Thanks much for watching and let me know if there's anything I can help with in your training. Applying bodywieght training for cycling and running is a specialty of mind.
lol hilarious. haha great tips! I've been doing calisthenics for a year now and it's crazy how effective (and fun) it is. I wish i started earlier! I am going to start bridging!
RedDeltaProject ur amazing bro wow i always laugh at peoples thoughts on why prisoners get sooo big with minimal and low quality food. hmm its not food.. its the fact that others are watching. everyones in ther own personal competition with themselves to stay workin out longer and do more sets, reps and get a narlier looking superhero pump than the next man. thats it.. wen i worked out it was all eyes on me so i went hard and ate wen i was hungy. and guess wat i SLEPT! like a baby!,. and went hard everyday anywhere by myself with people wenever pushup pullup dips bodysquats. im 510 220lb 19in arms and of spanish cuban descent. and my abs show. and im strong as fuck. im just confirming wat uve been teaching.. as ur confiming it for me.thank you sir. #pay attention people. smash ur muscles and stop bullshitting
His point was to get started working out! And doing calisthenics. People are prone to procrastinate, thinking they much learn how to do everything before they start working out. They could go the easy way and hire me to whip them into shape...
Bodybuilders do that consistently. Read some articles about bodybuilding especially the bodybuilding magazines. Then apply it to body weight calisthenics.
Very smart and detailed video. I was clouded with the fact that I need to do MORE reps to be more successful, turns out it's about muscle tension and how hard you work. Thank You!
3 years into calisthenics training and I am still learning new things as if I were a novice! Fantastic knowledge, thanks for the great advice! Just subscribed to your channel 🙏
Thanks Calvin and welcome. I've been practicing for about 9 years now and still feel like a novice myself. keep that white belt mindset, it will help you grow!
I question the "shoulder blades tucked together" approach a little bit, to be honest. In exercises such as the bench press, it's actually quite easier to get shoulder issues if you do that, than if you're using a natural shoulder/shoulder blade position. I'd say sometimes it helps, but it can also lead to some serious injury on more shoulder dominant exercises.
when i first began calisthenics, i relied a lot of quantity, i was telling myself that i needed to do 100 pull ups per sessions, and i think thats a good thing to do at first, but then when i really improved was when my quality changed, i started to do from dead hang to chest-to-bar pull ups, and even though they were much less in quantity, maybe like 3 in a row at first , my front lever and muscle ups became so much cleaner and stronger. one of the best videos out there about calisthenics.
For body weight exercises, you may not be able to do a ton of reps. But if you use a suspension trainer, then you can vary the angle so that you are using only a percentage of your body weight and then can bang out tons of reps for a low weight. Similarly, if you lift weights, just use a lighter weight and you can do more reps. But I get the point. Quality reps are harder. But lighten the load and you can do more quality reps if that is what you are after.
Hey I know this was a comment long ago. But doing dead hang, will you then go into the 'bridge' and do as high a pull up as you can go (in my case to my lower chest - hopefully belly button in the future)? And what set-rep scheme would you do these excercises in?
Very good video, experimentation is key to learning what works for you and what doesnt. You learn gold by doing. Grip will start off a weak part in the chain but it gets stronger and stronger until its not a problem any more. As for tension, full body tension is a key thing to learn, pratice dish rocks and holds, both ways (face up and face down), try get up to 30-40reps or seconds Reps just build endurance, make exercises harder by increasing the difficulty of the progression e.g. pull ups > wide pull ups > archer pull ups > clapping pull ups > one finger assistance one arm pull ups > one arm pull ups
Amen! My personal experience totally tells the same! I myself started with calisthenics when I walked my dog and noticed a pull up bar on my path. Daily hanging and trying and voila, after first month i was able to do 8 clean reps with 3 sets. adding more and more exercises into my training. JUST DO SOMETHING!!!
Hey, I was wondering if you could do a more in-depth video on scapular positions during upper body exercises? I think this would be very helpful for many people, and it's something I definitely overlooked for a long time as a beginner. Great video btw.
Dude awesome advice! I actually stumbled upon rep chasing and proactive tension on accident and it changed my workouts completely. What most people do in the gym is mindless weight training, just moving through space without even thinking about it. Great vid!
Your last point is gold! I hate that people chase reps. It's not about reps, it's about results. When things get easy, don't add tons of reps, keep the same and add variation to make it harder. The only time to add reps is going for endurance training. Good video man, even if it is from 2015.
turn from your sins and believe in THE LORD Jesus Christ and be baptized in THE NAME of THE FATHER, THE SON and THE HOLY SPIRIT if you haven’t already before CHRIST returns or before you die LORD Willing
Excellent, I believe I wrote saying about the push-up Handel's helping me Which they did in helping me start to do push ups again after Many years not doing anything But I do agree with you that it's much better to do push-ups just on your hands (or knuckles if you need more height rather than palms on the floor. )
THANK YOU!! Finally someone telling the truth. I would also add that, although explosive contraction is important, it's overloading the muscle (negatives) that really shred the muscle. Oh, and plenty of fruits and veggies (especially dark leafy greens: kale, spinach, chard). Whole milk post-workout. The stuff they sell people and say "just add milk" is unnecessary. And rest because THAT'S when new muscle is formed, while you sleep.
