DisclaimerThe material contained in this book is for informational purposes only. Theauthor and anyone else affiliatedwith the creationor distributionof this bookmayNOTbeheldliablefordamagesofanykindwhatsoeverallegedlycausedorresultingfromanysuchclaimedreliance.Beforebeginningthisoranyworkoutroutine, it is recommended that you consult with a qualified physician forauthorisation and clearance. It is always recommended to consult with aphysicianbeforebeginninganynewexerciseornutritionalprogram.Ifyouhaveany problems with your health, you should seek clearance from a qualifiedmedicalprofessional.The informationcontainedherein isnot intended to, andnever should, substitute for the necessity of seeking the advice of a qualifiedmedical professional. If at any time you feel pain or discomfort, stopimmediately. Parts of this book contain advanced exercises that should not beattempteduntilyouareready.

Copyright2014AshleyKalymAll efforts have been made to ensure that this manual is free from error orproblems. I donot take responsibility for loss or action to any individual as aresultofthematerialpresentedhere.

AllrightsreservedReproductionortranslationofanypartofthisworkbyanymeans,electronicormechanical, includingphotocopying,beyond thatpermittedbyCopyrightLaw,withoutpermissionoftheauthor,isunlawful.

Contents

Introduction1.PrefaceWhatiscalisthenics?AdvantagesofcalisthenicsDisadvantagesofcalisthenicsUniqueaspectsofcalisthenicsHandstrengthThecoreThescapulaStraight-armstrengthTrainingthenervoussystem2.EquipmentLocationPull-upbarDipbarParallettesClothingChalkFoamrollerTrainingpartner

Nutrition,rest,andrecovery

3.Nutrition

EatnaturalfoodEatbigtogetbigIncreaseyourproteinintakeDecreasecarbohydrateintakeDrinkmorewaterMakefoodinbulkSamplediet

4.Restandrecovery

Sleep What todo ifyouare injuredTakingcareofyourhandsLigamentandtendonstrength

Physicalpreparation

5.Warmingupandmobility

UpperbodymobilityScapulamovementsScapulapush-upsScapuladipsScapulapull-upsScapulaone-armpull-upsScapulafoamrollingArmpitfoamrollingRotatorcuffstretchCheststretchShoulderdislocatesCoremobilitySpinefoamrollingSideleansLowerbodymobility IT band foam rolling Adductor foam rolling Piriformis foam rollingRolloversintostraddlesitKneecirclesMountainclimbersFroghopsHipflexorstretchDeepsquatposition

6.Flexibility

StretchingscheduleUpperbodystretchesChestandshoulderstretchCheststretchUpperbackstretchForearmandwriststretchAForearmandwriststretchBCorestretchesCobrastretchCatstretchStandingsidestretchLowerbodystretchesQuadstretchHamstringstretchStraddlestretchGroinstretchKneelinghipflexorstretchGlutestretchCalfstretchOtherfactorsRangeofmotionUsingmomentumCheatingontheexercises

Theexercises

7.Push-ups

Normalpush-upWidegrippush-upClosegrippush-upDeeppush-upPseudoplanchepush-upFingertippush-upWristpush-upOne-armpush-upOne-armone-legpush-upClappush-up Back clap push-upDouble clap push-upTriple clap push-upSupermanpush-upTheLalannepush-upArcherpush-upWallpush-upSpiderpush-up

8.Pull-ups

RowsChin-upNegativechin-upsStaticholdsPull-upWidegrippull-upClosegrippull-upBehindtheneckpull-upInclinepull-upRockclimberLpull-upHorizontalpull-upFingerpull-upRope/towelpull-upClappull-upTypewritersWeightedpull-upOne-armchin-upFingerassistedone-armchin-upRope/towelassistedone-armchin-upNegativeone-armchin-upStaticholdsOne-armchin-up

9.Dipexercises

BoxdipTricepsdip

10.Muscle-ups

Fastmuscle-up Falsegripmuscle-upDeveloping the falsegripWorking the transitionFalsegripmuscle-up

11.Handstands

Wallwalks FreestandinghandstandsWall supportedhandstandRecovering fromahandstand Floor handstand Parallet handstand Handstand push-ups Using thefloorwithwall supportUsing the floorwithno supportUsingparalletteswithwallsupportUsingparalletteswithnosupportNinety-degreepush-ups

Levers

12.Theplanche

Handplacement SupplementaryexercisesTraining timeandvolumeSet, reps,andholdtimesPlancheleanFrogstandTuckplancheFlatbackplancheSinglelegplancheStraddleplanche1stmethod-Fromatuckplanche2ndmethod-Forwardpull3rdmethod-Kickthroughs4thmethod-FromahandstandFullplanchePlanchepush-ups

13.Thefrontlever

VerticalpullsTuckfrontleverFlatbackfrontleverSingle-legfrontleverStraddlefrontlever1stmethod-Fromatuckfrontlever2ndmethod-PendulumsFullfrontleverFrontleverpull-ups

14.Thebacklever

GermanhangTuckfrontleverFlatbacklever SinglelegbackleverStraddlebacklever1stmethod-FromaflatbackleverFullbackleverBackleverswimmers

15.Halflever

TuckhalfleverAngledhalfleverHalfleverFloorhalfleverHalfleverextensionsHalfleverbicycles

16.Humanflag

VerticalhumanflagTuckedhumanflagStraddlehumanflagHumanflag

17.Floorcoreexercises

PlankSideplankArchCrunchDishV-upSit-upLyinglegextensionExtendedplankRearsupportDragonflagCandlestickTuckeddragonflagSinglelegdragonflagNegativedragonflagDragonflagDragonflagswimmers

18.Legraiseexercises

HangingkneeraiseHanginglegraiseWindowwipers

19.Lowerbodyexercises

SquatLungeBridgeCalfraiseSinglelegsquat

Single-legboxsquatAssistedsingle-legsquatSingle-legsquatWeightedsingle-legsquatHamstringcurlPikedhamstringcurlAssistedhamstringcurlNegativehamstringcurlHamstringcurl

20.Conditioningexercises

StarjumpsMountainclimbersSquatthrustsJumpsquatsJumplungesBurpeesBastardsSprintsBearcrawls

21.Trainingprograms

SettinggoalsSets,repetitions,andholdtimesSetsRepetitionsHoldtimesOvertrainingandundertrainingCreatingyourownmovementsProgram1 -FundamentalFiveProgram2 -BuildingontheBasicsProgram3-LearningtheLeversProgram4-CompleteCalisthenicsCreatingyourownprogram

22.Frequentlyaskedquestions

Introduction

1.PrefaceThe journeyIhave takenon theway towriting thisbookhasbeena longandvariedone. I startedmybodyweight exercise journeywhen Iwasveryyoung.WiththepersuasionofmyparentsIwasenrolledinjuniorrugby,andstartedtoget a taste of physical training at a young age.Being tooyoung toworkwithweightswetrainedwithpush-ups,pull-ups,sit-ups,lunges,andlotsofrunningaroundtogetourbodiesintoshape.Thiswasnotjustaproductofthefactthatwewere too young; the club I played for really didn’t have themoneyor thefacilities to let us train with weights, so for a long time I knew of no othermethodoftraining.Afterseveralyearsofthis,Isoonbecameoldenoughtostarttrainingusingweightsandweightedexercise.Ithendidthetraditionalthingofbicepcurling,chestexercises,doinglatpulldownsinsteadofpull-ups,andusingthe leg extensionmachine insteadof actually squatting. I gained somemuscleduring this period, but one thingwasmissing frommy physical development,and thatwas real strength. Even after doingweights for a number of years, Iwasn’tactuallystrong,andthelessonthatreallybroughtthathomewastocomeinafewyearstime.After leaving university I had a few jobs, and then decided that the timewasrighttotryandentertheRoyalMarineCommandos.Itwasamassivelydauntingtask,andassoonasIgotthepaperworkandthebrochurehomeIwassomewhatsurprisedtofindthattraininginthemilitarywasallaboutusingthebodyweighttobuildastrong,fatigueresistantphysique.So,whilstintrainingIfoundmyselfdoingthesameexercisesthatIhaddonewhenIhadbeenmuchyounger,namelypush-ups,pull-ups,running,andothersimplebodyweightmovements.Ienteredthe military in early 2009 and found that my physical preparation withbodyweightexercisehadbeenwellworthit.AfterabouteightmonthsIdecidedthat the military life and lots of time away from home wasn’t for me, so Idecided to come back to civilian life. I had learnt so much whilst I was intraining,mostly aboutmyself andwheremy limits lay, and Iwas also hugelyimpressed with how fit and strong I had gotten simply by performing simplebodyweight exercise. It was in one of those moments where I decided that IwantedtoseehowstrongIcouldgetusingbodyweighttraining,soIstartedtoresearchanythingIcouldgetmyhandsonaboutthatformofexercise.AfteranumberofweeksIeventuallystumbledontoawebsitewheretheowner

presentedshorttutorialsonsomeofthemorebasicgymnasticelements,liketheback lever, muscle-up, and so on. I gave them a go, and utterly failed.Undeterred, I decided that the best place to try and learn how to increasemystrength was an adult’s gymnastic class. So, I bookedmyself onto one, wentalong,andwasagainabsolutelyhumbled.HerewerechildrennotmorethantenorelevenyearsoldperformingbodyweightstrengthmovementsthatIcouldnotevenfathom.Eventhesimplestcoreexercise that theywereworkingwith(thehalflever,orLsit)absolutelycrushedmycore,andIremembergoingawaywithbasicallyallofmypreconceivednotionsofstrengthandbodyweighttraininginpieces.Fromthatmoment, Idecided topursuecalisthenics trainingas faras itcould possibly take me. I did not have the time to be a gymnast, as othercommitmentsmeantthatIdidnothavefortyhoursaweektotrain.However,Ididhaveadesire toget strong; reallystrong,and Iknew that thesecret lay inprogressivebodyweightexercise.Thenextfewyearswereahugelearningexperience,andtheywerealsosomeofthemost exciting training times that I have ever been through. Almost everyweekIwaslearningsomethingnew,comingacrossanewpieceofinformation,a new technique or method of building strength, and my limits were pushedagain and again. Slowly, I started to begin to create my own methods ofprogression, and takingwhatwasgood fromotherprogramsanddevelopingasolidprogramofmyown.Then,Istartedtolookforabookout therethatcompiledallof theknowledgethat I had gained, showing how to progress from a complete beginner tosomeonewho had almost inhuman strength. I looked and looked but couldn’tfind anything. Sure, therewere somebooks on bodyweight training, but thesewere mostly simple affairs, only concerned with teaching the reader how toperformthemost rudimentaryexercisessuchas thepush-upandsit-up.Otherswerealittlemorecomprehensivebutmissedoutlowerbodytrainingcompletely.Therefore,Isetouttowriteabooktohelpanyone,maleorfemale,beginneroradvanced,howtobuildstrength,athleticism,power,andanincrediblephysiqueusing just your bodyweight.COMPLETECALISTHENICS is that book.Everymethod to achieving awesome bodyweight strength is presented, from anexplanation of what calisthenics is, to its benefits and drawbacks, to theequipment you will need, and even a section on the correct nutrition. In theexercise sections you will learn how to perform movements like the humblepush-up,all thewaythroughtricepsdips,handstands,muscle-ups,frontlevers,one-arm pull-ups, human flags, and single leg squats. Each exercise is

demonstratedwith anumberof clear, instructivephotographs, enablingyou toseeexactlywhatyourbodyshouldbedoingateachstage.Tofinishoff,thereisanextensivesectionattheendofthebookdescribingvarioustrainingprograms,whetheryouareatotalbeginnerorhavebeentrainingforyears.Andso,thisiswherewefindourselves.Thisbookwillgiveyouthetoolsandmotivationyouneed to take your physical training to the next level. In short, COMPLETECALISTHENICS is the ultimate guide on how to develop the ultimatebodyweightstrength.

Whatiscalisthenics?Tostart,itisworthtakingalookatexactlywhatcalisthenicsis,andwhatitisn’t,sothatweknowwhycertainexercisesareincludedorexcluded.Thehistoryofcalisthenics isa longone,andthewordcomesfromtheancientGreek‘kallos’,whichmeansbeauty,and‘sthenos’,whichmeansstrength.Itcanbethoughtofastheartofusingyourownbodyweightandqualitiesofinertiaasameanstodevelopyourphysique.Forabitmoreofadetailedexplanation,fromWikipedia,thedefinitionofcalisthenicsisasfollows:

Calisthenicsisaformofphysicaltrainingconsistingofavarietyofexercises,oftenrhythmicalmovements,generallywithoutusingequipmentorapparatus.They are intended to increase body strength and flexibility with movementssuchasbending,jumping,swinging,twistingorkicking,usingonlyone'sbodyweight for resistance. They are usually conducted in concert with stretches.Calisthenics when performed vigorously and with variety can benefit bothmuscular andcardiovascular fitness, in addition to improving psychomotorskillssuchasbalance,agilityandcoordination.

Groupssuchassportsteamsandmilitaryunitsoftenperformleader-directedgroup calisthenics as a form of synchronised physical training to increasegroupcohesionanddiscipline.Calisthenicsarealsopopularasacomponentofphysicaleducationinprimaryandsecondaryschoolsaroundtheworld.In the prehistoric world, the human species walked, ran, jumped, lunged,climbed,pushed,andpulledaspartoftheireverydayactivityandthestruggletosurvive.Modernweightsandmachines thatare found incommercialgymsarelightyearsawayfromthekindofactivitythatweashumanshavebeenengagedinformillennia,andthisiswhy,inmyopinionat least, thatcalisthenicsis themostnaturalandcomfortabletypeofexerciseandmovementforustoperform.Our cousins, the great apes,make use of this to develop huge strength in theupper body, as is evidentwhenwatchingChimpanzees swing and climb treesandbrancheswithease.Moving into the ancient world, calisthenics was used as the main source ofphysical preparation for themilitary, as itwas easy to organise, easy to learn,andhadthebiggesttransfertotheactualskillsandmovementsthatthesoldiers

wouldneed.Therewasalso something spiritual aboutbeing in tunewithonesownbody, andbeingable tomove it through spacewithno limitsorbarriers.Technologyalsolimitedwhatwaspossible,asbarbells,specificweights,andtheunderstandingofweightedmovementswasnotunderstood.Eventhen,strengthasaphysical traitwasreveredandadmired,as the legendsofMilo,Atlas,andHerculesattest.These famousandmythical figureswereknown forone thing,andthatwastheirstrengthandabilitytoexertforceusingtheirmuscles.Todays pinnacle of calisthenics type movement is without a doubt the elitegymnast.Ifthereisanotherathletethatispoundforpoundstronger,moreagile,morepowerful,moreflexible,ormoremobile,thenIhaveyettohearofthem.Theinterestingthingaboutgymnastsisthattheirstrengthcanalmostbethoughtof as a by product, as they normally train exclusively for their event ordiscipline,andnotfortheabilitytobestrong.Eventhoughthisisthecase,mostgymnasticstrainingtakesplacebehindcloseddoors,andmanytrainupwardsofthirtytofortyhoursperweek,whichformanypeopleissimplynotpossiblewiththelivesthattheylead.Inaddition,muchofgymnasticstrainingistraditionallydone with an eye to eventually progress and perfect the specific events anddisciplinesthatthatparticulargymnastwillcompetein.Forthepersonwhojustwants tobeable toperformone-armpull-ups,ora front lever, themajorityofgymnastics trainingmightbewastedon them,andeven if itwouldnotbe,noteveryonecouldcommitorhavethedisciplinetotrainasagymnastdoes.Inrecentyearscalisthenicshasreallyseenahugeleapforward, in termsof itspopularityandofthemovementsbeingperformed.Anyonereadingthiswhoisfamiliar with YouTube will no doubt have seen many amazing videos whereordinarypeopleperformfeatsof inhumanstrengthandmuscularcontrol,usingequipment nomore advanced than a pull-up bar. This is the essence of whatcalisthenicsmeans; using the body to perform feats of strength that are rarelyseen in other training disciplines. Another fascinating and admirable facet ofmoderncalisthenicsis thatmostof thepeoplewhoareinvolvedinthis typeoftraining do not pay for a gymmembership, do not have access to expensiveequipment,anddonothavepeopletellingthemexactlywhattodo.Inprinciple,they train in parks andbasements, onpull-upbars anddip bars that theymayhaveconstructed themselves,yet theyhavemore strength than themajorityofthe muscle heads that populate most of the commercial gyms in the modernworld.Asaresultofthis,itisnosurprisetoseethatcalisthenicsalsohasalargeplaceinparkour,orfreerunningculture.Thesemenandwomenperformfeatsofstrengthanddaringwheretheyrun,jump,climb,push,andpullthemselvesover,

under, and through street obstacles using grace and athleticism. Nearly all ofthese people are very well versed in calisthenics and body weight strengthmovementsaswell,whichmakesthisbookidealforthosewhoarestartingfreerunningorparkour.Itisalsointhelastfewyearsaswellthatspecialistworkoutcompetitionshaverisenup,whereverystrongmenandwomencompeteagainsteachotherona streetworkoutcourse.Someof themovementsdisplayedherewouldnotbeoutofplaceontheinternationalgymnasticsstage,suchisthelevelofstrengthandathleticismshown.Finally,calisthenicsisalsousedasastrengthbuildingtoolforothersports,asitservestobuildafoundationthatisnotreallyavailableanywhereelse.Evenothertypesofathlete,liketheOlympicWeightlifter,performrudimentarycalisthenicsmovements to build a base level of strength before diverging and performingsportsspecificexamples.Thenamethatmostcomestomindisthatofthe77kgWorldandOlympicchampionWeightlifterLuXiaojun.Thisisamanwhocansnatch176kgandcleanandjerk204kg,butforwhocalisthenicsandbodyweightexerciseisaregularstapleinhistrainingroutine.Hecanbeseeninmanyvideosand pictures performing handstand push-ups, human flags,weighted dips, andothermovementsthatwouldnotlookoutofplaceinastreetworkout.

AdvantagesofcalisthenicsNow thatwehave seen exactlywhat calisthenics is, it is time to seewhat theadvantagesofthismethodoftrainingare.The first advantage is that everybody is somewhat used to performingbodyweightexercise,as theyhavebeenmoving theirownbodyweight throughspace since the day since they were born. In addition, the resistance is tailormade to each individual, as it is their own bodyweight being used as theresistance.Ihaveoftenfoundthatmanypeopletaketotrainingwithcalisthenicsmuch easier than they do when handling dumbbells and barbells for the firsttime.Thisisgoodbecauseitincreasesconfidenceandmotivation.IcannottellyouhowmanytimesIhaveinformedaclientthatwewillbeworkingwithpush-ups,onlyforthemtotellmethattheycannotdothem.Fiveminuteslater,afterIteachthemexactlyhowtoperformasimplifiedvariation,theirfaceslightupastheyrealisethattheyareperfectlycapableofperformingcalisthenics,evenifitisatabeginnerlevel.Secondly, compared to many other forms of exercise, it is not easy to injureyourself performing calisthenics.This is for the simple reason that to increaseresistance using calisthenics requires the leverage or range of motion to bemanipulated. This is not true with dumbbell and barbell exercises however,where extreme amounts of weight can be added, even by complete novices,resultinginamuchgreaterriskofinjury.Inaddition,incalisthenicsalotofthemoredifficultexercisescannotsimplybeperformed;theymustbeworkeduptoover a period of months and years before they can be attempted and trainedregularly.Comparethistoweightedmovements,whereevenabeginnercanput100kgor200lbsonabarandattempttosquatwithit.The third advantage is that the difficulty of the exercise can be made morechallenging by altering the leverage that can be brought to bear on themovement.At first this concept can be hard to understand. In nearly all otherformsofexercise,toincreasetheresistancemoreweightissimplyaddedtothebaroraheavierweightispickedupandmoved.Butasweareusingcalisthenicswecannotsimplyaddmorebodyweight.Toincreasetheresistancewehavetomake itmore difficult for themuscles to apply force. To illustrate this, thinkaboutholdingaheavydumbbellorsimilarobjectinyourhand,withtheweight

hangingbyyourside.Theweight inquestion liesdirectlyunderyourshouldermusculature, making it very easy to hold the position. Now imagine slowlyraising the weight out to the side, keeping your elbow locked. This positionwould become increasingly difficult to hold, until the exercisewould becomemostdifficult toholdwhen thearmwashorizontal.At thispoint theabilityofthe shoulder muscles to exert force on the weight becomes lessened, whichresults in more strength being needed to hold the position. This makes themusclestrongerovertime,eventhoughtheactualweightliftedhasnotchanged.Thisconceptofmanipulatingleverageofanexerciseisusedextensivelyinthisbook,especiallyfor themoredemandingmovements.Asyouprogressthroughthebookyouwillnotice that exercises like the front lever,back lever,pseudoplanche push-up, and many others, all rely on this method of manipulatingleveragetoincreasethedifficultyoftheexercise.Thefourthadvantageisthatthestrengthbuiltusingcalisthenicsistransferabletoawiderangeofsportsandathleticpursuits.Therearemanytheoriesthatattempttoexplainwhythisis,andallmaybeequallyvalid.Myownpersonalopinionisthat nearly all calisthenicmovements, and especially themore advanced ones,teach the body how towork as a complete unit. Ifwe take the planche as anexample,thisexerciserequiresallofthemusclesinthebodytoactasone,withcomplete tension required in order for themovement to be performed.This isespecially useful because weighted exercises and barbell and dumbbellmovements are not suitable for some people, especially the young andundertrained.Usingcalisthenicsenablesanyonetodevelopasolidfoundationofstrengthfromwhichtoprogress.The fifth advantage of calisthenics is that it makes ample use of isometricexercises.Isometricexercisesarethosewherethemusclesareundertensionbutthey do not get shorter or longer. Pushing against a locked door or solidwallwould be a real world example of an isometric contraction. This is unlikeconcentric contractions, where the muscles get shorter under tension, oreccentric contractions, where the muscles get longer under tension. Isometricexercisesaredifferenttonormalonesbecauserepsarenotcounted;insteadtheexercise is held for a set amount of time. There is no real way to replicateisometriccalisthenicexerciseswithweights,andthetypeofstrengththatcanbebuiltwiththeselocked,staticpositionsisunique.Anexampleisthehalflever,whichisshownnext.

DisadvantagesofcalisthenicsEventhoughtherearemanybenefitstoperformingcalisthenics,thereareafewdrawbacksaswell,anditisworthconsideringthosebeforeweprogress.Thefirstdrawbackisthatbecausenoweightsareuseditcanbedifficulttobuildhugestrengthinthelowerbodyusingjustyourownbodyweightastheresistance.Thelowerbodyishometothebiggestandmostpowerfulmusclesinthebody,suchasthequadricepsandglutes.Thismeansthattheyneedtocontractagainstalotofresistancetoelicitanystrengthgains.Theunfortunatefactisthattherearenotahugenumberofcalisthenicexercisesthatwecanusetoprovideenoughresistancetobuildhugestrength.Bodyweightsquats,singlelegsquats,lunges,andhamstringcurlsaresomeoftheexercisesthatwewilllookatlateroninthebook,andalthoughthesedobuildhugeamountsofstrength,IpersonallyfoundthatwhenstartingtotrainwithOlympicWeightliftingandbackandfrontsquats,mylegswerefarbehindtherestofmybody.Thisisonlyaconcernofcourseiflowerbodystrength,orthespecificabilitytosquatlargeloadsisimportanttoyou.Ifitisnot,thendonotworryaboutit.The second disadvantage is that because of the way the lower body isconstructed, it is hard to design exercises that incorporate decreased leverageprinciples.Theupperbodyishometomanyexercisesthatrelyonthisconcepttoincreasestrengthgains,suchastheplanche,thefrontandbacklever,andmanyothers. There is no way around this fact, which is why on nearly everycalisthenicvideoyou see thepersonwill eithernot look likehe trains legs,orwill not perform any lower body exercises. This is a shame in my opinion,because training the lower body can help enormously inmuscle building andstrengthgainsintherestofthebody.The third drawback is that as weight cannot be added to increase resistance,exceptinthecaseofweightedpull-ups,etc.,thenwehavetorelyonthemethodof decreasing the amount of leverage to make the movement more difficult.Whilst this is an extremely effective way of making an exercise morechallenging, it is not the same as increasing the load on a barbell by a fewkilogramsorpoundseveryfewweeks.Forexample,ifweweredoingthebenchpress,wecouldquiteaccuratelykeeptrackofexactlyhowmuchweightwewere

liftingandhowmuchitwasgoingupbyeachweekormonth.Forcalisthenicswecannotdothis.Wecanofcoursekeeparecordofhowmanyrepetitionswedid,orhowmuchourrangeofmotionchangedby,andhowlongweheldcertainpositions, but calisthenics training is a lot less accurate in terms of recordingprogress.The fourth drawback is disputed by some people but nevertheless remains apopular opinion, which is that performing calisthenics cannot build lots ofmuscle.Idonotthinkthatthisistrue;simplybecauseofthesizeofsomeofthepeople I have seen performing calisthenics movements. A quick perusal onYouTubewilldemonstratethattherearesomeseriouslybuiltguysdoingnothingapart frombodyweight exercise. It is true that there is probably a limit to themusclesizethatcalisthenicscangiveyou,butifyouwantbodybuildersizethenit would make sense for you to just do bodybuilding. If you want serious,inhuman strength, as well as good size and amazing muscle tone, thencalisthenicsisthewayforward.

UniqueaspectsofcalisthenicsAscalisthenics isauniqueformof trainingandexercise, ithas itsownuniquebenefits and traits, and Iwould like to takea little time togoover thesehere.These aspects are down to the way in which calisthenics exercises use themusclesof thebody,aswellas theequipment,or lackof it, that isused.Thismeansthatcalisthenicscanbeusedtodeveloptypesofstrengthandathleticismthatcannotbedevelopedelsewhereorusingothermethods.

HandstrengthThe firstuniqueaspectof calisthenics is that thehandsare involved inalmosteverysinglemovementthatwewilllookat.Pushing,pulling,andcoreexercisesallusethehandstoalargedegree,andbecausecalisthenicsputsanemphasisoncompletecontrolandalloverbodystrength,aids likestrapsandhooksarenotused at all. This is in contrast to bodybuilding and other weighted forms ofexercise,wherestrapsareusedtohelppeoplehangontopull-upbars,andhooksareusedtohelpholdthebarbellwhendeadlifting.Nodoubtyouwillhaveseenthisbeingdoneingyms,bynearlyeverybodythatistryingtogetstrong.Forthebodybuilder, using hooks and straps is part and parcel of the sport; they aretryingtotargetcertainmusclesandtheydonotwantthehandsandforearmstotirebeforethemainmuscletheyareworkingongetsfatigued.However,weascalisthenicspractitionerswantthehandsandtheforearms,andbyextensionthegrip,tobeasstrongasphysicallypossible.Thismakesperfectsenseifyougiveit amoment’s thought.Youcouldhave the strongest back in theworld, but ifyour hands and forearms are not strong enough to transfer that strength andmakeuseofit, it ispointless.IamsuchabelieverinhandstrengththatIhavewrittenanentirebook,calledGRIP,onthesubject.Incalisthenicsyouuseyourhandsformanythings;holdingyourselfonthefloorand manipulating your bodyweight, gripping a pull-up bar and hanging fromobjects, andmoving fromone position to another using pure strength and notmomentum.Allof these things relyonhandand fingerstrengthand ifyoudonothaveit,youwillsimplynotbeabletoperformsomeofthemoreadvancedcalisthenic movements. There are of course specific hand and finger strengthexercises that canbeused todirectly target themusclesused forgripping,butmuchof the strengthneededcanandwillbegainedby simplyperforming thestandardexercisesthatIhavelaidoutintheexercisesection.

