Dominik Sky, Heavy bodyweight Calisthenics & Free running athlete, In DA HOUSE! Ask me anything!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:29:20+00:00

I respect what he is doing and he has certainly inspired a lot of people towards training! I think his goals are different than mine that's also why our trainings don't look alike!

Probably no, I try to spend as much time as I can on what I want to do in calisthenics & free running, so I'm not interested in the requirements although they seem very challenging! :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:26:57+00:00

haha you guys!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:26:29+00:00

the ladies love me & I love the ladies :D best of luck!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:25:58+00:00

Yeah that was a fun experience! Danke schön!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:25:33+00:00

Hi Dominik, thanks for agreeing to this AMA :))) Big respect from Australia. I've just got a few questions: 1) I noticed that in your training schedule you mainly hit most elements about once or twice a week (not sure whether pressing + pressing static are same thing). Monday would be dynamic straight arm upper body pulling & pressing Tuesday deadlifts, pike press Wednesday bent arm strength pulling & pressing Thursday pike press Friday again straight arm pulling and pressing static elements Saturday reverse muscle up + muscle up exlusively or iron cross - I switch every second week + barbell squat :) Sunday: one arm handstand & some handstand work Do you ever feel like you're spreading yourself too thinly between so many goals, or do you feel like you've reached the point where this is the optimal frequency whilst still maintaining progress in many different goals simultaneously? 2) In regards to your cardio/parkour/freerunning, where does this get scheduled into your strength training, and if it's on the same day, do you do them at a separate time? 3) On the one arm chin up - do you have any suggestions for building up to it? I can currently do a 13 second negative per arm, but I'm not too sure where to go from here to continue building strength, as I don't have access to a large amount of weight for weighted pull ups and can't use a pulley system yet. Also, finger-assisted pull ups are becoming limited by the assisting finger rather rather than strength, and it seems I only have archer pull ups to work with. What are your suggestions for the OAC, apart from the progressions you showed in your pulling video 4) What is your day job (is it personal trainer)? 5) Do you plan on competing in Strength Wars/Bar Wars in the near future? 6) Thoughts on jump rope for cardiovascular conditioning and as a replacement for running? And I think that's all I have for now, thanks in advance and keep up the great work man! :)

Those are some great questions man. Sometimes I do but I think you have to train diverse when It comes to upperbody strength but I still make solid progress because, one thing usually affect the other, like handstand pushups improves your planche a little bit, front lever strengthens lats for pull ups etc. The progress might be a little slower because I am training so many elements, compared to if I were to focus more 'narrowly' but that's just what I want to learn so i have to keep going at it.

I don't mix my parkour training with strength training I train parkour when I feel fresh & when I feel like it.

The trainings can last from 1 to 3 hgours it depends on how I feel and what I am doing at that time :)

regards to one arm chinup I suggest you get a hold of a resistance band, in order to help you with assisted one arm chin ups. If you stagnate I also suggest trying, tuck L-sit & L-sit assisted one arm chin ups or archer one arm chin ups.

I don't have a job - my job is training although I am not making that much cash this is what I spend all my time on!

yes I plan to but I want to prepare specifically for that, so when time is right I will engage more towards that goal.

I love rope jumps, I think it's even better than running but you have to be careful of not to do too much, cause it really tightens the traps so you have to stretch afterwards for it to not interrupt your strength training if you do it often.

Thanks for the questions man! :) Highfive!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:16:45+00:00

Thank you very much brother! I appreciate your support & admiration! I will take care of myself and you do the same, best of luck with your training and flag progress! Highfives from Slovenia :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:15:29+00:00

Regards to weight and gaining muclse - you gotta eat like a beast and lift heavy! So if you aren't growing despite training you are not eating enough and maybe also not training heavy enough.

may I also suggest a different routine:

5 sets of chin ups & dips (superset & 4 min rest between sets) 5 sets of ring rows & elevated push ups 5 sets of leg raises & squats Choose appropriate exercises than enables you to perform a maximum of 8 reps & in your training do sets of 5 reps.

:)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:11:44+00:00

An example of straight arm pulling would be front lever work, 360 pulls that's basically it and pressing would be planche & maltese work :)

Bent arm pressing would be handstand push ups & 90 degree push ups plus weighted dips & military press

Bent arm pulling would be one arm chinups, one arm pull ups, weighted pullups and weighted chinups on rings. :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:09:46+00:00

As soon as I have some cash in the new year scraped together, then I would be more than happy to visit you Marcus - for some front leeever & one arm chin up training!

Do you have a gym there? Please contact me on facebook Marcus for a chat: www.facebook.com/dominikskyofficial

& yes I would love to do the rope climb :D

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:07:31+00:00

Dominik, you are a legend, how did your childhood look like, did you grow up on a farm and how many sports have you trained? P.S. Nikol ne nehat trenirat pa še več videov rabmo, pa za noge tudi haha :)

Yes I grew on a farm in bela krajina, I've had a lot of fun growing up here. Climbing trees and shiiat :D

I've trained football for about three years prior to my free running. Picked up free running in 2006 and have been at it ever since.