Love this. Love it. Just stopped rep chasing. The KB swing is a perfect example that incorporates ALL of these points (one I should have learned from): when you pull your shoulder blades back, learn to fire up all the appropriate muscles and tighten your grip the reps get fucking HARD. Oh yeah; one question: best way to practice bridging? Should I be hanging from a bar? Shrugging DBs? I dunno. Any videos on this?
This was a really excellent video, love your energy! I already had a handle on most of these, but the mental stuff with P by A and proactive tension are areas where I didn't even realize I was weak!
Funny enough Bridges, Hanging and by that extension grip work (Besides hanging I use an adjustable dumbbell and load up one side of it for different wrist rotations and supination/adduction), rubber band finger extension, etc are all things that I started early and doing often because even before I started doing calisthenics I really liked doing famer walks with dumb bells and I had a lot of lower back pain due to sitting all day at my job. Bridging and Hanging fixed the second, the the first encouraged me to do wrist work. Even without a particularly low BW my hands and forearms are solid and veiny when they're pumped now
I request you to make a video on bridging.. I left it coz i was not able to squeeze glutes properly while lifting up.. But yes all benefits you shared about bridging are 100% correct. Thanks
By not doing enough flat palmed pushing exercises throughout the early years of my training it ended up jacking up my wrist in the long run. Flat palmed exercises I think is big must in working out. Especially if all you are doing is weights and machines. Add some push-ups and handstands in the mix.
Man,about convict conditioning,it was rude...i read all three books in 2 weeks and uderstood what i was going to do.And an year later i got my big strength and aesthetic body.Still did not finish all the programs,but i already see an amazing progress.If i did not read that book,i would have to experience all that myself for a long time.That convict coditioning is insane.It taught me everything Poul Wade had learnt in 20 years.Only within 2 weeks.I think u have to get information,but u have to get it fast to start earlier so that ur progress will keep going.Thank u,ur channel is very good.
This guy has a passionate authentic vibe. Reminds me of Socrates and how he would deeply question, delegate and experience instead of taking professional contemporary wisdom about exercise and making it the hard truth. Well done! You da man
Hey Matt. I know it's bad to chase reps but my friend did only pushups and does 100 in a row 3 times a day each day and is building alot of muscle and is a year younger than me. I was thinking about doing this but doing 10x10 pushup sets with chain training and high fatigue and seeing if I could get results but i don't know if I should or if this is correct. I did only calisthenics training and I kinda in a plateau right now and I'm not really getting results with any workout routines. But my routine now is Pullups, dips, pushups, squat jumps, and hanging knee raises with chain training. Should I stick with my routine now or do what I said before. Also should I feel fresh after a workout or fatigued? I know this is alot to ask but your channel is my go to channel for all things calisthenics. Thanks
+RedDeltaProject Hey again Matt. But the other thing is that should I do sets or cycles for my current workout routine? Don't know which one is best or are they the same?
Not even 3 minutes into your video, and I already can't wait to do my routine in a few hours and to let all your wisdom sink in from today on! Thank you so much, Matt! This is how you truly boost a beginner - or anyone for that matter. Thank you so much for your sensitivity, man, people in general are really lacking that, and for sharing this with the world. I'm a new follower and subscriber as of today! All of the best to you, man.
THX Man, i just realized that i've been chasing my own tail until now for almost a decade now. Fixed routines are so fine, but looking for the perfect one is dragging you away from the actual work. I found really great ones but they made me miserably bored with working out (even though it was from Gymnastic Bodies from Coach Sommer - great guy). Today I went to park and just played around, did the stuff i was always to do when i was much younger and much less strong. This felt just great and as a result I finally found a way to feel happy for some working out again. Thank You sir - you made me realize it was a good thing - even though i am no begginer at all.
You're welcome and thanks for checking out my video. btw, keep an eye out for a new video this week as I'm combining a bit of freestyle and structure into the same workout. Might be right in your wheelhouse.
The guy speaks the truth. Yeah, listen to people. Try to find the right way to do your exerises, the way that doesnt lead you to injury. But for everything else you gotta just DO, and get used to it and listen to your body.
3:33 absolutely agree with using your palm instead of freaking "perfect pushup" handles. However the perfect pushup do help you get greater ROM. My tip as someone who's converting free weight principles to street workout, I can say that you'll do much better with 2 yoga bricks. These things rock! They cost about 2 bucks each, are more light weight and are durable. You actually develop wrist flexibility same as when you do pushups on the ground, but with greater range of motion. Can be used for handstand pushups, pike presses etc. Extra benefit: Your palms won't absorb all the bacteria from the ground.
As someone who started training 3 weeks ago and has been having worsening wrist pain in multiple places for the past week, I'm having to take a break at archer, crystal, basic push ups and dips and some other things. I understand your logic in grip strength but I'd say if you have wrist injurys for more than a few days and icing, compression, wrist supports aren't helping when you're resting, then don't keep pushing yourself with the same actions that caused the injury because I used to be able to do 30-40 push ups with good form but now I struggle to do a few due to pain. Maybe I just pushed myself too hard too quickly but I hope someone can find this useful nonetheless
very solid advice. Sometimes something like joint pain can come from just one set, or even one rep where something just didn't work as it should and the damage then effects the following sets and workouts. Definitely rest and then ease back into the training.
I had a serious rep chasing issue back when first started, I was aiming for numbers like 900 pushups a day and 400 jump squats. That helped alot at the beginning for endurance but your are right, I guess it won't be the most conducive to strength progress.
I think everyone falls into this method of training sooner or later. it feels good and it's quite the accomplishment to achieve. They key is to move beyond it at some point.
