The workout evolves

Although I'm still inspired by Convict Conditioning, I haven't really been following the program as written. I still like the idea of focusing on bodyweight exercises, I think there's a lot to be gained from that. I also really like the progressions in Convict Conditioning. The idea of going from easier to progressively harder exercises seems obvious but is often neglected. There are a few things that make it hard for me to follow the program exactly as written though.

First, I'm an American and I'm impatient. I admit it. After spending a month on wall pushups and kitchen counter pushups, I found that my pushup strength actually went down. I realize that, if I stay with the progression, I will eventually regain and surpass my old pushup strength but I decided to just do pushups.

Going back to being impatient, I also get frustrated working on an exercise only once per week, and when I do work on it, I want to get everything I can out of it. Which brought me to the realization that, just because you can do more reps, doesn't always mean that you should. Especially with easier exercises because there's a longer period of time where you can still get "just one more rep", and then you're so sore that you can't walk for the rest of the week. It's much easier for me to take it slow when I know I'm doing the same exercise again in two days. I prefer Pavel's method that sees strength as a skill and, like any skill, you improve faster if you practice more often.

What's cool is that I can do a lot of my strength training at work during my lunch break. I even brought in a dumbbell to do rows with because there isn't a place for pullups or body rows. The exact workout schedule is still evolving but right now it's looking something like this:

Mon, Wed, Fri - At work: Three sets of pistols and pushups followed by three sets of airborne lunges and down dog presses.

Tues, Thurs - At work: Three sets of knee tuckes and bridges followed by 3-4 sets of one arm rows.

Tues - At home - some pullups.

Sat: Body rows, knee tucks, and bridges. Some pullups.

Right now I'm just trying to find the level that leaves me not only not sore but also feeling strong and refreshed at the end. Then I plan to add just a rep at a time. I'm quite happy to take it slow as long as I don't have to wait an entire week to only do two sets of knee pushups.

One thing I've neglected lately is conditioning. I'm getting back into kettlebell swings and am considering maybe working on Scott Sonnon's FlowFit program or maybe kicking the bag or some circuits. It will evolve as I figure out what fits with my schedule and recovery abilities.

Just a quick update.

I've kind of decided to put the planches and front/back levers on hold for a while. After several years of shoulder problems, I barely have the strength to do a few pushups. The shoulder is feeling better and I'm starting to build strength again but I think the planche training will be more productive after I get a little stronger. The front/back levers are as much a convenience thing as any but I've also been doing enough that I don't feel a need for extra work right now. I look forward to working on them with my wife in the summer. We can walk down to the park where there is a nice sturdy jungle gym that will work nicely.

I've been loosely following the "Solitary Confinement" program from Convict Conditioning. It goes six days per week and is described as "It should only be attempted by individuals with excellent recovery ability who have been in hard calisthenics training for over a year." So far so good but, if recovery becomes an issue, I'll make whatever adjustments are needed.

Convict Conditioning is more of a strength program and I realized that I've been neglecting my conditioning so, in addition to Solitary Confinement, I've been trying to get in some kettlebell and clubbell swinging and a bit of work on Scott Sonnon's FlowFit prograrm. We're also starting Hapkido next Saturday so maybe that will be a good workout too.

Lower body strength

I've been following the Convict Conditioning squat progression for a while but after breezing through the first 6 steps I decided, instead going through 3 easier versions of pistols, I'd rather just do pistols.

One of my goals is to jump over the fence in the backyard. Since I don't have access to a gym, and deadlift type stuff seems to bother my back, I'm mostly working with bodyweight exercises. But that's ok, I found some great information here about vertical jump training and bodyweight exercises. Pistols and airborne lunges are my weapons of choice. Airborne lunges have also been called single leg deads but I disagree. So here's my current lower body plan, I'll see how it goes and make adjustments as necessary.

Monday and Friday:

Warm up with a few counter-movement jumps

Single leg hops: 5 – 10 reps

Pistols: 2-4 sets x repetition max

Airborne lunges: 2-4 sets x repetition max

I plan to spend the winter focusing mostly on building a strength base and start adding more jumping and plyometrics in the spring.

Just a quick update.

