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IronFist
06-25-2001, 07:29 AM
Ok, when I finally found the site, instead of just posting it as a reply, I decided that it is so great that it deserves it's own topic. The program can be found here:

Working towards 100+ Pushups (http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Field/4992/100push.html)

Most people will find that, especially in the beginning, the diamond partials are very hard.

Make sure you read the directions, and are doing "partials" properly. Remember, it's from the BOTTOM to the MIDDLE, NOT the middle to the top.

I think some of you guys should try this, and let me know how it works for you. I have had nothing but incredible success with this program. Wow, I wish I got compensated for how much I push this guy's program :)

Let me know how it works for you.

Iron

David
06-25-2001, 12:14 PM
OK Ironfist! Tell us the story - did it work for you? If so, I may be up for it. Anybody else wanna join the experiment?

At the moment I do 40 standard pushups on my knuckles (30 on a bad day) and as many mantis pushups as I can after. I was aiming for 50 but have plateaued for the moment.

PS A couple of weeks ago I met a little guy who can do over 100 one arm pushups on either arm. He said he can do 60 "no sweat" and actually went for the Guinness record but came second. He showed me 20 and they were good. I had him try a one arm pushup I was shown in class (but still can't do) and he couldn't even do one. Boy, did that make me feel better. :-) I guess next time I see him he'll show me a 100 of the bloody things.

8-]

[This message was edited by David on 06-26-01 at 03:24 AM.]

harry_the_monk
06-25-2001, 04:32 PM
Sorry, probably being dumb, but what is a xiphoid(thing I'm supposed to be touching with my thumbs in position#1)????? :confused:

IronFist
06-26-2001, 06:01 AM
"OK Ironfist! Tell us the story - did it work for you? If so, I may be up for it. Anybody else wanna join the experiment?"

Oh **** dude, hell yes it worked! Not only that, but my bench went up 15 pounds in the first 4 weeks (sounds like bull**** doesn't it?). Not only that but it gives you a MAD pump in your chest and tris!

If you are incorporating this program into a weight lifting routine, let me know and I"ll tell you how to make the adjustments.

"Sorry, probably being dumb, but what is a xiphoid(thing I'm supposed to be touching with my thumbs in position#1)????? "

A xiphoid process is like where your rib cages meets in the front, in between your pecs

I think it would be cool is a lot of people here did the program and posted their results.

Iron

David
06-26-2001, 11:35 AM
xiphoid process = sternum?

I don't do weights, but 10wks (70 days) of doing this stuff will really upset my main schedule unless I go on a really healthy no beer stint.

I'm up for it if anyone else is. My housemate gets back from abroad today and he might be up for it too. He's into fitness but not MA.

I've typed up the entire 10wks of pushups so I can just tick them off. I can post the spreadsheet here, I think.

The powers of Kung Fu never fail!
-- Hong Kong Phooey

premier
06-26-2001, 06:13 PM
looks good.

does anyone have similar program for chin ups?

Ford Prefect
06-26-2001, 07:45 PM
I hate to constantly hype Pavel, but everything that I've tried of his has worked 100%. He wrote an article for this month's Muscle Media (can be found in GNC) that is suppoed to bring you up to 100 reps in a few weeks or so. You may want to take a look at it. BTW, he just came off a successful training for the US Marines.

To up your pull-ups, take a peak at these two articles and choose which approach wouldsuit you best:

http://www.cbass.com/Pavel'sLadders.htm

or

http://www.cbass.com/Synaptic.htm

I've done both approaches over the past year or so, and while I can't tell you my max set because I haven't done one in so long, I'm able to comfortably do 60+ full-range pulls over the course of a 30 minute wokrout that also includes intervals of push-ups, squats, and sprints.

IronFist
06-26-2001, 08:18 PM
"He wrote an article for this month's Muscle Media (can be found in GNC) that is suppoed to bring you up to 100 reps in a few weeks or so."

Everyone has been talking about this article. Can someone post it here for the rest of us? Thanks.

BTW, I don't know about Pavel's routine, but the one I posted will result in some hypertrophy and raw strength gain (evident on bench) as well as increased endurance (100 pushups).

