Ido's Blog

Bangkok 2010

2010-04-12T14:28:00.011+03:00

[Due to various Internet problems, I am posting this from Berlin, after arriving here from 3 months in Thailand. I did not change the present tense of the words, though.]

I landed in Bangkok just before the new year. It is my first time in Asia, and I was immediately made aware : this is another 'planet' all together.
Sticky heat,(and rice) noise, air pollution, smog and Buddhas everywhere.
People have a strong faith in this place, and every morning you will see shop owners and simple people putting some food and lightening incsence for the Gods.

Paleo eating? no problem. Don't let the people who tell you one cannot avoid soy and rice in Asia. Make your smart choices and stop bitching and moaning.
Here, I even got to experiment with a popular, portable, quick paleo snacks:

Also, you can choose from other delicacies, such as...

A pig's face:

Fried Kermit's:

Weird fruits: (not bad tasting at all...)

The legs of Miss Piggy:

And of course:

Bangkok is a weird urban-old-new kind of metropolitan. On one side traditional markets without even running water and on the other side huge sky scrapers with electronic key-cards.

I am here to work on another production with Total Brutal company, a piece that is based
on 'The Big Brother' concept. (Originally by Jorge Orwell's '1984')

We arrived at the apartment building owned by the Patravadi Theatre, and I received a one room apartment that I am to spend the next 2 and a half months in.
After a quick audition-workshop for the local artists, we are starting to work on the piece as a small group of 6.
It is Elik - an Israeli dancer working in Berlin, Joom - an experienced Thai actor, On - a Thai
singer/musician/actor, Leng - an acrobat and Tina - a local ladyboy who's profession is... graphic designer.

The process is not simple, chaotic and challenging. Difficulties in communication with the Thais are arising everyday and we learn the simple fact that 'Yes' in Thailand means... well, many things.
Slowly, through the tiring weeks of work we accumulate 'moments' and then some more 'moments' into a colorful puzzle. Nir the director/choreographer 'cuts through the meat', chops and hacks and tries to form a flow through the piece.

Part of the work for me, was some physical exploration with a wooden cube we had lying around on stage. It was the first time I got a chance to play around with such a thing, and the process allowed only quick creation phase, but here is some movement with the cube I created:

The production turned out to be a big success. All the major newspapers, TV channels along with national and international interest. While discussing how from such a difficult process came out something so interesting, Nir, the choreographer responsible for the piece said maybe its BECAUSE of the difficult process, lack of communication with the locals and other struggles and not IN SPITE OF. Food for thought, I guess.

All along the process, I was still making sure to train daily. It turned out to be a very big challenge. We are working for 8 hours a day in the theatre, in great heat and humidity and without AC, and I have to put in at least 2-3 more hours of my own training just to keep myself sharp, strong, flexible and mobile.
I decide to put a lot of effort into my energy management - using certain supplements, getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night, and using pranayama, meditation and yoga techniques throughout the day to keep myself focused and sharp.
I am glad to say I have been successful in this quest for energy. Even though that it was common to log 8-11 hours a day of physical activity, I was able to maintain a 6 days on to 1 day off schedule and remain... productive. Even more than that, my hand balancing skills, flow work, strength and flexibility have all improved during the last 2 and a half months.

All in all here are a couple of simple facts (?...) that I have learned in Thailand:
1. Dogs can do the splits. All Thai dogs do the splits.

2. Spicy? You don't know spicy until you come here. When they say in a restaurant: 'not spicy' it means 'less spicy'. There is no such thing as not spicy in Thailand.
3. 'Yes' can mean a lot of things. It often means 'No', 'I don't understand', 'I fucking don't speak english', 'leave me alone', etc...
4. For a people with a lot of tonality in their language, the Thais have very little ability to vocalize a question mark in the end of a sentence. This is the mother of all misunderstandings between 'Farang' (foreigners) and locals.
5. A rat can be bigger than a cat. Much bigger. It can also scare the shit out of cats. Forget that Tom & Jerry bull-shit..
6. We have a lot of Thai workers in Israel, and they are known as the best working force ever. Those are apparently farmers from the rural areas... Nothing to do with the local Bangkok city boys...
7. Dancers/actors are bitches. Working with them is like trying to eat a ripe mango while staying clean.. The fucking thing just falls apart in your hands and then you need to clean up the mess. (Generalizing, of course...)
8. More Chelated Magnesium = better living. And no, YOU haven't reached the point of diminishing returns. (probably..)
9. One thing I will take with me to a deserted island? Coconut. Wait... Its already there... This thing is the mother product of many, many different things. You have coconut, you have life. And I'm not just talking about MCT's.
10. I would never have imagined lizards will keep me up at night. That was until I met the Thai 'Screaming Lizard'.
11. I love red meat. Red. Meat. Steak. Beef. Grass-Fed. Mmmm... Difficult to come across in this part of the world.
12. Depressed girl shooting a ping pong ball out of her pussy? No, dear Thais, that is not a turn on. At least not in my book... (The 250 pounds red nosed drunk German tourists seems to like it, though)
13. For a traditional place, the Thais are quite accepting and liberal. Wait, they are Buddhists...
14. For a 12 million Asian city Bangkok is a very safe place. Wait, they are Buddhists...
15. An Afro-American as the president of the US? The falling of the Berlin wall? Albert Einstein's theory of relativity? They never heard of it here. Wait, they are Buddhists...
16. Britney Spears (how do you spell that?) - sure, everybody knows Britney.
17. The next time someone tells me that 'rice is good for you, look at asians', I'll kick him in the face. Come to Asia, dear friends, witness the reality. (Not that rice is the worst thing to put in your mouth, for example, never, ever put a ping pong ball you found on the street in Bangkok in your mouth...)

That's it for now, friends...
I am off to a three week adventure in a private island. I plan to do a lot of training, (surprisingly..) mind-body exploration and... fun.
I will start to post a daily training and diet log of my time on the Island. I have received allot of requests for more details about the way I workout, eat, stretch, meditate and live, and so, I hope you will find this insightful.

See you soon,
Ido.

Working on MATKOT

2009-12-23T15:28:00.023+02:00

Well, finally, I have some time to write something about the amazing experience of creating MATKOT.
MATKOT was/is an original production by choreographer Nir De Volff, who is originaly from Israel but works in Europe for many years now.
Nir is not the traditional choreographer and although he has extensive background in contemporary dance, nowdays he finds it more interesting to bring a mix of theatre, physical theatre, dance/movement, a very visual stage and other artistic means to the table.
When Nir first aproached me he was intruiged by the way that I move - floreio art, acrobatics, equilibre, etc... He wasnt sure how we can incorporate this into his work, but as a very instinctive and 'gut feeling' kind of person, he decided to give it a go.
I was invited to participate in his new project and was to arrive to Berlin on a quite short notice.
I was also very much 'in the dark' not knowing to what kind of work I am going towards, what will be the creative process or if I am up to the task.

I arrived in Berlin at the start of Nov, and we started working right away. (I actualy went directly from the airport to the studio)
We arrived at the studio complex we were going to work at for the next month or so. It was a very impressive studio, called EDEN, completely new, (I think we were the first production to work there) with excellent flooring, heated and a huge space.

Some props and a prelimenary version of the final stage were already present and I got to meet the other artists.
We were 5 originaly: Nir de Voff, Hyoung Min Kim, Johanna Chemnitz, Ante Pavic and me. After a misfortunate lower back injury and after two weeks of work already, Ante had to drop out of the project.
MATKOT is all about the beach. All the 4 characters have some kind of a connection to the sea/beach and have their own reference to it, but there are also some interelations between the characters as well.
I will not describe too much about the theme, because there is no one theme, and it is not a normal - nerrative theatre or dance piece.
Nir likes to work with dirt. I mean glitches, twitches, jumps, interferance, white noise and unperfect presentations. His core belief is that reality is not perfect, so why should art be any different? Part of this is giving the audience some unresolved matters to deal with. 'Weird stuff' that makes one think, and that also portrays a much more realistic and down to earth piece.
At first, this was very hard for me. I'm am a perfectionist in nature as everyone around me know, and this kind of thing was going against my initial insticts. But then... I chose to let go, learn from it and try to understand a different way to move/create.

Needless to say, this was a very productive experience. In many aspects.
Besides some basic ideas, the whole piece was created by the four of us, in real time- in the studio. Real relationships mingled without visible limits with our 'stage relationships', a joke told outside the studio became another decoration on stage, misheps in the creation process were embraced into the piece.
Nir is not a person who likes to work with traditional acters or acting per se. He believes in bringing something very real (and though, very vulnerable) on stage. A true WYSWYG, (a microsoft coined term - What You See is What You Get) in a way.

Because of my athletic and acrobatic skills and my flow, I was encoureged to use my abilities, but only when it made sense. I was also working with the girls and we developed a trio (movement in threesome) together, which was great, because due to our different backgrounds, it was fresh, interesting, chaotic and not 'dancy-dance'.

During the whole month we were working hard - 8 hours a day of improvisation, rehersal, movement research, brain storming, and try outs.
I was standing on my hands A LOT, as one of the scenes includes a sort of a synchronized swimming inside our plastic ocean.

I was also using my floreio flow skills and created some original sequences, not forgetting to insert some 'non traditional' movements into the mix..

In one of the center scenes I am also performing quite an acrobatic solo, using some airborn acrobatics to create a sequence that was used on stage.

After one month of work, we transfered to the theatre in which we were going to present the piece - eventualy - Dock 11 in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin.

Comming closer to the premiere, stress and tension showed their head, but we all maintained a very professional aproach and were able to remain productive. What did happen, after countless of hours of floreio, equilibre and my own strength and conditioning work, (that I was performing daily after the work on the project was done) was I injured my wrist.
It was in the day of the open dress rehersal, which was with live audience. One day before the premiere. The injury was not due to some accident, but an overuse kind of thing. I notified Nir, and he decided to postpone the premiere in two days. What a mess.
I immediatly started my own rehab protocol, and I was sent to an excellent (but very cruel...) therapist to help me with the condition. I was able to partly recover in two days, and perform in the priemere, but I was still in pain.
The injury got better and better, and by the third performance I was already much better.
To my great delight, my girlfriend Shai and a very good friend - Oren came from Israel to watch me perform. We had lots of fun exploring parts of Berlin together and hanging out.

All the performances went very well, we recieved good critiques from the local media in Berlin and some theatre owners from Europe showed interest in the piece. Seats were mostly sold out and we had great audiences each evening. Lots of laughter and clapping were going on.

Besides the work on Matkot, I also made sure I continue my own development and practice of my skills. Daily equilibre, floreio and strength and conditioning were thrown into the mix. As soon as I had some more free time I was also taking interesting movement classes and training in local circus centers and acrobatics facilities. Exchanging ideas with local and other foreign movers/circus artists/dancers/acrobats.
I got to know a TON of new people with similar interests and also gave a small workshop of basic floreio art.
The internet and my blog were without a doubt a great tool for me in Berlin. A lot of new connections were made and I am very glad for this opportunities.

I am now in Israel and just finished unpacking, but as it turns out, I am about to embark to Bangkok, Thailand in a few days. Another production, by TOTAL BRUTAL, another adventure, and at last - summer!

For more information about MATKOT and Nir de Volff's work - www.totalbrutal.net
Photos, in the most part, by Bernard Musil.

On another note, my youtube channel has hit lately 250,000 views, in a year time. I am blown away by the response, constant emails I am getting all the time and world wide audience. I have great plans to expand the content I am sharing and will do so, with time.
Stay tuned for some new clips of my daily training, from Bangkok.
See you around, out there,
Ido.

Matkot - Berlin/2009

2009-11-19T01:24:00.002+02:00

Here is some info on the project I am currently working on here in Berlin. It is a physical/theatrical performance by choreographer Nir De Volff. If you are around the area, dont miss it...

NIR DE VOLFF / TOTAL BRUTAL

MATKOT

Premiere: November 28th 2009, 8.30pm

Further Performances: November 29th/30th and December, 4th/5th/6th 2009, 8.30pm

Dock 11, Kastanienallee 79, 10435 Berlin

Tickets at ticket@dock11-berlin.de or 030 448 12 22

Are you longing for the beach of your dreams? Enjoying the sun on your body, the sound of the waves going deeper and deeper into your brain, connecting with harmony and nature? Pull yourself together. Come to us, come to the MATKOT-beach. Nir De Volff / TOTAL BRUTAL will guarantee you crying babies, barking dogs and hundreds of beachball players and nacked bodies, coming closer and closer. We provide a daily supply of fresh garbage and the air is filled with the sweet sound of tractors building another luxury hotel just in walking distance.

MATKOT, the Hebrew word for beach ball, explores the social complexity of a day at the beach and our inconsistent behavior as visitors and users of nature. The new dance piece by Nir De Volff / TOTAL BRUTAL is about the need to relax, the moment when a dream falls apart and the process of collecting bits and pieces struggling to construct a new image.

Idea & Concept: Nir De Volff - A collaboration by Johanna Chemnitz, Hyoung-Min Kim and Nir De Volff - Guest: Ido Portal - Artistic Counselling: Tatiana Saphir - Music: jayrope - Stage: Judith Philipp - Costumes: Pieter Bax - Lights: Benjamin Schälike - Graphic Design: Dorit Bialer - Photos: Bernhard Musil - Production & PR: ehrliche arbeit – freelance office for culture - Choreographic Assistant: Zuhal Toptas - Stage Assistant: Max Johns - Costume Assistant: Veronika Weinhold

Funded by the City of Berlin. Supported by and produced at DOCK 11. Thanks to Hakvutza Jaffo, Tel Aviv Dance Studios.

www.totalbrutal.net

I am currently pulling off 8-12 hours of physical activity a day, (trying to squeeze out my own training besides working on the project) so sorry for the lack of activity on the blog. I know from the emails I recieved many of you are interested to find out some more details about my experiences here in Berlin, and soon I will share some insights on the amazing experience of creating Matkot. Stay tuned, to be continued...

Ido.

Berlin - Nov, 09

2009-11-02T21:33:00.009+02:00

Landed in Berlin.
I wont pretend to figure this place out in one day. Obviously, this place carries a lot of baggage behind it, you can feel it walking the streets here.
Berlin Automn... Let me tell you, there is nothing 'automny' about it for me... This is winter and winter with a bite. Grey, tinkeling rain all the time and muddy shoes that go along with brown stained 'boca de calca'. I usualy dont like this kind of weather, but this place is hypnotic. The harsh,strict german languege, the perfectly designed faces, the shicky fashion and art and the old factories from the war. I have to know more. Much more.

After 8 hours in the studio, meeting the other guys and gals (we are 5) working the project, I was taken to my apartment by the production manager. What a nice surprise...
A beatifull two bedroom aparment right in the center, coozy and warm, with fast internet access and a fully equipped kitchen. I am set. Spending here the next 40 days will be a pleasure.

I intend to explore the city, take interesting workshops and classes and see lots of shows. (from any kind!)
My training will be squeezed into the daily 8 hours movement research we are doing, and another 1-3 hours session in the end of the day. (9-11 hours of movement with 2 30 min breaks in the middle?? I guess so..)

Tomorrow early, we start again, I'll take some pictures of our amazing, completely new studio and maybe some movement clips. Stay tuned and communicate with me.

BTW, my new websites - www.idoportal.com and www.floreioart.com are comming closer and closer to some finish line.. You can already see the new design and features, but most of them are not functional yet. My good friend and amazing graphic designer Oren Vermus is responsible for the simple, clean and beautifull design, my other good childhood friend Timor (Troi Designs) is responsible for the programming. Thanks, guys, no way I could have done it without your endless help.

Ido.

Reverse Corta Capim sequence

2009-09-29T23:43:00.006+02:00

Reverse Corta Capim - Au Cortado

A sequence of two simple movements - Reverse Corta Capim and Au Cortado.
From a squat position start a Reverse Corta Capim and complete 3 turns of it. After the 3rd rep continue the motion into a spin around yourself, spotting the movement with your arms on the floor and maintaining the original energy and intent of the Corta Capim. The spin happens on the ball of the foot and while maintaining the center of mass above the axis point. While spinning, rise up simultaniously (extend the spinning leg as it spins) and after completing a full turn, go into Au Cortado without placing the spinning leg on the ground, but instead using it to gain momentum into the Au.

Floreio Workout Beginner
Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10-20 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. Role Into Half Au / Role Into Au Cortado 12 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec rest
D1. Corta Capim Rotations X 10-20 reps per side / 2 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
E1. Swedish Bars Front Support (partner help) 10 sec
E2. Swedish Bars Back Support (partner help) 10 sec
Repeat E1,E2 for a total of 3 sets, resting 45-90 sec between exercises

F1. 90-90 Iso Pull Up Hang 10-20 sec
F2. Basic Bridge Push Ups 10-15 reps
perform 3 sets resting 90 sec after F2

Prehab
F1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio Workout Intermidiate/Advanced
Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. Reverse Corta Capim - Au Cortado 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Reverse Corta Capim 10 reps per side / 2 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
E1. Swedish Bars Front Support (partner help or alone) 10-15 sec
E2. Swedish Bars Back Support (partner helpor alone) 10-15 sec
Repeat E1,E2 for a total of 3 sets, resting 45-90 sec between exercises

F1. 90-90 One Arm Iso Chin Up Hang rope assisted or one arm only 10-20 sec
F2. One Leg Bridge Push Ups 10-16 reps (change legs) One Arm Bridge Push Ups 5 reps per side / perform 3 sets resting 90 sec between sets

Prehab
F1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

Some interesting posts on the forum:
Active Flexibility's importance in overall flexibility development
Knee issues and myofascial release routine

Enjoy, stay flowing,
Ido.

Some more work

2009-09-27T21:02:00.006+02:00

A lot of people have been asking me about stretching and flexibility enhancement, I decided to post a short piece about it in the forum, check it out.
Also, for those of you who are experiencing limiting knee issues that prevent you from performing extensive Floreio training, here is a great myofascial release routine for the quads and IT band that will help with most issues relating to excessive tension and improper tracking of the Patella.
Let me know what are your experiences with this through the forum, looking forward to hearing from you.

Workout - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 10-30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. High Bridge Static Hold 30 sec
D2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps / repeat D1-D2 for 2 sets / 60 sec rest

or

D1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 20 reps per side / 2 sets / 60 sec
F1. Corta Capim Spin X 14 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec of rest
G1. Au Cortado X 12-16 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec of rest

Conditioning
H1. The Shrimp (foot+knee or just knee of the back leg touching the ground)
H2. Swedish Bench Hanging Leg Raises
H3. Basic Bridge Push Ups
Perform 10 (5-5 per leg in the shrimp),8,6,4,2 reps with as little rest as possible of H1-H3

Prehab
J1. Wrists Routine X 2 sets

Workout Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 20-30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Floreio
C1. Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec
D1. Queda Batido - easy variation X 16-20 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec of rest
E1. Corta Capim Spin into QDR Rotational Push Up 10 reps / rest 60 sec / 2 sets
F1. Au Cortado into Corta Capim Spin X 10-14 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec of rest

Conditioning
G1. The Shrimp (just knee of the back leg touching the ground)
G2. 0-90 Hanging Leg Raises
G3. One Leg Bridge Push Ups (change legs every rep)
Perform 10 (5-5 per leg in the shrimp),8,6,4,2 reps with as little rest as possible of G1-G3

Rehab
G1. Wrists Routine X 2 sets

Workout of the day - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Floreio
C1. Rotation Into Low Bridge - QDR 2 QDR Role 10 reps X 2 sets / 60 sec
D1. Queda Batido - advanced variation X 20 reps /2 sets / 45 sec of rest
E1. Au Cortado - Corta Capim - QDR Rotational Push Up - Role 10 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec
F1. Corta Capim Rotations Into Bridge Rotation With QDR Exit 10 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
G1. The Shrimp - in a quad stretch position or with knee only touching behind you
G2. 0-90 Hanging Leg Raises or One Arm Hanging Leg Raises (change arms every rep)
G3. One Arm Bridge Push Ups (change arms every rep)
Perform 10 (5-5 per leg in the shrimp),8,6,4,2 reps with as little rest as possible of G1-G3

Prehab
J1. Wrists Routine X 2 sets

Enjoy your training,
Ido.

Smoothing the flow

2009-09-23T14:28:00.007+03:00

A new sequence today:

Rotation Into Low Bridge - QDR 2 QDR Role

From a squat, start a Rotation Into Low Bridge, continuing with the second hand to the QDR position. Lean sideways with your body and shift more weight into the QDR support arm. Slide the first hand across the second hand, while rotating the body along its axis and performing a type of a Role with the legs. As you place the first hand in its new position, continue the Role into a new QDR position on that hand and slide out from it sideways into a squat.

Important notes:
1. The first QDR position needs to be stable and support the majority of your bodyweight in order for the 'slide out' to happen smoothly. You need this stable support in order to move every other body part around it. ('Give me a fulcrum and I shall move the world' as Archimedes said)
2. The head should also slide on the floor along with the body and the first hand - keep it close to the ground, as there is a tendency to lift it above the floor.
3. Make sure you articulate the exit from the second QDR position and out into the squat. First reach the 'one leg bent and the other straight' position and then slide out into the squat. Dont forget, 'the devil is in the details'. (I like better the Hebrew version - 'God is in the small details')

Floreio Workout Beginner
Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10-20 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. Head Bridge To QDR Work (choose the variation you are capable of) 10-20 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
or
D1. High Bridge Static Hold 30 sec
D2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest after D2
E1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
F1. Role work, right-left-left-right-left, etc.. (In Random) as little rest as you can for 3 minutes straight. Flow around the floor. Sweat will go flying. Good stuff!

