Learning The Elements

[Elastigirl]

 

Nope, this is not a study group. We are learning the elements of moving. This group is for people who are using the program Elements, by GMBhttps://gmb.io/e/. We can encourage one another and keep each other accountable. We can share videos so we can cheer one another on. Everybody is doing the Elements are their own rate and level. Post here and tell us how your workout went for that day, the fun things you did, and maybe what you are struggling with.

[annyshay]

I love that meme! Science jooooookes! Ok, but seriously very excited for this!

[GingerThor]

I have purchased elements and I'm excited to start, I think its really going to highlight how poor my mobility and movement is, but it also looks like a good program to improve that weakness. Will have to ignore the strange looks at the gym when I start acting like a monkey, bear or frog

[annyshay]

On 8/13/2017 at 2:43 PM, GingerThor said:

I have purchased elements and I'm excited to start, I think its really going to highlight how poor my mobility and movement is, but it also looks like a good program to improve that weakness. Will have to ignore the strange looks at the gym when I start acting like a monkey, bear or frog

I love doing the animal movements in public actually. Most people are curious!

[annyshay]

Did week 1 day 1. I'm gonna keep posting my notes on Instagram. Do you guys want them here too? They are like this...

 

 

There are already a BUNCH of changes from the old version and the videos are shiny! They added a few new warm ups (squat walk thing = ow!) and stretches (three point bridge). We didn't have all the A frames, squats, and such in addition to the BAPs and the floating tabletop is a new sort of torture (erm, helpful assessment). I was glad to see the wrist warm up was the same. Such good pain. Have you guys ever done the fingers back palms up one before? I love how Ryan is just like "this is uncomfortable" with no qualifiers. Heh! I bet I have DOMs tomorrow. Time to get that sleep!

[Elastigirl]

I did the BAP on Tuesday.The floating tabletop was interesting. The A-frame really shows how inflexible my ankles are. When my butt is lifted up, I can't even touch my heels halfway to the ground. But my wrists are pretty flexible. Not with that fingers back palms up thing though, nope. I had to put my fingers touching my knees so I could even start.

Today I did the first day. It actually went pretty quick. I took a few breaks during my 5 minutes, but it seemed like the time went super quick. I took video's to, so when I upload those I will post them

@annyshayyes keep posting your notes from Instagram please,

 

This is copied and pasted from what I wrote on the GMB posse training log

Bear crawl:
Focused on sticking my butt up in the air. Doing the BAP, I was only able to put my feet about half way to the ground. My ankles are super tight. Doing the Bear, I just bent my knees, so I could focus on my butt being up in the air

Monkey:
Doing the BAP my squat is pretty good. I need to remember to sit up a bit straighter, but I am able to get into a squat. I can’t sit in a squat very long though, my ankles get tired. My wrists were also pretty flexible. Every since I’ve done Floor 1 (a few years ago) I’ve done some sort of wrist mobility work, so my wrist mobility has improved a bunch. I tried to take it slow, and focus on loading my shoulders, then jumping then sitting into the frog. The breaks I took were mainly when my knees stiffened up. I think I need to do a bit more knee warm up before I start.

Frogger;
Pretty similar thoughts to the monkey

 

 

[GingerThor]

Ive just finished day 2 of elements and the last two days have been really humbling. I knew I had pretty poor flexibility/mobility but this has really highlighted how stiff I am. Just trying take it at my own pace and not get too disheartened that my movements aren't that fluid or graceful, I think this is the perfect program to help loosen up my body and get moving better . As for performing the movements outside i'll maybe wait until I'm moving a bit less like a injured animal :).

 

[Elastigirl]

41 minutes ago, GingerThor said:

Ive just finished day 2 of elements and the last two days have been really humbling. I knew I had pretty poor flexibility/mobility but this has really highlighted how stiff I am. Just trying take it at my own pace and not get too disheartened that my movements aren't that fluid or graceful, I think this is the perfect program to help loosen up my body and get moving better . As for performing the movements outside i'll maybe wait until I'm moving a bit less like a injured animal :).

 

Yeah, I know the feeling. I'm alright in the monkey and frogger, though I can only stay in the squat for a little bit before I have to take a break. But my ankles are super inflexible, so my bear definitely looks like an injured animal

[annyshay]

The injured animal phase is part of the program, I swear.  I'm not gonna do anything outside just yet either no worries. I remember the first time I did it that I improved A TON between week 1 and 2 because the movement take so much getting used to. This program is super humbling, but keep reminding yourself that these are new ways of moving. You will see huge gains. Listen to Ryan and keep at it!

 

I will keep posting here EG! Thanks for sharing your thoughts too. I'm hoping to put more qualitative details in the future like yours. I was busy trying to remember the movements and see how they were different yesterday.  Excited to give it a real run today.

[annyshay]

Things flowed much better today and I liked my tracking!

