Integrating Barbell and Gymnastics Strength Training

[Brandon Oto]

I would finish your SS before you start screwing.

[Daniel Shields]

Having had more time to reflect, I suspect you're probably right Brandon. I think I need to develop patience and consistency more than anything if want to achieve success. For the time being I'll stick with SS until I exhaust my linear progression, and work in handstand practice, l-sits, and support holds as much as I can without interfering with my ability to add weight every workout. I'll diet to maintain a weight that would be agreeable provided I decide to adopt gymnastics after the linear progression is exhausted, and take the time to do some more in depth study of gymnastics training so that when I do begin I have a much more clear idea of how to do so effectively.

[Steven Low]

Linear SS is fine.

Just do some 5-10 minutes handstand practice 3-5x per week though. You don't want to jump straight cold from weights stuff to bodyweight. It will take a bit longer to acclimate than you would want because you don't have the proprioceptive "feel" of the exercises unless you actually practice the exercises.

Handstand work is a decent compromise and won't significantly tax your recovery too much as long as you keep each rep submaximal and focus on quality.

Doing some low intensity handstand work concurrently with weights is a good compromise until you've exhausted linear gains.

[Brandon Oto]

A linear progression for a true novice is such low-hanging fruit that it's madness not to grab it up if you're a human being. There's nothing that can't wait for that.

[Blair Lowe]

How do I know when I'm prepared to begin working on Manna progressions?

Forget about manna till you can do a straddle-L. On that note, you need to be able to do a decent L-sit before you even think about manna. Shoot for 60s.

Similarly, with Inverted Pullups, how do I increase the difficulty?

Simply, you pull higher. Straight body is a tad more difficult than tucked.

70'sBig has a basic strength and Oly WL program. You could train that if you wanted to train the Oly lifts. Makes sense if you want to have a vertical. There is a lot to be said about just doing SS till you peak out.

Note that Olympic WL is hip dominant and that is detrimental combined with the fact that you are tall.

As for the levers, do them if they make you happy but having a solid body lever and L-sit and HS are more beneficial in the beginning.

Press HS is merely about working the HS and then the Headstand presses into the HS negative presses.

[Steven Low]

L-sit --> straddle L --> manna MSH hold