Beginner's questions about Foundation One

[Airline Pilot]

Hello GB community,

 

I'm starting this topic because I want to ask you a few questions. First of all, I want to say that in the last six months I've made an incredible weight loss. I lost 30 lbs (I went from over 200 lbs to 168 lbs) in the last six months by doing cardio. From around 15.7 till last week, I did some bodyweight (4 x 20 push-ups, squats - I added them around August; I didn't do them first two weeks, crunches, cobras and supermans). I was also running for 45 minutes with that bw training.

 

So, I want to ask you, would Foundation One benefit me? Here are some pictures taken two weeks ago, but you need to know that before I took them I didn't do bw for 3 days, just ran for 45 minutes the night before.

 

I was planning on starting it next Monday (16.9) and doing it for 3 months, till 16.12. I would do it 4 times a week, and right after it I would go running for 30 mins. So, 3 days rest, 4 days work (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri). I have a friend that's been doing F1 for a lot and he advises me to do it like that, but that I don't have to do HIIT running, that I just lightly run for that 30 mins.

 

I am also going to change my eating habits, eat whole grains (black bread), not eat sweets (but fruit) and drinking only water and a glass or two of milk (and one cup of green tea when I remember to drink it).

 

And one more thing : I have a pull-up bar, 5 kg dumbells and a bar made for push-ups/situps/dips (like this one : http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-EpLeF2W5fc/STwFcm1F0OI/AAAAAAAAADM/ZzMesPg-R1E/s400/Iron+Gym+Pull+Up+Bar.jpg). Since I have robust pull-up bar mounted in my doors, I just keep this one on the floor for things like push-ups and dips.

 

So, I am trying to get in the best shape possible, health is my goal, since I want to become airline pilot. But, just to ask, could I get ripped in that 3 month period (Tyler Durden style), if I apply my regimen of workout and healthy eating?

 

Here are the pics taken 2 weeks ago (before they were taken, I didn't exercise for 3 days, just ran the night before for 45 mins) :

 

http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/user18188/media/7_zps1ee5dee3.jpg.html http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/user18188/media/8_zpsaff59956.jpg.html http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/user18188/media/9_zps99edbfd9.jpg.html http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/user18188/media/10_zps369d337c.jpg.html http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/user18188/media/11_zpsa983bd79.jpg.html

 

So, what do you advise?

 

If you need any more information, just ask.

[Connor Davies]

If you want to do F1, you're going to have to stick at if for more than 3 months.

 

That being said, you can make a fair amount of progress in 3 months.  You'll need to get some rings.

[Joshua Slocum]

Follow the diet and workout plan you've laid out, and you will certainly see great improvements in muscle tone, definition and bulk. 

[Marios Roussos]

I agree with bipocini. It'll take you a lot longer than 3 months to get the body type you're after. I would think a minimum of 1 year, but more likely 2 years to get close to what you're after. Always be suspect of any program that promises faster results.

 

I'm not saying this to discourage you from starting Foundation, but if you have unrealistic expectations, you're likely to become frustrated and quit before you get any meaningful results. In my experience, those who end-up succeeding are those that enter with a mindset that working out, eating healthy, and being active will always be a part of their life. These are the people that continue long enough to reap the rewards of a healthy lifestyle.

[Airline Pilot]

OK, I'm gonna stick with my eating regimen and my workout regimen, but I don't have rings. Can I exercise the first three months with just this equipment that I have and after that I buy myself rings?

 

My friend told me that whenever a RC element comes in, I do negative pull-up (since I can't do real ones yet). So, what do you think about it?

 

Btw., I'm probably gonna stick with it from more than 3 months, but I just wanted to know what results can I expect from 3 months of work. So, can I do F1 with equipment listed in my 1st post and can I do all these exercises with just that equipment?

 

Also, I just got the hint about how the book is organised... So, just to see if I got this right, I have 7 elements. I have to gradually proceed, so, if I'm starting, I must do PE1, and when I master it go with PE2 and so on. So, let's say I start the next monday and I follow the 4 day training/12 week cycle example... So, can I follow 4 day training example for this three months (explictly as is), or do I test myself if after two weeks I can master PE1, and if I can, I go to PE2? I know that I need to do integrated mobility after each exercise, and then I go right on to the next one.

[Riku Calderón]

Rings are wery affordable. But you can supstitute with towels or something.

In 3 months you can expect to be in better shape that you have ever been.

And every mont forward also

[Jon Douglas]

Yes, you can get by without rings for F1, with a little bit of creativity. They are hard to substitute for in F2 however, you'll need them in the second course

[Connor Davies]

A towel will work just fine at first, although it will be harder on your grip.

 

You need to test mastery for each element and its embedded IM, then you pick the appropriate week to start from.  You do this for each element once you pass mastery for the previous element.

[Mladen Ruzic]

So you're also from Croatia (by the titles in the photos)?

If your goal is just to look atletic (six pack and stuff) then you can get much faster results following some other program. That being said, I have been training in gym for a few months before F1. I just finished second week in F1 and it is awesome. But I'm after mobility, flexibility and strength (that order) and I dont think anything comes close to this program. It takes longer but the results that I expect are worth it.

