The Ultimate Guide To Bodyweight Training Part II

==> This is a follow up to ‘The Ultimate Guide To Bodyweight Training Part I” with my friend and fellow trainer John Cortese.

Here is the rundown of the bodyweight exercise series:  Part I outlines the benefits, Part II run downs program possibilities and Part III will run down the “Big 5 Exercises” and variations!

==> While you are reading this, start thinking of the HARDEST body weight exercise! (and share in the comments!)

Because of the nature of body weight training and the minimal eccentric damage put upon the muscular system and little stress on the CNS, you can perform them 3-5 times per week and still make progress.  Regardless if you are implementing a weight training program now, or looking for a new program, doing this can be easy.

Let’s take an athlete (13-14 years old) who is lacking proper movement efficiency, lacks mobility and strength, and is completely new to training.

Sample Beginners Program

Start with 4 weeks of body weight training and re-assess every 5th week. Example:

“SAMPLE” Body weight Training Workout Program

WEEK 1: M/W/F- Bodyweight Training
• Perform 5 body weight exercises, 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps each.

WEEK 2: M/T/Th/F- Bodyweight Training
• Perform 6-8 exercises, 3-5 sets of 10-20 reps each.

WEEK 3: M/T/Th/F- Body weight Training
• Perform 8-10 exercises, 4-6 sets of 15-25 reps each.

WEEK 4: M/T/Th/F- Body weight Training
• Perform 10-12 exercises, 5-7 sets of 20-30 reps each

You should see substantial improvement in your overall fitness and conditioning as you progress from week to week. With a 4 day cycle, divide most of the exercises into an upper / lower split.  Even though body weight exercises are low stress, these are new trainees, take care of their muscles! 

Bodyweight Training Coaches Notes

At Synergy Athletics, I like to combine these body weight exerciseswith sled dragging and light odd object training to prepare the “new guys” for the weights.  This is essential general physical preparedness that a lot of trainers SKIP! 

What are your tested lifts?  I’d like to propose they change with the training age and abilities of the athletes.  I see no reason to test a beginning middle school or even high school athlete on the bench and squat anymore.  Instead, I like to create baseline bodyweight goals. 

Continue reading The Ultimate Guide To Bodyweight Training Part II…

Bulgarian Training Bag Advanced Construction Video

Big time feedback on How To Build A Bulgarian Training Bag Part I – I appreciate all the emails and messages!  I’m glad I can help out your training! 

The Bulgarian Bag is an awesome training tool and we have been killing some incredible conditioning complexes with them! 

As a matter of fact, a lot of it has been video taped for a bonus to the upcoming Bull Strength Conditioning.  More on that later…

Well a regular Bulgarian Training bag runs between $200-300.  They are well made from leather with multipurpose handles on the top of the bag. 

Continue reading Bulgarian Training Bag Advanced Construction Video…

Are You Making These Grip Training Mistakes?

 AVOIDING COMMON GRIP APPLICATION ERRORS
by Jedd Johnson, CSCS DieselCrew.com

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“Hold on with a bulldog grip, and chew and choke as much as possible.” – Abraham Lincoln
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I have been reading Synergy Athletics for quite some time now and I must say Coach Hashey is doing a great job of including Grip Training in his training programs and his communications here on the blog. 

His awareness of the importance of grip no doubt comes from the years he played competitive sports, especially the time he spent on the gridiron doing battle at the line of scrimmage.

However, even with the best of guidance, some trainees can still make mistakes. Here are three mistakes that are often made when implementing grip into an athletic strength training routine and how to make sure YOU don’t commit them.

#1. Too much Grip Isolation. Not Enough Grip Integration

Grip isolation involves training primary the grip while the rest of the body gets little stimulus. Grip integration involves training the whole or a large portion of the body while also making grip an important point of emphasis.

While there is a place for Grip Isolation, especially when first implementing grip or when focusing on a weakness, it is important for athletes to train their grip in integration.

Here are a few ways I have implemented grip integration back into my training lately.

Continue reading Are You Making These Grip Training Mistakes?…

The Ultimate Guide To Bodyweight Training – Part I

Body weight training is extremely important for young athletes.  Since my video of a High School Freshman Benching 275. I’ve had to field a bunch of questions from people that don’t know crap about training regaurding how to start people training.

Despite the YouTube heros, there is an important exercise topic to be discussed – how do you train young athletes?  Throw them on the bench and under a squat bar?  Depending on their physical abilities probably not. 

Instead of just saying “work on relative body strength and GPP, “here is an exact method how how to get started.

So when you or I get the question about how to body weight train, just send them this post and get it over with!

This article was mostly written by John Cortese for Synergy, with my additions.  I reached out to him to get us started with the body weight article series!

Introduction

Bodyweight training is an effective, simple, and easy way to get strong, get fit, and lose body fat- all at the same time.  It is all too common for the average person to struggle with simple movements such as a squat, push-up, sit-up, pull ups, jumping, and sprinting. 
If more people were efficient in these movements there would be fewer injuries, increased health and fitness, decrease in body fat, and an overall stronger person. 

Look at gymnasts:  they have INCREDIBLE muscular size, strength, and endurance and the majority of their training is done using their own bodyweight!  No equipment?  No problem!

Where to Get Started

Continue reading The Ultimate Guide To Bodyweight Training – Part I…

Your Recovery Workout And Big Lift

After the clients leave tonight, its going to be recovery time!  We just had an AWESOME workout yesterday.  I had a Youtube Subscriber ask some questions about weighted pull ups, so I had to get them into the lift!

It felt great to hit the back and get the shoulders moving. 

Here’s the upper body workout:

• Weighted Pull Ups 5 x 3
• Tricep Death
• Thick Rope Tornado Climbers superset with Pull Aparts
• Shoulder Circuit
• Conditioning

===>  I did video the workout, and if want it posted (any questions on the lifts), just post a comment below and I’ll get it up this weekend! 

This workout lit me up!  Its not necassarly the lifts, but the intensity and the gym was filled with a good vibe last night. 

However, now its time to get some recovery in because in my humble opinion, there is nothing like an awesome lower body workout.  Just the sheer quantity of muscle being worked feels awesome!

Anyone ever work their legs so hard that the warmth from all the blood flowing into the legs makes you feel like you wet yourself?? ….errr…me either…

Continue reading Your Recovery Workout And Big Lift…