Bodyweight Fitness: BWF Daily Discussion and Beginner/RR Questions Thread for 2020-04-09 |
- BWF Daily Discussion and Beginner/RR Questions Thread for 2020-04-09
- How To Strengthen Your Back in 5 Minutes a Day
- Tip: If you have boxing gloves at home, they can be helpfull for Push ups and inverted rows on a table
- I built my dream Home Gym for BWF and calisthenics – get inspired!
- Is there any point in having both Pseudo Planche Pushups and Pike Pushups in a routine?
- Which moves/exercises for "bulletproofing" and total bodily balance would you recommend for this period?
- I made a doorway pull up bar from EMT conduit and a 2x4 for around $20
- Heeded all warnings; still injured wrist.
- Struggling with overeating again.
- Highlights from Convict Conditioning and Convict Conditioning 2
- I'm currently doing the LJ Flanders Cell Workout I think it's quite good
- Clicking/Noises in Forearm and Lower-bicep
- Question about how to schedule mobility
- Does the RR build Muscle Mass along with strength or is more strength than muscle mass gained?
- Questions regarding resistance bands
- Training at the Park During Pandemic
- Short tip for Pike pushups
- Beginner Exercises at Home
- Does anyone bump the sets from the recommended routine up to four/five per exercise to suit your own personal needs? Any reasons for/against the idea?
- No pull-up bar? No problem! :)
- Ring program sugestions (aby news options?)
| BWF Daily Discussion and Beginner/RR Questions Thread for 2020-04-09 Posted: 08 Apr 2020 11:06 PM PDT Welcome to the /r/bodyweightfitness daily discussion thread!
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| How To Strengthen Your Back in 5 Minutes a Day Posted: 09 Apr 2020 05:38 AM PDT Back health matters now more than everThings have ground to a halt since the coronavirus emerged. Many people are working from home and many people have been laid off. There is more sitting, more bad posture, and having a strong back matters more than ever. I wanted to share a routine I developed to keep your back and core strong at home. The Routine
Bird Dogs Common Errors:Your back leg is too high.The back leg isn't supposed to go up; it's supposed to go back. Raising the back leg too high forces the back to arch and builds bad habits. Don't drive your back leg up, drive it back. Try to reach your heel as far behind you as you can. You're rushing it.You should be pausing at the top of every rep for a "one one-thousand." I want you to feel your muscles contract every single rep. Every rep is a chance for you to get better, focus, and be deliberate. Side Plank Common Errors:Your hips are too low.If you can't do 30 seconds with perfect form, start with 15 seconds and gradually build to 30 seconds. You're not using your glutes.Squeeze your glutes; they will improve your balance and stabilize you. Arch Up Common errors:You aren't using your legs.Arch ups are a whole-body exercise, raise your feet off the ground every rep. You're rushing it.See above. Side Raise Common errors:You're not moving your upper body.You should be raising your upper and lower body for each rep. Bring your shoulder to the ceiling. You should feel your obliques working more. Stretching is good, right?I think stretching for back pain is overrated. Stretching relaxes and lengthens tight muscles to make room for underactive muscles to contribute. The problem is that stretching on its own won't activate or use the underactive muscles or train the core. All that being said, stretching (particularly the hamstrings) can help when coupled with other exercises. Here is how to tell if your hamstrings are tight.Lie on your back, keep your legs straight, and raise one until it can't go further without bending or lifting your other leg. If your leg gets to 90 degrees, you're good. Anything less and stretching will help. Here is how you should stretch.Here is the best way I've found to stretch the hamstrings. Put your foot on a chair, bend forward, keeping your chest tall and back straight. When you can't go any further without bending forward, contract your hamstrings for 5 seconds. Think about pushing your heel down into the ground. Try not to bend at the knee. Once you relax, you should be able to move another inch or so, repeat 3-5 times on each side. Most common errors:You're stretching your hamstring with a rounded back.The reason we're stretching the hamstrings is to stop rounding the low back. We want to build flexibility with the back in a neutral position. You're flexing at the knee, not the hip.The best results come from flexing the hamstring at the hip, try to push from your butt and not your knee. Flexing at the knee will work, but flexing from the hip works better. You need to contract for longer.1-2 seconds isn't enough, hold for a five-count. You should feel your muscles relax afterward. If you still feel tight, then reduce the stretch and try again. You're going too far.You should feel a stretch, not pain. If you start breathing hard, you've gone too far. You're holding your breath.Holding your breath is a symptom of stretching too far. Ease up, relax, and breathe deeply. What about those foam rollers and lacrosse balls?Self-myofascial release (SMR) quiets down overactive muscles through external pressure. Like stretching on its own, SMR doesn't fix bad habits, and the effects are temporary. If you enjoy SMR, then go for it. Stretching has worked better for me and my clients. Contract release stretching also builds the mind-muscle connection. If I had to pick between stretching and SMR, I would pick stretching. I'm ready for more, what are some more advanced exercises?