Prehab
G1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

Workout Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Queda Batido - easy variation X 16-20 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
E1. CSF X 75 sec / 3 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS, emphesize sequences incorporating Role)

Prehab
G1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

Workout of the day - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 35 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 50 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Floreio
C1. Rotation Into Low Bridge - QDR 2 QDR Role 10 reps X 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Queda Batido - advanced variation X 20 reps / 3 sets / 45 sec of rest
E1. CSF X 75 sec / 3 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS)

Prehab
G1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

Enjoy,
Questions? Comments? Forum!

Ido.

Locomotion conditioning - once more

2009-09-21T21:44:00.004+03:00

We are going to use the Locomotion conditioning routine once again today. Its been a while.
Try to advance in the type of walks you use, going from the beginner to the intermidiate or intermidiate to advanced, but only if you are ready and up to it.

Locomotion Workout Beginner

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

B1. Walk While Swinging Into Handstand 12 meters
B2. Duck Walk 24 meters
B3. Static High Bridge Hold for 30 seconds / Front Bridge Walking for 12 meters
B4. Horse Walk 24 meters
B5. Lizard Walk (beginner variation) 12 meters
B6. Ostrich Walk 24 meters

Rest 120 seconds after B6 and repeat 3-5 total circuits

Locomotion Workout Intermidiate

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

B1. Handstand Walk 12 meters
B2. Duck Walk 24 meters
B3. Front Bridge Walking for 12 meters
B4. Horse Walk 24 meters
B5. Lizard Walk (Advanced variation) 12 meters
B6. Ostrich Walk 24 meters

Rest 90 seconds after B6 and repeat 3-5 total circuits

Locomotion Workout Advanced

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

B1. Handstand Walk Elbow To Knee 15 meters
B2. Duck Walk 30 meters
B3. Back Bridge Walking for 15 meters
B4. Horse Walk 30 meters
B5. Lizard Walk (Advanced variation) 15 meters
B6. Ostrich Walk 30 meters

Rest 75 seconds after B6 and repeat 3-5 total circuits

Report about your results/question in the forum,
see you around,
Ido.

Legs and long sequence work

2009-09-16T13:53:00.006+03:00

Today's new sequence is a long one comprised from: Au Cortado - Corta Capim Spin - QDR Rotational Push Up - Role.

Start with a Squat, go into an Au Cortado, instead of landing back into the squat, bend the first leg but keep the other one straight and to the side. From this side 'lunge' initiate the Corta Capim Spin to QDR Rotational Push, as we have done before here:

When you slide out of the QDR Rotational Push Up, instead of going to the squat, and again from the side lunge position - roll into a Role movement and end in a squat.

This longer sequence brings into the center of attention more fluidity requirements and breath work. Keep it flowing, adapt to the changing center of mass and the different support positions on some/all four limbs, breath with the movement and concentrate on the movement ahead of you in the sequence order.
This sequence should be worked on by those who have been successful with the prerequisite shorter sequence of Corta Capim Spin Into QDR Rotational Push Up.

Workout Beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Frog Stance 15-30 sec X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Corta Capim Spin X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
E1. Au Cortado X 12-16 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest

Strength and conditioning
F1. Jump Into Box - Iso-Squat 8 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
G1. The Shrimp (foot+knee or just knee of the back leg touching the ground)
G2. Harop Curl 5 reps (each leg in the shrimp) / 3 sets / 90 sec between exercises

Workout Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Air Baby Extensions 5-10 reps per side X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation or QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
or
C1. Corta Capim Spin into QDR Rotational Push Up 10 reps / rest 60 sec / 3 sets
D1. Au Cortado into Corta Capim Spin X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest

Conditioning/prehab
E1. Jump Into Box - Iso-Squat 8 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
F1. The Shrimp (foot+knee or just knee of the back leg touching the ground)
F2. Harop Curl X 5 reps each (per leg in the shrimp) / 3 sets / 90 sec rest between exercises

Workout Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static Air Baby 10-15 sec per side X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio
C1. Corta Capim Spin into QDR Rotational Push Up 10 reps / rest 60 sec / 2 sets
D1. Au Cortado - Corta Capim - QDR Rotational Push Up - Role 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
E1. Corta Capim Spin 14-20 reps / 2 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
F1. Back Flip - Iso Squat X 5 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
G1. The Shrimp - in a quad stretch position or with knee only touching behind you
G2. Harop Curl X 5 reps each (per leg in the shrimp) / 3 sets / 90 sec rest between exercises

Enjoy! If you are having trouble, keep working those progressions hard:

QDR Rotational Push Up
Rotations Into High/Low Bridge
Au Cortado
Role
Corta Capim

The sequences will just fall together when you will do so!

Make sure you do the prehab work - shoulders and wrists especialy, you do not want an injury to stop you from practicing.

Keep me posted of your progress through the forum,
Ido.

Longer sequence work

2009-09-14T13:46:00.005+03:00

Today we are going to work on a bit of a longer sequence work. Lets not forget our ultimate goal with the Floreio practice is to be able to flow freely on the ground, using our body and the space around us to create this physical expression. On the way we get many physical and mental benefits, not unlike other flow practices like Yoga or some forms of movement or dance.
Keep practicing with this mindset. Try to pause as little as you can during the prescribed sets and reps and make sure not only the movements themselves are under control and flowing but also the transitions. Do not let your breath stop for long periods of time, usualy it is advisable to breath through the movements, and let the natural connection between breath and movement occur - if a movement expands your ribcage - breath in, (as in entering a back bridge) and when a movement compresses your upper body breath out. (as in entering a squat) This is just a general recommendation, when actualy the exact opposite should also be understood, practiced and made possible. When flow is the ultimate goal, changes in speed, movement patterns, breathing, etc.. is not only a possibility but a certainty, so do not limit yourself.

Corta Capim Rotations Into Bridge Rotations With QDR Slide Out

Start in a squat. Perform 3 Corta Capim Rotations and continue the last Corta Capim until the moving leg is behind you, pointing back in a straight line. While doing so, place the same side hand, with fingers pointing back at you in front of you on the floor. From this position, hop into both feet, (flat feet on the ground) and start the Rotation Into High Bridge With QDR Exit.
Simple, for the ones of you who already mastered the previous movements, if you havent, you have no buisness training this Floreio piece yet, dedicate your time to perfecting the basic skills, as I have outlined them here from the first Floreio Art workout.
Build up to it, and you wont get injured, frustrated with the practice and finaly.. leave it. Flowing is not easy, but it is well worth the effort to be able to move in space in such a graceful, dominant, strong and flexible way. Put in the time and work and I am sure you wont regret it.

Workout Beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10-20 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. Head Bridge To QDR Work (choose the variation you are capable of) 10-20 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
or
D1. High Bridge Static Hold 30 sec
D2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest after D2
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 15 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
F1. 90-90 Iso Pull Up Hang 10-20 sec
F2. Gatherings Beginner Variations 10-15 reps
perform 5 sets resting 90 sec after F2

Prehab
G1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

Workout Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Corta Capim Rotations X 30 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
F1. 90-90 Iso Pull Up Hang or rope assisted 90-90 One Arm Iso Chin Up Hang 10-30 sec
F2. Gatherings Intermidiate Variations 10-15 reps
F3. Gatherings Beginner Variations 10-15 reps
perform 5 sets resting 90 sec after F2

Prehab
G1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

Workout Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 35 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 50 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Floreio
C1. Corta Capim Rotations Into Bridge Rotation With QDR Exit 10 reps / 3 sets / 90 sec

Conditioning
F1. 90-90 One Arm Iso Chin Up Hang rope assisted or one arm only 10-20 sec
F2. Gatherings Advanced 10 reps
perform 5 sets resting 90 sec after F2

Prehab
G1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 sets / 60 sec rest

I have been recieving a lot of letters from people who are following the workouts and experiencing some tremendous gains in mobility, strength, stability and stamina. Things like the low squat position, QDR control, handstand work, bridge flexibility and overall mobility have been hammered often in the workouts. I also preach for alot of joint prep and prehab work, and I am hearing a lot of people are getting more stable, leaving their injuries behind and becomming... bullet proof. Keep up the good work, friends!
If you havent been training along side, but just reading the material and building your inspiration, I invite you to join us! Enjoy the hard but rewarding work of the Floreio practice, start here with the first workout today!

Questions? Forum!
Ido.

Bridge Push Ups

2009-09-12T23:10:00.008+03:00

As you probobly figured by now, I do not believe in limiting your training to traditional, linear exercises only.
For example, I once counted over 80 types of push ups I use in my training.
The goal is to be strong in every angle, to achieve better control and... dominance of your body in the space around it. I will push (and pull for that matter) in every concievable angle, as long as I understand the biomechanics and think there is a use to it. The result is that I rarely run into situations in which I encounter problems due to a lack of strength. Over the years I have trained in boxing, bouldering, jiu jitsu, ballet, kung fu, ran long distances, track and field, gymnastics, and more and more. I have learned much from those sports/arts and try to incorporate that knowledge into my practice every day.

Today we are going to work on a very basic but the often neglected Bridge Push Ups.
I use a variety of bridge push ups, I will introduce three variations out of many today.

The Basic Bridge Push Ups

This is the basic variation. Lay on your back, bring your heels close to your butt and place your hands, with fingers pointing at your feet, under your shoulders.
Push up into the highest back bridge you can reach, hold momentarily and lower down, trying to bring your butt and shoulder blades at the same time to the floor.
Repeat for reps.
Notice that unlike other performers of this type of push ups I use the full range of motion - back on the floor to complete elbow lockout. You should do the same for maximum results.

The One Leg Bridge Push Ups

This variation will require more control and strength in the posterior chain (hams, glutes and lower back) and will place a higher demand on your core muscles.
I like to use this variation especialy because it transfers so well to various Floreio movements. (I have not shared those movements yet)
Basicly, perform the same bridge push ups, only with one leg extended straight and held off the ground. The same details as the basic variation apply here also. Full range of motion.

The One Arm Bridge Push Ups

This variation will place higher demands on your arms and shoulders as well to a host of muscles running across the upper body that will get activated here as stabilizers, due to the lack of support from the free arm.

From the basic starting position, use only one arm to push up into a one arm back bridge. Hold momentarily and lower down under control.
This variation can be out of reach to some people due to a lack of active flexibility and strength in many areas in the body. Work the basic bridge push ups variations for a while before you try to tackle this one.

Workout - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 10-30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Floreio
C1. Head Bridge To QDR Work (choose the variation you are capable of) 10-20 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. High Bridge Static Hold 30 sec
D2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps

or

D1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 20 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
F1. The Shrimp (foot+knee or just knee of the back leg touching the ground)
F2. Swedish Bench Hanging Leg Raises
F3. Basic Bridge Push Ups
Perform 10 (5-5 per leg in the shrimp),8,6,4,2 reps with as little rest as possible of F1-F3

Rehab
G1. Wrists Routine X 2 subsequent sets / 60 sec rest

Workout - intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 20-30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Floreio
C1. Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Corta Capim Rotations X 30 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
E1. The Shrimp (just knee of the back leg touching the ground)
E2. 0-90 Hanging Leg Raises
E3. One Leg Bridge Push Ups (change legs every rep)
Perform 10 (5-5 per leg in the shrimp),8,6,4,2 reps with as little rest as possible of F1-F3

Rehab
G1. Wrists Routine X 2 subsequent sets / 60 sec rest

Workout - advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Floreio
C1. Rotation Into High Bridge to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
D1. Corta Capim Rotations X 45 sec of work per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning
E1. The Shrimp - in a quad stretch position or with knee only touching behind you
E2. 0-90 Hanging Leg Raises or One Arm Hanging Leg Raises (change arms every rep)
E3. One Arm Bridge Push Ups (change arms every rep)
Perform 10 (5-5 per leg in the shrimp),8,6,4,2 reps with as little rest as possible of F1-F3

Rehab
G1. Wrists Routine X 2 subsequent sets / 60 sec rest

Yes! This workout will work the back bridge position a lot! If it is too much for you, take down the volume a bit. If you have been following the workouts from the start, you should do fine. Make sure you do some soft tissue work on your lower back tomorow, either in a form of massage or foam rolling. (Self education through the internet is a beautiful thing...)

Enjoy and report on your experiences in the forum,
Ido.

New Sequence

2009-09-10T22:27:00.006+03:00

Corta Capim Spin into QDR Rotational Push Up

This sequence of Floreio movements is comprised by two movements we have previously explored:

Corta Capim Spin

QDR Rotational Push Ups Advanced

Combining those movements into one small Floreio piece produces a beautiful flow of movement, this is only the beginning, many more interesting possibilites lies ahead of us in our Floreio exploration.

After a full Corta Capim Spin, place both arms down on the floor and lower your upper body into QDR position, sideways. The straight leg shouldn't touch the floor, but 'sweep' the other leg into the QDR Rotational Push Up movement and back into squat. This 'Sweep' produces the beauty in this sequence. Work it hard until you get the timing and control right.
The secret is the timing of the transition, and achieving a good control of both movements seperatly first.

Strength and Conditioning - Gymnast's Extended Set
Today we are going to use a training system popularized by Charles Poliquin - The Gymnast's Extended Set.
This is a pulling routine which is comprised by a couple of Pull Up variations performed one after the other with little rest in between, and going from the most difficult variation to the easiest one - from a biomechanical advantage perspective.

You start in a wide grip pull up (pronated grip - pinkies facing out) and perform as many reps as possible, stop one rep before failure. Use a wide grip and make sure you go from complete lockout of the elbows to middle of the throat to the bar, or even better, chest touching the bar. The descent of each repetition should be controlled and take at least 3 seconds. (not 1,2,3 as most of you count, but 1-missisippi, 2-missisippi, 3-missisippi)

Rest 10 seconds.

Perform as many reps as possible using shoulder width pull ups, (pronated grip - pinkies facing out) again, 3 seconds each descend, middle of the throat/chest to the bar and complete lockout at the bottom of each rep.

Rest 10 seconds.

Perform as many reps as possible using shoulder width chin ups, (supinated grip - pinkies facing inside) again, 3 seconds each descend, middle of the throat/chest to the bar and complete lockout at the bottom of each rep.

Rest 10 seconds.

Perform as many reps as possible using close grip chin ups, (supinated grip - pinkies facing inside) again, 3 seconds each descend, middle of the throat/chest to the bar and complete lockout at the bottom of each rep.

Rest 180 seconds and repeat for the desired number of sets.

This pulling routine is great for our goals, to balance all the pushing motions we are using in our Floreio workouts, in a short, compact and effective manner.
If you cannot do more than 5 wide grip pull ups, I advice you to work one of the four chin/pull up variations above, for sets of as many reps as possible, one rep before failure, performed for sets, instead of the Gymnast's Extended Set - which is a more advanced training routine.
Choose a chin/pull up variation that allows you to perform 4-6 reps.

Workout - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10-20 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Corta Capim Spin X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest

Strength
E1. Chin/pull up variation for as many reps as possible, stop one rep before failure / rest 180 sec repeat for 3 sets

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Workout - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation or QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Corta Capim Spin X 14 reps / 3 sets / 45 sec of rest

Strength
E1. Chin/pull up variation for as many reps as possible, stop one rep before failure / rest 180 sec repeat for 3 sets

or

E1. Gymnast's Extended Set / rest 180 sec / 3 sets

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Workout - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 30 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 45 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Floreio
C1. Corta Capim Spin into QDR Rotational Push Up 10 reps / rest 60 sec / 5 sets

Strength
D1. Gymnast's Extended Set / rest 180 sec / 3 sets

Prehab
E1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
E2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

I hope you will enjoy this interesting workout - it is full of mobility, flow, strength, endurance, prehab and joint prep, all wrapped into one compact bundle of a workout. Let me know your experiences with this through the forum,
Ido.

Queda Batido

2009-09-08T22:27:00.010+03:00

Queda (de rins) Batido
This is a nice Floreio piece that involves some moving around in the QDR position. A prerequisite for that, of course, is having a stable QDR position first. If you havent been dedicating enough time to training your QDR, start to do so now. It is an essential movement in Floreio practice and will allow you a lot of freedome of movement around that position.

From a squat go into a normal QDR position, one leg is straight and the closer leg is bent. From this position take the straight leg up and over the far elbow and touch the ground. The leg should be active as well as your foot - quality of movement! The movement should also be controlled and stable. After touching the floor and exhaling air while doing so, take the leg in the same path it entered back to the starting position and down to the squat. Push out.

The intermidiate variation will use both arms at all times to control the movement.

The advanced variation will use one arm to get in and out of the position and two arms in the position itself for better fluidity, control and... beauty.

Workout - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Frog Stance 15-30 sec X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio work
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
or
D1. High Bridge hold - total time 30 sec
D2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps / perform 3 sets of d1-d2 resting 60 sec after D2 only
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 15 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
F1. Jump Into Box - Iso-Squat 8 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
G1. The Shrimp (foot+knee or just knee of the back leg touching the ground) 5 reps per leg X 3 sets / 120 sec rest
H1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Workout - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Air Baby Extensions 5-10 reps per side X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio work
C1. Queda Batido - easy variation X 16-20 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotations into High Bridge or Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 20 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
F1. Jump Into Box - Iso-Squat 8 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
G1. The Shrimp (foot+knee or just knee of the back leg touching the ground) 5 reps per leg X 3 sets / 120 sec rest
H1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Workout - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static Air Baby 10-15 sec per side X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio work
C1. Queda Batido - advanced variation X 20 reps / 3 sets / 45 sec of rest
D1. QDR Circles X 10 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
E1. Rotation Into High Bridge to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
F1. Corta Capim Rotations X 25 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
F1. Back Flip - Iso Squat X 5 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
G1. The Shrimp - in a quad stretch position or with knee only touching behind you 5 reps per leg X 3 sets / 120 sec rest
H1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Enjoy the flow!
Discussion? Forum!

Ido.

Back to buisness

2009-09-06T23:21:00.010+03:00

Hey, people.
I'm back home and ready to post some new material.
Today I am going to share some Swedish Bars (Stall Bars) work I am using.
The swedish bars are one of the best training tools for someone interested in bodyweight strength and conditioning. I use it heavily in my own training, for strengthening, stretching, prehab and a lot more. I can write volumes on how to use this essential training instrument.

The Swedish Bars Front Support

This is a basic exercise used in gymanstics as a basic body tension preparatory drill. I have heard that in some ex-USSR countries kids 6-7 years old are required to stay for 3 min in this position...
Stand on the lower bar of a swedish ladder. Grab the bar at around your waist height with a pronated grip (thumbs pointing in, later on in more advanced stages it can be done with a supinated grip also) and support yourself on top of your hands.
Make sure your shoulders are pushed down, and activate your butt and abs. Slowly take one foot and point it down. Add the other foot - for the complete support. (your whole body is supported on your hands)
The tension in the muscles around your armpit is the secret here - upper back, rear delts and triceps join to create a lock of tenstion, and though, helping support your body, even though the body is not on top of the supporting point (hands) - which is excatly the point.

The Swedish Bars Back Support

The back support is a harder exercise than the front one.
Step on the lower bars of the swedish ladder with your back to the bars.
Grab the bars at about waist high with a supinated (thumbs out) grip.
Make sure you 'hollow' your upper back a bit by rounding the shoulder forward and putting a small curvature into your upper back.
Extend one leg down, contract your butt and abs, push down with your shoulders and join the other leg to complete the position.
This exercise, at first, will seem impossbile to some. Keep playing with the positioning, go over the details again and correct your body alignment. With practice, you will get it, I assure you.

Both support positions can be performed with some help from a partner - glueing you to the bars, first with a lot of help and later on, once you learn how to create the needed body tension - a two fingers assistance only. You can also use an elastic band to keep yourself glued to the bars, if no partner is available. Work at it, devote some time to these basic support positions, and you will see improvement in many other areas of your physical development.
Especialy helpful is the front support to the front lever position, as well as the back support and the maltese/planche positions.
The exercises should be performed for 5-30 sec holds, once it is easy to work with 30 sec sets, you are ready to graduate to more advanced exercises.

Workout - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10-20 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. CSF X 75 sec / 5 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS)

Conditioning
D1. Swedish Bars Front Support (partner help) 10 sec
D2. Swedish Bars Back Support (partner help) 10 sec
Repeat D1, D2 for a total of 5 sets, resting 45-90 sec between exercises

Prehab
E1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
E2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest
F1. Elastic Band Dislocations (from Scapula mobilization routine) for an extra 2 sets of 20 reps / rest 60 sec, keep it low intensity and dont push it too far

Workout of the day - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. CSF X 75 sec / 5 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS)

Conditioning
D1. Swedish Bars Front Support (slight partner help) 10-20 sec
D2. Swedish Bars Back Support (slight partner help) 10-20 sec
Repeat D1, D2 for a total of 5 sets, resting 45-90 sec between exercises

Prehab
E1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
E2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest
F1. Elastic Band Dislocations (from Scapula mobilization routine) for an extra 2 sets of 20 reps / rest 60 sec, keep it low intensity and dont push it too far

Workout of the day - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 35 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 50 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Floreio
C1. CSF X 75 sec / 5 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS)

Conditioning
D1. Swedish Bars Front Support 10-30 sec
D2. Swedish Bars Back Support 10-30 sec
Repeat D1, D2 for a total of 5 sets, resting 45-90 sec between exercises

Prehab
E1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
E2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest
F1. Elastic Band Dislocations (from Scapula mobilization routine) for an extra 2 sets of 20 reps / rest 60 sec, keep it low intensity and dont push it too far

Good to be back! Later this week - the launch of the new FloreioArt.com website! Stay tuned.
Join us at the forum for discussion - www.forum.idoportal.com

See you soon,
Ido.