ThecoreThecore is apartof thebody thathas seen its fair shareof fadexercises andgadgets over the years, and I thinkwe can all safely say that themajority oftheseareabsolutecrap.Contrary topopularbelief,orwhat themediamay tellyou,a strongcorewillnotbebuiltbydoing thousandsof sit-upsorcrunches.Norwilldoingcrunchesand sit-upsburnany fatoffofyourmid section.Thecoremusculature is no different to any othermuscle fibre in terms ofwhat itneedstobecomestronger.Togetstrongeramuscleneedstocontractagainstaresistance,andinorderforthatstrengthtogrow,theresistanceneedstoincreaseover time. Take note of that sentence: it is not the amount of repetitions thatneedstoincrease,it istheresistance.Thismeansthatnomatterhowmanysit-upsyoudo,yourbodywillnotgetstrongerifyoudonotincreasetheresistance.Intraditionalexercisethecoreisseenassimplyabodyparttobeaestheticallyimproved.Theabsareworkedon,diet isadhered to religiouslyandallpeoplewantasixpack.However, incalisthenics thecoreplaysavital roleand isnotjust relegated to the back seat. Many exercises that can be called calisthenicrequirethecoretokeepthemidlineofthebodyabsolutelystable.Ifwetakeanexercisesuchasthefrontlever,wecanseethateventhoughitishugelyreliantonupperbodypullingstrength,thecorealsohastokeepthewholebodystraightandholdup theweightof the legs aswell.Thismeans that a corebuilt usingcalisthenics exercises will be among the strongest you are ever likely toencounter.Aswehavetoincreasetheresistanceinordertoincreasestrength,whichmeansthatwehavetodotoawaywithalotofthemoretraditionalcoreexercises.Thisis not to say that this book does not contain easier or more simple coremovements,itdoes,butjustthatthosealonecannotbereliedupontobuildthelevelofcorestrengthweneedifwearetoprogresstoadecentlevel.The more advanced core exercises, many of which you may not have seenbefore,suchasthehalflever,areverycommoningymnasticscirclesandbuildsuchhugecorestrengththatonceperfected,willmakeothercoreexercisesseemlike child's play.Be innodoubt that onceyou canperform someof themoreadvanced movements, you will be able to rightly claim to having one of thestrongestcoresaround.

ThescapulaForgetbigchestsandlargebacks;therealhomeofupperbodystrengthisintheability of a person to stabilise and control their scapula. The scapula’s, morecommonlyknownas theshoulderblades,are thepointatwhich thebonesandmuscles of the arms join on to the shoulder, and the scapula is that point atwhichthejointakesplace.Thescapulaisbasicallycapableoffourmovements,which are elevation, depression, protraction, and retraction. Elevation occurswhen you shrug your shoulders up, or move your shoulders to your ears.Depressionoccurswhenyouletyourshoulderssinkdowntowardstheground.Retractionoccurswhenyoupull your shouldersbackandpuffoutyour chest,and protraction occurs when you round the back and push your spine andshoulderbladesapart.Ifthescapulacanbemadetobeasstrongaspossible,thenanystrengththatyoudevelop in the restof theupperbodywillbeable tobe transferredwithmuchgreater efficiency. Of all the body parts involved in calisthenics movements,especially the advanced ones, the scapula is probably themost important, butleast understood. The scapula is home to the rotator cuff musculature, whichWikipediadescribesasthefollowing;The rotator cuff muscles are important in shoulder movements and inmaintainingshoulderjointstability.Thesemusclesarisefromthescapulaandconnecttotheheadofthehumerus,formingacuffattheshoulderjoint.Theyhold theheadof thehumerus in the small and shallowglenoid fossa of thescapula.Theglenohumeraljointhasbeenanalogouslydescribedasagolfballsittingonagolftee.

Despite stabilising the glenohumeral joint and controlling humeral headtranslation, the rotator cuff muscles also perform multiple functions,includingabduction, internal rotation,andexternal rotationof theshoulder.The infraspinatusandsubscapularishavesignificantroles inscapularplaneshoulderabduction,generatingforcesthataretwotothreetimesgreaterthantheforceproducedbythesupraspinatusmuscle.However,thesupraspinatusismoreeffectiveforgeneralshoulderabductionbecauseofitsmomentarm.Theanterior portion of the supraspinatus tendon is submitted to significantlygreaterloadandstress,andperformsitsmainfunctionalrole.

If youarenotphysiologicallyminded, the explanation abovemay seem like aloadofnonsense,butallweneedtotakeawayfromitisthefirstsentence:The rotator cuff muscles are important in shoulder movements and inmaintainingshoulderjointstability.Your success inmany of themost difficult calisthenicmovements rely on theabilityofyour rotatorcuffmuscles tostabilise theshoulder joint,allowing theother,much largermusclegroups, todo theactualwork.This is true forpull-ups, planches, front levers, one-arm pull-ups, and many other exercises thatrequireextremestrength.InthemobilitysectionofthebookIwilldetailseveralexercises that are essential for shoulder health that should be performed byeveryone,regardlessofyourstartinglevelofstrength.

Straight–armstrengthCalisthenics,andbyextensionmuchofgymnastics,placesheavyemphasisonaphenomenonknownasstraight-armstrength.Even ifyouarenot familiarwiththisconceptyouwillhavenodoubtseenitbeingused.Gymnastsontelevisionuseitwhenperformingmovementsonthestillrings, likeintheironcrossandcrucifix,orwhendisplayingtheirplancheskill.Straight-arm strength is exactly what it sounds like; strength exerted with alockedelbow.Thisputsenormousstrainonthearmanditsconnective tissues,including thebiceps and thebiceps tendon, and also thehands and thewrists.Movementsliketheplanche,whichwewillexamineindetaillateronthebook,make use of straight-arm strength without which it would be difficult orimpossible to perform. This feat is also the reason why many gymnasts andcalisthenic practitioners have very large biceps, even though they do notraditional biceps curl exercises of any kind. The tension on the elongatedmusclemakesitincreaseinsizeandstrengthadramaticamount,andalsomakesmanyofthemoreadvancedcalisthenicexercisespossible.Anotherexcellentsideeffectofusingastraightarmtopullwithisthatitmakesthebackextremelystrong.Ifthearmiskeptstraightthenthemusclesinthebackhave to work extremely hard to exert any force on the bar. This obviouslyincreasesstrengthinawaythatcannotbereplicatedwithanyothermethod.Thisis also the reasonwhy calisthenic and gymnastic practitioners have incredibleback musculature. In this book there are a number of exercises that rely onstraight-armstrength.Theplanche, front lever,back lever, andhuman flagarejustsomeofthemovementsthatwillexposeyoutothisnovelanduniqueaspectofcalisthenics.

TrainingthenervoussystemAnother very unique aspect of calisthenics, that is only really felt whenperformingvery intenseworkouts, is thatof thenervous systembeing trained.This is best felt rather thandescribed, but is simply the bodybeing taxed andstressed so much that you feel as though more than your muscles have beenworked.This facet of calisthenics is experiencedmostwhenworkingwith themovements that involve lotsofmusclesgroups simultaneously, or that requirelotsand lotsofmuscular tension tobeheld forextendedperiods.Examplesofthis are the planche, the front, back, and half levers, and very difficultmovementsliketheone-armpull-up.Youwillfindthatyoucannotsimplykeepperforming repetitions of these exercises indefinitely, as the body becomesfatiguedanddrainedafteronlyashortwhile.Thisisnormal,andissimplyasignthattheexerciseisdoingitsjob.This is also seen in strongman training and powerlifting and weightlifting.Imagine going for a 1 repmax deadlift. An exercise such as this requires somuchforcetobeproducedthatyousimplycannotkeepperformingitoverandoveragain.Youmaybeabletogoforacoupleofrepsbutafterthatyourbodywillbecomeveryfatigued.Thisisexactlythesamethingthathappenswiththehigh-levelcalisthenicsmovements,butsimplyusingbodyweightexercises.

2.EquipmentThebeautyofusingamethodofexerciselikecalisthenicsisthatthereisalmostnoequipment that is required foryou toperform theworkouts.Youcanoftenfindallthatyouneedtohaveanextremelyeffectivecalisthenicworkoutatanyplaygroundorplaypark.Aslongasitisdeemedsuitableforyoutotrainthere,youcanfindpull-upbars,dipbars,verticalbars,monkeybars,andmanyotherpiecesofequipment there. In somecountries thereareevenspecialistworkoutareas with many different types of bar setups, including varying heights andthicknesses.Thesearenotthatcommonhowever,soifyoudonotlivenearoneoftheseplacesyoudon’tneedtoworry.Thisisnottosaythatyoucansimplyuseanythingtoperformmovementsandexercises on. Other books I have seen dealing with bodyweight exerciserecommendusinghouseholdobjectsextensivelyinyourworkouts.Thisisaverybad idea foranumberof reasons.Numberone is thatdependingonyourownweight, the vastmajority of household objects are not designed for you to bedoingpull-ups,dips,andotherexercisesonthem.Iftheyfailorbreakwhilstyouareusingthem,youwillgetinjured.Calisthenicsalsohastheaddedbonusthatitshouldbeverycheapforyoutogetholdoftheequipmentandapparatusyouneed.Mostoftenthematerialthattheequipment ismade from is cheap, readily available, and is not complicated tobuild. This is in stark contrast to vibration plates, treadmills, cross trainers,rowingmachines,weightplatesandOlympicbars,etc.,whichcanbeextremelyexpensivetobuyandmaintain.Youwillnoticethatpull-upanddipbarsdonotneedmaintaining!Inthenextfewsectionswewilllookatthedifferenttypesofequipmentthatcanbe used to perform calisthenic training on, where it can be found, and howimportanteachpieceistoyoursuccess.

LocationWhenstartingyourcalisthenicstrainingthefirstthingtodecideiswheretotrain.This is a big decision, as the most important thing is that you enjoy yourtraining, and if you do not find a place that is suitable, then it ismuchmorelikelythatyouwillgiveup.Therearenumerouslocationsthatcanbesuitable,andIwillrunthroughafewofthosehere.Firstly, commercial gyms and health clubs can be excellent for calisthenicstrainingandnearlyeverybodyreadingthisbookwill livefairlyclose tooneofthese facilities. The benefits are that they normally have plenty of equipment;they are indoors so theweatherwill not affect your training schedule, and theprices are competitive. The downsides are that you will be paying for manyfacilities(likeswimmingpools,etc.)thatyouwillperhapsnotgetmuchuseoutof. Also, the type of equipment that they do have will not be completelycalisthenicfriendly.OnegymtypethatisverygoodforcalisthenicsareCrossFitgyms.WhateveryouropiniononCrossFit,andIhavemany,itcannotbedeniedthat they have some very good facilities with equipment that is pretty muchperfectforthoseinterestedindoingcalisthenics.Secondly, playgrounds and play parks are another viable option for thosewishingtotrainusingcalisthenicsbutwhodonotwanttojoinagym,orspendany money on equipment. Most playgrounds these days have various pull-upbars,dipbars,monkeybars,poles,ropes,etc.,andcanbemuch,muchbettertousethanacommercialgym.Thedownsidesarethatnearlyallplaygroundsandparks are outside, so if you intend on using somewhere like this for yourtraining, you will have to contend with the weather. If you have somewherewarmanddry then that isn’taproblem,but it isstillan issue toconsider.Theotherissafety.Playgroundsaredesignedmostlyforchildren,andtherecouldbeissueswithadultsworkingoutincloseproximitytochildren.Inthisinstance,itwouldbebest tocheckwith the localauthority,andsee if itwouldbeOKforyoutotrainthere.Alternatively,youcouldjustwaituntilthechildrenhavegonehome,andthenthiswouldnotbeaproblem.The third option is to use an area that has been specifically set-up as abodyweight and calisthenic workout area. If you live in the United States orEastern Europe or Russia then these are becoming more and more common,

especiallywithinthecity’s,wheretheycannormallybefoundnexttoorjoinedonto basketball courts. These are less common in England, but are becomingsteadily more accessible, due to initiatives to get young people more active.These types of workout areas normally have a multitude of pull-up bars, dipbars,parallettes,etc.,ofvariousheightsandbarthicknesses.Theotherexcellentthing about areas like this is that therewill be other people there thatwant totrain as you do, and having training partners and groups is one of the fastestwaysofprogressing.The last place that you can train is in your own home. This will requirepurchasingormakingsomeequipmentyourself,asit isunlikelythatthehouseyou buy ormove intowill have a readymade calisthenics gym. This doesn’tmean that you need to spend a fortune however, as most of the equipmentneeded for calisthenics training is very cheap and easily available. In the nextfewsectionswewill lookat someof thepiecesof apparatus that areused forcalisthenicsandbodyweighttraining,whatitshouldhave,whereyoucanfindit,andalternativestotheboughtitems.

Pull-upbarsEventhoughequipmentisnotreallyneededforcalisthenics,itisverydifficult,perhapsimpossible,toperformanyofthepullingexerciseswithoutsomethingtopull on.The best piece of equipment for this is a pull-up bar.Not only can apull-upbarbeusedforallofthepullingexercises,butitcanalsobeutilisedformost of the core exercises, and even someof thepushingones.Thismakes itperhaps themost cost effective piece of exercise equipment ever devised.Allgymsshouldhave these,and if theydon’t, thendon’t join,orchangegyms. Iftheydonothave themostbasicpieceofcalisthenicequipment thenIdread tothinkwhatelsetheydon’thave.Ifyouarelucky,thentheywillhaveabarthatisnot close to the ceiling,whichwill allow you to progress ontomuscle-ups intime.Ifontheotherhandyouarenotamemberofagym,andhavenointentionofeverjoiningone,thenthereareanumberofoptionsforyou.Firstlyyoucanbuyapull-upbar.Ifyougodownthisroutethenitwilllikelybeoneofthebestdecisionsyoucanmakeonyourphysicaltrainingjourney.Pull-upbarscomeinvarioustypes,fromonesthatbolttowalls,toonesthatfitintodoorframes,andevenstandaloneunits.Youshouldbeabletofindonethatsuitsyourbudgetandlivingsituationfairlyeasily.AthomeIuseaPowerBar*,thatIhavebeenusingdutifullyforafewyearsnow.Ithasneverletmedownandwasverycheap,andseemstofitawidevarietyofdoorframes.*PleasenotethatIamnotendorsedorsponsoredbythecompanythatmakesthisparticularproduct,Ihavejusthadaverygoodexperiencewithit.Ifyoucannotaffordapull-upbar,orhavenowhere thatyoucould installone,then there are a number of alternatives.One is to use anyobject that you cangrab that is above your head. This could include the underneath of stairs in abasement or cellar, a balcony, or even a tree branch.As long as the object inquestioncansupportyourweightsafely then I seeno reasonwhy itcannotbeusedtoperformpullingexerciseson.

DipbarsDipbarsareanothercommonpieceofequipmentfoundinnotonlycommercialgyms but also in play parks and outside training areas.As the name suggeststhey are normally used for triceps dips, but can also be used for all sorts ofexercises, including front and back levers, muscle-ups, and handstand andplanchework.Thedipbars thatare found incommercialgymsareoftenattached toabiggerpieceofequipment,likepull-upbarsandlegraisestations,sosometimestheseare not that good for a pure calisthenics workout, but can still be usedeffectively.Inplayparksthedipbarsareoftenmuchlonger,whichmeansthattwoorthreepeoplecantrainsimultaneously,oryoucantravelalongthem,turnaround,performhandstands, planches, etc., and reallyget agoodworkout.Aswithpull-upbars,dipbarscancomeinalotofdifferentvarieties,withdifferentbarthicknesses,widths,andheights.Itisraretofindstand-aloneunitsthatyoucanbuy,butifyoulookontheInternetyoumayfindsome.AsIhavethespaceinmyhome,Ihavebuiltasetofdipbarsinmybackgarden,andifyoudohavethespaceandthesparetime,Istronglyencourageyoutodothis as well (as long as the wife/husband/partner/parents allows it of course).Buildingyourownmeansthatyoucancustomisethewidthforyourownbodyshapeandtype,youcandecideexactlywhatheighttheyare,andyoucanmakethebarsasthickorasthinasyouwish.IfyouareinterestedindoingthisthenaquicksearchonGoogleshouldbringuplotsoftutorialsonhowtodothis.

ParallettesParallettesaresimilarinsomewaystodipbars,inthattheyconsistoftwobarsthatareasetdistanceapart,andthatarefacingthesameway.Thedifferenceisthatparallettesarenormallyportableandmuchlowertotheground.Ifyouhaveever seen push-up bars then parallettes are simply larger versions of those.Parallettes are designed to be used for pushing exercises, such as push-ups,handstands,planchework,etc.Thebeautyisthatastheyareseparateunits,youcanwidenandnarrowthegriptosuityourparticularbodytype.Also,becausethey are so small and portable, they can be taken almost anywhere. This isperfectifyoutravelalot,orareawayonbusiness,orsimplydonothavemuchroominyourhometobuildatrainingarea.Parallettes come in various different types but there are a few things that youshouldlookoutforwhenbuyingthem:Thefirstisthattheyneedtobesturdy.Thisisforobviousreasons.Ifyouareinahandstandyoudonotwantthepieceofapparatusyouareusingtofail,asyouwillmostlikelyinjureyourselfandothers.Thesecondisthattheyneedtohaveabarthicknessthatiscomfortableforyoutoholdonto.Itisnogoodusingparallettesthathaveadiameterofafewinches,and although that would do wonders for your grip strength, it will makehandstands and planches and other exercises much more difficult to control.ThereareanumberofplacesthatyoucanbuyparallettesfromontheInternetsoitisbestjusttohavealookaroundandseewhatyoucanfind.Thethirdoption,asIhavedone,istomakeyourown.Thisisverysimpleandcan saveyou lots ofmoney.There aremany instructional videos and tutorialsout there that can show you how to make workout equipment, includingparallettes,ontheInternet.Doingaquicksearchshouldyieldagoodnumberofresults,but thebasic structurecanbe seenonmyownparallettes, apictureofwhichisshownnext.

As you can see, I took a single piece of thick dowel, approximately 30mm indiameterandcutitinhalf.ThenIstackedupsmallsquaresofwooduntilIhadfour towersabout tento twelveincheshigh.Thesewerethenscrewedtogetherand the ends of the dowel fixed to the four towers.They obviously look veryhomemade, but I have had these for about five years now, and they have notfailedmeonce.Whenusingparallettes it is important tomakesure thatyouposition them thecorrectwidthapart.Thiswillbeuniqueforeveryperson,butthesimplestwayistoputthemsothattheyareshoulderwidthapart.Thismeansthatwhenyoudoplanches, handstands, half levers, etc., your hands will be positioned directlyunderneathyourshoulders.Thiswillmakeitmucheasiertosupportyourself,asyourarmswillactlikeverticalcolumnssupportingtherestofyourbodyweight.Tofindyourshoulderwidth,youcaneitherlookatyourselfinamirror,orgetatrainingpartnertohelpyou.Ifyoucannotdoeitherofthose,thenyourshoulderwidthisnormallythesamelengthasthedistancefromthetipofyourfingerstoyourelbow.Simplypositionyourparallettesaccordingtothismeasurementandyouwillbegoodtogo.

ClothingThe typeofclothingyouwear isnot really that important,but therearea fewthingstobearinmind.Firstly,whateveryouchosetoweartoworkoutandtraininshouldallowyourbodycompletefreedomofmovement,withnorestrictionsatthejoints.Oneofthewaysinwhichstrengthisbuiltincalisthenicsisbyusingthefullrangeofmotionineveryexercise,andifthisishinderedbytheclothesthatyouarewearingthenyouwillbeofftoabadstart.Myapparelofchoiceisnormallyloosefittingshortsandat-shirtorvest,orifIamtrainingsomewherethatallowsmetogoshirtless,thenIwilltrainwithnoshirton.Trainingwithnoshirt does have numerous benefits, such as more freedom to move, lessresistance to joint movement, and it also allows the body to regulate itstemperature properly. Training with no shirt also allows you to observe yourmovementsmoreclosely,andtoactuallyseewhatthebodyisdoingatalltimes.Thisisinvaluableifyouhaveatrainingpartner,astheywillbeabletotellyouwhereyouaregoingwrongandwhenyougetsomethingright,especiallywhenitcomestolearningandfeelingthecorrectbodypositionforexerciseslikethebacklever,etc.Secondly, do not think that you need to spend a lot of money on workoutclothes.Before longyouwill be performingmuscle-ups andothermovementswherethematerialofyourclotheswillcomeintocontactwiththebarsandothersurfaces,andthisisoneofthequickestwaystoruinanicet-shirt.Inaddition,contrarytowhatthebigsportsbrandsmaytellyou,theirclothingwillnotturnyou intoacalisthenicskingovernight, sodoyourselfa favourandsavesomemoney.

ChalkManyoftheexercisesinthisbook,especiallythoseinvolvingheavyuseofthehandsandupperbody, requireaverystrongandsecuregrip.Forexample, thefalsegrip,whichisatechniqueusedformuscle-upsonthepull-upbar,reliesonthehandsnotmovingfromasetposition,otherwise themovementwillnotbeabletobecompetedsuccessfully.Tothatend,itisveryimportanttomakesurethatyourgripwillnotslipduetosweatfromthehandsoraslipperysurfaceonthepieceofequipment.Thatiswherechalkcomesin.Chalkbasicallydriesoutthehandsandcreatesamoreabrasiveandstickiersurfacefor thegrip toworkwith.Therearetwomaintypesofchalkandwewilldiscussbothofthemhere.Thefirstisthetraditionalpowderedchalkthatyoumayhaveseenbeingusedbygymnasts, weightlifters, and climbers. This normally comes in large squareblocks,whicharethenbrokendownandplacedinacontainerofsomekind.Thedownsides to this are many, including excess chalk on the floor and on theapparatus,chalkdustintheairwhichcanbebreathedinandmakeitswayintotheeyes,andthejobofreapplyingthechalkafterashortperiodoftime.Thesecondtypeisliquidchalk,whichnormallycomesinasmallbottle.Liquidchalk is thesamecompoundasnormalpowderedchalk,except thata liquid isaddedthatevaporatesofftheskinonceitisapplied.Thisleavesathinlayerofchalkoverthesurfaceofthepalmofthehand,whichmakesthegriponpull-upbars and parallettes much stronger. Liquid chalk also does not have to bereapplied quite as often as powdered chalk, does not get into the air or yourlungs or eyes, and can also be applied onto the wrists and other parts of theanatomythatpowderedchalkcannot.Ifyouareamemberofagymthenitisworthcheckingwhethertheyallowchalkto be used on pull-up bars and the other equipment. If they don’t, I wouldconsider changing gyms, as they obviously caremore about the state of theirfloorsorbarsthanofyourstrengthandfitnessgoals.

FoamrollerAlthougha foamroller isnotactuallyvital, it cancome inhandy formobilitydrillsandmaintenanceofmuscleandtissue.Simplyput,afoamrollerisusedforSelfMyofascialRelease,ormoresimply,FoamRolling.Foamrollingistheactofputtingpressureonamuscleormusclegroup, and rollingover it using thebody’sownweightastheforce.Thiscanhelptoalignmusclefibres,releasethefasciafromthemuscle,andgenerallygetridofanysoreparts,scartissue,andknotsinthemusclefibre.Foamrollerscanbeboughtfrommanyplaces,andmostgoodcommercialgymsshouldhave someof these.Theynormally come invariousdensities,with thesofterrollersgoodforbeginnersandtheharderonessuitableforthosewhohavealreadybeenfoamrollingforsometime.Ifyoudonotwanttobuyafoamrollerespeciallyforyourtrainingthenyoucanusemanyhouseholdobjectstoachievemuchthesameresult.Tennisballs,cardboardtubes,plumbingpipes,andmanyotherthingscanbeusedtofoamroll.

TrainingpartnerThe last piece of optional equipment is a training partner.Depending on yoursocialcircleand the typeofpeoplewhoareyour friends,youwill eitherhavepeoplelininguptotrainalongsideyou,orthosewhomakeeveryexcuseunderthe sun not to exercise. If you can find someone who can take the part of aregular training partner then youwill be in luck.A training partner can reallymake the difference, especially in terms of pushing you to break throughplateaus and to hit new highs. Often, you will find that training alongsidesomeone else will help to concoct a healthy dose of rivalry and competition,whichisonlyevergoodforprogressandimprovement.Theywillalsobeabletowatchyoudo theexercisesand tellyouwhereyouaregoingwrongandwhenyouaredoingthingsright.

Nutrition,rest,andrecoveryNow that you have an understanding of what calisthenics is, and the type ofstrength that itwill give you, it is time to look at a very important part of allphysical training,whichisnutrition,rest,andrecovery.Manypeoplemakethemistakeoftrainingveryhard,butthendon’teatproperly,restenough,orsleepenough,andthensubsequentlyfailtorecoverandgetstronger.Thisnextpartofthebookaimstogiveyoualloftheinformationyouneedrelatingtothecorrectdiet,thecorrectamountofresttime,andtherightamountandtypeofsleep.

3.NutritionIfyouareseriousaboutbuildingrealstrengthandpowerthenyouwillneedtogetyournutritionright.Ifyoualsowanttoreduceyourbodyfatandgetrippedthendietbecomesevenmoreimportant.Thesedays,asthereissomuchmoneytobemade, anewdiet is inventedalmost everyday.This factmeans that thevast majority of diets and nutritional plans out there are garbage. Manynutritionists and dieticians complicate things far toomuch, in the hope that iftheydo,youwillbecomereliantontheiradviceandexpertiseindefinitely.Inmyexperience, complicating things only causes problems,whereas keeping thingssimplemeansthattheplanwillbeeasiertofollowandmoresuccessful.Readanyfitnessmagazineandyouwillseemanydifferentrulesandregulationsforeatingagooddiet.Somewill say tocontrol calories, somewill advisenoteatingcarbohydratesforthefirstweek,andsomewillhavetrafficlightsystemsfordifferent foods. Inmyopinionall of thesediets andmethodsof eatingaremoretroublethantheyareworth.Buildingseriouscalisthenicstrengthrequireslots of actual training, andwe do not want to waste time trying to follow anextremelycomplexwayofeating.InthisnextsectionIhavelistedanumberofruleswithregardstodietandnutritionthatareeasytofollowandshouldmakeperfectsense.

EatnaturalfoodNatural food is that which has been minimally processed, and either walks,swims,flies,orgrows.Meat,fish,poultry,eggs,nuts,fruitandvegetablesarealltypesofnatural food.This rule isverystraightforward.Themorenatural foodyoueatthebetter,asitwillcontainmoreandbetterqualitynutrients,andwillbemore suited to your body’s digestive system. It is up to youwhether you eatorganic foodor not.There is lots of evidence to show that organic food is nobetterforyouthannon-organicfood,butthismakesnosensetome.Idonoteatorganic food exclusively, but if you are concerned about pesticides andherbicidescontaminatingyourfood,itwouldbeagoodideatothinkabout.In termsofwhatfoodtoeat,amixofnutrients isbest.Thismeansmeat, fish,eggs, and dairy for your protein, lots of fruits and vegetables for yourcarbohydrates,andyourfatfrommeat,oliveoil,andnutsandseeds.Contrarytopopularbelief,eatinganall-naturaldietisnotmoreexpensivethaneatingjunkfood,andevenifitwas,thatisstillnotareasontoeatjunkfood.Itcanalsobethoughtofas thesingleingredientdiet.Ifyouonlyeatnaturalfoodthenallofthe thingsyoueat shouldconsistof a single ingredient. In this regard it is thesimplestdiet tofollowthathaseverbeendevised.Whenselectingfoodsimplyholditinyourhandandaskyourselfwhetherithasasingleingredientornot.Ifitdoes,theneatit,ifitdoesn’t,thendon’teatit.Verysimple.