Hey man, I think I have hit a peak in my training and I don't know how to go on from here. I am doing kickboxing training 2-3 times a week, and 2-3 cross training. I just think that my body is somewhat progressing very very slowly. Can I do something to help progress a little faster? My diet is mainly normal - not too much carbs and balanced protein (maybe less than what I should get idk). Thanks!
Hard to say, could do any number of things. More sleep, more food, better food, improved training, technique, rest, mindset etc. I would chat with your kickboxing coach and see if they can spot any opportunities to make progress.
Finally somebody with some actual knowledge, not some teenagers who were trying until they managed to do something and then went on to tell the world how to achieve it.
I would also say that my biggest mistake was not (especially in the beginning) allowing adequate rest and getting adequate nutrition to allow my body to repair from the intensive workouts I was pushing through at 42 years old. I recommend if your over 30 no more than 3 days a week and make sure to get lots of sleep also about once every 6 weeks lay out a week to allow your body time for deeper repair of tendons and cartledge. As long as you are not gaining fat your not overeating. Eat clean and shoot for 1.2-1.5 grams/lb of bodyweight of clean protein. Take glucosamine/condrotine, fish oil, BCAA's and Creatine Monohydrate these will help your body repair faster and synthesize the protein. I now do weight training about 2x week and calisthenics 2x week and lay off or do cardio the rest of the time. That's been a good mix for me.
You said don't chase the reps But today I did 136 tricep push ups ( L shaped seated push ups ) at once it was easy until 50-60, then it was like real hell And now I'll feel heavy pain for 3 days won't this build muscle ? If not, how will this help me / my body ?
Oh sure it will, but only to a point. The idea of rep chasing isn't so much about not adding reps. It's about not making adding reps the primary means of progression.
Hi Matt, sorry I’ve just found this video and I couldn’t agree more! Just going to raise two points honest!! Lol firstly a cure for shoulders down and back AND grip is the Farmer’s walk if time is short or for some reason you can’t bridge yet.. just doing them once a week can be enough! Point two push ups... they too are a double whammy! On the stands you’re trying to press up on 27 little bones forced into a grip.. in the open flat position you’re pressing on just the end of the radius and ulna and secondly if you want to release inside elbow pain whilst warming up for chins you pull your hands back to 90 or hand upside against a wall and lift the shoulder right? So in the push up you are taking preventive measures to painful elbows in your pulling movements!!!
Thanks for the points Thomas, super agree with the farmer carry. I give that to a lot of clients. Super effective as a super set for push-ups and rows as well.
Love your videos, great food for thought. 42 year old guy moving into bodyweight and yoga but tell me please, what, if anything, do you do for cardio alongside your training. Thanks, phil UK
When I first started calisthenics I thought changing sex positions with my wife was a different exercise. However, she didn’t see it that way and that was my first mistake.🙀😸Not ducking was my second.😄
I think this is solid advice, my instincts already told me to do most of what you said in this video: however: the devil on my other shoulder is saying to go BY THE BOOK (CC). in the book it says not to even attempt bridging until you've gotten to step 6 of the big 4....
I'm still trying to figure out why personally. The first step in the bridge series is something I've found most anyone can start to do to at least some degree.
Yea, there's a fine line between having a weak grip and using aids like chalk and wraps. Like all tools, they are beneficial and effective when used properly, but hold you back otherwise.
I found your tips really helpful. Bridging hanging and grip are all important for newbie like me. I did it wrong way and experience pain in my back. So after watching it ill restart with thư basic training focusing on spine and grip 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Why would you squeeze your shoulder blades back and down surely this will mess up your scapulo numeral rhythm and when doing pull-ups or anything above head your scapula is meant to upwardly rotate? How can it do that if your forcing them down....
Good question, It's helpful to think of your scaps as a sort of platform you can press off of with your arms. The important thing is to lock your shoulders in place rather than have them free floating. It's also about creating tension in the back muscles which helps keep your spine and core stable.
how could you skip bridging? it's the most fun exercise,and back grows strong as hell. Before i started i couldn't do full bridges like in convict conditioning, not even 1 rep for full range, after like 3 weeks i can do 10 of them, and it feels awesome.
Can you explain the difference between doing workouts for maintenance versus “getting in shape“ or conditioning or building muscle? How does one know a workout was just a maintenance workout or if it was actually beneficial?
basicly, maintenance workouts are done without any attention to progression. Just keep doing the same thing the same way over and over. All other method are done with a focus on trying to improve or progress in some way.
3:05 May I ask what caused the _drastic_ turnaround of your opinion towards avoiding flat palm pushups? What did the guys with the pitchforks say? :P What's there to gain from the 'classic position'? Because flat hand pushups do strain the wrist considerably, and not in a good way. Also I don't see how those would help grip strength, since you are not clenching your palms in any way (like you'd have when hanging from a [thick] bar)? On the other hand, doing pushups on handles actually enables you to consciously grip them very tightly during the exercise. It even allows an increased range of motion and thus a stronger muscle stimulus.
I personally switched to doing pushups on my knuckles to avoid wrist injury. Also because of another advantage according to some martial artists, as putting the pressure on the bones (not the joints) actually increases bone density, decreasing risk by increasing stability. It engages my forearms more than the regular grip, isn't that another sign that that actually makes it the better option when aiming for grip strength? I did them on flat palms for the longest time, and my grip strength always used to be shit, so that definitely didn't help at least.