 

ps. I do tabata 2x/week after F1, it only takes you ~5min and it is very effective!

[Airline Pilot]

I'm gonna stick with this, not go to the gym (because I don't want to waste a lot of money on it, and I would waste minimum of 30 mins to get there and back home, not to mention the talking with people I know etc - and i prefer bodyweight, since I can't what I gain is natural - to explain, people who lift weights can get unnatural muscle). I don't want to follow a program like Insanity (which I did for 3 weeks, but in one week I ran 1500m - I ran 6:49 btw. - I don't know if it's good for 16 year old (at the time I didn't do any bodyweight, just running - first month of running for 30 mins, and other two and a half for 45 - I added bodyweight in the middle of July, but I was running this in the middle of June), and did Insanity the same day for 45 mins, and after that I got hoarse and quit exercising for a month). But, I also read some articles about programs like Insanity and P90X, and I think it's really bad for your joints, because of all the jumping and stuff.

 

I'm not looking for fast results in a month, I'm just wondering what can I expect for 3 months, and by the answers, I think I can expect awesome results. Since I want to be an airline pilot, I have to implement a healthy lifestyle. I think this program goes very easy on the joints. And I will take some long towels and tie them to my pull-up bar and do workouts.

 

So, if I have the towels, am I all set up? I'll have pull-up bar, two towels, push-up/situp/dips bar located on the floor and 5 kg dumbells.

 

I lost more than 30 pounds (15,7 kg) in a half year period, and I think I can be proud of it. I want to improve my overall health by doing strength training and cardio at the same time, so my body gets stronger, I get in better shape. For now, I think this program is my best shot at achieving what I have in mind (regarding the looks I want and the shape i want).

 

And yes, I'm from Croatia.

[Cole Dano]

Rather than towels, a couple of long straps or belts might work better from a pull up bar, but you should be good to go. Once you get into the course, you get access to the Foundation One forum, where we will help you solve any potential issues in detail. 

 

F1 is not only good for the joints but the mobility drills included will help make them healthier and stronger. Also the program is very self-paced, so in general it won't beat you up.

[Mikkel Ravn]

Hi, congratulations on your success so far, very well done!

I think you'll be very happy with F1, just have an open mind to the fact that getting to the goals of the foundation series takes quite a long time, and that this is completely ok. You're 16, you could be doing some pretty awesome stuff by the time you're 20!

[Airline Pilot]

OK, I'm goona start working on it next Monday.

 

I don't think I've damaged my joints very much with 3 weeks of Insanity (or at all), but I think I am self-disciplined and patient and I can follow this program. This 3 months will be like a trial, but I am sure that I will like it and stick to it far more.

 

Since I want to be an airline pilot, I don't need to have some excellent body, but I'm doing this to improve my overall health.

 

Thank you guys for your support, I will get 2 straps or belts, hang it onto my pull-up bar and I'm all good to go!

 

Thank you all for your great support, I will open up another topic if I have any more questions reagarding F1.

 

Thanks again!

[Connor Davies]

Hi, congratulations on your success so far, very well done!

I think you'll be very happy with F1, just have an open mind to the fact that getting to the goals of the foundation series takes quite a long time, and that this is completely ok. You're 16, you could be doing some pretty awesome stuff by the time you're 20!

Yeah, given 4 years I might make it past SL/PE1...

[Mikkel Ravn]

Yeah, given 4 years I might make it past SL/PE1...

Oh, come on!

[Ivan Kolak]

Oh, come on!

x2

 

It may be pain in the ass for the first few months, but you'll get, I myself have 2 more cycles to achieve mastery. Hopefully I should clear ABH Rocks soon too.

I started with near straddle width in ABH and moved in over time.

 

EDIT: I hate them with fury of nuclear fire and I'll throw a celebration when I'm finished with them

[FREDERIC DUPONT]

(...) Since I want to be an airline pilot, I don't need to have some excellent body (...)

 

The times when airline pilots got the girls on wearing a uniform alone are well past.......... there is much more competition now!

so get cracking!

[Airline Pilot]

The times when airline pilots got the girls on wearing a uniform alone are well past.......... there is much more competition now!

so get cracking!

Hehe, even if I go and become an airline pilot (I need to pass the health check first), I don't need to be in excellent shape to do my job well. I can just be kinda medium fat, like I'm right now and do it good. But, since I am eager to exercise and it would certainly aid my health, I want to start this to live a healthy lifestyle and take my health to a whole new level (including lung capacity, etc.).

[Airline Pilot]

Just to ask you guys, can I do some exercises in explosive manner? Like push-ups (when I go up i "shoot" it out) and other exercises, so that I gain explosiveness?

 

I'm also gonna add 15 long jumps and 15 vertical jumps in the time between my F1 and running (to build up the explosiveness).

 

But I'm just asking, can I do some of the exercises in explosive manner (like incline rows, push-ups, ...). For example, PE1 from Single Leg Squat already requires explosiveness, but I just want to know can I do these exercises in explosive manner, and will this addition to my program (15 long jumps and 15 vertical jumps between F1 and 30 minute running) aid in my explosiveness?

