar month or so with no alcohol.  A few people have asked me about my experience, so here are a few points. Why take a break from drinking? Alcohol is an interesting topic.  As a drug it is widely accepted in society, central to so much of our socialising and leisure.  There seem to be lots of health benefits - so we are told - yet there are also a lot of problems in terms of health, relationships and lifestyle that come from drinking. Over a few years I'd begun to become aware and then concerned that I was drinking too much and too regularly.  I am in a busy and stressful job and sometimes a glass of wine after work to relax is really helpful.  But over time, one glass became two.  Two glasses became ....I might as well finish the bottle.  A habit got established....and was starting to get too e...
7 comments
Read more

So where have I been?

You will have noticed that this blog has been quiet for a while....  There are a few reasons for that, reasons that I thought I'd list here: WORK -  my day job has been incredibly busy and stressful this year. Working 10-14 hour days the last thing on my mind when I got home was putting something on here.  FACEBOOK/TWITTER - I suppose I've been using other channels to do some of what I used to do here. Quick fire posts pointing to interesting studies or news etc tend to get posted to Twitter (@chrishighcock) or to the Facebook Hillfit group http://www.facebook.com/groups/263083947097000/  REASSESSMENT - I've found myself less comfortable with some of the positions I've taken in the past. Sometimes I'm embarrassed by some of the things I've promoted. I'm not Paleo or low carb. I think Tabata and intervals are misunderstood and misapplied. I cannot really claim to be HIT.   I find myselfunable  honestly to post things on here and pretend that I am some sort o...
12 comments
Read more

Taking up space for a brief update

I've a couple of posts in draft that I will get up soon -  an update / reflection on Dry January and some thoughts on the scheduling benefits of short workouts if your life is busy.  Before that though, I am pointing to something else. However, I wanted to highlight something that is coming this weekend that I've been involved in.   Amber Rogers (Gokaleo and author of Taking Up Space ) has been pulling together a bundle of books from various authors with a common theme, one that I've been pushing here recently.   Keep it simple, avoid the hype, be patient, be consistent and flee the gurus.   I've talked before about how we get obsessed with pushing for more and more, when enough is OK.  I've given my view that so much of the health and fitness internet world is more like a gnostic religion than something that will benefit your life. There are other voices out there saying similar things and I'll be pointing to a bundle of books later this week ...
1 comment
Read more