2 Words 90's kids love to hear when they played Mortal Kombat. Yesterday, I was messing around with Push-Ups and wanted to find out how my technique stood out doing just regular style, no handles, no PUGS, no fists, only the classic. Turned out better than I thought.
Push-Ups in general are weird for me since I'm a bit more one sided than the other so it wouldn't matter the variation, it was going to have some balance issues even if it's not noticeable to the naked eye. Yeah sure I've done plenty of them over the years and continue to do so but in ways that suit me and not what I've been told to do. In some sessions I'll do 100-200 and can do quite a few in a row without struggling much but I get just as much out of the Isometric versions without always going for reps. The Hybrid Push-Up variation from Overcoming Isometrics is my personal favorite and it's tough as shit as it builds strength from another perspective.
Before my 500 Rep Band Workout, I figured I'd see how my form was and do 25 in a row. I didn't focus so much on speed although I could explode up well, I rather focused on my control and balance. Safe to say it was one of the best sets I've ever done in quite a while. Were they completely flawless? Maybe not, there's always room for improvement but they were pretty fucking strict as best as I can make them and utilized tension in my back, legs and core while moving down to my chest to the floor and back up.
See below.....
They weren't anything special, after all, they're just boring push-ups right? The truth is, if one wants to do 100's of them a day, that's awesome and it works for just about about anybody (emphasis on Just About) but for someone like me who likes to move things along and not spend a ton of time on them, I like to put my attention on creating the stimulus by performing them in a slower fashion, using as much tension as possible to move but only able to get 12-15 reps and I'd be spent for that set. Some like to do them in a partial format going as far as to only the mid point and back up doing Time Under Tension that way, I've done as many as 50-60 in a row doing that and it builds a hell of a pump. Guys like Mike Bruce do that and he's shredded while being in his 50's. It all depends on what you want to do.
Push-Ups is always going to be a classic and it's important to know them as a foundational and part aspect of strength training. If there was anyone that was the true GOAT of push-ups it's Jack Lalanne in my opinion, others like Herschel Walker & Mike Tyson were phenoms with them but Jack was in a class all by himself with the incredible things he did along with his inspiring training modalities.
Use little progressions to build solid levels of strength but as long as you stick to the basics and focus on the technique and control of the movement beyond the numbers, you can go far. Here's a free guide to multiple variations from beginners to advanced with workouts and little challenges you can go for. Doesn't cost you an arm and a leg that some try to scam you on and don't have any real progressions that mean something. Some courses don't even give you a starting routine or how to progress to being able to do more, they just expect people to do whatever how many push-ups and determine how weak or strong someone is with no context other than calling them losers or worse. It's stupid and degrading.
Progress in your own time, once something becomes easy, do more or do a harder variation. A key thing to remember is, you always have room to grow, don't go to such extremes where the risk to injuries becomes greater. Train so you can minimize injuries. Some tend to push so hard themselves it's like they're asking to injure themselves on purpose. The hell kind of way is that to train? That's just needing to be on meds man.
Be amazingly awesome and drop down and give me a few. See what's possible to build real world strength, not chase numbers to prove how above you are someone.
Egon Spengler? We know who is forever and miraculously still alive (Got to hand it to you naitch). Anyhow...Yesterday was a pretty good day, worked on my neck, got a few joints loosened up and got in some Isometrics to target a few things. Not too shabby.
In the midst of it all, thought I'd film an exercise I haven't done in a while, did a couple takes since the first video looked like you can't see my hands so you wouldn't know what the fuck I was doing. The second worked out well and was the finishing touch. I figured I'd get in some Diamond Push-Ups which are pretty gnarly. They're great for building strength in the Triceps and hitting that inner part of the chest but the true nature of it is being able to control the movement with little to no jerking at all, some might get away with it but when you really focus into it, touch your chest to your hands and back up, it's an awesome feeling.
Push-ups have their place, hell I've done enough of the PUGS that I can attest to this. Doing multiple variations can have a great impact on how you develop. I may not do 100's upon 100's in a workout as much as I did back in the day, hell within a 90 minute period I did 600 doing different types and playing off a ladder format for each exercise going up to like 12-15 (1, 2, 3 and so on) and then go back down. Think one of the last times I did hundreds of them was doing 300 Military Style. That was interesting but been a minute since then.
Personally these days, I'll do them for fun and have thought about getting back into them but at the moment, I'm having a kick ass time with the bands, the hammers, isos and as recently, the slam ball (holy shit that fucking ball). When it comes to push-ups, I like doing Burpees doing the 30 sec on/90 sec off workouts which I hit about 9 or so per round. Awesome workout and a hell of a metabolism booster.