Reverse Corta Capim and HLR

2009-08-23T22:54:00.009+03:00

Reverse Corta Capim Rotations

It is exactly as it sounds - a Corta Capim Rotations only performed in reverse. It is a more challanging variation of the Corta Capim.

The same details as the normal version still go here:
1. The rotating foot will slide on the floor on it heel first, then the side of the foot, (knife of the foot) then the top of the foot, the inside of it and finaly back to the heel.
2. Completely extand the leg at all times during the rotation. You want to create the biggest circle possible with the rotation, there is a special tendency to shorten the arc in the back - making it easier but not complete. Dont fall into this trap.
Perfect practice makes perfect. Take it slow and work the details.

Hanging Leg Raises

This is an essential part of my training for abdomen and hip flexors strength.
The hanging leg raise should be achieved by... anyone. In my opinion it is a very natural and useful pattern of movement - pulling your legs up while hanging. Before tackling more advanced hanging feats like the Front Lever, I like to see people first perfecting this skill.
The HLR has an active flexibility component to it, making it an even more complete package than other traditional abdominal exercises.

The most basic progression I take novices through is the Swedish Bench HLR.

Installing the Swedish Bench in the proper height allows for fine tunning of the exercise intensity until the full vertical variation is possible. Keep increasing the height of the bench anchor point with time. A rep counts as a rep only when you touch the bench with your feet.

Once vertical HLRs are possible, one possibility is to concentrate on the upper half of the movement - performing 0-90 Degrees Hanging Leg Raises, starting in a hanging L-sit and going up to the bar and back.

Another challanging variation that includes an upper back component to it, along with an advanced core challangeis the One Arm Hanging Leg Raises. Very simple - hang from a pull up bar with one arm only. Lift your feet to the bar and back and repeat for reps.

Simple but not easy. If you are able to perform HLRs but not the one arm version, I suggest you concentrate on increasing the number of reps, until 5 is achieved, then add a static pause at the top, until 5 sec is possible in all 5 reps, then add weight. In addition, start to play with one arm hangs from the pull up bar - up to sets of 30-45 sec. This combination will allow you eventualy to progress to the one arm version.

Workout of the day - Beginners

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10-20 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. CSF X 75 sec / 5 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS)

Conditioning
D1. High Bridge Static Hold 30,25,20 sec
D2. Gatherings Beginner Variations X 12,10,8 reps
D3. Swedish Bench Hanging Leg Raises X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between D1, D2 and D3 and complete 3 sets with the reps/time mentioned above

Prehab
E1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
E2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest
F1. Elastic Band Dislocations (from Scapula mobilization routine) for an extra 2 sets of 20 reps / rest 60 sec, keep it low intensity and dont push it too far

Workout of the day - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. CSF X 75 sec / 5 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS)

Conditioning
D1. 0-90 Hanging Leg Raises X 5 reps / 3 sets /120 sec rest

E1. Rotations into High Bridge X 12,10,8 reps
E2. Gatherings Intermidiate Variations X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2 and complete 3 sets with the reps/time mentioned above

Prehab
E1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
E2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest
F1. Elastic Band Dislocations (from Scapula mobilization routine) for an extra 2 sets of 20 reps / rest 60 sec, keep it low intensity and dont push it too far

Workout of the day - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 35 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 50 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Floreio
C1. CSF X 75 sec / 5 sets / 90 sec rest (Add any skills you have aquired that can combine into the CFS)

Conditioning
D1. One Arm Hanging Leg Raises X 5 reps per arm / 3 sets /120 sec rest

E1. Rotations into High Bridge X 12,10,8 reps
E2. Gatherings Advanced X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2 and complete 3 sets with the reps/time mentioned above

Prehab
E1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
E2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest
F1. Elastic Band Dislocations (from Scapula mobilization routine) for an extra 2 sets of 20 reps / rest 60 sec, keep it low intensity and dont push it too far

Important Notice:
I will be away for the week, traveling abroad to Russia, posts may be small, or none at all, depending on internet access and free time. I will be back in Sept 1st, please keep practicing and working on the skills.
The good news is when I will be back it will be time to launch our new website. I do hope it will make things easier for everyone, and that the great community that we have gathering around this kind of challanging but rewarding work on our bodies will grow even further. Spread the word, let me know if you need my help through the forum...

Ido.

Pulling and Air Babies

2009-08-21T18:22:00.008+03:00

Today we will plunge into the world of pulling strength and learn a new static position, adding to our Equilibre/handbalancing vocabulary.

90-90 Iso Pull Up Hang

This is a very good static position to concentrate on, (along with other pulling static positions that will be introduced in the future) that combines upper arm, back, hip flexor and core challanges.
Basicly, hanging from a high bar, in a supinated (chin up) or pronated (pull up) grip, bend the elbows in a 90 degrees angle, and lift your knees or full extended legs in a 90 degree angle to your body. Hold the position for the required amount of time and come down.

90-90 One Arm Iso Chin Up Hang

This is a more advanced version - using only one arm to hold in position. A special attention should be given to stop the rotation of the body inwards - hold the position facing the front and using a chin up supinated grip.
To work towards this skill, use a short rope hanging from the pull up bar - and hold it with the free hand to assist you. The lower you grab, the less help you get.

Frog Stance

This is a basic static Equilibre position used before more advanced variations can be achieved. It will help both your handstand practice (in conjunction with the other handstand exercises I have shared before) and the developement of other static position such as the QDR, Air Baby, etc..
Start in a low squat, place your hands a bit more than shoulder width apart, fingers pointing forward on the ground. Put your knees on top of your elbow-triceps and lean forward, without taking the head too low towards the ground. Extending the elbow angle will require a bit more strength but will allow a higher position to be held. Make sure you pull your heels towards your butt and breath shallowly without disturbing the musclulature involved in the balance. Hold for time and come back to Squat.

Air Baby Extensions

This is a developmental exercise, for someone who has achieved a strong Frog Stance and wants to advance into the Air Baby position.
Start in a similar position to the frog stance, but with one hand rotated out in a 90 degree angle and the other a bit more forward.
Lift into the position, and after shifting the weight to the rotated hand side, straighten the opposite leg back and forth, slowly and while maintaining balance.
In order to do so, you will have to shift the weight a bit to the active side, and this will start you on your way to build control and strength in the side position - essential for the future Air Baby position.

A harder variation also demonstrated in the clip is to straighten the leg back and rotate the pelvis sideways at the same time - putting more weight on the active side and comming one step closer to the one arm Air Baby.
Repeat for reps, come down, and perform on the opposite side.

Static Air Baby

This exercise is for someone already comfortable with the advanced variation of the Air Baby Extensions.
The easiest position is the Air Baby with two hand support on the ground. Start in the Air Baby extension exercise and reach the fully extended position - leg both back and rotated out. Hold for time, repeat on the other side.

A more advanced variations will include lifting into the fingertips and eventualy two or one fingers of the free hand. Basicly keep rotating out the pelvis and extending back with the leg, while straightening the elbow angle and maintaining strong core tension. Also, push into the ground with your active hand and extend the shoulder out, widening the scapulas.
If all of those cues will be covered, the free hand will be under less tension - allowing you to rise to your finger tips and aproaching the full one arm Air Baby.

The full one arm position will become possible after one can hold a consistent 10-15 sec One Arm plus two fingers assistance position sets.
Work it with patience, it will come, but only to those with enough work ethic, patience and will power.

Workout - Beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Frog Stance 15-30 sec X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio work
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
or
D1. High Bridge hold - total time 30 sec
D2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps / perform 3 sets of d1-d2 resting 60 sec after D2 only
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 15 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Strength
F1. 90-90 Iso Pull Up Hang 10-20 sec / 5 sets / 60-90 sec rest

Prehab
G1. Wrists Routine X 3 subsequent sets

Workout - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Air Baby Extensions 5-10 reps per side X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio work
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation or QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotations into High Bridge or Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 20 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Strength
F1. 90-90 Iso Pull Up Hang or rope assisted 90-90 One Arm Iso Chin Up Hang 10-30 sec / 5 sets / 60-90 sec rest

Prehab
G1. Wrists Routine X 3 subsequent sets

Workout - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static Air Baby 10-15 sec per side X 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

Floreio work
C1. QDR Circles X 10 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotation Into High Bridge to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
E1. Corta Capim Rotations X 25 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Strength
F1. 90-90 One Arm Iso Chin Up Hang 5-15 sec per side, resting 10 sec in between sides / 5 sets / 60-90 sec rest

Prehab
G1. Wrists Routine X 3 subsequent sets

Interesting posts on the forum

The Gaga movement modality - an intersting tool for anyone who moves (still...)
Circus School documentry - watch how the kid equilbirist phenomenon trains
Physical culture from around the world
Ido's number one health tip - clean up your act!
Closed System Flow - post your clip and get a gift - glimpse clip of future Floreio Art movements
Quality of movement thread. Keeps growing. Add your favorite clip!
Dynamic balance - amazing robot video
Fear management for acrobatics - a future release
Improvisation as the highest form of physical expression

Enjoy,
Ido.

Another workout

2009-08-18T22:49:00.006+03:00

Today's workout:

Beginners

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10-20 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
or
D1. High Bridge hold - total time 30 sec
D2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps / perform 3 sets of d1-d2 resting 60 sec after D2 only
E1. Corta Capim Spin X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest

Conditioning
F1. NDA Lateral Push Ups side to side X 20/18/16 reps
Rest 60 seconds between sets

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Intermidiates

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation or QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 10-14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotations into High Bridge or Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Corta Capim Spin X 14 reps / 3 sets / 45 sec of rest

Conditioning
F1. NDA Lateral Push Ups side to side X 20 reps
Perform 3 sets resting 45 seconds between sets

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 30 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 45 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Floreio
C1. QDR Circles X 10 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Rotation Into High Bridge to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
E1. Corta Capim Spin X 14 reps / 3 sets / 45 sec of rest

Conditioning
F1. D1. NDA Lateral One Arm Push Ups side to side X 10/8/6/4/2 reps
Rest 60/45/30/15 seconds between sets

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Interesting posts on the forum

The Gaga movement modality - an intersting tool for anyone who moves (still...)
Circus School documentry - watch how the kid equilbirist phenomenon trains
Physical culture from around the world
Ido's number one health tip - clean up your act!
Closed System Flow - post your clip and get a gift - glimpse clip of future Floreio Art movements
Quality of movement thread. Keeps growing. Add your favorite clip!
Dynamic balance - amazing robot video
Fear management for acrobatics - a future release
Improvisation as the highest form of physical expression

Enjoy,
Ido.

Fusion movements

2009-08-15T15:49:00.016+03:00

Fusion movements are complex movements that are constructed by two basic movements that serve as building blocks of the new creation. The difference between fusion movements and movement sequences is that the movements in the fusion are 'blended' together in a seamless manner, without any use of the transition movement used in the sequence, (the squat in our CSF, so far...) while basicly creating a new movement - it does not longer look like a sequence of two movements that have a start and an end to each of them.

Rotation Into Bridge With QDR Exit

This is a very beautiful fusion movement, that may take a while to develop. Stay focused, make sure your wrists are warmed up and do extra wrist prehab at the end of your sessions.
A strong and stable Static QDR together with the QDR Rotational Push Ups are essential here. Go back to them and practice them often. If you do not have the control to do these, choose the beginner workout and perfect those movements first.

First one should learn the Head Bridge To QDR Push Ups.
Lay on your back. Lift into a back bridge and slide your head back, leaning on it. This will allow you to 'free' one of your arms. Lift it and bring it as far back and to the side as you can - towards your waist, placing the palm in such a way the elbow is pointing up waiting for the body to descend from above into QDR. Move your waist from above (dont collapse) and place the waist on top of the elbow in a QDR position. Make sure the elbow is firm and the wrist, lower arm and upper arm are active and resisting.
Push back up, place your head on the floor and support some weight with it. Free your QDR supporting hand and bring it back to neutral bridge position. Start over on the other side and repeat for reps.
This movement will allow you to 'oil' the lowering down process from the bridge into the QDR. Practice it until it is easy and flowing. Do not neglect this stage, it is essential for futher development.

The next stage is the Head Bridge Lower To QDR And Leg Swings.
In this stage, while lowering down from the head bridge into the QDR we will be using a cross step, from behind the knee, similar to the cross step previously used in the QDR Circles. (Article is here)
After lowering down and cross stepping, and when in a solid QDR position, we will swing the free leg back and forth, while maintaining balance and control, simlulating the future exit.
After 2-5 leg swings, return the swinging leg from in front of the support leg and recross backwards the support leg into the neutral back bridge position, support on the head and change the arms to the other side. Repeat for reps.

The last stage in this developmental practice will be the full Head Bridge Lower Down to QDR and Leg Swings to Slide Out.
After a couple of leg swings in the last stage final position, use the momentum created by the swings to pivot out on the supporting elbow, while changing the orientation of the legs - from one bent and the other straight to the opposite position, and push sideways into the Squat.
I cannot highlight enough the need for strong wrists and arms in the positions above. Starting this practice too early, without the proper joint preparation and strength training specific to this practice, will lead to injury. No matter how strong you think you are, I have seen ex elite gymnasts, weightlifters and dancers hurt themselves trying to learn this movement. Be humble.

The next progression after being comfortable with the Head Bridge Lower to QDR Slide Out is to add a Rotation Into High Bridge at the start.
Start with a Rotation Into High Bridge, when you reach the bridge position, lower down to your head and continue with the last exercise sequence.
After being able to do the complete combination, take away the leg swings before the slide out, to make it even smoother.

The final product is the Rotation Into High Bridge to QDR Exit.
The only difference here is taking away the head lean in the middle of the exercise, making the two movements - rotation into high bridge and QDR rotational push up and blending them in a completely seamless manner. Notice the quality of the movement, smoothness and flow. Those are main concerns in our practice. Dont just do it. Do it with flow.

Corta Capim Rotations

This is a very ancient and traditional movement pattern in many cultures. You can see the Corta Capim movement in Russian Cossack Dances, eastern martial arts, african rituals and more. It is also used in a very sophisticated way in Floreio flow work. (This is only the tip of the iceberg concerning Corta Capim variations and uses in fusion movements... Stay tuned)
From a squat, shift your weight towards one leg, transfering to the ball of the foot and opening up the knee to the side. Straighten the opposite leg sideways and place both hands on the floor in front of you.
Bring the straight leg from the side towards the center, while lifting each obstacle in 'its path' when it arrives at it, and placing the obstacle back down right after it passed.
The first obstacle would be the first hand, then the other hand, and then the opposite foot - the one that supports us on the ground.
In order to lift the foot, we need to momentarily shift the weight off it - to the hands. The body will lean forward, the inside of the supporting leg would lean against the elbow, and the weight shift will allow us to lift the supporting foot up, pass the opposite leg below it and come down into the supporting foot once it has passed.
When you finish the complete rotation either continue into another one or when reaching the original 'legs sideways position', pull your straight leg back and shift into the flat foot squat at the same time.

This whole process needs to be practiced until it is smooth and seamless. It will take some practice, start slow, and 'oil' the movement as you advance.
Other improtant details:
1. The rotating foot will slide on the floor on it heel first, then the side of the foot, (knife of the foot) then the top of the foot, the inside of it and finaly back to the heel.
2. Completely extand the leg at all times during the rotation. You want to create the biggest circle possible with the rotation, there is an special tendency to shorten the arc in the back - making it easier but not complete. Dont fall into this trap.
I have seen many movement artists, athletes and sports man trying this skill, teaching it and.... doing it with very bad movement quality - not a full circle, jerky weight shift and an obvious lack of understanding of the movement details. Dont join them, please. Take notice of the video demonstration, study it and reread the details. The devil is in the details. (and so is God)

Fusion Movement Workout - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 10-30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Explosive Leg Work
C1. Jump Into Box - Standing 8 reps X 2 sets / 90 sec rest
D1. Jump Into Box - Iso-Squat 8 reps X 2 sets / 90 sec rest

Flow Work
E1. Head Bridge To QDR Work (choose the variation you are capable of) 10-20 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec

F1. High Bridge Static Hold 30 sec
F2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps
or
F1. Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps
complete 3 sets / 60 sec rest

G1. Corta Capim Rotations X 20 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
H1. Ecc Pistol + Side Push Up 10,8,6 (per leg) / as little rest as you need
I1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Fusion Movement Workout - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 20-30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Explosive Leg Work
C1. Jump Into Box - Standing 8 reps X 2 sets / 90 sec rest
D1. Jump Into Box - Iso-Squat 8 reps X 2 sets / 90 sec rest

Flow Work
E1. Rotation Into High Bridge to Head to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
G1. Corta Capim Rotations X 30 reps per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
H1. Ecc Pistol + One Arm Side Push Up 10,8,6 (per leg) / as little rest as you need
I1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Fusion Movement Workout - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Static QDR 30 sec per side / 3 sets / 45 sec rest

Explosive Leg Work
C1. Front Flip - Standing X 5 reps X 3 sets / 75 sec rest
D1. Back Flip - Iso Squat X 5 reps X 3 sets / 75 sec rest

Flow Work
E1. Rotation Into High Bridge to QDR Exit X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec
G1. Corta Capim Rotations X 45 sec of work per side / 3 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
H1. Pistol + One Arm Side Push Up 10,8,6 (per leg) / as little rest as you need
I1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

News:

If you are interested in a small glimpse into the close future of the floreio art project, all you need to do is join the forum and post a small video clip of you performing some CSF work. (for description of CFS, go here)
Post the clip here and you will recieve a video clip by email immediatly. Your clip doesnt have to be perfect or long in duration, just a small demo of some work being done.

Join us at the forum for some excelent discussions about mobility, strength, flow and improvisation in movement. Forum.

New Movements

2009-08-12T22:32:00.010+03:00

Today we are going to continue adding more 'words' into our new languege. Our goal is to build control in singular movements and then move them into use - flow work, specificly in our Closed System Flow that will be developing on and on with time, until it will become a monster octopus with many tanticles. Such a flow will enable improvisation on the floor to happen in a beautiful demonstration of freedome of movement, mobility, strength, balance and control over one's body and mind. You can look at it as an advanced form of Yoga, Dance, mobility work, Improvisation, joint preparation, metcon - metabolic conditioning and of course - movement.

Corta Capim Spin

The corta capim spin requires some dynamic (rotational) balance and will be challanging at first.
Start in the squat. Shift the weight towards one foot, transferring into the ball of the foot and letting the knee come lower simultaniously. The other leg, which will become free to move due to the weight shift, will be straightened sideways.
Put your hands on the ground in front of you, between your legs. Start pushing the floor with your hands, rotating your body in its fixed position around the axis foot until you complete a full turn. Shift into the squat again and change sides. Repeat for reps.

The harder variation will be to initiate the push with the hands, and use your hands only to 'save you' in case of loss of balance. Try to do it as late as you can into the movement, until you feel you can complete the full turn with no hands assistance at all.

The hardest variation will be to initiate the movement from the hands and then complete a full turn with no hands touching the floor. Transform into the squat when you finish the full turn and start again to the opposite side. Make sure you do not shortcut here! Complete a full turn and land with the foot on its original spot on the floor.

QDR Circles

The QDR Circles are an advanced movement requiring the control of the Advanced QDR Rotational Push Up.
If you are unable to do it yet, go back to practice the intermidiate and advanced variations of the QDR Rotational Push Ups and come back to this movement once you have done so.

Basicly, from a squat, place you hands in front of you and lower towards the QDR, kick into the low one leg bridge QDR rotational push up position, trying to land as deep as you can into the rotation - almost in the line that originates in between your hands.
From the low one leg bridge position, take the straight leg, bend it and place it behind the bent leg in a cross-step and while making sure the body is lifted a bit higher than the original low bridge position. A side turning of the body needs to happen at the same time.
After cross-step (Look at the side and rear view to better understand that) slide your body from above towards the opposite elbow into a QDR position, while straightening the lower leg and kicking with it out of the position. Come out into a low 4 point stance on hands and feet and enter another QDR to repeat the circle.
Complete the desired number of reps before changing sides.

Take notice of these details:
1. Do not let the body sag into the ground in the low bridge positions - lift your pelvis up and arch your back - to provide room for the cross step to happen.
2. Land softly on the balls of the foot each time before you come to your heels. (if necessary at all)
3. Strong elbow and wrist position should be maintained. No playing around here - keep tension or injury will occur. If you are not able to do so, go work easier variations.
4. The hands do not move during the whole circle exercise - this restriction will create a lot of good adaptations in your body - mobility, stability and strength, because you will have to move your whole body around those two points of contact, in a closed kinetic chain fashion. Moving the hands from their original position will degrade this exercise substantialy.

