The Secrets of Gymnastics Strength Training (Chris Sommers podcast interview)

Gymnasts have a lot of awesome things going for them. I've listened to a number of Sommer's interviews and he generally has quality stuff. Good listen when you have time. Will listen to this when i cook.
 
Badger67 said:
I've listened to a number of Sommer's interviews and he generally has quality stuff. Good listen when you have time.
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For sure. I'm an hour into it. He always says something that I can take from it.
 
Sommer is the shit. Unfortunately training patiently like he suggests in the podcast is boring as shit. It's not until this last year that I've actually started appreciating that perspective though (of course I really started appreciating this when I actually became responsible other people's programming and training). It's easy to go balls to the walls on myself because anything that happens is my fault, but the last thing I want is for a client to to get hurt and quit/stop giving me money.
 
Coach Sommers' programs are the best things I've ever done and he always says things that will advance your training, whatever it is.
 
I'm going to check this out when I have time, thank you for posting TS.
 
I'll check it out too. I have a long train ride tomorrow so I'll load it up. Thanks for posting it.
 
ironwolf said:
I'll check it out too. I have a long train ride tomorrow so I'll load it up. Thanks for posting it.
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This is in my wheelhouse for sure, I'll check it out when I have some time
 
Any reports on using his stuff concurrently with an existing training program (ie with gymnastics as only a secondary focus). A lot of the US KB sport people have gotten super into using rings and handstand work as GPP lately, largely because all the russians did it when they were young, but they've been just been blowing up (because it turns out holding heavy objects over your head and then standing on your head immediately afterward might jack your recovery up a bit?). I'm curious how he'd modify the existing training program, although i feel like his answer might be "quit whatever else you're doing and do this instead"
 
selfcritical said:
Any reports on using his stuff concurrently with an existing training program (ie with gymnastics as only a secondary focus). A lot of the US KB sport people have gotten super into using rings and handstand work as GPP lately, largely because all the russians did it when they were young, but they've been just been blowing up (because it turns out holding heavy objects over your head and then standing on your head immediately afterward might jack your recovery up a bit?). I'm curious how he'd modify the existing training program, although i feel like his answer might be "quit whatever else you're doing and do this instead"
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I have no idea. I don't do his stuff. But I'm sure he has his ways of doing things. And it probably depends on the individual with your weaknesses, your volume and recovery necessary to you.
 
Yeah i remember his in-person coaching has really extensive testing first.
 
Coach Sommers doesn't use much DB/BB or KB work if any. As for a general guy like us trying to infuse the two, you will have consider the soft tissue aspects he speaks of in terms of their recovery and build up, you may overwhelm it.
 
Listened through the first hour today and I like it so far. A lot of things ring true, I'll dig deeper into his stuff.
 
Could this be useful for combat sports---
 
Badger67 said:
Coach Sommers doesn't use much DB/BB or KB work if any. As for a general guy like us trying to infuse the two, you will have consider the soft tissue aspects he speaks of in terms of their recovery and build up, you may overwhelm it.
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Yeah, one of the more popular US KB sport athletes I think...did not consider this. She was getting ready for a comp in Russia using professional weights and was doing handstand and ring work literally every day (not every workout day, every day), tore her intercostal, can't even hold anything overhead or do a pullup right now.
 
selfcritical said:
Yeah, one of the more popular US KB sport athletes I think...did not consider this. She was getting ready for a comp in Russia using professional weights and was doing handstand and ring work literally every day (not every workout day, every day), tore her intercostal, can't even hold anything overhead or do a pullup right now.
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I wonder what Sommers would have said? I also thought it was interesting about him saying to leave a little in the tank every day. Don't progress too fast. Joints and connective tissue take much much longer to adapt.
 
Chungungo said:
Could this be useful for combat sports---
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I've followed Sommer's programs before and two of the biggest takeaways for combat sports that I found would be core strength, mobility, joint strength, and the fact that it forces you to work on your problem areas in order to progress. If you have a weakness, his programs will find it for sure.
 
KILL KILL said:
I've followed Sommer's programs before and two of the biggest takeaways for combat sports that I found would be core strength, mobility, joint strength, and the fact that it forces you to work on your problem areas in order to progress. If you have a weakness, his programs will find it for sure.
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Thank you , I´ll check it --
 
selfcritical said:
Any reports on using his stuff concurrently with an existing training program (ie with gymnastics as only a secondary focus). A lot of the US KB sport people have gotten super into using rings and handstand work as GPP lately, largely because all the russians did it when they were young, but they've been just been blowing up (because it turns out holding heavy objects over your head and then standing on your head immediately afterward might jack your recovery up a bit?). I'm curious how he'd modify the existing training program, although i feel like his answer might be "quit whatever else you're doing and do this instead"
Click to expand...

It's really easy to take some his ideas and apply them to other training programs. Most of his work is so niche and low-intensity that it can be done on off days or after your primary training. Like Kill Kill said, what it does is expose your weak points and gives you a plan to overcome them. Lots of the time it's just monotonous joint prep and mobility work that ends up paying dividends for injury prevention down the line.

It works very good as a supplementary add-on to an existing program IMO (that's the only way I've ever really used it).
 
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