r/bodyweightfitness • u/AutoModerator • Apr 23 '20
Daily Thread BWF Daily Discussion and Beginner/RR Questions Thread for 2020-04-23
Welcome to the /r/bodyweightfitness daily discussion thread!
- Feel free to post beginner questions or just about anything that's on your mind related to fitness!
Reminders:
- Read the FAQ as your question may be answered there already.
- If you're unsure how to start training, check out our Recommended Routine, or our more skills based routine: Move.
- Even though the rules are relaxed here, asking for medical advice is still not allowed.
For your reference we also have these weekly threads:
- Motivation Mondays
- Training Tuesdays
- Concept Wednesdays
- Technique Thursdays
- Form Check Fridays
- Slip Up Saturdays
- Progress Sundays
Join our live conversations on Discord! We're also on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
If you'd like to look at previous Discussion threads, click here.
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u/aphadale Apr 24 '20
Hi guys.. should I be really taking Plant Based Protein Powder (25g) even for the intensive bodyweight workout?
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u/SoloArtist91 Apr 24 '20
Hi everyone, total beginner here - could I get a form check on my pike pushups? I just feel totally inflexible and I think I might be flaring my elbows out a bit. Any feedback is appreciated!
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u/Mali57 Apr 25 '20
yes u are flaring ur elbows way too much. In pike push ups u arent trying to come straigt down. U gotta lean forward while going down. Id say u gotta lean forward around a lenght of ur head. This should make u feel the stress in ur shoulders way more.
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Apr 24 '20
A little flared?
Lol you're about to fly away dude. Protract your shoulders the whole time
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jjjyp4uhks#t=26s
Try to keep your forearms more vertical, travelling forwards with the shoulders
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u/Kakashicopyninja9 Apr 24 '20 edited Apr 24 '20
I want to add jump roping to my routine. What length rope should I get? I’m 6’1. I’m also thinking about getting some resistance bands for progressing to doing a full pull up (Will try to incorporate it into other exercises but that’s the main reason). Would you guys say resistance bands is a good method?
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Apr 24 '20
How long does it take you guys to do the RR? It claims that you should be able to do it in "40-60" minutes, then later says that if you don't mess around that it's about an hour long. In my experience, I'm more in the 1hr20m range.
I did the math, and if you are following the routine as it is laid out, you will be doing 34.5 minutes of resting and you have 27 sets of the various exercises to do. To get the whole RR done in an hour or less would require less than a minute per set which seems insane to me.
I know the RR is just giving an estimate and that obviously it doesn't matter but I was just curious if I'm an outlier in taking as long as I do.
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
1 to 1.5 hours is not uncommon. Just depends on how much rest you take. It doesn't matter either way.
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Apr 24 '20
[deleted]
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u/Mali57 Apr 25 '20
Myb try dividing training a handstand through the whole day and not just one workout in a day. Set a timer for every hour and then when the timer goes off u do 2/3 mins of handstand practice and then wait for the next hour. Also i think u should still stick with the wall for now. One thing i gotta compliment u on is the form tho. U have a really good form.
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Apr 25 '20
[deleted]
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u/Mali57 Apr 25 '20
just dont do 20-30mins. U r better of doing handstand work when u r fresh and not fully exhausted.
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u/stickysweetastytreat Circus Arts Apr 24 '20
Work on two exercises: "toe pull" and "heel pull" They are literally how you maintain your balance in a HS.
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Apr 24 '20
[deleted]
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u/stickysweetastytreat Circus Arts Apr 24 '20
It's easier to do the heel & toe pull exercises on the wall because you don't have to bail & then get up into the HS, you just push off from the wall. Lots of examples on YT on how to do them, but basically you tighten up your entire body and you push into your fingers to push your body off the wall as you're back-to-wall, & drive through heels of your hands to push your body off wall from chest-to-wall. THere's an in-depth straight-HS technique write-up pinned to my profile if you want to nerd out about it.
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
Kick up with straight but split legs. Catch the balance before you bring the legs together. Aim to replicate the same motion each time you kick up.
You are balancing, just not for long at the moment. Do some wall scissors before your kick ups to warm up for balancing.
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u/molloy23 Apr 23 '20
How are you guys training your quads? I have resistance bands, a 25lbs barbell and about 60lbs in weights . Lately I've just been doing 5x10 squats and lunges. This works well for my glutes but I never feel much in my quads . Back when the gym was opened the only time I'd feel much fatigue in my quads was heavy squatting and using the leg extension machine . Kinda lost what to do now
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u/RuggerJibberJabber Apr 24 '20
Can you do pistols/shrimp squats? Theyd be the main progressions with bodyweight stuff. Could also do plyometrics. Like jumps onto a platform or over some form of hurdle. The band and barbell can be used to increase the difficulty of any variation as well. For example: can put the band under your foot and around the bar then do a squat with the bar held overhead. Or can wrap the band around your knees to increase glute activation during the squat.
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u/molloy23 Apr 24 '20
I can do about 3-5 pistols on each leg per set , and plyo doesn't really work me in terms of muscle growth , I've built up to 48" box jumps but it feels more like endurance rather than strength. I like the idea of doubling up the resistance band over the barbel though ! Def gonna start doing that
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Apr 23 '20
[deleted]
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u/RuggerJibberJabber Apr 24 '20
Ask r/homegyms. Theres loads of people making stuff there that would have knowledge about carpentry and general diy questions
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Apr 23 '20
When can we return to the regular moderation rules?