 

Current challenges

- how the heck do I do the squat walk?!?

- legs get tired with floor hip circles, trying not to "push" and "stretch" as it's warm up for range of motion

- coordinating keeping my butt up and limbs straight in bear

- ankle strength and mobility

- straight arm strength

 

GMB - finding new ways to highlight our weak spots... and then slowly, carefully helping us bust through them!

 

[Elastigirl]

Is it the lounge chair stretch that you love? I love that stretch. It makes my shoulders so happy. When I so the bear, I have to bend my knees, my ankles aren't flexible enough to reach the ground.

[Kestrel Grey]

I'm not doing an official challenge this cycle (I was away on a women's wilderness retreat the first week and will be away backpacking the fourth week) but I did start Elements today. And wow... am I ever inflexible. The BAP found so many deficiencies I didn't know I had! I'm looking forward to seeing improvements.

[Elastigirl]

2 minutes ago, Kestrel Grey said:

I'm not doing an official challenge this cycle (I was away on a women's wilderness retreat the first week and will be away backpacking the fourth week) but I did start Elements today. And wow... am I ever inflexible. The BAP found so many deficiencies I didn't know I had! I'm looking forward to seeing improvements.

Was wondering where you were. Did you enjoy the retreat?

Yeah, that BAP was very interesting

[annyshay]

Lounge chair stretch is the BEST.  I find myself just randomly sitting like that some times, although not stretching as much it still feels good.

[Elastigirl]

12 hours ago, annyshay said:

Lounge chair stretch is the BEST.  I find myself just randomly sitting like that some times, although not stretching as much it still feels good.

Me too

[Elastigirl]

Today was day 2. 

The first day , I had no problem with the hip circles. Today my hips were so tight. But then they were much better than they were in the frogger and monkey than on Monday.

 

My notes from today

Warm up _elements

Hip circles- hips felt stiff

Bear-

Experimented with feet closer to hands, which made it easier to lift my butt

Frogger

Felt really good, practiced really pushing into the ground with hands

Monkey

Legs were tired by this time , felt like I took a bunch of breaks, still practicing pushing arms into ground

 

Swings-

Felt so tired and draggy only did 70 swings with 35#- I need to eat before swings

TGU same as above did 30 # 30/ 30/25 with waiter carry/25 with presses (fun)

Stretch

A-frame improving already

[annyshay]

Did you do those back to back?!? Ma'am, you're a beast. 

[NeverThatBored]

Ahhhh, I'm so curious about the new Elements upgrades! I was doing the program a couple months ago, but I had to stop in week 6 because I've got a wrist condition and the longer flows were too much for it for now. 

[Elastigirl]

35 minutes ago, annyshay said:

Did you do those back to back?!? Ma'am, you're a beast. 

Thanks. I didn't feel very beastly, I felt more like I was dragging myself through it. See if that improves if I eat before

2 minutes ago, NeverThatBored said:

Ahhhh, I'm so curious about the new Elements upgrades! I was doing the program a couple months ago, but I had to stop in week 6 because I've got a wrist condition and the longer flows were too much for it for now. 

Stupid wrist. Did you decide if you were going to go ahead with the surgery on it?

[NeverThatBored]

1 minute ago, Elastigirl said:

Stupid wrist. Did you decide if you were going to go ahead with the surgery on it?

 

Yeah, I'm going to do the surgery but I'm moving at the end of next week, so I decided to wait to have the surgery until after the move instead of having it with the doctor here. 

 

In the meantime, I want to do more Elements so much. T__T I'm also really interested in Christopher Sommer's Gymnastics Bodies program. 

[Elastigirl]

Just now, NeverThatBored said:

 

Yeah, I'm going to do the surgery but I'm moving at the end of next week, so I decided to wait to have the surgery until after the move instead of having it with the doctor here. 

That's right,  I remember you saying that..Being able to do Elements and all the other cool stuff will be  worth it.

[Kestrel Grey]

Your movement notes are much more thorough than mine!

 

I finished day two today and already managed to injure my knee. It's only twingey, probably overextended it a little. 

[Elastigirl]

2 hours ago, Kestrel Grey said:

Your movement notes are much more thorough than mine!

 

I finished day two today and already managed to injure my knee. It's only twingey, probably overextended it a little. 

I hope it is nothing serious. The first day my knees were getting stiff, and I had to take lots of breaks. The next time, I took some time and did some knee circles before  as warm up, and that seemed to help.

[annyshay]

No injuries!

 

Here's my notes on day 4.

 

 

[Elastigirl]

Elements warm up

5 minutes (breaks as needed)

Bear

Frogger

Monkey

 

Did my workout outside in my backyard.It was fun to have more room, but harder because my backyard is very bumpy.

 

Elements stretch afterwards. most stuff 30 second, except A-frame 2 x 30 seconds, because my ankles are the tightest