GMB Rings One program - Phase 2

Woot! I have completed phase 2 of the GMB gym-rings program.  So different but complimentary from running, riding, circuiting and whatever'ing to stay active.

This was a four-week phase and builds from the basics learned in phase 1.  I have not yet peeked ahead to phase 3 or 4, but I know they will build from the phase 1 basics to a full "routine"...Olympic gold material I don't think but building full-body relative-strength through what I like to call "play" as in childs play is a big fun YES.  This kind of movement really works for me having had back injuries in the past and they are thankfully a thing of the past, many thanks to doing these moves.

Here's is what it's up to, and again I encourage that ANYONE can do this, just simply build from the basics with a cheap pair of rings to totally build core strength or change out from your regular program and in your own time.

So here is some of what is done...(skip to the vid for a better explaination)

Rings Dips or jump to dip, assisted tuck shoulder stand, reverse chin-ups, inverted tuck roll chin-ups and my favourite by name and nature! Skin-the-cat and advance to hold the "German-hang", love those names.  I was feeling tired so I'm not happy with the technique, but this is a great way to get feedback when you don't have a coach.  I can see I'm rolling my shoulders while inverted and those hamstrings look a little tight...among other things.  Do 3-5 sets of 5-13 reps, no circuits and rate how you go, stop when tired or loosing form.

Skin the cat was first a bar move I didn't have the guts to do it until meeting earlier in the year with a fellow bodyweight practitioner, who encouraged me to try it.  Once you take that step to go inverted you are amazed that the body can actually move in that way and you kind of get "hooked" on hanging upside down.  We spend all day upright, so damn it's nice to take the pressure off and get weightless for a bit!

I can't wait until the next phase to see if I can handle what is planned.  I think back to the start of each phase and how I felt I was fumbling a lot at first but very quickly progressed.  Especially this phase I was totally lost on Day-1 but within a week it came together and each time the moves became more and more solid and snappy.

The takeout from this is that everyone has the ability to do something on the rings.  They are cheap, challenging, simple (and not if you want), they are what you want for your ability, just tame them!

GMB Rings One program - Phase 1

The short version is…rings are a cheap way to build strength, it’s both fun and good for you, the program is worth the $$$, give it a go.

There are a number of online calisthenics training programs available. Gold Medal Bodies a.k.a GMB have been tuning their programs for years now while also providing a wealth of free content. Committing to a program may seem expensive. Why pay for something that you can basically get for free on YouTube? It’s because GMB have a well honed, structured, simple, honest approach and a depth of knowledge, plus they give away so much content for free they had earned a way to get your attention...and I'm not even on a commission with these guys at all!

So if you consider biting the bullet and forking out the USD$95 for GMB R1, read on…it’s not much compared to entering an event these days or joining a gym, it’s worth it and here’s why…

Time for a change

Periodization! Your body needs a break from doing whatever you’ve been doing. During the cooler months it’s easy to focus on some tough endurance type events such as distance running, but into the warmer months it’s good to slip that into maintenance mode and try on something new.

Ring training is also less taxing on you than focusing solely on endurance events or HIIT circuits etc.   Sure keep these going but mix in something new.  

This program will focus on strength, particularly from the waist up. You might hardly break a sweat and since the reset between sets are 1-2 minutes you can quickly do something else while you have that short recovery. Great during summer! A whole session doing max sets and reps will take about an hour. (Toward the end of Phase 1 I found myself fitting in squats in between rings sets…not sure what GMB would say about this but it seemed only to have a positive effect.)

What does the program give you?

I’ve only just completed Phase 1, so we’ll focus on that for now.

1. A set program to follow including warmup, cooldown and rest days. They just tell you what to do and when over a time period, but with flexibility.
2. Detailed (but just the right level) instructions
3. Well constructed videos of each exercise
4. Printable worksheets to track your progress
5. A complete exercise library with videos
6. General information and basics
7. A bonus Leg module
8. Online support

The program itself is broken into 3 phases, each lasting 4-5 weeks or longer if you wish.

Phase 1 focuses on building up solid basics, you have got to have that technique and strength foundation since at the end you will be performing a full gym rings sequence, it will be cool.  Each week you’ll be aiming for 3 days of rings, but there is flexibility there so it might take you longer and that is fine. Two of the days are the same and focus on “above the rings”, the other is then “below the rings”. Each take up to an hour depending on how many sets and reps you do.

This phase will have you doing 3-5 sets and 8-12 reps on each, depending on your ability and how you feel on the day. 

A thing of importance is that each exercise is done in a sequence (not a circuit) until the sets are completed since this is aimed at building functional strength on the rings and we take 1-2 minutes of rest between each set.  Also each exercise gives you the chance to rank and record how you felt from: ‘the ease of it’ - max-effort to relaxed; ‘quality’ - broken to snappy. This way you’ll see your progress over time, be honest with this.

With the exercises you are encouraged to use your legs as training wheels to assist and progress from there. This is a program aimed to everyone.

Above the rings start with simple “Top position”, simply holding yourself steady above the rings, arms locked out rings turned away and hold for 3-5 seconds, not so easy at first as these hanging circles of timber can be hard to tame, but you’ll get it. Then it follows with assisted dips, push-ups, body holds and mountain climbers.

Below the rings are exercises such as reverse rows, assisted pull-ups and jump to hang inverted! Believe me that you will still be challenged, just take your time and focus on the great form they provide you in the instructional videos.