Sample Workout - Beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10-14 reps / 3-5 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Corta Capim X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest

Conditioning
E1. High Bridge Static Hold 30,25,20 sec
E2. Gatherings Beginner Variations X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2, complete 3 sets with the reps/time mentioned above

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Sample Workout - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Floreio
C1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation or QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 10-14 reps / 5 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Corta Capim X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest

Conditioning
E1. Rotations into High Bridge X 12,10,8 reps
E2. Gatherings Intermidiate Variations X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2, complete 3 sets with the reps mentioned above

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Sample Workout - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Equilibre
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 30 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 45 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Floreio
C1. QDR Circles X 10 reps per side / 5 sets / 60 sec of rest
D1. Corta Capim X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec of rest

Conditioning
E1. Rotations into High Bridge X 12,10,8 reps
E2. Gatherings Advanced X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2, complete 3 sets with the reps mentioned above

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
F2. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set
Complete 2 subsequent supersets of F1-F2 no rest

Forum action:
1. Go watch the CSF of some good people here, and go post yours! For the ones who post, a special video is comming to your emails till the end of the week. Do it, quickly!
2. Lots of good discussions about physical culture, flow, movement, strength, prehab, rehab, mobility, stretching, improvisation, endurance and more and more. Join us at the forum!

Closed Systems

2009-08-09T17:17:00.004+03:00

Lets talk about flow.
Being aproached countless times after giving a demonstration of Floreio flow and asked 'teach me flow', I started to develop a systematic aproach and methodolegy to flow work.

As I have discussed before, the various stages of true improvisational flow development are:
A. Singular movement practice
B. Sequecing singular movements into small flow pieces
C. Improvised sequencing of known movements
D. Improvised movements and improvised sequencing

Today I am going to describe another important piece of the puzzle, explaining how to create and choose movements that will combine together into an intelligent system that one will be able to work with in stage C - improvised sequencing of known movements. This is the principle of 'Closed System Flow' - a term I coined to describe this principle. (I will use CSF from now on)

Closed System Flow
CSF is a model that describes how to construct a smart flowing system integrating its various parts in such a way that continuous, neverending flow is the result.
The main problem with attempting to flow usualy is getting to a 'corner' or a bump in the flow, a place from where at that particular moment you cannot continue from.
The CSF's main concern is to create a rounded, circular system with no corners or bumps, that the practitioner will be able to continue flowing in, moving infinitly from movement to movement.
In order to accomplish that and for one to maximize his artistic choices I understood very quickly that interaction between all the various components-movements of the flow needs to happen.
Lets use an example of a 4 movement CSF - Role, Au Cortado, Low Bridge, QDR.
When choosing those 4 movements I need to ask myself: can all of the movements flow from one to another in a seamless manner?
Now, lets see - we have explored quite a few sequencing of those movements, so we know we have accomplished that goal.
The reason all those 4 movements interact in such a way is that I made sure they connect in a 'joint connection' or 'transitional movement' - the Squat.

Take notice - each one of the 4 movements are starting in a squat and ending in a squat.

This enables me to flow endlessly from movement to movement, passing through the Squat (but not only - on that later on) and continuing on to the next movement, creating.... infinite flow.

Take a look at the diagram I created below to describe this 4 movement CSF model:

And now, due to the design of the various skill levels I provided over the last couple weeks, I will give three examples of CSF - beginner, intermidiate and advanced:

Beginner

Intermidiate

Advanced

Notice the way the various elements connect to one another - from one movement into another movement, passing directly or through the tranistional movement (Squat) and on with the flow.

This kind of practice offers great benefits.
It is a compact training piece incorporating mobility work, strength endurance, balance and control, creativity, mental work and more and more, and all in one chaotic segment.
Adaptation to such a practice is a lot more challanging than to the traditional set/rep scheme of linear exercise systems.
It is a great manifestation of the physical abilities you have aquired already, and will further help to develop those abilities.
Down the road this kind of practice will be widened to include more and more movements, fusion movements (a whole other very interesting subject), transitional movements and as the end goal - a true improvisational flow.

CSF workout - beginner, intermidiate and advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A5. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

CSF Work
B1. CSF X 90 sec / 3 sets / 90 sec rest
C1. CSF X 75 sec / 3 sets / 75 sec rest
D1. CSF X 60 sec / 3 sets / 60 sec rest

For questions and more details, join us at the forum for discussion of movement, strength, mobility, skills, flow, artistic choices and more:
The Forum

Keep flowing,
Ido.

3 movement sequence and metcon

2009-08-07T23:46:00.003+03:00

Today we are going to combine 3 Floreio movements into a sequence and train that small flow piece.

Half Au Cortado + Role + QDR

Combining those three elements requires control of each one of them, so make sure you return back to the previous workouts to read the descriptions and train them individualy before you continue.
Flow from a squat into a Half Au, lower back and sideways, pull into a Role and directly through to QDR. Return to Squat and repeat for reps.

Au Cortado + Role + QDR + Role

From a squat go into a full Au Cortado, come back directly to a Role and flow into the QDR, from the QDR flow into one more Role, to the opposite side and return to squat. Repeat for reps.

Au Regretful + Role + QDR Rotational Push Up

Go into an Au Regretful, directly into a full Role and from there into a QDR rotational Push Up. Come back to Squat and repeat for reps.

Comments about quality of movement
If you watch the videos carefuly, you can observe there are certain 'additions' to each movement above and beyond what is functionaly necessary for the movement to happen. For example, the Role basicly takes me from a squatting position in point A to squatting position in point B. But... It is not only performed with that function in mind, but the weight shift, smoothness of the movement and the 'Movement Logic' are also taken into consideration. Try to absorb and analyze those qualities, and add them to the way that you move.
At this time, I will not give too many details about quality of movement, for the following reasons - A. This medium is limiting in its ability to transfer such data to an audience and B. for the reason you have a lot on your hands right now as it is.
But, be aware of it, and try to play with the quality of your movements when you feel it is possible.
For further discussion of Movement Quality, click here.

Pistol + Side Push Ups
This is a combination I created a long time ago as a conditioning movement that combines upper body, lower body and core (mostly in the advanced variation - due to the lifted front leg) into one small piece of flow.

The easy variation starts while standing on one leg. Make sure your weight is concentrated on your heel, lower back and down into a one leg squat, making sure the heel doesnt come up, and that the hand of the same side of the raised leg is waiting to recieve the floor. When you reach the bottom of the Pistol Squat, lower your foot to the ground, but do not let any other part of your body besides you hand and both feet touch the floor. Lower down to the side push up, letting your body pass the elbow line and into 'Vasamento' position. Push back up. Pull the straight leg back into a normal squat. Stand up. Repeat for reps.

The intermidiate variation will be only a bit different from the beginner one:
1. No help from the hand during the decent into the pistol.
2. One Arm Side Push Up and not two.

The advanced variation will be even more challanging than the intermidiate:
1. Lift the whole leg that is free from the start and during the whole exercise and make sure it is still hovering above the ground in the one arm side push up.
2. A concentric lifting out of the pistol position is added - not only decent on one leg but also comming back up on one leg.

Workout - beginner

Warmup
A1. 5 min jump rope
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps
or
A5. Slide Into Low Bridge X 30 sec hold
A6. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps

Sequence work
B1. Half Au + Role + QDR X 10 reps / 5 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
C1. Ecc Pistol + Side Push Up 10,8,6,4,2 (per leg) / as little rest as you need
D1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Workout - intermidiate

Warmup
A1. 5 min jump rope
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps

Sequence work
B1. Au Cortado + Role + QDR + Role X 10 reps / 5 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
C1. Ecc Pistol + One Arm Side Push Up 10,8,6,4,2 (per leg) / as little rest as you need
D1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Workout - advanced

Warmup
A1. 5 min jump rope
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps

Sequence work
B1. Au regretful + Role + QDR Rotational Push Up X 10 reps / 5 sets / 60 sec

Conditioning/prehab
C1. Pistol + One Arm Side Push Up 10,8,6,4,2 (per leg) / as little rest as you need
D1. Wrist routine X 2 sets

Enjoy the workout, and please join the discussion on the forum!
Ido.

Explosive Leg Workout

2009-08-05T21:37:00.009+03:00

Friends, today I am going to continue and widen the vocabulary of training tools we use into the area of explosive leg development and jump training.
Part of my weekly training schedule is dedicated to the development of jumping ability, explosiveness of the lower body and further increases of power.
As an acrobat I use this type of training in combination with basic and advanced acrobatic skills, but one can use similar methods without the actual flipping and spinning in the air. I will provide both options - an acrobatic one and a normal jump one.

Jump Into Box - Standing

Stand in front of a box from knee to head high, create a small knee bend, swing your arms and jump into the box, landing in a squat position on top of it. Come down, leg by leg or jumping down and repeat for reps.

Jump Into Box - Iso Squat

Stand in front of a box from knee to head high, squat down and hold without moving for 3-5 seconds. Explode from the squat up and into the box, landing in a squat position on top of it.
Repeat for reps.

Front Flip - Standing

Stand with an erect body. Swing your arm up and behind your head and initiate a front flip while trying to jump up and tuck hard. Soften the landing, trying to land in place. Front flipping from punching is very different from this. The standing front flip requires a lot of explosive strength in the legs and abdomen because of the way our body is build. It is much easier to initiate a back flip from standing than a front one - one only needs to compare the posterior chain to the anterior body muscles.
Repeat for reps

Back Flip - Iso Squat
Squat down, taking both arms forward. Pause for 3-5 seconds, swing your arms while jumping explosively into a back flip. Try to stick the landing, softening into it. Repeat for reps.
Do not let the squat position at the start of the exercise to change the 'triple extenstion' in your calf, knee and hip from occuring due to different timing. Make sure you completely extend upwards before tucking into the flip.

The Shrimp

The easiest variation starts in the kneeling position one leg behind you placed from knee to foot on the ground.
Balance yourself with the hands forward, pull forward and up, while pushing into the ground with your active leg. Reach a standing position on one leg, lower down the same way and repeat for reps.
The intermidiate variation will be exactly the same, apart from one difference - the back leg is only touching the ground with the knee. (the foot is lifted in the air)

The advanced variation will be to grab ahold of the back foot in a quad stretch position and slowly while pulling forward and up and using no momentum, stand up. Come down the same way and repeat for reps.

The advanced variation is the hardest body weight exercise I ran into until today. I dont need to take my shoes off to count the number of people I have witnessed performing this correctly (no momentum and in the correct positioning) and I have challanged some heavy squaters and heavy pistol practitioners.
The reason is a the bad mechanical advantage of the movement of course. Try it, it is a humbling experience.
Having said that, it is not the hardest variation of the exercise... but we will leave something for the future!

Harop Curl

The Harop Curl or Natural Hamstrings Curl is another brutal bodyweight leg exercise, concentrating on the back of the leg, and especialy the hamstrings muscle group. (Other muscles active here are the Gastrocnemius, Glute, lower back and counteless other small muscles)
Kneel down on your knees with your feet anchored below a heavy object / someone standing on your soles while you point your feet behind you.
If you are a feeling some knee strain feel free to cushion your knees.
The beginner variation will be to break the angle of the knee and lean forward a bit. When you feel you cannot go further anymore, start to break the angle at the waist and touch your nose to the ground/bench. Return to upright kneeling position and repeat for reps.

The advanced variation will include a more acute angle forward in the knees and a minimum break in the chest to knee line.
This is a simple exercise but not an easy one. Expect some serious cramping of the back of the legs, and aproach it with caution. Do not try to go for advanced variations too soon.

Explosive Leg Workout - beginner/intermidiate

Quick warm up
A1. 5 min joint mobility
A2. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set

Explosive Movements Training
B1. Jump Into Box - Standing 8 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
C1. Jump Into Box - Iso-Squat 8 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest

3 min rest

Strength Work
D1. The Shrimp (foot+knee or just knee of the back leg touching the ground) 5 reps per leg
D2. Harop Curl 5 reps
perform 5 total sets of A1-A2 rest 90 sec after both A1 and A2

Lower leg finisher
E1. 50 reps of jump rope (or just jumping) in place with right leg (No knee bend - calf work only)
E2. 60 sec of standing on right leg only with eyes shut
E3. 50 reps of jump rope (or just jumping) in place with left leg (No knee bend - calf work only)
E4. 60 sec of standing on left leg only with eyes shut
Perform 2 total sets of F1-F4 do not rest between exercises

Explosive Leg Workout - beginner/intermidiate

Quick warm up
A1. 5 min joint mobility
A2. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set

Explosive Movements Training
B1. Front Flip - Standing X 5 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest
C1. Back Flip - Iso Squat X 5 reps X 3 sets / 90 sec rest

3 min rest

Strength Work
D1. The Shrimp - in a quad stretch position or with knee only touching behind you X 5 reps per leg
D2. Harop Curl X 5 reps
perform 5 total sets of A1-A2 rest 90 sec after both A1 and A2

Lower leg finisher
E1. 50 reps of jump rope (or just jumping) in place with right leg (No knee bend - calf work only)
E2. 60 sec of standing on right leg only with eyes shut
E3. 50 reps of jump rope (or just jumping) in place with left leg (No knee bend - calf work only)
E4. 60 sec of standing on left leg only with eyes shut
Perform 2 total sets of F1-F4 do not rest between exercises

News:
A couple of excellent discussions are going on in the forum, please register and join in! Participate and contribute to this growing community that gathers around, it will enable me to contribute more material and to understand better your needs as an audience. Dont be a stranger!

Interesting discussions:
1. Improvisation in strength training
2. Quality of Movement - the missing piece in modern training aproaches
3. Dynamic and static balance differences
4. Fear management in acrobatic training - my personal aproach
5. Improvisation in movement - highest manifestation of any practice

Enjoy,
Ido.

Basic training

2009-08-03T22:17:00.003+03:00

Today, back to the basics, and lots of mobility!

Floreio Basic Workout - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min jump rope
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps
or
A5. Slide Into Low Bridge X 30 sec hold
A6. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps

Singular Movement Polish
B1. QDR Rotational Push Ups X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
C1. High Bridge Hold X 35 sec
C2. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 14 reps
Repeat C1-C2 for 3 sets / 60 sec rest
D1. Au Cortado X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Role work, right-left-left-right-left, etc.. (In Random) for 2 minutes straight / 3 sets / rest 30 sec (Yes, 30 sec!) Breath, fluid movement! This will become more respiratory than usual after a while, hold on!

Extra Mobility Cool Down
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine
F2. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine
F3. Scapula Mobilization Routine
Repeat F1-F3 X 3 times and rest 60 seconds after F3 only

Floreio Basic Workout - intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min jump rope
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps

Singular Movement Polish
B1. QDR Rotational Push Ups X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
C1. Rotations into High Bridge X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
D1. Au Cortado X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Role work, right-left-left-right-left, etc.. (In Random) for 2 minutes straight / 3 sets / rest 30 sec (Yes, 30 sec!) Breath, fluid movement! This will become more respiratory than usual after a while, hold on!

Extra Mobility Cool Down
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine
F2. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine
F3. Scapula Mobilization Routine
Repeat F1-F3 X 3 times and rest 60 seconds after F3 only

Floreio Basic Workout - advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min jump rope
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps

Singular Movement Polish
B1. QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
C1. Rotations Into High Bridge Advanced X 14 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
D1. Au Cortado Presses X 10 reps / 3 sets / 60 sec rest
E1. Role work, right-left-left-right-left, etc.. (In Random) as little rest as you can for 2 minutes straight / 3 sets / rest 30 sec (Yes, 30 sec!) Breath, fluid movement! This will become more respiratory than usual after a while, hold on!

Extra Mobility Cool Down
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine
F2. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine
F3. Scapula Mobilization Routine
Repeat F1-F3 X 3 times and rest 60 seconds after F3 only

Interesting links to explore:
1. Gymnasticbodies.com Great gymnastics oriented strength and conditioning by coach Sommer
2. My good friend and fellow Capoeirista Itapua Beirmar's Youtube Channel
3. My good friend and red hot Paleo Diet nutritionist (But much more) Robb Wolf's Blog
4. Crossfit Portland website led by my good friends Scott, Rochelle and Xi Xia

Two New Sequences

2009-08-01T17:12:00.011+03:00

We are going to continue to develop our two-movement sequences today. We have explored the following combinations so far:
1. Au Cortado and Rotation Into Low Bridge
2. Role and Au Cortado
3. Role and QDR Rotational Push ups

Today we will work on two more:

4. Role and Rotation Into Low Bridge
5. Rotation Into Low Bridge and QDR Rotational Push Ups

Mind you, besides the use of Rotation Into Low Bridge, Role, QDR Rotational Push Ups and Au Cortado we also have what I like to call 'Transitional Movement' - the Squat. So, each dynamic movement we do, start at the Squat and end with a Squat. Remember this when you practice.

Role And Rotation Into Low Bridge

The easiest variation will be to perform a full Role - Squat to Squat and then add an Entry Rotation Into Low Bridge. Hold, come back to Squat and repeat to the other side.

The intermidiate variation will be to perform a full Role and a full Rotation Into Low Bridge.

The advanced variation will be a full Role and a One Arm Rotation Into Low Bridge.

Rotation Into Low Bridge And QDR Rotational Push Ups

The beginner variation will be an Entry Rotation Into Low Bridge, come back to Squat and then a variation you can handle of the QDR Rotational Push Ups.

The intermidiate variation will be a full Rotation Into Low Bridge, come back to Squat and a QDR Rotational Push Ups. (legs in the air)

The advanced variation will be a One Arm Rotation Into Low Bridge, come back to Squat and then a QDR Rotational Push Ups and back to Squat.

Floreio workout of the day - beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

Equilibre Work
B1. Static QDR 10-30 sec per side / 3-5 sets / 45 sec rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequence Work
C1. Entry Rotation Into Low Bridge And QDR 10,8,6,4,2 reps
C2. Slide Into Low Bridge 30,25,20,15,10
C3. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall 10,8,6,4,2
rest 60,45,30,15 sec after C3 only
D1. Role And Entry Rotation Into Low Bridge 10,8,6,4,2
D2. Slide Into Low Bridge 30,25,20,15,10
D3. Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall 10,8,6,4,2
rest 60,45,30,15 sec after D3 only

Rest 90 sec

Finisher And Cooldown
E1. NDA Lateral Push Ups side to side X 20/18/18 reps / Rest 60 seconds between sets
F1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 set / rest 60 sec

Floreio workout of the day - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

Equilibre Work
B1. Static QDR 30 sec per side / 3-5 sets / 45 sec rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequence Work
C1. Rotation Into Low Bridge And QDR 10,8,6,4,2 reps / rest 60,45,30,15 sec
D1. Role And Rotation Into Low Bridge 10,8,6,4,2 / rest 60,45,30,15 sec

Rest 90 sec

Finisher And Cooldown
E1. NDA Lateral Push Ups side to side X 20/20/20 reps / Rest 60 seconds between sets
F1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 set / rest 60 sec

Floreio workout of the day - Advanced

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

Equilibre Work
B1. Static QDR 30 sec per side / 5 sets / 45 sec rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequence Work
C1. Rotation Into One Arm Low Bridge And QDR Rotational Push Ups 10,8,6,4,2 reps / rest 60,45,30,15 sec
D1. Role And Rotation Into One Arm Low Bridge 10,8,6,4,2 / rest 60,45,30,15 sec

rest 90 sec

Finisher And Cooldown
E1. NDA Lateral One Arm Push Ups side to side X 10/8/6/4/4 reps / Rest 60/45/30/30 sec between sets
F1. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 2 set / rest 60 sec

Scapula mobilization and sequences

2009-07-29T16:46:00.010+03:00

Scapula Mobilization Routine

This is a routine I desgined, after realizing the importance of Scapula mobility in improving shoulder health, flexibility and strength. If you are interested in one or all of these aspects, you should start to take better care of your scapula - mobilizing it in various directions, rotating it and using its various functions. This is only part of the picture when it comes to scapula and shoulder health, mobility and strength. More pieces of the puzzle around the corner.

The first exercise in the routine is The Scapula Push Up.
From a push up position, sink down, pulling your scapulas together and taking your chest towards the floor, without bending your elbows. From this position, elevate the upper body back up, while pushing the scapulas apart and rounding the upper back. You can add resistance by many forms, one of them is to hold an elastic band in each hand, wrap it around your upper back and perform the exercise, stretching the band while you are performing it.

The second exercise is the Overhead Straight Arm Pull Down.
It is a very simple exercise - from the hands up, shrugged shoulders position (handstand position) and while holding an elastic band, pull your arms down to your sides, until reaching shoulder height and while depressing the Scaupla and chambering the Humerus head (the end of the upper arm inserting into your shoulder capsule) into position.

The third exercise is The Whippet.
This is an old school exercise that is a staple in shoulder mobility and flexibility promotion. Hold an elastic band in both hands, wrapped around your upper back. Straighten your arms to the sides. From this position, bring the scapulas together and at the same time draw your hands closer behind your back, making sure to maintain an externally rotated upper arm position.
Hold the stretched position for the desired amount of time, and bring your hands back forward, passing the body line and bringing them closer together in the front, while driving the scapulas out as much as you can and widening your upper back.
Repeat for reps.

