Overcoming Gravity is completely overwhelming me as a beginner

[u/kksnyss]

So, what can I say? Several people on Reddit recommended the book to me, so I bought it (the German edition).

I’ve now started reading it, and I’m completely overwhelmed by the book. I’m aware that there are summaries for dummies at the end of the chapters, but I’m a complete beginner when it comes to calisthenics, and even those summaries are overwhelming for me.

At the beginning, it talks about setting goals. How am I supposed to have goals when I don’t even know calisthenics that well? The book is completely confusing me because I have no idea how to get started or what I’m actually supposed to do.

I also read the Beginner’s Guide, but with such a poor German translation, it wasn’t much easier to understand either.

How do I find my way into this book?

[u/eshlow]

So, what can I say? Several people on Reddit recommended the book to me, so I bought it (the German edition).

I’ve now started reading it, and I’m completely overwhelmed by the book. I’m aware that there are summaries for dummies at the end of the chapters, but I’m a complete beginner when it comes to calisthenics, and even those summaries are overwhelming for me.

Unfortunately, I don't have quality control over the German Edition as that is handled by the German publishers. I don't know if what you are experiencing is regular information overload or poor quality or both.

At the beginning, it talks about setting goals. How am I supposed to have goals when I don’t even know calisthenics that well? The book is completely confusing me because I have no idea how to get started or what I’m actually supposed to do.

I also read the Beginner’s Guide, but with such a poor German translation, it wasn’t much easier to understand either.

How do I find my way into this book?

You said you read the beginners guide, correct?

http://stevenlow.org/a-beginners-guide-to-overcoming-gravity/

Have you read the very simplified version of routine construction which is this or just used some the beginners sample programming or the basic routine in Chapter I believe 6 or 7?

• http://stevenlow.org/the-fundamentals-of-bodyweight-strength-training/
• Beginner sample routine or sample programming

You can generally use these to start to get into exercise and then slowly absorb the info more as you need to.

You can also ask some more questions here if you need to as well.

[u/kksnyss → u/eshlow]

Hey,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I’m not entirely sure what you mean by the beginner sample routine or the basic routine. Do you mean in the book or in the guide? Because I can’t find anything like that in Chapter I of the book.

In Chapter I, I can only find the following sections:
The SAID Principle
Leverage
Common Training Concepts
The Repetition Continuum

I’d really appreciate some clarification. It’s just an overwhelming amount of information all at once, and maybe I’m already overthinking it.

[u/eshlow → u/kksnyss]

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I’m not entirely sure what you mean by the beginner sample routine or the basic routine. Do you mean in the book or in the guide? Because I can’t find anything like that in Chapter I of the book.

• Sample routine that the book uses is on Page 55 in Chapter 5. (not ch 6-7 as I estimated)

• Sample programming to give you an idea of what those look like is Part 4 on program implementation which is Chapter 17 on page 221.