EatbigtogetbigManyofyoureadingthiswillwant toputonmusclemass,eitherforaestheticreasonsor tomake the strengthexercisesmoremanageable.Toputonmuscleyoumustsimplytakeinmorecaloriesthanyouexpend,butthesemustbegoodqualitycalories.Thishasoftenbeenrenderedas,“eatbigtogetbig”.Ifyouaretrainingforstrengththenyouwillundoubtedlyfeeltheneedtoeatmore,sodonotfeelbadfordoingso.Strengthtrainingisextremelytaxingonthebody,andfoodandnutrientswillneedtobeconsumedinbulksothatyourbodywillhavethematerials to repair itself.Wehavebeenaccustomed tohearingaboutdailycalorie intakes foradults,whetheryou live inawesterncountryornot,and inmy opinion these have skewed the view of nearly everyone about whatconstitutesagooddiet.Ifyouaretrainingforstrengththenyouwillneedtoeatmuchmorethanwhatdoctorsandotherhealthprofessionalsrecommend.Asanextremeexample,readanyinterviewwiththestrongestmenontheplanetrightnow;menlikeBrianShaw,BenediktMagnusson,andothers,andyouwilloftenhear them say that they eat close to 10,000 calories per day! This is becausewhentrainingforstrengthyouhavetoeat,andyouhavetoeatalot.Onedrawbacktoeatinglotsoffood,evenifitisverygoodqualitynaturalfood,is that there is chance that youwill put on body fat. This is unavoidable to acertainextent,whichiswhybodybuilderswillgothroughabulkinganddietingphase,whereinthefirststagetheywilleatandputonmuscle,andthenreducetheircaloriesandbodyfat.Donotworrytoomuchaboutthis,asonceyouhavegotten to a stagewhere you have put on themusclemass youwant, you canreducetheamountoffoodyoueatanddropbodyfat.

IncreaseyourproteinintakeOut of all of the macronutrients (the others being carbohydrates and fats),protein is perhaps the most important one when training for strength. This isbecauseproteinisthenutrientthatisresponsibleforthegrowthandmaintenanceofmuscle.Eating enough food that contains proteinwill helpyou to keep themuscle that you already have, which is important for the obvious reasons.Proteincanbefound inmeat likebeef,pork,and lamb,all typesof fish,eggs,milk,cheeseandotherdairyproducts,andlegumes,nuts,andseeds.Ifyoueatafairly varieddiet you shouldhaveno trouble getting enoughprotein into yourbody,especiallyifyouarenotavegetarian.If you are a vegetarian then you can still build muscle and strength, as theexampleofmostvegetariananimalsaroundtheworldwillshowyou.Theonlyproblem that some vegetarians have is that because animal protein has acompleteaminoacidprofile,theremaybesomeaminoacidsmissingfromyourdiet if you eat a purely vegetarian one. This can be rectified with varioussupplements,andisworthlookingintoifyouareavegetarian.Asfortheamountofproteinthatyouwillneed,thiscananddoesvaryaccordingto a number of things, including your genetics, training history, body size,trainingintensity,andmanyotherfactors.Aroughguideistotakeonagramofproteinforeverypoundofleanbodyweight,ortwogramsofproteinforeverykilogramofbodyweight.Forexample,ifyouweigh80kilograms,or160pounds,then160gramsofproteinperdayisatargettoaimfor.Donotworrytoomuchaboutthis,asthemajorityofpeopletakeinenoughproteineverydaytonothaveto count the number of grams you are eating. If you simply try and eat someproteinateverymeal thenyouwillhaveno troublebringingenough intoyourbody.

ReduceyourcarbohydrateintakeThese days there is one type of food that ismore readily available than everbefore, which causes more health problems than any other, and this food isrefined carbohydrate. Refined carbohydrates include white flour, white bread,pasta,white rice, sugar, and pastry, and they are bad for you for a number ofreasons:Firstly,theyhavearelativelyhighenergydensity,at4caloriespergram.Thisisnotashighasfat,at9caloriespergram,butpeopledonoteatanywhereneartheamount of fat as they do carbohydrates, which is the main reason so manypeople have trouble with their weight. They steer clear of fat, eating low fatyogurt,milk,cheese,etc.,butthinknothingofeatingloavesofbread,pasta,rice,potatoes,andallmannerofotherstarchycarbohydrates.Secondly,eatinglotsofcarbohydratescanandwillspikebloodsugar,whichcanthen lead to increased fat retention, blunted insulin response, and other sideeffectsthatarenotdesirableforus,especiallythosewhoaretrainingforstrengthandperformance.Thirdly, formany people, at least in thewesternworld, they are intolerant tosomedegree toyeastandgluten.Yeastandglutenespecially is foundinbreadandmosttypesofflour,whichisoftenwhatcausesthebloatedfeelingyouget.Thisisduetotheproteinsintheglutencausinginflammationinthegut,whichisnotadesirablesituationforus,asweshouldbebusyrecoveringfromastrengthworkout,nottryingtocombatinflammation.Ifyoucan,researchthePaleolithicdiet,ortheCavemandiet,whichwilltellyouwhyitisnotreallyagoodideaforhumanstoeatgluten,orgrainsingeneral.Lastly, ifyouare looking toget rippedorreduceyourbodyfat, reducingyourintake of refined carbohydrates is the best thing you can do. Refinedcarbohydrates are very energy dense, and eating a lot of themwill contributeconsiderablytoyourlevelofbodyfat.

DrinkwaterThe vast majority of people do not drink enough water, which means thatdehydration is a big problem in society. This becomes evenworse when youbringtrainingintothemix.Waterisusedforeveryprocessthebodycarriesout,fromthetransportofnutrientsaroundthebodytotheessentialfunctionsofthebrain.Mostplacesintheworldhavereadilyavailabledrinkingwater,sothereisreallynoexcuse tobedehydrated.Agood tip is to takeawaterbottle aroundwithyouwhereveryougo,andtakesmallsipsoften.Thiswillensurethatyoualwaysstayhydratedwhateveryoumightbedoing.Toworkouthowmuchyoushouldbedrinking,simplymultiplyyourweightinkgby0.033.Forexample, Iweigh75kg,so75kgx0.033=2.475 litres.So, Ishouldaimtodrink2.5litresofwateraday.Ifitishotwhereyoulive,oryouhavetrainedhardthenjustdrinkmoretocompensate.Note: togetyourweight intokilosfrompounds,simplydivideyourweight inpoundsby2.2.Forexample,165lbsdividedby2.2=75kg

MakefoodinbulkAnyone that has ever read any bodybuilding ormuscle and fitness forums ormagazineswillknowthis rule,which is tomakefoodinbulk.Makingfoodinbulkservesanumberofpurposes:First,itensuresthatthereisalwaysaqualitymealtobeeatenwheneveryouarehungry.Second,itenablesyoutotakethisfoodtowork,thegym,onthetrain,etc.,sothatyoudonotendupbuyingjunkfoodwhenyouareawayfromyourhome.Third,ittakeslesstimeandcostslessmoneytomakefoodinbulkthanitdoestocookaseparatemealeverytimeyouneedtoeat.Therearemorethanenoughrecipesouttheretoshowyouhowtocookinbulk,soIwillnotboreyouwithanyofthem,butIrecommendmealsthathavelotsofnutrients.Forexample,IliveintheUKwheretheweathercanbecoldandwetsometimes(OK,alotofthetime),soItendtomakestews,casseroles,soupsandother hotmeals formy bulk food. They contain lots of protein and good fatsfromthemeat,lotsofcarbohydratesandothernutrientsfromthevegetables,andtheyarequickandeasytoeatandrequirenomorepreparationthanheatingitupinamicrowave. Inaddition,buyingplastic tubs tokeep the food in isanotherverygoodpractice.Ipersonallyhavelotsoftheselyingaround,bothlargeonesthat I freeze food in, and smaller ones that I take to work, on the train, onjourneys,tothegym,etc.

SampledietTofinishthissection,wewilllookatasampledietthatisprettytypicalformeonanygivenday.Thisisonlyanexample,andservestoshowhowsimple,easy,andcheapitcanbe toeataverygooddiet thatwillhelpyoutobuildstrengthandathleticperformance.

BreakfastForbreakfastIalmostalwayshavescrambledegg.Thisconsistsof2to3eggsmixed with a small amount of milk, and then cooked until ready. I often eatsomefruitat thesame time,mostoftenabananaandanapple. Ialsopair thiswith lots of water or good quality milk. Do not fall for the low fat milknonsense;get the fullest fat,mostnutritiousstuffyoucan find.Youshouldbetryingtobuildstrength,notcompeteinafitnessmodelingcompetition.

SnackForsnacksIalmostalwayseatamixtureofunprocessednuts,seeds,anddriedfruit. Inmymix today are cashews, brazils, almonds, raisins, cranberries, etc.Thiswayyougetgoodprotein,fats,andcarbohydrateswithasnackthatrequiresnopreparation.Again,fruithere isalsogood,orevenasmallcanof tunaorachickenbreast.

LunchMylunchusuallyconsistsofamealthatIhavecookedinbulkeitherthenightbeforeorafewdaysbefore.Thiscanbeatunasalad,chickensalad,beefstew,roast chickenwithvegetables,etc.Make sure tohave lots of vegetables alongwith the protein source, as thiswill give you lots of nutrients that your bodyneeds.

SnackMysecondsnack is thesameasbefore,butcanalsobeextra fruitor leftoverlunch.

DinnerThelastmealofthedayisnormallyanotherbulkmeal,orcanbemadeontheday.Asanexample, Imayhavedicedchickenbreastwithapeanutbutterandcreamcheesesauce,sweetpotatoes,peas,sweetcorn,asparagus,andbroccoli.

4.RestandrecoveryContrarytopopularbelief,thebodydoesnotgetstrongerorfitterwhenyouaretraining.Itgetsstrongerintheintervalsbetweentrainingsessions,andforthistohappenitmustbeallowedachancetorecover.Thehumanbodyisanadaptiveorganism,andgivenenoughrest,thepropernutrition,andadequatesleep,itcanandwillrecoverfromalmostanything.Therearefourareasthatwearegoingtolookatinthissection,whicharesleep,whattodoifyoubecomeinjured,takingcareofyourhands,andtendonandligamentstrength.

SleepInthematterofrecoveringfromyourworkouts,thereisnothingmoreimportantthanadequaterest,goodnutrition,andaboveallelse,sleep.Mostpeople,inthemodernworldatanyrate,donotgetanywherenearenoughsleep.Thereisgoodscientificevidencetosuggestthatthebodydoesnotrepairitselfanywherenearaseffectivelyifyoursleepiseithertooshort,interrupted,orifyougetintobedtoo late. Getting a good nights sleep is something that is becoming rarer andrarer these days, for many reasons. Stress from work, a busy family life,financialworries,andmanyotherfactorscanallbuilduptomakeagoodnightssleep impossible. I havehad these problems, just asmanyof you reading thismaywellhavedone,butthereanumberofthingsthatyoucandotoensureyoudogetanadequatenightsrest:Firstly,makesure thatyouget tobedon time.Thismeans thatyoushouldbeasleepbyno later than10:30pm.Any later than thisandyouwillmissoutonvaluable time that your body uses to repair itself. Now I know that it is notalwayspossibletogettobed,letalonetosleep,before10:30pm,butonthedaysandnightsthatyoucan,tryanddoit.Secondly,stayoffyourmobilephoneandanyotherelectronicdeviceforatleasttwentyminutesbeforeyougotosleep.Thebrightlightandglareofthescreenwillnotdoyoureyesanygood,andtheelectricandmagneticfieldproducedbythosedevicescannotbegoodforyourbrainas it is tryingtoshutoff.Thereissome research into this field, but asmost people aremore or less addicted tochecking their socialmedia profiles before turning in, notmuch attention hasbeen paid to it.At the end of the day, if you are serious about achieving realcalisthenicsstrength,thenyourstatusupdatecanwaituntilthemorning.Thirdly,if therearethingsyouareworryingabout,suchasanumberofthingsthatyouhavetodothenextday,thenwriteitdowninasmallnotepadthatyoukeepby the sideofyourbed. I starteddoing thisa long timeagoand ithelpsimmensely. If like me you have thousands of thoughts and ideas bouncingaroundupthere,thebestthingtodoistogetthemoutandwritethemdown.Ihave found that this almost locks them away in a sense, so thatmymind canclearandIalwayssleepbetterbecauseofit.Fourthly,makeyour bedroomas dark as possible.This is a nobrainer, as the

darkertheroomtheeasier itwillbeforyoutoshutoffandget tosleepfaster.Try getting dark coloured curtains or draping a towel or something else overyourexistingcurtainsorblinds.Lastly,tryandlearntomeditate.Now,Iamnotaspiritualistanddonotbelieveinanynewagephilosophy,buttheabilitytoshutoutthoughtsandthebrainisvery rare in themodernworld, and can be enormously useful to those of youwhostillstruggletosleepevenafterfollowingallofthestepsmentionedbefore.

WhattodoifyourareinjuredAlthoughthere is littlechanceofgettinginjuredwhenperformingcalisthenics,neverthelessthemoreadvancedexercisesdoplacealargeamountofstressandstrainonthebones,muscles,tendons,andligamentsofthebody,sothechanceandriskofinjuryisnevercompletelyzero.Therearethingsyoucandotoavoidbecoming injured, like not overtraining, only progressingwhenyou are ready,andaboveallelse,allowingenoughtimeforyourbodytoadapttothedemandsbeingplaceduponit.Also,makesuretofollowthemobilityandflexibilitydrillsthat are explained and demonstrated in future chapters, as this will help tocorrectandpreventany issuesarising in thefuture. Ifyoudoget injured, thenthe best thing to do is to rest and seek professional advice. I have had someexperience with physiotherapists, and whilst there are some that are not verygoodatall, therearepeopleout therethatdohavetheknowledgetohelpwithsports and strength related training injuries. The most common niggles andinjuries youmay come across in your own training are unique to calisthenics,anditisworthtalkingaboutafewofthemhere,justsoyouknowwhattolookoutfor,andwhattodoifyousuccumbtothem.Firstly,astheelbowjointisusedextensivelyincalisthenics,thereisaslightriskof tendonitis. Planches, front levers, back levers, and human flags are allperformed with straight arms, and whilst this is not harmful in and of itself,overusecanoccurandtheelbowjointcanbecomequitesoreandinflexible.Thesamewillhappenwhentrainingforone-armpull-upsandtheothermovementsthatplacealotofstrainontheligamentsandtendonsoftheupperbodyjoints.As I explain in the exercise section, that is why I recommend keeping therepetitionrangeslowonmovementsliketheone-armpull-upandothersimilarexercises.Secondly,thecoretakesahugepoundinginnearlyallcalisthenicsexercises,sowatchout forsorenessandanystressesandstrains there.Acoupleof times inmyowntrainingIhaveoverdoneitandpulledmyabs,somuchsothat itwasdifficult togetoutofbedforaweekorso.If this is thecasethenagain,morerestandlesstrainingtimewillbetheanswer.Anyseriousinjury,likeahernia,needstobetreatedandseenbyaqualifiedmedicalprofessional.Thirdly, the shoulders are the one joint that probably comes under the most

amountofstressduringcalisthenicstraining.That isbecause,asIexplainedinPARTI, that thescapulaarebydefinition themostunstable joint in thebody.Thismeansthatthepropensityforinjuryhereishigherthaninmanyotherpartsofthebody,andwhichiswhyIrecommendperformingadequatewarm-upsandmobilityexercises.Inthenextsection,PARTIII,youwillbeexposedtoscapulastrengtheningmovementsthatcanhelptobuildalmostbombproofshoulders.Ifyouareseriousabouttrainingforalongtimeanddonotwanttobecomeinjured,makesurethatyoudothem.Lastly,thehandswillbeinvolvedinalmostalloftheexercisesthatarefeaturedinthisbookandinallcalisthenicsmovements,andassuch,willbeplacedunderenormousstressandstraineverytimeyouworkout.Makesurethatyoustretchthembeforeandafteryoursession,andthatifyoufeelanyunusualpaininthemwhatsoever,thenceasetheexerciseandrestthem.InthenextsectionItalkaboutcareofthehandsmoreextensively.

TakingcareofyourhandsAs I have already explained, out of all of the parts of the body involved incalisthenics,theonethatisusedthemostisundoubtedlythehands.Foralmosteveryexercise, includingpushing,pulling,andmanyof thecoreexercises, thehands are used extensively and can really take a beating. In this regard, it isimportantthatwelookafterthem.Inthesamewaythatweperformmobilityandstrengthening exercises for the shoulders, and perform flexibility drills for thewholebody,weshouldlookafterthehandsinthesamemanner.Thefirstthingthatyouwillnoticewhenyoustartcalisthenicstrainingisthatthepalmsofthehandscanbequitesore,especiallyafteraheavypull-upsession,orafter using parallettes for an extended period of time. This is a normal andnaturalreactiononthebody’spart,soyoushouldnotdoanythingtoinhibitthesoreness,except restandmaybemoisturise.DoNOTbe tempted tostartusinggloves.Thiswillonlycausemoreproblems lateron,especiallywhen itcomestimetostartlearningthefalsegrip,andothermovementsthatrequirecompletefeelandsensitivityinthehands.Thesecondthingthatwillhappenisthatinresponsetothesorenessandtheuseofthehands,thebodywillformcalluses,mostcommonlywherethefingersjointhepalmandoneachjointofthefingersthemselves.Thisisagainnormal,butyou shouldnot let themget toobig, as theseoftenhave thenegativeeffectofgettingcaughtonthings,andofgettinginthewaywhengrabbingapull-upbarorotherobject.Theywillalsobunchupandsquashwheneverthehandisclosedintoafist,whichagaincanbeuncomfortable.ThebestsolutionthatIhavefoundis tosanddownandreducetheheightof thecalluses to thepoint that theyarestillthere,butnotgoneentirely.Youcanuseanumberoftoolsforthisjob,likenailfiles,verylightsandpaper,andcertainbeautyproductsdesignedforgettingrid of dry anddead skin.This is important for a number of reasons, themainonesbeingthattheskinhardensinthoseplacesforareason,andthatyouneedthistostopblistersandotherripsandtearsfromhappening.Itmayseembigandclevertohavetornhands,andnotaweekgoesbywhereIdonotseeapictureofsomeone’sbleedinghandspostedproudlyontheInternet,butthemostthiswilldoisjustgiveyouafewweeksofftraining,whichisnotanidealsituationifyouaretryingtoprogressandgetstronger.

Lastly,ifyouusesomeformofchalkinyourtraining,andespeciallyifyouuseliquid chalk, then your handswill definitely needmoisturiser applied to themafter every workout. The alcohol in liquid chalk will dry out your handscompletely, leaving themmore prone to damage from rips and tears, somakesurethatyoudothis,notmatterhowun-machoitmayseem.Itismuchmoreun-macho to have to take time away from training because you did not take twominutestolookafteryourhands.

TendonandligamentstrengthThe last part of this section dealswith tendon and ligament strength, and thewaysinwhichitdiffersfrommuscularstrength.Whilstmusclesareresponsibleformovingthejointsandthereforeallofhumanmovement,thetendonsandligamentsconnectthatmuscletoboneandthebonetobone.Anoftenneglectedormisunderstoodpartofstrengthtrainingingeneral,is thatallpartsof thebodytakethesametimetohealandrecover.This isnottrue,andinourcaseitisespeciallyimportant,ascalisthenicstrainingreliesonthe strength of the tendons and ligaments a lot. Ifwe take the example of theplanche, there is a huge amount of force thatmust be transferred through thebicepstendonandtheotherconnectivetissuesinorderforthemovementtobecompleted.Ifyoudonotallowadequatetimeforthesetissuestohealthenyouwillnotrecoverintime,andyouwillnotgetstronger.Estimatesvary,butfortheaverageperson,tendonsandligamentstakeuptotentimes as long to heal if they are injured than themuscles that surround them.Thismeansthatifmusclestake3daystohealformasprainorstrain,thenthetendonorligamentwilltake30days!Ifyoufeelpainintheelbowsoranyotherareanotassociatedwithmuscularsoreness,thenrest.Donotbetemptedtopushyourluck,becausetheonlythingthatwillhappenisthatyouwillinjureyourselfevenmoreandwillsetyourselfbackweeksormonths.

PhysicalpreparationIn this section we are going to look at a number of very important parts oftraining that are often overlooked completely by many people. These arewarmingup,mobility, exercise preparation, and flexibility.All of these stagesare vital if you wish to progress quickly and without injury, and I wouldencourageyoutoreadandabsorbasmuchofitaspossible.

5.WarmingupandmobilityWarming up before any exercise is a good idea, but it becomes even moreimportantifyouaregoingtotrainusingcalisthenics.Theamountofmuscleusedandtheintensityofthosemusclecontractionsmakeitanecessitytomakesurethatyouarefullywarmandpreparedbeforestartingyourworkout.Thisisnottosaythatyoumustspendhoursgoingthrougheverywarm-upexerciseknowntoman. In my experience some people spend far too long warming up, at theexpense of actually training, and see poor results because they simply do notspendenough timeactuallyperforming themovements thatcontribute towardsstrength gains. In addition, if you spend too long or expend too much effortwarmingupthereisachancethatyouwillnotbeabletoputinasmucheffortinyouractualworkout.Thisisabigmistake,asyouwanttotryandgetasmuchoutofeachsessionaspossible.Thefirstpartofyourwarm-upneedstobeofacardiovascularvariety,togetthebody temperature elevated and themuscles, tendons, and ligamentswarm andsupple. This can be anything that you like, but there are a certain number ofthingsthatworkbetterthanothers.Runningorjoggingistheeasiest,asitdoesnot require any equipment and can be carried out even in a relatively smallspace. Ifyouhaveaccess toagym then thecardiovascularmachines thereareverygoodfortheinitialwarm-up.Thebike,rowingmachine,andcrosstraineror elliptical are all goodpiecesof equipment for getting thebody temperatureraisedandtheheartrateincreased.Theamountoftimethatyouwillhavetodothisfordependsentirelyontheperson,butfivetoeightminutesisnormallylongenough for the majority of people to feel warm and ready for their workout.Whichever method you choose, as long as you feel physically and mentallyreadyfortheworkoutattheendofit,thenthatisadequate.

MobilityOnceyouhavewarmeduptoagoodlevel,andyoufeelwarmandreadytostart,it is recommended that you engage in some mobility work prior to actuallystarting your workout proper. Mobility can be roughly defined as the body’sability tomove intopositionsunder themusclesownpower.Lackofmobilitycanseriouslyhinderyourprogress,asnotbeingabletogetintothecorrectbodypositionswillnotallowyoutoexertasmuchforceintheexerciseandlimityourstrengthgains.MobilityitselfhasbecomefarmorecommonandwidespreadintheyearsthatIhavebeenstudyingtrainingmethodsandprogramming,anditisveryrarethesedaystofindanyathletethateitherdoesnotdoitorthatdoesnotthinkofitasbeneficial.Itcanalsohelptoalleviatepainandsorenessinthemuscles,getridofanyknotsandtightareas,andjustkeepeverythingworkingproperly.I have broken down themobility exercises into three parts, being upper bodymobility, core or torso mobility, and lower body mobility. These exercisesshould ideally be performed at the start of every workout, but this is notabsolutelyessential.Mobilityisoneofthosestrangethingsthatthemoreyoudothelessyouneedtodo.Thismayseemcounterintuitive,butonceyouhavegoodmobility,youwillhavetospendfarlesstimemaintainingitthanyoudidgettingitinthefirstplace.Forsomeofthemobilitymovementsyouwillsimplyneedtogetintoacertainbodyposition,ormoveintoacertainpositionandoutofitagain,butforothersyouwillneedaccesstoafoamroller,asdescribedintheequipmentsection.

UpperbodymobilityUpperbodymobilityisoftenneglectedinfavourofspendingtimeonthelowerbody,especiallythehamstrings.Thehamstringsaretightinmostpeople,whichismaybewhysomuchtimeisspentstretchingthem.Yet,upperbodyflexibilityandmobility,especially in theshouldergirdle, isveryimportant inorder tobeable to transferpoweranddealwithphysical situations thatarise inanysport.Poormobilityherewillalsostopyougetting intopositions like thehandstand,andwillonlyhinderyouinthelongrun.

ScapulamovementsThefirstfewmobilityexercisesthatwearegoingtolookatarethescapulaonesthatIfirstdescribedintheintroductorysection.Thesearethescapulapush-up,scapularow,scapuladip,scapulapull-up,andone-armedscapulapull-up.Theyare designed to strengthen and increase the mobility of the whole shouldergirdle,andhavebeenastapleofmytrainingforalongtimenow.

Scapulapush-upScapula push-ups are an invaluable exercise that can be very useful whenpreparing for theplancheandsomeof theother levers, suchas the front leverandbacklever.Itcanbethoughtofasa‘pushing’scapulaexercise,andagainisusefulinfloormovementssuchastheplancheandvariouslevers.1.Toperformthescapulapush-up,positionyourselfinapush-uppositionwithaneutralstance.2. From here, lower your chest down to the floor, squeezing your scapulatogetherasyoudoso.DoNOTbendtheelbows.3. Once you reach the bottom position reverse the movement, so that yourshoulderbladesseparateandyourspinerisesup.Keeppushinguntilyourbackroundsandyourspineisaselevatedaspossible.DoNOTbendtheelbowsatanypointduringthemovement.Repeatfor10reps.

ScapuladipThe second scapula pushing exercise is the scapula dip. In truth, this shouldreallybe called the reverse scapula shrug, as it is theoppositemovement to atraditional shrug, but no matter. This exercise is designed to strengthen theshoulders formovements such as handstands, planches, and other floor basedexercises.1.To perform scapula dips, position yourself in the top part of a triceps dip.Keepthebodyneutral.2.Fromhere,allowyourwholebodytosink,so thatyourshouldersriseuptomeetyourears.Keepyourelbowslockedthroughout.3.Fromthisbottomposition,pushuphard,aimingtomovethewholebodyintotheairandtheshouldersdownasfaraspossible.DoNOTbendyourelbowsatanypoint.Repeatfor10reps.

Scapulapull-upOneofthemostusefulexerciseswecanusetodevelopscapulastrengthiswhatIcall thescapulapull-up.Thesedevelopahugeamountofstrengthasyouareeffectivelyworkingwithyourentirebodyweight.1.To perform scapula pull-ups, grab a pull-up barwith an overhand grip andhangwithcompletelystraightarms.2.Makesure thatyourscapulaareelevated.Thiswillbewhenyourshouldersareclosetoortouchingyourears,asshowninthepicturesthatfollow.3.Fromthisdeadhangposition,attempttopullyourscapuladownWITHOUTbendingyourelbows.Atfirstthismayfeelimpossibletodo,butpersevereuntilyoucandoit.Therangeofmotionyouwillachievewilldependonanumberofthings,includingyourstrength,flexibility,andshoulderphysiology.4.Onceyouhavepulledyourscapuladown,holdthispositionforasecond,thendrop back down to the start position. Repeat for 10 reps. You can also useweightwiththisexercisetogreateffect.

Scapulaone-armpull-upOnce you have become familiar with the scapula pull-up you can attempt tomoveontotheonearmedversion.Thisvariationwillbe invaluable in learningone-armpull-ups,asoneof thehardestpartsof theone-armpull-up(ifnot thehardest), is getting the pull started from the dead hang position. This partbecomesmucheasierasyourscapulaincreaseinstrength.1.Toperformtheone-armscapulapull-up,grabapull-upbarwithonehandinanoverhandorunderhandgripandhangwithacompletelylockedarm.Youcanputtheotherarmwhereveryoulike,butIprefertohaveitcrossedovermychestorinfrontofmytorso.2.Makesure thatyourscapula iselevated.Thiswillbewhenyourshoulder isclosetoortouchingyourear,asshowninthepicturesthatfollow.3.Fromthisdeadhangposition,attempttopullyourscapuladown,WITHOUTbendingyourelbow.Atfirstthismayfeelimpossibletodo,butpersevereuntilyoucandoit.Therangeofmotionyouwillachievewilldependonanumberofthings,includingyourstrength,flexibility,andshoulderphysiology.4. Once you have pulled your scapula down, hold this position for a fewseconds, thendropbackdown to the start position.Repeat for 5 reps on eacharm.

