Small update

No update in a while,
Work has been quite busy and Ive done a lot less sport.
For now I will focus more on Gymnastic basic strength training. I'm almost at my goal for this year's end for all the statics.
The goal is being able to do 60s in all the groups for the easiest variation of the static move. Actually not for all the moves, some I aim at harder variations.
I can do it, but it's not a regular performance.. so I will concentrate on being able to do that every single time
For the FBE (fundamental body exercises) I am continuing my way normally, actually the progress is quite good
I have to concentrate on keeping good form and doing things with the right pace for maximum improvement : slow excentric, fast concentric is usually what I go for.

GYM 2.0

Headstand pushups failed. after the 6th one... to much built up soreness from the change in level, I guess.
L-Pull-ups done, fairly hard have to work towards a more controlled way of doing it (helped a little with dynamic and elasticity to go full ROM).
Muscle ups training (I left it over in the explaination but I remembered it after.) Well Bad...
Tonight is the Hard statics again. I feel pretty fresh but gosh it's going to be painfull again...

GYM 2.0 follow up

Didn''t do any HIIT training since monday. Planned to do one wednesday, but got hit in the foot so waiting for full recovery before doing anything violent involving feet moves.
I will resume Insanity second gear on monday so need to be sure I'm ready for that.
This painfull foot didn't'' however hinder my gym basic strength training (Maily upper body and core training at the moment).
Non static I did since last time : Pseudo planche ring push ups and Bulgarian ring rows.
Both are as expected a level higher and I'm far from the full ROM of those moves.
For pseudo-planche push ups (PPP) I go down all the way, but I can tell that my hands are not as close as the hips as it should be.
For the Bulgarian Rows I got a problem both  for the height of the move and the wideness between my hands.
As a reminder Bulgarian rows are sort of an inverted wide arm push ups except that wide arm push up sort of make the ROM a little smaller when you train on the floor (ROM is still pretty good with rings though).

I also did the second day of static training:
1) warm up didn't do any jumping moves to avoid straining my foot any more, and concentrated on arms... I think that's actually a better preparation. Also did quite a lot of leg stretching.
2) I worked on the Straddle instead of the L-sit (I will alternate cause the moves even though different for the arms have a good synergy regarding abs and legs.. I can tell because of the burn in the thighs).
So 3 * 20 seconds too, and quite the same, first one was ok second hard, third I was really fighting to keep my legs from touching the ground.
3) Bar Handstand 60seconds. Felt a lot easier but have to notice that because I was playing with balance as well I fell 2 times and even though I got back up as quick as possible, it certainly reduced the strain on the shoulders. Another note, I'm not sure my shoulder are completly opened... maybe a little lack of flexibility
4) Tucked Back Lever 3 * 20 seconds. That was the first surprise of the training. And this was a bad surprise. It was insanly hard compared to the first time I did it.
Possible reasons :
- because I found it not so hard the first time, I was not mentally giving it my all.
- because I found it not so hard the first time, I tried to concentrate on a better form, making it harder.
- Maybe the first time was only an illusion and I'm actually weak.
I hope the second reason is the real one... at least it means I'm going towards progress.
5) Tucked Front Lever 3*20 seconds. That was the second surprise of the training.
This one was kind of good. I didn't find it quite as hard as the first time...
Possible reasons :
- I was afraid of the move and did not do it as well... I don't think because I checked my position while doing it, but still possible.
- I was aware of the part of my body that were taxed more and concentrate better on those.
What is sure is I do was more carefull with my shoulders and tried to lock the position as much as possible.
And second part the grip is still a very hard part of the move and the one for which I lack the most for now.
6) the reverse pseudo planche 3 * 20 seconds. This one is ok, didn't fight but felt the burn. It works mainly one triceps and core I would say for me.

7) Abs... as planned I jumped from 2 minutes to 3 minutes. I do 4 different exercises 45 seconds per exercise with 5 seconds break. I alternate static/slowmo with dynamic exercise (otherwise I think I wouldn't be able to do it) and I can tell that my abs burn for every single exercises... It burns way more than all the other insane abs or ab ripper ... I guess that the exercises will have to evolve over time, but I like this formula.


