This is interesting reading about you guys getting into more “non-traditional” training. I was starting to feel lately that just weight training wasn’t cutting it as far as being able to play sports better. I thought that adding some interval aerobics and playing some hoops again would help out. Plus, I remembered Matt Furey’s website from a while ago and I went back to it to check it out. It’s good to hear that I’m not the only guy out there that still loves hitting the weights, but also like to be better at sports too (maybe not pro, but it’s still fun to beat your friends sometimes, right?)
Anyway, I tried some of Matt’s exercises and they were a lot harder than I thought. I did a few of the handstand push-ups against a wall for balance and man, were those tough! Another good website linked with Matt’s is www.dragondoor.com. That Pavel Tsatsouline’s (sp?) website and he has some more good info. on weights and stuff. Check it out guys if you haven’t already.
Thanks for the compliments Nate Dogg. To answer your questions, the exercises really helped me with muscular endurance. In other words, I could so several more rounds on the pucnhing bag without losing wind and found that I took shorter breaks in between weightlifting sets. Matt Furey just sent me an e-mail with a hyperlnik to a free issue of his newsletter. It is fucking awesome with great info. Here is the link: http://www.mattfurey.com/newsletter_sample.pdf
Great stuff about how to increase resistance on bodweight squats and pushups.
Nate, you’re not alone bro. For a while I got so set on focusing just on weight training and what T-mag says. But I realized that I need to be well-rounded, especially if I want better conditioning for sports or other activities. It’s good that Dave Tate wrote an article on GPP, but I’ve always been interested in using bodyweight exercises. But everyone says they don’t work, or you won’t get strong or you want add muscle. Well, how do you know if you don’t try it? Besides, so many other athletes use this type of training. It’s just not “modern” enough to be written about. So it’s all good. And it’s great to be able to do things outside or at home. Because a lot of times, I just don’t want to go to the gym. And more than three days at the gym burns me out!
Mike, I too received that e-mail from Matt. I was checking it out last night. It was awesome! It helped clear some things up too! Wow! It sounds like this type of training has really helped you out. Now tell me this, has your strength and muscle mass also increased? Did it help you get leaner? I would think that it would, but I’m sure many people are relunctant to do this because they might lose size or strength! Thanks for the update. It’s really cool that it worked well for you. I hope to keep this up for some time and hope to make good progress in the next couple of months.
Thanks for the reply man. Charles Staley is going to be here in the NYC area this June (23 and 24 I think) and part of his seminar will cover the importance of GPP work in a routine. Plus Eric Serrano might be coming along to talk about diet and body composition. I don’t know if you’re near NYC, but if not I’ll be sure to take plenty of notes and pass them along if people are interested.
I think you’re right that GPP will start getting more attention in the near future. What the hell, it’s cool to be big and all, but like Dave Tate said in his article, if you get winded from walking up a hill, are you really in good shape?
Nate, I’m in Florida so I won’t be attending the seminar with Staley. But be sure to take some good notes to share with us T-maggers looking to add more GPP to our routines! Thanks a lot. Good luck to you as well.
The combat exercises really got me lean as that was my goal at the time. I was taking MD6 with the training and stopped after a while because I was getting too lean. My weight was around 183 or so and I am 6’0. Now, I am at 196 and not quite as lean, but lean enough by my standards with the extra mass. To really put on some size with these exercises, one would have to eat a great deal, do the harder exercises such as handstand pushups on chairs, one legged aquats, and add resistance. Furey, has some fucking sweet tools for adding resistance and I called him up and purchased them last week. Both our resistance bands(I know it sounds like soloflex, however it is not. These tools rock) One is for the legs to increase resitance while doing hindu squats and the other is for the upper body to increase resistance for pushups etc. I will keep you guys updated on my results with these products. I am confidant that I will be able to pack on some more size and functional strength with the addition of these resistance tools. In addition, I still lift weights. However, I focus primarily on exercises such as deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts, power cleans, push presses etc that increase funtional strength.
Along similar lines, why not actually participate in the activity the combat conditioning is designed for…try some wrestling/ jiu-jitsu/ judo or what have you, and see how your heart and lungs feel. Not only will you be benefitting from the conditioning aspects, but you’ll be learning a skill at the same time AND doing it along with other people, hopefully in a competitive atmosphere of mutual respect.
Mike, thanks again for the update. Getting leaner is something I want to do. And I am continuing with weight training to keep my muscle at the same time. As for adding more resistance, I still need to master these bodyweight exercises first. Then I will think about trying some of those new gadgets he has.
Definitely keep me updated on your progress. I’ll be sure to let everyone know how it works for me. I just have to make sure that I keep with it every day.
Scott UK, it’s good to hear from you buddy! I haven’t seen you post in a while. And I haven’t seen you since the Orlando Seminar. Actually, I do want to learn ju jitsu or wrestling. But if I just dive into it, I’m going to be so out of shape, that I’ll be struggling. Besides the fact that I have to find the time and place to participate. It’s easier for me to go ahead and work on conditioning now. And then try and work on specific skills later. But thanks for the advice! It is a good idea.
Mike,
Keep us posted on your progress with the bands and the bodyweight exercises. I remember reading on Furey’s website that the Russian wrestlers almost never lifted weights, yet they were incredibly strong and athletic. I don’t need convincing of the value of bodyweight exercises - I mean, look at gymnasts.
This is why I thought TC’s atomic dog about the show dogs and comparing them to bodybuilders was great. I met Kevine Lavrone in college and, while he was cool, he couldn’t even walk normally anymore. His friggin’ legs were so big they were rubbing together! How the hell to you do anything like that?
Anyway guys, keep posting your progress here so we can see how you’re doin’.