The fourth exercise is the Shoulder Dislocations with an elastic band.
From the hands above your head position with shrugged shoulders and while holding a suitable elastic band, rotate both arms backwards, while depressing the arms down in the shoulder sockets and maintaining an externally rotated upper arm. Rotate back up while elevating the arms in the shoulder capsule and reach a shrugged shoulders arms over head position.
I find little benefit in completing the front half of the circle, it is a waste of time- Perform only the the mentioned ROM.

Reps/Sets
One routine will consist of:
1. Scapula Push Ups X 10 reps / slow and controlled, pause at both ends
2. Overhead Straight Arm Pull Down X 10 reps / slow and controlled, pause at both ends
3. The Whippet X 10 reps / slow and controlled, pause at both ends
4. Shoulder Dislocations X 10 reps / Slow and controlled

In warm up I usualy use 1 run through the routine only, in Prehab/rehab blocks I will go as high as 5 run throughs.

New Sequence - Au Cortado Into Back Bridge

The easiest variation will be to perform a Half Au, hold momentarily, return to Squat and then go into the rotation entry into low bridge - as deep as your current level allows you, hold, and go back to the squat. Repeat to the other side.

The intermidiate variation will be to execute a full Au Cortado, land back into the Squat and then go through a complete Rotation Into Low Bridge, finishing in Squat again. Repeat on the other side and continue.

The advanced variation will be an Au Cortado Press, lower slowly into the Squat and then Rotation Into One Arm Low Bridge and back to Squat. Repeat to the other side.

Floreio Workout of the Day - Beginner

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Horse Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A4. Duck Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A5. Ostrich Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A6. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

Equilibre Work
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequence Work
C1. Half Au Cortado And Entry Rotation Into Low Bridge
Perform 3 sets of 10,8,6 reps / 60 sec of rest
D1. Role Into QDR sequence
Perform 3 sets of 10,8,6 reps / 60 sec of rest

Rest 90 sec

Finisher
E1. High Bridge Static Hold 30,25,20 sec
E2. Gatherings Beginner Variations X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2, complete 3 sets with the reps/time mentioned above

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 subsequent sets, no rest

Floreio Workout of the Day - Intermidiate

Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Horse Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A4. Duck Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A5. Ostrich Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A6. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

Equilibre Work
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20-30 sec X 3 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequence Work
C1. Au Cortado And Rotation Into Low Bridge
Perform 3 sets of 10,8,8 reps / 60 sec of rest
D1. Role Into QDR sequence
Perform 3 sets of 10,8,8 reps / 60 sec of rest

Rest 90 sec

Finisher
E1. Rotations into High Bridge X 12,10,8 reps
E2. Gatherings Intermidiate Variations X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2, complete 3 sets with the reps mentioned above

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 subsequent sets, no rest

Floreio Workout of the Day - Advanced
Warm Up - Mobility
A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrists Routine X 1 set
A3. Horse Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A4. Duck Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A5. Ostrich Walk from Locomotion Conditioning Routine X 20 meters
A6. Scapula Mobilization Routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

Equilibre Work
B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 30 sec
B2. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 45 sec total work
Complete 2 cycles of B1-B2, resting 60 sec between exercises

Rest 90 sec

Sequence Work
C1. Au Cortado Press And Rotation Into One Arm Low Bridge
Perform 3 sets of 10,8,6 reps / 60 sec of rest
D1. Role Into QDR Rotational Push Ups
Perform 3 sets of 10,8,6 reps / 60 sec of rest

Rest 90 sec

Finisher
E1. Rotations into High Bridge X 12,10,8 reps
E2. Gatherings Advanced X 12,10,8 reps
Rest 45 sec between E1 and E2, complete 3 sets with the reps mentioned above

Prehab
F1. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 subsequent sets, no rest

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
Use the Forum!

Sequencing Movements

2009-07-27T22:03:00.006+03:00

In order to create and control a Floreio flow like in the original Foreio Art clip, one needs to practice and develop the following aspects in his practice:
A. Singular movements.
B. Sequences of 2 to infinte amount of movements put together.
C. Improvised sequencing practice of known movements.
D. Finaly and most difficult feat - improvised practice. (both sequencing and movement improvisation)

We are still in the beginning stages of building our flow, but bare with me. The results will be worth it, and I do hope you are having fun moving, training, balancing, mobilizing and strengthening in this non traditional and non-boring way. There is much more to exercise than push ups, pull ups and squats. Be creative, organic and... Flow.

QDR static work

We are going to dedicate the first part of the workout to statical strengthening of the QDR position.
Usualy Capoeira practitioners stop their practice at the 'legs up, support with head and hands' 3 point QDR.
This is a very limiting practice if you are after more advanced Floreio development down the road.
The reason is that most Floreio transitions, variations and flows that goes through the QDR are performed with only limited amount of fully supported three original points of contact QDR. (Head and two hands)
Instead, one will have to develop great control in the main active arm, and without the head supporting. Control of this position will allow very fast learning and implementation stage to advanced Floreio movements.
Most Capoeiristas (every one that I know but me and my students, basicly, but I dont know everyone...) will just dedicate time to learning more and more pieces of Floreio, and while doing so improving the control in the QDR in those positions, but I prefer to take a more basic and general aproach, one that allows me to control every QDR movement that I run into instantly and without wasting undue time specificly training for it - the advanced QDR developement or simply The One Handed QDR.

The progression towards the One Arm QDR is as follows:
1. 3 point support closed position QDR resting the upper knee on the non supporting elbow.
2. 3 point support closed position QDR knees in the air.
3. 3 point support open position QDR.
4. 2 point support open position QDR. (no head)
5. 1 point support + fingertips open position QDR.
6. 1 point support QDR.

Check out the clip below going through the various variation. Choose the one suitable for you. Train for time. This is not a difficult feat to achieve, (unlike the One Arm Hanstand - we will go over that in the future) just be consistent and devote the time needed for ingraining it. Also, I advice you to work the Wrist Routine super heavy and frequently if you are after this advanced variation. You can thank me later.

Sequencing Role Into Au Cortado

Today's sequencing work is going to concentrate on combining a Role with various Au Cortado variations.

The easiest variation is going to be Role Into Half Au sequence. From the squat flow cleanly into a Role, from the middle position of the Role, when your head is between your legs which are spread wide, start to sweep the second leg going out of the Role to the side (Like a normal completion of Role) and up into the Half Au Position.
Continue extending into the Half Au, stop briefly in the position and lower into a new squat.
Repeat on the other side.

The intermidiate variation is going to be Role Into Au Cortado.
The same details about the entry from the beginner variation apply, only from the Half Au Cortado flow into the other side Half and lower into a squat. Continue with the whole sequence to the other side.

The advanced variation is going to be Role Into Regretting Au. It is basicly the same as the intermidiate variation, only you are not quite completing the Au Cortado, but stopping a few inches off the ground and reversing into the side you came from. This variation requires better handstand dominance, strength, balance and some side arching control of the spine, but will reward you big time in those areas once achieved.

Floreio Static QDR and Sequence Development Workout Beginner

Warm Up
A1. 5 min Rope Jump
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

QDR Static Work
B1. Static QDR 10-30 sec per side / 3-5 sets / 45 sec rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequencing Movements Work
C1. Role Into Half Au / Role Into Au Cortado 12 reps / 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest
D1. Role Into QDR sequence X 12 reps / 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

PreHab Cool Down
E1. Wrist Routine X 3 subsequent sets

Floreio Static QDR and Sequence Development Workout Intermidiate

Warm Up
A1. 5 min Rope Jump
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

QDR Static Work
B1. Static QDR 10-30 sec per side / 3-5 sets / 45 sec rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequencing Movements Work
C1. Role Into Au Cortado 12 reps / 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest
D1. Role Into QDR sequence X 12 reps / 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

PreHab Cool Down
E1. Wrist Routine X 3 subsequent sets

Floreio Static QDR and Sequence Development Workout Advanced

Warm Up
A1. 5 min Rope Jump
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 90 sec

QDR Static Work
B1. Static QDR 10-30 sec per side / 3-5 sets / 45 sec rest

Rest 90 sec

Sequencing Movements Work
C1. Role Into Regretting Au X 12 reps / 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest
D1. Role Into QDR Rotational Push Ups X 12 reps / 3-5 sets / 60 sec rest

PreHab Cool Down
E1. Wrist Routine X 3 subsequent sets

Enjoy. Keep working on your Floreio flow trouble spots - movements that you are having problems with.
Post on the forum any questions that you may have. http://forum.idoportal.com

Enjoy, and hope to see some clips of you moving, Floreio Art style!

Ido.

Locomotion Conditioning

2009-07-25T11:15:00.006+03:00

Today I am going to expose you to a concept I have been using in my training facility for many years - the locomotion conditioning routine.
Locomotion or walking is a basic natural pattern used in the world of nature by many creatures and in different forms. Some research into the neural patterns of locomotion in mammals has exposed the fact that it is largely stored inside the spinal cord and brain stem cells, which basicly indicates that this pattern of movement is not learned and developed, but exists inside every creature, which suggests that we merely unveil this pattern with time.
(You can have a look at: Neural Mechanisms Generating Locomotion In Mammals )
This idea has broad applications in many fields, but understanding how primal and natural this type of movement is to us, may also suggest we need to make sure we are doing what we are designed to do - locomotion.

Today's routine is going to include many different kinds of locomotion, in various challanging positions - on your hands, while squatting, crawling close to the ground, with locked knees, in a wide sumo-stance, etc...
Each movement provides a different and valuable component in the workout, from mobility to strength endurance, stabilization and more.
It is not an easy workout to follow, but will provides great benefits and will be interesting and fun to experiment with. Choose the variation suitable for you, read and understand each type of 'walk' and follow my workout guidelines or create some of your own.

Now for the different 'walks'.

Handstand Walk

I provided three levels here, but many others can be used. (I used over 30 differnet types of handstand walking in my facility over the years and rotate them from time to time)

The beginner variation is to push from a step into a short handstand hold with split legs. The split leg position will allow you to better 'feel' and adjust the balance, decrease fear of fall and control the position. Mind you, this is not gymnastics, we are using a more organic, natural position here so bending the elbows slightly, feeling the balance and having a generaly more relaxed body is advisable here. (Sometimes I will require the exact opposite) Come down from the split handstand into the same foot that pushed off, take a step with the other leg forward and push off that foot into the opposite side split handstand. Repeat while advancing forward.

The intermidiate variation is to walk on your hands, while providing Counter-Lateral-Movement (A term I use frequently, remember it) with the legs. If you have some handstand walking ability, choose this variation and make sure it is fluid, circular, light and comfortable. Eventualy it should feel as effortless as walking on your feet. Use your leg circular motion to propel you forward and push in the coorect timing your hand in the direction you are advancing to.

The Advanced variation will be a more challanging 'touch elbow to knee' with each step. It is suitable to people with more handstand control, and will require more tension and pushing off the ground to maintain balance. Mind you, this is not static balance, you shouldnt try to balance each position while walking, but instead think of the walking itself as the element to balance. Doing so will require a different aproach than static balance work, it is more about coordinating your steps than about balance - direct the position of your next step according to your current position. This is very similar to riding a bike. I often see parents teaching their child how to ride, emphesizing static balance on the bicycle. This is incorrect and produces poor results. Actualy the most important thing here is to coordinate the pumping of the pedals in the correct timing - which will results in a balanced ride.
So, actualy dynamicly balancing a movement is not very 'balance' dependant ability.

The Duck Walk

This is a great conditioning movement, used in the oldschool training of many martial arts, gymnastics, dance and other diciplines. Lately it has been neglected and replaced by more static position squatting and lunging, but it still provides different benefits to the latter. Both should be practiced.
The duck walk, in order to decrease Pattela-Femoral stress in the knee should be performed like this: (there shouldnt be any pain in the knees if performed correctly, even with people with less than optimal knee biomechanics)
From a the staggered squat sit, the back foot should be on the ball of the foot, with the butt resting on the heel, or as close to it as flexibility allows. The front foot is placed flat foot in front and is used to initiate the motion. From the front flat foot - pull yourself using the hamstrings and transition into the ball of the foot, while moving the back foot into the front and landing it in the flat foot position. Repeat on the other side and synchronize the hand motion Counter-Laterally (again this term) to provide balance.
Make sure you keep the body upright, or a bit forward - directing the movement to the direction choosen.

The Bridge Walk

Bridge walking is a great shoulder and lower back mobility and flexibility tool. It is used in gymnastics for many years in the warm up, and provides a combination of static-active and dynamic stretching to the whole spine and shoulders.

The easiest variation is not demonstrated, but includes... static bridge. From lying on your back, push up into a high back bridge and hold for time. This is a basic requirement before being able to walk in the bridge position.

The next variation is to walk in the back bridge position leading with the chest. The movment starts from the high back bridge, from there take one foot and insert it back, deep below your butt. At the same time take the same side hand and place it a bit in front of its original position. Now Push of the inserted leg and move the other hand even more forward than the first hand. Insert the second leg deeper than the first one and repeat the motion. This will result in a cycle of pushing with the legs the body into a bigger stretch each step - opening up the shoulders (should be done carefuly and with caution) and challanging the lower back.
The butt should be contracted partialy throughout this movement, use shallow breathing, and make sure you coordinate the movement - which will decrease the amount of effort used substantialy compared to a bad motor pattern.
(Mind you, this is not a Counter Lateral motion, but it can be done in a counter lateral way also, only it is much more difficult. I challange my students from time to time to do it CLateraly, you can play with it and experiment.)

A harder variation (but far from the hardest, in the future I will demonstrate much more challanging ones) is to walk backwards, leading with the knees.
The same motor patter is used, only pushing from the hands - a more difficult feat and one that opens up the front of the hips and lengthens the Ilio-psoas.

In all variations, choose medium, controllable size steps, dont rush it and rest if needed before continuing.

The Horse Walk

The Horse Walk is a great mobility tool for the groin. It is a very simple but not easy exercise.
Start in the low 5 step horse stance. (from a closed standing position, twist the heels out as far as you can - first step, from there twists the toes out -second step and repeat for 5 steps in total)
From there while maintaining an even butt to knee line (Optimaly parallel to the floor or lower) and with a turned out hips, shift the weight towards one foot, moving your body side ways and allowing the other foot to release and move forward. Repeat the same motion on the other side and move forward again.
This should be felt in the groin, as a combination of a static and dynamic stretch, and is very useful for flexibility development of the horse stance and later on the middle split.
The development of a correct and quality horse stance is the missing component of many people's stretching regimes, when the objective is the isometric middle split, as I demonstrate in this clip:

In the future I will share my special regime for Splits and lower position developement. I have yet to run into something so effective. Mind you, naturaly I am a very fast twitch and inflexible person. I had to research and experiment with many stretching and mobility routines and exercises before seeing any results. I got my splits down the first time after the age of 25 and I believe I can bring anyone to such results with my methods. Stay tuned for future releases about this.

The Lizard Walk

The Lizard Walk is a great conditioning tool using many similar muscles as the traditional push ups, but with much greater scapular mobility & stabilization, core control and mobility of the hips and groin.

The beginner variation starts in a normal high push up position. From there take both one hand and the opposite side foot forward. The leg should be bent and placed externally rotated and on the ball of the foot. From there perform a push up. If too difficult one can lower the back knee to the floor, but not the front one.
After the push up, move the opposite hand and foot forward in the same position as in the first push up but on the other side. Repeat while advancing.

The harder variation will require that you move forward close to the ground - demanding a much greater effort to hold yourself in this disadvantaged position. The arms should be bent at the elbows at all times, and special care should be taken to keep the waist close to the ground without excessive arching and raising of the butt.

The Ostrich Walk

This is a great mobility tool used to promote flexibility of the posterior chain (Calves, hams, butt and lower back) and ballisticaly stretching them. (Spare me the warnings of ballistic stretching - a complete and utter bullshit from people who has little understanding of physiolegy)
Very simply, from a stand up position lower into a pike 'toe-touch' stretch, bounce up and while doing so move one foot forward, keeping both knees firmly locked. Pull yourself using the abs into another pike stretch and when bouncing out of it, move the other foot forward. Keep advancing forward.
If possible make sure you touch your fingers to the ground. If that is easy - the full palm. If that is easy - try the hardest and very rare 'elbows to the ground'. Breath out when going into the stretch and in when bouncing out of it.

Locomotion Workout Beginner

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

B1. Walk While Swinging Into Handstand 12 meters
B2. Duck Walk 24 meters
B3. Static High Bridge Hold for 30 seconds / Front Bridge Walking for 12 meters
B4. Horse Walk 24 meters
B5. Lizard Walk (beginner variation) 12 meters
B6. Ostrich Walk 24 meters

Rest 120 seconds after B6 and repeat 3-5 total circuits

Locomotion Workout Intermidiate

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

B1. Handstand Walk 12 meters
B2. Duck Walk 24 meters
B3. Front Bridge Walking for 12 meters
B4. Horse Walk 24 meters
B5. Lizard Walk (Advanced variation) 12 meters
B6. Ostrich Walk 24 meters

Rest 90 seconds after B6 and repeat 3-5 total circuits

Locomotion Workout Advanced

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

B1. Handstand Walk Elbow To Knee 15 meters
B2. Duck Walk 30 meters
B3. Back Bridge Walking for 15 meters
B4. Horse Walk 30 meters
B5. Lizard Walk (Advanced variation) 15 meters
B6. Ostrich Walk 30 meters

Rest 75 seconds after B6 and repeat 3-5 total circuits

Floreio Art news:

1. A great discussion on 'improvisation as the heighest degree of practice of... Anything!' at the Forum , join us.
2. Our website is in final developmental stages. soon, soon...
3. Join the mailing list at floreioart@gmail.com and facebook us under username 'floreio art' for special anouncements.

Now go do some locomotion and let me know how it flows,
Ido.

Floreio Workout Number 5

2009-07-24T00:47:00.005+03:00

We are growing each minute in size, momentum and strength. The Floreio Project has become an international phenomenon with hundreds of people participating, emailing and training.(hopefully...)

Visit our forum at: http://forum.idoportal.com there is already a lot of interesting content available.
Also, for the ones of you who havent joined the mailing list, please do so by emailing us at floreioart@gmail.com You will recieve anouncments, training gems, secret videos, (soon to come) and other treats.

New Material

Negativa de Angola Push Ups

The NDA is a very traditional movement, hundreds of years old, that originated in traditional Capoeira practice and nowdays in Capoeira Angola mainly.
This movement imposes great demand, in its various forms of practice, and used for endurance/strength development in a lateral position - non traditional position.
I will go over the benefits of organic, multi angle, non traditional training over the traditional stuff, but for now - just try the advanced variation if you want to feel the high demand of this movement on your body.

Technique: from a squat position, place one hand behind your heel and the other hand in front of the toes of the same foot. While you do that, straighten the opposite leg completely, and start lowering towards the temple of your head. The only thing that should touch the floor is the outer edge ('knife') side of your close foot, the other foot, your hands and the temple of your head-lightly. The elbow of the hand behind your back will not be placed under your body like in QDR, but instead, your body will be lower than your elbow - in a position called Vasamento - lower than QDR!

The beginner variation is the one using both arms to assist in this motion.

The advanced variation is using only one arm.

Take notice, nothing should touch the floor but the things I have mentioned above. This requires some mobility around the squat position, in the hip rotators and more. This movement can be difficult at first for some people, and some getting used to is in order.

Role Into QDR Sequence

This is a sequence of two movements - the Role and the QDR in its various variations.
Start in a squat. Go into a Role, and from the middle position (head between your legs) start to lower towards the QDR on the second hand. While doing so, extend the outer leg into the position. From there after a slight pause, bend the closer leg to the floor, preparing to exit into squat, and join the other leg right away, into the position.

The advanced variation includes a QDR Rotational Push Ups at the end of the Role, and a slide back into the squat, following the same principles.

Notice the quality of movement, the fluidity and control. These things are what makes this practice unique. Quality is central here. Its better to shoot for an easier variation, but perform it with control, quality and fluidity, than to do a harder one but not controled, ugly and rigid.

Floreio Workout Number 5 - Beginner

A1. 5 min rope jump
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 2 min

B1. Rotations Into Low Bridge or if you can already Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps
(Or the Slide Into Low Bridge and Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall combination for the same number of reps)
B2. Gatherings Beginner Variations X 10 reps

Complete 3 sets of B1-B2 resting 30 seconds in squatting position in between exercises

Rest 2 min

C1. Half Au Cortado X 14 reps or Au Cortado X 10 reps
C2. Role Into QDR sequence X 10 reps

Complete 3 sets of C1-C2 resting 30 seconds while standing in between exercises

Rest 2 min

D1. NDA Lateral Push Ups side to side X 20/18/16 reps
Rest 60 seconds between sets

Floreio Workout Number 5 - Intermidiate

A1. 5 min rope jump
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 2 min

B1.Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps
B2. Gatherings Intermidiate Variations X 10 reps

Complete 3 sets of B1-B2 resting 30 seconds in squatting position in between exercises

Rest 2 min

C1. Au Cortado X 10 reps
C2. Role Into QDR sequence X 10 reps

Complete 3 sets of C1-C2 resting 30 seconds while squating in between exercises

Rest 2 min

D1. NDA Lateral Push Ups side to side X 20 reps
Perform 3 sets resting 45 seconds between sets

Floreio Workout Number 5 - Advanced

A1. 5 min rope jump
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set

Rest 2 min

B1. Rotations Into High Bridge Advanced X 10 reps
B2. Gatherings Advanced X 6 reps

Complete 3 sets of B1-B2 resting 45 seconds in between exercises

Rest 1 min

C1. Au Cortado Presses X 6 reps as slow as possible
C2. Role Into QDR Rotational Push Ups X 10 reps

Complete 3 sets of C1-C2 resting 90 sec only after C2

Rest 2 min

D1. NDA Lateral One Arm Push Ups side to side X 10/8/6/4/2 reps
Rest 60/45/30/15 seconds between sets

Enjoy the sweat. Post your observations and comments on the forum.