I used to use handles, but a friend recommended I try going without for a bit saying it would help. I admit it was tough at first, but I had to admit he was right. All of that stress and strain from flat palm hands was due to weakness or deconditioning on my part.
bridging is itself probably the best way to train that motion. You can do scapular retractions and depressions while hanging from a bar, but to get that specific motion for bridges you still want to incorporate some spinal flexion. There's a great exercise done on suspension straps that can help with this and I'll make a quick video on it soon.
honestly this is the most useful video on calisthenics tips (i'm a beginner who can't stop searching for the "best" program..) and your enthusiastic attitude is so inspirational. keep it up!
Just go out and do something is literally the worst advice there is, that is exactly why 99% of gym goers are wasting their time and doing stupid programs. because they get the feedback that it works from the beginnergains.
It's more targeted toward those who are always trying to learn the best way to do something, but they never take action thinking they need to know more or always be more ready before they take action. It's good to learn, but only to the point where you know how to get started. once you know enough to begin it's time to learn by doing.
I just caught this video as I was ready to go exercise, but was stuck sitting at home watching too many beginner or how to vids. Came across yours and I'm walking to the park right now!
about the reps and he convict program that i try to follow is that i can't do for exemple the jacknife squat for 40 reps and i tried for 1 year so what the alternativ should i stick to it until i'm able to do them before i go to the next step? cause it s seem that since i started this exrcice i don't have any gain from this routine"
All of this is stuff I need keep in mind. P by A is like my default mode (ADHD w/ comorbid anxiety, learning to do better.) My grip definitely needs work. I also lose mindfulness (adhd) therefore losing the mind muscle connection. Sure, I did the 15-20 pull ups, but I definitely didn't keep the tension right.
thanks dude, this is really helpful as a beginner coming across from triathlon! great channel!
Thanks much for watching and let me know if there's anything I can help with in your training. Applying bodywieght training for cycling and running is a specialty of mind.
Specialty? Okay, how about a video on Ultra Running Training then? And how I can beat everyone else? Thanks...
Listen to David Goggins story
No BS. No fake hype personality. No reality TV show. Just pure facts on this channel. Best calisthenics UA-cam channel about by far.
this guy talk honestly please people listen to him, dude God bless you for sharing this passionate video. big help.
n nn Shut the fuck up. You’re a fool for saying that.
@@sunavila chillout
I love the passion, excitement and motivation in this video. It's very contagious!
Thanks much for watching! And please share with those on this planet and otherwise!
lol hilarious. haha great tips! I've been doing calisthenics for a year now and it's crazy how effective (and fun) it is. I wish i started earlier! I am going to start bridging!
RedDeltaProject ur amazing bro wow i always laugh at peoples thoughts on why prisoners get sooo big with minimal and low quality food. hmm its not food.. its the fact that others are watching. everyones in ther own personal competition with themselves to stay workin out longer and do more sets, reps and get a narlier looking superhero pump than the next man. thats it.. wen i worked out it was all eyes on me so i went hard and ate wen i was hungy. and guess wat i SLEPT! like a baby!,. and went hard everyday anywhere by myself with people wenever pushup pullup dips bodysquats. im 510 220lb 19in arms and of spanish cuban descent. and my abs show. and im strong as fuck. im just confirming wat uve been teaching.. as ur confiming it for me.thank you sir. #pay attention people. smash ur muscles and stop bullshitting
ALIEN SCIENTIST.
Bro, it is contagious, I just contracted ligma. No joke.
Subbed within the first 5 seconds. You seem to have a lovely personality 😊
Thank you for stopping by and watching Antoinette. If you're into podcasts, check out the Red Delta Project podcast on iTunes and Stitcher too!
For real I did the same thing. His so full of energy and passion.
Agreed. Jus wondering what is your Birthday?
This guy is great I don't know him personally but I love him
How am I just now finding out a out this channel? The so much valuable wisdom in these points alone.
Good luck on your journey!
You are right, for the beginners the best thing is to experiment this way it is easier to learn the body and how it reacts to each stimulus.
His point was to get started working out! And doing calisthenics. People are prone to procrastinate, thinking they much learn how to do everything before they start working out. They could go the easy way and hire me to whip them into shape...
"unless you have a wrist injury in which case try and get rid of it as quick as possible" lmao yes
You're a cool guy! Much more honest and interesting than most of the stuff out there! Subbed!
ive been training for almost 3 months and i didnt even know that i have to actively concentrate on my muscles even though my form is already right :O
Bodybuilders do that consistently. Read some articles about bodybuilding especially the bodybuilding magazines. Then apply it to body weight calisthenics.
Paralysis by analasys - Jiddu Krishnamurti Boom!! 💪
Great video! "P by A" was a killer for me until I just decided to DO something. Thanks!
Anyone get an FPS Doug kinda energy / excitement from this guy?
He reminds me of Murr from Impractical Jokers, but much stronger
Very smart and detailed video.
I was clouded with the fact that I need to do MORE reps to be more successful, turns out it's about muscle tension and how hard you work. Thank You!
"What should I do...?'
SOMETHING.... Lol, VERY TRUE!
3 years into calisthenics training and I am still learning new things as if I were a novice! Fantastic knowledge, thanks for the great advice! Just subscribed to your channel 🙏
Thanks Calvin and welcome. I've been practicing for about 9 years now and still feel like a novice myself. keep that white belt mindset, it will help you grow!