Momentary conclusion : I really like this cycle 2.0, because total training per exercise is much shorter I can pack more different things into one session. For now I can't do L-sit /Straddle and Pseudo-planche/reverse pseudo planche in the same session. But it's more a question of lack of strength than lack of time. As the cycle will continue I will be able to do more in one session and reduce the break between exercises (the inter exercises breaks are maybe a little long.. I don't count, I just wait till my arms feel ready to go on).
I plan to continue this cycle longer than 8 weeks. Mainly because the jump in difficulty is quite big and also because I want to be able to do all the exercises in one session without taking loooong breaks in between.
If everything goes right at the end of this cycle I will also  "play" with planche and mana training. (I started those but I think my overall condition is not good enough).
Hopefully the next cycle will be 60 seconds reps for all exercises (another very big jump) plus a real start at practicing the planche and mana skill variations.... can't wait to be there, but I won't rush anything! the stronger the basics the better the potential progression.

Another comment... As next week I'll start over the second gear of Insanity, I think I will hit a wall in terms of fatigue... will certainly need to have more food and certainly some vitamins.

Insanitised and Gym 2.0

Didn't update in... 2weeks
a lot can happen in that time. I finished the insanity program I actually skipped 4 training in total 2 of them were "''recovery trainings" and I was bored. the 2 last ones ... I just didnt hve time to complete.
So now moving on.... I had one week off (almost no exercise) and this week is a slow week : Starting again slowly for HIIT. I did plyo cardio yesterday morning, nothing this morning (I''ll explain why in a shortwhile)
Nest week I'm starting over again the last 4 weeks of Insanity (might skip again the recovery and/or replace them by a stretching type of recovery).
I''m doing it at the same time as a friend who started Insanity a little bit after me. We think it might help us keep the motivation.
What else is new? Starting a new cycle for gymnastic basic strength training.
That makes it cycle 2.0 (remember I did half a cycle when I didn''t have bars so after that did cycle 1.5 from start).
What's new in this cycle... Well no new moves for static strength training, just change of time training.
- Tucked Back-Lever change 10 * 6 seconds ==> 3 * 20 seconds
- Tucked Front-Lever change 10 * 6 seconds ==> 3 * 20 seconds
- L-sits change well I did 10 * 6 seconds in cycle 1.0 but didn''t really train during cycle 1.5 because of the lack of time but now is 3 * 20 seconds
- Pseudo planche same as L-sits now 3 * 20 seconds.
- Wall HS only started at half the cycle 1.5 now doing 60 seconds
- Straddle and reverse pseudo planche should be the same 3 * 20 seconds
- Bended Middle Split Hold ( for mana) and tucked planche (for planche) are only in the "Try" part of the training for now.
The total time for one exercise is the same.... but the time for one rep is a LOT higher.. first I planned on going up to 12 seconds.. but the last max time try I did on Back and front levers where around 40 seconds (front being a little less than back) and I did 3* 20 seconds for L-sit and straddle once before my off week.

Now what is it worth for real? I tried yesterday evening and that's the reason I decided not to do any HIIT this morning.
1) warm up 2 minutes jumps for cardio then 2 minutes shoulder warm up
2) L-Sits 3 * 20 seconds. 1st was okay, 2nd was difficult, 3rd I started dropping the legs before the end but was able to manage not getting on the floor
3) Wall HS (well bar actually, but same idea) the last half was hard and the last 10 seconds were really really hard.
4) TBLever It''s been a long time since I didn't' feel my biceps and chest muscle fighting with back lever training. The first rep is alright, but it gets hard from the second rep.
5) TFLever. This one is really hard and I had to fully tuck (I was almost in flat back tucked front lever at the end of cycle 1.5) I  hope it will get better over the 8 weeks of this cycle. The grapping the bar part was also incredibly hard this time, I think my foreamrs will have to improve a lot.
6) Pseudo planche... It's hard but not as hard as the front lever.
7) My 2 minutes abs plan. Burned as usual, but was better at doing it... should upgrade to 3 minutes.

Didn't' do the rest because my arms were already completly burned even though the total training session time was less, I actually did more than cycle 1.5 (I concentrated on levers and HS mainly, so I guess L-sit and pseudo planche is a bonus). I will try to do the rest of the exercises as my body adapts to this.