Iron

Lost_Disciple
06-26-2001, 08:28 PM
I tried Dr Charles Poliquin's advice for those who can't really do pull ups.
His program was basically 4 sets of 30 second negatives- I did this on back day, so about once a week. I tried this for over a month; probly somewhere around 3 months, and have never gotten squat.
Does Pavel have any recommendations for pullups?
I remember reading an interview with him where he wasn't a big fan of negatives by themselves, because "it teaches you how to fail".

I can do one pretty decent pullup at a time. I'm in the process of switching to a routine of doing 10 single reps, hoping they eventually get easier.

Any advice?

Thanks

.

Ford Prefect
06-26-2001, 09:44 PM
Iron,

I might be getting it today, so I'll post it when I can.

LD,

How often do you have access to a pull-up bar? I'd believe Pavel would recommend the approach from that second link I posted. He calls it "greasing the groove." Basically, at random intervals during the day, crank out that one pull-up. Do this probably 3-5 times during the day for a few weeks and I guarantee that you'll be cranking out a few more easy reps. You can even use a chair to give yourself some assistance and do a couple more reps. A key thing is to never go to failure or even on the nerve. (the on-set of failure)

I took this approach with one-legged squats. I could barely do one when I first started, so every hour and a half at work, I'd go into the storage room and do 3 assisted one-legged squats. At the end of the month, I could do three easy unassisted reps for multiple sets in a row, and I've taken off from there.

IronFist
06-26-2001, 11:22 PM
Well, as far as pullups go...

Here is some advice that is totally the opposite of what Pavel would say, but it has worked so well for me that I can't not recommend it. Bascially, it's a modified version of Arnold's advice.

(This is for wide grip pullups for lats, palms away from you).

Do as many reps as you can at a time, until you get to 30 total. This may be 2 sets, or it may be 29 sets. I think it's best to start doing this kind of pullup because it uses your biceps as well as your back (so you get some assistance). Once you can do 30, increase the total to 50.

Once you can do 5 sets of 10, you will be very good at both lat-pullups and standard bicep pullups (palms toward you, hands shoulder width apart). Plus, you will get some nice back development.

Using this routine in the past, I have done the following routine: (all wide grip lat-pullups)

10 x bodyweight
10 x bodyweight + 10lb plate
10 x bodyweight + 25lb plate
10 x bodyweight + 45lb plate
10 x bodyweight + 25lb plate
10 x bodyweight
little sets to failure
One minute rest inbetween each set there.

At that time I weighed around 155-160lbs, but you have to admit it's still good :) (sorry, i had to brag, because my back is my best bodypart)

But please please, if you do pullups of either kind, GO ALL THE WAY DOWN AND ALL THE WAY UP!!! I am so SICK of seeing people go half way down and then back up and call that one rep. Want to know why your pullups suck? It's because you don't do the bottom half of the range of motion!!!

Oops, got carried away there.

One more thing, pullups (especially with weight attached) are a sweet exercise because not only do you get superb upperbody development, but in the gym you look like such a stud since most people can't do pullups at all!!! (so they're good for your ego too!)

Hahahaha!!!!

Iron

Lung Hu Pai
06-27-2001, 02:30 AM
Iron,
how would you incorporate this pushup program into a weightlifting routine?
thanks, Azar

IronFist
06-27-2001, 08:05 AM
To incorporate it into a weightlifting routine, make the following changes.

Say one week is this schedule: (i made this one up)

On, off, on, on, off, off, on

Ok, so whenever you start, you would start with the first day, on. Say the next day, you go to the gym and work chest/tri's/front deltoids (the pushup/benchpress muscles). If you are sore the next day from your weightlifting routine, you can't do pushups (exercising when sore is bad). So, instead of skipping days, kind of "put the program on hold," until the soreness wears off. Here is the same example:

Day 1: on (pushups)
Day 2: off, but you go to the gym and do a Chest/tri/front delt workout
Day 3: You're a little sore, so even tho today is supposed to be a pushup day, you are sore, so you don't do pushups this day (but you're not skipping the "on" day, you're just pushing it back until the soreness is gone).
Day 4: Soreness gone. Today you will do day 3's pushups.
Day 5: Do pushups, (day 4 of the pushup routine)
Day 6: Off
Day 7: Off
Day 8: On (today is actually the last day of the pushup program's week, but since you had to push one day back, you are now finishing a day later).