Looking forward to hearing some feedback,
Ido.

Floreio Workout Number 4

2009-07-22T23:05:00.009+03:00

Friends,

First things first, We have a forum in action and people are posting already, go register - http://forum.idoportal.com/ Lots of material has been posted. (By me and others)

And now for buisness... This time we are going to start, after a warm up, with some Equilibre work.
Equilibre (French for balance) is the art of handbalancing. I have studied this art over the last couple of years, from three different people: two good friends - Yuval Ayalon and Yuval Oz, who studied under French Equilibre master Claude Victoria, in addition to spending a week in France in the mountains training with the master himself. You can have a look at my old blog posts about my adventures in France, if you are interested: Here, here, here and here.
We are going to do very basic handbalancing work. This is not Capoeira/floreio style handstands, and even with my Capoeira students I emphesize the need to learn the art of Equilibre in its pure form, as a crosstraining medium. Afterwards, when the base is solid, implementation work can be done into whatever field you may practice. I am a strong believer in crosstraining, as you may or not have noticed.

My students spend 50% of their handbalancing time with pointed toes, straight lower backs and looking at the floor in an effort to reach optimal technique and control, and 50% of their time implementing such work into their Floreio work - Head out, more relaxed bodies, different use of the feet, etc. If you are a Yoga practitioner and would like to take your handbalancing to the next level, I advice you to do the same. We are going to take the same proven aproach here in our Floreio trainings.

Handstand Body Line Wall Drill

This drill is the most efficient use of your time at the start. Without too much explaining and detail, if you perform the drill correctly - you will be able to stay in Handstand, wrists VERY close to the wall (10 cm tops), if the line is not perfect, you wont be able to reach such a close position to the wall, and though, you get a self corrective practice.
Basicly, stand with your back to a wall/stall bar. Put one leg after the other behind you and climb the wall slowly while moving the hands closer and closer to the wall. Try to reach the closest position you can to the wall, while flattening your lower back, extending your shoulders completely and contracting butt, abs and inner thighs. This will be extremely difficult for the ones of you with closed shoulders. Solving that problem is a big issue we will discuss in the future.
Hold for X amount of sec. Climb down.
Rest and repeat for the desired number of sets.

Handstand Straighten Into Line Drill

This drill is a bit more advanced and should be used by practitioners with some free balancing handstand ability.
It will help you once again reach a better handstand line - slowly and while balancing on two hands.
Kick into a handstand against the wall, with a bit of bent knees.
Realign your upper body in preparation for the handstand, if done correctly, you will feel the feet pressing very light on the wall. (They are light? Lighter!)
From there, while holding tension in butt, abs and inner thighs, straighten into the most straight handstand you can achieve with your current body build, shoulder flexibility, etc... (it may not be very straight right now, but aspire to the best body position. Film yourself!)
Hold for time and come down. Repeat for the desired amount of sets.
The handstand line is a life time project. Try to go for the best line you can achieve TODAY. With time, and correct Floreio mobility work it will improve.

Role

Role is a very simple looking fluid motion. Beware of those simple motions! They always contain movement quality, control, fluidity and other traits that are more difficult to duplicate than pure strength, flexibility, etc...
The Role starts at the squat. From there shift the weight towards one foot, place you hand beside that foot and open the opposite leg to the side, slide into a wide, low sweeping motion, putting most of your weight on your hands, and finish back in the squat on the other side. Before closing into the squat there is another 'open and close' of the outer leg - like in the start.
Watch the clip. 10 times. 20. Try to see the dynamics, movement quality, ingrain the motion in your mind, and practice. Alot.
This movement will be central in further Floreio development, as it allows to gather momentum into other movements, move from point A to B and more. Alsoit just has a beautiful sweeping dynamics to it.

Gatherings

Gatherings (this is a military term in Hebrew I use to describe various forces/troops comming together to one point on the map) are somewhat of a basic strength or strength endurance exercise with some lower back, shoulder and triceps components to it.
The Gatherings Beginner variations are:
1. From a squat, go into a frog stand, lower with control towards your head and come back for reps.
2. Exactly like number 1 only when you reach with the head to the floor, extand into headstand.
This will strengthen you and prepare you for the intermidiate variations. Practice it.

The Gatherings - Intermidiate Variations are:
1. Stage A - From a headstand, bend knees and take your heels towards you butt. Stage B - bring knees into your chest. Stage C - Bring feet to touch the floor. Reverse the order and repeat for reps.
2. The same like 1 only with straight legs the whole way. This is called Reverse Leg Lifts in Gymnastics circles. Very good antagonist work for high bridging - lower back gets a good stretch with each rep in a dynamic fashion similar to the counter stretch in Rotations Into High Bridge.

The Gatherings Advanced is:
From a headstand complete the downward phase of Gatherings-Intermidiate variation 2 and from there, using the momentum created by the lifting legs, extand into a handstand. Come back down to head stand and repeat for reps. Of course you will need good freestanding Handstand ability to use this excelent exercise. Another good reason to work on your Equilibre skills.

Floreio Workout Number 4 - Beginner

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. The assisted stretching part of the Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine only (no rotator cuff work at the start) for 1 more subsequent set

Rest 2 min

B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 10 sec X 5 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Rest 3 min

C1. Gatherings Beginner Variations
C2. Rotations Into Low Bridge (Or the Slide Into Low Bridge and Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall combination for the same number of reps, each exercise, indicated below for the rotations)
C3. QDR Rotational Push Ups

Perform 10,8,6,4,2 reps per exercise, rest after C3 only for 75,60,45,30 second accordingly

Rest 2 min

D1. Role work, right-left-left-right-left, etc.. (In Random) as little rest as you can for 3 minutes straight. Flow around the floor. Sweat will go flying. Good stuff!

Floreio Workout Number 4 - Intermidiate

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. The assisted stretching part of the Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine only (no rotator cuff work at the start) for 1 more subsequent set

Rest 2 min

B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 20 sec X 4 sets / 45-60 sec of rest

Rest 2 min

C1. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 30 sec of total work X 2 sets / 90 sec (try to implement the body line achived in B1 here)

Rest 3 min

C1. Gatherings Intermidiate Variations
C2. Rotations Into Low Bridge
C3. QDR Rotational Push Ups

Perform 10,8,6,6,6 reps per exercise, rest after C3 for 60,60,45,45 second accordingly

D1. Role work, right-left-left-right-left, etc.. (In Random) as little rest as you can for 5 minutes straight. Flow around the floor.

Floreio Workout Number 4 - Advanced

A1. 5 min Joint Mobility
A2. Wrist routine X 1 set
A3. Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A4. Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A5. The assisted stretching part of the Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine only (no rotator cuff work at the start) for 1 more subsequent set

Rest 2 min

B1. Handstand Body Line Wall Drill X 30 sec X 3 sets / 45 sec of rest

Rest 2 min

C1. Handstand Straighten Into Line X 45 sec of total work X 3 sets / 90 sec (try to implement the body line achived in B1 here)

Rest 3 min
C1. Gatherings Advanced
C2. Rotations Into Low Bridge Advanced
C3. QDR Rotational Push Ups Advanced

Perform 5 sets of 10 reps per exercise, rest after C3 for 45-90 seconds

D1. Role work + other Floreio movements you have down for 1 minute straight. Flow around the floor. Improvisation exercise.
Rest for 1 min and complete 3 total sets

FLOREIO NEWS

1. Facebook us at user name 'Floreio Art'
2. A website is under construction, soon the blog will be a part of a bigger website - articles, videos, forum, etc..
3. Tomorrow, combination Floreio flows. Using our movements in sequences. Stay alert!
4. Some more important mobility work will be shared.
5. More surprises...

IdoP.

Floreio Workout Number 3

2009-07-21T22:28:00.002+03:00

Today, no new movements. (But tomorrow... mmmmm... Lets just say - come back...)
We are going to do a lot of Prehab this time, making sure we prepare our bodies and joints the best that we can for future workloads.

Floreio Workout Number 3 - Beginners, Intermidiates and Advanced

A1 Jump Rope 3 Min
A2 Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set
A3 Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
A4 Wrists Routine X 1 set (For info - read Preparations For Our Daily Training post)

Repeat for a total of 3 subsequent sets - no rest

Dont neglect your hips, wrists and shoulders preparation, they will be heavily used tomorrow.

Floreio News:
We have a new forum setup - go register at: http://forum.idoportal.com Looking forward to hear your opinions, questions, observations.

Ido.

Floreio Workout number 2

2009-07-20T15:57:00.013+03:00

Floreio fans, the Floreio Art project is growing bigger and bigger by the minute. I am completely shocked by the response so far, with hundreds of subscribers, emails, comments and people flowing on the ground. This is world wide response - USA, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Australia and Africa. (Yes, even Africa...) This is also multi - diciplinary interst - I get letters from ordinary people, crossfitters, capoeiristas, martial artists, dancers, breakdancers, weightlifters, yogis and more.
The response only makes me want to put out more material for you all, and today we are going to explore some new movement possibilities and increase the size of our arsenal.

AU CORTADO

Au is one of the most basic Floreio movements, and it is maybe the most ancient acrobatic skill in our history - the Cartwheel.
Au Cortado ('Cut-up Cartwheel') is a variation on the basic cartwheel, and there are many many other variations you will get exposed to later on.
The Au Cortado can be broken up into two symetrical, equal halfs - the Half Au Cortado.

Beginners to Floreio practice need to get exposed to this position first and practice it often, creating a new neural pattern in their brains.
From the Squat position push up into the Half Au Cortado, pause for a moment and push off the leg on the ground into a small hop - to feel the weight shift into your hands. The arms can be kept bent a bit, this is not gymnastics, people, we want to keep this natural expression also also use the body in a natural, flowing way.
Dont look at the ground. Try to feel the weight on your hands.
Breath out when lifting into the position, flow back to squat and repeat on the other side.

After enough practice with the Half Au Cortado, and if comfortable on your hands, you can try the full Au Cortado. Basicly, starting in the Half Au Cortado, push off the leg that is on the floor and transition to another Half Au Cortado on the other side. The more comfortable you are on your hands, the higher you can transition between the two halfs, but a low transition can be done when starting out. The objective is to do it smoothly, without holding your breath and to reach the floor without making any noise, transitioning into the Squat. The next rep can be performed to the same side for a desired number of reps before you change direction, or right and left, alternating sides.

A more advanced variation, used to build strength, control, balance and stabilization in your Floreio practice is the Au Cortado Presses.
Basicly, after being able to complete a lot of reps of the normal Au Cortado and with smoothness that signals one does not use a big jump into the motion, you can try this advanced variation.
In the Au Cortado Presses one completes the full Au Cortado, only using no momentum at all, and in slow motion. Restricting momentum is a trick used in many movement systems to increase tension and strength demands.
Start out with a big bend in your elbows, while taking the head forward towards the headstand position. This will allow you to complete the press a lot easier. After a while straighten your elbows more until you reach an almost locked out elbow position, but dont lock it completely. Again, this is not gymnstics, we want to maintain that 'organic', natural feel to our Floreio movements.

ROTATIONS INTO HIGH BRIDGE

As I have written before, in Floreio practice there is use of both low and high back bridges. Today we will practice Rotations Into High Bridge, to create a different challange for our body.
If you cannot complete the Rotations Into Low Bridge Beginner variation - go back and practice that first. The Rotations Into Low Bridge are a prerequesite for the High Bridge variations. An addition of normal high back bridge work from a lying position on your back - like in yoga will prove useful when combined here with the Rotations Into Low Bridge work.
Start in the squat, and place your hand behind you, finger pointing back. Using the same details of the Rotations Into Low Bridge from the first floreio workout post, only remaining on full flat feet the whole time, rotate into high arched back bridge.
Make sure the hand smoothly rotates on the point on the side base of the palm, as shown before, keep the elbow as bent as you need it to be, fingers sliding around the axis point on the palm base until pointed towards the feet when in the full back bridge.
The hand should be placed in line with the same side's foot, but play with the distance from it, until you find the correct placement. It depands on the amount of low back and shoulder flexibility and your tools to fight against those problems are bending your elbows enough (will help to a certain degree only) and... practicing more.

An Advanced variation is also presented, to keep everyone happy. It is the Rotations Into High Bridge Advanced. Again, you will 'handicap' yourself to one arm use only, go into the back bridge using only the first arm, reach for your ankle from around your body, grab it, and come back to the squat. Repeat on the other side for reps.

Floreio Workout Number 2 - Beginners and Intermidiates

A1 5 min of total body joint mobility (If clueless about this - educate yourself! Youtube is a great friend)
B1 Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 sets / no rest
C1 Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set

D1 Slide Into Low Bridge X 5 reps of 5 seconds holds in position (each rep)
D2 Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps

or

D1 Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps

D3 High Bridge hold - total time 30 sec (you can break this up into a couple of subsequent attempts, but dont continue to the next exercise until 30 seconds have been completed)

or

D3 Rotations into High Bridge X 10 reps

D4 Half Au Cortado X 14 reps
or
D4 Au Cortado X 10 reps
D5 QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation X 10 reps

Complete the whole D1-D5 circuit 3 times, without resting between exercises, but resting 90 seconds after the complete circuit.

Floreio Workout Number 2 - Advanced

A1 5 min of total body joint mobility (If clueless about this - educate yourself! Youtube is a great friend)
B1 Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 2 sets / no rest
C1 Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set

D1 Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps / 1 set
E1 Rotations Into High Bridge X 10 reps / 1 set

F1 Rotations Into Low Bridge Advanced X 10 reps
F2 Au Cortado / Au Cortado Presses X 10 reps
F3 Rotations Into High Bridge Advanced X 10 reps
F4 QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 10 reps

Complete the whole F1-F4 circuit 3 times, without resting between exercises, but resting 75 seconds after the complete circuit.

Flow away and enjoy,
Ido.

Floreio workout number 1

2009-07-19T14:48:00.025+03:00

Friends, finally, we are ready to start some Floreio work with our workout number one.

First I will go through the various new routines and exercises we are going to use today and then I'll outline the workout structure.
Please go over the details carefuly, watch the video clips and examine the details before you post a question on the comments section.

Breathing instruction - in most cases, if not mentioned otherwise, breath out completely when going into position in case of a stretch, or breath out partialy if it is a strength and balance move.
Breath in when going back to neutral position.
Notice the nature of the movement, if the abdomen or chest is being pressurized by the movement - breath out.
Breathing is performed using nose and mouth, starting with the nose for breathing in and allowing mouth to join the effort when in need.
All of this is very basic, natural and common sense, I will go into more breathing techniques in the future, right now just make sure you are not holding your breath and creating a small 'oxygen debt' that later on will make you work much harder to repay.

IDO'S SQUAT CLINIC ROUTINE

This is a small sequence of movements used in my training facility to open up the hips and rehab the low squat position.
The squat position - an ancient, primal pattern in humans, still exists in many traditional societies that were not 'spoiled' by the use of the modern chair.

It is an essential component to Floreio work and we will dedicate a lot of effort and work to improve it, feel more comfortable while squatting, transitioning in and out of it, (In many ways not only the traditional 'squat down - come back up' used in traditional exercise systems) and moving while in the position itself.

The first exercise is the Soleus Dynamic Squat Stretch.
Grab a hold of an object about waist high and squat down while grabbing it. Drive your knees forward towards the wall while keeping your heels glued to the ground, extend back and repeat.
This is an exclenet specific strech for squatting and it addresses a very common weak link - the ankle limiting flexibility.

Perform 10 reps and hold the knees forward stretched position of the final rep for 10 sec.

The next exercise is Hip Rotations On All Fours and it is performed supported on hands and feet - facing the cieling with the butt in the air while fully rotating the hips from external to internal rotation - one at a time.
First rotate your right hip out completely, while pivoting on the ball of your feet. Try to lead the motion from your heel and to point it to the cieling in the end position. From there rotate on the toes back and into a complete internal rotation until the knee touches the floor next to the other foot. Come back to neutral and repeat with the other leg.
If discomfort is felt on the inside/outside of the knee (a sign of unprepared knees - can be due to lack of strength/flexiblity/joint preparation, more on how to resolve such issues in future articles ) just use your arms and your other leg to support most of the weight and perform the motion in the range of motion that is pain free.

Perform 10 reps, (5 per leg) and try to increase ROM as you go.

The next one is the Squat Hip Rotations.
This exercise is more difficult than the last one due to more bodyweight placed on top of the mobile joint and a more challanging position - posturally.
Start in a squat on the heels. First externally rotate the right hip out, while shifing the foot from a center foot position to the outer 'knife' side of the foot. Pause momentarily and come back to neutral. From there internally rotate the hip until the knee touches the ground next to your opposite foot. Pause for a sec and repeat with the other leg.
Read the instructions for pain management in the last exercise paragraph.

Perform 10 reps alternating right and left.

The next exercise in the routine is the Toes Stretch.
It is very basic position in many martial arts, yoga practices, etc...
Basicly start on your knees and feet, curl your toes back and sit on them, lowering your butt as close to your heels as possible, without allowing the heels to drift apart.

Hold the stretch for 30-60 seconds, while trying to deepen it with each breath out.

The next exercise is the Dynamic Toes Stretch.
From the Toes Stretch position, place either the tips of your fingers or your full palm (depending on flexibility) on the ground next to you.
From there and while making sure you are not lifting your fingers, drive the heels back towards the ground while lifting the knees up and back. Come back to the toes stretch while again making sure you are not breaking fingers contact.
At first this will seem impossible to some. You can use something to elevate your fingers off the ground at start. (maybe two equally thick books - one at each side)

Perform 10 reps.

The next exercise is the Static Squat Position.
Just go to your new, deepest squat, on your heels and hold.

Hold for 30-60 seconds.

The last exercise in the routine is a normal Dynamic Squats, using your 'new and improved squat position'.
While supporting heavy weights on one's back it is essential to keep the natural curvature of the spine when squatting, but here we do not require this restriction. (Although, as you can see in my clip, it wouldnt hurt to go for that as a bonus during warm up)
In traditional cultures the squat is rarely performed using an upright posture, due to the high demand of various muscle groups to maintain that posture, and though a very non-economic way to perform it.

Perform 10-20 repetitions, go as low as you can, without any pain or discomfort.

QDR ROTATIONAL PUSH UPS - BEGINNER

This is an exercise using the QDR pose. If you havent already, please go to the link below, download and read my QDR article. Before starting out one should know the details of the position and practice it to some extent. If problems arise later on in flows using the QDR (and it will happen in most cases) always come back to the basic QDR practice and the details in this article.

QDR Article

This simple flow will start in the squat position. Place your hands forward and just a bit wider than shoulder width, knees outside of the elbows and balance your weight between you hands and feet.
Lower down as presented into one of the variations, while slowly rotating the knee inside the elbow on the active side. Come back into neutral and repeat with the other side.
Synchronize breath and motion, keep it flowing, start very slowly and notice the details.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.

QDR ROTATIONAL PUSH UPS - INTERMIDIATE AND ADVANCED

Choose one of the variations, repeat the same details going into and out of position as in the beginners variation.
In the first variation - just go in and out of QDR without putting your head down.
In the second variation - add a small rotation of the fixed QDR body position around the supporting elbow. Slide the head towards your hand and back while rotating.
In the third variation add a touch to the ground behind you on the ball of your feet only at the end of the body rotation.
In the fourth and final variation bend your knee and curl your leg under your butt while shifting back. Keep it smooth and breath. The head should pop in between the hands and return back while doing this version. Also, try to reach the ground behind you when in the Low Bridge One Legged position at a point in front and between your hands - creating a triangle between those three points of contact.

Repeat for the desired number of reps.

ROTATIONS INTO LOW BRIDGE - BEGINNER

In Floreio we will be using two back bridge positions - the classical 'high bridge' or 'gymnastics bridge' and the Low Bridge.
Each one mobilizes different parts of the body, and they are very complementary exercises.
The low bridge is the best to start out with, especialy for folks who started their bridge practice later in life. It will place more demand on your toes and quads as opposed to lower back and shoulders in the higher bridge.
If you are limited by injury, the two bridge variations will allow you to work around the problem , sometimes.

First we will learn the Low Bridge Slide.
Lie on your back. Bend your knees while sliding the feet back as close as possible towards the butt. Take your hands backwards and place them at the sides of your head with flexed wrists.
Slide your whole body forward, while shifting into the balls of your feet and taking the knees forward. Use your hands to initiate this slide.
When you reach the position - knees close to the floor, contract your butt and lift up into the low bridge. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Come back to the floor reversing the sequence described above.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.