I question the "shoulder blades tucked together" approach a little bit, to be honest. In exercises such as the bench press, it's actually quite easier to get shoulder issues if you do that, than if you're using a natural shoulder/shoulder blade position. I'd say sometimes it helps, but it can also lead to some serious injury on more shoulder dominant exercises.
when i first began calisthenics, i relied a lot of quantity, i was telling myself that i needed to do 100 pull ups per sessions, and i think thats a good thing to do at first, but then when i really improved was when my quality changed, i started to do from dead hang to chest-to-bar pull ups, and even though they were much less in quantity, maybe like 3 in a row at first , my front lever and muscle ups became so much cleaner and stronger. one of the best videos out there about calisthenics.
Thanks for checking it out! Sounds like you used a similar history to me.
For body weight exercises, you may not be able to do a ton of reps. But if you use a suspension trainer, then you can vary the angle so that you are using only a percentage of your body weight and then can bang out tons of reps for a low weight. Similarly, if you lift weights, just use a lighter weight and you can do more reps. But I get the point. Quality reps are harder. But lighten the load and you can do more quality reps if that is what you are after.
Hey I know this was a comment long ago. But doing dead hang, will you then go into the 'bridge' and do as high a pull up as you can go (in my case to my lower chest - hopefully belly button in the future)? And what set-rep scheme would you do these excercises in?
Those Literally are all of my mistakes.Thanks for the heads up.i will definitely fix those
Very good video, experimentation is key to learning what works for you and what doesnt. You learn gold by doing.
Grip will start off a weak part in the chain but it gets stronger and stronger until its not a problem any more.
As for tension, full body tension is a key thing to learn, pratice dish rocks and holds, both ways (face up and face down), try get up to 30-40reps or seconds
Reps just build endurance, make exercises harder by increasing the difficulty of the progression e.g.
pull ups > wide pull ups > archer pull ups > clapping pull ups > one finger assistance one arm pull ups > one arm pull ups
One arm one finger pullups. That is what I want to do...
Tuesdays Runner Vegetta goals
lmao first time i workout with bro we did 500 pushup !!we get paralyzed for 15 days xD
Amen! My personal experience totally tells the same! I myself started with calisthenics when I walked my dog and noticed a pull up bar on my path. Daily hanging and trying and voila, after first month i was able to do 8 clean reps with 3 sets. adding more and more exercises into my training. JUST DO SOMETHING!!!
Right to the point, real-world application right there! Nice job and keep up the good work!
Hey, I was wondering if you could do a more in-depth video on scapular positions during upper body exercises? I think this would be very helpful for many people, and it's something I definitely overlooked for a long time as a beginner. Great video btw.
You mean "bridging". Pull shoulders down and back. Scapula is down and back too.
*slow clap* no BS. Straight wisdom. Thank you
You're more than welcome!
Muchcapritiated fot this vide
Wallace and gromit
yes! Love those guys, best Claymation ever!
Dude awesome advice! I actually stumbled upon rep chasing and proactive tension on accident and it changed my workouts completely. What most people do in the gym is mindless weight training, just moving through space without even thinking about it. Great vid!
Your last point is gold! I hate that people chase reps. It's not about reps, it's about results. When things get easy, don't add tons of reps, keep the same and add variation to make it harder. The only time to add reps is going for endurance training. Good video man, even if it is from 2015.
Thanks much, as I now like to say, most of the results come from within the reps rather than just adding more onto endless sets.
turn from your sins and believe in THE LORD Jesus Christ and be baptized in THE NAME of THE FATHER, THE SON and THE HOLY SPIRIT if you haven’t already before CHRIST returns or before you die LORD Willing
Excellent, I believe I wrote saying about the push-up Handel's helping me Which they did in helping me start to do push ups again after
Many years not doing anything But I do agree with you that it's much better to do push-ups just on your hands (or knuckles if you need more height rather than palms on the floor. )
THANK YOU!! Finally someone telling the truth. I would also add that, although explosive contraction is important, it's overloading the muscle (negatives) that really shred the muscle. Oh, and plenty of fruits and veggies (especially dark leafy greens: kale, spinach, chard). Whole milk post-workout. The stuff they sell people and say "just add milk" is unnecessary. And rest because THAT'S when new muscle is formed, while you sleep.
1. Avoid golfers elbow through stretching
2. Stop the exercise in case of pain, no matter how little.
3. Work all body parts regularly and evenly. .
Love this. Love it. Just stopped rep chasing. The KB swing is a perfect example that incorporates ALL of these points (one I should have learned from): when you pull your shoulder blades back, learn to fire up all the appropriate muscles and tighten your grip the reps get fucking HARD. Oh yeah; one question: best way to practice bridging? Should I be hanging from a bar? Shrugging DBs? I dunno. Any videos on this?
This was a really excellent video, love your energy! I already had a handle on most of these, but the mental stuff with P by A and proactive tension are areas where I didn't even realize I was weak!
Funny enough Bridges, Hanging and by that extension grip work (Besides hanging I use an adjustable dumbbell and load up one side of it for different wrist rotations and supination/adduction), rubber band finger extension, etc are all things that I started early and doing often because even before I started doing calisthenics I really liked doing famer walks with dumb bells and I had a lot of lower back pain due to sitting all day at my job.
Bridging and Hanging fixed the second, the the first encouraged me to do wrist work.