That was a bad example, so I hope it made sense. Basically, for each "week" of the pushup program, it may actually take you LONGER than an actual week to do it, if you experience soreness from a weight workout. Here is the above example in linear form:

Here is what the pushup program says to do: On, off, on, on, off, off, on.

Here is what you actually do, incorporating the soreness from Day 3's weight workout: On. off. rest because you're sore. on. on. off. off. on.

You are not allowed to skip pushup workouts, only move them back until your weight lifting soreness goes away.

On weightlifting days, if you do pushups, do them AFTER you hit the weights. If you do the pushups before lifting weights, you will be too fatigued and your weight lifting routine will suffer.

Did I explain it well? I probably tried too hard and ended up making it confusing. Let me know if you still have questions.

(note: I've never combined this routine with Pavel's PTP workout, so I can't give firsthand experience with the two combined. When I used the pushup program I was on a purely bodybuilding program that involved working chest/tri's/anterior delts once a week with weights)

Iron

Lost_Disciple
06-27-2001, 08:48 AM
Ford Prefect-
now that I think about it, Pavel's right. I used to have a pull up bar in my house, and used to try a rep or 2 anytime I went in or out of my room. It was the only time in my life I ever did more than 5. Unfortunately I broke it one day, playing Slam Dunk on it (fell on my ass too, still hurts thinking about it); plus we moved out of that house. I think I'm going to have to look into getting a pull up bar in my next apartment (I'm moving in a month or 2). Actually, have you seen those megastations- those metal behemoths that you can hang 2 heavy bags, a speed bag, and have a pull up bar on? Seriously considering getting one.

Ironman-
How much weight should I use? The max I can manage? How often should I do those pulldowns. Poliquin kind of disparaged using pulldowns to improve pull ups, saying the physics of the 2 movements was different enough not to translate well- but his idea didn't work, so I'm willing to open my mind.

The reason I thought the 10 single reps would be a good idea, is that I could space them out through out my workout, and kind of do what Pavel recommended with the "greasing the groove" thing.

Thanks for the advice. i'm going to give it a shot next time I have back day.

harry_the_monk
06-27-2001, 01:54 PM
hopefully it won't take up too much time to do the press-ups, pull-up idea is cool as I do some during my weight workout too, It'd also be good to see if it helps to improve my swimming at all.(seeing as both pretty much blast your back.)
Just want to get my hand positions right though.
#1 position is hands together(did you mean the solar plexus, or just in the middle of the rib-cage?)
#2 position is standard hands in line with shoulders?
#3 position only move hands out a further hands span?
I'll start it as of Monday, so if ya could let me know if I'm on the right track with that.
The pull-ups I will do from week after(maybe ;) )
Although I do prefer to do palms facing if I am working on press-ups as well.

Peace...

Ford Prefect
06-27-2001, 03:10 PM
Iron,

I have no doubt that it works. I think most people that have lifted for a while would admit that there are numerous "correct" way to reach your goal. I just like Pavel's advice because he gets the most of your body with the least amount of fatigue.

LD,

Sounds like a plan. I've never actually used one of those things, so I couldn't comment on it. I kind of agree with Poliquin about the lat pull-downs. I prefer to just strap weight to my waist, but to each his own.

IronFist
06-28-2001, 05:00 AM
I must have mistyped something...

When I said "10 x bodyweight + 10lb plate" I meant I'm still doing pullups but I have a 10lb plate strapped to my waist.

I never do lat pulldowns on a machine. Those suck!!!

So, sorry for any confusion.

Iron

remo
06-28-2001, 07:35 AM
Ironfist, Ford Prefect,

Thanks to both of you for the links.

Always good to break up the old routine with something different.

Been having trouble with pushups and pullups lately, as I haven't been making the time for them. New routines like these get me fired up again. :D

Thanks. :)

Ford Prefect
06-28-2001, 05:18 PM
Hehehe! Ironfist, you scared me for a second! ;)

SevenStar
06-29-2001, 01:35 AM
I'm in. I'm gonna give this program a try.