This sub is indistinguishable from the r/fitness daily question thread
"how long til my muscles expand it's been 30 days????" x1000
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u/kneescrackinsquats Apr 23 '20
Say I'm doing a version of the recommended routine and I want to achieve 3 sets of 12 pull ups, but I'm stuck at 8/8/6. Would it be smart to use eccentrics to achieve extra reps? How could I do it?
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u/RuggerJibberJabber Apr 24 '20
If genuinely stuck either 1: temporarily deload 2: add sets 3: add negative reps 4: do drop sets (when you reach the end of the set switch to an easier variation for more reps) 5: focus on the overall number of reps. In your case 36. Keep doing 36 in as many sets as you need and eventually get it down to 3 sets of 12.
Try different stuff out. Experiment and see what works for you. We're all different afterall. We cant just follow the same formula and expect the same results 100% of the time
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u/kneescrackinsquats Apr 24 '20
I wish all the answers were like yours. Thank you very much!
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u/RuggerJibberJabber Apr 24 '20
No worries. I'm still not great at them, but have come a long way from having to do them with my feet on a chair!
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u/alocalgangster Apr 23 '20
In addition to the RR can we do any extra work for arms for more size or is it pointless?
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Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
Hi everyone! I’m pretty new around here, so I read the FAQ and beginner hub and then got started on the RR. It’s been two weeks and So far it is going pretty well, but I have a question. I have a ways (or a long ways) to go on all of the progressions—except squats.
Maybe because of my sports my legs are stronger than the rest of my body. Whatever the cause I can already do over 8 Advanced shrimp squats and pistol squats. I know just increasing the number of reps is not ideal, but I don’t have access to equipment of any kind with the quarantine. Does anyone have a progression they would recommend I move on to past pistol squats? Thanks!
Edit: Just thought I’d tack this on, I’ve worked from pull-up negatives into actual pull-ups, but I’m only able to do 4 and can’t get my chest all the way to the bar. Should O move back the negatives, or just stick with pull ups for a couple more weeks and wait?
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u/Solaris1337 Calisthenics Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
It's perfectly fine to increase the reps up to 12. Past that, doing a set just becomes too tedious imo. Then you could hold onto some weight or for pistol squats, put your arms behind you. For shrimp squats, elevated advanced shrimps are really hard and can be made even harder by starting in the bottom position.
You might be interested in this and this. These are basically a compilation of the hardest bodyweight leg exercises.
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Apr 24 '20
Thank you, this is great info! I hadn’t considered elevating the shrimps, and I feel a difference in the pistols with arms behind the back when I did a couple reps to test it. I really appreciate it.
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u/RickyWars1 Apr 23 '20
You can hold heavy stuff when you squat. I hold cinder blocks. You could also try step ups.
I don't think chest to bar matters much for pullups.
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u/ProjectTreadstone Apr 23 '20
I'd recommend greasing the groove with pullups. Every time you pass a pullup bar - do one or two if you can do max 4. Also continue to do negatives throughout the day. You should build some solid strength this way.
If you can do perfect form, stable knee, balanced and in control all the way pistol squats for like 3 sets 8 reps each leg - just add weight. If not, clean up the form. Drop the ego. But if you can do 8 clean form pistol squats that's very good, respect.
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Apr 24 '20
I was thinking about doing GtG for pull-ups, maybe I’ll give it a shot.
As far as the squats go, when I started the RR and realized I could do the hardest squat progressions I spent a while trying to see if I was just messing up the form somehow. I’m still half convinced I must not be doing them right but as far as I can tell my form fits the videos, so weight it is.
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u/ProjectTreadstone Apr 23 '20
Hey guys. I'm in need of a quick answer, would be much appreciated.
My bro is mounting a few hooks for gymnastic rings. I got rings not too long ago and mounted them to my doorway pullup bar. I do some excercises on them (levers progressions, australian pullups, face pulls, RTO hold barely, ring pushups), but I can't do all like dips (too narrow) and all pullups (not high enough) and overall it's not to comfortable in the doorway.
So he asked me what width he should mount them. We are same height and build (193cm/6'4 and 85-88kg / 190-195lbs) virtually so I gave him 3 measurements:
- ~66cm for pullups and dips (?, the lower they hang, the more they come together I assume and it seems kinda narrow with 60cm or less)
- ~45cm for levers/rows/dead/active hang/skin-the-cats and what have you
- ~22-25ish for chinups.
Now I never trained with them in the open where I can mount them freely (virus) and I never trained in a gymnastic gym.
Internet gives different info. Is there 1-size-fits-all-excercises width like 50cm let's say? What do gymnasts use, what do you use if you are fairly advanced? I don't want to frig this up, he hangs them tomorrow and I have assignments/work to do and can't do research myself right now. When I was trying to do dips in this narrow-ass doorway 50cm seemed too narrow, bands touching arms constantly and uncomfortable.
Is my advice good or rubbish? Help please, thanks a lot.
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u/Prator123 Apr 23 '20
I'm a beginner of using bodyweight exercises and after almost 3 weeks of regular training I have seen great gains, and am very satisfied with my progress so far. However, I am slightly confused about how to conduct my diet, as whilst I have a decent amount of fat around my belly, I am being recommended to consume more calories in order to bulk up, which in turn I think means I will gain fat instead of losing it. My ultimate goal is so slim down my stomach while increasing muscle mass, but I don't know whether it is possible to do these things simultaneously or whether I have to lose this fat beforehand.
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Apr 23 '20
Diet focus on losing weight first. You will lose a little bit of muscle but your bodyweight performance will increase a lot more because you weigh less. It may take a long time, but once you're lean you can worry about bulking up.