If you want to know why this routine works, then read on. The Nerdy StuffDon't round your backStuart McGill, a very prominent back pain researcher, has done research linking back pain to chronic flexion (i.e., rounding). Weakness in the core and low back create bad posture, which puts extra pressure on the spine and disks. Too much pressure coupled with spinal flexion can lead to injuries like herniation. Keeping the back healthy is done by strengthening the core, low back, and building good movement habits. Your core is probably weakThe core isn't a muscle; it's a relationship of muscles. The muscles in our torso bridge the gap between our ribcage and our hips; they are the base of movement. They become rigid and stable when we deadlift, and they become mobile when we rotate or bend. If you want a strong core, then you need to train it both as a stabilizer and as a mobilizer. You need to train diagonal motionDo you know how your right foot goes forward with your left arm when you walk? The arms and legs work in opposition to maintain balance, try walking with the same arm and leg and you'll see what I mean. That diagonal movement pattern is everywhere, and you need to train it. Bird dogs are part of this routine because they teach you to balance and stabilize in the diagonal pattern without arching your back too much. Here is why these exercises workNeurological connectionMy opinion is that these exercises work by creating a stronger connection between the brain and the back. You ever tell somebody they're rounding their back during a deadlift and they say "I am?" Knowing where your body is in space is called proprioception, and our backs are terrible at it. If the brain doesn't know what the low back is doing or where it is, then it will make mistakes. These exercises train the brain to move the back with balance, stability, and efficiency. ObliquesAnother factor is the obliques. This routine strengthens the obliques, which for many people are weak, tight, and need some attention. Remember, the core is a relationship of muscles. A weak link will affect everything. The obliques are the weak link for most people. Blood flowFinally, these exercises promote blood flow to the back. Blood is liquid life. It brings nutrients, removes waste products, the more blood an injury gets, the faster it heals. Extra blood flow isn't likely a significant factor, but its a bonus. Hopefully, you found this routine helpful, leave a comment, and let me know what you thought. Stay healthy, stay safe, and stay strong. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Apr 2020 01:47 PM PDT During my home workouts, I struggled with two exercises: Push ups and inverted rows on a table. My problem with push ups Is because of my right wrist, I cant figure out why but my right wrist really starts hurting while doing pushups. Enter the boxing gloves. I cant feel my wrist Pain while using them for push ups. Doing inverted rows on a table was also a struggle for me because my hands would start sweating and I had to Stop halfway through the exercise and the table itself would also hurt my hands. I use that part of the boxing gloves where the palm of my hands ends to stick to the table like some kind of hooks. Hope this tips help you like it helped me. The only thing that I am struggling to work at home Is my quads because I am used to heavy weights. Cheers y'all, stay safe and have some Nice home workouts [link] [comments] |
| I built my dream Home Gym for BWF and calisthenics – get inspired! Posted: 09 Apr 2020 08:56 AM PDT WHY BUILD A HOME GYM? I've never worked out at home and always preferred a professional gym setting. Since I live very close to a fantastic gym, I just go there regularly. However, this new Coronavirus situation forced me to make changes so I could resume my training, which I take seriously. The only practical option was to build a home gym. It's been a slow process partly because of equipment availability, a stolen order in transit (very annoying) and the time to plan and set up the gym. My home gym is a work in process but I'm happy to have this all done in less than two weeks. Additional equipment on order will take another 1-2 months to arrive! To start, I made a list of exercise types I wanted to be sure I could do: vertical pull, horizontal pull, horizontal push, overhead press, biceps/triceps accessory, prehab. With this investment into a very nice home gym, I am seriously considering canceling my gym membership which costs $65/mon which is $780/yr. This cost adds up fast! Hopefully, this project will inspire others, give you some ideas, and help with the much-needed motivation to overcome the challenges with fitness during these unprecedented times! Good luck to all, be safe! BATCAVE GYM – OPEN FOR TRAININGMy training: Is primarily calisthenics and gymnastics on the rings. I haven't done any typical barbell lifting in three years. I much prefer BWF and weighted exercises, rings, etc. So there is not a squat rack or straight barbells in my gym. GYM SETUP
EQUIPMENT LIST
Equipment still on order or things I want to buy or build
Wish List
QUESTIONS/FEEDBACK? Thanks for reading, I hope this is helpful to you to plan for your own home gym or creative solutions during the pandemic! If you have any questions, please let me know. Train safely! [link] [comments] |
| Is there any point in having both Pseudo Planche Pushups and Pike Pushups in a routine? Posted: 09 Apr 2020 04:08 AM PDT I ask this question because if i'm not mistaken, both exercises focus the shoulders more and the chest a little bit. So, if you want to have those two as your PUSH exercises in your routine, you will have two exercises that are targeting kind of the same things, with Pike pushups also targeting a little bit of triceps, even though i don't feel it tbh. Btw, i choose Pike pushups as a second PUSH instead of dips cause i want to progress to handstand pushups. Plus, i'm good enough at dips. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Apr 2020 05:34 AM PDT During quarantine, it's easy for me to pump out reps of squats, push ups and table rows. But what about stuff that bulletproofs your joints/tendons? Makes your body overall more balanced and "whole"? I don't want to go out of quarantine feeling and looking like a gorilla with massive chest and legs but feeling like my body will collapse under all the unevenly stacked muscle. My idea of it are GMB wrist routine, core work and bird dogs. But I am sure there are many more. So, what would you recommend doing in these times when time is an ample commodity and you have no excuses not to do those 20-30 min more "functional" routines? [link] [comments] |
| I made a doorway pull up bar from EMT conduit and a 2x4 for around $20 Posted: 09 Apr 2020 10:17 AM PDT I really wanted a doorway pull up bar for working out now that all the gyms are closed, but they're sold out online everywhere. The only DIY tutorial I could find used galvanized steel pipe and would be more than $50 in materials, so I decided to make one my own way. Thingiverse link(3D printed end caps are optional) Doorway pull up bars work by pushing on the door frame and area above the doorway so that you aren't just pulling on the molding around the door. They're easy to put up and take down and don't require any drilling/screwing into the walls of your house or apartment. Disclaimer: I don't know how strong this is. I weigh 200 pounds and I only kinda sorta trust this thing so far. I don't love the set screw couplers but it was the best option I saw at the store for this. If anyone has recommendations for making it stronger please tell me!! [link] [comments] |