What about none static exercises?
- Pushups have to be upgraded from Rings bulgarian pushups to Rings pseudo planche pushups
- Rows from eleveted feet ring rows to bulgarian ring rows.
- HandStand pushups : Wall Headstand pushups, still need to train those will try to increase ROM over the cycle by adding books under the hands, for now have to make sure I can complete 3 * 3, I still have to do individual HesPushups to do the total of 9.
- Pull ups : from L-Chin ups to L-Pull ups
- Dips from normal dips to Russian dips.
- Inverted pulls... still need to work a lot on those as its a very hard one to get good ROM ( should try tucked or picked.

Insanity D47.5,D48-D50

It should be a long update but I'll keep it short
-D47 second half Insane abs, it's quite long but the exercises are more or less all the same kind: in a position where your abs are already contracted, do small moves... it burns of course but I'm not a big fan of this kind of exercises when it's only that. I have to consider if I want to continue the insane abs or change it for something else like P90x ab ripper (which is in my opinion more complete) Or even my own version.
-D48 I did for the first time Max interval sport training. Only thing I have to say : I had fun, the exercises are not that hard but it's a quite long training. I think I have to push myself for the jumps... Noticed that I wasn't able to jump to the maximum.
-D50 : today. well no comment to do, I didn't do it... yet. I woke up with a headache and I started the warm up as well as the stretching and then I stopped cause I was still not in a state of training.
I hope I''ll be good enough this evening, I'll do it then.

Other thing I think I'll cut my static training in different parts, cause I haven't been able to do the back levers + the L sits + straddle and I think that's not good. So on monday and friday I'll do the Handstand (approx 2 min total) and the front and back lever, If I feel fresh I'll also do the L-sit and straddle (or maybe should I go for a max time L-sit /straddle... yeah I'll think about it), and Wednesday I'll do the L-sit and straddle first and the rest if I feel fresh enough (or maybe just try a max rep).

Insanity D47 / half. Gymnastic bodies

Chronological order, so Gymnastic Basic strength training. A little update on the upper body pull and press for week 6 :
- Yesterday's press was headstand push up, with wall help (actually I use my bar cause the wall is behind my bar and other walls are not useable/ accessible). It's week 6 of this cycle (remember I named this cycle "cycle 1.5" cause I stopped my first cycle half way when I got my bars and I decided to start insanity) which means actually the 6th time doing it in this way since I do it once a week (3 press exercises a week / but each time a different one).
This press exercise is certainly the hardest of my current cycle (Ring push ups are ok, bulgarian variation is hard but I don't feel as much, and dips are ok at my level of variation :simple dips on p bars).
Because I have been able to inish the 3 reps set without breaking the sets, I've decided to try to focus more on control. So a (slightly?!) slower upward movement and a (slightly again?! I can't really tell) slower down negative movement. Result, the last of the reps was really hard, harder than last week, so I guess it works.
Does it count as breaking the steady state cycle, it's a modification of the move... whatever, I don't count it as a modification, I count it as executing the move correctly, the overload period is over and I'm supposed to be at the load period. I didn't change the ROM nor the leverage (which are the 2 things that define a variation normally) so let's say it's ok and it allows the end of a cycle to still be nice and interesting.

-About the upper body-pull, L-chin ups, same thing as for the press, I was able to do 3 sets of 4 to 5 reps, so I decided to focus on control and slowing down the move. Resuls, 3 sets of 3 reps with the last set being a little hard, and feeling my abs as well (which didn't occure when I was faster).

-And I also did the hang to back hang (going through front lever/ reverse hang/back lever....all tucked) this time I did less but I controled it more and I didn't bend the arms.