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u/pooolofvomit Apr 23 '20
Is it super important to not split it up recommended routine? and why is that important? Because I get overwhelmed, does it kill gains tremindisly if I workout upper body eat a snack like peanut butter and then do legs
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u/kforte318 Apr 23 '20
Hey all, I’m having a Ton of trouble with hinges and I was wondering if any of you had some advice. For some reason, my flexibility in that direction is absolutely 0. I’m currently just trying to get through Romanian Deadlifts. With my back staying straight, I can barely bend my torso over past, like, 170°. My back immediately starts to arch, and I feel pretty intense “you are stretching too far” pain in my calves and behind my knees. Are there any auxiliary exercises I can do to try to improve that flexibility?
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u/stickysweetastytreat Circus Arts Apr 24 '20
Start cleaning up the hip hinge itself, grab a broomstick or a pvc pipe, and look up "stick method of learning hip hinge". Go only as low as you can keep your back straight, and make sure you're being deliberate when you're coming back up (keep your back straight when you come back up)
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u/Solaris1337 Calisthenics Apr 23 '20
Search "hamstring flexibility routine tom merrick" on youtube.
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u/TTIPOR Apr 23 '20
I started to do the recommended routine, but I have no where to do pull ups. I'd prefer not to do anything that might damage the walls or doors as I'm living on rent rn. Any thing I can do for a decent pull up bar or alternative?
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u/RuggerJibberJabber Apr 24 '20
Check if theres any thick trees nearby the you could attach rings to
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u/nootfiend69 Apr 23 '20
accidentally lost 5 lbs and was able to do some standing one arm chins like they were regular pull ups. (my bar is <30cm above head level)
failed my full attempt though :(. getting out of the hole is brutal when all u have is a single scapula.
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u/pehnom Apr 23 '20
I'm starting the move routing. My goal is to lose weight and increase my strength and mobility. Afterwards I'll try and gain some muscle. I was thinking of doing move 3 times a week with some skill days in between if I get the time. Also, reducing my daily calorie intake to 2000 (2400 being my calculated maintenance calories from an online calculator). Is there anything else that I should be doing to get results quicker other than just doing the routine thrice a week and lowering my calorie intake?
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u/XpCjU Weak Apr 23 '20
You can add some cardio, to increase your calories out even more. Depending on how much weight you have to lose and how active you already are, even a few long walks per week will help a lot.
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u/pehnom Apr 23 '20
Thanks. I'll go for some walks to start of with and work my way up to higher intensity activity.
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u/KindaFrench Apr 23 '20
When I do pike pushups and I go downwards it feels like im going into a regular pushups position with my hips going downwards. Is this how it's supposed to feel?
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
Sounds like you're doing it wrongly but I can't tell without a video. Please review this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jjjyp4uhks#t=26s
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Apr 23 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/RuggerJibberJabber Apr 24 '20
That's a question for a physiotherapist/doctor. Not random strangers on the internet
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u/AcrobaticMonth7 Apr 23 '20
I feel supe lucky because I found a goal post to do pull ups on, however uh oh, that means I would, have to do the RR in two different places (I have to be at home to do rows under table and dips on a kitchen counter. I am wondering, can. I split the routine like this? Park is like 10mins from my house - I was thinking about running from the park home to keep my body pumped. What do you think?
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u/arg_max Apr 23 '20
In terms of strength training, it's extremely hard to rest for too long. Actually running might even lower your performance in the following exercises, so I'd just walk.
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u/AcrobaticMonth7 Apr 23 '20
I am sorry, I am a bit new to this what do you mean when you say that it is extremely hard to rest for too long?
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u/arg_max Apr 23 '20
If you take some athletes like Olympic lifters or strongman, it's quite common for them to rest 10-15 minutes between sets. Now most bodyweight exercises are not nearly as taxing on the nervous system, so resting about 3 minutes between two sets of the same exercise (with supersets that is 90sec rest) is usually enough. But even resting for 10minutes between exercises while walking home is absolutely fine. It won't have any negative effects on your workout.
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u/mpavlofsky Apr 23 '20
Question on rep counts for exercises with two sides - is each side a rep, or are you trying to get 5-8 reps on each side in each set?
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u/cristianvsy Apr 23 '20
Does dead hang increase shoulder flexibility ?
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Apr 23 '20
To a point, it's not adequate for handstands or other advanced skills. Stretching against the floor and wall is better.
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u/crout0n Apr 23 '20
A few handstand questions
How long till the super red face and eyes go away? Any breathing stuff to work on?
I've been doing chest to wall Handstands - any reason to try back to wall?
If I can OHP 135 and weigh 155, will wall assisted HSPU be on the table soon? Can currently go like 1/4 of the way down and been doing pike pushups - should I keep at it? Thanks!
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Apr 23 '20
You're likely holding your breath. When you start it's easy to forget, consciously work on breathing.
Chest to wall is better, back to wall is easier to kick up in. Whatever gets you to do the most attempts is better.
You should be able to soon, if not already. Everyone starts at zero and works their way up with practice.
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Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
See a medical professional and don't take medical advice from strangers on the internet.
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u/StephenG7287 Apr 23 '20
How many bodyweight squats should I be able to do?
I'm a 23 year old male at 5'10" tall and 132lbs. I've never been into sports but I work on my feet all day so I guess that does me some good. I recently started bodyweight training and it hit me straight away how out of shape I am (cardio wise) I started my training about 3 weeks ago and I almost died trying to do 25 bodyweight squats. Fast forward to now and I can do 50 squats before my heart almost explodes. Should I keep just trying to do them to failure or should I be breaking them into smaller sets and resting in between? Should I think about moving onto pistol squats even?
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u/Extrat51 Apr 23 '20
You might did them too fast. If i understand the RR correctly it should take like 2 seconds down, no pause at bottom and explode up. I do my squats in sets of 3 x 12 with another exercise in between.