| Heeded all warnings; still injured wrist. Posted: 09 Apr 2020 11:30 AM PDT This is my first post in this subreddit, and I am only posting because I feel cornered. First off I want to thank the community and the moderators. Thanks to the information here, I have developed much faster and vastly improved not just my strength but even some skills like handstand. The information on some threads is so thorough and rich... that I am positive most of my progress on my current goal can be attributed to the information and links you all share with eachother, and lurkers such as myself. After training for 9 months, I finally achieved a good tuck planche on Sunday, April 5th. My wrists felt funny so I took time off until today, during this time off I still continued with my wrist conditioning that I have been engaging with for 2-3 years. The wrist conditioning involves strengthening and stretching in every direction. It is basically a rip off of everything posted on the wrist by any calisthenics athlete I could find. You name it (Tom Marrick's routine, FitnessFAQs', GMB's, etc), I incorporated it. Today when I tried to tuck planche my right wrist just cracked really hard, it sounded like a snap. The pain is bad enough that I know I am facing a lot of time off. This is emotionally and psychologically difficult for me, as it took me a lot of work just to achieve the tuck planche and I don't want to regress after everything I went through. All the wrist conditioning I have been doing was something I thought was enough. I developed the strength to do "forearm raises" (calf raises but with my wrists? I am not sure what they are called) while in a push up position. I can do pushups on the back of my hands. I know my forearms are strong, as well as my grip strength. I know my wrists are flexible. So what is missing here? Just more rest time? I can almost swear that I have seen every wrist video I could find, but clearly I don't know enough. I would go get a referral for a PT, but the whole covid-19 thing has made that difficult where I live. So I am posting here, turning to the community that allowed me to achieve tuck planche and handstand, hoping some of you can help me educate myself. I know that the rules prevent you from giving medical advice, but any links to, or recommendations for academic articles on the subject would mean the world to me. Thank you in advance for taking the time to help me. [link] [comments] |
| Struggling with overeating again. Posted: 09 Apr 2020 11:05 AM PDT So last year I've been trying to fix my relationship with food. It was going very well until now. I'm starting to over eat again. For me I struggle with finding balance. Anyone have any tips or advice that may help me. [link] [comments] |
| Highlights from Convict Conditioning and Convict Conditioning 2 Posted: 08 Apr 2020 05:46 PM PDT Hey all, First of all, sorry for the long post. This will be TL;DR for most people. I just wanted to take all the sections from CC/CC2 that really resonated with me or seemed particularly useful, and make a sort of "cliff notes" version. I have successfully cut 625 pages down to 17 pages, which is over a 97% reduction at just 6,200 words. So while it's quite long, I had to take a ton of stuff out. All credit goes to Paul "Coach" Wade. If you like what you read, buy his books. I don't work for him or Dragon Door, I'm just a trainee who's gotten a lot of benefit from these books and wanted to share my favorite sections with the community. Let me know if there are other quotes you like and I'll add them in. # Convict Conditioning Highlights ## On Old School Calisthenics "Calisthenics was never seen as an endurance training method by the ancients--it was primarily understood as a strength training system. It was the art used by the finest soldiers to develop maximum fighting power and an intimidating musculature." ## On Bodyweight Training vs Modern Methods "[Bodybuilders] train, first and foremost, to be able to move external objects. They may become very good at it, but this approach neglects and eventually compromises the prime athletic directive of self-movement. I have met hulking trainees who could squat five hundred pounds, but who waddled up a flight of stairs, wheezing like old men. I know one powerlifter who can bench press four hundred pounds, but who can hardly comb his hair due to his uneven, unnatural physical development." "Many weight-trainers--no doubt influenced by bodybuilding philosophy--believe that rippling muscles are the source of strength. In fact, it's the nervous system that causes the muscle cells to fire, so your strength and power are largely determined by the efficiency of your nervous system. The nervous component of strength explains why one man can have muscles far, far smaller than another, yet be vastly stronger." "In order to place a great deal of emphasis on the muscles, the body is forced to hoist heavy external loads in motions and at angles not usually found in nature. One side-effect of this punishment is a vast amount of stress on vulnerable joints, joints which are forced to endure this horror repetitively over time. The result is soft tissue tears, tendonitis, arthritis and other maladies. The joints become inflamed and scar tissue or even calcifications begin to build up, making the joints weaker and stiffer." "When the body has to lift itself, in a pullup or squat, for example, the skeleto-muscular structure naturally aligns to the most efficient and natural output ratio. When lifting weights, this natural shift does not occur--in fact the bodybuilder has to learn to move as unnaturally as possible to force maximum emphasis onto the muscles." "Once you begin training regularly in calisthenics, the subconscious mind makes the connection between a leaner bodyweight and easier training, and regulates the appetite and eating habits automatically." ## On Intensity "Most bodybuilding and strength training programs contain the concepts of 'cycling' or 'periodization.' These are just ways of varying intensity throughout the training year--meaning that training is sometimes easy, sometimes moderate, sometimes hard. This is often necessary in bodybuilding and powerlifting, because weight-training irritates the joints and depletes the body's hormonal-immune system in a way that proper bodyweight work does not. Bodybuilders need to back off from their hardest weights, or they'd cripple themselves and become sick or exhausted. This constant 'backing off' is unnecessary for a calisthenics expert." ## On Work Sets "These days I usually advise very few work sets--and this often confuses trainees who see calisthenics as endurance exercise. I see it as a strength training method. Getting stronger requires intensity, not volume." "To adapt, you only really need to do a couple of work sets. A lot of guys get nervous about doing so little--especially ex-bodybuilders who are used to being totally exhausted and sore after a gym workout. Bodyweight work is more authentic; it works the human body in the way it evolved to work. For this reason there is less microtrauma, and less of a sense of systemic depletion. You don't need to be totally shattered after a bodyweight workout. If you want to get strong doing calisthenics, think like a sprinter--not a marathon runner." ## On Training Programs "Prolonged training sessions with lots of exercise volume will build stamina and endurance, but they won't build muscle and strength. True brawn and power are developed by hard training sessions, not by long training sessions. Quality over quantity is an excellent motto for strength." "Power is the motivating factor of my training nowadays, and it's the reason I generally frown on long, drawn-out training sessions. I advise a good warm up, followed by two or three 'work' sets--sets where you are really putting a lot of effort into a single exercise. If it's strength you want, any more than two or three work sets is a waste of time--you're just covering the same ground and exhausting yourself. Once you've really given your all, doing any more just eats into your recovery ability and makes you sorer for longer--meaning you have to wait longer until you train on that particular technique again." "Don't feel constrained by the arbitrary concept