ScapulafoamrollingAswellasactuallyexercisingandstrengtheningthescapula’s,itisimportanttofoamrollthem,especiallyifyouhaveanytightareasorsorebitorknotswithinthemuscle,asthiscanhelpgreatlytoincreasemobilityinthisarea.1.Tofoamrollthescapula’spositionyourselfontopofthefoamroller,andthenputyourbodyintoahollowposition.Todothis,hugyourselfsothatyourbackrounds.2.Nowrollbackandforwardsoverthefoamroller,stoppingandgoingslowerwhenyouhitanysorepoints.Spendabouttwentytothirtysecondsdoingthis.

ArmpitfoamrollingOne area where most people are tight is the chest and the armpits. This is aconsequenceof themodernworld,wheremanypeople spendhours every dayeithersittingatadeskordriving,whichcauses themuscles in the frontof thebodytoshortenandtighten,andthoseinthebacktostretchandbecomeweaker.Wecancorrectthisbyfoamrollingcertainareas,andforthismobilitydrillwearegoingtofoamrollthearmpit.1.Tofoamrollthearmpitlayfacedownandpositionthefoamrolleratninety-degrees to the body. Extend your arm up over your head and position yourarmpitrightontopoftheroller.2.Nowrollforwardsandbackwardstentimes,takingcaretomovesloweroverthe sore parts and let the roller do itswork. Thenmove to the other side andrepeat.

RotatorcuffstretchThe rotator cuffmusculature is responsible for a lot of themovements of theshoulder, and should thereforebe stretchedoutprior toanyexercise involvingtheshoulders.1.Tostretch the rotatorcuffmuscles liedownon thegroundononeside.Putyourleftarmoutatninetydegreestoyourbodywithyourhandpointingupintotheair.2.Grab your leftwristwith your right hand and start gently pushing it downtowards the ground. Maintain the ninety-degree bend in your elbow, andcontinue applying pressure whilst keeping your left shoulder on the ground.Holdthestretchfor30seconds,changearmsandrepeat.

ChestandshoulderstretchOpening up the chest and shoulders is very important beforewe embark on atrainingsession,andthisnextstretchisoneofthebetteronesintermsofgettingtheshoulders,armpits,andcheststretchedoutandmobile.1.Toperformthechestandshoulderstretch,findaspaceonthegroundandgetontoyourhandsandknees.2.Nowpushyourhipsintotheairandmoveyourchesttowardstheground,asshown in the picture. Keep thinking of pulling the shoulders and chest downthroughthegroundtoincreasethestretch.Holdthisforaround15to20secondsandrelease.

ShoulderdislocatesThelastofourupperbodymobilitydrillsareshoulderdislocates.Don’tworry,yourshoulderswontactuallydislocate,but ifyouhave tight shouldersorpoorupperbodyflexibilityyouwillreallyfeelthese.Toperformthemyouwillneedabarofsomekind,preferablyonethatisverylight.Broomhandlesorexerciseclassbarbellsareexcellentforthismovement.1.Toperformshoulderdislocatesstandwithyourfeetshoulderwidthapart,andholdthebarinfrontofyouwithanoverhandgrip.Startwithaswideagripasyou can manage. From here, move the bar up over the head in a large arc,finishingwith the bar resting on your lower back. Ensure that you keep yourelbowsstraightatalltimes.Perform2setsof10repetitionswitharound20to30secondsrestinbetweeneachset.2.Ifyoustruggletoperformthemovementatall,trymovingthehandsfurtherapartuntilyoucan.Asyourshouldersbecomemoreflexible,simplymovethehandsclosertogethertoincreasethedifficultyofthemovement.Thefollowingpicturesshowthemovementinfull.

CoremobilityCoremobilityisalittlelesscomprehensivethantheupperbodyorlowerbodymobility,simplyforthereasonthatthecorecannotmoveasmuchastheupperbody and lower body, and the spine is not really capable of a wide range ofmovements.However,itisstillimportantforyoutokeepandmaintainmobilityhere,asyoudonotwanttobelimitedinyourmovementsbylackofflexibilityinthespine.

SpinefoamrollingAswasdescribed in theearlier sectionof thebook, foam rolling is avaluableadditiontoamobilityroutine,andcanhelptoalleviatesomeinjuryproblemsorlackofmobility.Foamrollingthespineisgoodforanumberofthings;firstlyitcan help to reduce the number of knots and tight areas in particular musclegroups in the back, and secondly it can improve the ability of the spine theextend.1.Tofoamrollthespine,positionafoamrolleratninety-degreestoyourtorsoandplaceyourlowerbackonit.Keepyourfeetonthefloorandhaveyourhandsreadytohelpsupportyouifyouneedit.2.Startingatthebaseofthespine,rollbackwardsandforwardsalongtheroller,slowingdownonany soreparts andpayingparticular attention to them.Keepgoing until you reach the top of the back,where you should pause and try toallowyourspinetocurlaroundtheroller.Thiswillhelptostretchthechestandencouragegreatermobilityandflexibilityaroundtheupperback.

SideleansOne part of the core that is particularly troublesome for many people is theobliques.Thesearethemusclesinthesidesofthetorsoandareresponsibleforallowingyou tobend sidewaysat thewaist.The lowerpartofyour spinewillalsodictatehowflexibleyouwillbehere,sothisisalsoimportantforthosewhohavealowlevelofspinalflexibility.1.Toperformsideleans,youwillneedabarorrodofsomekind,preferablythesametype thatyouusedfor theshoulderdislocates.Standwithyour feetwideapartandgraspthebarwithbothhands,approximatelyaswideasyourfeetare,sothatyourentirebodyformsalarge“X”shape.2.Fromhere,bendovertoonesideatthewaist,usingthemusclesinthesidesofyourcore.Keepyourarmsstraightatalltimesanddonotallowyourshoulderstomovetowardsyourhead;themovementmustonlycomefromyourwaist.3.Onceyouhavegottenas lowasyoucan, return to theuprightpositionandrepeatontheotherside.Dothisfor10repetitions.

LowerbodymobilityThelowerbodyisusedallofthetimeasamethodoftransportation,evenifyoudon’ttrainortakepartinanysportingactivity,soitisnormallyhometomanymobilityproblems,especiallyifyouhavenotevertakenthetimetoprepareforworkouts or stretch afterwards. Usually this manifests itself in mobility andperformanceissueslateron,andcanbehardtocorrectonceitgetstothatstage.Thankfully, improving and maintaining lower body mobility is verystraightforward.The exercises andmobility drills that I have presented in thisnext section can be carried out everyday for best results, ideally before yourtrainingstarts,andevenonrestdays tokeepeverythingmovingproperly.Theactual movements themselves are based around stretches and foam rollingmovementsthathavebeenpartofstrengthandconditioningprogramsforalongtime now, with extra input from Joe DeFranco from DeFrancos gym in theUnitedStates.Therearemanydifferentexercisesyoucanperformformobility,butthesearetheonesthatIhavefoundtobethemosteffectiveandthatIuseonaveryregularbasis.

ITbandfoamrollingThe first part of our lower body preparation is to foam roll the IT band. Thepropernamefor thispartof theanatomyis the iliotibialband,which isa longtendon that runs down the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee joint.Thisarea ispronetobecomingvery tight,especially inrunners,andcancausenumerouskneeissues.1.TofoamrolltheITband,liedownononesidewiththeoutsideofyourthighrestingona roller.Nowrollbackwardsand forwardsuntilyou findsorespotsalongtheoutsideofthethigh.Makesuretorollfromyourhipallthewaydowntothekneejoint.Spendatleast15secondsrollingoneachleg.

AdductorfoamrollingTogetherwiththehamstringsandtheglutes,theadductorsplaytheirpartinhipdriveandtheproductionofpowerthroughoutthelowerbody,soitisimportanttohavethemmobileandunhindered.1.Tofoamrollyouradductorsplaceyourolleronthegroundatninety-degreestoyourbody,placingtheinsideofthethighagainstit.Nowrollsideways,fromthe inside of the knee into the hip itself. Spend at least 15 seconds rolling oneachleg.

PiriformisfoamrollingAsyoustarttoincorporatemoresquattingandhipmovementsintoyourtrainingyou may find that the piriformis, or the muscle on the outside of the hip,becomesverytight.Thebestwaytocounteractthisistofoamrollthepiriformiswitheitherafoamrolleroraballofsomekind.1.Torollthepiriformis,sitdownandplaceyourrightfootontheleftknee,asifyouweregoing to crossyour legs.Nowsit directlyon the foam rollerorballwiththepiriformis.Youwillknowifyouareontherightspotasitwillfeelsoreandtender.Rolloverthetightspotslowly,orsimplysitonthespotthatistenderandallowthefoamrollerorballtosinkintothemuscle,makingsuretospendmoretimeontheareathatisthesorest.Thenchangelegsandrepeat.2.Onceyouhaverolledthepiriformisyoushouldperformastaticstretch.Todothissitonabenchwithyourright foot flaton thefloorand thekneeatninetydegrees.Place your left foot over the knee of the right andpushdownon theknee.Youwill feel the stretch in the sideof theglute.Tryandkeep the torsoupright and breathe deeply. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and then changesidesandrepeat.

RolloversintostraddlesitRollovers generate mobility and flexibility in many areas of the lower body,includingtheglutes,hamstrings,groin,andthehipareaingeneral.Theyrequireabitofflexibilityinthehipssojustdoasmuchasyoucan.1.Toperformtherollovers,sitdownwithyourlegsinfrontofyou.2.Nowrollbackwardsontoyourbackandthrowyourlegsbehindyourhead.3.Nowpushyourself forward to a seatedpositionagain,but spreadyour legsintoawidestraddleposition.Asyoudothisreachforwardbetweenyourlegsasfar as possible. This counts as one repetition. Perform 10 repetitions of thisexercise.

KneecirclesKneecirclesareanother reallygreat lowerbodymobilityexercise thathelp toopenupthehipsandpreparethemforthelowerbodymovements.1.Toperformkneecirclespositionyourselfonyourhandandknees.2.Fromhere,raiseoneleguptotheside,extendthekneebackwardsandthenbringitforwardsasfarasyoucanbeforeplacingitdownontheflooragain.Theaim of this exercise is to draw a very large arc with the knee. Perform themovement10timesforwardsand10timesbackwardsoneachleg.

MountainclimbersMountain climbers are an awesome conditioning and metabolism raisingexerciseandwithasmallalterationtheycanalsohelptocreatemoremobilityinthe hips. You will also get a good hip flexor and hamstring stretch in thismovement.1. To perform mountain climbers get into a push-up position with one legstretchedoutbehindyouandtheotherplacedasclosetothesideofyourhandaspossible.2.Keepingyourarmsstraightjumpbothfeetintotheairandchangethemover,sothattherearfootcomestothefrontandthefrontfootgoestotherear.Repeatfor10repetitions.

FroghopsFroghopsareavariationofmountainclimbersthatrequiremoreflexibilityduetothefactthatbothfeetwillbemovingtothesidesofthehands.Makesurethatyoujumpbothfeetoutwidesothatyourlegsdonotknockintoyourarms.1.Toperformfroghopsgetintoapush-upposition.2.Fromhere,jumpbothfeetforwardsuntiltheyreachtheoutsideofyourhands,then jump them back so that you reach the push-up position again. This willrequiregoodhipmobilitysojustkeepworkingwiththemuntilyoucanreachthepositionshowninthefollowingpictures.Perform10repetitionsofthese.

HipflexorstretchTight hip flexors are responsible for many performance issues, includinginadequate hip drive and power, and can also pull the pelvis into awkwardpositionsthatarenotidealforathletes.Stretchingthemisthereforeavitalpartofyourphysicalpreparation.Thestretchhere is thesameas thatof theone intheflexibilitysection,whichcomesnext.1.Toperformthestatichipflexorstretch,placeonekneeon thefloorand theotherfootinfront.Bothkneesshouldbeatninetydegreestostartwith.2.Nowleanforwarduntilyoustarttofeelastretchinthefrontofthehipoftherearleg.Aimtokeepyourtorsouprightatalltimes.Ifyoudonotfeelthestretchthen you may need to move your foot and knee further apart to increase thestretch.Repeatthestretchfor10secondsoneachleg.

DeepsquatpositionInadditiontoalloftheothermobilityexerciseswehavelookedatsofar,thereisone thatwecanperformthat isperhaps themosteffectiveof themall.Simplysittinginthedeepsquatpositionwillsortoutmost,ifnotall,ofyourlowerbodymobility problems. In the western world nearly all adults and many childrenhavelostthisability,duetotheinactivelivesthatmanyofusnowlead.Inotherless modern countries however, this skill is routinely practiced by the vastmajorityofthepopulation.Thebesttimetodothesearewhenyouhavesomefreetime,likewhenyouarewatchingtelevisionathomeorwhenyouarereading,relaxing,etc.Thiswayitwill become part of your regular routine and youwill soon see yourmobilityincreaseinaveryshortamountoftime.1.Toperformthedeepsquatposition,placeyourheelsshoulderwidthapartandpointyourtoesslightlyout.2. Bend your knees, push your hips back, and squat down as far as you can.Keepyourlowerbackasstraightaspossible.3.Onceyouareaslowasyoucango,placeyourelbowsontheinsidesofyourkneesandpushthemoutslightly.Nowsimplyremaininthispositionforaslongas possible, aiming for a total time of five minutes or more. The followingpictureshowsthepositionyoushouldbestrivingtoattain.

6.FlexibilityNow that we have looked at a number of mobility exercise you can do toimprovethataspectofyourperformance,thenextthingtoexamineisflexibility.Flexibilityistheabilityofyourmusclestoallowyourjointstomoveunhinderedinto any position, and for calisthenics the biggest problem areas are theshoulders and hips. Flexibility is probably the most neglected part of mostpeople'straining.Apartfromafewquickstretchesaftertheirworkout,mostofus never spend any time trying to improve our flexibility. It is important forinjuryprevention,keepingmobileaswegetolder,improvingrecoveryrates,andperforming some of the more difficult exercises in this book. Although acompleteguidetoflexibilityisoutsidethescopeofthisvolume,thestretchesIhave included will still give many benefits. If you wish to learn more aboutflexibility then there aremany good books out there.One ofmy favourites is“RelaxintoStretch”,byPavelTsatsouline.Thereareanumberofareasof thebody thatwearegoing topayattention to,andtheseareexplainednext.In termsof theupperbody, in thesedaysofdrivingandcomputersandofficework,most people have tightmuscles in the front of the body andweak andloosemuscles in thebackof thebody.This caneasilybedemonstrated in theposture of nearly everyone you see; rounded shoulders and a forward juttinghead,andtheinabilityofthemtoraisetheirarmsupoverthehead.Correctingthisproblemtakesalittletimebutiswellworththeeffort.Thelowerbodyalsocontainsmanyproblemsforalotofpeople.Thehipscanbethought of as the hinge of the body, and if the areas around the hips are notflexible,thenyouwillhaverealtroublewithsomeoftheexercisesinthisbook.Lackofflexibilityinthisareacanbeduetoanumberoffactors,butmoreoftenthan not it is down to tightness in the hamstrings, adductors or groin, and thepiriformis. Luckily, these problems are easy to address, and once you havegotten the levelofflexibilityandmobilityyouneed, itcanbemaintainedwithverylittleeffort.Acommonmisconceptionaboutflexibilityisthatitiscontrolledbythephysicalshortness of your muscles. This is untrue. Flexibility, or the ability of your

musclestolengthen,iscontrolledbyyournervoussystem,andisnotduetoyourmusclesactually"stretching".Whenyoureachthe limitofyourflexibility it isthestretchreflex firing thatstopsyougoinganyfurther.Togetmoreflexibleweneedtoreeducateournervoussystemtoallowourmusclestoachievetheirfulllength.Therearemanywaysthatwecandothis,butIhavepickedthreeofthebestwaysandoutlinedthembelow.YoumustrelaxForyourflexibilitytoincreaseyoumustberelaxed.Ifyouaretense,anxious,oruncomfortable then your flexibilitywill not increase.There aremanyways topromote relaxation,butoneof theeasiestandbestmethods is tocontrastyourbreathing.Todothis,getintoastretchofyourchoice.Increasethestretchuntilyougettoyour limit.Holdthisfor10secondsorsobefore takingadeepbreathin.Holdthisbreathforacoupleofsecondsandthenreleaseitall inonego.Asyoudothis, attempt to make your whole body relax. Your stretch should increase.Repeatthisprocess3to5times.MakealengthenedmusclestrongerPerhapsthebestwaytoincreaseyourflexibilityistoincreasethestrengthofthemuscleyouarestretching,whilstinastretchedposition.Ifamuscleisstrongerin a lengthened position the nervous system ismuchmore likely to allow thebodytogetintothatpositioninthefirstplace.Toincreasethestrengthofastretchedmuscle,simplyassumeastretchpositionofyourchoice.Fromhere,contract thestretchedmuscleswhilst staying in thestretchedposition.Holdthecontractionfor5to10secondsbeforerelaxingandincreasing the stretch. This can be repeated 2 to 3 times before most peoplereach their limit. For best results, you can combine the twomethods above toincreaseyourflexibilitybyaverylargeamount.BeconsistentLikeanythinginlife,itismuchbettertostretchfor10minuteseverydaythan2hours once a month. Consistency will help to reinforce and reeducate yournervoussystemintolettingyoubecomemoreflexible.

StretchingscheduleTostartwithyouwillwanttostretchaftereveryworkout.Thisstopsthemusclesbecoming too tight and keeps themobility that you already have. In order toincreaseyourflexibilityalargeamountyouwillneedtodedicatesometimejusttostretching.Formostbeginnersaheavystretchingsessionof20to30minutesonceaweekismorethanadequate.Youwillprobablyfeelquitesoreafter,butthisisnormal.Youcansteadilyincreasethenumberofstretchingsessionsyouperforminaweekasyougetmoreflexibleandasyourbodylearnstocopewiththedemandsyouplaceonit.Youarestretchingtoohardortoooftenifyoufeelstiffandsorethemajorityofthetime.Ifthishappens,justreducetheintensityoramountofstretchingthatyoudo.Afterawhileyouwillnodoubtreachthelevelofflexibilitythatyoudesireorneedforperformingtheexercisesthatyouuse.Whenthishappens,youcanstoptrying to increase your flexibility further and just concentrate on maintainingyourcurrentlevelofflexibility.Howlongyouwillneedtospendstretchingtomaintainthatlevelwilldependontheperson,soyouwilljusthaveexperimentand find out.Most commonly,maintaining your flexibility takes far less timethanactuallybecomingflexibleinthefirstplace.

UpperbodystretchesTheupperbody isan importantpartofcalisthenicsand isused inmostof theexercisesthataredefinedascalisthenic.Tothisend,stretchingtheupperbodyisa vital part of your training. These stretches are to be carried out after yourworkout,butcanbecarriedoutbeforeorduringyoursessionifyoufeeltightina particular area, or feel that youneed a littlemoremobility before a specificexercise.

ChestandshoulderstretchThe first stretch in this section is both a shoulder and a chest stretch, and isexactlythesameastheonewelookedatinthemobilitysection.1.Toperformthechestandshoulderstretch,findaspaceonthegroundandgetontoyourhandsandknees.2.Nowpushyourhipsintotheairandmoveyourchesttowardstheground,asshown in the picture. Keep thinking of pulling the shoulders and chest downthroughthegroundtoincreasethestretch.Holdthisforaround15to20secondsandrelease.

UpperbackstretchOnce you get to the harder pulling exercises your backwill be under a lot ofstress, so it is important to stretch thispartof thebody toavoidanyproblemsthatmayresult.Thisparticularstretchplacesemphasisonthelattisimusdorsi,orthebigwinglikemusclesontheback.1.To perform this stretch, grasp a solid object with one arm and lean back,keepingyourarmandlegsstraight.2.Openupyourshoulderbladesandsqueezeyourshoulderstogetherinfrontofyou.Reachyouroppositearmthroughthegaptoincreasethestretch.Holdthispositionfor15to20seconds.

CheststretchAs many calisthenics exercises use a "hollow body" position, where theshouldersareroundedandthechestistensed,itisimportanttostretchthisareatoensureyoudonotbecometootight.1.Tostretchthechest,placeyourpalmagainstasolidobjectsuchasawallordoorframe.2.Keepingyourarmstraight,turnyourbodyawayfromyourhanduntilyoufeelthestretch.Holdthispositionfor15seconds,switchsidesandrepeat.

Forearm/wriststretch1Manyofthehandstandandpressingexercisesareextremelytaxingonthewristssoyoumaywishtostretchthemoutpriorto,andafteryourworkout.Therearetwomainwriststretches,andthisisthefirstofthose.1.Toperformthefirstwriststretch,positionyourselfonyourhandsandkneesandplaceyourhandswithyourfingersfacingforwards.2.Keeping your arms straight, lean forwards and attempt to keep your palmspressedintotheground.Holdthispositionfor15seconds.

Forearm/wriststretch2Thesecondwriststretchtargetstheuppersideoftheforearm,andisespeciallyusefulafterhandstandsandothersimilarexercises.1.Toperformthisstretch,positionyourselfonyourhandsandkneesandplaceyourhandsonthegroundwithyourpalmsfacingup.2.Pointyour fingersback towardsyourbody,andkeepingyourarmsstraight,pull your body backwards until you feel the stretch.Hold this position for 15seconds.

CorestretchesItisnotonlyinthecoreexerciseswherethecoremusclesareused,butalsointheupperbodymovementslikethefrontleverandthepull-up.Thismeansthatstretching the core is pretty important if youwant to staymobile and flexiblethroughoutthespine.Asthecoremusclesarenotthatflexiblehowever,andasthe torso is not capable of as great a rangeofmovement as other parts of thebody,rangeofmotionwillalwaysbesomewhatlimitedhere.

StandingsidestretchThesidesofyour torsoare important tokeepmobile toenableyou toperformthemovementsthatrequireflexibilityinthespine,andthestandingsidestretchcanhelptoincreaseflexibilityhere.1.Tostretchthesidesofyourcore,oroblique’s,standwithyourfeetshoulderwidthapart.Placeonehandonthesideofyourlegandreachoverheadwiththeotherhand.2.Bendatthewaist,slidingyourhandsdownyourlegandoverheadatthesametimeuntilyou feel the stretch.Hold thisposition for15seconds,changesidesandrepeat.

CobrastretchThecobrastretchisgoodfortherectusabdominis,orsix-pack,andwillhelptoalleviatecramporsorenessafterdishes,halflevers,andothercoreexercises.1.Toperformthecobrastretch,liefacedownwithyourhandsflatonthefloor.Pushupwithyourarms,keepingyourhipsincontactwiththeground.2.Curlyourspineandlookupattheceilinguntilyoufeelthestretch.Breathingdeeply in and out can help to increase the stretch in this position. Hold thispositionfor15seconds.

CatstretchThecatstretchisanothergoodmovementtakenfromyoga,andisexcellentfortargetingthemiddleandlowerback.Itwillalsohelptoteachtheseparationoftheshoulderbladesthatisneededinsomeoftheotherstrengthexercises.1. To perform the cat stretch, position yourself on your hands and knees andpushyourspineuptowardstheceiling.2.Squeezeyour chest together andattempt topullyour shoulderblades apart.Holdthispositionfor15seconds.

LowerbodystretchesIn this section we will look at the stretches that we can use to increase theflexibility of the lower body. Flexibility in the lower body is one of themostimportant thingsas it isveryeasy to losemobility and flexibility in the lowerbody as you get older. It can also help you to perform themovements in theexercisesectionwithmoreease.Forexample,ifyoubuildflexibilityinthehips,then performing amovement like a straddle planche becomesmuch easier, asyou will be able to perform a wider straddle, making holding the planchepositionalittleeasier,makingyourprogressmorerapid.

QuadstretchThequads,or the frontof theupper leg,are involved innearlyall lowerbodymovements.Stretchingthemisvitaltokeepproperfunctioninthelowerbody.1.Tostretchyourquads(thefrontofyourthigh),liefacedownasshowninthefollowingpictures.2.Grasp theother footandpullyourheel toyourbum.Ensureyourkneesareclose together and push your hips forward.Hold this position for 15 seconds,changesidesandrepeat.

HamstringstretchThehamstrings,or thebacksof theupper leg,areagain involved innearlyalllowerbodymovements.Theyarealsoespeciallysusceptibletobeingtightinthevastmajorityofpeople,whichiswhyyoumaywanttospendlongerstretchingthemthantheothermusclegroupsinthebody.1.Tostretchyourhamstrings,sitdownandstretchonelegoutinfrontofyou,keepingyourtoepointingtowardstheceiling.2.Tuckyourother foot into the sideofyour leg and reach forwardwithyourarmandtryandtouchyourtoe.Tryandkeepyourbackstraightandfoldfromthehips.Holdthispositionfor15seconds,changesidesandrepeat.

StraddlestretchThe seated straddle stretch is very good for opening up the hip joint andincreasing flexibility of the lower body. Again, this stretch can help withmovementsandexercisesliketheplanche.1.Toperformthestraddlestretch,getintoaseatedpositionwithyourlegsinthewidest “V” position you can manage. Point your toes and fold at the hips,reachingforwarduntilyoufeelthestretch.2.This stretch is also very effectivewith a partner. Get them to push on themiddleofyourbacktoincreasethestretch.Holdthispositionfor15seconds.

GroinstretchThe groin, or adductor muscles, allow the hips to be more open and moremobile,sotoimproveflexibilityherewecanusetheseatedgroinstretch.1.Toperformthisstretch,sitdownwiththesolesofyourfeettogether,andpulltheminasclosetoyourbumaspossible.2.Situpstraightandattempt togetyourkneesas lowtotheflooraspossible.Youcanusethemusclesontheoutsidesofyourlegstopullthekneesdown,oryoucansimplypushonthemwithyourarmsorhands.Holdthispositionfor15seconds.

HipflexorstretchMost people's hip flexors are tight, and this can inhibit the glutes from doingtheirjob.Yourjumpingandotherlowerbodymovementsshouldimproveafterincreasingyourhipflexorflexibility.1.Toperformthehipflexorstretch,getintoakneelingpositionwithoneleginfrontofyou.Keepyourtorsouprightandleanforward.2.Youshouldfeelastretchinthetopofyourrearleg.Ifyoudon’t,thensimplyincreasethedistancebetweenthefootandyourknee.Holdthispositionfor15seconds,changesidesandrepeat.

GlutestretchTheglutes,orbummuscles,arethelargestandmostpowerfulinthebody,soitis important to stretch them tomaintainperformance in running, jumping, andotherlowerbodymovements.1.Toperformthestretch,sitdownwithonelegstraightandtheotherlegtuckedup,withtheoutsideofyourfootbythekneeofthestraightleg.2.Pushthebentkneetowardsyourstraightleguntilyoufeelthestretchinyourglute.Holdthispositionfor15seconds,changesidesandrepeat.

CalfstretchThecalves,orthebottomofthelowerleg,areresponsibleforpointingthetoesandforbalanceandstabilityofthefoot.Iftheyaretighttheycanalsoinhibittheabilityofthebodytogetintoadeepsquatposition.1.Toperformthecalfstretch,standwithyourfeettogetherandplaceyourhandsonawallorothersolidobject.2.Keepyourlegsstraightandyourheelsontheground.Leanforwarduntilyoufeelthestretch.Holdthispositionfor15seconds,changesidesandrepeat.

