Convict Conditioning
No Gym, No Problem
I’ve been struggling that last couple of month of not going to the gym. I’ve been sticking to Handstands, L-Sits, and Front/Back-Lever as my way of training, and it was great. So I was looking to intensify the process and continue the path I started when I was learning how to squat, and I stumbled upon “Convict Conditioning”.
First I don’t agree with the saying that weight training is scam, I believe that any way you can apply pressure on your muscles in a compound way (not isolated like bicep curls) is a good way of training.
The Concept is simply doing 6 basic exercises in 10 levels. You start with level 1 and if you achieve progression of sets X reps you go up to the next level till you achieve Maximum Strength. The Big 6 are Pushups, Squats, Pullups, Leg Raise, Bridges, and Handstand Pushups.
Maximum strength in pushups is one hand pushups, in pullups one hand pullups, in squats one legged squat (Pistols), … and so on. The problem with bodyweight workouts is that you can’t increase weight the way you do in weight training, so you have to be creative in distributing your body weight to fit your needs.
The second book I like more because it talkes about the undermined muscles like the forearms, neck, calfs. Having a crushing grip is one of the most important thing in strength, and if you remember Bruce Lee’s forearm you will have the same crush as me. The 3 muscles play a big role in Martial Arts and Fighting in general, they will make your punches and grip a lot stronger, and your neck immune to being knocked down easily, and your calfs will help you run faster and jump higher.
Another part of the book is the joint mobility & nutrition. There are 3 exercises called The Trifecta Chains, which will stretch the whole body and get over with it. And about nutrition there is no need to eat massive amount of protein or eat every 3–4 hours. Which I think is good unless you want to excessively bulk up.
Finally, about when to workout, it is simple you can train daily, or 3 times a week, choose one exercise a day, 2, or 3 exercises a day (more exercises will require more resting). For example you can have one exercise a day, or you can have 2 exercises a day then rest the next day, you can even train the whole day lets say by passing on to the pullup bar do 5 pullups and try to increase the total of pullups everyday. It can get as creative as you can.
For what it is worth, I think doing one-hand pushups, one-hand pullups, one legged squats (DONE), one arm handstand pushups is a lot challenging that increasing with +5kg. And don’t forget how Rocky Balboa training was like, it was all natural :)
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Originally published at seifsallam.com.