of a seven-day week. Just remember that however fit you are, a regimented day off is always advisable during whatever routine you're working on, to ensure systemic rest." ## On Pushups "When performed progressively and with correct form, pushups also have a strengthening effect on the joints and tendons, adding to their overall power and health. The tiny yet vital deep muscles and tissues which support the fingers, wrist, forearm and elbow become much stronger over time when pushups are performed, reducing the chances of carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, Golfer's elbow and general aches and pains." "The increased blood flow associated with pushups removes waste products built up in the joints, eliminates glue-like adhesions and relaxes old scar tissue. Weight-trainers who include progressive pushups in their routine suffer a lot less from joint injuries in these important areas than guys who only pump iron." "Smooth technique develops higher levels of pure strength. When you move explosively, you inevitably rely on momentum during some portion of the movement. If momentum is doing the work, it means your muscles aren't." "Human joints adapt much better to regular movements than explosive ones. There's less risk of chronic or acute injury. Fast movements are pretty safe to use from time to time, but only once your joints have adapted to the regular, smoother-paced techniques. Explosive motions can be a useful adjunct to your training if you wish, but they shouldn't become the mainstay. People who exclusively train fast wind up with aches and pains and crackling joints sooner rather than later." "Keep the legs together. Splaying the legs apart removes the need to stabilize the torso during motion and makes the exercises easier." ## On Squats "When you squat with weights, this big heavy bar has to be placed on the upper back. (Some guys squat holding the bar on their upper chests, but the movement is awkward, can cause upper body injuries, and requires a drop in weight.) Placing this heavy weight on the upper back vertically loads the spine with significant force. This in turn compresses the vertebrae, the discs in the spine, which can cause problems ranging from lumbago and muscle strains to sciatica and bulging or fully herniated discs." "Barbell squats only develop the muscles at the back of the hips, but one-leg squats simultaneously work the muscles at the front and side of the hips, due to the raised position of the non-squatting leg. This ensures harmonious development and prevents the recurrent hip problems that tend to plague barbell squatters." "Many guys are afraid of the squat, because they think it will aggravate old knee injuries. In fact, the opposite is usually true. The increased blood flow and range of motion in full squats removes waste build-up and stretches old scar tissue, alleviating pain. The knees and surrounding muscles and tendons become stronger and more flexible, and the likelihood of future injuries is lessened." "Far from worsening ACL injuries, squats will definitely help the athlete. The knee is very strong in squatting movements, and it's virtually impossible for the joint to become unstable and dislocate when the foot positioning is correct. Squats strengthen the quadriceps, which acts as a substitute ACL and holds the knee tight during other activities." ## On Pullups "Most modern trainees stick to exercises like curls to work the biceps, but in reality--no matter how much weight you use--curls are isolation exercises, because they only work the muscles through a single joint, the elbow joint. Pullups are a compound exercise. They work the biceps through two joints, the elbow and the shoulder. This is how the bicep has naturally evolved to work, and as a result this small arm muscle is very powerful when worked in this way." "Back training causes more injuries than any other type of training in the gym. Most of these injuries are suffered by the lower back, but lower back injuries caused by pullups are unheard of. The reason is simple--because the legs are hanging during pullups, there is no external pressure on the spinal column. The lower and upper back retain their natural curves, locked into place by the spinal erector muscles which run up either side of the spine." "The pullup is the best exercise known for the posterior deltoid at the rear of the shoulder; adding progressive pullups to a routine will quickly iron out any imbalance and render shoulder function smooth and harmonious again, preventing future shoulder injuries. If they are worked correctly, pullups generate healthy joints and result in hardly any injuries." ## On Leg Raises "You may have been told that in exercises where you raise the torso, the "upper" abs get worked, and that in exercises where you raise the legs or hips the "lower" abs get worked. Any trained anatomist will tell you that this is crap. The abdominal muscles are attached to the sternum at one end, and the pelvis at the other end. These muscles contract along their entire length evenly--you can't contract one end more than the other, no matter how you move." "Sit-ups train the nervous system to push the torso forward at the hips; leg raises train the hips to lift up the legs. This second action is far more natural, and more useful in athletics; the legs must be lifted when kicking, jumping, running, climbing, etc." "Hanging leg raises work more muscles than sit-ups. Forcing the abs to work while the body is hanging causes many more muscles to come into play than during sit-up training. Hanging develops the grip, shoulders and lats, and forces the serratus muscles around the ribcage to work strongly as an intermediary link between the ribs and midsection. To keep the legs straight, the deeper muscle heads of the quadriceps also work hard during leg raises." "When the transversus is weak, it can split under pressure, allowing some of the gut to bulge out. This is called a hernia. You should train your transversus by pulling the stomach in tightly during ab movements." "Some people claim that leg raises can aggravate bad backs. If you build up to the movement slowly, this is not true. Sometimes, bad backs associated with leg raises are actually caused by strength imbalances--the abdomen is stronger than the lower back. To eliminate this imbalance, include exercises in your program that work the spinal muscles." "The notion that lots of sit-ups will give you defined abs is an old wives' tale. Muscle definition is the result of leanness--absence of fat. Fat loss occurs proportionately over the entire body. You can't lose fat from one area just by working it excessively, so don't waste your time." "If you want 'ripped' abs, forget high reps. Stick with progressive strength work on leg raises to make your abdominal muscles thick and strong, and then diet off the fat to reveal the definition." ## On Bridges "[Bridging] realigns the vertebrae into the correct position, and strengthens the deep muscles of the back responsible for proper posture. Even the bones become stronger over time, with the practice of the bridge. The discs in your back are made of cartilage, and like all cartilage, they have very little blood flow. Instead, they receive their nutrition from liquid in the joints when those joints move around. Bridging removes waste and sends plenty of nutritious fluid to the discs, healing them, preventing degeneration and ensuring maximal health. Strong spinal muscles can reduce the likelihood of slipped discs, and even help fix the condition." "The arms and legs get work in pressing the body away from the ground, and the shoulder girdle and upper back get a fantastic workout in the process, too. The entire front side of the body--usually stubbornly tight in male athletes--gets a maximum stretch. Areas which particularly benefit are the knees, quadriceps, hip flexors, abdominals and chest. The unique overhead-and-back movement during bridging removes