OtherfactorsIn this section we will look at other pieces of information that we need toconsider before progressing forward and actually looking at the exercisesthemselves.Thesearetodowiththeactualperformanceoftheexercises.Inthissectionwewilllookatrangeofmotion,usingmomentum,andcheatingontheexercises.

RangeofmotionRangeofmotion,alsoabbreviated toROM, refers to themaximumamountofmovementyourjointsarecapableofinaparticularexercise.Forexample,ifwetake the push-up, the maximum range of motion with the hands on the floorwouldinvolvestartingwitharmslockedout,andthenloweringdownuntilyourchesttouchesthefloor.Areducedrangeofmotionwouldinvolveonlybendingtheelbowsasmallamount,sayuntiltheyreachedninetydegrees.Rangeofmotionisimportantforanumberofreasons:Firstly,thebiggertherangeofmotionthehardertheexercisewillbe,whichinturnwillmakeyoustronger.Thisisthecaseforeveryexercisethatinvolvesthemovementofjoints.Obviously,mobilityandflexibilitywillalsodeterminehowmuch range of motion you can achieve for certain exercises, but as with alltraining,timeandperseverancewillimprovebothofthosequalities.Secondly, range ofmotion is important for actually being able to perform theexercisesproperly.Ifwetakethepull-upasanotherexample,thehardestpartofthemovementisgoingfromadeadhangwherethearmsarecompletelystraight,toactuallygetting theelbows tobend in thepull. Ifyouperformpull-upsandnever lower yourself down until your arms are straight, then that part of themovementwill alwaysbeweak,nomatterhowmuchyou train the restof themotion.Sometimes it is not possible to perform an exercise with complete range ofmotion,becauseyoumightnotbestrongenoughtocompletethemovement.Forexample,whenyouarelearningthetricepsdipyoumaynotbestrongenoughtopushyourselfupfromthebottomposition.Inthesecasesit isperfectlyfinetoworkwith a reducedROMuntil the point atwhich you are strong enough toperformthemovementproperly.

UsingmomentumMomentumreferstothemovementgeneratedbycertainexercises,whichcanbeusedtomaketheexerciseeasier.Anexampleofthiswouldbethehanginglegraise.Thisexerciserequiresyoutohangfromabaranduseyourcoremusclestoraiseyourlegsashighaspossiblebeforeloweringthemagain.Naturally,whenyou return the legs to thebottomposition in thehanging leg raise there is theopportunity to use themomentum generated from this action to helpwith thenextrepetition.YoushouldstriveasmuchaspossibletoNOTdothis,asusingmomentumwillnegatetherecruitmentofthemusclesyouaretryingtowork.Inthe case of the hanging leg raise, simply ensure that your lower body isstationarybeforeattemptingthenextrepetition.Fortheothermovements,youwillhavetobeawareandconsciousofwhatyourbodyisdoingatalltimes,andifyoususpectyourselfofusingmomentumthenslow down and try and perform the exercise with greater discipline. Filmingyourself can help in this regard, as the camera never lies. You can use thismethodtocheckyourprogressaswell,anditalsohelpstoreinforcehowmuchstrongeryoumaybegettingovertheweeksandmonths.

CheatingontheexercisesUsing momentum isn't the only way that we can "cheat" on an exercise, ascontorting thebodyandnotkeeping rigid form isalsoanotherwayofmakingthe more challenging movements easier. For example, if we take the pull-upagain,thenitispossibletomakethisexercisemucheasierbyraisingthelegsorknees up to the torso. This has the effect of shortening the coremuscles andmakingthepullingactioneasier.Whilstthisisneededsometimes,asinthecaseof one arm pull-ups, you should endeavour to stop the practice as soon aspossible.Whenyouareperforming theexercises in thenextsections, tryandkeepyourformasperfectaspossibleatall times,evenat theexpenseofperforminglessrepetitions, or a smaller rangeofmotion.Therewill beplentyof time to starttryingtoincreasethenumberofrepetitionsyoucando,butthemostimportantthingtorememberwhenstartingistotryandperformtheexerciseperfectlyfirst.Again,weneedtobeabletowalkbeforewetrytorun.

TheexercisesNowthatyouhavealittlebitofbackgroundinformation,andyouknowhowtowarmupandprepareyourbodyfortheworkout,wearegoingtostartlookingattheactualcalisthenicexercises,andthetechniquesandprogressionswecanusetoworkourwaytothemoreadvancedmovements.Ihavebrokentheexercisesdownintoanumberofdifferentsections:Push-upsThis section contains all of thepush-up type exercises includingnormalpush-ups, clap push-ups, pseudo planche push-ups, and many others. Thesemovementsareallpushingmovements,inthatthehandsaremovingawayfromthecentreofthebodywhilstforceisbeinggenerated.Themusclesinvolvedinpush-upsincludethetriceps,forearms,chest,shoulders,andcore.Pull-upsThis section contains all of the pull-ups and their variations. Included thissectionarethenormalpull-up,rockclimber,onearmchin-up,andmanyothers.The pull-ups are obviously in the pulling group of movements, and thereforetheyusetheforearms,biceps,back,andcoremusclegroups.DipsThissectioncontainsallofthedipexercises,including,ledgedips,tricepsdips,andothers.Thedipisanotherpushingexercise,andassuchusestheforearms,triceps,shouldersandchestmusclegroups.Muscle-upsThis section contains the muscle-up group of exercises. The muscle-up is acombinationofthepull-upsandthedipbutismuchmoredifficultthaneitherofthem,andisuniqueinthatsimplybeingabletoperformapull-upandadipisnotenoughtobeabletosuccessfullyperformamuscle-up.Handstands

This section contains all of the handstand exercises, starting with shoulderstrengthening and then progressing onto free balancing handstands and thenhandstandpush-ups.Again,thesemovementsareclassedaspushingmovementsbut have the added demand of controlling the lower body aswell, so that themusclesusedaretheforearms,shoulders,chest,back,andthecore.LeversThis section contains all of the lever based exercises. These include the halflever, front lever, back lever, human flag, and the planche. These all havefeatures in commonwith each other,which are; strength exertedwith straightarms, torso and legs held straight with the joints locked out, and maximummuscular tension throughout the entire body. The levers are the maximalstrengthexercises in thisbook,and thereforeshouldonlybeattemptedwhenasolidfoundationhasbeenbuilt.FloorcoreexercisesThis section contains all of the floor based core exercises, such as the plank,arch, side plank, dish, dragon flag, and many others. The muscles used aregenerally all of the ones found in the core. You will find no real isolationexercisesinthisbook,andifyouarelookingtogetasix-packorgetripped,thenyouwoulddowelltoreadthenutritionsectionagain.Alloftheexercisesinthissectioncanalsobeperformedontheflooraswellwithlittletonoequipment.LegraiseexercisesThissectioncontainsallof thelegraiseexercises,ofwhichthekneeraise, thelegraise,andthewindowwiperareexamples.Allofthesearecoreexercisesbutthey also make some demand on the upper body as well. They are also allperformedonapull-upbar.LowerbodyexercisesThissectioncontainsallof the lowerbodyexercises.The lowerbodyincludesmovementsthatusethemusclesofthebum,legs,andcalves,suchasthesquat,lunge,andhamstringcurl.Inathleticmovements,thelowerbody,andespeciallythe hips, are responsible for power production. Sprinting, jumping, running,changingdirection,etc.,allrelyonhugepowerandstrengththatoriginatesinthe

musclesoftheglutes,quadriceps,hamstrings,andcalves.ConditioningTheconditioninggroupofexercisesarenotreallystrengthexercisesatall,butdeal with an element that is missing from many peoples training, known asconditioning. Conditioning exercisesmake your heart and lungs stronger, andimprovetheabilityofyourbodytokeepgoingwhenfatigued.Includedinthisgroup of exercises are jumping jacks, burpees, sprints, andmany others. Youwill find that many, if not all, of the exercises in this section use all musclegroups to some extent. For example, the burpee involves pushing, core, andlowerbody,andinthemoreadvancedvariations,suchasbastards,allmovementpossibilitiesareutilised.Includedinthissectionarethemountainclimber,squatthrust,bearcrawl,andmanyotherexcellentconditioningmovements.ThereasonthatIhavebrokentheexercisesdownintotheseparticulargroupsisbecause calisthenics is not about training individualmusclegroups; it is abouttrainingmovementsandwholeareasofthebody.Thereisalotofresearchoutthere thathasbeendoneon thissubjectandtheyallagreeonone thing;doingmulti-joint, multidirectional exercise is far superior to any isolation exercise,especiallyifyouaretrainingforstrength,power,andallroundathleticability.Before attempting any of the more challenging variations however, it isimportant to realise thatasolid foundationofstrengthmustbebuilt first.Thisfoundationis thekeytomakinggoodprogressusingcalisthenics,asperfectingthesimplermovementswillmaketheharderoneseasiertotackle.Theexercisesusedinbuildingasolidfoundationwillmostlikelybewellknowntoyou.Thepush-up, pull-up, triceps dip, squat, and many others are some of the mostpopularexercisesusedwhenanyonestarts totrainusingbodyweightexercises.Thedifferenceliesinperformingthemproperly,withperfecttechnique.Letustake push-ups as an example.Most of the time I see them being performed anumberofthingshappen:Therangeofmotion isnowherenearadequate,with thearmsnot lockingoutatthetopofthemovementandthechestnottouchingthegroundwhenin the bottom position. Range ofmovement is very important for properstrengthdevelopment,andwewilltalkmoreaboutthislater.Poor core stablisation - this ismost often shownby a dipping of the hipswhenthebodyislowered,andalsobyanarchinthelowerback,whichare

bothindicativeofpoorabdominalstrength.Theheadtiltingorjuttingforwards-thisisindicatedbytheneckstrainingforwardsand themusclesneeded for theproper executionof thepush-upnotbeingused.Thisnormallyhappensbecausethepersoninquestiontriestoprogresstoofast.Thisalsoreducestherangeofmotion,astheheadwillgetclosetothegroundbeforethechestandtorsodoes.Allof these issuesandmoreadduptomanypeoplenotbeingable toperformevenasimpleexerciselikethepush-upperfectly,eveniftheyareconvincedthattheycan.Inmyexperiencethisisonlybecausethepersoninquestionwillhavemovedonfromsimplebodyweightexercisesbefore theyareready,orbecausetheydonotappreciatetheamountoftimeittakestobuildreal,useablestrength.It goes without saying that if you cannot perform the simpler version of anexercise, you should not progress onto themore difficult one.Youmay thinkthatyouareperformingitproperly,butthechancesarethatyouwillbefoolingyourself,andevenifyourprogressisquicktobeginwith,itwillsoonslowwhenattemptingsomeofthemorechallengingexercisesinthisbook.Another reason that starting simple and slow is best when it comes tocalisthenics is thatmany of themovements are extremely taxing on the body.Manypeopledonotrealise this, for thesimplereasonthatexercises justusingthe bodyweight are traditionally seen as easier than ones using dumbbells andbarbells.This issimplynot thecase.Most, ifnotallof theweightedexercisescanbelearntandperformedproperlyinarelativelyshortamountoftime.Oncethebenchpress is learnt, thenyougraduallyaddmoreweightandincrease theresistance.Oncethedeadliftislearnt,thenmoreweightisaddedtothebarandprogressismade.However,ifwetakeanexercisesuchasthefrontlever,thereis no possible way someone can just learn themovement and be expected toperformitthesamewaythatadumbbellorbarbellexercisecanbe.Togettothestagewhere a solid front lever can be performed takesmonths andmonths ofslowsteadyprogression,whereall of thevariationsof theexercisehave tobeperfected beforemoving on to the next progression.A similar phenomenon isseenwiththeone-armpull-up.Notonlyistheone-armpull-upextremelytaxingon themuscles, it also puts a huge strain on the ligaments and tendons. It issimplynotpossibleforthemajorityofpeopletojumpintoperformingthehighlevelexerciseswithnopriorexperience.As such, in the following chapters there are some exercises that are very

important to master before you move on to the more advanced ones. TheseFundamentalFive,asIhavecalledthem,andthenumberofsetsandrepsthatyoumustworkupto,areasfollows:Push-ups-minimumof20perfectrepetitionsPull-ups-minimumof10perfectrepetitionsTricepsdips-minimumof10perfectrepetitionsHangingkneeraises-Minimumof10perfectrepetitionsSquats-minimumof25perfectrepetitionsNowthatwehavelearntexactlywhatexercisesareincluded,andwhy,itistimetostartworkingonthem.Withineachexercisetherearethreesections:ThefirstisanexplanationoftheexerciseandanyimportantinformationThesecondisthedescriptionoftheexerciseitselfwithpicturesofeachstageThe third is a teaching points section, which will help you with anyproblemsyoumayhave

7.Push-upsThepush-upisperhapsthebestknownbodyweightexercise,andevenifyouarenot a regular exerciser you will have probably done a few of them, either atschooloratsomepoint inyourlife.Theyareusedperhapsmostcommonlyinmilitariesaroundtheworld,asitiseasytoteach,veryeffective,andrequiresnospecialistequipmentwhatsoever.Initssimplestform,thepush-uprequiresyoutopushyoubodyawayfromthefloor, supportingyourself onyour toes andkeepingyour core tight.Themoreadvancedvariations,suchasthehandstandpush-upandplanchepush-up,requireextremelevelsofstrength,eventhoughyouwillonlybeusingyourbodyweight.Ingymnastics,thepush-upisusedtodevelopwriststrength,shoulderstability,pushingpower,andcorestrength.Itisalsousefulasanexerciseinacircuit.Inthissectionofthebookwewillstartbylookingatthestandardpush-up,andtaketimetoensurethatwecanperformitperfectlybeforemovingon.Inmanycases people I have trained are too eager to move to the more advancedexercises,butdonotunderestimatethebenefitsofdoingsimplethingsextremelywell.

Normalpush-upLikewassaidintheintroductiontothissection,thestandardpush-upisthemostwell-knownbodyweightexerciseandthestartingpointforthisbook.Donotbetemptedtomoveonfromthisuntilyoucanperformitperfectly.Itmaynotseemlike it, but howwell you can perform a push-up determines to a large degreehow well you will progress with other movements. It tests your upper bodystrength and control, your ability to keep the core tight, and the ability togeneratemusculartensionthroughoutthebodyasawhole.1.Toperformthenormalpush-up,placeyourhandsonthefloorshoulderwidthapart.2.Stretchyour legsoutbehindyouandbalanceonyour toes.Yourshoulders,hips,knees,andfeetshouldformastraightline.3. Keeping your eyes looking forward at about forty five degrees, bend yourelbowsandstarttoloweryourselfdowntotheground.4.Allowyour elbows topushout slightly from the torso, and stopwhenyourchest touches the ground. At this point only your chest and toes should betouchingthefloor.5.Pause for a split second, and thenpushdownhard, straighteningyour armsuntilyoureach thestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.Youshouldbeaimingtoperform3setsof10reps.TeachingpointsIfyoudonothaveenoughstrengthtoperformthepush-upitneedstobemadeeasier. This will allow you to develop your strength in a progressive andmeasurablemanner.Thesimplestandbestwaytoincreasepushingstrengthforthepush-up is tousea raisedplatformfor thehands to reston.Thisalters theangleofthebodyandmovesmoreorlessweightfromthehandstothefeet.Therulefor thismethodis if thehandsarehigher thanthefeet thenthemovementwillbeeasier,andifthefeetareraisedhigherthanthehandsthentheexercisewill be harder. Work with the hands raised, and as you get stronger simplyreduce theheightof theplatformuntilyoucanperform thepush-upwithyour

hands on the floor. The correct way to do this is shown in the pictures thatfollow.

Widegrippush-upOnce the normal push-up starts to become easy, we can work with a simplevariation that is known as the wide grip push-up. This is pretty much theoppositeoftheclosegrippush-up,inthatthehandsareplacedonthefloorinaswideapositionaspossible.Thismeans that themusclesof thechestgetusedmuchmorethaninthenormalorclosegrippush-up.1.Toperformthewidegrippush-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.Fromhere,moveyourhandsaswideapartasyoucan.2.Nowbendyourelbowsandloweryourchesttowardstheground,makingsuretokeepyourshoulders,hips,kneesandtoesinastraightline.Asyourhandsareplacedwiderapartyoucanallowyourelbowstoshootouttothesides.3.Keepgoingdownuntilyourchest touchestheground,thenpushbackupashardasyoucanuntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.Again,ifyouhavetroubleperformingthiswithyourfeetonthegroundthenusearaisedplatformforthehands,ashasalreadybeendescribed.Youshouldagaintryandperform3setsof10repetitions.

Closegrippush-upIn addition to the wide grip push-up, we can also perform a variation of thenormalpush-upthatbringsthehandsclosertogether,calledtheclosegrippush-up.Thismovementisexcellentfortargetingthetricepsmuscles,astheelbowsarekepttightintothesideswhichmakesthemovementmuchmoredifficultthanbefore.Youarelikelytofindthisvariationmuchharderthantheonespresentedsofar,butthisisnormal.1.Toperformtheclosegrippush-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.Fromhere,moveyourhandsclosertogetheruntiltheyaretouching.2.Nowbendyourelbowsandloweryourchesttowardstheground,makingsuretokeepyourshoulder,hips,kneesandtoesinastraightline.Keepyourelbowstuckedintoyoursides.3.Keepgoingdownuntilyourchesttouchesyourhands,thenpushbackupashardasyoucanuntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.Again,ifyouhavetroubleperformingthiswithyourfeetonthegroundthenusearaisedplatformforthehands,ashasalreadybeendescribed.Youshouldagaintryandperform3setsof10repetitions.

Deeppush-upOncenormalpush-upsbecomea little tooeasy,or ifyouwantabitmoreofachallenge, you can try the deep push-up. This variation is simply where therangeofmotionisas largeaswecanmakeit,whilststillusingthesamehandgrip and body position of the normal variation. For this, youwill need eitherpush-up bars or parallettes, or two objects of equal height that you can placeyourhandson.1.Toperformthedeeppush-up,placeyourhandsontheapparatusyouareusingtoelevateyourhands,andgetintothenormalpush-upposition.2.Fromhere,bendyourelbowsandloweryourselfdownasfaraspossible.Youshouldaimtogetyourchestwellbelowthelevelofyourhands,togetasmuchrangeofmotionaspossible.3.When you get as deep as your flexibility and strength allow, push up harduntil you reach the start position. This counts as one repetition. Again, youshouldtryandperform3setsof10repetitions.TeachingpointsWhenstartingoutwithdeeppush-upsyoumaystruggletogetanyrealdepthatall.Thiswill increasewithtimethough,aswill theflexibilityoftheshoulders.Tobeginwith,onlyloweryourselfasfarasyourstrengthwillallow,andastimepasses and you get stronger, try and increase the range ofmotion asmuch asphysicallypossible.

Pseudoplanchepush-upThe pseudo planche press-up is an extremely deceptive exercise, as it looksalmostidenticaltoanormalpress-upexceptthattheshouldersaremovedfurtherforward than thehands. It is this thatmakes it sochallenging.Thismovementalsogivesyouasmall ideaofwhat it feels like to train theplanche,whichwewill look at later. In terms of equipment, you can either use the floor orparallettes for thisexercise,withparallettesbeingmyfavouritechoice,as theyallowagreaterdegreeofcontrolthanjustusingthefloor.1.Toperformthepseudoplanchepress-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.You can turn your hands out slightly here to help with any flexibility issues.Walk forward on your toes until your shoulders are further forward than yourhands.Tryandkeepyourelbowsstraightatthisstage,asthiswillstrengthenthebicepsand the tendonsof theelbow inpreparation forplanche training,whichwillcomelater.2.Nowbendyouelbowsandloweryourchesttothefloor,makingsuretokeepyourshouldersinfrontofyourhandsatalltimes.3.Onceyourchestreachesthefloor,pushbackuptothestartposition,ensuringthat your arms lock out at the top of the movement. This counts as onerepetition.Tryandperform3setsof6reps.TeachingpointsFormostpeopleattemptingthisexercisetheabilitytoholdthebodyinapositionthatisunnatural,thatoftheshouldersinfrontofthehands,isverydifficult.Tostartwith, tryonlymoving forwardsof thehandsa smallamount,and thenasyou get stronger you can start to increase the distance between the hands andshoulders.Theultimateaimofthisexerciseistoendupwithyourhandsasclosetoyourhipsaspossibleatthebottomofthemovement.Youwillhavetobestrictwithyourselfwhenperformingthisexercise,asitisquiteeasytocheat.Trywatchingyourforminamirror,orgetatrainingpartnertohelpyou.

Fingertippush-upThe fingertip push-up is not necessarily used to develop pushing strength, butrather thestrengthandresilienceof thehandsand fingers.Handstrength isanextremelyoverlookedpartofphysicaltraining,butwithoutityoucannothopetoreach your full potential. Like training the scapula, training the hands and thefingers is vital in being able to perform some of the more challengingcalisthenicsexercises.Fingertippush-upsdowelltointroduceyoutothetypeofhandandfingerstrengthyouwillneedtoprogress.Asyourhandsgetstronger,youcanmakethisexercisemorechallengingbyreducingthenumberoffingersthatyouuseoneachhand,sothatmoreofyourbodyweightisheldupbyfewerandfewerfingers.1.Toperform the fingertip push-up, get into thenormal push-upposition, butinstead of supporting yourself on your palms, raise yourself up onto yourfingertips.Ithelpstotryandspreadthefingersout,andplacemostofthestressthrough the thumb joint, as this is much stronger than the other joints of thehand.2. From here, bend at the elbows and lower your chest down to the ground,keepingyourwholebodystraight.3.Once your chest reaches the ground, push up hard until you reach the startposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

Wristpush-upLike the fingertip push-up that we have just looked at, the wrist push-up isanother very good exercise that can be used to strengthen an area that is veryimportant in other areas of calisthenics, which are the wrists. The wrists areanotherweaklinkintheupperbodychain,anditdoesnotmatterhowstrongtherestofyourupperbodyis,ifthewristisweakitwillfailthere.Remembertheoldsaying,achainisonlyasstrongasitsweakestlink.Wristpush-upsareverydifficultformostpeople,especiallyiftheyhaveneverdoneanyspecificwriststrengtheningexercisesbefore.Ensurethatyoutakeyourtimewiththemanddonotpushyourselftoohardtoosoon.1.Toperformthewristpush-upplaceyourkneeson thegroundandplace thebacksofyourhandsonthegroundwithyourfingerspointinginwards.2.Fromhere,bendyourelbowsandloweryourchestdowntowardsthefloor.Ithelpshere to tryandkeep thehandas flataspossibleatall times,as thiswillensurethatyouhavethebiggestpossibleareaofthehandtouchingtheground,whichwillaidinstabilityandcomfort.3. From this bottom position, push-up hard until your arms become straightagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsForsomepeople,evenperformingwristpush-upsonthekneesistoodifficult,sotoremedythis,simplyusethemethodthatwelookedatforthenormalpush-up;usingaraisedplatformorboxtoplacethehandson.Asbefore, thehigher thehandsinrelationtothefeet,or inthiscasetheknees, theeasier themovementwillbecome.Onceperformingthemovementonyourkneesbecomestooeasy,then you can raise yourself up onto your toes and perform the exercise in thesamewayasanormalpush-up.

One-armpush-upTheone-armpush-uphasachievedalmostcultstatusamongstthefitnesscrowd,but nonetheless it is still an extremely useful exercise, not just for the upperbody,butalso for thecore.There isa fairamountof technique involvedhere,andquite a lotofbalance,butnevertheless it canbeachievedbyanyonewithenough hard work and perseverance. One reason that it is very effective andusefulforusascalisthenicpractitionersisthatit isaunilateralexercise,whichsimplymeansthatitusesonlyonelimb,oronlyonesideofthebody.Anotherexample would be the single leg squat, or the one-arm chin-up. Thesemovementsarerightlyconsideredsomeofthehardestbodyweightexercises,andreallyhelptodevelopsomeoftheextremestrengththatwearetryingtobuild.1. To perform the one-arm push-up, place one hand on the floor and positionyourchestoverthetopofyourhand.Placeyourfeetwiderapartthannormaltoaidinyourbalance.Placeyourfreearmbehindyourbackorbyyourside.2. Now bend your elbow and lower yourself down as far as you can, whilstkeepingyourbodystraight.Youwillnodoubthavetoleanovertoonesidetokeepyourbalance,butthisisperfectlynormalandisallowed.3.Assoonasyouareaslowaspossible,pushuphardfromtheflooruntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsTobuildupyourstrengthfortheone-armpush-up,therearetwomainmethodswe can use. The first is to perform the movement on a raised platform asdescribedinthenormalpush-upsection.Again,thehighertheplatformyouuse,theeasierthemovementwillbe.Asyougetstrongeryoucansimplyreducetheheightoftheboxorplatformyouareusinguntilyoucanperformthemovementionthefloor.Thesecondmethodiswhereweuse thefreearmtoassistwith themovement.To do this use a raised platform for your free hand. To start with positionyourself close to theplatformandget into theone -armpush-up stance.Placeyourfreehandontheplatformandattempttoperformaone-armpush-up.Ifyou

needto,useyourfreehandtohelppushup.Asyougetstronger,simplyincreasethedistancebetweenyouand theplatform.Thishas theeffectof reducing theamountofhelpthatyourfreearmcanoffer.Keepmovingtheplatformfurtherandfurtherawayuntilyouareusingonlyyourfingertipswithastraightarmtohelppushbackup.Onceyougethereitwillonlybeashorttimeuntilyouwillbeabletoperformthemovementonthefloorwithnoassistance.

One-armone-legpush-upOnce the one-arm push-up starts to become a littlemore straightforward, youcanattemptthenextstage,whichistoraiseonelegintotheairanddotheonearm,one legvariation.Mostpeoplediscover that theirstrength isadequateforthismovementbutthattheirbalanceisthethingthatletsthemdown.1.Toperformtheone-armone-legpush-up,getintoanormalpush-upposition.Nowraiseonearmandplaceitbehindyourback,andthenlifttheoppositelegoffthefloor.Forexample,ifyouplaceyourleftarmbehindyourback,liftyourrightlegofftheground,andviceversa.2.Keepingyour torsoasstraightaspossible,start tobendyourarmandloweryourchesttotheground.3.Onceyouhaveloweredyourselfaslowasyouareableto,pushupharduntilyoureturntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsTo progress with the one-arm one-leg push-up then you should use the twomethods outlined in the previous section for the one-arm push-up. These areusingaraisedplatform,andusingthefreearmtoassistwiththeexercise.Keepprogressinguntilyoucanperformthemovementonthefloorwithnoassistance.

Clappush-upA very good variation on the normal push-up is the clap push-up, sometimescalledtheexplosiveorplyometricpush-up.Plyometricissimplythewordusedto signify power usage in an exercise, normally associated with a part of thebodyleavingtheground,asinajumporbound.Forthisexercisethefeetwillbestayingonthegroundbutthehandswillbeleavingittoperformasingleclapinmidair.Thisexerciseissomewhatmoredangerousthantheothersthatwehavelooked at so far, as there is the risk of hurting the hands or of landingon thechestorfaceifyoudonotgetyourhandsbackintopositionintime.Asalwayswith themoreadvancedexercises, takeyour timeandonlyprogresswhenyoufeelready.Intermsofprotectingthehandsitisidealtouseamatofsomekindtoabsorbthe shock of the landing. It is also important that the surface your feet are incontactwithisnon-slip.Youwantyourfeettoremainplantedwhilstyourhandsareintheair.1.Toperformaclappush-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.2.Bendyouelbowsandloweryourselfdownuntilyourchesttouchesthefloor.3.Fromhere,pushupaspowerfullyasyoucan.Asyourelbowsstarttobecomestraightreallytryandshoveoffthegroundhard,aimingtogetyourentireupperbodytoriseintotheair.4.Assoonasyourhandsleavethegroundbringthemtogetherinfrontofyourchest andclapquickly,beforemoving themback to their initialposition.Spotthegroundandtryto“catch”thefloor,makinganattempttobendtheelbowsassoon as you land and descend into the next repetition. This counts as onerepetition.TeachingpointsIfyousimplydonothavethestrengthtopushuphardenough,simplypracticethenormalpush-up,butreallyconcentrateonpushingashardandaspowerfullyas possible. Secondly, we can also use the raised platform method we have

looked at a number of times. As before, the higher the platform you use theeasier themovementwillbe, andasyoubuild strengthandconfidence simplyreducetheheightoftheboxthatyouuse.Itisalsovitallyimportanttoloweryourselfdownuntilyourchestislevelwiththehands. Ifyoudon’t,yousimplywillnothave thepoweror leverage togetyourhandsoff thefloor.Thisreasonmakesitevenmoreimportant toperformallofthepush-upvariationswiththebiggestrangeofmotionthatyoucan.