Progress over phase 1

My personal story is that I started from a fairly solid base since I had been doing chin-ups on a bar a few times a week for a year or two. I couldn’t do any magical moves but chin-up variations were becoming easier…trying them on rings at first is a tough ask. My mid-term goal was to be able to crack out a solid strict muscle-up; that is a chin-up that turns into a dip without any jumping or kipping (swinging).

There is another aspect to the course and that is there are two levels to train at ‘A’ and the more difficult ‘B’. GMB wisely recommend everyone starts at ‘A’. This is a good idea since you really don’t know what to expect. I have stuck with level ‘A’ and have not yet even peeked a look at what ‘B’ looks like, I just want to stick with ‘A’ throughout and once done I’ll go back to a maintenance mode and just enjoy the rings for a while before starting the whole program again at level ‘B’. This is a course you can do forever.

If you honestly record your progress on the worksheets they provide you will see the progress over time. It is a great thing once you finish the phase to go back and review it all and see the change.

You can feel the improvement by sticking to the plan.

And that muscle-up? I still have a go at it every week and can feel it getting there! The program through Phase 1 has certainly helped with that little party-trick and certainly with confidence on the rings with a gain in overall toning and strength. Plus the technical nature of it keeps your mind active and interested.

Now it's onto Phase 2 for me.  I'll report back later.

Have a go and let me know how you progress!

Fit enough to do...?

Have you got what it takes to be considered for a physically demanding role?

All of these roles will need more than raw physical grunt but they all require an initial physical screening of applicants. Here they are, see if you could cut it!  

WW2 US Marine

To receive the highest-level score:

• 20 pull ups
• 75 jump squats
• 54 pushups
• 79 situps in 2 minutes
• Sprint 275 meters in 44 seconds

All within 2 hours

Sources:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/09/12/are-you-as-fit-as-a-world-war-ii-gi/

http://readynutrition.com/resources/see-how-you-stack-up-against-the-ww2-fitness-test_11102014/

Modern Marine

All must still be completed in a 2 hour period

Entry to boot camp

• 2 Pull Ups
• 44 Sit Ups (2 minutes)
• 2.4k Run - in 13:30

Ongoing test

• 3 Pull Ups
• 50 Sit Ups (2 minutes)
• 5k Run - in 28:00-30:00 (age dependent)

CFT

There is also a Combat Fitness Test that is quite different and “requiring Marines in battle dress uniform to sprint a timed 880 yards, lift a 30-pound ammunition can overhead from shoulder height repeatedly for two minutes, and perform a maneuver-under-fire event, which is a timed 300-yard shuttle run in which Marines are paired up by size and perform a series of combat-related tasks”

Sources:

[http://www.military.com/military-fitness/marine-corps-fitness-requirements/marine-corps-basic-training])http://www.military.com/military-fitness/marine-corps-fitness-requirements/marine-corps-basic-training)

Australian Commando

As expected the Special Forces screening test is a much higher level. It’s conducted over 7 hours and you will not know how you have done, there is no minimum just you against the other candidates!

• Push ups (cadence)
• Chin ups (cadence)
• Vertec (vertical leap)
• Flexibility Test
• Sit up Test
• Beep Test (Shuttle runs)
• Agility Test
• Yo Yo Intermittent Recovery Test
• Pack March (5km carrying 40kg)
• Swim Test (2min tread water before swimming 400m in DPCU (camo gear))

Sources:

http://2commando.gov.au/careers/special-forces-screen-test

MMA Fighter

This is just an entry level (and a single opinion)

• Run 3.2 kms (2-miles) in 13 mins
• Jump rope for 2 mins aiming for only 3 trip-ups
• 55 pushups
• 50 Situps
• Seated toe-touch
• Sitting splits > 100° and hold
• Reach fingers behind back - each side

Police officer

Queensland police require the following prior to graduation

• Hang Test – you are required to hold your own weight for three seconds using an over-hand grip while your arms are bent at the elbow by at least a 90-degree angle (chin-up position).
• Prone Bridge Test – you must be able to fully support yourself on your hands and feet only for at least 90 seconds.
• Push Ups – you are required to complete 10 push ups while keeping your shoulders, hips and knees in a straight line.
• Beep Test – you must run between two lines set 20 meters apart to a ‘beep’ soundtrack, and must strive to reach the maximum number of laps (or ‘shuttles’).
• Agility Test – this is a timed test where you run through a series of cones to determine how agile you are and how quickly you can complete the course.
• Hand Grip Dynamometry Test – you must be able to pull two repetitions on each hand of 30 kilograms or more.

Sources:

http://www.policerecruit.qld.gov.au/recruitEntry/assessments/Applied-Policing-Skills-Assessment.htm

Firefighter

The New York Fire Dept follows the standard called Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT). It is comprised of 8 steps that simulate tasks encountered on the job.

1. Stair Climb - weighted, 3 mins, 60 steps/min
2. Hose drag - dragging heavy hose or rope over a distance with obstacles
3. Equipment Carry - simulates carrying heavy and awkward equipment
4. Ladder Raise & Extension - place and extend ladders to place/retrieve objects
5. Forcible Entry - using a hammer to hit a measuring device
6. Search - Crawl through a confined maze
7. Rescue - Drag a full weight mannequin over a short course
8. Ceiling Breach & Pull - simulates breaching masonry

Sources:

http://home.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/units/recruitment/cand_prep/5_fitness_standards.shtml

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4wuAyhpiBc

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/cardio/physical-fitness-tests-for-the-us-fire-department.html

And that is all just to get you in the door, then the real work starts.  Do you think you can make any of those?