From Bodybuilding to Gymnastic

[UnpreVitt]

I want to transition from bodybuilding to gymnastics both for aestethics and functional reason.

Problem is at the moment i'm heavy(200lb at 5.11) and extremely stiff.

As far as bodyweigth goes  can do 12 pull/chin ups, dips and 20s hanging l sits other stats are of limited use i believe.

This is because of my weight and because on joint problems if i try to do more advanced stuff.

 

As i understand it the problem is that my strength is limited to the big superficial muscles while all the stabilizers and tendons/joints are weak.

 

Beacause of the way that gymnastic use the weigth of the body to train muscles (and more than muscles tendons  and joints) i'm planning to lose a lot of mass(permanently) and meanwhile focus on strengthning the stabilizers using dynamic exercises with free weigths.

 

I'd like to know some specific exercises that i can use to build a "transition" program in these months of diet.

It would also be nice to get some ideas on how to organize these exercises so that they would better mimic a "typical" gymnastic traning.

 

 

 

 

[Alexander Svensson]

I'm not sure I understand, you say you want to switch over to gymnastics but you wanna do weight training that mimics bodyweight training? Why not just jump over to gymnastics directly?

[FREDERIC DUPONT]

You will want to take a look at "Foundation 1" to make the transition to gymnastics; this program seems to have been designed with you in mind

[UnpreVitt]

I'm not sure I understand, you say you want to switch over to gymnastics but you wanna do weight training that mimics bodyweight training? Why not just jump over to gymnastics directly?

Beacause i'm heavy and gymnastic is too taxing on the joints and tissues.

Trying to do a german hang with 200lbs pulling on the shoulder cannot be healthy.

 

 

You will want to take a look at "Foundation 1" to make the transition to gymnastics; this program seems to have been designed with you in mind

Great.

[Joshua Slocum]

Yup, Foundation is exactly what you're looking for. It comes with paired strength and mobility exercises, with progressions starting at very easy and going up to very hard. You start at the easiest, and once you've mastered the strength/mobility pair, you move on to the next. 

 

 

Also, 200# is not unreasonably heavy. Some guys on this forum are well over 220lbs. You're quite right to ease into GST rather than jump right in, but your weight shouldn't be too big of a handicap in the long run. 

[UnpreVitt]

I bought foundation and i have to say is one of the best if not the best fitness/conditioning books i've ever seen; much better than building the gymnastic bodies.

It doesnt in any way answer the questions i asked in this thread but in a way makes them pointless.

The progression and layout are perfect, every question and possible error that popped in my mind after reading a paragraph was corrected in the next.

That is the value and the quality of the book: it is clearly made for people like me(beginners but advanced in other fields) and by listening to people like me, its not just techniques and plans, its mainly correcting the mindset.

 

I'm not sold on the fact that i'm ready to even begin with the progression.

I can bench 350 and dealift 500 but i cant even do most of the beginner movements right; they hurts everywhere and its extremely frustrating.

I feel that there's no way to convert bodybuilding/powerlifting strength and mass to gymnastic mass,i'm better off to get really lean and cut and then begin the progression like i never was in a gym.

 

Thanks for pointing me to the book anyway.

[FREDERIC DUPONT]

(...) I feel that there's no way to convert bodybuilding/powerlifting strength and mass to gymnastic mass,i'm better off to get really lean and cut and then begin the progression like i never was in a gym. (...)

 

I don't know about converting your strength to gymnastics strength, you'll need others more qualified to chime in; however, I am sort of puzzled by your reluctance to start right away... Unless you are injured, I see no reason no to, even if you feel like you need to ease into it at first and maybe take it slower than the proposed progressions?

[Mark Collins]

I am 210 lbs and 6"2. I have be been doing F1 and H1 since they were released. You will not look back when you get this program.