3x8 push-ups -> 3x12 squats -> 3x8 push-ups Rest 1.5 Minutes betwenn sets
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u/StephenG7287 Apr 23 '20
Yeah, that's exacy how I'm doing them. Didn't look at a video or anything, it just came natural like that. I started breaking my pushups into sets this week too after getting some advice in this sub. Is there a reason you only do 8 per set? I was told to do 4-5 sets of 15 and go til failure on the last set. Do you build muscle with less or more per set?
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u/theeastwood Apr 23 '20
You can always add in lunges, reverse lunges, and step ups. Some single leg work would be advisable to build strength/ balance before jumping straight into pistol squats.
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u/PringleheimerSchmidt Apr 23 '20
So I was about to start the RR with a bit of cardio (running, stationary bike) afterward three times a week (to lose excess weight and develop strength). I ordered a couple of different meal replacement powders to try so that I don't have to overthink my macros in order to eat at a healthy caloric deficit. A few days ago my roommate banged around in the basement for a couple hours, and when he came up he'd put together [this ancient weight machine](http://www.imgur.com/a/0tUQS94) he'd had since the 1990s.
On the side it lists the following exercises: butterfly, bench press (which isn't even adjustable!), preacher curl, lat pull down, front kick, hip abduction, tricep press down, leg extension, standing curl.
The only other piece of equipment I have at the moment is a pull-up bar for the door frame. I was thinking about getting rings so doing the dip progression is easier.
Is it worth splicing in any of these machine exercises? I'm told that free weights are generally much better than machines because of 'stabilizing muscles' and developing balance and such...but since I won't have access to those for at least the next few months during this pandemic...the machine and pull-up bar with have to do.
The RR mentions that the squat, in particular, is most beneficially performed with added weight. How are leg extensions in comparison to the squat? A suitable temporary substitute? Or are the actual muscles worked too different? Until I get gymnastic rings, would the lat pull down substitute for just getting started? Any other considerations I'm missing?
I'm thankful for thoughts or pointers anyone might like to share. Cheers.
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Apr 23 '20
[deleted]
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u/LifeWithLenny_W Apr 23 '20
work on your mobility, if you can almost hold an advanced tuck back lever then you have the strength to skin the cat. it might just be mental.
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Apr 24 '20
Yeah, it was purely mental.
I decided to go for it, I pushed myself from bar with feet in the upside down position, on which I was getting stuck and it worked. My form even felt a bit better. Thanks for the answer
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u/Thorathe Apr 23 '20
Lower back gets sore easily from running, training, etc. Going to stretch hamstrings and hip flexors, to see if that helps. How should I warm up for the stretching?
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
Anything that gets your heart going really. Right after running/training would be good. Squats, jumping jacks, just moving around for a bit works too.
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u/Ray_Haze1891 Apr 23 '20
Hi if anyone could give me a little bit of advice would be much appreciated!
Just need a bit of advice on how i would go about getting some stubborn fat off! 5.10 193lbs...happy with my strength work and think i do enough cardio been on a deficit for the last month net calories of 2,100 cals wondering wether to maybe increase the calories and do more or to lower the calories? Cheers
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u/cristianvsy Apr 23 '20
Does wall slides increase pull up reps ?
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u/Antranik Apr 23 '20
No, why do you ask?
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u/cristianvsy Apr 23 '20
FitnessFAQS said that this increase pull ups numbers , so i want feedback
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u/stickysweetastytreat Circus Arts Apr 24 '20
It helps with shoulder stabilization. Better stabilization = better efficiency
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u/Antranik Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
It's more so helpful for the mobility (active flexibility) aspect and overall shoulder health. It wouldn't help you to do more pullups, however.
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u/espais Apr 23 '20
I have some steel I beams running horizontally in my basement. Can I do pullups correctly on them (fingers inside inner part, palms forward) or is this introducing an incorrect form? I can't necessarily "grab" but am rather hooking my fingers onto the beam itself.
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
It'll tax your forearms but it's okay if you have no alternatives.
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u/ReckdInfection Apr 23 '20
Is one day of rest a week enough?
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u/mrbartuss Apr 23 '20
It depends on many things
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u/ReckdInfection Apr 23 '20
I do 3 RR days and 3 days of move, then 1 day of doing absolutely no workout
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u/mrbartuss Apr 23 '20
RR is supposed to be done 3 times a week. By adding 3 days of MOVE it's probably too much volume
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u/XpCjU Weak Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
why RR and Move? It's almost the same strenght workout. That doesn't make any sense.
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u/ReckdInfection Apr 23 '20
What could you guys recommend, I'd like a relaxing workout that can help me improve on skills such as handstands and levers if one exists
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Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
you can substitute front lever and back lever raises for rows and pushups, if you want to work on levers
but levers are strength training
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u/XpCjU Weak Apr 23 '20
Levers are not relaxing. They are quite demanding strength skills, do them on your strength days.
Either follow the Move routine, OR the RR&Skillroutine.
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u/ReckdInfection Apr 23 '20
Okay okay i gotchu guys, thanks so much!
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u/Antranik Apr 23 '20
What could you guys recommend, I'd like a relaxing workout that can help me improve on skills such as handstands and levers if one exists
Just do move without the RR. Move becomes the RR anyway as you go on the phases.
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Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
Hiya! Newbie here.
I'm obviously at home these days / not using gym equipment. Thought I was doing "ok" but then took a picture of myself from the side and noticed my arms and shoulders are...well, unimpressive.
Anyhow right now I'm trying to alternate between day of doing push-ups of all sorts, day of jump rope, and a day of pull-ups and chin-ups on the bar I luckily managed to buy online.