calcium deposits in the shoulders and makes the torso very supple. A lot of practitioners--including myself--believe that regular practice of the bridge can expand the ribcage and increase lung capacity." "Many strength athletes perform barbell exercises for their spinal muscles, exercises like deadlifts and good mornings, where a bar is placed on the shoulders and the athlete bows down. These techniques both work the erector spinae, but they load the spinal column at a fixed point, meaning that the deep muscles are worked unevenly. During bridges, the powerful spinal muscles are worked when the spine is arched back, which closes the joints. This is a very safe position, particularly if no external load is involved." "Bridging bulletproofs the spinal column in preparation for heavy, explosive, or unexpected movements, allowing you to train harder, heavier, and faster. Because the spine is like a universal joint, strong spinal muscles unlock the power inherent in the waist, torso and limbs, power an athlete simply couldn't access if they had a weak back." ## On Handstand Pushups "The rotator cuff can become irritated after as little as one barbell workout. Virtually all dedicated weight-trainers receive their share of shoulder pulls and injuries. At first, these are usually minor. The rotator cuff and associated tendons become tender and inflamed; there may be shoulder strains. Spurred on by their gains in muscle and size, dedicated athletes continue lifting weights. This actually causes further problems, because the larger muscles surrounding the rotator cuff become big and strong much quicker than the cuff can keep up. This leads to a mechanical disadvantage within the muscle, and the rotator cuff is forced to undergo further stress. The bench presses and military presses get heavier and heavier, and the chronic damage to the shoulder adds up. The athlete learns to use his shoulders less when he's not in the gym, because they are constantly inflamed; they're sore to move. They crack and pop. This decrease in daily movement leads to an eventual reduction in flexibility and deep blood flow, which further aggravates the problem. The end result is consistent ailments like tendonitis, impingement, bursitis and frozen shoulder." "Exaggerated movements cause the humerus to twist in its socket. Both these major elements of barbell pressing--keeping the elbows out to the side of the body, and bringing the bar down to the chest, neck or shoulders--are exaggerated movements. They cause the humerus to twist. The humerus is attached to the rotator cuff, which bears the full brunt of the heavy bar being pressed. If you remove these two elements of pressing, you would remove virtually all chronic shoulder problems." "During the handstand pushup, the body instinctively positions itself in a position healthiest to the shoulders. The elbows are invariably kept inside the torso, opposite the chest muscles--pushing them out to the side feels very strange and makes balancing almost impossible, because the body wants to fall forwards in this position." "Very deep motions--which would twist the humerus and irritate the rotator cuff--are impossible during handstand pushups. You can't lower yourself until the floor is on your shoulders--the inverted equivalent of a shoulder press--for the simple reason that the head gets in the way. Even advanced handstanders who descend until their chins touch the floor can't really lower themselves to the point where the rotator cuff muscles are mechanically disadvantaged. Plus, the flat hand position is safer than the barbell grip; the flat hands distribute pressure evenly, allowing the forearms to strengthen in a healthy, harmonious way. Gripping the bar during presses is what causes forearm and elbow problems like tennis elbow." "The act of stabilizing yourself upside-down causes the vestibular system--the balance organ in the inner ear--to adapt and become more efficient. This translates into a sense of heightened equilibrium and kinesthetic awareness in all your other movements throughout the day, whether you are upside-down or not." "The simple act of adopting the inverse posture--being upside down--also has major benefits. The blood supply is reversed--the veins and arteries work against gravity in the opposite direction and become more supple, stronger and healthier. The same principle applies to the digestive organs. When you're upside-down, the head becomes flushed with fresh blood." # Convict Conditioning Super FAQ Highlights ## On Reps "With bodyweight progressions, the best chance of moving on forwards is to gain as much strength possible from the exercise you are working on, before attempting something significantly more difficult. One of the best ways to really master an exercise is through high reps. In this sense, higher reps can be used by bodyweight athletes as a strength tool. (Who is stronger at one-leg squats? An athlete who can only do two reps, or an athlete who can do twenty?)" "Lower reps are fine if you are training with weights. Let's say you can curl 100 pounds for three reps. If three reps is your progression goal, you can add 5 pounds to the bar and try again. That only increases the output of the set by 5%. With bodyweight training, it's much more difficult to add progress in such small, measurable increments. The most reliable way is by focusing on higher reps. Low rep sets make progress harder. If you can do four pushups, adding one rep makes for an output increase of 25%. But if you can do 20 pushups, adding one rep is an increase of just 5%. This is why higher rep sets are much more manageable and make progress smoother over time." "Higher rep sets convey a wealth of benefits that low-rep training just can't deliver. First off, higher reps are better for adding muscle. You can improve nervous efficiency without fatigue, but if you want to gain mass, you need to deplete those muscles. That means higher reps. Higher reps work the cardiovascular system, prevent and heal injuries, and increase muscular endurance. They improve the mind-muscle link so precious to bodybuilders. It's another overlooked factor, but higher reps also teach control. When you're working an exercise you can barely handle, it's difficult to master perfect control; but with a slightly lighter load, you have more wiggle room." ## On Frequency "I often get asked why I promote low frequency programs--routines where, for the most part, you work each movement hard, just once per week. The simple answer is that these routines work. I'm a big believer in optimizing rest and recovery for maximum strength and growth. Remember: you don't grow when you train. Training just damages muscle. You grow when you rest!" "A tough set of pushups are even more demanding than a tough set of bench presses. The average weight-trainer does one hard set of benches a week--why should pushups be any different? Another reason I tend to advise most athletes to do just one pushup workout a week is because handstand pushups work similar muscles. If you are doing both exercises, you're working out the same muscles twice a week." ## On One-Arm Pushups with Feet Close Together (Prison Pushups) "Doing your pushups the prison way forces you to keep your hand under your body, rather than splaying it out to the side. This prevents the larger pectorals from doing all the work, and forces the stress onto the triceps and front deltoids." "Depending on your build, you will press up to 70% of your bodyweight on a pushup. (A lot of guys say 50 to 65 percent, but this is an underestimation.) You can test this yourself if you want; just do some pushups with your hands on a bathroom scale, then do the math. If you weigh a solid 220, that means you're pushing about the equivalent of 154 lbs--in other words, 77 lbs per arm. When you put one hand behind your back to perform a one-arm pushup, the entire 154 lbs has to be pressed by the remaining arm. Effectively you're doubling the load. Think about how that kind of force would equate to a barbell lift--the bench press. 