[UnpreVitt]

I don't know about converting your strength to gymnastics strength, you'll need others more qualified to chime in; however, I am sort of puzzled by your reluctance to start right away... Unless you are injured, I see no reason no to, even if you feel like you need to ease into it at first and maybe take it slower than the proposed progressions?

Part of the reluctance is based on the fact that i actually like training in the gym,the whole experience.

I see the superiority of gymnastic but change takes effort, i want to think about it more, losing weight while i do that is better; i'm also looking around my area if i find some place where i would be able to get acces to equipment and other people.

 

 

I am 210 lbs and 6"2. I have be been doing F1 and H1 since they were released. You will not look back when you get this program

ok, maybe taking it slow its possible then, the program is conservative enough.

i'll still wait though

[Quick Start Test Smith]

It's fine to wait if you want. Once you get a taste of what you can achieve through rigorous Foundation practice you will wish you started sooner, though!

[Connor Davies]

It's fine to wait if you want. Once you get a taste of what you can achieve through rigorous Foundation practice you will wish you started sooner, though!

Yeah, seriously.  I pretty much look back on all my training before F1 as a waste of time...

 

 

I feel that there's no way to convert bodybuilding/powerlifting strength and mass to gymnastic mass,i'm better off to get really lean and cut and then begin the progression like i never was in a gym.

Not really.  You'll still keep all your old strength while you transition, you'll just have to build new strength in ways that you haven't previously.  Strength doesn't just go away, and for example a 500lb deadlift should make arch body holds a piece of cake.

 

You might have to start at the beginning, like everyone else, but you should still see rapid progress if you're already really strong.  It might take a little time at first as you get used to moving your weight around, but I see no reason to delay while you focus on cutting.  If anything, doing the previous progressions with a higher mass while losing weight at the same time should only make things seems easier as you get mastery and move onto harder elements.

 

 

I'm not sold on the fact that i'm ready to even begin with the progression.

I can bench 350 and dealift 500 but i cant even do most of the beginner movements right; they hurts everywhere and its extremely frustrating.

All this means is that you have not prepared your body adequately.  Barbells/dumbbells can be used effectively to build a healthy body, but most people don't practice the right exercises, with the right focus.  I doubt you've ever included pullovers or windmills in your routine, but they are great for mobility purposes.

 

Look, you've already bought the program, which is designed exactly with someone like you in mind.  You know for a fact it's going to shore up your weaknesses, build mobility and fix just about everything that's wrong with your body.  All you need to do is check your ego at the door and start training.

 

It's the long road, for sure, but in a few years when you're busting out planches and human flags and all your old gym buddies are complaining about various injuries, you'll realise you made the right choice.

[Federico Comoglio]

Take my words with a grain of salt, but I am pretty much sure you can start right now. Maybe take 1 full week off, not for your muscles or tendons, rather for your mind. You'll then be able then to jump straight into this new experience. I expect your DL to decrease a bit over time, simply due to the lack of specific training. Btw, 500 is not much at your BW so this means you were not really advanced with it. This might also mean that after some years of GST, you could still (if you wish) go back and probably after some time you'll be able to destroy previous solid PRs. 

 

At least this is my feeling.

[Connor Davies]

....Btw, 500 is not much....

500 is pretty good for a deadlift.  Not necessarily world class, but most people don't make it that far.

 

 

I can bench 350 and deadlift 500....

So unless your squat was like, a fifth of your deadlift that puts you in the 1000 club.  Kudos.  That's quite a milestone.

[Federico Comoglio]

Get me right. I did not come here and wrote that with the intention of saying it is not good. Objectively, he's 210lbs and 500 DL is not much for that BW. My PR raw has been 500 at 170, and I was a completely average athlete.

 

If he would have said 650 or so, then my opinion would have been certainly different. That said, my message was a different one. With 500 at 210, it means he has quite some room for improvement and perhaps a physiological, modest reduction of his max RM due to absence of specific work, e.g. while doing GST, does not imply a tremendous carryover once he will step back to this lift, in case.

 

Hope this sounds better.