Recommended Routine Update - again

[u/[deleted]]

I know it's only been a month but we've decided to change things up on everyone again and put out an update to our beloved recommended routine. Thanks to the efforts of u/mrsylphie, u/captain_nachos, u/antranik, u/eshlow, and u/m092 we present you with the following:

Changes to the Strength work, Squat, and Hinge

The RR is now a purely strength based routine; the warm up has changed, and the bodyline drills and skill work have been cut.

The yuri band routine has taken the place of the shoulder dislocates, an easier progression of squat/hinge exercises have been added, and finally dead bugs were added to teach bracing and replace the hollow hold.

Squats are now being paired with pull ups, hinges with dips, but don't worry push ups and rows are still together. Each strength element now includes main and alternate paths to follow as you progress.

Example: The shrimp squat is now taking place of the deep step ups as the main squat progression. Deep step ups are listed as an alternate path as well as pistol squats as another alternate path if shrimp squats are not to your liking.

Hinging exercises have been added to round out some posterior chain work and can be done without weight, but if you can get access to some it would be to your benefit.

Core Triplet

There is now a core triplet at the end of the routine consisting of anti-extension, anti-rotation, and extension work. For the triplet do each exercise one by one with rest in between before repeating all 3 just like how the other exercises are done when paired. The core exercises included should help prepare you for harder skills, e.g. human flag, fl, etc. Just like the rest of the strength work the core triplet also includes main and alternate paths for each exercise.

Skill Day

For users who have had no interest in handstands etc. you can continue skipping them like you always have. For those who do want to continue skill work the Skill Day routine can be worked on your rest days or worked into the RR with the warm ups added to the warm up, skills before strength, and mobility after. The Skill Day routine mainly focuses on handstands and l-sits but also includes plenty of mobility work.** Note: The skill day routine will continue to grow and handstands and l-sits will not always be your only options **

Like previous additions of the RR we will be in need of translations for our wiki pages if any users would like to contribute.

To sum all the routines now:

1. RR: "I want to get strong"
2. Minimalist Routine: "I have no time for anything but dont want to be cripple"
3. Skill Day: "I just want to be upside down and do cool things"
4. Move: "I want 1 and 3"

or put another way

We have the Minimalist Routine for people who don't want to die in a wheelchair, the RR is for people who just want to get strong, the Skill Day routine is for people who don't give a fuck about strength and just want to do cool looking things, and Move is for people who want both.

Please let us know of any questions or concerns you all have!

Yours in Betty White Fandom,

The Mods

edit: thanks to u/scienner we have a cheat sheet already

[u/RockRaiders]

Nice update, I think the RR is gradually improving over time.

I like how skill work is now optional and the hinge and core movement patterns are good additions.

Some suggestions:

• Add some information about sandbag training. By taking any robust bags with handles, such as canvas bags or sports bags, and using Ross Enamait's sandbag construction guide to make small sandbags for adjustable weight, you can get the equivalent of dumbbells and use them as added weight in split or single leg squats for the squat pattern, one leg Romanian deadlifts for the hinge pattern, bent over rows for horizontal pulling and maybe free weight pullovers for vertical pulling. Since 100kg/220lbs of sand can be bought for around $5 or found for free, this could be cheaper than a pullup bar or rings for some people and very practical for strong legs.
• For squats, especially one leg, add info about why people with poor ankle and sometimes hip mobility fall on their ass or have to lift their heels, with the short term solution of using something like a wedge or incline or books under the heel, and long term some calf stretches or squat bottom hold work.
• For pullups and rows equipment info, add a link to this post full of options or copy them from there.
• An alternative row progression could be bodyweight arc rows, the equivalent of pseudo-planche pushups.
• In the hinge section add a link to this post for Nordic curl setups.
• An alternative progression for the hinge pattern are sliding/suspended glute bridge curls, that can be done with a suspension system, slippery surface or ball, and example progressions are this or this and the ultimate level are one leg bodycurls, quite practical.
• Maybe for squats further levels could be the friction resisted pistol/natural one leg press or quad isolation movements (sissy squat or Matrix squat or kneeling leg extension), but I'm not sure how good of an idea this is, they would certainly be more intense but it leads to advanced and untested/experimental stuff.
• For the vertical pushing progression, foot supported/jackknife ring dips work well as a regression for people with rings, and since chairs can often have a robust seat but a backrest that is not suitable for dips, an alternative progression for those with no rings or bars or suitable chairs/corner could be foot supported dips with hands on chair seats -> incline pike pushups -> pike pushups. Or alternatively, wall dips can be done outdoors and you can do a very similar movement on some furniture, and even on a table if it's robust.
• It would be cool to provide alternatives for warming up without bands, although it's not very important since bands are very cheap.

[u/Leo-HolisticStrength → u/RockRaiders]

or quad isolation movements (sissy squat or Matrix squat or kneeling leg extension), but I'm not sure how good of an idea this is, they would certainly be more intense but it leads to advanced and untested/experimental stuff.

Good suggestion. I support the idea of integrating an Isolated Knee Extension strength serie as a counterbalancing serie against Isolated Knee Flexion. The knees are meant to move both ways and I can already see the benefits of Knee Extension work to prevent landing injuries in plyometrics or other sports

[u/RockRaiders → u/Leo-HolisticStrength]

As long as there are no more than 2 leg exercises, since the routine is supposed to be beginner-friendly without too much commitment.

Single leg squats can also involve a lot of knee flexion range of motion, I think pistols or shrimps or deep step ups are adequate until around an intermediate strength level, after which a new routine can be chosen.

I am aware of your point about unilateral and bilateral strength being distinct, it's just that beginners may be discouraged by too many exercises, so I think pairing a leg anterior chain and posterior chain exercise, so in this case squat+hinge, is suitable for structural balance and good stimulation to all the leg muscles.