body weight routines: suggestions or links appreciated.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i'm getting back into working out full swing and i am trying to get myself ready for lifting by mid summer.

so far i have been doing pushups, crunches, leg lifts, walking on my hands, back bridges, and pull ups. however i do them pretty sporadically just before starting my bag work. i just do whatever i feel like for the day.

i was wondering if anyone had any routines they wouldnt mind posting or even links to different material. i remember one i stumbled accross a long time ago some army dude wrote, but i cant remember where i found it and it might be a little too hardcore for me right off the bat.

also do i really even need a routine or is sporradic ok when starting back out?

[earnest]

you could try some of these- no idea of effectiveness

http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/OBB/OBB.htm

you could also look at
Dynamic Strength by Harry. Wong

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0865680132/qid=1054686889/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-9200904-3057464?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[Kempo Guy]

Try Scrapper's website! (www.trainforstrength.com) He has a few of his routines posted on his site under "workouts". I really recommend his tape (Mod 1). If you're just starting out, you may want to try his "workout 1" first. BTW, just because it's his first workout, by no means does it mean it's easy.
If you're looking for other tapes, another workout tape I particularly enjoy is the "MMA Workout" by Bas Rutten.

Just be creative, do your workouts in circuits which is a nice change of pace over doing one set after another of a given exercise. For instance, you could do something like this:

10 L/R Dumbell swings/snatches and/or 1 minute of rope work
20 Pushups (regular)
5 pull-ups
25 Deck squats
15 bootstrappers
20 flutter kicks
10 dips
10 Lunges (per leg, so 20 repetitions total)
5 L/R turkish get-ups w/a weight (try 35-40 lbs db to start)
20 crunches
Btw, these exercises are done without any rest between each rep/set.
-- REST 60 - 90 sec. --
REPEAT 5 - 10 times

I do circuit type of workouts all the time as I don't get as bored with the workouts. I switch up the exercises somewhat from one day to the next.

There are many exercises you can add or subtract from the list above, but some of my favorites are (beside the one above):
handstand pushups, diamond push-ups, pistols, Janda sit-ups, full-contact twist, ab wheel, tiger bend pushups, headstand leg raises (these are tough), dragon walks (similar to lunges). I'm sure I forgot some... :D


If you are looking for good results, I don't recommend "sporadic training". I always recommed for people to plan their workouts ahead of time. This will make you more time efficient and give you a goal for that particular day's workout. If the program needs tweaking during the workout it can always be done, but at least you have a blueprint to follow. It drives me nuts to see people at the gym floating from one machine to another with no real thought as to what they are doing... they just "worked out" that day... :rolleyes: Having said that, I also recommend setting a long-term goal and a short term goal for your training.

Personally I keep a training log where I write down every workout and after the workout I write down comments as to how I felt during the workout, whether I should add reps/sets to a particular exercise etc. I've done this for years... I do this for my martial arts as well (i.e. teaching outline for the day when I teach and notes after my MMA training). This year I've also logged my food and fluid intake from day to day. I plan most of my meals the day before but this has proven to be difficult when I'm on the road...

Sorry for the long rantish post.

KG

[Ford Prefect]

KG brings up some good points. To have the most amount of success and make your workouts the most beneficial, you should always have some well thought out goals. I like to set one big goal for myself; like say gaining 20 lbs of muscle in 6 months and then split it up into smaller more easily attainable goals. You can then build your program and research what an optimal program to use for reaching your goals.

The idea of a training log is good too. It is much easier to keep track of progress, and it is always motivating to see how far you've come since the beginning of that log.

Obligatory BWE Routine:

Pyramid 10-20 push-ups by 2’s (10, 12, 14…20)
Do 20 squats between each set of push-ups
Pyramid 20-50-70-100-120-150 Yard Sprints
Do 5 pull-ups after each sprint and rest 20 seconds
Pyramid 20-10 push-ups by 2’s (10, 12, 14…20)
Do 20 squats between each set of push-ups
Pyramid 150-120-100-70-50-20 Yard Sprints
Do 5 pull-ups after each sprint and rest 20 seconds

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

thanks for the suggestions, but maybe i should have been a little more specific. i'm not just starting out, but starting over. i was in pretty decent shape up until this time last year. was almost benching 200lbs at 135 ... yeah i know its not amazing but still. then chemo ate me away and am trying to take it easy building back up.

my dr. cant give me any specifics on what to watch out for when working out ... he just keeps saying that i really shouldnt do heavy work outs for up to a year. i have given it six months and im done waiting, though i am being very careful. i do alot of bag work and my power is coming back in leaps and bounds so i dont foresee any major problems in getting myself ready to start lifting.

what i meant by sporadic is that i'd always have 4 to 6 exercises picked out but not do them in any particular order ... very little to no rest between ... and have been going just beyond what's comfortable for now and pushing a little more each workout. right now i been doing 10 pushups (but keeping everything flexed as tight as possible both ways and taking about 6 - 7 seconds per rep), 10 - 15 steps walking on hands, 3 X 30 - 40 second back bridges, 10, 9, 8, etc. chinups, 20 then 10 crunches, and have been planning on adding handstand pushups but havent gotten around to it cause walking on my hands is so much more fun. for legs i do breathing sets and leap up onto a wall i used to make with ease a couple times. this is mixed with a lot of bag work (at least a lot for me right now) and basic technique work plus sparring once a week. if a certain body part is sore ill skip those exercises that day.

do you guys think this is decent or is there more i could be doing for rebuilding slowly? maybe try your suggested workouts but scaled down?

[Suntzu]

Scrapper is a murderer… did 1/2 of PT for convicts last nite… and I thot I was in good condition… I can hit the bag all day but that sh!t kills me…

I suck at training logs… I quit keeping the specifics unless I'm working on max strength… I just note corrections I need to make… 'light bulb' moments… etc…

[fa_jing]

I've been working on Pistols and Wrestler's bridge lately. It sounds like you might want a little more lower body work.

Also I recommend resistance bands like my Power Pushup, it's safer and more convenient than weights. Of course a little less effective, too, but for your purposes might be right up your alley.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

Personally I keep a training log where I write down every workout and after the workout I write down comments as to how I felt during the workout, whether I should add reps/sets to a particular exercise etc.

i did that religiously with lifting and plan to do so again. i know it would be a good idea to do with the body weigt stuff im doing now, but its harder cause i'm just kinda prepping myself for lifting and likely wont continue these exercises much afterwards.


It sounds like you might want a little more lower body work.

maybe, but the breathing sets i do are pretty intense for my legs right now. the first involves sitting in horse for about 5 minutes. this is immediatley followed by a set that involves going into a real low squat holding it ... back to reg horse holding it .... over and over again for about 4 mintues. im upping the amount of time i spend on both exercises weekly. my thighs definatley are getting much stronger but i know it wouldnt hurt to throw in some calf raises.