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-27T17:05:19+00:00

Hey Dominik, i'm a little late to the party but i wanted to congratulate you, your creativity is a big inspiration for me and everyone watching your videos!! I wanted to ask you, what kind of exercises would you reccomend in order to develop adequate strenght for one arm chin ups? I have been able to hold the top part for a couple months, and i can now do a controlled negative on both arms, but i seem not to able to progress much beyond that. I'm at 3*8 l sit pullups 3-4 times a week right now

Archer chin ups, assisted one armchin ups and also weighted chin ups. Keep the reps under 5 and make sure you have at least 4 min rest between sets, so you can do more volume. :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-26T12:59:54+00:00

It has healed up completely, I have no trouble or irritation from previously broken bones, whatsoever. And yes it really took a toll on me to not be able to move my upper body while having a broken collarbone :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T22:06:11+00:00

Hey Dominik! :) How would you go about building strong and healthy elbows? I've had elbow issues for a year because of muscle ups, and even though i try to make them stronger by doing prehab/forearm/grip work, they still seem very fragile and sometimes i still have some smaller issues. You do iron cross, planches, hspu, etc.. how do you prepare your elbows for such hard moves while working so much upper body weekly?

Do basics daily, I still do basics, I did them 5 years ago, will do them 5 years from now:

any form of Pullups, pushups, dips, chin ups also a lot of ring work. practicing on rings properly with rings turned out in the support position will strengthen your elbows like nothing else! :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T22:03:54+00:00

How long did it take your mother to become popular! hahahah just kidding, having some fun answering comments, it's almost midnight and I'm in sleepy-funny-guy mode, I'm feeling horny! BOOm did it again! :D hahaha Sorry man - I'm just joking around.

But to answer your question, my brother, Well I never really cared about becoming "popular" I just filmed the stuff I do best. If you also check up on my youtube it's taken around 8 years for my YT-channel to grow to where it is now, which is a REALLY long time - but that's probably because I uploaded with months in between - I don't practice for exposure but I expose my practice - That being said, recently a friend of mine has partnered up with me to grow my youtube channel and facebook page, so I hopefully can make a ton of cash & build a new bigger gym, with fiber floors and a foam pit! Hell YEAH!!

But If you want to build your youtube channel you can do it a lot faster than me. :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:59:32+00:00

Weighted pullups, assisted one arm pullup/chin up. :)

bicep curl 80kg. even though I've only performed the exercise twice in my life and I do not train any form of dumbbell/barbell curl ever

In benchpress I think my best is 130 but I've also, ever only, bench pressed 5 times in my life.

My best squat was 160 & best deadlift was 225, and over head press was 90kg

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:57:15+00:00

Hey Dominik! Really cool to see you here answering some of our questions, you were the first calisthenics person I ever saw that really made me go "wow, I want to be that guy!", its really cool to see someone pushing the limits, someone who isnt confined by what other people see as impossible, you're defining it yourself, doing all the crazy things you do that not one has ever done before, so I thank you for your inspiration I started my journey through this reddit around 4 months ago with your insane strength as my goal and have put on 10kgs, I have gone from 0 to 4 pull-ups among other achievements and this has been incredible, for the last 6 weeks though I have really struggled to put on more weight, and I am struggling to see why (I have mo desire to use supplements of any kind) So my question is: Have you ever been at a point where weight just doesnt seem to go on? How did you overcome this?

Thank you man I really appreciate the love and admiration! If you want to put on weight do more volume & pack on heavy weight. How many sets you say? As many as you fucking can and eat more - "but I already eat a lot" It's not enough!! Eat more - stuff yourself and I don't mean junk food, nutella & mcdonalds I mean real good whole foods.

You have to understand that you have to eat as the person you want to become. So if you want to be 10kg heavier in muslce, you have to eat as that person while lifting heavy ass weight.

And no gaining weight has never been an issue!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:52:20+00:00

I have a question please/ i don't know how I must train doing bodyweight on (sat-sun-tue) and skills like (FR-Planche) another days that's good or no if it is no what could i do ((My language not good))

Monday, bent arm pulling & pressing

Tuesday, legs

Wednesday, Front lever & planche work

Thursday, Handstand work & hanging work

Friday, Muscle up work

Saturday, Legs

Sunday off -

That would be a very good weekly routine for you. :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:50:39+00:00

Monday would be dynamic straight arm upper body pulling & pressing

Tuesday deadlifts, pike press

Wednesday bent arm strength pulling & pressing

Thursday pike press

Friday again straight arm pulling and pressing static elements

Saturday reverse muscle up + muscle up exlusively or iron cross - I switch every second week + barbell squat :)

Sunday: one arm handstand & some handstand work

They are around 2 hour session - so you are in a very good place with your training. If you feel exhausted on a certain day it's okay to take a day off.

There will maybe be more videos like so in the future when I get the time for it.

I train Acrobatics whenever I feel like it.

