Pushup Pyramids

[Oso]

started typing this on another thread but I've been meaning to get advice on what's happening with this.

I've done the entire 'workout #1' 5 times in 3 weeks time with the intervals listed below. it's been over a week since I did it because of a seminar this past weekend.


here's what happened in the pyramid to 12 pushups

1st - failed at 5th pushup going for 9

...3 days between

2nd - completed to 12 and back down, really strong, no failures

...2 days between

3rd - failed going for 10

...7 days between

4th - failed going for 11

...7 days between

5th - completed to 12 and back down but not so strong feeling.


upon failure I took the minute rest and then attempted to hit the number I failed at. in each instance where I failed on the way up, I failed coming back down until I hit the 6 rep set.

so, my thought is that if I fail at a set that should be my turnover point that day.



Q: Should I continue to go to 12 sets even if I fail at each set beyond a certain point?


Q2: Has anyone bought the tapes? I'm so impressed with this workout that I would like to at least support the guy for posting these things free but don't want to waste money if the tapes aren't so good.

[Ford Prefect]

From what I hear, the tapes are great. It's basically him just getting you to follow along with his pace. You have to push yourself to keep up, which is good since it's difficult to push yourself when you're alone.

If you fail on a set, I'd say to use that as your turn-over point for the day. Just start working down from the last set you successfully completed. Be sure to have an aggressive mind set. It'd be pretty easy for mental factors to cause what you are describing.

[Oso]

that's good about the tapes.

that's what I thought about the failure point. I've also been doing PT for my shoulders but I've done the PT on either side of the workout days.

on the plus side: whereas I could barely move the day after the first two workouts I've not been nearly as sore after days 3,4,5.

gonna hit it tomorrow and saturday. traveling thur and fri

thanks.

[red5angel]

hey Oso, can you desribe this thing for me? I'm no sure what the rest point is and how many pryamids your doing but it sounds interesting.

[Oso]

http://www.trainforstrength.com/workout1.shtml

[norther practitioner]

OSO,

I haven't kept up with it, but I'd go to failure, then turn it around from the level I was on before I failed.

example
1
rest
2
rest
3
rest
4
rest
5
rest
6.... fail on 5th pushup
rest
5
rest
4
rest
|
|etc...


It seemed to provide me w/ progress, however, I don't have much to compare it to.

[Serpent]

Hey Oso - did you read this bit at the end of workout #1?


FINAL NOTES

Here are a couple tips to help you consistently improve instead of burning out right away:

* Stay hydrated before, during, and after the workout. Nothing is worse than doing these while your body is in need of water.

* If the routine calls for a Pyramid of a particular exercise, but you can't complete the entire Pyramid, stop when your form starts to deteriorate and take a break. When you feel able, start where you left off and work your way back down to 1. Continue this for a couple more workouts and then "up it" one level, on the Pyramid, at a time until you can do the entire thing.

*The same concept applies to the Shootfighters / Boot-strappers (the biggest complaint section of all). Keep the number of sets the same but drop the reps to a number you can do properly. As you get stronger, add the reps to each set until you can complete the entire thing.

;)

[norther practitioner]

I knew I read that somewhere.:p

[gwa sow]

that site rocks. i do the pyrimid to 12 and back down. that doesn't hurt to bad. its the triangle pushups to failure that hurt. i really like the hinu squats. if anyone has stamina problems, look up the "30 gallon gas tank" on that site

[Vash]

Indeed. Taku 'bout killed me.

As an aside, my goal is to one day do an RX Squat (http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=498C653C7C7AF4D925A36C7865 7FEC5F.titan?id=523329).

[gwa sow]

i think if i tried the weighted kick-up, i would drop it on my head.

[Oso]

whups...........that's what I was doing anyway but didn't remember if it was right and didn't go back to the sight to reread the bottom.

[Ford Prefect]

I always just do 15 in a row when it calls for a pyramid from 1.

1-2-3-4-5 = 15

It's a lot less time consuming and is actually challenging. ;)

[Oso]

lost me on that one...

no rest between sets and only a max rep of 5 then back down?

yea, it takes me like 15 minutes to do the pyramid.

[Ford Prefect]

Naw. Say if it's a 1-12-1 pyramid. If you do:

1 rep...

rest...

2 reps...

rest...

