Gladstone accent strokes are based on four basic motions: down stroke, tap stroke, up stroke, and full stroke.
Each stroke is chosen according to where the accents fall in the drum part. The sequence is always understood within one hand at a time. The accent pattern in one hand does not determine what happens in the other hand. The logic is as follows:
Down stroke – a loud stroke before a quiet stroke in the same hand. The motion starts in the high position, where accents are played, and ends in the low position, where only a quiet stroke can follow.
Tap stroke – a quiet stroke before another quiet stroke. The motion starts and ends in the same low position. Returning to the low position means the next stroke, if we follow the rules of the technique, can only be quiet.
Up stroke – a quiet stroke before a loud stroke. It starts in the low position, and after touching the drum or cymbal, the wrist lifts the stick to the high position. It is a kind of stroke “away from the drum.”
Full stroke – a loud stroke before another loud stroke. The motion starts and ends in the high position, where accented strokes are usually played. After a full stroke, the same hand is ready for another loud stroke.
I also have a short Gladstone Samba exercise set that works on this technique among other things.