Training is an adventure, don't let anybody tell you different, its hard at times and it can test your abilities, but don't ever make it feel boring or a chore, sure you may need to push yourself to do it when you don't always want to but that's the beauty about adapting and making the most of it in the moment. It's not always going to be fun nor is it always going to flow right but you do what you can and get at it. Be amazingly awesome and remember, diamonds can be a man's best friend too LOL.
The fun thing about training is the experimenting and seeing what comes out of it. Being an advocate for Isometrics especially Overcoming, it is a method that not only strengthens the tendons and ligaments but also enhances the quality of life as you move through ranges of motion. Yeah sure you're hitting various angles in a single point but as you strengthen those single points that leads to greater range of motion later on, it puts another perspective into play.
A good routine that helps build that strength can be done almost in a split style; doing various muscle groups on certain days or you can work on doing Upper Body one day and then Lower Body the next. The possibilities are endless. Working on certain muscle groups can help find your weak points from another point of view and hit the muscles hard without spending a ton of time. Although I prefer the 7-12 Second contraction method, you can vary the intensity and length of time however you like or what gives you the most benefit. That's the true secret is what helps you move forward and have a wealth of knowledge that puts you in the driver seat instead of being the passenger.
Having an upper and lower body split routine can be beneficial because you can hit muscles hard and then rest them while working on the others. You can even make a point of working on say shoulders and chest on let's say Monday, Legs on Tuesday, Back & Arms on Wednesday and Legs again on Thursday. You can then have the option of taking a "rest" day and do some casual stuff or repeat the program, it's up to you. Just remember to pay attention to your body and get a feel for it, you don't want to go into overkill mode. If you need a break, take it, your body, your choice.
Isometrics in my eyes and in many, is one of the most underrated methods of strength training for a reason. It's not glamorous nor is it easy but it also doesn't sell a whole lot cause all it looks like to the untrained eye is just a hold for a few seconds or longer. Looks too simple and people shrug it off. It's simple but even the most basic holds can test your strength and even show your weaknesses almost immediately. When you utilize Isometrics into a routine, it can make you faster, lift with greater efficiency and hit spots you may be lacking at. It's more than just a stand-alone or add on, it's a next level style of work that gives you tools that bring you into another realm of strength. The type of strength that means something, life saving, the difference between winning and losing, the way you shake a person's hand, your performance in sports and combat. It is an essential part of physical fitness that can't be ignored.
Learn the value of Isometrics and incorporate them into your life, see and feel what you can accomplish. Keep being amazingly awesome.
Subject
Suggestions: What
Is R.E.A.L. Functional Training?
Are
Your Functional Workouts Functional?
#1
Functional Training Mistake Revealed
How
To Train To Look Great And Perform Even Better
You've probably heard of functional training right?
Functional training is in these days and it’s
definitely here to stay but I see way to many people take it way too far down
the “functional” path. Here’s what I mean…
Do you ever go the gym and see people standing on
fluffy discs filled with air doing ridiculous exercises with pink bands? Is
this real functional training?
I can’t remember the last time I was caught in a
situation where I had to stand on an air filled disc and do side raises with a
pink stretchy band. This is where most people go wrong, deciding to perform
worthless “functional” exercises thinking that their doing themselves a favor.
So what is real functional training? And why should
you do it?
If you take on serious functional training
workouts, you will build an awesome looking body that looks great and performs
even better! It’s the true key to lasting, powerful results and don’t you let
anyone tell you otherwise!
Here’s what R.E.A.L. Functional Training means according to
my buddy and functional training guru Tyler…
Realistic Exercises
Executed With Perfect Form
At A High Intensity
Leaving You With A Body That Looks Good And
Performs Even Better!
This is a great philosophy to hold your workout standard to and this is what I
have seen gets people the best results! If you perform real movements, with
good form at a high intensity you will get awesome results!!
Tyler’s a sharp dude and focuses on teaching people
his R.E.A.L. Functional Training philosophy and his PM-3 method which promises
to build a body that looks great and performs even better.
Ben Bergman
P.S. Tyler’s new program takes all of his PM-3 ideas and put them into a brand
new system called The Warrior Upper Body System. It literally teaches you to go
from basic bodyweight and weighted exercises all the way to complex and bad to
the bone bodyweight training and hardcore weight training. It covers every
exercise in great detail and includes 45 done-for-you upper body workouts! PLUS
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