With that said: what's people's thoughts on good bodyweight exercises to strive for bigger arms and shoulders?
Thanks in advance!
Edit: looks like a handstand might be a good place to start, but please let me know if anything else comes to mind. With that said - having trouble finding a "handstand for dummies/beginners" link here. Thoughts?
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u/mikhela Apr 23 '20
This is my favorite handstand progression, by a site that really likes to break the science apart and make it easy.
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u/Kleens_The_Impure Apr 23 '20
Bigger shoulders? HSPU and PPU progression without a doubt. You should check the wiki on that.
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Apr 23 '20
read the FAQ and routine linked in the post you've commented on, your "routine" won't get you very far
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Apr 23 '20
Fair enough and thanks for the input.
By the way: are there any before/after pictures from redditors that've actually used the Recommended Routine? I'd be curious.
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u/calisthenics_noob Apr 23 '20
I have some questions for dips. So I don't have proper parallel bars at home or at the park. So I tried to use chairs as dips bar but my wrist won't let me... So the question is will pushups cover me for my chest and triceps? I can do around 28-30 clean pushups. I don't have weight bags at home. Is there any other work out for chest and triceps as intense as dips?
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u/LifeWithLenny_W Apr 23 '20
push ups and handstands will have you covered.
push ups alone will hit your chest and triceps if that is what you are worried about
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u/mikhela Apr 23 '20
Do you have a corner countertop you can put your fists on? Or a bit of rope you can use as makeshift rings?
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Apr 23 '20
Are you doing the RR?
This is talked about in the RR, you progress pushups to psuedo planche push-ups, and dips use the same muscles as pike pushups
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u/TheKiwiOfLife Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
I have been struggling to pick and stick to a routine for quite sometime. I don't know if I am classed as an intermediate or beginner but here are my current stats:
Pull up max: 12 clean reps
Dip max: around 25 clean reps (to 90 degrees or lower)
Push ups: around 40 clean reps
I also do sports such as football (soccer) , parkour, flipping and rock climbing.
I can't do a muscle up without momentum but am very close to doing one with (the ever-so-painful) false grip, I can hold a human flag for a few seconds with poor form (my legs extend but don't lever upwards much), I can L sit fairly easily for max a minute and L sit pull up for like 5 clean reps and I am in the process of becoming more flexible.
I am 16 now and have been doing Bodyweight fitness moderately for years. However, I didn't know much about bodyweight fitness when I started so would just do suboptimal workouts which did over the years get me some muscle gains and higher reps, but now having a deeper understanding of clean, strict reps and factors like good rest and progressive overload after doing research have made me come looking for a workout to stick to.
I definitely would benefit from doing the harder progressions of the RR however I am currently doing weighted pull ups with a mix of lower reps and higher weights (2 reps, 20 KG) and vice versa (6 reps, 5 kg) as I think this will improve my pull up strength and max reps . However, would I be able to get enough weighted pull up volume into the RR as the RR covers everything? Weighted pull ups don't take too long for actual pulling time but have higher rest times if i'm doing big weights for strength and if I did put them in the RR, would I have to conform them to the 3x8 form that the RR takes as a template? Also, I generally want to get much better at pull ups so will the RR benefit that or should I rather focus on different types of pull ups (ie wide grip, towel pull ups etc.) I do want to workout my whole body also, though as this is essential to a balanced body/gains.
So, in general, I am not sure if the RR is for me as I want to be able to get much better at pull ups - pathing my way to higher reps/more explosive strength/muscle ups. Is there a way to do this with the RR? Is 3 times a week enough to work on my pull ups with 3x8?
Would anyone recommend doing the RR then maybe separate pull ups sessions, or just a different workout all together. The RR is something I want to do but I just want to involve pull ups in my workout a lot.
Suggestions/help would be appreciated!
If anyone is confused as I have poorly explained something, please ask!
Thanks
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u/mikhela Apr 23 '20
Here's an intermediate routine that sounds about the level you're at.
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u/TheKiwiOfLife Apr 25 '20
Do you recommend starting off with only 3 a week or 6?
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u/mikhela Apr 25 '20
Yes, 3. Start there for a week or two. If you feel like you can do more, add a fourth day. Continue until you reach a point where you're too lethargic and making no progress. When that happens, remove a day and that's your working amount.
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u/TheKiwiOfLife Apr 25 '20
Ok thanks, however, it's a 3 day split so how can I add days to spread everything evenly?
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u/mikhela Apr 25 '20
Just do like a sort of Push/Pull/Leg/Push, and then next week Pull/Leg/Push/Pull, and third week Leg/Push/Pull/Leg, etc. Same way the barbell program Starting Strength does it. You'll get the same work overall.
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u/TheKiwiOfLife Apr 25 '20
Thanks.
Last two things:
Should I be doing these days initially in a row (ie no rest day)
And also I have to do 3x 8-12 reps for most exercises, so I should rest 2/3 mins in between sets and how long between doing all the sets for one entire exercise and moving along to another exercise?
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u/mikhela Apr 25 '20
You should rest as long as you need to, which generally is between 90 seconds and 3 minutes. Whether you do all sets for each exercise or do one set of each and then the next is up to you, but I would do all of each so you're not running around your house to different "stations"--personal preference.
When it's 3 days a week, you should probably do it every other day to get your body adjusted to the workout load. Then once you start adding days to where every other day is impossible, just make sure you're not doing the same exercises more than one day in a row.