Even without a particularly low BW my hands and forearms are solid and veiny when they're pumped now
I request you to make a video on bridging.. I left it coz i was not able to squeeze glutes properly while lifting up.. But yes all benefits you shared about bridging are 100% correct. Thanks
By not doing enough flat palmed pushing exercises throughout the early years of my training it ended up jacking up my wrist in the long run. Flat palmed exercises I think is big must in working out. Especially if all you are doing is weights and machines. Add some push-ups and handstands in the mix.
Man,about convict conditioning,it was rude...i read all three books in 2 weeks and uderstood what i was going to do.And an year later i got my big strength and aesthetic body.Still did not finish all the programs,but i already see an amazing progress.If i did not read that book,i would have to experience all that myself for a long time.That convict coditioning is insane.It taught me everything Poul Wade had learnt in 20 years.Only within 2 weeks.I think u have to get information,but u have to get it fast to start earlier so that ur progress will keep going.Thank u,ur channel is very good.
This guy has a passionate authentic vibe. Reminds me of Socrates and how he would deeply question, delegate and experience instead of taking professional contemporary wisdom about exercise and making it the hard truth. Well done! You da man
Can't mess it up? Deadlifts with curled back, wham! Slipped disc.
Hey Matt. I know it's bad to chase reps but my friend did only pushups and does 100 in a row 3 times a day each day and is building alot of muscle and is a year younger than me. I was thinking about doing this but doing 10x10 pushup sets with chain training and high fatigue and seeing if I could get results but i don't know if I should or if this is correct. I did only calisthenics training and I kinda in a plateau right now and I'm not really getting results with any workout routines. But my routine now is Pullups, dips, pushups, squat jumps, and hanging knee raises with chain training. Should I stick with my routine now or do what I said before. Also should I feel fresh after a workout or fatigued? I know this is alot to ask but your channel is my go to channel for all things calisthenics. Thanks
Only one way to find out my friend! Give the high volume workout a shot
The other thing is are you working to progress to harder techniques too? Maybe it's time to try a new challenge.
+RedDeltaProject Not yet. Chain training is lowering my reps to regular push ups and i can barely do diamond pushups with chain training.
+RedDeltaProject Also I'm going to continue my regular routine and after ive progressed to the hardest techniques I'll do the challenge.
+RedDeltaProject Hey again Matt. But the other thing is that should I do sets or cycles for my current workout routine? Don't know which one is best or are they the same?
i like your personality. you talk exciting but dont get on my nerves somehow :D
A simple tip for everyone whether you are doing calisthenics body building or weight lifting
"QUALITY OVER QUANTITY"
Doesn't matter how many reps youare doing the thing that matter is that how many quality reps you are doing ...
I dont even do calisthenics but I love how you explain everything
Not even 3 minutes into your video, and I already can't wait to do my routine in a few hours and to let all your wisdom sink in from today on! Thank you so much, Matt! This is how you truly boost a beginner - or anyone for that matter. Thank you so much for your sensitivity, man, people in general are really lacking that, and for sharing this with the world. I'm a new follower and subscriber as of today! All of the best to you, man.
Rock on and train hard. I've got more of these videos coming soon!
THX Man, i just realized that i've been chasing my own tail until now for almost a decade now. Fixed routines are so fine, but looking for the perfect one is dragging you away from the actual work. I found really great ones but they made me miserably bored with working out (even though it was from Gymnastic Bodies from Coach Sommer - great guy). Today I went to park and just played around, did the stuff i was always to do when i was much younger and much less strong. This felt just great and as a result I finally found a way to feel happy for some working out again. Thank You sir - you made me realize it was a good thing - even though i am no begginer at all.
You're welcome and thanks for checking out my video. btw, keep an eye out for a new video this week as I'm combining a bit of freestyle and structure into the same workout. Might be right in your wheelhouse.
This guy knows exactly what he's talking about.
The guy speaks the truth. Yeah, listen to people. Try to find the right way to do your exerises, the way that doesnt lead you to injury. But for everything else you gotta just DO, and get used to it and listen to your body.
Good help for the beginners 💪
3:33 absolutely agree with using your palm instead of freaking "perfect pushup" handles. However the perfect pushup do help you get greater ROM. My tip as someone who's converting free weight principles to street workout, I can say that you'll do much better with 2 yoga bricks. These things rock! They cost about 2 bucks each, are more light weight and are durable. You actually develop wrist flexibility same as when you do pushups on the ground, but with greater range of motion. Can be used for handstand pushups, pike presses etc. Extra benefit: Your palms won't absorb all the bacteria from the ground.
I second that, I use wooden blocks myself
Great Vid. Best approach I've heard imo
I never use my push up handles either unless I want extra range of motion but they sure did help me when I could only do knee push ups.
Everyone who doubts calisthenics needs to pay very close attention to this video.
what exactly do you mean by bridging? do you have a video about it?
is he real world Alan Harper, who does calisthenics? ;-)
As someone who started training 3 weeks ago and has been having worsening wrist pain in multiple places for the past week, I'm having to take a break at archer, crystal, basic push ups and dips and some other things. I understand your logic in grip strength but I'd say if you have wrist injurys for more than a few days and icing, compression, wrist supports aren't helping when you're resting, then don't keep pushing yourself with the same actions that caused the injury because I used to be able to do 30-40 push ups with good form but now I struggle to do a few due to pain. Maybe I just pushed myself too hard too quickly but I hope someone can find this useful nonetheless
very solid advice. Sometimes something like joint pain can come from just one set, or even one rep where something just didn't work as it should and the damage then effects the following sets and workouts. Definitely rest and then ease back into the training.