Now about the first half of Insanity this morning : Max Cardio Conditioning.
I have quite mixed feelings about what I did this morning...
The warm up was not hard but I didn't feel like giving a lot during the warm up. The knee lift (which I usually start without jump for the first round) was really easy.
Then I feel that at the en of the warm up I wasn't totally warmed up and didn't have enough oxygen flowing to my muscle (still felt somehow in an inactive state).
And once more I feel that the stretching is so light.... so didn't give much during the stretching part, resulting in a feeling of being stiff for the kicks exercises.
Then the first exercise I couldn't give my all, I felt the burn and didn't do the maximum ROM I should have done.
After that I somewhat realised that if I didn't do anything, this would be wasting today's training. I still didn't do great but little by little I went in and actually gave it, not my all, but a lot. I was even surprised for the in&out + push up jacks I was able to do full ROM and fast 4 times in a row before being worn out.
I still find the ski hops hook the most ridiculous movement of the entire insanity program.
I still finished the workout sweating like crazy, with my legs burning (oh yes I actually did do the last exercise, squat speed bag something.... not a full squat but still enough for the legs to burn and when it was to hard I actually went down little by little instead of going up).
So mixed feeling as you can see, I feel that I didn't give enough at the beginning, but I'm pretty happy with the progress I've made for some exercises (maybe I did better because I didn't give much at the beginning).

Insanity D45

I want to say I'm pretty disappointed... by myself.
I was on a good progression curve (You can notice from the few last posts I was saying it's getting nice and good, and everything).
And this morning despite feeling fresh (had a good night sleep) and not having any muscle soreness (not that I could feel) I was a lot less able to endure the burn.
I guess I need to keep the motivation and keep pushing.
Was out of breath faster...legs were less powerful. The abs wer quite good (did the power push ups with straight legs as well as the wide leg in and out).

Gymnastic : I tried something new with the ring push ups /rows , I did a hang to front lever to reverse hang to back lever to back lever hold hang and reverse (tucked of course). It's a nice /hard thing to do. I was actually not doing it right every time (I had to bend the arm a few times).

[edit] I understand why it wasn't' that good this morning, I feel new muscle soreness since noon. I think it''s yesterday's training. I was feeling so good that I pushed more and it had this result on today''s training.
[end edit]

Insanity summary 3 days

Couldn't update so here is D40, D41 & D43 :
Second time doing the Max version of each exercise (plyo, cardio and circuit)
It was much, much better.
Still not able to do everything at full speed / without break, but there are some exercises I''m sure I''m using a bigger ROM and I don't take a break as often as the persons in the video.
I'm also feeling better after the training and  the multiple push ups parts are going a lot better (compared to the beginning). The level 3 drill (16 push ups + 16 planck knee lift) is still out of reach with full ROM at the same speed, so I''m doing level 1 instead (4 push ups + 4 planck knee lift) I manage to go to a total of 24 push ups where they go to 32.
My joints are also better (used kneepads 2 days for the rest, know it's ok).

I'm planning to do the second part of Insanity one more time after I finish it and after one week of rest (actual vacations.. so harder to exercise). And then maybe try to do Asylum... we''ll see

Just a small note on gymnastic training:
-Levers still on the right track. "tried" to do flat back for back lever, not as natural as for front lever.
-Handstand have to work on it to be able to do a free standing handstand.
-Abs.... negative pseudo front. Need to work a little bit more activelly on the core. maybe try the L to V (knowing I won't go to a V) and other strange things.
-Dips I feel something strange in my right hand when I do dips. I'm trying to have max ROM and do 5 reps /set
-Reverse hang curls. It''s still a very strange move for me... full body weight curl and you have to  keep your balance, I feel that to do it right I'll need some time.

Insanity D37 / Gymnastic body cycle 1.5 week 5

First gymnastic strength training :
Both good and bad :
-it was really hard to do the "pseudo wall HS run" (call it pseudo because of my modification to make it possible at my level, id est straddle HS with feet on the bars to help the balance and certainly the arms, I'll keep it like that for a time cause otherwise I won''t mke it through without injury I can tell).
-it was somewhat hard to do the levers at first, but then I could finish the sets more easilly than usual (I mean the last rep was not way harder than the first one)
-The really bad part is I was totally burned after the levers, tried to do a tucked planche but crashed. The reason is certainly the insanity gear 2. I hope I'll be able to catch up quickly, I''ve not been doing the L-sits for a while either ( I do the L-chin ups but it's not as hard for the abs).