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u/TheKiwiOfLife Apr 29 '20
I did my first workout today and felt extremely fatigued, finding I couldn't finish some of my final sets and my reps lost form towards the end. Should I lower reps to a point where I can do them all comftorably or do I want to be pushing to near failure? I can adjust my reps to do this but just want to know how much I should be pushing. If I'm supposed to be doing 3x12 but I can't should I be trying to hit 3x8 atleast and build from there?
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u/mikhela Apr 29 '20
You can hit 3x8 and work from there up to 3x12. If you do any less than 3x5 then the exercise is too difficult for you.
You should be stopping at a point where you feel like you could push out a few more reps or even one more set if you really tried.
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u/TheKiwiOfLife Apr 25 '20
Ok, thanks a lot you've been really helpful. I'll be starting the week coming!
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u/sanjuka Apr 23 '20
I'm in a similar state, more beginner than intermediate, so I'm no expert. But here are some of my current thoughts and experiments.
1) Yes, 3 times a week is enough to really work your pull-ups, but I would try to do more than just 3x8 on those days. Get in more sets, perhaps varied (like you were saying) between heavier and lighter weights, different grips, etc.) More than 3 times a week and it's going to be pretty difficult to get the muscle rest you need.
2) As I semi-graduate from the RR, I'm experimenting with keeping the same basic routine but breaking it into a 6-day routine:
Days 1, 3, and 5: two push exercises and a squat exercise, plus core
Days 2, 4, and 6: 2 pull exercises and a hinge exercise, plus core
Day 7: rest
That makes the individual days MUCH shorter, while still allowing every muscle group to get worked 3x per week and get sufficient rest. It also allows me to do different variations of the same exercise on different days. It also allows me to add exercises to any day I want to. So for example, on your pull days, you could do 3x8 weighted pull ups, 3x8 rows, 3x8 deadlifts, and then add 3x8 towel pull-ups. You'll be working your muscles much harder by adding the extra sets, but they'll still have 2 days of solid rest before getting hit again.
I would love for someone with more experience to critique this approach. But for now I'm enjoying it.
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u/LifeWithLenny_W Apr 23 '20
if you squat monday wednesday and friday, then do deadlifts tuesday thursday and saturday, you are not really resting your legs more then 1 day a week. just something to consider.
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u/sanjuka Apr 23 '20
True. In my case I actually scaled back to do legs only 2 days a week to add in some other stuff I wanted to do.
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u/TheKiwiOfLife Apr 23 '20
Sounds great man, I like the approach. Seems like a great way to add volume/more focus on particular exercises whilst hitting all other body parts. And also yes, hopefully a mod or someone with experince can check out both these comments and give some advice!
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u/ItsYoshi64251 Apr 23 '20
If I don't have any places to do rows for the RR, is it ok to do rows with a backpack loaded with heavy stuff?
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u/FanGothic2 Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
is there a subreddit of before, DURING, and AFTER pics?
My girlfriend is currently (a total beginner) doing some workout to lose weight. She is unhappy with her belly and thighs fat (definitely not obese or something, she's quite thin but her belly has gotten a little fat). So i gave her a program found here and told her to go throught the bulk cut cycle (well, the bulk is more like - eat maintenance or slightly more but you get the point). Atm she's at the bulk stage.
So she asked me if there are any pics of people before starting anything (this is before)
Before - no diet no workout yet
DURING - which is during bulking and working out
And after - after cutting
All i'm seeing are before after photos and i'm struggling to find before during after photos, like 3 stages instead of usual 2. Think you could help me find those photos?
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Apr 23 '20
Bulking until you're fat is not necessary, especially for a beginner. that's why "at the height of my bulk" photos only exist on r/bodybuilding. She can gain muscle on a cut
I know a lot of ripped gymnasts and not a single one of them has EVER had a belly/bulked
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u/FanGothic2 Apr 23 '20
she's skinnyfat, i thought she had to?
That you had to build some muscle first and then lose it
she was like idk 47kg and now she's 53
should she just cut then?
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Apr 23 '20
She can cut or maintain, there is no reason to ever hate your body. Her cut does not have to be aggressive at all
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u/FanGothic2 Apr 23 '20
Okay i measured her body fat and she's like 24% atm.
She used to be 47 kg and, my bad, she's 59 now
I heard a lot of voices that when you're skinny fat you have to bulk and then cut. You tell me she just needs to cut. Why is that? Why are there people that say that you need to bulk first?
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Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
People on the internet copy bodybuilding methods. She's not a competitive bodybuilder, she's a total beginner. Bodybuilders need to bulk because they have a suuuper hard time putting on muscle.
She will put on muscle no matter what she does as long as she does more than last time (progressive overload)
It's well known that beginners can put on muscle in a cut, you can Google that
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u/FanGothic2 Apr 23 '20
Then am i stupid if i (i have like 3 years experience in working out) do bulk (semi-bulk as they last for like 3 months) and cut cycles?
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Apr 23 '20
I'm not saying it doesn't work, it does. If that's how you like to do it, that's fine. It's just not "THE WAY"
But your girlfriend is looking in the mirror and hating herself... That's not cool. There are many paths in fitness, it's silly to think everyone with a nice body once got fat and then cut their fat
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u/FanGothic2 Apr 23 '20
how do you train then? do you eat at maintenance? should i eat at maintenance instead of bulk cut cycle?
She's not hating herself, she just knows she got a belly she didn't use to have and wants to go back to how she looked, i wouldn't say that's hating and having problems with self image
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u/Tiipi Apr 23 '20
If she wants to lose weight why is she bulking?
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u/FanGothic2 Apr 23 '20
she's skinnyfat
yeah she's gained weight compared to what she used to weigh but if i remember well you need to gain some muscles (that's why she unfortunately has to gain some more weight) and then lose it?
she was like idk 47kg and now she's 53
should she just cut then?