 

Also, I think when I run, I'm gonna be running 5 minute warmup, then 1 minute sprint (or fast running) then 2 minutes light running, that for about 6-7 cycles and then I'm gonna cool of for the last 4-5 minutes.

 

Do you think the overall program is satisfactory? Remember, I'm doing this only on Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri.

[Tristan Curtis]

Great to hear you're so excited about physical movement!

 

As a pilot, you'll be living in hotel rooms. Becoming a bodyweight-training expert will suit you very well. While most people struggle to get a conventional workout in hotel gyms, you'll be making the most of your room's floorspace!

 

As a general rule: do as much as you want without over-training, and do what is most important to you first. This way, your top-priority exercise gets your full energy, and your other exercise get what you have left. Keep in mind that most exercise enthusiasts over-train (under-recover), and most aren't even aware of it. Many people assume that symptoms are dramatic and obvious, but they are usually subtle. Monitor yourself and be vigilant. Often, less is more!

 

You will need to be clear on your goals and what is most important to you. I'll assume that getting the most out of F1 is your first priority - simply because this is the GB.com forum.

 

I recommend start your workdays with F1 and give it your all. Then, use up what you have left with the sprints. The run program you have is good, and you can slowly add more repetitions over 6-12 months as your capacity improves (eg. 6 cycles to 8 cycles, 8 to 10 etc.) You might find doing the runs on two consecutive days is too much. You generally want at least a 48-hour gap between sprint training sessions.

 

If you are really keen to get into explosiveness right away, plyometric training (jumps) once a week - twice at absolute most - will help.

 

However, do not mix explosive training with F1. Do the movements exactly as the videos show. The early Foundation courses are about building strength and contraction endurance. Trying to do these movements in an explosive way is using momentum instead of strength. It will achieve virtually nothing and waste your time. The Single Leg Squat PE1 is about smoothness and momentum - not explosiveness. The second half of the movement is achieved by doing the first half in a smooth way.

 

Foundation will get you very explosive as you move from F1 to F4. While F1 is generally slow movements, they are preparing you for explosive work down the track. For example, the Single Leg Squat PE1 prepares you for jumping-type movements. If you take it far enough, you will build a body capable of withstanding the forces of the floor routines that real gymnasts do. SLS/PE1 builds the foundation for all of this. Keep this in mind. If you can be patient, you may not bother with explosive work until Foundation takes you there.

 

Doing F1 & sprints 4 days a week is a good overall program. However, it is very anaerobic. I would recommend adding some easy aerobic work on your "off-days" to help you recover and balance your system. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming - whatever it is, keep it eeeaaassyyy. The active recovery will generate more energy to put into your work days. This way, while you are doing something every day, your week has 4 "work days" and 3 "recovery days".

 

I'll keep an ear-out for the rumors that an airline has a Captain who practises his planche leans in the aisle.

[Airline Pilot]

OK, so I'm gonna try to do my program as is (even if I don't sprint, I'll use as much power as I can). On Tue and Thu, I'm gonna add 15 vertical and 15 long jumps in between, to train my explosiveness (but that day I'm just gonna lightly run for 30 mins, no sprints). On Mon and Wed however, there will be no jumping (plyo), but I will be interval running. And on Wed and Sat, I'm going to lightly jog (like I do when I spirnt for 1 minute than jog) for 30 minutes (I don't think I need to jog 45 minutes on my rest day).

 

On Sunday, I will fully rest.

 

Is this good now?

 

Also, for my nutrition, I will try to eat more vegetables and more fruit, not eat sweets and replace white with black bread. This Sat I let myself go a little bit (ate cookies), but during Mon to Fri I didn't eat any sweets nor did I drink any soda (just 2 glasses of lemonade in Wed and Tue). Today I'm gonna drink just 1 glass of soda.

 

So, what do you think, is nutrition and workout program all right?

[Riku Calderón]

Seems nice. Only time will tell. Dont forget your proteins.

[Airline Pilot]

OK, guys, I have one more question.

 

Since my training should be OK now (my 1st post on this page describes it - you can comment it if you like, but I think it is nice), I was wondering if I should just eat with the regimen I have presented to you in the 1st post (1st page), or should I go bulk/cut.

 

Since I'm a beginner, I think the best idea would be to just eat healthy (again, my eating plan is on the 1st page) and not to worry about bulk/cut. But, some people have told me that I can do this, someone told me I need to bulk/cut.

 

So, what do you suggest? Should I just eat healthy or go into deficit and cut or into sufficit and bulk? Or should I eat less during the workout days and eat more during the rest days? Just tell me what do you think. And if you think bulk/cut is the solution, tell me what should I do first.

 

Also, can you tell me what bodyfat precentage is the healthiest? I know that my ideal looks (with the picture I presented), or that Bale in American Psycho is around 10% bodyfat, but what precentage is the healthiest? Also, what would my ideal weight be?

 

And one more thing, can I implement H1 in my training (on Tue and Thu)?

 

Thanks a lot!