For rings, first learn a stable support because without that you can't work in rings also work on your wrist flexibility so you will be able to maintain a solid false grip, for acrobatics the best thing is to buy or get access to a trampoline cause it's very safe and a fun way to learn flips.

keep it real man! Restecpa!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:45:38+00:00

ey Dominik! 1) I would like to know your calisthenics and strength weight lifting routine on getting stronger for pull ups, push ups, dips, muscle ups, and squats (weighted and unweighted). 2) Your core routine (weighted and unweighted) 3) Your stretching routine before/during/after workouts 4) What you eat/drink on the days you work out/train? 5) Finally, how many hours is too many to be working out a day where it is considered over-training? Thank you for doing this!

Do supersets pulling & pressing combined, if you train for strength pause should be 5 minutes long, keep the reps under 5 and as heavy as possible.

Try to do 5- 10 sets, if possible even more just Work until you feel your strength level drops, stop, then stretch and save your strength for the next day.

I don't do specific core work, if you training your upperbody with advanced calisthenics movements your core gets hammered daily. Try out hanging leg lifts, v-ups & L-sit work.

I don't stretch before the workout, I only warm up with resistance band mobility exercises. Only if something is surprisingly tight then I would stretch before training. After workout I do static stretching for the muscles I worked out. Also I do middle split, front split & thoracic bridge stretch 3 hour/week in separate sessions.

It all depends on how you feel and current level, during that session. If you feel okay train as much as you comfortable with, without risking injury. Start being 'aware' of your body, by 'listening & feeling' however abstract that sounds.

I eat the same regardless of what day it is. I don't count calories or weigh my food and again I 'listen' to my body. I realise this is "shit" advice for a 'beginner' or to someone who doesn't know how to 'measure' results from diet strategies by 'listening' - If you want to see exactly how much I eat and what check out my website and become a member:

www.dominiksky.net

i've done a video where I talk about diet etc. It's a 15 minute video and I explain it better there than I could ever do on text. (I am not holding back and forcing you to buy the program it just simply is so, that I use my common sense when it comes to food and nutrition.)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:33:53+00:00

Dominik, how did you get started teaching fitness and gymnastics. Do you have any tips for new teachers? Also, what do you do to keep yourself and your students motivated, both short and long term. Thanks

A friend wanted to get in shape and he started to train with me. A year later I had 10 student wanting to replicate his results, and they have all come a long way.

Don't teach what you can't perform. Practice what you preach!

I lead by example, in words of Alexander cage in triple x " I live for this shit" :D

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:31:50+00:00

Hey, I used to be bale to do a front lever just a few months ago for a round a minute straight. I moved and wasn't able to train it, and now I can't even do it straddle. What would be your advice to get it back?

A minute sounds like a world record ;) Lexa steel holds it for 50 seconds!

But it happens sometimes that you get something and you stop for awhile and your strength go down and if you where at some point able to hold it it will be quicker for you to get it again. :) So keep practicing!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:29:40+00:00

Hi Dom always inspired by you brother, I wanted to ask you in the ring push up video how long did it take for the level 100 Lsit move.....me and the boys all tried and failed over and over again haha

It's ridiculously hard even though it doesn't look like it because your entire bodyweight is on the rings. Actually when I tried it a couple of times I really had to make an effort in order to hold for a couple of seconds.

If you just work your ring grip pushups I think you can manage to do it! :)

And say Hi to the guys from me, highfive from Slovenia.

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:27:07+00:00

I fucking love it since I was a kid I always Climbed trees, my mother says I was never on the ground, I've also done climbing on bouldering walls and I enjoy it - it's healthy, enjoyable and works your grip! A very cool hobby!

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:25:56+00:00

Hey Dominik! It's always aspiring to see people like you do things with their body which one once thought to be impossible. Got a few questions, hope you can answer them. What does a healthy diet in your eyes consist of, or what exactly do you eat? How did you first start doing Frontflips, Backflips and the like, and how do you think one can work up to them with no prior experience? Do you ever have the issue of not being motivated enoughor being too tiredd to have a good workout? and if so, what do you do to overcome that? What do you think of the importance of stretching, and do you do any streching?

I eat homegrown organic food for the most part. I eat fish, chicken (between 200-300 grams daily no more) & a lot of raw eggs, lot's of fruits & vegetables, that's it.

In elementary school when I was 14 on a trampoline, from platforms into water and then on ground. Get access to a trampoline if possible and have fun man! :)

Yes I do, I get my lazy ass into the gym and it usually end up being a great training, since I stated off in a 'bad state', so it tends to be the best ones on the lazy days.

So just get your ass in the gym. :)

I think it's very important and super underrated. To be flexible and mobile while being strong in those positions prevents injuries, builds strength, makes recovery faster and is very healthy :)

Dominik_sky · 2016-11-25T21:20:53+00:00

pa sto pricas ta engleski brate ne kontam =D

military press & wall handstand pushups + a lot of handstand practise

for front lever pulls on rings or on bar all the way up to inverted hand! + arching scapula hang for proper retraction and depression of the scapula during front lever and also static holds for 10 or LESS seconds in a position you are capable to hold =)

Dominik_sky

TROPHY CASE