Backclappush-upOnce the single clap push-up becomes too easy, or if you are looking for anadditionalchallenge,youcanstarttrainingwiththebackclappush-up.This,asthenamesuggests,requiresyoutoclaponcebehindyourbackbeforereturningyourhandstothefrontofyourbodytolandagain.Ishouldnothavetotellyouthatthisismoredifficultandconsiderablymoreriskythanthesingleclappush-up,preciselybecausethereisachancethatyouwillnotgetyourhandsbackintimetoland.Forthisreasonitisbesttoonlystartwiththismovementonceyouare completely comfortable with the single clap push-up that we have justcovered.Again,forthismovementitisadvisabletousesomesortofmattohelpsoftentheimpactandsavethehandsandwristsfromdamageorinjury.1.Toperformthebackclappush-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.2.Bendyouelbowsandloweryourselfdownuntilyourchesttouchesthefloor.3.Fromhere,pushupaspowerfullyasyoucan.Asyourelbowsstarttobecomestraightreallytryandshoveoffthegroundhard,aimingtogetyourentireupperbodytoriseintotheair.4.Assoonasyourhandsleavethegroundwhipthemaroundyourtorsoandclaponcebehindyourback.Theactionofmovingthehandsaroundthebackcanalsogivealittleboosttoyourheightaswell,somakesurethatyoureallywhipthemround!5.Onceyouhaveclappedmoveyourhandsbackinfrontofyourchestreadyforthelanding.Spotthegroundandtryto“catch”thefloor,makinganattempttobendtheelbowsassoonasyoulandanddescendintothenextrepetition.Onepush-upcountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAsbefore,thebestmethodfordevelopingbackclappush-upsistousearaisedplatformfor thehands.Startwithahighplatformandthenasyougetstrongerand more confident reduce the height of the box until you can perform theexerciseontheground.

Doubleclappush-upOnceyouhavemoreor lessmastered the single clap andback clappush-ups,you can attempt to combine them both into a singlemovement, to create thedoubleclappush-up.Asthenamesuggests,thisiswhereyouclaponceinfrontofthebodyandoncebehind,beforemovingthehandsbackinfrontintimetoland.Thisagainismoreriskythanthebackclappush-up,asyouhavetomakesure thatyoupushoffhardenough togetenoughairtimeso thatyoucanclaptwice.1.Toperformthedoubleclappush-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.2.Bendyouelbowsandloweryourselfdownuntilyourchesttouchesthefloor.3.Fromhere,pushupaspowerfullyasyoucan.Asyourelbowsstarttobecomestraightreallytryandshoveoffthegroundhard,aimingtogetyourentireupperbodytoriseintotheair.4.Assoonasyourhandsleavethegroundclaponceinfrontofyourchest.Itisvitalthatyouperformthisclapassoonaspossible,asthequickeryoudothisthemoretimeyouwillhavetoperformtheclapbehindthebackandgetthehandsbackintimetoland.5.Onceyouhaveperformedthefirstclapinfrontofthechestwhipyourhandsaround your torso and clap once behind your back. The action ofmoving thehandsaroundthebackcanalsogivealittleboosttoyourheightaswell,somakesurethatyoureallywhipthemround!6.Onceyouhaveclappedmoveyourhandsbackinfrontofyourchestreadyforthelanding.Spotthegroundandtryto“catch”thefloor,makinganattempttobendtheelbowsassoonasyoulandanddescendintothenextrepetition.Onepush-upcountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAs before, the best method for developing clap push-ups is to use a raisedplatformfor thehands.Startwithahighplatformandthenasyougetstrongerand more confident reduce the height of the box until you can perform the

exerciseontheground.

Tripleclappush-upIfyouhaveachievedthedoubleclappush-upandarestillnotsatisfiedwiththelevel of difficulty, then the final clapping variation is the triple clap push-up,whereyouexplodeofftheground,clapinfrontofyourbody,behindyourback,in front of your body, and then land. Even more power is required for thismovement,andshouldonlybeattemptedwhenyou feel thatyouhaveenoughstrength and power to propel yourself high enough into the air to actuallycomplete themovement.Again,amatorothersoftsurface isadvised,not justincaseyoulandawkwardly,butalsotoprotectthehandsandthewristsfromtheimpact.1.Toperformthetripleclappush-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.2.Bendyouelbowsandloweryourselfdownuntilyourchesttouchesthefloor.3.Fromhere,pushupaspowerfullyasyoucan.Asyourelbowsstarttobecomestraightreallytryandshoveoffthegroundhard,aimingtogetyourentireupperbodytoriseintotheair.4.Assoonasyourhandsleavethegroundclaponceinfrontofyourchest.Itisvitalthatyouperformthisclapassoonaspossible,asthequickeryoudothisthemoretimeyouwillhavetoperformtheothertwoclapsbeforeyouland.5.Onceyouhaveperformedthefirstclapinfrontofthechestwhipyourhandsaround your torso and clap once behind your back. The action ofmoving thehandsaroundthebackcanalsogivealittleboosttoyourheightaswell.6.Onceyouhaveclappedbehindyourbackmoveyourhands in frontofyourchest and clap once more. Again, this action will need to be very quick, asafterwardsyouwillneedtogetreadyforthelanding.Spotthegroundandtryto“catch”thefloor,makinganattempttobendtheelbowsassoonasyoulandanddescendintothenextrepetition.Onepush-upcountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAs before, the best method for developing clap push-ups is to use a raisedplatformfor thehands.Startwithahighplatformandthenasyougetstronger

and more confident reduce the height of the box until you can perform theexerciseontheground.

Supermanpush-upThesupermanpush-up,justliketheclappush-upswelookedatintheprevioussection, is another example of a group of movements that are known asplyometric. Plyometric simply means powerful, and more specifically wheneitheronepartofthebodyorthewholebodyleavestheground.1.Toperformthesupermanpush-upassumethenormalpush-upposition.2.Fromhere,bendyourelbowsandloweryourchestdowntowardsthefloor.3.Fromthisbottomposition,pushupashardandaspowerfullyasyoucan.4.Assoonasyourarmsarenearlystraightshoveoffthegroundhardandraiseyourhandsintotheair.5.Onceyouareintheairtryandstretchyourarmsoutintoasupermanposition.Theaimhereistogetthemcompletelystraightoutinfrontofyourhead,sothatyourbodyresemblessupermaninflight.6.Onceyoureachfullextension,bringyourhandsbackintoyourtorsoasfastasyou can, and then landwith bent elbows.Absorb the shock of the landing byloweringyourchestdowntowardstheground,andthencontinuewiththenextrepetition.TeachingpointsIfyoucannotstretchyourarmsouttothefullsupermanpositiontostartwithdonotworry.Simplymovethemoutasfarasyourstrengthandconfidenceallow,andthenasyougetmorepowerfulandbecomemorefamiliarwiththeexercise,youwillbeabletomovethemoutprogressivelyfurthereachtime.

Lalannepush-upThe Lalanne push-up is named for the famous “Godfather of Fitness” JackLalanne, who was an American fitness, exercise, and nutritional expert, wholived in California and who did untold amounts towards promoting healthylivingthroughouthisentirelife.Aholderofnumerousworldrecords,heusedtobeseenmanytimesperformingthismovement.The Lalanne push-up is as much a test of core strength as it is of pushingstrength.Itisidenticalinitsstartingpositiontotheextendedplank,andwillgiveyouagoodideaofexertingcorestrengthwhenthecoremusculatureisstretchedout.Itisalittlelessofapush-upthantheoneswehavelookedatsofar,asthearmswillnotreallydothatmuchpushing.Youcanthinkofthemovementasakindofbridge,whereweare trying to spanaverywide river. Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthewidertheriver,thestrongerthebridgehastobe,andthisiswhythismovementissoeffectiveatbuildingstrength.1.ToperformtheLalannepush-up,getintothenormalpush-upposition.2.Fromhere,walkyourhandsforwarduntilyouareasstretchedoutasyoucanmanage.3.Nowloweryourselfdownuntilyourbodytouchestheground.Ensuretokeeplotsoftensioninthebodyandthetorso.4.Fromthisbottomposition,pushwithyourupperbodyandcontractyourcoremusclesasstronglyaspossible,untilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsWhenfirststartingtheLalannepush-upitmaynotbepossibleforyoutostretchoutasfarasisshowninthepictures.Tomakeitmoremanageable,simplymovethehandsalittleclosertothefeet.Thiswillacttoshortenthecoreandputthecoremusculatureinastrongerposition,makingtheexerciseeasier.Asyougetstrongersimplystarttomovethehandsandfeetfurtherapartuntilyouarefullystretchedout.

Wallpush-upThewallpush-upisanotherpush-upexercisethatmakesheavyuseofthecore,which is no bad thing. It involves placing the feet on a sturdywall, and thenwhilst the body is horizontal, performing a push-up. It ismuch harder than itsounds,mainlybecause it requires the shoulders topush the feet into thewallhard,sothat theydonotslipdownthewall.Thisexercisealsoreallydevelopsthe front deltoids, and is a good preparation exercise for the planche, whichcomeslaterinthebook.1.Toperformthewallpush-up,faceawayfromawallandplaceyourfeetatthebottomofit.Keepingyourarmslocked,walkyourfeetontothewalluntiltheyreachthesameheightasyourshoulders.Ensurethatyoukeepthisstrictpositionthroughoutthewholemovement.2. From here, bend at the elbows and start to lower your chest towards theground.At thesame timewalkyour feetdown thewall towards theground insmallsteps,sothatyourentirebodystaysashorizontalaspossible.3.Onceyourchesttouchestheground,pushbackupuntilyourarmsarestraight.At the same time walk your feet back up the wall until you reach the startposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsWhen first starting with the wall push-up you are likely to run into twoproblems.Thefirstisthatwhenyouholdyourselfonthewall,yourcoredroopsdownandyougeta largearch in the lowerback.This isdowntopoorcorestrengthandwill improvewithcore trainingand time. Ifyoucannothold the straightbodypositionatthesametimeaswalkingupanddownthewall,thensimplyholdthestartposition foras longasyoucan,andslowlybuildupyour strengthbeforemovingontothepush-upvariation.The second issue is that of not being able to push back hard enoughwith theshoulders to keep the feet glued onto the wall. Remember, the only thingkeepingyourfeetonthewallisthefrictionofyourshoesorfeetonthesurface

ofthewall,andtheabilityofyourshouldersandarmstopushyourbodyagainstthewall. Tomake this easier you canmove your hands slightly further awayfrom the wall. This will mean that you will be pushing slightly more in anoverheadpositionthanbefore,whichshouldmakekeepingyourfeetonthewallslightlyeasier.In addition, themethod ofmoving the hands forward tomake themovementeasier can be altered and used to make the exercise more challenging. Bymovingthehandsclosertothewallwecandecreasetheabilityoftheshouldersto exert force,which in turnwillmake the exercisemoredifficult.This is thesame principle that is used with the pseudo planche push-up that we havealreadylookedat,wherethehandsaremovedbehindtheshoulders to increasethechallenge.

Archerpush-upThe archer push-up is another unusual push-up variation, and introduces theconceptofstraight-armstrengththatwelookedatintheintroduction.Ifyouarecompetentwiththeonearmpush-upthenyoushouldnothavetoomuchtroublewiththearcherpush-up.Itisextremelyimportantinthisexercisethatyoukeeptheelbowcompletely locked.Withstraight-armexercises,evenaslightlybentelbow will make the movement easier and in effect defeats the object of thekeepingthearmstraight.1.Toperformthearcherpush-up,getintothewidegrippush-upposition.2.Fromhere,bendoneelbowofonearmbutkeeptheotherabsolutelystraight.Moveyourbodyweightoverthebentarmasyouloweryourselfdown.3.Asyoudothiskeepthestraightarmlockedattheelbow,andkeepgoinguntilyourchesttouchestheground.Itcanhelpheretolooktowardsthestraightarmtoensurethatyourtechniqueandformiscorrect.4.Fromhere,pushupwithyourbentarmandtryandpullthroughthefloorwiththestraightone,untilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsWorkingwitharcherpush-upsifyouarenotfamiliarwithstraight-armworkcanbedauntingatfirst,andyoumayrunintoacoupleofproblems.Themainoneisnothaving theability tokeep thearmcompletely lockedasyoumove throughthe exercise, and this is actually easier said than done.The bodywillwant tobend the elbow,mainly toprotect the joint, as a locked joint is aweakerone,especiallywhenwearetryingtoexertsomestrengthandpowerthere.Theonlythingtodoistomakesurethatyourformstaysperfectatalltimesandbeveryvigilantonhowstraightyourarmisatalltimes.

Spiderpush-upThespiderpush-upisthelastvariationofthepush-upgroupofexercisesthatwewilllookatandisalsooneofthehardest.ItissimilarinprincipletotheLalannepush-up,inthatthehandsareheldfarawayfromthebody,whichdecreasestheleverageandthereforemakesthemovementmuchmoredifficult.1.Toperformthespiderpush-up, liefacedownonthegroundwithyourarmsstretchedouttothesides.Positionyourfingertipsonthefloor.2.Fromhere,pushdownhardonthegroundwithyourhandsandliftyourchestoffthefloor.Duetothewayyourbodyispositionedyouwillnotbeabletoriseoffthegroundahugeamount.3.Keeppushinguntilyourelbowsarelockedandyourbodyisheldrigid.4. Now lower yourself back down to the star position. This counts as onerepetition.TeachingpointsAtfirst itmaybetoodifficult toraiseyourselfoff thegroundwhenyourarmsarefullyextended,sostartbypositioningyourhandsclosertoyourbody.Thiswillallowyoutoexertmorestrengthtostartwith,andthenasyougetstronger,simplymoveyourhandsfurtherandfurtherawayfromthebody.

8.Pull-upsNow that we have looked at all of the different types of push-ups that areavailable to us, it is time to look at the exercise that can be considered thepartnertothem,whicharethepull-ups.Pull-upsareinmymindthebestupperbody exercise that exists, and have been used for centuries to build strong,functionalphysiques.Theyarealsoextremelysimple innature,canbe learnedrelativelyeasily,andtherearemanydifferentvariationsthatcanbeusedtobuildreallyextremelevelsofstrength.Tostartwithwewilllookbuildingabaselevel,andthenprogressfromtheretomoreandmoreadvancedmovements.

RowsThefirstpullingexercisethatwearegoingtolookat is therow.Althoughnotreally a pull-up, it uses the samemuscle groups as the pull-up, but it is a loteasiertoperformthantheproperversions.Thismakesitidealforthoseofyouthathavenever trainedwithpull-upsbefore,or thosewhohavea low levelofstrength. Contrary to actual pull-ups (where a bar at six to eight feet high isideal),forrowsyouwillneedabarorotherobjectthatsitsaroundwaistheight.Ifyouareamemberofagymthenyoucanusethesquatrack,smithmachine,and many other pieces of equipment to perform rows on. If you are not amemberofagymthenyoucanalsousea table,barsuspendedon thebackoftwo chairs, andmanyother everydayobjects.Rows can also be performedongymnasticringsorsuspensiontrainersaswellwithgreatsuccess.1.Toperform the row,grab thebarorobjectyouareusingwith anoverhandgrip,withthehandsshoulderwidthapart.2.Positionyourbodyunderneaththebarandplaceyourheelsontheground.3.Startingwithyourarmscompletelystraight,pullyourchesttowardsthebar,whilstkeepinganimaginarystraightlinethroughtheshoulders,hips,knees,andankles.Youshouldpivotaroundyourfeetorheels.4.Onceyourchest reaches thebaror is levelwithyourhands,straightenyourarmsandloweryourbodydownuntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsWecanalterthedifficultyoftherowusingthesamemethodaswedidwiththepush-upexercises.Theangleof thebody in the rowdetermines thechallenge,wherethemorehorizontalthebodythehardertheexercise,andthemoreverticalthebodytheeasiertheexercise.Dependingonhowhardyoufindthemovement,eithermakeyourbodymorehorizontalormoreverticaltomakethemovementmoreorlesschallenging.Asyougetstrongersimplymovethebodyintoamorehorizontal position. Once you can perform rowswith a completely horizontalbody,thenyoushouldmoveontothenextexerciseinthissection,whichisthe

chin-up.

Chin-upOnceyouhavebuiltupsomebasicstrengthwithbodyweightrows,itistimetostartworkingwithyourentirebodyweight.Weare lookingat thechin-up firstbecausethechin-upisaneasiermovementthanthepull-up,preciselybecauseoftheway thehandsgrip thebar. Inachin-up thehandsare inanunderhand,orsupinatedgrip,whereasinthepull-upthehandsareinanoverhand,orpronatedgrip.Thismeansthatthechin-upinvolvesthebicepsandchestalotmorethanthepull-up,whichiswhythemajorityofpeoplefindthemeasiertoperformthanthepull-up.1.Toperformthechin-up,graspapull-upbarwithyourhandsinanunderhandgrip,handsshoulderwidthapart.2.Beforeyoustartthepull,shrugyourshouldersdownfirst,asdemonstratedinthescapulastrengtheningexerciseinthemobilitysection.3.Makingsureyouarehangingfreelyandyourelbowsarelocked,pullupasfarasyoucan,ideallyuntilyourchinisabovethebaroryourchesttouchesthebar.Trynottousemomentumormoveyourlegstohelpyou.4.Fromthistoppositionloweryourselfdowntoadeadhang.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsManypeople,eventhosewhohavetrainedforanumberofyears,strugglewithchin-upsandpull-ups.Themovementreliesonanumberofmusclegroupsbeingstrong,includingthehandsandgrip,forearms,shoulders,back,andcore.Italsorequiresallof theseparts towork inunison.This iswhymachines that isolatebodyparts, ormachines that assistwithwholebodymovements never help inachievingwhattheysetouttodo,whichistoimproveperformance.Thechin-upis a great example of amulti-joint exercise, and simply cannot be trained forusingisolationexercisesorresistancemachines.Inthenexttwoshortsections,youwill see twomethodsyoucanuse tohelp to increaseyour strength in thechin-up.

Negativechin-upsAlthoughmany people try and do easier exercises to build strength to enablethem to perform chin-ups, the best way to progress with the chin-up is toactuallydochin-ups!Ifyourstrength level isnotyethighenoughtopullyourownweighttowardsthebarhowever,wecanuseamethodcallednegativestoput the muscles under enough stress to elicit some serious strength gains.Negatives are also known as eccentric contractions,which simplymeans thatthemusclebeingusedwillbecontractingandgettinglonger(thisisexactlytheopposite to a concentric, or positive contraction, in which the muscle iscontractingandgettingshorter).As the human body is strongest in the negative phase, it makes it useful forbuildingstrengthwhenthepositivephaseisnotyetattainable.Forthechin-up,this simply means that we will not be pulling ourselves up towards the bar;instead,wewillbestartingfromthetopofthemovement,wherethechinisoverthe bar, and lowering ourselves down to the bottom position as slowly aspossible.Negativescanbeusedaslongasyouneedto,untilyoudevelopthestrengthtopull up towards thebar.Donotworry that youwill not bepracticing actuallypullingup;ifyoustickwithnegativesthenonedayeverythingwilljustclickandyouwillsimplybeabletoperformtheexercisestartingwithstraightarms.Intermsofsetsandreps,youshouldnotbeaimingtoperformlotsandlotsofthese. Any negative movement is very demanding on the body, so that thestressesandstrainsonthetendonsandligamentsareveryhigh.foursetsofoneortworepsshouldbemorethanadequatetoelicitsomeseriousstrengthgains.1.Toperformthenegativechin-up,graspapull-upbarwithanunderhandgrip,withthehandsshoulderwidthapart.2.Nowstandonaboxorstepbelowthepull-upbaryouareusing.Bendyourlegsandjumpintotheair,aimingtogetyourchinwellabovethebarasyoudoso.3.Onceyouhaveyourchinover thebar, start topullashardasyoucan.Theideaisto“catch”yourselfatthetopofthemovement.

4.Fromthistopposition,loweryourselfdownasslowlyasyouphysicallycan.Squeezeyourmusclesashardaspossibletogeneratemaximumtensioninthosepartsofthebodybeingused.5.Keep loweringyourself downuntil you reach the bottomof themovement,witharmsstraightandelbowslockedout.Nowdropoffthebar.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

StaticholdsThe second method that you can use to build strength is to work with staticholds. These are where the muscles will be contracting but staying the samelength.Apower lifterwasquotedasonce saying, “what’s theheaviestweightyoucanlift?Onethatyoucan’tlift!”Whathemeantbythisisthatanyexerciseswhere the muscles are contracting hard but not getting shorter builds hugeamountsofstrength.Forus,wewanttolookataminimumofthreeelbowpositionstogetthegreatestbenefit from using static holds. These are when the elbow is as closed aspossible(aswhenyourchinisoverthebar),whentheelbowisatninetydegrees(aswhenyouarehalfwaythroughthemovement),andwhentheelbowisonlyslightly closed (as when you have just started to pull from the dead hangposition).1.Toperforma staticholdgrabapull-upbarwithanunderhandor supinatedgrip.2. From here get into the position that youwish to hold. For holding the toppositionwith the elbowsalmost completely closedyoucanuse abox to jumpintothetopposition.Toholdthepositionwiththeelbowsatninetydegreesyoucanalsouseabox,but justnot jumpashigh.For thebottompositionyoucansimplystartfromadeadhangandthenpullupslightly.3.Once you are in the position of your choice then simply hold it as long aspossible.Assoonas theangleof theelbowstarts tochangeandyouget tired,dropoffthebarandrest.In terms of the sets and reps to do here, you should try and aim to hold theposition for a total time of 30 seconds, in as many sets as it takes you. Forexample,ifyoucanholdthepositionfor10seconds,dothreesetsofthese.Also,someanglesareeasiertoholdthanothers.Itgoeswithoutsayingthattheanglesyoustrugglewiththemostaretheonesthatyoushouldbetrainingmorethanothers.Aswith thenegativeschin-ups, spendasmuch timewith theseasyouneedtobeabletoperformthemproperly.

Pull-upOneyouhavegottentogripswiththechin-up,youshouldmoveontothenextexerciseinthissection,whichisthepull-up.AsIexplainedpreviously,thepull-updiffersfromthechin-upinitshandpositiononly.Forthepull-upweuseanoverhand or pronated grip, which has the effect of opening up the chest andlesseningtheabilityofthebicepsthehelpoutwiththepull.Thismeansthatthemajorityof themovementmustcomefromtheback,andmorespecifically thelatissimusdorsi,ormore simply, the lats.Theseare thebigwing likemusclesthatmakeupmostoftheupperback.Pull-upsareessentialifyouareaimingtohave that ‘V” shape back that everyonewants.Theymust also bemastered ifyouareevertodeveloprealpullingstrength,especiallyifyouwishtomoveontothemoreadvancedpullingexerciseslikethefrontleverandmuscle-up.Thepull-upisalsothesecondfoundationalexercisethatwehavecomeacross,whichmeansthatthismovementmustbeperfectedbeforemuchprogresscanbemade with the more advanced exercises in the book. See the foundationalprogram in the Training Program section to see exactly what standards arerequiredandhowtotrainasabeginner.1.Toperformthepull-up,graspapull-upbarwithanoverhandorpronatedgrip.Yourhandsshouldbeaboutshoulderwidthapart,orslightlywider.2.Hangwithyourarmscompletelystraight.Thisisalsoknownasthedeadhangposition.Donotgetintothehabitofstartingwithyourelbowsslightlybent,asthiswillhinderyourprogresslateron.3.Beforeyoustartthepull,shrugyourshouldersdownfirst,asdemonstratedinthe scapula strengthening exercise in the mobility section. Then pull yourselftowardsthebar,keepingyourlegsstraight.Theaimistogetthechesttouchingthebarorthechinoverthebar.Donotswingorliftyourkneestomakeiteasier.4. From the top position lower yourself down to the start position, withcompletely straight arms again. This counts as one repetition. You should beaimingtoperform3to4setsof8to10repetitions.Teachingpoints

Again,ifyoustruggletoperformthemovementasdescribed,thenspendsometime training using negative pull-ups and static holds until your strengthincreasesandyouareabletoperformthemovementproperly.Asnegativepull-upsareverytaxingonthebody,itisnotadvisedtoperformlotsofrepetitionsinonego.WhenIworkwithnegativepull-upsIprefertokeepthenumberofsetshighbutthenumberofrepetitionslow.Forexample,Ioftenperform5or6setsof3repetitions,asthisgivesenoughvolumetohaveaneffect,butnottoomuchthatmyformstartstosuffertowardstheendoftheworkout.

Widegrippull-upOncenormalpull-upsstarttobecomeeasier,wecanlookatwideningthegriptomake the exercise more challenging. The wide grip pull-up is excellent fortargeting the latissimus dorsi muscles of the back more, and as the namesuggests,usesawidergrip than thestandardpull-up.The technique for this isexactlythesameasforthenormalpull-up,exceptthatthehandsareplacedonthebaraswideapartasiscomfortable.Theactionofwideningthegripmeansthat the muscles used in pulling are stretched out even more, so that themovementishardertocomplete,whichinturnbuildsmorestrength.1.Toperformthewidegrippull-up,graspapull-upbarwithanoverhandgrip.Tryandpositionyourhandsaswideapartasyoucan.2.Hangwithyourarmscompletelystraight.Donotgetintothehabitofstartingwithyourelbowsslightlybent,asthiswillhinderyourprogresslateron.3.Beforeyoustartthepull,shrugyourshouldersdownfirst,asdemonstratedinthescapulastrengtheningexerciseinthemobilitysection.4.Pullyour self towards thebar, keepingyour legs straight.Try andgetyourchinwellabovethebar.Donotswingorliftyourkneestomakeiteasier.5.Fromthetoppositionloweryourselfdowntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.Againtryandaimtoperform3to4setsof8to10reps.