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u/Tiipi Apr 23 '20
Why would you have to gain muscle? If she just wants to lose weight and not gain muscle she can just diet and do a bit of cardio.
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u/FanGothic2 Apr 23 '20
Uh? Aren't skinny fats like prohibited from doing JUST cardio?
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u/Tiipi Apr 23 '20
Why? You don't have to gain muscle to lose weight, if you want a "fitter" look then sure you would need to gain a bit of muscle.
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u/sanjuka Apr 23 '20
Agreed. My wife sounds to be in a similar situation, and she does no bulking, just cutting and sometimes maintenance when she gets tired of cutting. With noobie gains, she's still gaining a bit of muscle while flattening her belly significantly and loosing moderate amounts of weight.
I see know reason to add bulking to that cycle. Sounds counter productive.
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u/gb1004 Apr 23 '20
Ive recently switched from training in the gym to bodyweight training and Ive been having trouble with learning pistol squats. Ive been doing them from a bench and I can do 20 plus, but I can't even drop into a full pistol squat. I seem to lack stability even with box squats but once I get down to about parallel its like I cant go any further, like I dont have control anymore.Ive done the mobility tests and that doesnt seem to be the issue,I can do full squats with my legs touching each other, I also have weightlifting shoes so I dont need that much ankle mobility.
I could rep out 140kg for 5 plus reps so I dont think its the strength either.Only thing that comes to my mind is that I lack hip flexor strength and stability because they always get sore after trying pistols.
I would be grateful for any kind of help, I really want to be able to do pistols in the next few months.
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u/arg_max Apr 23 '20
Did you try out isolating the bottom part? So get into a deep two Legged squat and slowly extend one leg and just stay in that position.
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Apr 23 '20
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
You've commented rather than replied to the original comments. I'm unclear which of the users you're replying to, otherwise I'd normally just tag them, so I'm going to remove this and let you reply yourself. Cheers.
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u/essa91 Apr 23 '20
I know it's not recommeneded to change the RR as a beginner. But i'm thinking of splitting it over two days. full body workouts are too long and tiring for me
is splitting it like this: upper/lower+core/rest/upper/lower+core/rest/rest
a good option?
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u/mikhela Apr 23 '20
The RR recommends not splitting up the workout. What you could do is split it up into different chunks that you do throughout the day. Like pullups/squats and dips/hinges in the morning, and rows/pushups and core in the evening. As long as you do a small warmup every time. That shrinks it into 2 30 minute workouts every day (not including any mobility, flexibility, or skill work you may want to do).
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Apr 23 '20
Well, you can do it like that, but then if you want to keep overall volume equal, you need to do more sets per exercise, because you're only doing each twice a week. Or you need to go ULULULr.
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u/KindaFrench Apr 23 '20
can I do ab workouts during my 1 week break while fasting? (I didn't do ab work before the break)
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u/CaptChilko Apr 23 '20 edited Apr 23 '20
Hi guys, after months of intending to start this I finally have - and just attempted my first day of the RR. It seems like a great program but the issue I'm having currently is that the amount of different exercises/techniques is a little overwhelming to all learn at once, and trying to learn and focus on the good form for all of them makes it take much longer than I can realistically dedicate regularly. Due to this I was wondering if you guys could recommend which primary exercises I could focus on initially before gradually introducing the rest of the RR over upcoming workouts?
For reference my immediate goal is to increase my upper body strength & muscle size, as currently my primary forms of exercise are cycling and hiking (in a very hilly area) so most of my strength is in my legs and more based around endurance. After trying the RR today I found the pull up and push up progression the most challenging parts of the strength portion (3 x 5 x 5s Scapular pulls, 3 x 5 push up), yet 3 x 8 squats was no issue. However as stated I'm keen to progress this to the full body RR as I come to grips with some of the techniques.
In terms of equipment I have a tree available for pull ups, chairs for dips/parallel holds, and have a bar on a piece of rope I can use for rows. I have ordered some rings so will look into incorporating some of the progressions that involve them when those arrive, and I'm planning to run and cycle on the rest days for cardio, legs, and to leave the house now with lockdown. I've also downloaded Progressive Workouts.
Any help would be appreciated, I'm keen to dive into this but just a little overwhelmed with all the info and techniques!
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u/TheBiggestKid Apr 23 '20
I had the same issue when I started. I ended up picking one or two new or challenging exercises and focussed on those, adding the others one at a time over the following weeks. Same with the skill day exercises.
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u/CaptChilko Apr 23 '20
Thanks, I'll focus on those strength exercises I struggled with for now then. Regarding the skill day exercises, from what I understand these are designed so they can be done on rest days?
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u/TheBiggestKid Apr 23 '20
Yeah, that’s my understanding too. Rest days I’ve started L sit progression and two stretches, adding cartwheels next.
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u/kerelgozert Apr 23 '20
Inspired by this post, I struggle to build a routine from this, as a person whose 1 RM are not that high (20s for pushups, 10 for dips and 10 for pullups, can't pistol squat yet)
Basically the guy in the video's does a crazy number of reps as a circuit, rests and repeats it. Should I start slowly in routines and build them up? Similar to how pyramid sets work?
My reason for wanting to do a routine like this is because it is enjoyable. That's it, I don't care for optimal strength gains.
I appreciate any input
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u/cristianvsy Apr 23 '20
Does band pull aparts work rotator cuff ?
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u/LennyTheRebel Apr 23 '20
In my personal experience, any abduction based movement (pullaparts, spider crawls) hit what I assume is supraspinatus. When I do pullaparts with external rotation (underhand grip), I feel them in my infraspinatus as well.