Insanity D37 : first I want to say I was wrong, The exercises are harder, yesterday it didn't feel harder because I was fresh, but today I know it's a lot harder I got muscle soreness I didn't have for a few weeks.
about the Max Cardio Plyo. It's crazy hard. There's only two series plus one isolated set, but I have to admit it, it's "Insane". The first serie by itself can burn you up entirelly : full body moves, more core twist, more arms.
My favorite move the "Power push ups" it''s not one step from the abs/push up combination I''ve seen in my gym training. basically it's a push up plus a straigth legs inverted V-up (understand get the feet and hand to the same level on the ground). The one I'd love to do is just a little bit more dynamic / plyometric : same move except you touch your feet while airborne and you get right back in the push up position.

I have to be honest, I don't really know how the people on the video did and I can't tell if I took more break than them, cause I was to focused on myself. It's a hard one and I''m worn out.

Insanity D36 (no D34) & gym

Woooohooo Max Interval Circuit!!!
Yeah finally starting the serious part of Insanity!
I have to admit shamefully that saturday I didn't do D34. I was really bored. Maybe it was a bad thing and I should consider that I won't complete Insanity. But I don't care. The fun part begins! and I''m finishing this.
So what's different? what's new?
Well it's longer, about 20 minutes longer which is not small. How does it impact the training? One more serie of exercise (instead of 2 series we go up to 3).
What about the training itself?
The warm up is a little bit harder, with inclusion of exercises that were in the series like the switch kicks.
The exercises in the series are not "harder" by themselves but they include more different parts of the body in one rep.
What do I think of the overall difficulty level felt?
Gosh it's tiring. It''s not like going from almost no exercise to the first week of Insanity but it's quite hard. it is actually a lot harder, in the third serie I had to modify a little bit one or two moves cause I was too tired to do the jumps for the squat hooks, but I did squat... hard to explain easy to show...
I'm still a little bit pumped up by the training, but I think I'll have a big feeling of tireness at noon.
At least, that''s what I like in training... pushing the limits.

Saturday I actually did more dips than the "standard" I still did 3 reps per set. I tried to increase the ROM to the maximum of my current capacity (which is go down to a position where the shoulders are slightly above the hands) and do the move in a more controlled manner (go slowly and stop at both the top and bottom).
I did that quite randomly during the day (good being in week end) and actually didn't really count, but I can tell it had an impact, cause I felt my shoulders and chest muscles yesterday (more than usual).

I think this evening it will be very hard for me to do the gymnastic training... lets see.

Gymnastic body (cycle 1.5 / week 4)

Don't know what happened but I was able to do the 3 sets of headstand push ups quite "easilly"
It maybe thanks to the handstand wall run, or it maybe because I changed the training method from series to circuit (I called serie doing 3 sets of one exercise in a row with rest in between, and circuit doing one set of each exercise then start over again, I hope it's the same definition for most of the people). I added a leg work exercise too so that it gives me enoguh rest (in circuit mode).
I tried to do one tuck front lever row.... as I thought it is hard. and I tried one tuck planche push ups the ROM is really small (using pushup bars) and it's already hard.
A really small explaination on the title. Cycle 1.5 is because I stop in the midle of my first cycle when I got my bars to be able to include the levers in my training. And hten week 4 it means it's the 4th week of this cycle.
I'm doing a "steady state" type of training so I'm doing the same every week for 8 weeks. It allows the 3 phases of training (overload, load, underload). It might feel a little bit boring at the end, but you have the psychological advantage of a "success" period to boost the confidence before entering a new cycle. I''m at week 4 and I'm starting to get positive result like less struggle to end a workout an/or success trying harder variations.

