Starting over with Rings One

This week, I began training with the Rings One program.  In this older post I'd reported that I quit Rings One because I was unable to progress from pushups to Tuck Up To Shoulder Stand.

In the intervening time, GMB updated Rings One.  There is now an intermediate skill to practice and master before attempting a Tuck Up To Shoulder Stand, as well as other refinements/revisions over the earlier version of the program.  The program now also says don't worry if you can't do the recommended number of reps for an exercise.  For example, if you can't do a minimum of 8 mountain climbers, it's ok - just do what you can and log what you did, along with the RPE (Rating of Perceived Effort) and RPT (Rating of Perceived Technique) scores for that workout.  Yet another noticeable change is in the warmup routine - now it includes warmups for the hips, hamstrings and lower back.

Also during this intervening time, I was training with GMB's free Ultimate Guide To Ring Training program.  I progressed from a max 4 pull-ups to 11 pull-ups, 0 ring pushups to a max 8 pushups, and 5-7 sec. tuck sit holds with one leg extended.  I also played around with club bells, kettle bells, and Ultimate Sandbag.

So this week, I'm back to Phase A, Level 1 again in Rings One.   For some people, pullups, pushups, and dips are actually not the easiest exercises to do on the rings. This phase of the program is concerned with developing the foundational strength to do those moves, among others.  One significant change for this phase from the older version is that the Top Position Hold is now to be done with rings out, which is quite a bit harder than rings parallel to the body, but probably necessary for better prep for other moves that come out of that position like dips.  Because I can already do ring pushups and pull-ups, I'm substituting those in my workout for the exercises that develop strength for pushups and pull-ups.   I may also substitute what I call the Tuck Dip (the Dip as taught in the older version of Rings One, with the knees tucked) for the Assisted Dip, depending on how blasted I feel after the Top Position Holds.  So far my shoulders seem to be holding up fine.  My lats and triceps have been sore for several days because they haven't had this kind of demand imposed on them for a while.  I was pleased to find that I could still to Tuck To Inverted Hangs - its actually easier when I don't jump into the tuck and focus more on the coordination of pulling with the arms and moving my knees towards my armpits.

The full manual for Rings One has several suggestions for integrating the optional Leg Module with Rings One.  I'm just following the exercise charts, which schedules the Leg Module exercises on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I played with the Leg Module last week before "officially" beginning the program this week - it is indeed harder on the legs than it looks on the surface.  I couldn't even make it to a 5th circuit.  The only problem move with in this program is the lunge, because I have a weird tightness/pain sensitivity in my left foot that flares up when I put weight on my left toes, as I step forward with my right foot.  The left foot seems to loosen up though as the sets pile up.  Wearing my new running shoes with arch support seems to help a lot - I can get into pushup position without any pain on my left toes/foot.