Stretch Therapy for gymnastic strength training (GST) workshop

[Kit_L]

Hello all, Kit here.

Posted full description on my blog HERE, and full text from blog below for convenience.

YT clip (promo):

Full blog text:

Stretch Therapy for Gymnastics Strength Training (“GST”, but the one we like)

This two-day intensive workshop is purpose-designed for all men and women pursuing strength training following men’s gymnastics' strength training protocols. We will present solo and partner versions of most exercises. We will cover all necessary partial poses, progressions, and associated techniques (like fascial releases) to be able to do:

• pike
  
• pancake
  
• full squat
  
• full back bend (the bridge)
  
• shoulder extension, and flexion
  
• full hip mobility
  

Achieving a full pike and a full pancake requires stretching the calf muscles (including the often-neglected posterior fascial line), all three hamstrings, all adductors, and a small muscle in the hip called piriformis which is a surprisingly common (but often unsuspected) limiter of these fundamental movements. Practising the pike and pancake by themselves is relatively inefficient, in terms of results gained for time spent—there are better ways.

The techniques we will use to achieve the pike and the pancake are all partial poses and/or fascial techniques. The core method used is the Contract–Relax technique, as developed by our team over the last 25 years. We will also use innovative agonist–antagonist moving stretching techniques which will actively assist flatter pikes and pancakes, by activating the hip flexors and TFL in their maximally shortened positions—this provides needed strength in the fully contracted position as well as provides the brain with a novel stretch sensation. Fascial releases on gracilis and the inner hamstrings will be done on all attendees, where needed.

The full squat requires considerable ankle flexibility and hip mobility and we will show you a range of exercises that will allow you to do this movement with good foot alignment, preserved arches in the feet, and no support. On most workshops when we begin, only about half the room has a decent full squat, but by the end almost everybody does.

We will cover assistance techniques for hip internal rotation (this will complement the external rotation exercises that work piriformis, above, too).

We will practise all partial poses leading up to a full back bend. To this end we will show you effective partner stick stretches that will open the chest and shoulders, in preparation for full dislocate movements, and then add the hip flexor/quadriceps, passive back bends over supports, and rib-cage mobilisation exercises so that the body is prepared for the full back bend. Solo alternatives will be taught as well. In addition, fascial releases for the diaphragm and rectus abdominis will be done for all attendees.

In the process of going through these partial poses, you will learn exactly which structures are limiting your present movement patterns, so future practise becomes very time efficient. Often, only a small muscle or narrow line of fascia is the restriction—finding and changing these are the keys to unlocking your body.

Experience has shown us that adults following gymnastic strength training regimens frequently injure themselves. We will practise a range of extremely effective rehabilitation–treatment exercises to address these kinds of problems. As well, there are a number of stretching exercise that actively assist in recovery and we will do these, too.

I will add that if you want to attend the first one, planned for Italy (a lovely town named Piacenza, in northern Italy, 15-16 November, then you'd better book it ASAP; we expect this will be a rapid sellout. If there's enough interest, we can add two more this year. All details will be on kitlaughlin.com/.

[mtruelove]

This looks amazing. Any chance of coming to London?

[thecolin]

This looks amazing. Any chance of coming to London?

This is currently the only European date for 2014. It sounds like there are lots of requests coming in for a similar workshop in other parts of the world. So it might be a while before it comes back to a European country. Though I think it's far too early to say in any definitive way.

edit: There's a more comprehensive answer from Kit regarding this sort of request over on his blog: http://kitlaughlin.wordpress.com/2014/02/03/stretch-therapy-for-gymnastic-strength-training-gst/

[Kit_L]

I am coming to London and to York, and I have an EU passport, so can travel and work freely; we will be putting up the program on my site this week.

The present plan is to offer a three-day Into the Stretch 100% experiential workshop though, not a GST-specific one. But what we actually end up doing on a workshop depends on who is there—I literally build the content depending on the attendees' requirements. We spend the first hour, in fact, founding out from the attendees exactly what they want.

And I guarantee that most of what you want will be taught anyway. If you are there, you can demand what you need!

[mtruelove]

That's great! I've already emailed Olivia to register my interest.

[Keilani Gutierrez]

Kit, will these GST worshops be available in US? I'm from PR and am planning how to strategically hit up a workshop of yours and also Coache's GB Seminars.

I'm currently scoping out how to make Italy possible for me.

thanks.

-Keilani

[merryn]

Hi Kit and Olivia

Looks terrific! Count me in for any workshops in Australia!

Cheers

Merryn

[oliviaa]

Hi Keilani

Where are you in the US? We're exploring the possibility of scheduled an ST for GST workshop on the weekend of 4-5 October, possibly in Atlanta. Early days yet re. planning ...

Cheers

Olivia

[Keilani Gutierrez]

I live in Puerto Rico, a flight up to Atlanta wouldn't be a problem

[thecolin]

I am coming to London and to York, and I have an EU passport, so can travel and work freely; we will be putting up the program on my site this week.

Oops, I was talking about the GST workshop, sorry for creating confusion!

[Kit_L]

No confusion there, theColin: there may be some space in the 2014 schedule for other GST workshops in addition to the Piacenza, Italy one. We already have people enrolled for that one; wow: that's fast.

We have emailed our Atlanta hosts but have not heard back yet (they have a space that would be perfect for a GST workshop); they have been snowed under for almost a week, we heard.

And @ Merryn: we will be talking to you about the possibility of involving you in running one in the ACT before I head off in August, so a definite yes to you (and you should think about teaching one of these yourself; all you need to learn is the fascial release). I am writing the plans for the content as we speak.

For anyone interested in being alerted for any future workshops, please register HERE.

[merryn]

Hi Kit and Olivia

Terrific! I would be very happy to learn and help in any way I can - sounds brilliant I'm doing MFR at CIT this semester too - so fingers crossed that will help

cheers Merryn

[Kit_L]

Merryn,

It will help for sure (perhaps you could expand that acronym so everyone knows what you are referring to).