154 lbs per arm would equate to 308 lbs on a two-arm bench press! In fact, the prison one-arm pushup is harder than a bench press, because whereas classical benching allows the pecs to take the load, the prison one-arm pushup places far more pressure on the elbows, forearms and front delts. It's much more like a close grip bench press, with hands only a few inches apart." "Forget feet-wide pushups. Always keep your feet together from day one, and you'll not only build more useful strength and muscle, you'll build it faster." ## On Cardio "The best kind of cardio is bodyweight. Prisoners have understood this for a long time. Perform a set of stand-to-stand bridges followed by high-rep squats; your heart will be pounding, you'll be gasping for breath and your vascular system will be working overtime to provide energy to your muscles, and remove waste products." # Convict Conditioning 2 Highlights ## On the Hang Grip "There's no need to run to the gym and perform dozens of different exercises to work all the individual muscles of the hands. Although there are dozens of muscles in the hands, all the major muscles have evolved to automatically work together when they need to perform a gross motor movement--in particular the chief survival function of the hands; hanging on something." "Even our basic anatomy is shaped by the need to hang from our hands. Our clavicles (collar bones) are a great example. Clavicles are probably a very, very ancient throwback to a time when vertebrates possessed exoskeletons. Very few mammals still retain proper clavicles, but one group that has kept them is primates including human beings. Why? Because collar bones allow primates to hang vertically suspended, without straining the shoulders." "Hanging from a bar provides excellent training for the fingers, but very little work for the thumbs. The advanced vertical towel or rope version forces the athlete to utilize the thumbs to hold on. Consequently, it works all the muscles of the hand to their maximal capacity. Unlike standard support gripping--which involves lifting a heavy weight from the ground--hang gripping places no pressure on the spine, hips or knees. This fact alone makes hang gripping superior to support gripping, even if you never get round to using a towel. Because the towel is cushioned (unlike a metal bar), the fingers and thumbs have to close extra tightly around it in order to maintain the hold. This delivers the same peak-contraction strength benefits as a crush gripping (for example, on heavy duty grippers) but without the injury risk associated with full-range crush gripping." ## On Fingertip Pushups "There are several reasons why you should balance out a grip-based forearm program with some work for the extensors (the muscles which straighten the fingers). The first reason is completeness. Your hands are meant to open as well as close. If you want strong hands, you should train them open, not just closed (as in a grip). This works not only the extensors, but also all the small, neglected tissues and tendons on the backs of the hands and around the knuckles. Another reason has to do with maximizing potential. Never forget that the muscular system is a balanced entity. If you train one side of a limb without training the opposite side, the side you are training can never truly reach its maximum potential." "Bowing your fingers may make the exercise feel like less effort, but that's only because the finger joints are taking your weight--it's not passing through the muscles. Not only is this bad for the finger and thumb joints, it also robs the muscles and tendons of the work they need to get stronger." "I've found during my own training that it's best to perform this exercise before your hanging grip work. The fingers are fairly delicate structures compared to the rest of the body, and training grip exhausts the hands--I prefer to have my fingers reasonably fresh for fingertip pushups, so the muscles are still good and strong, for safety. Doing fingertip pushups before your grip work also seems to improve performance on the hangs. It focuses the mind and acts as a neurological warm up for the lower arms." "Just like all bodyweight training, fingertip pushups need to be done progressively if you want to get anywhere. You need to keep finding increasingly difficult versions of the fingertip pushup, or your strength will stagnate. As your grip strength progresses, so should your fingertip pushup work--albeit more slowly, because the extensor muscles are smaller than the grip muscles." ## On Lateral Chain Training "There are only two things which will bloat out your waistline and give you chunky 'love handles.' One is excess body fat. The other is steroid and growth hormone abuse, which will cause all your muscles to gain water and expand the size of your internal organs, swelling your overall midsection. Functional strength training won't affect your waist size--unless it causes you to lose body fat and become slimmer. The obliques are small, dense muscles, and naturally working them to maximum strength will cause them to become powerful and sculpted, but it won't stretch the tape much. Just look at elite martial artists and gymnasts. These men and women need incredibly powerful obliques for their respective disciplines, but take a look at their waists and you'll see that they are slim, tight, and hard as iron." "The flag is a wonderful example of a total body exercise. Maintaining this position works the entire lateral chain--not just the obliques, but also the lats under the armpits, the serratus of the ribcage, the intercostals, the hip abductors, and the tensors on the outside of the thigh. The spine and trunk muscles need to be steely to lock everything in place safely. Because the lower leg has to be held up against gravity, the adductor muscles of the inner thigh also get trained by this hold. It also works the upper body hard, because the athlete has to hold onto the base with the arms." "I always advise my students to master the clutch flag progressions first--before they try to take on the press flag. This rule of thumb is particularly true for athletes who aren't used to full body holds (like the regular plank, or elbow lever). Becoming proficient in the clutch flag first will not only systematically strengthen your body and give you a radically reduced chance of injury, it will also make your progression towards the press flag that much quicker if you decide to give it a shot." "The press flag is a totally uneven hold; it works both sides of the body very differently. This is why it highlights weakness in the chain so well, and it's also why most guys can only do press flags one way up. Don't fall into this trap. Practice the flag on both sides of the pole each workout, starting with your weakest side." ## On Neck Training "The neck forms the cervical portion of the upper spine, and if the muscles supporting these smaller vertebrae are good and strong an athlete will have a reduced chance of injury to this crucial area. The cervical spine supports the skull and the brain, and a robust neck acts as a shock absorber to the head, protecting the brain from concussion (or worse) during trauma." "Mastering neck bridges will help virtually every neck problem and will cure the vast majority of them outright. A strong, balanced neck is more resilient to repetitive strain; neck calisthenics radically improve the circulation, easing old injuries and eliminating aches and pains. Practicing these exercises every so often will instantly remove any stress-based tension in the neck and shoulders that has been subconsciously building up. When your neck is strong, your posture is automatically improved, and you look and feel better as a result." "The neck has a lot of ligaments, and because their blood supply is poor, ligaments take longer to recover from