After the Slide we will learn the Rotations Into Arch - Using The Wall.
Stand with your back to a wall, in the distance of twice the size of your foot.
Place one hand backwards, shoulder rotated in and fingers pointing up. Shift some weight towards the hand.
Slowly, from the side start to rotate into and arch, trying to look at the wall at all times. The rotation needs to happen on the lower base side of your palm (opposite to the thumb) while lifting the rest of your palm off the wall until you reach the middle arched position. Also externally rotating the shoulder while going into the arch is essential.
When you aproach the complete arch, place the other hand on the wall mimicking the Low Bridge hands position. The fingers need to point at the ground while in the middle position.
Slowly shift the weight to the second hand and start rotating out (on the same spot at your palm)
while internally rotating the shoulder and with lifter palm beside the point at the base of your palm.
When you reach the first position, only on the opposite side, push off the wall.
Place the last hand to touch the wall back into it and repeat the rotation into arch on the other side.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.

If you are feeling confident you can advance into the full Rotations Into Low Bridge.
Repeating the same details as in the wall variation, start in a squat position, place one hand behind you in line with the same side foot and rotate into the low bridge, while:
1. Shifting weight into the balls of your feet.
2. Fully rotating the shoulders.
3. Rotating on the spot showen on the base of the palm.
4. Contracting your butt partially. (50% is enough)
Keep it smooth and sinchronize breath pattern with movement.

ROTATIONS INTO LOW BRIDGE - ADVANCED

The advanced version is basicly 'handicapping' yourself to the use of one arm only. It requires balance and precision but pays off later on.
Start out exactly like in the beginner version of the exercise, rotate into the low bridge but instead of placing the second hand next to the first one, continue until it is glued to the side of your body. Come back with the hand and push out into the squat. Repeat on the other side and perform the desired number of reps. Read and reread the beginner section details. The answer to your question is probobly there.

How to read the workout description

When possible, I use Charles Poliquin's system for logging workouts.
The order is A,B,C, etc... When there are more than one exercises/routines per letter like
A1, A2, A3 - rotate through them one after the other and start over at the first for the noted number of sets.

FLOREIO WORKOUT NUMBER 1 - BEGINNER

A1 Perform 5 min of jump rope
B1 Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
C1 Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set

D1 Slide Into Low Bridge X 5 reps of 5 seconds holds in position (each rep)
D2 Rotations Into Arch Using The Wall X 10 reps
D3 QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation 10 reps
Repeat D1-3 for 3 total sets

FLOREIO WORKOUT NUMBER 1 - INTERMIDIATE

A1 Perform 5 min of jump rope
B1 Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
C1 Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set

D1 Rotations Into Low Bridge X 10 reps
D2 QDR Rotational Push Ups -Beginner variation (Lift both feet off the floor) 10 reps
Repeat D1-2 for 3 total sets

FLOREIO WORKOUT NUMBER 1 - ADVANCED

A1 Perform 5 min of jump rope
B1 Shoulder ROM and Stabilization routine X 1 set
C1 Ido's Squat Clinic Routine X 1 set

D1 Rotations Into Low Bridge Advanced X 10 reps
D2 QDR Rotational Push Ups -Advanced variation X 10 reps
Repeat D1-2 for 3 total sets

Enjoy!

Now for some Floreio news:

1. Facebook us! 'Floreio Art' is our user name.
2. Join the Floreio Art email list, send an email to floreioart@gmail.com soon some material
will be released only through the email list.
3. A website with discussion forum, articles and more features soon to be released. Stay tuned.
4. A new workout tomorrow. Check up on your email and visit us soon again.

Now flow out of here and go train! Ido.

Preparations for our daily training

2009-07-15T15:24:00.008+03:00

Friends,
I have been overwhelmed with the response for the Floreio Art project. In the last 24 hours or so I have been bombered with hundreds of responses to the video.
I have constructed the mailing list and it is already in use, please make sure to join it by emailing me at floreioart@gmail.com with the subject line 'floreio'.

Now for some preparations...
Some of the movements I am about to present here will create a big demend on certain joints and muscles in your body that some of you are not used to using.
In order to make sure you do will not get hurt and further progress will be made, I advice you start PREhabbing this 'weak link' problem areas and I will provide some tools:
1. Wrists. Most people are not used to the kind of stress that Floreio and Handbalancing work can have on the wrists. I advice you to stretch and strengthen them alongside your practice in order to prevent future issues.
The tools:
A. Examine this wrists routine in the first half of this clip and practice it often: (I recommend 3-5 times a week and every day when trying to rehab a wrist injury with very low intensity)

It can be used in two ways:
1. As a warm up - first the stretching for 10-30 seconds each variation and then 10 reps of each of the dynamic moves variation one after the other without rest. Work as slowly as possible.
2. As a prehab tool at the end of your session for 10 reps each X 3 sets of the whole routine.

B. Go read Coach Sommer on Wrist Pushups thanks to good friend and coach extraordine'r Christopher Sommer, great information on wrist re and prehab is available.

B. Shoulders due to their hyper mobile but not stable nature are very often a limiting factor in Floreio and Handbalancing practice. The problem is mainly not having enough ROM while also having weak stabilization around the joint. The issues are of course related. The body tries to protect its weak joint from injury and though, it limits the ROM.
'Opening up' your shoulders should be aproached as a slow and careful process. It is not something that happens over night.
I will not explain the reasoning behind the whole process, volumes have been written on the subject, I will just say this: I think one of the best tools for someone who is after more ROM and more stability is rubber band work. I have created over the years many different routines and exercises for the shoulder but here is a basic and quick routine:

I recommend doing it 2-3 times a week, again using it:
1. As a warm up tool. This is especialy for those with less than optimal ROM in the shoulder that limits them from performing the movements. Just do one 'run' through the routine.
2. As a prehab tool - perform 2-3 runs through the routine.

Last but not least, if you are not familiar with the Queda de Rinns movment:

Go read this article I wrote many years ago for the Performance Menu and start practicing your control of it:
QDR Article on the Performance Menu
It is free, thanks to good friends and amazing coaches like Robb Wolf and Greg Everett.

That is it for the preparations, for any questions you can comment on this thread.
Happy training.

The Floreio Art

2009-07-12T22:57:00.013+03:00

For a long time, since the creation of my 'Self Dominance' video I have been getting hundreds of emails asking me about the process of training and creating the flow presented. In the near future I intend to share through my blog the details behind the process, training tips, video clips and other useful information that will help people interested in this kind of practice achieve similar skills.

The daily posts I intend to present here will be a useful tool for fitness enthusiasts, dancers, movement artists, martial artists, Crossfitters, bodyweight trainees and of course Capoeiristas and will be completely free.

The name of the art presented in the videos above is called Floreio. For a lack of better term, I will use this word to represent what I intend to teach you. The Floreio Art.
Floreio means flower in Portuguese. and it is a sub-art of Capoeira which includes a very sophisticated form of floor flow work.
In the last 15-20 years this art has made big steps and developed a great deal, but only by a select talented individuals in the Capoeira world that showed a much higher level of Floreio work than the rest of the 99% of Capoeiristas.

I have taught Floreio work to all types of people - young children, women from all ages, (most of my trainees are women actualy) older folks who started to practice after 50, injured people, professional athletes, circus perfomers, dancers, etc, etc. Even though the demonstrations above may look like high end circus and out of reach for most people, basic and beautiful floreio work can be done by anyone and advancing into more difficult skills will occur with time.

Using this blog I will share knowledge, daily workouts, movement instruction and sequencing that will enable, for the first time, for people to learn, practice and reach amazing levels of development in this beautiful (but not only beautiful) art form.
I will try to provide material for beginners, intermidiates and advanced Floreio practitioners, I will provide insight into the training, guide you through it, help with plateus, make sure you are prehabbing problematic musclature and provide a daily template for this process.

To the best of my knowledge, this is a first and unique try to teach this amazing art of flow in its pure form. I am also not aware of anyone who has taken the instruction and teaching of this art into the levels I plan to present here, even within the Capoeira scene. I am talking about biomechanical analysis, breathing synchronisation, step by step instruction, video demos and multiple levels and degrees of dificulty.

The rewards for such practice?

Until today I have found very little in the world of movement, fitness and conditioning that aproaches floreio's rewards as a means of metabolic conditioning, joint mobility, strength endurance combined with balance, power (advanced movements include jumping into and out of various position on your hands for example) and relative strength. (The use of maximal strength both static and dynamic positions and movements through the flow - like in the 'Self Dominance' clip)

Other advantages:

1. Neverending truly chaotic and improvised practice that does not enable one to adapt completely to it. Never. The always changing joint angles, sequencing, entries and exists and the mental and physical advantage of improvised practice (The highest level of performance in ANYTHING is ... improvisation) are big factors in Floreio work.

2. The amount of different muscles in the upper, core and lower body under work during Floreio practice is just huge. The type of muscular work in Floreio is almost 100% closed kinetic chain, 'control your body or go home' - the most difficult but rewarding muscular work.

3. Floreio is a great substitute for people who are already training in other modalities: Crossfitters, fitness buffs, strength/speed oriented folks, dancers (control of the floor), martial artists, yogis and people who are interested in movement and dominance of their bodies in their environment. But, it can also become your central focus.

4. Floreio is a FUN, Big time rewarding practice, and will make you work hard without noticing it, just like any other 'tricks oriented' practice - BMX, skateboarding, rollerblading, etc. You will enjoy the experience of dominating new skills and movements and the hard work will take care of itself. Remeber riding your bike for the first time?..

5. Floreio provides amazing increases in REAL, USABLE joint mobility, range of motion, flexibility from different kinds and stability and strength to go hand in hand. It is not magic, it is just the nature of the practice. Watch the videos I present in this article and you will see what I am talking about right away. Floreio work speaks for itself, unlike other practices I do not hide behind those claims. Just watch the movement.

6. Floreio will open your mind to new possibilities of moving in space. Especialy for fitness enthusiasts, this will enable you to train your body in ways you could never achieve with the 'boxed' aproach to fitness. The reward is a much more balanced, controled body.

7. Ultimately Floreio is an art. We would treat it as one, and not only as a physical practice. Floreio in the higher levels will enable you to express yourself, communicate with others (Capoeira's use for it), move for the sake of flowing and moving and enjoying a new artistic output.

8. Floreio practice needed tools - your body& small amount of space. Nuff' said.

9. Due to many of the reasons above, Floreio work is a great tool for achieving and maintaining single digit bodyfat percentage. I carry the same amount of BF for more than 10 years now, due to consistent practice of Floreio almost daily. (Last time I got measured, by my good friend and fellow coach Scott Hagnas in Portland, Poliquin's Biosignature program could not register my BF, a couple of years before that, in a BodPod device I measured below 5% BF)

10. Floreio work brings to the table an aspect in physical training missing in most modern aproaches to fitness development - quality of movement. This is a trait that is missing from the training of most physical development enthusiasts nowdays - the beauty and the quality of their movement patterns. The best athletes - from Olifting to Soccer to Sprinters to Martial Artists will have this down naturaly - they move efficiently AND beautifuly, but less talented individuals that get into sport and fitness training get very little to zero instruction on the quality of their movement. It is mostly about efficient, healthy and correct movements that they will get guidance with, (if they are lucky) and little less.
In Floreio, due to its artistic aspect, this is very basic - quality of movement will be practiced and preached every time.

I will take you through a couple of aspects of Floreio work here:

1. Learning basic floreio templates. Movements, movement sequencing, and other aspects I developed over the years like 'Closed System Practice', (on that in future articles) special strength and conditioning and flexibility work geared for Floreio developement, prehab work and other advanced material.

2. Instruction in the creation process of new and interesting sequences and Floreio pieces glued together from the movements taught here - by you!

3. Guidance in improvisation practice, as an ultimate goal, and the ability to just 'Flow' on the ground with the use of your new abilities and knowledge.

Are you with me on this exciting journey? Email me with a subject line 'Floreio' to:

floreioart@gmail.com

And I will join you to the Floreio Art mailing list. You will get notices of new blog posts, video links, articles and special anouncements of workshops, meetings, and other content.

Join me for our first workout, sign up now,
Ido Portal.

My students projects

2009-07-11T13:04:00.002+03:00

Lately I've asked my students to work on a 30 day artistic project, using their Capoeira skills as a means of expression.
I asked for something innovative, new, fresh as opposed to the typical Capoeira video so abundant on the net.
Here are three of the projects that provided in my opinion a more refreshing presentation and didnt fell into the 'unoriginality pit' that is so easy to fall into.
Mind you, the girls presenting are young artists (all under 18) and has a long way to go, but still let us know what you think..

The first one is by Adi Pinhassi (Pantera Rosa) and it is called 'Brincadeira' ('Child's play' in Portoguese)

The second one is by Karin Bensabat (Avestruz) and it is called 'Shadow Game'

And the third one is by Gal Moskona (Apache) and it is called 'Thinking Inside the Box'

I hope you enjoyed them and we are waiting to hear your opinion..

Playing Capoeira

2009-07-01T17:00:00.002+03:00

For a long time I have been getting many requests for posting some clips of me playing capoeira.
I guess people are intersted to see how my thinking and physical abilities translates to a capoeira game.
Well, I dont have anything new and interesting to show you, but I found out if you search youtube you can find a lot of clips showing me playing around with some good friends. Here are a couple of examples:

Things America taught me

2009-06-07T15:51:00.007+03:00

1. Life can have brighter and stronger colors than any film.
2. Happiness can be a big, empty, depressing room.
3. Politeness is a big blanket you can hide many things under - stupidity, darkness, hostility, anger, love.
4. Success is not just a sum of items. It is a formula with a time factor. a+b+c at 10am does not equal a+b+c at 11am.
5. Too much knowledge can take you away from the goals that knowledge was aquired for in the first place.
6. Get off your fat behind. Now.
7. Lots of variety and endless selection does not allow you to make better choices, on the contrary.
8. 'We catch on quickly'.
9. Endless needless remarks CAN make up a conversation. Who said otherwise?
10. Brown water is not coffee. Calling it Espresso will only make me more angry.
11. It doesnt matter where you come from, home is way more exotic here. I wasnt aware Krav Maga and the secrets of the Israely special forces can be mine for 39.99$ a month.
12. Latest additions to the American-English dictionary: Superfoods, Metcon, Kewl (I wasnt aware it was back, or is it just Parafina?!), Cert (short for Certificate), Greens.
13. Some people still believe in 9-5 existance. Daring to dream of something brighter is supposedly dangerous...
14. I shouldnt loose my Israely accent. It is an asset.
15. America is a beautiful place. If I'll stop traveling outside of it from now on, I will still have endless and different sights to see until the day I die.
16. A hug is not a miometric movement. (concentric-eccentric) It is Isometric and can go up to 45 seconds sometimes! Just ask anyone. In Berkley.
17. Competition can take the fun out of anything. Sometimes there is no going back. People should be careful when implementing it.
18. America is big on Quantity. Quality? ok, but only in large quantities.
19. Quality Originality is a Rarity.
20. If you are born and grow up inside the box, it is very difficult to see the box and to think outside of it. If you come from another box on the other hand..
21. When parking one should never use the Hand-Break!!! (Also known in Israel as 'Ambrex'...) Apparently that is a dangerous habit. Americans! The damn thing exists for a reason! Give me a break...
22. I wouldnt let anyone else run this world besides America.

Ido.

Playing around on my hands

2009-05-12T05:25:00.002+03:00

Here is a recent clip of me training at my place one fine morning.
I have decided to capture a couple of basic exercises used to develop better handstand control, after that I perform a small progression into one arm handstand work and show the three basic positions on one arm: closed legs, half a straddle and full straddle, in the end of the clip I just play around and show some implementation work I have been doing into my capoeira practice. Enjoy...

A small interview

2009-05-09T08:16:00.004+03:00

My interview with Steve Atlas from Atlas Training System in Spokane, Washington, after a successful workshop. Enjoy:

New workshop in Portland

2009-05-05T18:49:00.002+03:00

This Wendsday, May 6th I'm giving two workshops in the Crossfit Portland training facility, if you are in the Pacific Northwest area and want to drop by, here is the gym information:
http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=3915&stype=-8 contact Scott.

Anyone interested in private consultations or private training in Portland, SF, Miami, LA, Arizona, Las Vegas, please contact me directly through email at: portal.ido@gmail.com
I have been getting a lot of emails, and I am on the road, so be patient when waiting for a response, I will answer each and every email, I promise.

Corta Capim

2009-05-02T22:37:00.003+03:00

I've started training acrobatics in a quite a late stage in my life - 16 years old.
And even then it was a very disorginized and random kind of training. I was basicly thrown into the waters - jump and do it.
Years later, and through the experience of training myself and others, I came to the realization that some kind of a systematic and thought-of aproach is needed, even in the field of self expressive, freestyle work.
I've started to devise a way to better prepare the body and teach some of the basic progressions to this kind of aerial work. I am not only talking about traditional gymnastics work, but other, more flexible and directed aproach, more suitable to this type of style.

Let me know what you think...
Ido.

Stretching and Flexibility

2009-04-28T19:45:00.002+03:00

I've been asked to share my views on the development of flexibility and the stretching methods I use.
Actualy I am not a big believer in the multipile times a day, daily passive stretching 'waste of one's time'. This is not nutrition. (Where I am a big believer of eating often and in small amounts)
This kind of aproach mainly works with children and training systems that are supported on the idea of training someone from an early age and into adulthood. For someone who has missed the boat, (like me) it is not a potent enough method to develop a high degree of flexibility. (A less plaiable nervous system is the reason, not less plaiable musculature)
I use a combination of mainly active elements and I do them rarely and not often. I maintain the degree of flexibility I am in need of in my practice, no less, no more.

Here is a small demonstration of basic passive positions:

USA tour 2009 - Itinerary

2009-04-12T10:11:00.002+03:00

May 2nd - Landing in LA
May 4th - Equilibre and floreio Workshops in Spokane, Washington (Contact Steve Atlas from http://www.atlastrainingsystems.com for details)
May 8th - Equilibre workshop in San Francisco (Contact Shira from http://athleticplayground.com/ for details)
May 9th - Corporal Dialogue workshop and Vires workshop (Gymnastics & BW oriented physical development class) (Again, in http://athleticplayground.com/)
May 10th-14th - Miami, Florida (Contact me if intersted in personal or group training)
May 15th&16th - Capoeira workshop LA (Contact Amir Solsky for details amirsolsky@hotmail.com)
May 17th-21st - Arizona (Contact me if intersted in personal or group training)
May 22nd&23rd - Gymnasticbodies Camp in Tehachapi, CA, Gymnastics oriented strength and conditioning 2 day camp in Woodward Camp together with Coach Christopher Sommer, for details http://gymnasticbodies.com)
May 24th-28th - Las Vegas (Contact me if intersted in personal or group training)

If anyone is interested in my services, I will be giving personal consultations on the subjects I work with (Nutrition, physical development, Capoeira, Equilibre, Acrobatics) along with personal or group training. For more details, contact me through email at: portal.ido@gmail.com

Claude's stories

2009-02-14T12:32:00.004+02:00

Like any real master, Claude has another unique trait: story telling. Here is a small collection of stories told by him during my stay over at Plainfaing. I hope you'l enjoy and apreciate this.

* When he was a performer in one of Europe’s most famous circuses, there was another ‘hand to hand’ acrobatic duo working there and an atmosphere of competition was starting to happen.
Every morning the porter from the other duo would step into the training hall, and just like that, without any warm up or preparation, would press into a perfect, straight, accurate one arm handstand, and hold it steadily for 10 seconds before lowering down to the floor. Everyone would always be blown away by this guy’s ability to ‘start his day’ like that, so sharp and accurate with no means of preparation.
One morning Claude prepared himself a cup of tea and only then did he realize he was out of sugar. He went to the porter’s caravan to borrow some sugar. Upon knocking at the door, the porter’s wife opened it, and behind her, Claude sees the porter, in his underwear, performing set after set of handstands…. It turns out this guy would warm up and prepare himself intensely in his caravan, and would only come out to the training hall once he felt he is sharp and ready to go….

* Not long ago Claude’s best student of all times, Eric, came to visit him. Eric started to train with Claude when he was only 11, and he turned out to be the most talented hand balancer Claude has ever witnessed or worked with.
Eric is over 40 years of age, and still performs around the world in solo equilibre numbers as well as ‘hand to hand’ work with a partner.
After three days of visit to Claude’s house, eating good food and drinking lots of wine, he had to leave and go back to performing. After taking his things and going outside of the front door with Claude to say fair well and leave, Claude remarked to him: ‘Eric, you have been here three days, ate and drank like a king, but we haven’t trained any equilibre at all!’
Eric looked at him with a smile, put his hand on the hood of Claude’s car and just like that - fully dressed and without any warm up, pressed- slowly, up into a perfect one arm handstand, held it and came down with control to the floor. ‘Here you go, Claude, now I have also trained during this visit, you can relax now…’

* When Claude was 20 year old he was recruited into the French army and sent to fight in Algeria. He served in a 30 men platoon that lost 15 of it’s members. He witnessed many of his friends killed in sudden attacks and saw the horror of war. He was decorated twice during his 2 year service in Algeria. He never mentioned a word about it to any of his friends, students and family and even his 4 sons don’t know a thing about it. I discovered it through an incidental talk we had during my stay. He disappeared in the middle of the conversation into his room and brought out a couple of old envelopes with old photos from the war. In most of the photos you can see him performing some ‘hand to hand’ work with another soldier or standing on one arm on some object with his abdominals sticking out.
Another related story he told me was about a sunny day, during his military service. They were on vacation and resting for the day, and everyone was going to the pool. He took off his clothes and went to get some sun. When he reached the pool he decided to break a sweat by training a bit. After a couple of sets, a man approached him and said he used to do some similar stunts back in France and that he wanted to learn more. Claude with his famous friendly smile offered to help him out and teach him. After a long session they parted ways.
Only a week after, upon some other occasion, Claude encountered this guy, only this time in full military uniform, and he found out he was a 3 stripe officer. This man never said a word about his rank at the swimming pool.
From that day on, whenever Claude needed a favor, the officer, who became a good friend by this time, would help him out. In Algeria at the time (1950’s) this friendship was a big asset, needless to say.