I progressed to step 2 in the Convict Conditioning bridge progression. I completed the first step of short bridges (shoulder bridge is the more common term), 3 sets of 50 reps. It's kind of like the bridge pose from yoga except, instead of holding for time, you do it for reps at a pace of 2 seconds up, pause for 1 second, 2 seconds down, pause for 1 second and repeat. This is a great one for working the glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors. It is also great for America's chronically tight hip flexors and sore backs.

Step 2 looks like the reverse table from yoga. Again, the difference is that it's done for reps instead of held for time. I'll start working this one tomorrow.

Inspired by Convict Conditioning, the new exercise progream I've been working on, I've found several exercises and feats of strength and balance that I'd like to become proficient in. I am still a long way from some of these goals but I have a progression to follow that should keep bringing me closer to those goals as long as I keep working on it. I've listed what those goals are along with what my current level is on each of them. Next, I list the progressions I intend to follow. You might notice that the Convict Conditioning program conveniently develops several of the goals I have listed. That's one of the reasons the program interests me.

Strength Goals with My Current Levels

Jumping pistols, Jump over fence in backyard - Assisted pistols (cc squat progression step 9)

One arm pullups, Muscle-ups - Vertical rows, easy version (modified cc pullup progression step 2)

Pull-overs - Vertical rows, easy version (modification of cc pullup progression step 2), Knee tucks (cc hanging leg raise progression step 1)

One arm pushups - Incline pushups (cc pushup progression step 2)

Handstands, One arm handstand pushups - Handstands against wall (cc handstand progression step 3)

Back handspring - Shoulder bridges (cc bridge progression step 1)

Front lever - Skin the cats while Steph holds the pullup bar steady

L sit - Knees tucked, one leg extended or (briefly) both legs

Back lever - Hanging from pullup bar with tucked legs

Planche - Tip forwards a bit while supported on dip bars

Progressions

One arm pushups, one arm pullups, one arm handstand pushups: Follow the Convict Conditioning progressions and I will get there.

Jumping pistols: Follow Convict Conditioning squat progression to build pistol strength, then work on ballistic pistols.

Handstands: While following the Convict Conditioning handstand progression to build strength, practice balancing on my hands.

Back handspring: Follow the Convict Conditioning bridge progression to develop the stand to stand bridge. Next, from the bridge position, practice kicking the feet up and over and start smoothing it out and speeding it up.

Jump over fence in backyard: Build strength with weighted pistols and deadlifts. Build speed strength with jumping pistols and different speed strength exercises. Jump.

Front lever, Back lever, L sit, Planche: Practice often following the advice from Christophers Sommor's article on gymnastic strength.

Pullovers: Follow the Convict Conditioning progressions to build pullup and hanging leg raise strength. Start practicing pullovers.

Muscle-ups: Build an excess of pull-up strength by following the Convict Conditioning pull-up progression. Start practicing an easier version of muscle-ups on a lower bar or on rings or something.

As I get more excited about the possibilities of bodyweight training, I find myself re-evaluating the role of lifting weights. It seems that bodyweight training can take you a long way, not only making you stronger but also increasing your athleticism. I'm starting to develop the opinion that the best place for weights is for things that can't be done with bodyweight alone. Here are some things I'd like to work towards that can keep me busy for a long time. I may never reach some of these goals but I figure that, as long as I'm working toward them, I should be improving and getting stronger.

Pressing strength: One arm handstand pushups, one arm one leg pushups, planche pushups, that cool pushup where you start in a planche and push up into a handstand.

Upper body pulling: One arm pull-ups, pullovers, muscle ups, front levers.

Lower body: Pistols, jumping pistols, a variety of higher rep leg exercises that can be used for conditioning or plyometrics.

I would still use weights of course. As much as I like the idea of being able to move my own body, I also believe that you should be able to move an external resistance. It's hard to get a good lower body pull without some kind of weight. The effects of swinging kettlebells and clubs are also hard to reproduce with bodyweight only and some things, like sandbags and the barbell clean and press, are a great workout and a lot of fun.

Overall though, as party tricks go, I think planche pushups would be way cooler than adding another wheel on the bench press and would probably do more for your athletic development so I think bodyweight exercises will probably play a more important role in my upcoming physical development.