Insanity D32 +Gymnastic body

I feel the rest... it's quite nice but I'm starting to get bored, waiting for next week monday.
Wall Hs run + back lever +front lever yesterday. was nice I think I''m getting results can''t wait the end of the cycle to upgrade the move variation.
Also tried a few tuck planche using pushup bars, and it was a lot better than last time I tried, when I say a lot better I mean I was able to hold about 5 seconds mutliple times when I wasn't able to get it before.
I really love the synergy between moves... I guess next cycle I''ll be able to include the tuck planche (I almost abandonned the advanced frog because I don''t like it) and reduce the time of training by doing longer reps unless I''m able to get to the next level of the levers (I started by thinking I would need at least 2 cycle by level with short reps and long reps, but I may have underestimated the progression have to see that).
I also did what I would call the negative front lever abs. I'm starting to get excited because I feel the possibilities opening.
Oh yes I tried the tucked front lever pull up too, It's great to see all the possibilities!
When using a tuck position it's actually quite easy, I would put it at about the same level as L-chinups, it's' just that the move itself needs more control of the body position, but the pull itself require less strength because it''s approximativelly just a rotation and you don't actually lift all the body weight. I suspect the tucked front lever rows to be super hard in comparison, I may give it a try just out of curiosity. I just wouldn't want to burn any steps because I feel enthusiastic.
Tonight is quick training : L-chinups and HeS push ups I'll add the abs cause I just like the move.

Insanity D31 + gymnastic body

recovery... recovery. Going smoothly.
Did the bulgarian variation for ring push ups and rows. I think I have to be a little more focused on the core, I may not be in the right position. push ups(bulgarian)  are not that hard but the rows are quite hard as it is now.
I also tried a core exercise  I saw yesterday, it's quite hard. I don't really know how to describe it but it's a bit like doing a partial front lever without the strain on the shoulders and not horizontal. Let''s say it's sort of a negative front lever from pseudo hanging position to horizontal

Gymnastic body: basic strength training

A little update on the basic body strength.
Rows and Ring push ups are note THAT challenging (feet approximatively level with rings) 3sets of  5, usually the last few reps feel harder, I will stick with this once a week.
Headstand push ups are hard ( have to break up the last set to finish doing the 3 last reps) and the L-chinups are just "perfectly" challenging 3sets of 4 reps, I feel like I could eventually do a 5th rep but the form wouldn't be good.
Found out another exercise that seems really nice HandStand wall runs. Seems like it's a realy good exercise to do once a week to get strong shoulder. Have to see were I can put them in my training without overtraining and without lengthening the training too much. I may have to do that on saturday... (best day I think as Sunday is an exercise free day)

Gymnastic body : Upper body press / pull

here is the dependency graph from the exercises in the book:

Upper body press

Upper body pulls

To make it short there are 4 different types of exercises for pull and press.
3 are one plane and one is "multi-plane".
If you pay enough attention you can see that you can easilly couple the exercises by agonist/antagonist workout groups, well I'm not sure this definition is really good, but the pulls/press pair up pretty well :
- push ups and rows
- pull ups and handstand push ups
- Dips and Reverse curls
And multiplane goes with multiplane but I won't be interested by those for a moment as I'm really building the basic level skills (basics within basics as this is all suppose to build basic strength).
So that's what I'm going to do for a while, alternating between each pair in a "steady state" workout style (choosing something chalenging doing it for 8 weeks until it's no more challenging and go up or down as in my graph).
The static position takes quite a reasonable amount of time so I'm only going to do this pair 2 days a week... should be 3 days so that I can do each pair in a week... I'll see about that...
for now I have monday wednesday friday for static and tuesday thursday for pull/press, lets see if I can motivate myself enough to do saturday also...
I'm still in the process to find the right exercise to start like simple rows were a little bit easy I think as well as simple ring push ups. maybe I should do the elevated version.
Headstand push ups are ok, I mean ok hard.
I''ll see for L-sit chin-ups...

Gymnastic body : static training

Although this morning insanity cardio recovery was bad, yesterday's static strength traiing was quite good.
I timed myself for the levers and I think I was taking a lot more rest time when I didn't time myself.
It resulted in a herder time finishing the sets for front and back lever. Another modification is the height of the bar I use. I set it up quite higher (a little bit higher than shoulder level). This resulted in some changes to get in position. It was much harder to get in a tucked back lever and it seemed much more easy to get in a front lever. BUT from the 8th rep of front lever it started to be really hard with a failure on my left shoulder (had to focus and control a lot more my moves to finish the last wo reps).
The exercises I did after seemed harder as well, L-sit seemed difficult from the middle of the reps and the low straddle was even more difficult. But the pseudo planche and pseudo reverse planche seemed easier. I also did some static finger hold. I tried a few tuck planche on the push up bars, I think 3 seconds was the best I did. I will continue working on the pseudo planche and try the "ball planche" (as my friends call it) until I can hold it long enough to put it in the workout routine.
Normally today I should do a short dynamic workout one pull exercise and one press exercise. If I can do it (understand not too dead to do it) I will go for a headstand pushup set and a pull up set (I'd like to try the L-sit pull ups but not sure I can make it yet).