I had a serious rep chasing issue back when first started, I was aiming for numbers like 900 pushups a day and 400 jump squats. That helped alot at the beginning for endurance but your are right, I guess it won't be the most conducive to strength progress.
I think everyone falls into this method of training sooner or later. it feels good and it's quite the accomplishment to achieve. They key is to move beyond it at some point.
Woah as if this guy has only 36k you are fantastic sir thank you
how do istart ? put some work in gddamit pushup pull up chin up dip. go go go.
Hey man, I think I have hit a peak in my training and I don't know how to go on from here. I am doing kickboxing training 2-3 times a week, and 2-3 cross training. I just think that my body is somewhat progressing very very slowly. Can I do something to help progress a little faster? My diet is mainly normal - not too much carbs and balanced protein (maybe less than what I should get idk). Thanks!
Hard to say, could do any number of things. More sleep, more food, better food, improved training, technique, rest, mindset etc.
I would chat with your kickboxing coach and see if they can spot any opportunities to make progress.
Finally somebody with some actual knowledge, not some teenagers who were trying until they managed to do something and then went on to tell the world how to achieve it.
I would also say that my biggest mistake was not (especially in the beginning) allowing adequate rest and getting adequate nutrition to allow my body to repair from the intensive workouts I was pushing through at 42 years old.
I recommend if your over 30 no more than 3 days a week and make sure to get lots of sleep also about once every 6 weeks lay out a week to allow your body time for deeper repair of tendons and cartledge.
As long as you are not gaining fat your not overeating. Eat clean and shoot for 1.2-1.5 grams/lb of bodyweight of clean protein.
Take glucosamine/condrotine, fish oil, BCAA's and Creatine Monohydrate these will help your body repair faster and synthesize the protein.
I now do weight training about 2x week and calisthenics 2x week and lay off or do cardio the rest of the time. That's been a good mix for me.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us wb5mgr.
Congrats on your progress thus far and keep up the good work!
Subbed, so good to find knowlegable people like you who cut through the bs. Only found yiur channel this morning and am already learning.
Welcome Ben. Feel free to drop questions and video requests in the comments anytime :)
this is so helpful thanks so much!
You said don't chase the reps
But today I did 136 tricep push ups ( L shaped seated push ups ) at once
it was easy until 50-60, then it was like real hell
And now I'll feel heavy pain for 3 days
won't this build muscle ?
If not, how will this help me / my body ?
Oh sure it will, but only to a point. The idea of rep chasing isn't so much about not adding reps. It's about not making adding reps the primary means of progression.
Well, to prepare for the new year, we've made a 2018 pushup challange. I did it with bars, everything else would have hurt at some point 1000+ :D
Whoa! Nice job!
Hi Matt, sorry I’ve just found this video and I couldn’t agree more! Just going to raise two points honest!! Lol firstly a cure for shoulders down and back AND grip is the Farmer’s walk if time is short or for some reason you can’t bridge yet.. just doing them once a week can be enough! Point two push ups... they too are a double whammy! On the stands you’re trying to press up on 27 little bones forced into a grip.. in the open flat position you’re pressing on just the end of the radius and ulna and secondly if you want to release inside elbow pain whilst warming up for chins you pull your hands back to 90 or hand upside against a wall and lift the shoulder right? So in the push up you are taking preventive measures to painful elbows in your pulling movements!!!
Thanks for the points Thomas, super agree with the farmer carry. I give that to a lot of clients. Super effective as a super set for push-ups and rows as well.
Love your videos, great food for thought. 42 year old guy moving into bodyweight and yoga but tell me please, what, if anything, do you do for cardio alongside your training. Thanks, phil UK
I don't do any cardio in the traditional gym sense. I do however ride my bike on the weekends and like to hike as well
Awesome Straight to the Point Well Spoken !
I wish I could go back and tell myself a lot of things. Great channel, very informative.
Thank you and welcome TreintaPumpkinSpice ArianaGrande! Feel free to drop questions or video requests anytime!
When I first started calisthenics I thought changing sex positions with my wife was a different exercise. However, she didn’t see it that way and that was my first mistake.🙀😸Not ducking was my second.😄
LOL!
"Hold on hon, we still have to hit a position that works the lateral chain."
great video and useful tips. thanks.
Excellent video, it will saved at least a thousand hours of videos with so much contained that do not help.
I think this is solid advice, my instincts already told me to do most of what you said in this video: however: the devil on my other shoulder is saying to go BY THE BOOK (CC). in the book it says not to even attempt bridging until you've gotten to step 6 of the big 4....
I'm still trying to figure out why personally. The first step in the bridge series is something I've found most anyone can start to do to at least some degree.
Love the weak grip explanation I say it to so many people at my local gym who strap everything to their hands and I just apply a little chalk.
Yea, there's a fine line between having a weak grip and using aids like chalk and wraps. Like all tools, they are beneficial and effective when used properly, but hold you back otherwise.
I found your tips really helpful. Bridging hanging and grip are all important for newbie like me. I did it wrong way and experience pain in my back. So after watching it ill restart with thư basic training focusing on spine and grip 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
SO glad I can help there Nguyyen. Keep training hard and stay strong.
Why would you squeeze your shoulder blades back and down surely this will mess up your scapulo numeral rhythm and when doing pull-ups or anything above head your scapula is meant to upwardly rotate? How can it do that if your forcing them down....