* In 2003, Claude started to feel a numbness in the tips of his fingers. The sensations quickly spread out over his body. He went to the doctor, who quickly ordered him to immediate hospitalization. He was examined and tested and his bone marrow and nerve fluids were sent to laboratories all over France. No one knew what was going on.
His condition continued to deteriorate and he quickly lost the sense of balance (how tragic, for a man who dedicated his life to the art of balance) and couldn’t stand anymore. He could not stand the taste of water, as it felt metallic in his mouth. He lost sensation in his hands and feet, and had no reflexes, when tested.
The doctors were clueless and only figured he had some kind of unknown neurological disorder.
People who came to visit him, were sure that…. this is it. The end of his trip in this world. He told me he recognized death in their faces, and knew they were thinking he was done. But… he never gave up.
After three weeks of deteriorating health he was sent to a sanitarium for rest, as there was nothing else which could be done for him. He was wheeled in a wheelchair everywhere, and when he saw the other patients, old, sick men and women in wheelchairs, he was more determined than ever to heal.
He was ordered to lie down, but he started to use an aid for walking and tried to walk with it frequently. He also performed lots of Yoga, Pranayama exercises (breathing techniques from Yoga he learned over the years) and physical exercises. After a week, he amazingly regained the ability to walk. The doctors could not believe it.
After two weeks he was released to his home from the hospital, with improving health. The numbness in his limbs went away little by little and he regained full health. Little by little he came back to his full yoga and equilibre daily training, up to his current state.
Claude told me he never, in his life, fell into depression. Even when people who were coming to visit him were thinking the worst, and he knew it, he never let bad thoughts enter his mind. He is a fighter, and this wasn’t any different from any other fights he had during his life.
The doctors called his recuperation ‘A miracle’.
Now days Claude performs a daily routine of Yoga postures followed by a couple of sets of handstands (unsupported) and head-only stands on top of a couple of cubes of wood. He wakes daily at 08:00 and goes to sleep at around 23:30, most days without a minute of rest. He cooks two big meals a day for him and his visiting students, performs countless sets of rope supervision on his ‘hand to hand’ students (sometimes requiring hard rope pulls and good reflexes for sudden ‘saves’), cleans the house, washes clothes, works the garden, fixes anything that needs fixing around the house, and anything else.
His students can hardly keep up with him. Hell, I had trouble following him the whole week without getting dizzy. He has a great sense of humor, and we often found ourselves bursting into mutual laughter over things, just as if he is another 20 something friend sharing a funny moment.
I told him one evening that he lived enough life to satisfy five persons, but I wish him to live much more, and I am sure he will.
He is one of a few people I met in my life who I consider an example of how life should be lived.

Second day - training at Claude Victoria's

2009-02-05T10:37:00.003+02:00

08:00 wake up. Slept real nice, deep and restful sleep in this small wooden bed. The house was kept warm, not too much, just as I like it.

I prepare a quick breakfast of eggs and a bit of Parmesan cheese on top and take my morning supplements. I also drink a cup of black coffee.
(Later to be discussed)

10:00 Claude is taking the French circus kid to the train, as he has finished his week’s stay here, so me and the two Spaniards are starting to train in the living room. A morning yoga routine of 9 postures, repeated 3 times each for 3 breathes. Its nice and easy, gets the body a bit warmer. We practice the Yoga on pieces of old sheep carpet, and it feels raw and rural.
After the yoga warm up we start to perform 3 types of lifts into handstand, each for at least 3 times. Afterwards it is a bit of head balancing on two wooden cubes and on top of them a small head ring, this is quite new to me and I am glad to give the shoulders a bit of rest and experiment.
Claude comes back from the train station and we get dressed quickly and leave for the local gymnasium. Going out of the door, I grab my water bottle, and Claude looks at me in a strange look. He tells me there is no water drinking during equilibre training, as it hurts the balance. OK, I leave the water bottle and we go on. The gym is quite close, just 2 minutes drive (actually, everything is 2 minutes drive in PlainFaing…) and we enter a small wooden floor old school gymnastics facility. Claude is allowed to use this facility in the mornings, and there is a lot of gymnastics equipment along with a harness pulley system to help his ‘hand to hand’ students. I only need a piece of carpet, so no problem here.
Claude starts to work with me on one hand handstand, in various positions, and I am very surprised to find out that I am in good alignment. He gives me some tips, in a form of touching me in certain body parts and also explaining the alignment he thinks is an optimal one, and I am again surprised to find out it is effortless to implement. I had myself worked up and worried about alignment issues, that the reality is that it was not too bad. One small problem though, is that I vibrate a bit in working arm. Claude says: from tomorrow, no Coffee for you. Caffeine can create a jittery feeling and effect your balance, so he is an anti coffee guy. No more coffee for me while I am here….
In my solo sets on one hand I get a couple of good holds, with a high free arm, just as Claude likes, and I receive complements from the Master. Yooohoo. Life is good on one arm.
I continue to work endless sets of the three positions, and also using a higher hand position - gluing the free hand to the hip. I feel my shoulder girdle and Trapizius muscles starting to tire.
Claude goes on to teach me the one arm lift off, I practice it, and due to the strength of my shoulder I am able to get a successful one or two sets. (ending with a 3-4 second hold in a wide straddle) Alignment is not optimal, but at least those muscles are there for a reason.
We finish with a bit of two arm handstand hops, very strict and close to the floor, in sets of 10, and I am finishing the workout with high spirits. Three hours on the hands. Not a bad first session.

It is 13:00 and we go home to eat.

16:00 I start to train an hour before the rest. A quick Yoga warm up sequence I like to use for getting into the ‘balanced mode’. (A routine I have developed from my experience with Shadow Yoga and learning from Dudi Malka, as well as my own tweaks and additions - from personal experience and insight)

At 17:00 they join me and we continue to do the 9 posture warm up of Claude. We finish it and go into a 2-3 minute inverted Yoga headstand. Claude is a big advocate of this posture, he believes, like many Yogis, it is good for circulation, health of the prostate gland and many other benefits.
Afterwards its right into the three types of lifts, in sets of 6 each and ending with a 10 second hold. Only this warm up sequence is 3 minutes total time on your hands, and this is considered beginner’s stuff here.
Afterwards I work on the straight position one handers, middle straddle one handers with a spot from Claude or on my own, and then he takes out the wooden cubes.
I am really bad with these cubes, so I start to do double sets - a 20 second hold on the cubes and then a set of one handers on the floor, to achieve better use of my time. I perform endless sets, in between them I do some head balance work on the head ring and 4 cubes below, until I feel my Trapeze tightening up and I decide I shouldn’t over do it the first day.
After a couple of sets the first Spaniard - the porter decides he had enough and goes to rest. I continue on with the girl-flyer and we perform 7-10 more sets, then she decides she is done. I continue on. Just another half hour. I continue with some straddle L-sit presses and Claude gives me some useful tips about head position, and afterwards I perform two endurance two hand handstand sets - one on the cubes and the other on the floor. I finish with some more stretching and go to take a shower.

Total training time for today - 7 hours. That is a lot, if you take into account that this is very monotonous work and small muscles are being worked very hard.

At the dinner table we eat some more well cooked food. I continue with my white lie about being diabetic, trying not to hurt Claude’s feelings. This man is has a heart of gold in his chest.
I eat a cooked Andiv dish, which is excellent, and also a can of sardines and a bit of cheese. After food we stay at the table, talking, and Claude goes on to speak about the state of the circus world now days. He speaks about economical issues, and the fact that all of the European and world circuses are not able to pay decent salaries to the performers, and that the only place an artist can get paid what he deserves is in the Cirque du Soleil and similar big projects - Cabaret shows like the Moulin Rouge in Paris. We talk and talk, and there is a lot of laughter, we are using a mixture of French, Spanish, Portuguese and English and are able to communicate quite well between us 4. Even jokes are told and the atmosphere is home-like.
I decide to retire and go to my room to sleep it off. First day of training is done. I take some BCAA before retiring, hoping my shoulder girdle wont be completely shut down tomorrow morning.

Claude Victoria, first day

2009-02-03T14:12:00.010+02:00

I’m in my seventh change of transportation vehicle over the last 12 hours( Car, Train, Airplane, Electro-train, Metro, Train and one more train)
Passing village after village trying to figure out the letters in the names of places mentioned in the speaker system of the train. I finally reach a small place called Saint Die. I get down, its freezing cold, inside the train hall there is a small man seated in a large coat. His hair is white, our eyes meet and I know right away - this is Claude.
He welcomes me in a mixture of English, Spanish and Portuguese (soon to become our way of communicating) and explains that his car is near by and that we have another 20 Km to go to his village. His village is even smaller. it’s a place called Plainfaing.
We talk on the way on equilibre, his students, his journeys as a circus performer. I get the instant sting of inspiration in my gut. This man was all over the middle east, Europe, Canada, Japan. You name the place, chances are he was over there performing at some point.
We reach the house, there is a light layer of snow on the ground and we get in.
Inside I meet 3 other students that are already there training with Claude. One of them is a French kid, circus performer, who has been to Brazil 5 times already and speaks some Portuguese. This kid grew up in a circus family. His mother is an ex trapeze artist and now days owns a circus with many connections all over the world. He is not going to a normal school like other 14 year old kids. He is using a distant correspondence school program. You name the circus art, this kid does it. Trapeze, corda-lisse, ring, big-ring, juggling (any type of juggling), acrobatics, trampoline, fixed wire, and of course now - equilibre. He is leaving tomorrow, so I wont have a chance to train with him.
The other two are a couple - circus performers from Spain, specializing in ‘Hand to Hand’ work. The girl-flyer is a 24 year old Spaniard from the Canarian Islands, the guy-porter is 28 year old from the south of Spain.
They have been trained in a circus school in Spain, and spent a year in Argentina training acrobatics and gymnastics. They have been all over Europe, trying to learn as much as they can, perfecting their skills, but the name Claude Victoria seemed to pop up anywhere they went to. They are here for a week already and will spend here 3-4 weeks in total. (If they can last that long…)
I go to my room to take a quick shower and we sit down to eat.
Very good food is served, Minestrone soup, mixed salad with green beans and a cooked sausage and meat Hungarian type dish. (The guys add a lot of fresh Bagetts to the mixture and a desert of banana split with ice cream is served. I only avoid it barely, by saying I am Diabetic *white lie*, but still Claude gives me a strange look….)
We eat and talk and there is a lot of laughter, everyone seems so different and relaxed, I feel mixed feelings about it. But there is no anxiety, and I feel the difference from a Capoeira situation, in which you have a rush of competitiveness and aggressiveness mixed with a deep desire to put yourself to the test against others. These people are artists and there is no pressure, I cant wait to get started tomorrow.
The walls are covered in photos of equilibrists, starting from the 1940’s and ending in now days, in amazing positions, performing difficult feats of balance and strength. Claude tells me about his students - Samuel Tetrault, the Alexis Brothers, Franco Dragone’s son (From Cirque du Soleil fame and Dragone company now days), his own sons who achieved amazing abilities, and the best of them all, his best student - Eric.
He also tells me of his teacher, an Italian that took him under his wing and taught him the art of balance. He says until today he has never witnessed more perfect body lines than the Italian‘s. There is a small photo on the wall from 1945, and I am amazed to see his Italian teacher standing on one arm, with a straight body position, on top of someone. I am amazed because any photo that I have seen from this time (and even up till the 1960’s), gymnastics and circus alike, were always with an arched, old school type of posture. Well, according to Claude, the Italian is the innovator. He is one of the first, if not the first to demand and perfect the straight, clean body position in handstand work. We are talking here years before the straight position were acknowledged as the optimal one in gymnastics and circus circles. I am in the presence of greatness.

Good night, I am beat, going to sleep like a baby…

Equilibre

2009-01-22T11:43:00.004+02:00

Equilibre is the art of balance. Practitioners dedicate their lives and practice for the purpose of controling and dominating their bodies in delicate postures, difficult to master, on one or two arms, or on their heads.
Improving your balance is a difficult matter, developed in a non-linear progression and effected by kinesthetic sense, proprioception, body tension, strength, endurance, and a zen state of mind.
I have started to work on different one arm postures more than a year ago, first on my own and later on with some guidance from other practitioners, trying to research the subject as much as I could, through books, conversations with equilibirists, video analysis and of course practice and lots of it.
Part of the subjects I have researched were:
1. Deep Yoga and meditative practice, (daily) for a better understanding of the 'zonning in' work needed for delicate balance control. I was fortunate enough to have a very radical and good teacher, Dudi Malka, who works with a style of Yoga called 'Shadow Yoga'. It took me a long time and a lot of patience to feel the change happening within me. Flexibility gains were also a nice addition.
2. Straightening of the body line and controling it. In equilibre you aspire to achieve a completely straight line from hand to feet, in the classical positions, in order to achieve an effortless balance, what is often referred to as 'dead-balance' - basicly resting in a completely balanced position with the only effort activated towards holding the body tension (and just enough, not excessivly) and returning to the effortless position, if fallen off it.
Part of my research into this subject went through Pilates and Yoga breathing and tension techniques and of course, Ballet.
3. Scapula control, which is a main problem for many practitioners. Holding the scapula locked in position, and in the right position, is essential, or else all hell breaks loose.

The journey to achieve some kind of control over one arm is an endless one, full of setbacks, problems, despair, but also full of joy, the kind of joy that can only come from small, simple things.
I set out to enjoy this journey on my own, like I do most things in my life, but now, after achieving what I originaly decided to achieve (10 second control on one arm), I am finally going to get some serious outside help.
Tomorrow morning I am traveling to the north of France, to a small village called Saint Die, to a week workshop with Equilibre Master Claude Victoria. I have had the pleasure of training before with two of Claude's students, for brief periods, and now it is time to go to the source.
Claude is an old man nowdays, and he does not recieve any new students anymore, but because I recieved recommendations from two of his students he was willing to recieve me, and for that I am thankfull for him and of course my two good friends and amazing equilibirists - Yuval Ayalon, a generalist in a Vegas Franco Dragone circus show called Le Reve, and Yuval Oz, a very talented musician without whom this trip would not be posible. Thank you guys.

Here is a small clip of a one arm handstand from a recent practice, it is far from perfect, and I am not content with it, but still, it is time to put things out and continue on.

If this journey is of interest to you, please check back here often, as I will try to post my experiences, photos and video clips from another one of my small adventures.
Stay tuned.

Jack of all trades

2008-11-04T14:58:00.001+02:00

In recent years, there is a new trend in the world, and not only in the physical training world, but everywhere, concerning trying to achieve many goals at the same time, conquering the title 'Jack of all trades'.
I believe this is fine... As a goal!
As the way to get to that goal, it is far from optimal.
Our phisiolegy just doesnt work that way. SAID principle, adaptation, specialization and survivle mechanisms are main factors here, but I wont lecture you on that.
Recently I ran into a training program that is highly flawed by a generaly excelent strength coach, Christian Thibaudeau:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding/ill_be_damned_it_works
(ignore the supplement commercial at the start of the article)

Christian, who quotes coach-extraordiner' Charles Poliquin is breaking some of Poliquin's main rules about program design, among them specialization, broad pyramid sets and more.
Notice the equal quantity of volume divided among the various training
tools, while trying to achieve.... Everything.... And all at the same time.
I suspect this kind of program has no value, besides maybe for the complete beginner and as a general fitness tool. Not very useful.
I see this kind of thing everywhere, people trying to achieve everything
together at the same training micro/macro-cycle while only discovering they have achieved nothing.
Dont throw your adaptive body (and mind) into confusion. Even if you have multiple goals (I'm the first to admit that) periodize them wisely, move certain things into maintaince while pushing other things forward, you will see better results, quicker.
Having said that, taking a hypothetical trainee, put him into an intense crossfit program that includes OLifting, gymnasics and metcon work for 3 years and see where he gets. I'm sure an impressive improvement in many physical traits.
Take the same trainee and put him one year with a OLifting coach working OL mainly, one year with coach sommer, specializing in gymnastics strength elements and one year of implementation into metcon type of work and you get a much supperior athlete.
Isnt it obvious?

PS. For Coach Thibaudeau's sake, I have to admit I have commited the same sin in program design a few times in the past, it is just our nature to try to juggle all the balls.

Self Dominance

2008-10-04T15:12:00.003+03:00

The following piece was made to showcase some of the ideas I have been playing with in the last year.

It all started from a place of stagnation and boredom with the state of modern capoeira, my own practice and the future in which it is all heading.
I was desparate for some inspiration, motivation, something new and interesting that goes beyond spinning on my hands one more spin or kicking that old Meia-Lua a bit faster.
I needed a new physical and mental challange and also wanted to renovate, create and express while at it.
That is the beginning of the journey. I started to cross train heavily in other arts, diciplines, movement systems and also worked hard at mental aspects such as cultivating creativity, concentration, emotional expression, associative flow and more..
At start it was full of enthusiasm. Later on it became frustrating as I realized, I'm just a baby in those new and foreign places. I had to push through. Believe in my choices.
After a while things started to clear out. New possibilites were revealed, in movement, in thinking, my body and mind started to change.
This whole process was accompanied with quite a bit of isolation from the 'normative' world I was so determined to escape from and exposure to a new world, different from my own, at the time. This isolation allowed me to experiment, drift away and innovate without getting stuck back into the box of what is a normal progression of an artist (or capoeirista) should be.
My nightly classes and workshops became a hit. Not only due to new, inspirational material that was a result of a lot of work and thought, but also because of the complete and total submergence I went into this material. I truly 'bathed' in this, it was ME and people tend to get attracted to original things. I think..
Every aspect of my work was influenced by it: pair work, solo trainings, group trainings, strength and conditioning, flexibility, music, rythem and movement. Everything was examined and reexamined in a filter of 'is this moving me in the right direction?'
Sometimes painful choices of elimination were made. I rejected the useless and made a choice.
This first published clip is only a tiny bit of my work displaying certain aspects of it. Please, dont put me in a box after watching this, it is just playing around with something interesting, it is far from the 'big picture' of my art. It is the first of many clips and only the beginning. The future material will include some of my students work, (what I call 'homework' in our nightly trainings and also the training themselfs) my own work and developement and application of our practice.
The clip won some awards on Youtube, and the response to it was something I didnt suspect, even in my wildest dreams. (full mailbox and comments from not only friends but professional in the field of capoeira, circus, gymnastics, dance and more. I hope you like it, but dont realy care... please post your comments below.
Check back here soon, subscribe to the blog and my youtube acount and send me your email if you want me to add you to my mailing list. This will allow me to stay in closer contact with you all, thank you,
Ido.

Lazarevskaya and mountain training

2008-07-10T12:55:00.015+03:00

We have reached a small beach town, called Lazarevskaya, on the shore of the black sea.

It is a beautiful and vibrant place, with all of the characteristics of a beach town: the
tanned bodies of beautiful people, boats flowing in and out of the piers, water sports
ripping up close to the beach, warm sunny weather and lots of small hotels spread around the
streets.

I especially liked a small coffee place called 'Botanik'. We frequently went there for some
good green tea (They even serve it with a plate of diffrent nuts - can you believe it?) or a
light meal. Vadim, a good friend and brother and my companion for this trip has taken upon
himself to teach me the game of chess. We spend some of our nights in this charming place,
playing the game. I love it. Cant believe I didnt learn it until now...

What is even more apealing in this place to me is the close by mountains with their small
villages, the river crossing through and nature life.

We decided to hike into the unexplored woods and do some physical training while we are in
there.
In the first day, after a 90 minute hike up the mountain we reached a nice spot and put on
the rings on a tree branch. We went a head to do some sets on the extreme rings.

After the workout we went down to the river for some cool down. How about that Tarzen, ha?!

Vadim went ahead and performed his famous 'ugliest jump in the world' into the waters. Take
a look:

After the workout we had some glycogen replenishing fruits as the first part of our post-workout meal:

On our second day in the nature we went up a diffrent route and hiked a realy difficult path
right through the river. We have reached places I believe few humans have reached, and it
was quite an experience.

This day I suggested we do some training with a rock. I found a nice spot and we went ahead
to complete a strength endurance circuit with this rock as our challenge. Back squats,
presses, deadlifts and push ups performed for 21,15,9 reps. Quite a heart pumper. Vadim
handled himself great and didnt let go, pushing until the last rep was completed.

Overall great couple of days, stay tuned for my sailing and fishing experiences... I hope
you are listening out there...