exercise than muscles do. For this reason, don't work your neck hard more than twice a week." ## On Calf Training "If you have been plagued by foot, ankle or shin injuries in the past, powerful, muscular calves play a big part in protecting these areas from re-injury. This is even true in the case of knee injuries--I've spoken to football players who've blown out their ACL and swear that regular, concentrated calf training helps keep their knees stable. This isn't as unlikely as it sounds--it's a little-known fact that as well as crossing the ankles, the tendons of the calf also intersect the knees." "No muscle is more associated with machine training techniques than the calves. Most bodybuilders only ever use machines to train their calves. If you ask a personal trainer about calf work, you'll find that the majority of these 'experts' only know two calf exercises; standing machine calf raises, and seated calf raises. In fact, there are dozens of effective exercises you can do for the lower legs, many of them better than these two exercises." "It's ironic that no body part is more associated with machines than the calves, because calves are probably the simplest muscle group to effectively train using bodyweight." ## On Passive Stretching "Relaxing into a flexibility exercise only helps you stretch further because it desensitizes the receptors in your soft tissue--called muscle spindles. Normally the muscle spindles work hard to stop your muscles from overstretching, but gradual relaxed stretching 'tricks' them into thinking nothing's wrong." "In an effort to improve the performance of their warriors, the US Army recently conducted an extensive study on the relationship between relaxation-flexibility and injury prevention.* Guess what? Soldiers with the highest levels of flexibility were more prone to injuries than soldiers with average levels of flexibility!" *Physical Training and Exercise-Related Surveillance, Research and Injury Prevention in Military Populations. (US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine) "Strength is control--whether control of your body, control of a weight, or whatever. (Shoving, pushing or heaving something may represent power or speed, but not strength.) Having the strength to control your body is essential. Having levels of flexibility which exceed that control is not essential--it's counter-productive. What's the point of possessing muscles which can be stretched beyond the point your strength can control? That just leaves you liable to injury." ## On Active Stretching "During active flexibility techniques, some of your muscles are already firing to the max just to move your joints--far from causing overall relaxation this results in a radiation of tension around the limb, trunk, or whatever you are working. Once you are aware of tension-flexibility, you can easily include it during active stretching. Once you are in the stretch, don't relax. Brace yourself--tense everything hard!" "When a training method works in harmony with the body and helps you improve your contractile ability and your flexibility at the same time, you know that's a method you should look at. This simple fact also makes active stretching far safer than passive stretching, for healthy people. It's easy to get injured performing passive stretches, because an exterior force is moving the body. But during active stretching, the body moves itself. The nervous system acts as a natural 'safety valve' preventing overstretching." "Without high intensity contractions, true strength is impossible. Active flexibility exercises are like a tune-up for the nervous system; because they force you to tighten your muscles as far as possible, they amplify the neural patterns which are responsible for intense muscular contraction. Even if you did no other training, a program of active flexibility exercises would boost your strength in the healthiest way possible." "Whereas passive flexibility practices will increase the maximum ROM of your warm muscles, active flexibility maximizes the functional ROM of your muscles. Because active flexibility involves moving the body under complete muscular control, I call the resulting increase in range of motion a 'functional' increase. Unlike the ROM developed through passive stretching, it's something you can really use. ROM which is not matched by strength is pointless. In fact, it's fake." ## On Joint Health "There is virtually no blood flow inside your joints. Whereas your muscles and tendons get their nutrition from the blood, cartilage is fed by a thick solution called synovial fluid. This fluid is rich in oxygen and proteins and contains everything the joints need to thrive and grow stronger. Synovial fluid also acts like a lubricant, like the motor oil in your car. It removes waste, feeds the insides of your joints, cushions them and protects them from damage. It's great stuff. But whereas the blood is pumped round the body by the heart, synovial fluid is only generated and circulated by movement--it's the opening of the joints that freshens this fluid and sends healthy supplies to cartilage." "The best way to 'oil' your joints is by using calisthenic 'holds.' Maneuver yourself into a stretch, and then hold at the top. If there's a 'secret' to why yoga helps so many people become pain free, it's this method. A good example of such a hold would be a back bridge--push yourself to a peak stretch, then hold at the top. This type of stretch opens the cartilage (in this case, the discs of the spine) to the maximum degree, allowing an optimal amount of fresh synovial fluid to circulate." "Performing daily stretch-hold techniques won't just feed and water your joints. It also increases mobility in the quickest possible time. Brutal, hard-ass strength training increases strength, but it can be hard on the body at a cellular level. Over time, it results in adhesions and scar tissue, in the muscles and joints. These will kill your flexibility stone dead--it's the major reason why most veteran lifters are stiff as boards. Daily work with stretch-holds will cure this problem. Calisthenic holds ease out tightness naturally, removing adhesions, waste and toxic build-up." ## On Bridge Holds "Bridging strengthens the posterior chain. Unlike most barbell exercises, it also works the deep layer of spinal muscles. When strong, these muscles are like armor for the entire back, keeping the vertebrae correctly aligned, healing old back injuries and reducing the chance of new ones. Bridging also acts as a powerful active stretching for the entire anterior chain; freeing up stiff hip flexors, as well as undoing 'knots' in the stomach, thighs and knees." "The backwards-rotational shoulder position will strengthen the small rotator cuff muscles within the shoulder in a way that linear weight lifting cannot ever accomplish. The muscles and connective tissue inside the shoulder girdle has a poor blood supply; this is why the area is prone to 'nagging' injuries that never heal. Frequent practice of the bridge hold injects these areas with fresh blood, and increases circulation throughout the day, enhancing healing time." "Many bodybuilders suffer from slumped shoulders, caused often by excessive bench pressing. Bridge holds pull the pectoral muscles back, curing postural problems, expanding the ribcage and increasing lung capacity." ## On L-holds "The lower back must retain tension during the stretch, to stabilize the hips. This builds tension-flexibility, or 'supple strength.' Increased levels of supple strength in the low back make it much more impervious to acute injuries caused by lifting. What athlete wouldn't want a bulletproof back? The L-hold tones the deep tissues of the hips, strengthening the muscles close to the bone and reducing the possibility of chronic hip pain and injury. The L-hold is the perfect way to open the vertebrae in the lumbar spine, allowing synovial fluid to circulate to feed and oil these joints." "Holding