Good question,
It's helpful to think of your scaps as a sort of platform you can press off of with your arms. The important thing is to lock your shoulders in place rather than have them free floating. It's also about creating tension in the back muscles which helps keep your spine and core stable.
I'm a 39 yo female just starting calistenics. This video makes a lot of sense!! Thank you you sir is a star!
Welcome and thanks for watching Ashley, feel free to drop questions here anytime :)
how could you skip bridging? it's the most fun exercise,and back grows strong as hell. Before i started i couldn't do full bridges like in convict conditioning, not even 1 rep for full range, after like 3 weeks i can do 10 of them, and it feels awesome.
I know, I know! :)
Chock it up to ignorance and an ego that didn't like to do moves that felt uncomfortable. Still working on that.
Can you explain the difference between doing workouts for maintenance versus “getting in shape“ or conditioning or building muscle? How does one know a workout was just a maintenance workout or if it was actually beneficial?
basicly, maintenance workouts are done without any attention to progression. Just keep doing the same thing the same way over and over.
All other method are done with a focus on trying to improve or progress in some way.
Don't chase reps, chase muscle tension and fatigue - Fantastic advice, everyone should listen to this! Great video, thank you!
Thanks Joseph and train hard!
3:05 May I ask what caused the _drastic_ turnaround of your opinion towards
avoiding flat palm pushups?
What did the guys with the pitchforks say? :P
What's there to gain from the 'classic position'?
Because flat hand pushups do strain the wrist considerably, and not in a good way.
Also I don't see how those would help grip strength, since you are not clenching your palms in any way (like you'd have when hanging from a [thick] bar)?
On the other hand, doing pushups on handles actually enables you to consciously grip them very tightly during the exercise.
It even allows an increased range of motion and thus a stronger muscle stimulus.
I personally switched to doing pushups on my knuckles to avoid wrist injury.
Also because of another advantage according to some martial artists, as putting the pressure on the bones (not the joints) actually increases bone density, decreasing risk by increasing stability.
It engages my forearms more than the regular grip, isn't that another sign that that actually makes it the better option when aiming for grip strength?
I did them on flat palms for the longest time, and my grip strength always used to be shit, so that definitely didn't help at least.
I used to use handles, but a friend recommended I try going without for a bit saying it would help. I admit it was tough at first, but I had to admit he was right. All of that stress and strain from flat palm hands was due to weakness or deconditioning on my part.
i saw u somewhere ..ahmm.....oh yeah, ssup johny sins
Thank you bro your video was very helpful,but can make a video about the right nutrition for calisthenics and thank you.
Check out my playlist on diet and nutrition on my channel. Lots of good stuff for you there.
'youre fit, youre free' ... GOOD motto ....
How do you become better at "bridging"? Is there any exercies that focus on training the locking your shoulderblades in the correct position?
bridging is itself probably the best way to train that motion. You can do scapular retractions and depressions while hanging from a bar, but to get that specific motion for bridges you still want to incorporate some spinal flexion. There's a great exercise done on suspension straps that can help with this and I'll make a quick video on it soon.
Yeah, we know grip is never an issue for you because you have massive hands.
Not everybody does.
My grip used to suck actually, a winter of obsessive rock climbing helped alleviate that. Now towel hangs and grip work keep it in shape.
Nice dude. That guy with the weak grip needs to get out and learn to rock climb!
Rock is great for building the grip. Never had such a strong grip as that one winter when I was climbing 3-4 times a week.
honestly this is the most useful video on calisthenics tips (i'm a beginner who can't stop searching for the "best" program..) and your enthusiastic attitude is so inspirational. keep it up!
Thanks much Sandra, be sure to check out the RDP podcast and the free ebooks I have for you as well at reddeltaproject.com!
I like this video. it's really motivational
Just go out and do something is literally the worst advice there is, that is exactly why 99% of gym goers are wasting their time and doing stupid programs. because they get the feedback that it works from the beginnergains.
It's more targeted toward those who are always trying to learn the best way to do something, but they never take action thinking they need to know more or always be more ready before they take action.
It's good to learn, but only to the point where you know how to get started. once you know enough to begin it's time to learn by doing.
I'll be super happy if I get a reply right here: Is there any way I can message you privately (aside from UA-cam)?
For sure, always available at reddeltaproject@gmail.com
I just caught this video as I was ready to go exercise, but was stuck sitting at home watching too many beginner or how to vids. Came across yours and I'm walking to the park right now!
Rock on! Train hard and when in doubt do push ups!
about the reps and he convict program that i try to follow is that i can't do for exemple the jacknife squat for 40 reps and i tried for 1 year so what the alternativ should i stick to it until i'm able to do them before i go to the next step? cause it s seem that since i started this exrcice i don't have any gain from this routine"
just like he said just do anything and trial and error
Thank you very much sir, this was very informative and useful
Thank you Bala, and thank you for watching.
I literally just broke protocol and signed in to youtube on my company computer just to subscribe to this guy after seing the first 11 seconds.
lol, Thanks! Now get back to work! :P
All of this is stuff I need keep in mind. P by A is like my default mode (ADHD w/ comorbid anxiety, learning to do better.) My grip definitely needs work. I also lose mindfulness (adhd) therefore losing the mind muscle connection. Sure, I did the 15-20 pull ups, but I definitely didn't keep the tension right.
You have the best tricks and tips, bro. Thank you.🙏
Happy to oblige Rotten 5, be sure to check out some of my newer videos for better, updated info!
awesome videos man thanks for making these