Generally speaking these movements aren’t quite as taxing on the CNS as compared to squats, deadlifts etc. So long as you aren’t doing 10x10 weighted pull-ups/day + all out sprints for 4x400 metres/day + weighted dips till failure + HIIT ab circuits (actually that’d be a fat workout) and whatnot you should be fine.
You could probably even try pistol squats nearly every day for low reps, working on technique as opposed to muscular fatigue (provided you can hit a pistol squat without assistance
Yes I agree. For me, I like to focus on 2 difficult calisthenics movements in a training session or 1 difficult weight training exercise per session. That is for my main work. Heavy weight training does affect the CNS so hence the 1 main strength movement for that.
I do ring dips, pull up and hold, various pull ups. Low impact but great strength gains and easy on the CNS. And if you’re the actual Tim Cappello… \m/. Big part of my childhood
I’ve done 27. Wouldn’t call them perfect but they were full reps. I just go to full lock out and sometimes add a 5 second hold. I usually do 15 reps or so depending on my shoulder health. Or ill do something like 6,5,4. for 4 to 5 sets
Some photos of Sunday’s workout for tucked BW row, explosive pullups, and straight-bar dips. I believe I will be able to do muscle up and front lever this summer. Hopefully…
I am doing weights for lower body and practicing crow pose variation on most days. I don’t know about you guys, but some of the harder BW variations are very taxing. I slept like a rock Sunday night.
I’m totally hooked on this new fitness hobby. As said, I was having a serious motivation problem last year.
Yep I find most things involving rings very taxing (which is why they’re so awesome!); I guess it’s the fact that the body has to work so hard to stablilise the rings at all times - even though it’s less obvious than with pushing exercises like dips, even with pull work like those tucked rows a huge amount of stabilisation is required.
I was kinda actually thinking the other day about how much more taxing the ring stuff is than most other bw exercises.
At this point, I’m just looking for greater experience in movement even energy flow between both mind and body and this bw stuff has been a fantastic bridge. Of course I still value progressive overload and intensity and I’m not just going to do try anything and everything willy nelly. But I’m actually thinking hard about actually giving some yoga a real good 4-8 week trial and putting a lot of energy there. I’m just not sure I can actually do that well with just the internet considering how complex some of those movements get…
I’d like to equally split my energies between big compound free weights, bw work in the vein of this thread, and yoga… Naturally, I know I won’t get as good at any one of those doing all three at once. I’m not ready to take the plunge but I am ready to give it some real thought and respect.
The intensity and discipline required for this kinda stuff is great and I’ve gotten so much out of it and believe I will continue to for my life but now I want something even more from the experience of bodily movement and flow, I want the mind in different states of being strongly connected to my body. Sorry if that sounds super hippie but that’s where I think my mind and body and being is at at this moment in time I’ve never felt this way before, it’s hard to explain.
Can anybody relate in the slightest or maybe can tell me about someone they know who has said or felt similar things?
I don’t think you sound “super hippie” at all. I can completely relate to that as I’m on a similar journey. Just like you, I’m not ready to give up lifting weights just yet but I’ve found solace in the ability of knowing how to train with body weight movements. I may eventually turn into a body weight only purist but I’m not quite ready for that yet. On my “yin” or “off” days, I have been experimenting with “restorative” exercises like meditation, a bit of yoga, or going or a tranquil walk. I find that this is a nice complement to my “yang” or “on” days of high intensity calisthenics and weight training.
Again, I totally get where you’re coming from. If you want to talk about that style of training methodology more and we can share ideas, PM me or make a thread.
I had recent surgery and can’t do a pull-up without a searing/tearing sensation become apparent in the region’s wherein they’ve cut into me #unrealcomplaininglikealittlebitch
Wish you the best of luck on the goals though, you’re making fantastic progress
Scanned the beginning of your thread and saw this. Well of course I’m into this kind of training as I’ve been posting here. I find it more interesting right now than barbell training. I have read through “Convict Conditioning” 1 and 2. I really like the “Good Behavior” or “Veterano” routines that book has to offer. I like how Paul Wade breaks up training the entire body with “the big six”.
It was “Convict Conditioning” that has got me interested in progressive calisthenics as a viable source of getting stronger. I like that concept of not needing any equipment (except a pull-up bar) to train. It’s liberating.
No. I only do one legged squat variations and lunges for quads. For example, last leg workout was Bulgarian split squats, back extensions, hip thrust, and machine leg abduction. Then I did abs.
This word gives me nightmares. A friend at college (bodybuilder) introduced me to walking lunges for laps as a finisher after heavy squats, leg press, leg curls and extensions, hyperextensions and cable pull throughs… They’re… Brutal
Even by themselves… Brutal… Same goes for split squats with one leg on a bench.
Yes, they’re very effective and one can build huge legs without back squats. As I’ve said, I don’t respond well to standard deadlifts and squats. It’s not that I’m structurally unsuited for good form for them; they simply make me feel awful. They make me tired and tight from my traps to my erectors to my glutes and on down. I don’t need “work-out hangovers” as Paul Carter puts it.
Post surgery I appear to be progressing aesthetically despite not touching a single weight over 225lbs (though I shouldn’t be lifting at all… But naaaaa). A muscle doesn’t know how much it’s lifting, it can only perceive “there’s resistance”. With adequate stimulus, micro tears form. Recovery coupled with adequate nutrition/sleep patterns equates to a bigger muscle.
There was one study (old one I can post) looking at gains in size and strength vs various strength training protocols. It turns out training with a 25rm (or so, might be a bit fuzzy on the details) but with MUCH lighter weights leads to comparable gains in size as opposed to 10rm or less… But sets of 25 is draining as hell so the 8-12 rep range gives the best bang for your buck regarding CNS exhaustion and time efficiency.
As I said in a previous thread. I looked my best aesthetically when I couldn’t even squat 225lbs (but could leg press fairly heavy for reps with good ROM), hardly deadlifted and didn’t bench press. I stuck to various compound movements and progressed but focused more on TUT, increasing sets etc. The effect elicited from higher volumes and focusing on the squeeze far superceded simply squatting and deadlifting heavy and preying for my arms to grow as so many appear to advocate for.
And for “classical bodybuilding aesthetics” I certainly never found low rep, heavy back squats to be optimal to achieve the “look” I desire.