the position frequently will free up adhesions and stiffness in the hips, make the legs feel light, and free up rigid or prematurely-fused vertebrae in the lower spine." ## On Twist Holds "The unique arm/shoulder socket position of harder twists stretches and tones the rotator cuff from the inside out, without need for weights, cables or other equipment. This deep stimulation frees up the shoulders and radically improves mobility. It increases blood flow, enhances healing, cures old injuries and eliminates nagging shoulder pain--for good. Over time, consistent performance of the full twist will break up calcium deposits in the shoulder, and even eliminate painful spurs. Twisting is the best way to safely work the internal oblique muscles. When combined with an exercise for the external obliques--such as human flag training--you have a perfect oblique program. Many athletes suffer from upper back pain because they hold on to excess tension in the muscles between the shoulder blades (heavy rowing and curling doesn't help). Twists actively release the shoulder blades in the most efficient way possible, dissipating tightness in the deepest layers of upper back muscle and fascia. Deep twisting massages the internal organs, keeps them healthy, and even aids digestion. When done right, twists reverse stiffness and damage done to the hips and back caused by misuse or underuse, helping to prevent hip cramps and backache. Because hip twisting is key to so many sports (think punching, kicking, batting, throwing, etc.), even a short course of twists will improve athleticism and sports performance." [link] [comments] |
| I'm currently doing the LJ Flanders Cell Workout I think it's quite good Posted: 09 Apr 2020 11:35 AM PDT I'm currently doing the LJ Flanders Cell Workout I think it's quite good. I was a bit surprised not to find it mentioned more in here. I used to be into Matt Furey Combat Conditioning workout and also tried Al Kavadlo book. My main goal in doing Cell workout is to lose the belly and a bit of weight and I think I have had some success in that so far, I am 2/3 of the way through intermediate phase and plan on doing it again afterward. anybody else in here tried Cell workout and had thoughts on it? [link] [comments] |
| Clicking/Noises in Forearm and Lower-bicep Posted: 09 Apr 2020 11:27 AM PDT This is nothing new for me. For the past year or so I've experienced clicking in my forearm. This happens whenever I do exercises such as pull-ups or reverse curls. It seems that whenever my arm bends to a certain point, it clicks. I feel mild pain whenever this happens. The pain is very minimal, however, it isn't a very comfortable feeling. It feels as if something is shifting in my arm. I chose to ignore it and continue with my training. The only change over the past year is that it has gotten louder. I've googled it many times over the past year or so and haven't gotten the information I'm looking for. Any thoughts? [link] [comments] |
| Question about how to schedule mobility Posted: 09 Apr 2020 11:07 AM PDT Previously had some experience with gym but nothing much really, now Im really determined to get into good shape, Im really focusing on proper technique. After first workout I saw that Im really struggling with squating, cant go too deep, keep my spine neutral, Ive searched some videos about mobility exercises for squats(20min long routine) and heres the question: should I replace squating sets with mobility exercises or should I do them another day or maybe before training? [link] [comments] |
| Does the RR build Muscle Mass along with strength or is more strength than muscle mass gained? Posted: 09 Apr 2020 10:55 AM PDT Would the RR help bring an aesthetic body (Big Arms,shoulders,abs)? Or would it mainly bring only strength. [link] [comments] |
| Questions regarding resistance bands Posted: 09 Apr 2020 10:50 AM PDT |
| Training at the Park During Pandemic Posted: 09 Apr 2020 04:23 AM PDT I live in a relatively small town in Ireland and we're on a semi-strict lockdown. We're allowed to exercise within 2km of our home, buy groceries, and go to work if we can't work from home. There is a park near my home that I started going to when the gyms closed. But over the last week or so, I've started feeling like I shouldn't be going there. I stay away from the people walking their dogs, I clean the monkey bars before and after use, and I keep my hands clean with alcohol disinfectant. No one else uses the bars when I'm there and there's only a few people walking around. Does anyone have any opinions as to the safety and moral soundness of doing this? We're being told to stay home, but the principle behind staying home is to avoid contact with people and objects that are infected. But if I'm cleaning everything down (incl the ground) and staying away from people, are those three times per week really that dangerous? I've researched this, but I can't find a definitive answer as it's quite specific, so I thought I'd ask this community for opinions. Thanks. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 08 Apr 2020 06:08 PM PDT It had always been really hard for me to perform Pike pushups, not just becauss of my lack of strength or my flexibility, but because it was so much harder to not break the form than to perform them. Ive read a lot of tutorials about it, like Antranik's, where he says that you have to keep your weight on your arms and avoid shifting it into your legs. This was what made it so hard to not break the form, until today: The tip is: point your toes at all times. I just did some pike pushups like this and goddamn I can finally feel the burn on my shoulders without worrying about anything else. It makes them so much easier (psychologically) [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Apr 2020 09:00 AM PDT Hi guys, I want to share this video with you where you will see different exercises that you can do as a beginner at home, without any equipment. Description In this video you will see 23 best beginner no equipment at home exercises. Staying at home and having no equipment cannot be a valid reason not to do exercises. There are so many no equipment exercises that you can do, even if you are a beginner. You can train your entire body and build great physique in your own place. By doing push ups, dips, different abs variations, superman, squats, calf raises, etc. you will engage every muscle in your body. You can choose 5 to 7 different variations, do 3 sets of each and you will have very solid workout. And the best thing, you do not need to have anything, not a singe piece of furniture, towel or similar!. Thanks once again for taking time to watch! Let me know which good exercise have I missed. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Apr 2020 07:59 AM PDT I've started the recommended routine at 4 sets per exercise to fit into the same time length of workout I'm used to. Just out of general curiosity I'm wondering about any thoughts you guys have on bumping up the sets and if you feel a difference in doing so? [link] [comments] |
| No pull-up bar? No problem! :) Posted: 09 Apr 2020 12:08 AM PDT So I don't have a pull-up bar and I figured using chairs to do these Sit back rows. Have any of you tried this variation? [link] [comments] |
| Ring program sugestions (aby news options?) Posted: 08 Apr 2020 02:07 PM PDT Hi Guys, I am looking for some good gymnastic rings program that covers both strenth and skills and will give me plenty to work with for at least a year. Of course I know of good old "Body By Rings" and Antranik's "Ring Routine" and I am really tempted by the latter (due to its skills oriented philosophy) but before i pay for any of those (which are not cheap) i wished to ask: are those two the only worth mentioning or are there any new ring routine interesting programs to consider? Thanks in advance for your feedback! [link] [comments] |
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