Closegrippull-upOnce you are familiarwith the normal chin-up and pull-up, it is time to startincorporatingothertypesofpull-upintoyourtraining,bothtointroduceabitofvariationand tohit themusclesof thebody fromdifferent angles andplace itunderdifferentdemands.Thesecondpull-upvariationthatwearegoingtolookatistheclosegrippull-up.Thisisexactlywhatyouthinkitmightbe,wherethehands are closer together on the bar. This reallymakes the bicepsworkmorethantheywouldinanormalpull-up,andareafunandusefuladditiontoyourpull-uptraining.1.Toperformtheclosegrippull-up,graspapull-upbarwithanoverhandgrip.Tryandpositionyourhandsascloseasyoucan.2.Hangwithyourarmscompletelystraight.Donotgetintothehabitofstartingwithyourelbowsslightlybent,asthiswillhinderyourprogresslateron.3.Beforeyoustartthepull,shrugyourshouldersdownfirst,asdemonstratedinthescapulastrengtheningexerciseinthemobilitysection.4.Pullyour self towards thebar, keepingyour legs straight.Try andgetyourchinwellabovethebar.Donotswingorliftyourkneestomakeiteasier.5.Fromthetoppositionloweryourselfdowntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

Behindtheneckpull-upThebehindtheneckpull-upisanotherverygoodvariationonthenormalpull-up,andisexcellentforhittingthetargetmusclesfromadifferentangle.Youwilllikelyfindthisvariationquitedifficult,asthemusclesusedforpullingwillbeataslightdisadvantageduetotheorientationofthebody.1.Toperformthebehindtheneckpull-up,graspapull-upbarwithanoverhandgrip.Yourhandsshouldbeshoulderwidthapart.2.Hangwithyourarmscompletelystraight.Donotgetintothehabitofstartingwithyourelbowsslightlybent,asthiswillhinderyourprogresslateron.3.Beforeyoustartthepull,shrugyourshouldersdownfirst,asdemonstratedinthescapulastrengtheningexerciseinthemobilitysection.4. Pull yourself towards the bar, keeping your legs straight. Push your headforwardandpullyourshouldersbladesback.Youshouldaimtogetthetrapeziusmuscles,orthetraps(themusclesoneachsideoftheheadandconnectedtotheneck)asclosetothebaraspossible.Donotswingorliftyourkneestomakeiteasier.5.Fromthetoppositionloweryourselfdowntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

Inlinepull-upThe inline pull-up is a variation that I first came across whilst in militarytraining.My training teammadeus perform these to helpwith rope climbing,andIfoundthemsoeffectivethatIcarriedonperformingthemonceIhadleftthemilitary.Theyareakindofmixturebetweenanormalpull-upandarowthatwelookedatfirstinthissection,andhavesomegoodcarryoverstrengthtothehardermovementslikethefrontlever.1.Toperformtheinlinepull-up,standunderneathapull-upbarandgrabitwiththepalmsfacingintowardseachother,andmakesurethattheyarecloseenoughonthebartobetouching.2.Hangwithstraight-armsandhaveyourheadleaningback.3.Beforeyoustartthepull,shrugyourshouldersdownfirst,asdemonstratedinthescapulastrengtheningexerciseinthemobilitysection.4.Fromhere,pullashardasyoucanandattempttogetyourchesttouchingthebar.Youwillhavetoleanbackalottogetthistohappen,soitpaystorelaxthelowerbodysothatitdoesnotdriftoutinfrontofyoutoomuch.5.Onceyouhavepulledashighasyouareableto,extendyourarmsagainuntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

Rockclimberpull-upOnceyouhavegottogripswiththewidegrippull-up,thenyoucanstarttoworkwiththerockclimber.Therockclimberprobablydidoriginatewithactualrockclimbers,astheyneedtobeabletotraverseleftandrightaswellasstraightup.The rock climber involvespullingmorewithone arm than theother, andwillgiveyouasmalltasteofwhatitisliketoworkwithone-armpull-ups,whicharefeaturedlateron.1.Toperformtherockclimberpull-up,grabapull-upbarwithanoverhandgrip,withyourhandsaswideapartastheyareinawidegrippull-up.2.Beforeyoustartthepull,shrugyourshouldersdownfirst,asdemonstratedinthescapulastrengtheningexerciseinthemobilitysection.3.Fromhere,pullyourselfstronglytooneside,sothatyourwholebodymovestowardsonehand.Atthispointonearmwillbemorebentthantheotherandtheotherwillbenearlystraight.4.Nowloweryourselfbackdowntothestartposition,andthenpullyourselfuptowardstheoppositehand.Eachpullcountsasonerepetition.

Lpull-upTheLpull-uphasfeaturesofboththenormalpull-up,andthehanginglegraiseandthehalflever,whichareexercisesfeaturedinthecoreexercisesectionofthebook.Thismovementreallyforcesyoutousethebacktopullwithproperly,andasthelegsandcorehavetobeheldinastaticpositionaswell,itmeansthatitisalmostimpossibletocheatonthisexercise,aslongasitisperformedcorrectlyofcourse.1.ToperformtheLpull-up,grabapull-upbarwithanoverhandgripandhangwithstraightarms.2.Fromhere,raiseupthelegsuntiltheyarehorizontal.Makesurethatyoukeepthekneejointslockedout.Youwillnoticeatthispointthatthebodyresemblesan“L”shape,whichiswhytheexercisehasthenameitdoes.3.Holding thispositionwith the legs, pull yourself towards thebaruntil yourchinreachesoverit.4.Then loweryourselfdownuntil you reach the start position.This counts asonerepetition.TeachingpointsIf you cannot perform the leg raise and if you cannot hold the legs in an “L”position, spend timewith the leg raise and the half lever in order to build upstrengthforthismovement.Youcanalsoworkwiththelegsatanangleinsteadofhorizontal,andthenasyougetstrongersimplymovethemup.Additionally,manypeoplestruggletoperformboththepullandthelegraiseatthesametime.Thisiscompletelynatural,andisjustasignthatyourbodyisnotstrongenoughtodobothat thesametime.Simplyspendmore timewitheachseparatemovementandthenprogresswhenyouareready.

Horizontalpull-upContinuingwithourlookatdifferenttypesofpull-up,thehorizontalpull-upisauniqueexercisethathastraitsfrombotharegularpull-up,aninlinepull-up,anda front lever. It uniquely stresses the core andhas someelementsofmuscularcontrolwithinit,whichmakesitachallengetothoselookingformoredifficultpullingexercises.1.Toperformthehorizontalpull-upgrabapull-upbarinanoverhandgrip,withthe hands about shoulder width apart. This exercise is also particularly goodwhenusingmonkeybars,ortwobarsthatareparalleltoeachother.Ifyouusethismethod then your handswill be gripping the bars facing in towards eachother.2.Fromhere,pullupandbackatthesametime,aimingtoendupwithyoureyesfacing the ceiling and your body in a horizontal position. You will need tocontract your lower back, glutes, and other lower bodymuscles hard tomakesurethatyourbodystayshorizontal.3.Keep pulling as your body becomes horizontal, as the ultimate aim of thisexerciseistogetthebodyasclosetothebaraspossible.4.Holdthehorizontalpositionforasplitsecond,andthenloweryourselfbackdowntothestartpositionundercontrol.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

Fingerpull-upFinger pull-ups are another exercise, like fingertip push-ups, that can help tobuildrealhandandgripstrength.Asyouprogresswithfingerpull-upsyoucansimply reduce the number of fingers you use to make the exercise morechallenging.Usingchalkforthisexerciseisrecommended.1.To perform the finger pull-up, grip the barwith an underhand or overhandgrip using only the fingers on each hand.As said before, you can reduce thenumberoffingersyouuseasyougetstronger.2.Fromadeadhang,pullupstronglyuntilyourchinreachesoverthebar.3. Lower yourself down until you reach the start position. This counts as onerepetition.

Rope/towelpull-upWewill look at using a rope or towel to help assistwith the one-armpull-uplateroninthissection,butwecanalsousetheropeortowelasanactualpullingobject.Theropeortowelpull-upisanamazinggripstrengthbuilder,andisquitedifferentfromtheothermovementswehavelookedatsofar,inthattheobjectyouarepullingon,eithera ropeor towelorother fabric-likeobject, is free tomovearoundandisnotfixed.If you have access to a rope then this is the best thing to use, as they arenormallyverygoodtogrip.Mostgymsdonothaveropeshowever,andtheyarenotthatcheaptobuy.Inthiscaseitisbesttouseatowelorothersimilarpieceoffabricorcloth.Simplydrapethetowelorclothoverthepull-upbaruntilbothendsmeet.Thenyoucangrabthisquitecomfortablywithbothhands.1.Toperformtherope/towelpull-up,grabtheropeor towelwithonehandontop of the other, as shown in the pictures that follow.You can use either onetowel/ropeortwo.Experimenttofindyourfavourite.2.Fromadeadhang,pullupasfarasyoucan.Theaimistogetthehandslevelwiththesternum(thebonyplateinthemiddleofyourchest).3.Fromhere,loweryourselfbackdowntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

Clappull-upThe clap pull-up is a flashy exercise, but it is not just for show. The powerneeded to do this is extreme, and the exercise also builds a large amount ofconfidenceandcoordination.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatyouwillneedaccesstoapull-upbarthatcantakethestrainofyourownweightandtheforcethatwillbe applied to itwhen you catch it. Iwould also recommend clearing the areabehindthebar,asifyoudomissthebarwhenyouattempttocatchitatleastyouwillnotfallontoanything.Onedownsidetolearningandtrainingwiththeclappull-upis that thereisnotreallyanywaytoregresstheexercise,ormakeiteasier.Whenyoustarttoworkwithityouwilljusthavetohaveagoandseewhathappens.1.Toperform theclappull-up,graspapull-upbarwithanoverhandgripandhangwithstraightarms.2.Fromhere,pullupashardandaspowerfullyaspossible,aiming topull farpastthebar.3.Asyourchinbecomeslevelwiththebar,takesyourhandsoffandclaponceinfrontofyourchest.Keepyoureyesonthebaratalltimes.4.Assoonasyouhaveclapped,bringyourhandsback to thebarandcatch itstrongly, then lower yourself down to the start position. This counts as onerepetition.TeachingpointsPerformingtheclappull-upisagreatchallenge,andnotjustbecauseitrequiresa great deal of strength. The main issue you will come up against is that itrequiresalotofconfidencetotakethehandsawayfromthebarinthefirstplace.Toremedythis,youcanperformanormalpull-up,butwhenyourchingetslevelwiththebar,simplymakeyourhandsgolight.Thisdoesnotmeanthatyouwillreleaseyourgrip,itsimplymeansthatyouwilllessenthegripforasplitsecond.Asyougainmore confidence, you can start to lessen the amount that you areholdingontothebaruntilyourhandsactuallycomeawayfromit.Thenyoucanstart to gradually progress onto bringing the hands together and clapping. As

with any difficult exercise, start small and progress gradually and you willalwaysbesuccessful.

Typewriterpull-upThe next exercise in this pull-up section is also one of the most difficult. Itcombines strength,muscular control, and the ability to generate tension in theentireupperbody.Thetypewriterpull-uphaselementsofthewidegrippull-up,the rock climber, and themuscle-up, andwill test your shoulder strength, andmoreimportantlyyourscapulastrength,tothelimit.1.Toperformthetypewriterpull-up,grabapull-upbarinanoverhandgripwithyourhandsaswideapartasyoucan.2.Fromadeadhang,pullupuntilyourchinisabovethebarandthenholdtheposition.3.Fromhere,pullyourselfovertoonearmwhilststraighteningouttheoppositearm.Keepyourchinabovethebaratalltimes.4.Asyoumovetowardsyourpullingarmyouwillneedtogointoahalffalsegripwiththearmthatbecomesstraight.Thisissothatyoucanpushdownhardwiththestraightarm,sothatyourchinstaysabovethebar.5.Themovementshouldbeasslowandcontrolledaspossible.Onceyouhavepulledyourselfovertoonesidethenmoveyourselfbacktothemiddleofthebarandrepeatontheoppositeside.TeachingpointsWhenfirstattempting thismovementyouwillnodoubtfind itverydifficult. Ihavefoundthatgettingbetteratthemuscle-upcanhelpwiththetypewriter,andimprovingyourfalsegripaswell.Itiscommontofindthatthismovementalsostressestheinsidesoftheshoulders,ortherotatorcuffmusculatureveryheavily,sobecarefulthatyoudonotoverdoit.

Weightedpull-upAllofthepull-upvariationsthatwehavelookedatsofarhavebeenunweighted,thatis,thattheyonlyuseyourbodyweightastheresistance.Afterall,thisbookis all about using your own bodyweight o become much stronger! However,after a time, you will have enough strength to start working with weightedversions of the pull-ups that are in this section. These are very useful, as themovementstaysessentiallythesame;itisjusttheresistancethatgoesup.Thereareafewwaystoaddweighttothebodyandwewill lookat3ofthemhere:The firstmethod is touseadumbbellorkettlebellheldbetween the feet.Thishastheadvantageofbeingeasytosetup,andifyouareamemberofagymthentheyshouldhavelotsofdumbbellsandkettlebellsofvaryingsizeandweight.Tohold the weight, simply grab it between your feet as shown in the followingpictures,andthenperformthepull-upexerciseofyourchoice.Thesecondmethodistouseadipbelt.Again,thesecanbefoundinnearlyallgymsaroundtheworld,andusuallytaketheformofaneopreneorleatherbeltwith a chain attached.You can thread the chain through the centre ofweightplates,andthenlettheweightdanglebetweenyourlegswhereitwillstayoutoftheway.Thensimplyperformthepull-upvariationofyourchoice.Thethirdmethodistouseaweightedvest.Thesearenotreallythatcommonincommercialgyms,andthechancesofyourlocalgymhavingoneareslim.TheycanbeboughtincertainshopsandoffoftheInternet,butunlessyouthinkyouwill get a lot of use out of them then I would not bother to purchase one.Weightedvestscome in lotsofdifferent types,butmostof themuse thesameformula, being a vest or jacket that fits over the upper body,with pouches ofsand, water, gel, or actual metal weights used to increase or decrease theresistance. To use these, you simply put the vest on and perform the pull-upvariationofyourchoice.1.Toperformtheweightedpull-up,chooseoneofthemethodsofaddingweightasoutlinedpreviously,andhangfromthebarwithstraightarms.2.Nowsimplyperformthepull-upvariationofyourchoice.

3.Asyougetstronger,trytoincreasetheamountofweightthatyouuse,ortryandperformthemovementslower.

One-armpull-upThe one-arm pull-up is perhaps the holy grail of most people that startcalisthenics training. Performing a strict one-arm pull-up can take years ofdedicated effort,which is shown by the very few peoplewho can actually doone.Thismovementwill place an extremedemandonyour entireupperbodyandcore.Takeyour timeprogressingwith thisexercise.Even ifyouareatanadvancedlevelitwilltakeyouanywhereintheregionof6monthsto2yearstoaccomplish.Theone-armpull-upisalsooneofthefewunilateralexercisesthatareavailableto us, the others being the one-arm push-up and the single leg squat. Theseunilateral exercises are especially challenging, but the reward in terms ofstrengthandathleticabilityarewellworththeinvestment.Intermsofthehandposition,therearethoseouttherewhoperformthemwithan underhand or supinated grip, and otherswho prefer to use an overhand orpronatedgrip.Mypersonalpreferenceistouseanunderhandorsupinatedgrip,butthatissimplymypersonalpreference,andisnotnecessarilythebestwayforyou todo them.Thebest thing todo is toexperimentwithhandpositionsandseewhichyouprefer,oralternatively, tryand train tobeable todo themwithbothhandpositions!As theone-armpull-up issuchademandingexercise, it isnotpossiblefor thevastmajorityofpeopletosimplyjumpstraightinandstarttrainingit.Therefore,Ihavebrokenthemovementdownintofivedistinctstages,thatwhenfollowedshouldenablemostpeopletoachieveaone-armpull-up.Thestagesshownanddemonstratedinthissectionareasfollows:Fingerassistedone-armpull-upTowel/ropeassistedone-armpull-upStaticholdsNegativeone-armpull-up

One-armpull-up

Fingerassistedone-armpull-upThefirststageinlearningtheone-armedchin-upistouseassistance.Thisactstoplace less of a demand on the pulling arm so that you can gradually increaseyourstrengthinaprogressivemanner.Totrainfortheone-armedchin-upusingyour other arm for assistance, we can simply grab the bar with using fewerfingers on the assisting hand. The fewer fingers you use, the harder themovementwillbeandthestrongerthepullingarmwillbecome.Startoutusingfourfingersandnothumb,andthenprogresstousingthreefingers,twofingers,and so on. Be sure to practice equally with both hands to ensure strengthimbalancesdonotoccur.1. To perform the assisted on-armed chin-up, grab the barwith an underhandgripwiththepullingarmandwithonlyfourfingerswiththeassistingarm.Theassisting arm can be in an overhand or underhand grip, depending on yourpersonalpreference.2.Makingsureyouarehangingfreely,pullyourscapuladownasdescribedinthemobility section.Pullhardwith themainarmuntilyourchin reachesoverthebar.3.Asyoupullyourselfup,onlyusetheassistingarmasmuchasyouneedto.Obviously,thelessyouuseittheharderthemovementwillbetoperform.4.Fromhere,loweryourselfdownuntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAsyougetstrongerwiththismovement,youcanreducethenumberoffingersthatgripthebarwiththeassistingarm.Obviously,thefewerfingersyouusewillreduce theamountofassistanceyourarmcangive.Keepprogressing like thisuntilyouareonlyusingonefingerontheassistingarm.

Rope/towelassistedone-armpull-upThe next stage in learning the one-arm pull-up is the towel or rope assistedmethod.Here,weuseatowelorropetoassistwiththepull.Theideaistograbthetowelorropewiththeassistinghandandusethattohelpwiththemovement.Tostartwithyoushouldgrab the towelorropehighup,asclose to thebaraspossible.Asyouget stronger simplygrab the towelor rope lowerdown.Thiswill lessen the amount of assistance that you can give yourself andmake theexercisemorechallenging.Keepprogressinglikethisuntilyouarereadyforthenextstage.Youwill obviously need a rope or a towel for thismovement (or some otherobjectthatyoucanhangoverthebarandusetoholdonto).Somegymsdohaveropes,butIhavehadthemostsuccesswithjustasimplebathtowel.1.Toperformtherope/towelassistedone-armpull-up,graspthepull-upbarwithone hand in an underhand grip. Position the rope/towel over the pull-up bar,aboutshoulderwidthawayfromthepullinghand.2.Grabthetowel/ropewiththeassistinghandashighupasyoucanmanage.3.Make sure that you are hanging freely, and then start to pull hardwith thepullingarm.Onlygiveasmuchassistancefromtheassistingarmasisneeded.Keeppullinguntilyourchinreachesoverthepull-upbar.4.From this top position lower yourself back down to the start position.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

Negativeone-armpull-upOnceyouhavepracticedwiththefirsttwomethodsIhaveoutlined,itistimetomoveontoperhapsthebestmethodatbuildingstrengthfortheone-armpull-up,whichisthenegativeone-armpull-up.Asthenamesuggests, thismethodusesthenegativephaseofthemovementtobuildstrengthinthetargetmuscles.ThismethodisthesameasthenegativesthatIhavedescribedintheearliersectionsofthebook,inthatyouwillstartatthetopofthemovement,thenloweryourselfdownasslowlyaspossible,tryingtogenerateasmuchtensioninthemusclesasyouareableto.This,asyoumightimagine,isextremelytaxingonthebody,soalownumberofsetsandrepetitionsshouldbeperformedatfirst,justuntilyouareabletodealwiththevolume.1.Toperformanegativeone-armpull-up,graspthebarwiththetargetarminanunderhandgripandtheassistingarminanoverhandgrip.Yourhandsshouldbeaboutshoulderwidthapart,butthispointisnottooimportant.2.Formhere,usetheboxorplatformthatyouarestandingontohelpyoujumpabovethebar,orpullyourselfoverit.Whichevermethodyouuse,allthatyouneedtodoatthisstageisgetyourchinoverthebarintothetoppositionofthepull-up.3.Fromthistopposition,letgoofthebarwiththeassistingarm.Makesurethatyougenerateasmuchtensioninthebodyasyoucanatthispoint.Thisissothatyourpullwillbestronger.4.Afteryouhaveletgoofthebarwiththeassistingarm,slowlystarttoloweryourselfdowntotheground.Again,makingafistwithyourfreehandcanhelptogeneratethemuch-neededtensioninthebodytohelpwiththepull.Also,youcanraiseyourlegsintoan“L”positiontohelpmakethemovementeasier.5. Keep lowering yourself down until your pulling arm becomes completelystraight.Thenyoucandropoffthebar.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsBecauseofthehighintensityofthisexercise,Iwouldrecommendperforming3-5setsof1repetitiononeacharm.Thedemandplacedonyourtendonsandother

connective tissues isextreme,andyourbodywillneed time toget stronger. Ifyou feel any pain in the elbows, then take plenty of rest and decrease theintensityandfrequencyofyourone-armpull-uptraining.Itishighlylikelythatyouwillgetsomeformoftendonitisintheelbowswhentrainingfortheone-armpull-up,butallyoucandoistorestitandletitrecover.

StaticholdsAsgoodasthenegativeone-armpull-upsare,thereisonemoremethodwecanlook at before attempting the full one-arm pull-up. This iswherewewill usestaticholdstobuildstrengthinthevariousanglesofthearm.Thereareofcoursemanydifferentangles thatoccur in theelbowwhenmoving throughapull-up,butwecannarrowitdowntothree.Theseareaveryclosedangleatthetopofthe movement (where the chin is over the bar), a ninety-degree angle in theelbow,andlastlyapositionwheretheelbowisnearlystraight.Workingwithallofthesewillhelptobuildhugestrengththroughoutthewholemovement.1.Toperforma staticholdgrab thepull-upbarwithandunderhandgripwithonehandandanoverhandgripwiththeother.2.Fromhere,pullyourselfintothepositionthatyouwanttoworkon.Ifthisisthetoppositionwithaclosedelbow,thenpullyourchinoverthepull-upbar.Ifyouareworkingwithaninety-degreebend in the elbow, thenpullyourself tothis position. If it is the bottompositionwith only a slightly bent elbow, thenpullyourselfuponlyveryslightly.3. From these positions, let gowith the supporting arm and then try and holdyourself as long as possible without bending your arm. To generate as muchmusculartensionaspossibleclenchyourfreehandintoafistandsqueezeallofyourmusclegroupsastightlyaspossible.4. Hold this position as long as you can, and thenwhen your elbow starts tobend,simplydropoff,changearms,andrepeattheprocess.TeachingpointsWiththestaticholds,youwillwanttoworkwithallthreedegreesofbendintheelbow,toensurethatyoudevelopstrengthinalloftherightplaces.Ifyoufindthatyouareweakinaparticularangle,thenit isperfectlyfinetospendlongerwiththatholdthanothers.Attheendoftheday,staticholdsaresimplyanotherwaytoincreaseyourstrengthintherunuptoperformingaproperonearmpull-up.Asbefore,withstaticholdsyouwillwanttotryandbuilduptoatotalholdtimeofaround30secondsforeachposition.Forexample,ifyoucanonlyhold

themovementfor5seconds,thenyouwouldneedtocomplete6setstoequalthe30-secondtotal.

One-armpull-upOnce you have trainedwith the assisted and negative variations long enough,you can attempt the unassisted version. There should come a timewhen yournegativeone-armpull-upsbecomevery,veryslow,andyourstaticholdsbecomeeasier,whichmeansthatyouwillnotbefarwayfromperformingaproperone-armpull-up,withnoassistance.1.Toperformtheone-armpull-up,graspapull-upbarwithonehandinanunderoroverhandgrip.2.Makingsureyouarehangingfreely,pulldownwithyourscapulaasdescribedinthemobilitysection.Thisistheactionthatinitiatesthepull.Ifyoustruggletostop yourself swinging and rotating here, then simply spend time trying tocontrolyourshoulderstabilityinthebottomposition.3.Fromhere,starttopullashardasyoucan.Tohelp,tryclenchingthefistofthefreehandandraisingthelegsintoan“L”position.Thiswillhelptogeneratemuscular tension which is vital for being able to perform these higher levelexercises. Keep pulling until your chin goes over the bar, or your shouldertouchesthebar.4.Thenloweryourselfdownuntilyoureachthestartpositionandyourarmislockedout.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

9.DipsDipsarethesecondgroupofpushingandpressingexercisesthatwearegoingtolookat, and are agoodmovement for targeting the triceps, or thebackof theupperarm.Allpushingandpressingmovementsinvolvethetricepsheavily,andifyouwantbigarmsthenthetricepsarethemusclestotrain.Therearenotasmanydipvariationshere aswehave lookedat for thepush-up typeexercises,but nevertheless they are a very valuable part of calisthenics training. I onceheard someone refer to dips as the upper body equivalent of the squat, and Ithinkthattheywereright.Theywillhelptodevelopnotjustthetriceps,butalsothe shoulders and the chest, and can bemademuchmore difficult by simplyaddingweighttothem.Theequipmentneedinthissectionareaboxorothersuitableplatform,accesstodipbars,andonceyouprogressontoweighteddips,adipbeltorsomeformofadditionalweight.

BoxdipTheboxdipisthestartingpointforthedipexercises,andshouldbeachievableevenforthosewhohavenottrainedbeforeorwhohavealowlevelofstrength.Youwillneedsomesortofplatformonwhichtoplaceyourhands,suchasanaerobicsstep,achair,theendofyourbed,orevenasetofstairs.Aslongastheplatformissturdyandwillsupportyourweightthenthatisallthatisrequiredofit.1.Toperformthetricepsdip,placeyourhandsontheplatformwithyourfingersfacingforwards.2.Positionyour legsout in frontofyou,balanceonyourheelsandkeepyourkneeslocked.3. From here, bend your elbows and allow your bum to move towards theground.Keepyour back close to the box to enable a greater range ofmotion.Keepbendingtheelbowsuntilyoureachtheground,orasfarasyourflexibilityallows.4. From the bottom position, push up hard until your elbows become straightagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsIfyoufindtheabovemethodtoodifficult,thensimplybendthekneestomakethemovement easier. This putsmore weight onto the lower body and allowsstrengthtobebuiltinaprogressivemanner.Asyougetstronger,thenstraightenthelegsuntilyoucanperformtheexerciseproperly.Intermsofthesetsandrepshere,youshouldbeaimingtodo3to4setsof8to12reps.

TricepsdipsOnceyouhavespentsometimewiththeboxdipyoushouldbereadytomoveontothepropermovement,whichissimplycalledthetricepsdip.Thisismuchharderthantheboxdip,sotakeyourtimewithitandonlypushyourbodyasfaras it can go. Thismovement is also one of the foundational exercises that Ispokewroteabout in thebeginningsection.Thismeansthat it isvital thatyouperfectthismovementbeforemovingontothemoreadvancedexercises,asdipswillgiveyouaverygoodgroundingandsolidbaseofstrengthonwhichyoucanbuild.Toperformthetricepsdipyouwillneedtouseasetofdipbars.Youcanfinddipbarsinanygym,oryoucanfindversionsbuiltforhomeuse.Youcanalsoperformthisexerciseusingthebacksoftwochairsfacingeachother.butthisisobviouslylesssafethanusingproperequipmentbuiltforthepurpose.Whateveryouuse,justmakesurethatitissturdyandcantakeyourweightwithoutfailing.1. To perform the triceps dip, grasp the barswith your palms facing inwards.Straightenyourarmsandgetintoacomfortableposition.Ifyouneedto,youcancrossyouranklesbehindyoutoavoidfoulingyourfeetonthefloor.2. From here, bend your elbows and lower yourself down as far as you can,pausing at the bottom of the movement. Youmay find that you start to leanslightlyforwardsbutthisisfine.3.Fromthisbottompositionpushyourselfupuntilyoureachthestartposition.Besuretolockoutyourelbowsatthetopofthemovement.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsMany people have trouble with the triceps dip, simply because you areeffectivelycarryingyourentirebodyweightonyourupperbody.Also,thejumpfromtheboxdiptothetricepsdipisquitealargeone,andformanypeoplethelearningcurveistoosteep.To remedy thiswe canuse a technique that has beenmentioned earlier in the

book,whichistheuseofnegatives.Thenegativephaseofthemovementoccurswhenyouaremovingwithgravity.Forthetricepsdip,thismeansthatwhenweareloweringourselvesdowntowardsthegroundweareperformingthenegativephase of the movement. Conversely, when we push against gravity we areperformingthepositivephaseofthemovement.Thenegativephasecanbeusedonitsowntomaketheexerciseeasier.Todothis,getintothefirstpositionofthetricepsdip,whichhasyousupportingyour own bodyweight with straight arms. From here, bend your elbows andlower yourself down to the ground as slowly as possible.You should try andtake asmany seconds as you can to go from the top of themovement to thebottomofit.Onceyouareaslowasyoucanget,simplydropoffthedipbar.Donotworryaboutpushingyourselfbackupyet,asyouwillnotbestrongenoughforthat.Concentrateonperformingslowerandslowernegatives,andovertime,youwillgetmuchstronger.Eventuallyyouwillbeable toperform theproperdip, having built much of your strength using the negative phase of themovement.