3 reps...

rest...

That's wasting good time and it's not challenging in the least. For push-ups anyway. So I just do:

15 reps...

rest...

6 reps...

rest...

7 reps...

etc. Up to 12 and back to 6, and then I do 15 again. 15 should be a cake walk even at the beginning of the pyramid, and by the time you are working your way back down to 5, you should have enough in you to blow out a set of 15. Saves time and is more challenging, IMO. The ultimate goal of working out, especially in this fashion, isn't to get as many reps as possible. It's to stress your muscaluture the most.

BTW, I prefer pyrmaids that incorporate different exercises for different body parts, so you are neving standing around. You are moving all the time. Two examples are:

1-10-1 Pyramid
Pull-ups x1 (1-10-1)
Push-ups x2 (2-20-2 ie by 2's...)
Ab Exercise x3 (3-30-3 ie by 3's) [/1]

This means you do:
1 pull-up
2 push-ups
3 abs
2 pull-ups
4 push-ups
6 abs
3 pull-ups
6 push-ups
9 abs...
etc up to
10 pull-ups
20 push-ups
30 abs...
and back down.

You have no or little rest. You end up doing 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, and 300 abs in about 15-20 minutes. To make it more challenging add a x2 dip pyramid after the abs, so you end up doing 200 dips too. It's great.

Old School Scrapper

This is a scrapper workout that he doesn't have on his site anymore. Maybe he has it on his tapes, but I loved it.

[i] Pyramid Up 1: Hindu Squats and Push-ups
You will be pyramiding from 10 push-ups to 20 push-ups by 2's. (ie 10-12-14...20) In between every set of push-ups, you do 20 hindu squats. It looks like:

10 push-ups
20 hindu squats
12 push-ups
20 hindu squats
etc...

Pyramid Up 2: Pull-ups and Sprinting
You will be sprinting from a place you can do pull-ups. The pyramid 20 yards (10 out and back), 40 yards (20 out and back.. etc), 60, 80, 100, 120 yards. After every sprint, do 5 pull-ups and rest 20 seconds. If you don't have an area to sprint, I've done jump rope high knee sprints and something called canadian wind sprints (basically like doing high knees in place and doing uppercuts with your arms) for 0:15, :25, :30, :40, :50, :60, :70 seconds. It'd look like:

20 yards
5 pull-ups
rest 20 sec
40 yards
5 pulls
rest 20 sec...

Pyramid Down 1: Hindu Squats and Push-ups
The same as the first one except you work your way down from 20 push-ups to 10 by 2's...

Pyramid Down 2: Pull-ups and Sprints
The same as the other one except your work your way down in the sprints...

This is a puker, but it can be done in 20 to 30 minutes and it nails every part of your body. You end up doing 240 hindu squats, 70 pull-ups, 180 push-ups, and 840 yards of total sprinting. Once this becomes easy, drop rest times or add kettlebell/dumbell swings after the sprints and pull-ups. Also change the push-ups to hindu push-ups or dive bombers.

Just be careful with the hindu's if you've never done them before. Be very slow and deliberate until your body gets used to them. Don't bounce.

That's it. Enjoy!

[Oso]

holy crap....man there's just not enough time to check out all the different options



those sound cool.

right now I'm gonna stick with the 'w/o #1' until i can do it all, correctly, and it feels less like I've been in a car wreck and more like a workout.:D

then I'll try some other stuff.

[red5angel]

oooooooh, scrappers workout! Yeah I've been doing #2 now for about a year, I love it. I do it in the morning before work about 3 times a week and it feels great. I sleep like a baby that night too!

I'm also doing the standing from bridge things, well, trying to. I haven't yet been able to stand but I can flip over and back and over and back a lot now.

[red5angel]

the think that sucks about the more plyometric stuff is I love in an older house in the city, you know, all hardwood floors. You can hear everystep someone takes all through the house. I like to do those sorts of workouts in the morning but it's hard when my wife and roommate are sleeping. Of course most of the year it's too cold to go out side

[Toby]

You should copy that post to one of the sticky threads Ford. Nice workouts.

[Oso]

I learned one from some shorinji friends of mine that was

Jumping Jacks
Pushups
Situps

Start high (pre class warmups would be like 15) and drop a rep each round.

not really a 'building' workout but it sure got you ready for class.