Can you help me make a workout?

[scotty1]

Hi

On another thread Ford Prefect said that a person should be able to do 3 sets of 10 chin ups before advancing onto weighted chin ups.

I'm aiming for this by doing pyramind sets to build my reps as well as doing 3 sets of X reps (my maximum without going to failure.)

What in your opinion is the number of pushups that a person should be able to do before advancing onto weighted pushups? And how how the hell can you add resistance onto a pushup, without raising your legs? Surely if you add resistance by placing your feet higher, your chest is being hit less and less?

I know that after you can do a certain number of reps you aren't strength training any more with these exercises, so you need to add more weight. What I am trying to do is establish a goal to go for with unweighted reps.

The way I will go for this goal is by doing either one set of pyramid repetitions ( the base of the pyramid being when my form starts wobbling, and not failure) or 3 sets of X reps, again not going to failure, daily.

This pattern will be carried out everyday, cycling between pushups, chin-ups and pull ups. Anyone have any suggestions for cycling between these three exercises? And is it worth including any tri dips in the cycle?

Rest days will kind of come naturally on days that I'm too busy at work to train. I know this training is pretty low intensity, but I'm aiming to do it daily, and I still have a problem with my sternum that isn't helped by high intensity training. So I'm going for a high volume, low intensity approach.

Can anyone help with an opinion or something? Thanks.:)

[Mr. Bao]

scotty1

Hi. I would agree with Ford Perfect's logic of at least doing 3 sets of 10 chins up before advancing into weighted chins. You gotta learn to develop the basic bio motor skills of chins, and adding weight too early might hinder your development. However you can simply add 1.5-5lbs per week to your own body weight chin with no harm. Be patient and work honestly toward your goals.

"What in your opinion is the number of pushups that a person should be able to do before advancing onto weighted pushups?"

That depends on your goals. If you want to develop strength and after doing 30 reps or more of push ups, then it is time to advance to weighted push ups.

"And how how the hell can you add resistance onto a pushup, without raising your legs?"

Simply, there is a rubber tubbing tool called "Power Push Up II" www.performbetter.com which you can add 50-200lbs of resistence to your back while performing standard push ups.

"Surely if you add resistance by placing your feet higher, your chest is being hit less and less?"

In theory, yes.

"I know that after you can do a certain number of reps you aren't strength training any more with these exercises, so you need to add more weight. What I am trying to do is establish a goal to go for with unweighted reps."

Set a number and go for it.

"The way I will go for this goal is by doing either one set of pyramid repetitions ( the base of the pyramid being when my form starts wobbling, and not failure) or 3 sets of X reps, again not going to failure, daily."

Ok

"This pattern will be carried out everyday, cycling between pushups, chin-ups and pull ups. Anyone have any suggestions for cycling between these three exercises? And is it worth including any tri dips in the cycle?"

I would do squats, push ups, chins, and dips daily that is if you are not going to failure. Daily I would just add one more rep than the last time.

"Rest days will kind of come naturally on days that I'm too busy at work to train. I know this training is pretty low intensity, but I'm aiming to do it daily, and I still have a problem with my sternum that isn't helped by high intensity training. So I'm going for a high volume, low intensity approach."

Ok

"Can anyone help with an opinion or something?"

Sure, if you into body weight exercises. Go to www.performbetter.com and check out Juan Carlos Santana videos on body weight exercises or you can go check out Matt Furey site www.mattfurey.com and see CombatFitness book which is an over price book. I have truly lost my respect for him, but anyhow best of luck.

[Samurai Jack]

Hi scotty1,

I used to add resistance to my pushups by adding weights to a backpack and then hittin' the deck. I made sure to center the weights between my shoulder blades since I didn't want them resting on my lower back. Weighted push ups really work your abs and lower back as well as your chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids. I'd even feel a burn on my posterior deltoids too (probably from the negative protion of the rep).

Anyhow, I started to find that I wasn't able to fit enough weight into the backpack to actually provide much of a challenge. I ended up joining a gym and hitting the bench. On the other hand, a solid frame pack would let you hoist at least eighty pounds or so, and that combined with your bodyweight would most definately provide a decent workout.

Train hard!

[Cheese Dog]

Scotty1, you could always get someone to sit on your upper back while you do pushups. I highly recomend small, cute asian women for this practice.;)

[scotty1]

Thanks for the responses guys. Interesting observations on those weighted pushups Jack. I was worried about the weights in a pack sliding about all over my back.

The thing is, now is the time for this **** chest injury to heal. I've tried everything, Acupuncture, Chiro, not doing anything at all, training like hell, Western medicine, Eastern medicine, you name it, no-one can even tell me what it definitely is, let alone fix it.

So now, I'm going to try and train a bit more sensibly and practice some taiji form, see how that goes.

But I don't think either 3 sets/pyramid set of pushups AND 3 sets/pyramid set of pull ups/chins is going to break any bones.

And that way, all the major upper body areas get hit in one day, everyday, but to a low intensity. Which is probably the best way for my chest to slowly strengthen.

Dips seem to hit my chest in a bit more of an intense way (the injury I mean) so I guess I'll put them in instead of the pushups like every 3 days or so.

[scotty1]

And as far as reps goes, I'll always push it as far as I can, but stop when I feel failure approaching and the form starts wobbling.

[Kempo Guy]

Another alternative to Pyramid training is density training. Do a search in this forum on Density Training. It's a great way to build up rep volume. I posted some info on density training here. (http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=20540)

KG

[scotty1]

While we're on the subject (which is, at how many reps do bodyweight exercises become endurance rather than strength building) what are people's opinions on crunches?

At how many reps do you think that weight/resistance should be added? 3 sets of 50 seems, to my mind, to be a good starting point for adding resistance.

When we are discussing these goals, do you think that by being able to do say 3 sets of 30 pushups, or 3 sets of 10 chins, that this is a reasonable endurance?

When you start adding weight to further increase your strength, is it important that you still retain the ability to do these 3 sets of X reps, in order to maintain a minimum level of endurance?