Gymnastic body : static training

Remember when I said I was doing approximatively sets of 10 6 secondes repetition for the levers. That's because I wasn't timing it. Starting today, I will time it so that it's the same as the other exercises.
I will try putting some dynamic basic strength training in my routine 2 days a week (the days I don't do statics) should be a short training as I'll do an upper body press exercise and an upper body pull  exercice each time (so no more than 15 minutes as I do 3 sets of 3 to 5 reps as advised in the book). I will keep you updated on those (there are some graph I made for those progression as well).

Static training.

Friday evening I did again the static training.
I couldn't do the frog stand (Planche progression) and the middle split hold (Manna progression)
but did everything else plus Pseudo planche and pseudo reverse planche (that's the name I gave it).
While pseudo planche doesn't help for the balance of planche, it helps for shoulder strength and I hope the reverse pseudo planche is a little bit the same for Manna.
I can't train every day, it's actually a lot more demanding than I thought. Just as a reference yesterday (sunday) I still had soreness from friday (when I mean soreness it's not just the sensation of stiffness it's enough to tell me I couldn't have trained yesterday).
Some notes about the levers (yeah I like the levers... well it's the newest exercise in my training) :
-Front lever is a lot more difficult for me than back lever.
-If I train Back lever with palm facing the floor (that's the direction recommended in "gymnastic body") it has a big impact on biceps.
I have done only two times the levers... I hope I will get used to it shortly enough, cause I'm a little bit afraid of the front lever, the strain on my left shoulder is sometime so intense that it's painfull (proof once again that my previous training was not symetric... I new it but that's a really visible consequence..my right shoulder doesn't have a problem when I do the front lever.)

Gymnastic body : static training

My installation is done (actually not completely but enough to get to do the static bodyweight workout I described).

My current static training :
-1)L-sit 12sec * 5
-2)Straddle PB Low 12sec * 5
-3)Middle split hold bent 6sec * 10 (it's even a level under that cause I still can't push my hips off the hands)
-4)Frog stand advance 6sc * 10 (when I can find the correct balance)
-5)Back lever tuck 6sec *10 approximativelly (if I can't hold I just relax.. it's a new move)
-6)Front lever tuck 6sec *10 approx (same as above)
Exercices that are not in the graphic :
-7)Pseudo planche 12sec *10 (it's just static hold of a pushup position with hands near the hips and arms straight, supposed to help me for the planche later on).
-8)Pseudo back-planche position 12sec*10 (supposed to help for mana... not sure though but definitely helps for advance variation of the L-sit)
-9)Finger hold 6sec *10 (standard push up position just on the fingers)

Usually I can't do everything in one evening and yesterday I started back and front lever for the first time.
I did everything except 3, 4, 9 (that's for tonight...)

My feeling on the levers : front lever is a lot harder than expected and back lever involves different muscles from what I thought. The thing is I can still feel my arms so I guess it's really effective.
I have to say I like doing the levers, even in tuck position it still needs a lot of focus and works in a lot more different muscles than it would first seem.
My shoulders are sore.

There is a synergy between all those moves I hope that I can have faster progresses but I keep in mind that while it comes to training I have to "hurry slowly" to avoid any problems.

Gymnastic body : static training

I will soon be able to train on front and back lever. Just need to finish the installations. and I will officially start a 8 week circuit (although I already started static training for a while now).
If all is good today I''ll be able to try my "max rep" for front and back lever in tuck position, I used to do it a little and my overall strength is better than it used to be for this kind of things, so I expect something like 15 /20 sec for max.
After that I'll introduce the "dynamic basic strength" training in the book. It's mainly upper body training which is good for me as it''s my weakness, and insanity works a lot on legs.