Would it be a good idea to use body weight exercise to lose weight(fat), while maintaining strength late in the season, or would this be to detramental to the periodization (ie. throw off your peak)?
I am trying a circuit with 3 elements. First pull ups, then push-ups, then abs. I am doing 4 sets all together. With the reps of pull-ups and push-ups decreaseing each sets (25 first set, then 20 2nd set, and so on), but abs stay the same. and i am doing short rest between each exercise (rep) 10secs, and 5 mins or so between sets. I want this workout to increase my strength endurance, promote circulation(meet two days ago), and not affect my overall volume (too much), and not tire me out tomorrow or the next day. note i am ending season (2 weeks). Commments?
well back in september and right the way through til feb this year, i did circuits. Because i had no track to train on, or money for a gym.
I named my routine “Death by Body Weight”
the deal is to have very short recovery.
Dumbbell curls
4sets of 15kg 20rep
1.30sec recovery between sets.
2.30sec recovery
6sets of 60reps push ups,. 1min recovery between sets
2.30sec recovery
6kg Weighted plate, across chest.
3sets of 50reps, my own variation sit ups. 1.30sec recovery between sets.
Alternating, knees touching chest, like a running motion.
4sets 40reps Pile Out sqaut with Dumbell.
1.30sec reocvery betweens sets.
“DEATH BY BODY WEIGHT”
The workout was not called death by body just to make it sound tough it was. My physic was tremendous, i would do this workout every other day. I had to do this, because it kept me going through the winter months.
The first time i did it, it was close to death. But i made sure i completed the workout.
I have also been a fan of bodyweight exercises, and am gonna start to involve some more circuits am doing one tommorow. Because its bank holiday and the gym is closed.
My interpretation on “body weight” exercises are those that only include the lifting of one’s body weight. Any exercise that incorporates the use of dumb bells and weighted plates is not a pure body weight exercise.
Probably one of the most successful uses of a body weight circuits is the Jim Bradley training system that also includes speedball.
The training involves 6 x 3 mins on the speedball followed by 5 circuits of body weight exercises.
We do them in this order:
Sit Ups
Chin Ups
Sit Ups
Dips
Squats
Push Ups
Because the exercises are purely body weight and you’re body will only lift itself so many times before fatigue sets in, the exercises can be done each day with a 24 hour rest between circuits.
It is a 12 week program - 72 days of relentless slog.
By the last week some athletes should be capable of 5 sets of 30 chin ups, 5 sets of 40 dips, 5 sets of 300 sit ups, 5 sets of 60 push ups, 5 sets of 80 squats.
I have seen athletes completely change their body shape in the 12 weeks - becoming very powerful & strong.
In the last week, the athletes will try and do a max session. I once saw an athlete do 2000 sit ups in succession.
They can also hit the speedball at over 300 hits per minute for 3 mins.
Track work during the 12 weeks is restricted to 6 run throughs about 4 days per week. This is done after the exercises or in the morning, if time permits.
Hey Youngy,
Do you do have a break in between the sets, or is it a continuous, (5 x 5) 25 set session?
Also, are the “Chinnies”, 1 count each leg, or 1 count after both legs completed?
This program is done for 12 weeks, every day in succession ? Or were you using this in conjunction with another lifting scheme? Sounds interesting…
"This program is done for 12 weeks, every day in succession ? Or were you using this in conjunction with another lifting scheme?
No other lifting program is involved or factored in. The gym program is done 6 days per week, we have Sunday off.
At one stage Jim Bradley use to have his athletes do it 7 days per week, however I personally believe in one day off for complete rest. Besides some of us have families!
I also differ slightly in that I break it up into two x six week phases. After the first six weeks, we do testing on each of the exercises and a speedball max for 3 min test.
Then we do a second six week phase with another week of testing. That’s when the huge numbers are experienced. Most of our athletes are capable of doing 1000 sit ups or chinnies in succession. (We count one per sit up, not one for both legs).
In my opinion, the high level of superb general conditioning on leaving the gym is ideal for commencing the track phase.
I know it runs to counter to the accepted rules of strength & conditioning, but having done it myself, running significantly quicker (at age 31) than I ever ran before, I am a great believer in the Bradley training method and hence now use it as the base for my my own squad.
What kind of differences are you seeing in your athletes using this program as opposed to a general weight training program? Stats, bodyweight, times, etc…
What kind of athletes are you working with? How many reps per set for the exercises? How is this determined?
5 sets of 30 chinups with limited rest? That’s sick.
Hey Youngy,
Do you do have a break in between the sets, or is it a continuous, (5 x 5) 25 set session?
Bluey
There’s a brief respite between each exercise set. As much break as you need before going ont the next set of exercises.
Going from the push ups to the sit ups is not that difficult as they attack different parts of the body, so the breaks between each set are not that large, maybe 3 mins.
This is a random excerpt from my training diary - Thursday 2/10/90. (Second last season I competed) It was the second last week in the gym.
6 x 3 mins Speedball. Averaging 648 hits per round. (Counting one hand at an ave of 324 per round)
Then 5 rounds of exercises.
Started 5-30pm
200 sit ups
16 chin ups
50 sit ups.
30 Dips
50 Squats
50 Push Ups
30 Calf Raises (I included these of my own volition)
Set 1 took 20 mins.
Set 2 took 24 mins.
Set 3 took 20 mins.
Set 4 took 23 mins.
Set 5 took 24 mins.
Finished the 5 rounds at 7.49pm. Therefore there was about 2 mins between sets.
I was aged 30 at the time and 6 months later ran the fastest I ever ran - 2nd in the 1991 Stawell Gift off 8.25m in 12.10 secs.
I always had trouble with chin ups and looked on in envy at the blokes who could do 30 plus. The most I ever got up to was about 5 sets of 20 (2 seasons before).
Interestingly looking at the diary again - On 5/10/90, after my 6 x 3 min rounds on the speedball, I did 1500 chinnies in succession. (sit ups where there’s a slight twist and the knee comes to the chest).
I train about 20 athletes from distances 70m to the mile. The blokes doing the 800m/1600m events spend lesser time in the gym and obviously do a bit more track work.
80% of our athletes are sprinters up to 400m.
IMPROVEMENT
I have had athletes come from other squads where they had not progressed for years, come into our squad & improved substantially. One athlete aged 31 ran a PB of 47.24, a month ago. His previous PB was 48.20, recorded 4 years ago.
This season he ran 10.87/21.74/47.24 - all big PB’s.
Wow, great thread! I tried the circuit a couple of times and it was tough! I have only managed three sets so far but I am out of shape.
I can only imagine the shape one would be in putting up the numbers you describe.