Bodyweight conditioning

Paladin · 05-25-2009, 05:39 PM

For anyone who has been in the military, bodyweight exercises are nothing new. Many of us remember grass-drills and getting "smoked" by the drill Sgt until we were eventually transformed into lean mean fighting machines.

I am told however that body weight conditioning drills are becoming more and more the exercise of choice for fitness fans and gym memberships are slipping as people realize that two dimensional exercise is simply not providing good functional strength.

Anyone else getting back to this kind of workout?

www.bodyweightculture.com is a great place to start

Snoopy · 05-25-2009, 06:03 PM

I feel faint just looking at the website.

s.

citizenzen · 05-25-2009, 06:54 PM

Everything old is new again.

I, Brian · 05-25-2009, 06:58 PM

Hm, sounds like fun!
TMUSCLE.com | Tabata Method

Quote:

This training method is so simple, yet so incredibly difficult, that athletes tend to try it once, acknowledge its greatness, and then vow to never speak its name again.

Paladin · 05-25-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citizenzen

Everything old is new again.

Exactly so, the old time strongmen knew quite a bit about functional strength that has been forgotten in this age of machines that quite frankly do little more than develop strength along one axis only. Change the axis and there is little power left.

China Cat Sunflower · 05-25-2009, 11:07 PM

Ask any muscle bound brute to demonstrate how many pull ups he can do. Not many, usually. I would much rather be lean and mean than big and buff. Think of it as related to survival. Who can pull himself back up and over the cliff? Who can run the fastest for the longest? Not the big guys, usually. And bodybuilders have the same health related problems that other overweight people have. It doesn't seem to matter that the extra weight is in big muscles.

Chris

Paladin · 05-26-2009, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Hm, sounds like fun!
TMUSCLE.com | Tabata Method

Now that sounds evil, I have to try that

In Krav Maga class we often go full bore punching and kicking while a partner holds a shield. We progress to fighting while on our knees and then on our back with a partner standing over us. Continuing to fight with every thing we have fighting back to a kneeling position then to standing again. It takes about three minutes for the drill and about a minute to get the breath back again.
Our instructor likes evil, wicked drills like this

Faithfulservant · 05-26-2009, 12:30 AM

not to mention that the bodybuilders have to consume large quantities of calories to maintain their size.

17th Angel · 05-26-2009, 11:28 AM

*injects some more bull shark testosterone into his "lower regions"*

Use your own body weight to get big? That takes too long!! *bites a freaking solid lead bar in half* ARRRRRRGH!!

GlorytoGod · 05-26-2009, 12:07 PM

dont believe the hype there is nothing remarkable about bodyweight exercises over any other form of exercise.

Paladin · 05-26-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlorytoGod

dont believe the hype there is nothing remarkable about bodyweight exercises over any other form of exercise.

What type of workout do you favor?

GlorytoGod · 05-26-2009, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paladin

What type of workout do you favor?

I am just getting over a back injury so none at the moment, but I spent 3 years Jujutsu and 2 years MMA. IMO it does not really matter what sort of workout you go for whats important is that you work hard and stick with it IMO.

Paladin · 05-26-2009, 02:49 PM

Sorry to hear about the injury, I have had a few of those as well. I favor a mix of bodyweight (ala Pavel) freeweights and kettlebell. I find this combo is very martial art specific. After years of training I find certain types of exercise are indeed more functional than others and foster better core strength than others.
But you bring up a good point on being consistent in your training. Ever hear of Steve Cotter or Steve Maxwell?

GlorytoGod · 05-26-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paladin

Sorry to hear about the injury, I have had a few of those as well. I favor a mix of bodyweight (ala Pavel) freeweights and kettlebell. I find this combo is very martial art specific. After years of training I find certain types of exercise are indeed more functional than others and foster better core strength than others.
But you bring up a good point on being consistent in your training. Ever hear of Steve Cotter or Steve Maxwell?

No not heard of those guys but I do have a couple of kettlebells gathering dust, I trained for a bit in Krav Maga it was very aggressive and hard to calm down from for me anyway I even punched a hole in one of my doors whilst training in the stuff

where do you train ?

Paladin · 05-26-2009, 03:13 PM

Pikes Peak Krav Maga. My wife and I both enjoy it, I come away feeling very pumped too

I've done TMA and Internal Arts but the Krav is a simpler system and fits into my workout routine quite seamlessly. As far as the exercise program is concerned I found out through trial and error that working to failure with heavy weights tends to make my punches somewhat sluggish. Since I began the mix of bodyweight and kettlebell I have increased in speed and power.
Now I hear of something called Z Health that is supposed to target specifically, neural response. Might be trendy, I dunno yet.