Bodyweight and near-bodyweight exercise
Discussion
I've been getting lots of repeat injuries over the last few years and have ultimately got to a point where I've lost even my base of fitness, having not strung a decent season of running, swimming or cycling together for ages. Various muscle groups have fallen wildly out of balance as a result of my relatively sedentary, deskbound lifestyle and I now have a raft of aches and pains, plus a tendency to get injured if I start any activity and over do it. My conclusion is that I need to do things with a whole lot less stress on joints and soft tissue, so I've been looking at bodyweight or near-bodyweight exercise as an alternative to the traditional gym based approach to exercise of days for body-parts and low-rep/high weight, eg 5x5.
So, what's my plan? I've been reading a lot of the P90X threads and info, looking at the 300 workout, the 6WeekSixPack site and emails. Basically I want my cake and to eat it. Can I get myself of the road to injury prevention/recovery and at the same time do a workout that is intense enough to burn off excess bodyfat? I think with some careful planning, I probably can. Certainly P90X seems to use a lot of relatively (against say a 100kg plus deadlift) light weight, but sticking with it seems to deliver results. I'm planning a three pronged attack.
1) Circuit style aggressive weights sessions
2) Stretching and mobility sessions
3) Specific strength sessions (for me, a climbing session and single leg squats plus other physio stuff currently, so get me back to running)
I'm also toying with skipping a rope (though wary from an achilles point of view), buying a punchbag, and using a cycling DVD company called Sufferfest for intense cardio in the winter, all of which could (should) help burn off the pounds.
Anecdotally, as I've mentioned before, I have a mate in the military who suggested a very similar approach. He's used bodyweight methods to train, has remained largely injury free and is as fit as a butcher's dog.
I'd be interested in people's thoughts/ideas/links to sites/suggested modifications/mean, unkind or downright cruel challenges or experiments.
In the mean time, here's a few links I've gathered over time that I think may be of interest (no connections etc. and all are worksafe IMO)
300 workout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggiYjRelWgc
Mobility site: http://www.mobilitywod.com/
Beast Skills: http://www.beastskills.com/ (this dude's an animal, no pun intended)
So, what's my plan? I've been reading a lot of the P90X threads and info, looking at the 300 workout, the 6WeekSixPack site and emails. Basically I want my cake and to eat it. Can I get myself of the road to injury prevention/recovery and at the same time do a workout that is intense enough to burn off excess bodyfat? I think with some careful planning, I probably can. Certainly P90X seems to use a lot of relatively (against say a 100kg plus deadlift) light weight, but sticking with it seems to deliver results. I'm planning a three pronged attack.
1) Circuit style aggressive weights sessions
2) Stretching and mobility sessions
3) Specific strength sessions (for me, a climbing session and single leg squats plus other physio stuff currently, so get me back to running)
I'm also toying with skipping a rope (though wary from an achilles point of view), buying a punchbag, and using a cycling DVD company called Sufferfest for intense cardio in the winter, all of which could (should) help burn off the pounds.
Anecdotally, as I've mentioned before, I have a mate in the military who suggested a very similar approach. He's used bodyweight methods to train, has remained largely injury free and is as fit as a butcher's dog.
I'd be interested in people's thoughts/ideas/links to sites/suggested modifications/mean, unkind or downright cruel challenges or experiments.
In the mean time, here's a few links I've gathered over time that I think may be of interest (no connections etc. and all are worksafe IMO)
300 workout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggiYjRelWgc
Mobility site: http://www.mobilitywod.com/
Beast Skills: http://www.beastskills.com/ (this dude's an animal, no pun intended)
Ive been following this guy on twitter, @chakabars
His website is here: http://www.spartanfam.tumblr.com/
He is all about bodyweight training, and has videos on his site with about 15weeks worth of workouts, which get progressively harder.
Ive been following it for about 8 weeks and ive lost 17lbs (was 18 stone 6'5") and im getting noticably stronger from it, for example couldnt do 5 pressups when i started, can now do 30+ in one go.
Read his Bio on his site, and the philosophy behind it and im sure youll enjoy it.
Good luck!
His website is here: http://www.spartanfam.tumblr.com/
He is all about bodyweight training, and has videos on his site with about 15weeks worth of workouts, which get progressively harder.
Ive been following it for about 8 weeks and ive lost 17lbs (was 18 stone 6'5") and im getting noticably stronger from it, for example couldnt do 5 pressups when i started, can now do 30+ in one go.
Read his Bio on his site, and the philosophy behind it and im sure youll enjoy it.
Good luck!
buzzeh123 said:
Ive been following this guy on twitter, @chakabars
Cool - nice find there, thanks. Quality that he's out there doing something in the community and I especially like the fact that his classes are free to attend, but he wants a 90% attendance rate from you in return. That's a good commitment requirement!yeah its all community inspired, the #SpartanFam guys all encourage/help you with anything you need to know.
The thing i like best about it is that with the videos you can actually do it anywhere, with people or on your own, and you can really see the progression, and its working EVERYTHING. You dont nessessarily need to go to the classes, i havent!
Watch a couple of the videos, they are only like 15 mins long, the aim is to do 1 video twice (or more!) a day for a week, then move on to the next one.
P.S i have no association with him other than following his workouts!
The thing i like best about it is that with the videos you can actually do it anywhere, with people or on your own, and you can really see the progression, and its working EVERYTHING. You dont nessessarily need to go to the classes, i havent!
Watch a couple of the videos, they are only like 15 mins long, the aim is to do 1 video twice (or more!) a day for a week, then move on to the next one.
P.S i have no association with him other than following his workouts!
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