-SevenStar©
Come not between the dragon and his wrath...

IronFist
07-01-2001, 09:50 AM
So when are you guys going to start? Everyone start on the same day so you can compare notes :)

How about monday? or Tuesday? We can have a thread here so ppl doing the program can post their results like a diary.

Iron

Ford Prefect
07-01-2001, 06:02 PM
I can already do 100 regular push-ups. 100 hindu push-ups is a distant dream though.

IronFist
07-01-2001, 09:40 PM
Ford, you badass :)

Can you do 100 partials? (From the ground, to half way up?) THAT is hard. What about 100 diamond pushups? Or 100 diamond-partials?

Oh man that would hurt.

Iron

premier
07-01-2001, 10:53 PM
Holy **** =) I know I've been skipping my push-ups lately but wow.. those diamond push-ups are definitely straigh from hell. I had problems doing the last wide push-ups. I barely made it.

btw. I started to wonder how fast or slow those push-ups should be done?

IronFist
07-02-2001, 01:52 AM
premier, let me see...

::Does pushups, timing them with Winamp's clock::

Each pushup should be just over 1 second.

Actually, I got to my 10th one at the 11th second, so that's about 1.1 seconds per pushup, if you want to be an exact time nazi.

I know a lot of people are in to the 3 seconds down, 3 seconds up stuff, but that's not necessary with this program.

Hey premier, doing partials is tough, isn't it. When I did it, I remember each partial feeling like 5 regular reps, because you only come up half way so the tension is never taken off the triceps. :)

Iron

premier
07-02-2001, 02:05 AM
OK. cool. then I can speed it up a lot =) makes it easier. Yeah. the partials give you a nice burn in the triceps =) I also noticed it's really hard to go low enough so the sternum touches the thumbs.

David
07-02-2001, 12:06 PM
I'm behind with this, still trying to work out how these pushups go. Just got a link showing the XIPHOID PROCESS... So now I have no excuse

http://www.anthro.mnsu.edu/biology/humananatomy/skeletal/sternum/xiphoid.html

The powers of Kung Fu never fail!
-- Hong Kong Phooey

Ford Prefect
07-02-2001, 02:57 PM
I can do the 100 regular partials, but I doubt I could do the diamond ones. Don't be too impressed though as I only weigh around 157 lbs, so bodyweight exercises are a bit easier for me. ;)

SevenStar
07-03-2001, 01:33 AM
my first night will be tonight, trying to keep with everyone else. I like the the idea of posting results here.

-SevenStar©
Come not between the dragon and his wrath...

SevenStar
07-04-2001, 07:49 AM
Doing this regimen may be tougher than I thought...I like that :) However, for weeks one and two, are you only supposed to do one set (all three exercises once) I did 3 sets, as I didn't feel one would be adequate. Iron, can you clarify this?

-SevenStar©
Step right up and get it -- whoever wants [defeat]
Come not between the dragon and his wrath...

Braden
07-04-2001, 09:04 AM
Pavel rocks.

IronFist
07-04-2001, 09:11 AM
SevenStar, I replied to your question in a new thread here. So, check that one :) Hopefully it will still be somewhere near the top when you log on next... otherwise i'll just bump it periodically.

Iron

Braden
07-04-2001, 09:32 AM
Out of curiosity,

Why are you guys making the distinction between weight-lifting for your pecs and pushups? (Re: IronFist's weightlifting/pushup schedule)

Also, are any of you doing anything specifically for explosive strength from the chest?

(Did 100 pushups for the first time last december. But I'll get in on posting chinup and shoulderbuster results if other peeps are interested)

David
07-04-2001, 11:56 AM
I'm going to start the pushup programme tomorrow (friday) and I'm also going to run more. My usual/best runs have been in the 5 mile mark but the other day I doubled it and did 10 miles. I might sell my car...

I'm also going to buy kitchen and bathroom scales today and start really doing a good diet.

Well, that's all my optimism used up for the day...

The powers of Kung Fu never fail!
-- Hong Kong Phooey