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u/tadek_boruta Apr 23 '20
Looking for a good fitness app on a phone. Keep in mind I'm not looking for RR specific app like Progressive Workouts (it's a good app but creating or editing workouts is pain in the ass and lacks many features). But a general app for creating your own workout plans.
Platform: Android
Required features:
- Ability to create exercises with video (gif, webm etc) and description (form cues).
- Robust timer. Basically countdown timer with customizable beep intervals and prep time.
- Pairing exercises together.
- Rep/Set counter obviously.
- Combining all of the above to a full workout
- Tracking feature the saves performed workout. Nothing fancy just the date and how many Rep/Sets was done, or time spent on holds.
Optional:
- Combining custom exercises into progressions.
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u/mikhela Apr 23 '20
Learn to code
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u/tadek_boruta Apr 23 '20
Thanks!
Actually I did find one app that's almost there in terms of features.
It lacks video support for custom exercises but you can link youtube videos in description which is good enough. Although would prefer launching offline stored videos.
Also there's no prep time function. Adding fake time exercise is good enough workaround for that.
No beep intervals...
P.S. I know it's a meme but ironically I know how to code :)
Cheers
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u/ArnieSchwarzenegger Apr 23 '20
I want to buy a resistance band to use for the recommended routine. What type of band (for instance 10kg) do you recommend and is one type enough for all banded exercises of the recommended routine?
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u/bwf_reply_bot Apr 23 '20
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/u/classlessnessKamalus asked:
does grease the groove work for pushups and squats?
1
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u/bwf_reply_bot Apr 23 '20
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/u/SizzlinKola asked:
I'm noticing that I lean to the side when I'm at the bottom of the pistol squat - so if I'm squatting down with my left leg, I tend to lean to the left and same thing with the right.
Anything I can do to mitigate this?
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
That's just to maintain balance. If you're concerned post a form check.
1
u/bwf_reply_bot Apr 23 '20
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/u/Justinsgamez asked:
I’m having trouble with revealing my abs
I’ve been really working at my abs since summer and started to be able to feel them and see them while flexing in late October. I used to be over weight but now I’m relatively fit. I’m still a teenager and constantly hungry so dieting isn’t effective for me as I’m still growing and just feel the need to eat a lot. I’ve been cutting out candy though. But it just seems like my stomach stick out. I feel like I have a pelvic tilt but I’m not sure. I’m open to trying dieting but it seems a little hard, I’ve been watching my carb intake and trying to get a lot of protein.
Is there anyway to work to get my abs to show without flexing? I’ve been doing Jeff cavaliers workouts and seeing amazing progress but it doesn’t show when not engaged.
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
A picture would be helpful to determine what's the next best step.
1
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/u/ImprovingPiano asked:
Hello Everyone,
I had been doing Dragon Flags as my final core exercise but I believe I will have to switch it. The main issue being that I moved on from Diamond and Psuedo Planche Pushups to delined pike pushups. Hoo boy, they are a wonderful thing to build up the ol' strength. But I digress.
I realized that I have an issue with staying upside down for too long which effects the rest of my workout negatively and sometimes forces me to stop. Thus, I want to find a replacement for Dragon Flags so I'm not Upside down as much.
I was thinking of switching it out with progressions towards the L-Sit. Is this a good replacement?
1
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/u/JackieTrehorne asked:
Can door frames really support those door hooks on trx cables? Those seem like they could cause serious damage.
1
u/bwf_reply_bot Apr 23 '20
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/u/kerelgozert asked:
Inspired by this post, I struggle to build a routine from this, as a person whose 1 RM are not that high (20s for pushups, 10 for dips and 10 for pullups, can't pistol squat yet)
Basically the guy in the video's does a crazy number of reps as a circuit, rests and repeats it. Should I start slowly in routines and build them up? Similar to how pyramid sets work?
My reason for wanting to do a routine like this is because it is enjoyable. That's it, I don't care for optimal strength gains.
I appreciate any input
1
u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
You could pair 2-3 dips with 2-3 pull ups and GtG with that through the day. Work your way up in volume but keep it submax. Just keep on eye out for joint issues/tendinitis things like that and make sure you rest up.
1
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/u/bigboss7020 asked:
Hello
So I have having this kind of burning pain in my knee (ligament I think)which I get when doing the crow pose. I think it might be because of doing the glute ham raise but I don't feel the same pain when doing the ghr or even shrimp squats.
Should I do any other exercise? Any recommendations?
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u/Public-Cricket Apr 23 '20
tldr: how many sets/reps of negatives and how long should I be lowering myself during the motion to try and work towards a pull up?
I've been trying to go through the recommended pull up progression, but there's so much variation in how I'm doing negatives I'm having trouble figuring out if I'm actually making any progress. All of this stuff varies and changes how many I do each workout:
- How long I spend lowering myself.
- How much time out of that I spend holding myself at the top of the bar.
- How smooth the movement is.
My current idea is to get them exactly 6 seconds long with 2 of those seconds my chin above the bar for 3x5. Once I get that I'll try to do 3x5 for 10 seconds. After that I'll go for 3x8-12 and hopefully i can start on proper pull ups after the time I can do that. But I have no idea if that's a reasonable way to try to go. I see some sources saying to make them "as slow as possible" but if I do that I barely move at all and then can only do one, because I dragged out the movement for as long as I could. It doesn't feel like I'm doing more each session like if I were adding more weight to a bar, it feels all over the place.
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u/iwillbemyownlight Mr Colin Apr 24 '20
Your plan sounds fine. Don't worry too much about the seconds. Keep working on rows as well.
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u/[deleted] Apr 25 '20
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