FrontdipThereisoneothertricepsdipsvariationthatwecanlookat,andthisisthefrontdip.Thisiswhereweuseasinglebartoperformthedip,insteadoftwoparallelones,andisexactlythesamehandpositionascanbefoundatthetoppartofthemuscle-up,whichisanexercisewewilllookatinthenextsection.1.Toperformthefrontdip,standwiththebarinfrontofyouandgrabitwithashoulderwidthgripwithyourpalmsfacingtheground.2.Fromhereeitherjumporpushupuntilyourelbowsarestraightandyourbodyisrestingagainstthebar.3.Nowbendyourelbowsandloweryourbodydowntowardsthebar.Youmayhavetoleanforwardsandletyourlegsgoforwardtohelpwiththebalance.4.Fromthebottompositionpushbackupuntilyourarmsarestraightagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

10.Muscle-upsOnceyouhavegotsomeproficiencywiththepull-upvariationspresentedsofar,youcanstarttotraintowardsthemuscle-up.Themuscle-upcanbethoughtofasacombinationofapull-upandatricepsdip.Itcanbeperformedonapull-upbarand gymnastic rings. They can be performed fast, which requires more of apowerful movement, or slow, which requires a huge degree of strength andcontrol. Within this section you will learn how to perform two differentvariations,whichare thenormal,or fastmuscle-up,and theslow,or falsegripmuscle-up.As an exercise the muscle-up has seen a big increase in popularity in recentyears,especiallywiththeriseofCrossFit.However,Iamnotgoingtoteachyouanykippingmuscle-ups here.Kipping is the techniqueused to basically cheatyour way through the transition, which is the middle and hardest part of themovement.Ifyoutryandkiporusemomentumtomovethroughthetransition,thenthereisabsolutelynopointindoingthemuscle-upatall.Youmayaswelljustdopull-upsanddipsseparately.

Normalmuscle-upThe normal muscle-up is where the majority of people start out with theirmuscle-up training, as you do not have to develop the false grip, which isrequiredfortheslowmuscle-up.Theroadtoactuallygettingyourfirstmuscle-upcanbealonganddifficultone,butonceyouachieveyourfirstrepetitionyoushouldbewellonyourway.Themuscle-upconsistsof threebasicstages,whichare thepull, the transition,and the push.The pull occurs from the bottomposition towhere your chin isoverthebar.Thetransitionisthestagewhereyourshouldersgofromapositionunderneaththebartooverit,andthepushiswhereyoustraightenoutyourarmsuntilyouareabovethepull-upbaratthetopofadipposition.1.Toperformthenormalmuscle-up,graspthebarwithanoverhandgripwithyour hands about shoulderwidth apart. Swing forwards slightly,with straightarms.2.Asyourbodystartstoswingback,pullyourselftowardsthebaraspowerfullyasyoucan.Thisstageisthepull.3.Asyoureachthetopofthemovement,rotateyourhandsforwardsothatyourpalmsarefacingbacktowardsyou.Thismovementneedstobequickandneedsto happen with snap! You will need to loosen your grip on the pull-up barslightlytoletyourhandsrotatefreely.Thisstageisthetransition.4.Onceyouhaveflippedyourhandsoveryoushouldbeinthebottompositionofafrontdip(asshownintheDIPEXERCISESsectionofthebook).Onceyouareinthisposition,pushupuntilyourarmsarestraight.Thisstageisthepush.5.Reverse themovementuntilyoureach thestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsEvenifyouareproficientwithalloftheotherpull-upvariations,themuscle-upwillprobablycauseyousometrouble.Problemswillusuallyariseinanyoneofthethreestagesofthemovement,whicharethepull,thetransition,andthepush.

Tohelpstrengthen thepullyoushouldsimplyperformmorepull-ups,butyoushouldalsoconcentrateondoingthemasstronglyandaspowerfullyaspossible.Onlydoalownumberofrepetitions,butputasmuchpowerandeffortintoeachoneaspossible.Youshouldbetryingtogetyourchinashighabovethebaraspossible,asthiswillhelpwhenitcomestoperformingthenextstage,whichisthetransition.Inaddition,youcanuseweightedpull-upstoincreaseyourpull-upstrengthhere,aswhenyoufinallytakeofftheaddedweight,thepullshouldfeelmucheasier.Thetransitionisnodoubtthehardestpartofthefastmuscle-up,asitisthepointatwhichthehandsturnover,andthepointatwhichtheshouldersgofrombeingbelow the bar to above it. To strengthen the transition there are a number ofthingsthatyoucando:Firstly,whengettingtothetopofyourpull-up,trytokeeppulling,evenifyoudonotmove.Thiswillengageallofthemusclegroupsthatareresponsibleforthetransition,andwillallowstrengthtodevelopinthatarea.Secondly, you can use your legs to help with the pull to make the transitioneasier.Todothis,simplyraiseyourlegsasyoupullyourselftowardsthebar.InCrossFit circles this is known as “kipping”, which simply means that we areusing other parts of the body to help with amovement that does not involvethosebodypartsdirectly.Asyouget strongeryoumust reduce theamountofkippingyouusetomaketheexercisemorechallengingandbuildmorestrength.Lastly, ifyou lack thestrength topushyourselfupabove thebar, thensimplypracticetricepsdipsandfrontdipsuntilyourstrengthinthisareaincreases.Keeppracticingallofthesedifferentstagesuntilyoucanputthemall togetherandperformthemuscle-upproperly.

Falsegripmuscle-upAlthough the fast muscle-up is an awesome feat of strength and athleticism,there is a variation that is a display of pure, raw, controlled strength. Thismovement is known as the false grip muscle-up. This is where the pull, thetransition, and the push are performed as slowly and as strongly as possible,whichmakestheexercisemuchmorechallenging.Thisexerciseshouldbeyourmaingoalwhenyoustartyourmuscle-uptraining.

DevelopingthefalsegripThefirstthingtolearnwhenattemptingthefalsegripmuscle-upisatechniquecalled the “false grip”. This is simply a way of holding the pull-up bar thatallows a greater degree of control, especially when combining pulling andpushingmovements.The idea isnot togrip thebar inaconventionalway,butrathertopositionthewristontopofthebarandcurlthefingersroundtorestontheback.Thismakes the topof thehand face the sky,which allows the slowtransitionfromapullintoapush.1.Togetintoafalsegrip,placetheheelsofyourhandsonthetopofthepull-upbaritself.Irecommendplacingsomechalknotjustonyourpalms,butonyourwristsaswell.Thiswillincreasethefrictiongeneratedandallowforastrongergrip.2. Nowwrap your fingers around the bar as best you can. Depending on thethickness of the bar and the size of your hands this will either enable you toplaceyourfingertipsbehindthebarorontopofit.Onceyouhavedonethisthetopofyourhandsshouldbefacingtheceiling.Iftheyarenot,thenreadjustuntiltheydo.3.Nowattempttohangusingthisgrip.Mostlikelyyouwillfeelahugestretchin the wrists and forearms, and probably a lot of cramping as well. This isnormal, and is just an indication of the lack of strength in your wrists andforearms.Also, locking out the elbowwill be difficultwhen you first attemptthis.Persevereandyourflexibilitywillincreaseintime.TeachingpointsAtfirstyoumaynotevenbeabletogetintoafalsegriponapull-upbar,andtheactionofhangingmaybetotallyimpossible.Ifthisisthecasethenyoushouldpractice in the row position, as is shown in the first exercise of the pull-upsection. Simply hold this position as long as you can, and then as you getstrongermoveontothefalsegriponthepull-upbar.Additionally,onceyouhavebuiltupsomestrengthjusthanginginthefalsegrip,youshouldattemptsomefalsegrippull-ups.Thesearesimplynormalpull-ups

butwhereyourhandsareinafalsegrip.Thiswillalsogetyouusedtopullingatthe same time as performing the false grip, which is very difficult for themajorityofpeople.

WorkingthetransitionThe second stageof the falsegripmuscle-up is toworkon the transition.Thetransition is the hardest part of themuscle-up by a long way, because it is apositioninwhichitisveryhardtoexertforce.Therearetwomainmethodswecanuseheretobuildstrengthinthetransition,andtheyareasfollows:Thefirstmethodistopullyourselftothetopofthepull-upandthensimplytryandpullupandover thebar.Atfirst itwill feel impossible,butgraduallyyouwillgetstronger.Themore timeyouspendin thisposition thenthebetteryouwillget.Thesecondmethod is tostartabove thebar in the toppositionof thedip,andthentoloweryourselfdownasslowlyaspossible.Thismethod,alsoknownasthenegativephaseandwhichwehavelookedatalready,willbuildstrengthinagradual way, and will enable you to actually work the movement withoutactuallybeingabletodoafalsegripmuscle-up.As soon as you feel ready, you can move onto the next stage, which is toperformthefalsegripmuscle-up.

Falsegripmuscle-upOnceyouhavespentenoughtimepracticingthefalsegrip,andcanhanginitfor30secondsorso,andcanperformanumberoffalsegrippull-ups,itwillbetimetostartactuallytryingdoafalsegripmuscle-up.Thewholepointtothisexerciseisstrengthandmuscularcontrol,sodonottryandrushthroughitatanypoint.Ifyoucannotperformitslow,thenitisnotworthdoing.1.Toperformtheslowmuscle-up,grabthepull-upbarinafalsegrip,withyourhands about shoulderwidth apart. If you have it,make sure to apply chalk tobothyourpalmsandtheundersidesofyourwrists.2. Hang with completely straight arms, and then start to pull up slowly andstrongly.Make sure to pull your scapula’s down as described in themobilitysection.Trynottouseyourlegstohelpyouhere,andkeeptherestofthebodyasstillasyoucan.3.Keeppullingstronglyasyourchingoesoverthebar.Atthispointyoushouldkeeppullingas stronglyasyoucan, aiming to transitionover into thepush. Ithelpstoslightlyrolltheshouldersoverthehandsatthispoint.Movingyourlegsupintoan“L”positioncanhelphere,astheextrabodyweightinfrontofthebarcanassistinrollingtheshouldersforward.4.Keeppullinguntil your shoulders are aboveyourhands.Fromhere, simplypushupuntilyourarmsarestraight.5.Thenloweryourselfdownagain,andsimplyreversethemovementuntilyoureachadeadhangagain.Makesure thatyoukeep thehandsandwrists in thefalse grip position on the way down, as this will enable you to do multiplerepetitionswithoutconstantlyresettingyourgrip.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsEven though it sounds relativelysimple, the falsegripmuscle-up isoneof thehardestskillstomaster.Therearetwokeypoints;thefirstisthatyouneedtobeableholdtheawkwardpositionofthefalsegripandpullatthesametime,andsecondly,isthatyouneedtobeabletomovethroughthetransitionstagewithoutusingmomentumorspeedtohelpyou.

The first problem, that of not being able to hold the false grip andpull at thesame time, canbe solvedbypracticing falsegrippull-ups, asdescribed in theprevious section.The strengthbuiltherewillbeable tobedirectly transferredovertothemuscle-up.The second problem, which is that of not being able to move through thetransition slowly, can be fixed by performing slow negatives. To do this, getabove the bar into the top position of themuscle-up by anymeans necessary.Youcanuseatrainingpartnertohelpyou,atallboxtostandon,oranyothermethod. From this top position, lower yourself down as slowly as possible,especiallyduring the transition.Whatyoushouldbe trying todohere ismakethepointatwhichtheshouldersgofrombeingabovethehandstobelowthemasslowasyouphysicallycan.Thiswillensurethatyouhitallofthemusclegroupsinvolvedinthemovement.Simplyrepeatthisforaslongasisneeded,untilyoucanperformthefalsegripmuscle-upintheproperway.

11.HandstandsThethirdgroupofupperbodypushingexercisesarethehandstands.Handstandsliterally place a demand on everymuscle group in the body, from the hands,shoulders,back,core,andlowerbody.Developingthehandstandwillbeamajorachievementinyourcalisthenicstraining.Ifyouthinkaboutit,yourlegsarethestrongestpartofthebodyforthefactthattheyhavetocarryaroundyourentirebodyweightallday,everyday.Spendingtimeinthehandstandwilldeveloptheupperbodythesamewaythatwalking,squattinglunging,andrunningdoesforthelowerbody.Therearemanydifferentvariationsof thehandstandandwewill lookatallofthem in this section. The first task is to perfect the free balancing handstand.Thereareanumberofstagestothisandwewilllookatthemnext.

WallwalksIf you have never tried handstands then youmay be very apprehensive aboutpositioningyourbodyupsidedown,andinmyexperiencethiscanbethemajorstumbling block for the majority of people. In order to progress with thehandstandgroupofexercisesyoumustbecompletelyconfidentwhenyourbodyis inverted. To build this confidencewe can use an exercise called handstandwallwalks.Thismovementwillallowyoutobecomemorecomfortable in thehandstandposition,andwillalsobuildrealstrengthintheshoulders.Youwillneedtohaveasolidwallthatwillbeabletobearyourweight,andthathasnoobstaclestothefrontorside.Itmayalsobeagoodideatousematstoensureyoufeelsafeenoughtoprogresswiththeexercise.1.Toperformthehandstandwallwalk,placeyourfeetatthebottomofthewallandgetintoanormalpush-upposition.2.Fromherestarttowalkyourfeetupthewall.Atthesametimestarttomoveyourhandsbacktowardsthewall.Takesmallstepsandkeepyourarmsandlegsasstraightaspossible.3.Asyoumoveupthewallkeepyourcoreas tightasyoucan,anddonot letyourhipsdroptowardsthewall.Keepyourheadinaneutralposition.4.Walkyourfeetupthewallasfarasyouareableto.Startoffbygettingthebodyintoaforty-fivedegreeangle,andasyougetstrongerandmoreconfident,start tomovefurtherandfurtherup.Holdthispositionforacoupleofsecondsandthenwalk thehandsandlegsdownthewallagain, takingcare tokeepthearmsandlegsandtorsoasrigidandstraightaspossible.Youshouldbeaimingtoholdthepositionaslongaspossible.

FreestandinghandstandOnce you have spent some time getting used to being inverted using thewallwalks, youwillwant to start learning how to progress towards a freestandinghandstand.This,isthenamesuggests,iswhereyouperformahandstandwithnosupportatall,usingyour fingers,hands,armsandshoulders tobalance inoneplace.Thisisasmuchastrengthexerciseasitisaskill,sotoprogressyouwillneed toput in thepractice time.Nevertheless, achievingaproper freestandinghandstandisavitalstageofyourcalisthenicstraining,andiswellworththetimeinvestment.Thefreestandinghandstandisbestlearntinstages,andthesearedetailedinthissection.Thestagesareasfollows:Firstly,awallsupportedhandstand,wherethehandsareplacedonthefloorandthefeetaresupportedbyawall.Thewillteachyouhowtostartbalancingusingthefingertipsandtheelbowandshoulderjointstocontroltherestofthebody.Itwillalsoexposeyoutokickingupintoahandstandinthefirstplace.Secondly,recoveringfromahandstandthathasgonewrong.Thisisavitalstageandisessentialforbuildingtheconfidenceforfurtherhandstandwork.Thirdly,ahandstandperformedon the floor.This stagewill showyouhow tobalanceusingthefingertips,hands,andtheelbowsandshoulderstomanipulatethebodyandmaintainthehandstand.Lastly,ahandstandperformedusingparallettes.Thisstagewillshowyouhowtouse parallettes to balancewith, including using the apparatus to its advantage,andtheprosandconstousingequipmentforthehandstand.

WallsupportedhandstandThefirststageinlearninghowtoperformafreebalancinghandstandisthewallsupportedvariation.Asthenamesuggests,thisversionallowsthefeettorestonawall so that you do not have toworry about tipping over. This is themostcommon concern for the majority of people when they start their handstandtraining,asgoingoverontoyourbackmakesyoufeellikeyouhavenocontroloverthesituationatall,anditcanbeveryhardtobuildconfidenceagainifthisdoes happen. Simply put, if you overbalance onto your back your feet willsimplyhitthewallandyoucanstartagain.Secondly,ifyouunderbalanceontoyourfront,youcankickuptoawallhandstandandstartagain.Theothermainparttothisexerciseisthatofkickingupintoahandstandinthefirst place. This can be a problem for many people, but if you follow theinstructions laid out in this section then you should not have too manydifficulties.This exercise is divided into two separateparts,which arekickingup into thehandstandandlearninghowtobalance.

Wallsupportedhandstand–Kickingup1. To perform thewall handstand place your hands on the floor about a footaway from thewall you are using.The hands should be about shoulderwidthapartwiththefingersspreadoutinawidespan.2.Positionyourfeetinthefollowingway;onetuckedupclosetoyourchest,andthe other stretched out behind you.Which way round you do this is entirelydowntopersonalpreference.Somepeopleprefertohavetherightfootforwardand the left footback,andothersprefer theopposite.Experimentwithboth tofindwhichistheoneforyou.3.Fromhere,kickupintotheairwithyourrearleg.Tryandkeepitasstraightaspossible.Makesurethatyoukeepyourarmslockedoutandyourcoreastightasyoucan.4.Asyourrearlegtravelsintotheair,followitwiththefrontleg.Atfirstonlykickupasmallamount,justsothatyoucangetcomfortablewiththemovement.Asyougetmoreconfident, start tokickupharder andharderuntil yourbodystartstobecomealittlemorevertical.5.Onceyoustarttogetvertical,allowyourlegstokeepmovingandtheywillhitthewall.Thisstagewillnodoubtbenervewrackingthefirsttimeyoudoit,butkeepstickingatit.6.Onceyourfeetareonthewallsimplyholdthepositionaslongaspossible.7.Onceyouarereadytocomedown,keepthearmslockedandallowonelegtodropbefore theother.Tryandcontrol thedescentasmuchaspossible,as thiswillalsobuildstrengthandcontrol.

Wallsupportedhandstand–BalancingThesecondpartofthissectionislearninghowtobalance.Thisisanotherveryimportantstageandmustbepracticedalottoseeimprovementandprogress.Atfirstyouwillonlybeable tobalanceforaveryshort time,maybeacoupleofsecondsorso,butthiswillslowlyimproveandafterafewweeksormonthsyouwillbebalancingforlongerandlongerperiods.1.Tolearnhowtobalance,kickupintoawallhandstandandgetcomfortable.2.Fromhere,pushdownwithyourfingertipsashardasyoupossiblycan.Youshouldbeaimingtogetyourfeettocomeawayfromthewall.Ifpushingdownwithyourfingertipsdoesnotmoveyourfeetoffthewall,trykickingoffthewallwithyourfeetverysoftly.3.Assoonasyourfeetcomeawayfromthewalltryandbalanceforaslongasyou can. To correct overbalance (onto your back) push down hard with yourfingertips.To correct under-balance (downonto your front) bend your elbowsslightly,andtryandmanipulateyourshoulders.Ifatanypointyourfeethitthewall, thenpushbackoffand tryagain. Ifyouunderbalanceand landonyourfeet,thensimplykickbackupintoahandstandagain.4. Practice as long as you are able to.When your shoulders and upper bodybecometoofatigued,takearestandthenperformanotherset.

RecoveringfromahandstandOnceyouhavegottensomeconfidencekickingupintoahandstandandrestingyourfeetagainstawall,andyouhavegeneratedsomestrengthinthehandsandfingers andcanbalancea little, then it is time to start trying tokickup intoahandstandwithoutawalltocatchyou.Thiscanbedauntingatfirstasthevastmajorityofpeoplearescaredoffallingontotheirbacksandhurtingthemselves.To avoid this, you need to learn how to recover from a handstand.Once youhave followed the instructions that come next, make sure you practicerecovering.Thiswillgiveyoumuchmoreconfidencewhenitcomestoactuallyperformingfreestandinghandstands.1. To learn how to recover from a handstand, find a clear space that has noobstaclesthatyoumayhitorruninto.Nowkickupintoahandstand.2. As you feel your legs going over your head, as if you are going tooverbalance, take one hand off the floor. It is likely that you will have apreferredsideforthis.Forexample,Ialwaystakemylefthandoffofthefloorwhenrecoveringfromahandstand.3.Takingyourhandoffthefloorwillmakeyourbodypivotaroundthehandthatis still incontactwith the floor, andyour legs shouldcome roundat the sametime.4. Then simply place your feet on the floor and recover from the handstand.Keeppracticingthisuntilyougetcompletelycomfortabledoingthis.Youneedtobeconfidentthateverytimethatyouoverbalanceyoucanrecover.

FloorhandstandOnce you have gotten some experience with wall handstands and you canrecoverfromahandstandwithconfidence,itwillbetimetostartkickingupintoa handstand and trying to balance without a wall for support. There are twodifferenttypesoffreestandinghandstandswearegoingtolookatinthissection,whichareusingthefloorandusingparallettes.Thefirstonewewilllookistheonewiththehandsonthefloor.1.Toperformafreestandinghandstandkickupintoahandstand.2.Asyourlegscomeoveryourheadpushdownhardwithyourfingertipstostopyourselffromoverbalancing.3.Nowtryandhold thehandstandas longasyoucan.Tocorrectoverbalance(ontoyourback)pushdownhardwithyourfingertips.Tocorrectunder-balance(downontoyourfront)bendyourelbowsslightly.Alsotryandpointyourtoesas much as possible, as this can help with alignment and generating tensionthroughouttherestofthebody.Intermsofthelegs,youcaneitherpressthemtogetherorhold theminastraddle“V”position.Experimentwithboth to findyourfavourite.4.Tryandholdthehandstandforasetamountoftime,suchas2to3secondstobeginwith.Slowlyyouwillgetbetterandyourholdtimeswillincrease.

ParallettehandstandThesecondtypeoffreebalancinghandstandisperformedonparallettes.Ifindthisvariationsomewhateasier thanwhenperformedonthefloor,as theuseofthe parallettes allows your hands to both pull and push, making balancingslightly easier in most cases. You will still need to practice to achieveproficiency here. There is also the added factor that paralletteswill be a littlehigher,whichmeans thatwhen you recover youwill be a little higher off theground,whichcanbeanissueforsomepeople.1.Toperformthefreestandinghandstandonparallettes,positionyourparallettesaboutshoulderwidthapartandplaceyourhandsonthem.2.Kickupintoahandstand.Asyourlegscomeoveryourheadpushdownhardwithyourhandstostopyourselffromoverbalancing.3.Nowtryandhold thehandstandas longasyoucan.Tocorrectoverbalance(onto your back) push down hard with your hands. To correct under-balance(down onto your front) pull hard with your hands and/or bend your elbowsslightly.Alsotryandpointyourtoesasmuchaspossible,asthiscanhelpwithalignmentandgeneratingtensionthroughouttherestofthebody.Intermsofthelegs,youcaneitherpressthemtogetherorholdtheminastraddle“V”position.Experimentwithbothtofindyourfavourite.4.Tryandholdthehandstandforasetamountoftime,suchas2to3secondstobeginwith.Slowlyyouwillgetbetterandyourholdtimeswillincrease.

Handstandpush-upsInadditiontosimplyholdingthehandstandinastationaryposition,wecanalsoadd a pressing or pushing action to create an even more challenging set ofexercises.These,asyouwouldimagine,areknownashandstandpush-ups.Theycombinestrength,balance,andmuscularcontrol,andarethedifferencebetweenagoodcalisthenicspractitionerandanamazingone.Youwillprobablyfindthatyour ability with the other exercises starts to improve after beginning yourhandstandtraining,andthisisacommonoccurrence.Inthissectionwewilllookatfourdifferenthandstandpush-ups,andtheseareasfollows:Handstand push-upswith the hands on the floor and using thewall as asupport.Freestandinghandstandpush-upswiththehandsonthefloor.Handstandpush-upswiththehandsonparallettesandusingthewallasasupport.Freestandinghandstandpush-upswiththehandsonparallettes.

UsingthefloorwithwallsupportThisvariationisthestartingpointandtheeasiestofallofthehandstandpush-upexercises.Asthenamesuggests,itisperformedbyhavingthehandsonthefloorand the feet resting against thewall.This allows the head to only drop to thelevel of the hands, and you do not have to be able to perform a freestandinghandstandeither,asthefeetareincontactwiththewall.1.Toperformthisvariation,placeyourhands8to12inchesawayfromthebaseofasturdywall.2.Kickupintoahandstandandletyourfeetcarryoveruntiltheycometorestagainstthewall.Keepthecoretightandthebodyasstraightasyoucan.3.Fromhere,bendyourelbowsandallowyourfeettoslidedownthewall.Keepgoinguntilyourheadnearlytouchestheground.Youcanplaceamathereifyouneedto.4.Nowpushupharduntilyoureachthestartpositionandyourarmsarestraightagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsWhen starting handstand push-ups youmay not have enough strength to pushbackupfromthebottomofthemovement.Ifthisisthecase,thenwecanusethenegative phase of the exercise to help build enough strength to perform theexercise properly.To do this, kick up into awall handstand.Then, bend yourelbows and loweryourself down to theground as slowly as possible.Try andmakethedescenttakeaslongasyourstrengthallows,tyingtogenerateasmuchtensioninthebodyasyoucan.Onceyourheadgetsclosetotheground,oryourstrengthgivesout,thenallowyourfeettocomeawayfromthewallandlandonyourfeet.Thiscountsasonerepetition.Fromthere,youwouldsimplykickbackupintoawallhandstandagainandrepeatforthedesirednumberofrepetitions.

UsingthefloorwithnosupportAfteryouhavebuiltsomestrengthusingsupportedhandstandpush-ups, itwillbe time to start trying to perform the samemovement butwithout thewall tosupport you. This exercise is much more difficult as you will be trying tobalanceandexertstrengthatthesametime.Bothyourpracticewithfreestandinghandstands and wall handstand push-ups will help you with this exercise, somakesuretokeepperformingthemaswell.1.Toperformthisvariation,placeyourhandsonthefloor,shoulderwidthapart.Splayyourfingersouttoaidwithyourbalance.2.Kickupintoahandstandandletyourfeetcarryoveruntil theyarevertical.Keep the core tight and the body as straight as you can. Get into a solidhandstandbeforecontinuing.Yourlegscaneitherbeinastraddle“V”position,ortheycanbeheldtogether.3. From here, bend your elbows and allow your body to move towards theground.Keepgoinguntilyourheadnearlytouchesthefloor.Atthispointyourbodyshouldbeslightlyangledandyourelbowsbenttoatleastninetydegrees.Asyoudescend,correctyourbalanceatalltimes.Itisslightlyeasiertobeonthevergeofoverbalancingatalltimes,asthiswillallowyoutoexertsomepressurethroughthefingertipscontinuously.4.Nowpushhardagainst thegroundandstraightenyourarmsuntilyoureachthe start position.Make sure tomove the feet back over the above the hands,otherwiseyouwilloverorunderbalance.Thispartofthemovementisactuallyverydifficult,as it isveryeasyhere to losecontrol,especially ifyoupush toohardortoofast.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAgain, if you do not have enough strength to push back up, work with thenegativephaseofthemovementuntilyoudo.Also,donotneglectworkingonbuilding up your hold time for the normal freestanding handstand. The betteryougetatbalancing,theeasierhandstandpush-upsbecome.

UsingparalletteswithwallsupportThe third handstand push-up variation is performed on a set of parallettes orpush-upbars,withthefeetsupportedonthewall.Thisallowstheheadtodropbelow the level of the hands,which increases the range ofmotion and allowsgreaterstrengthtobebuilt.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatyoushouldbeproficientwiththetwovariationspresentedsofarbeforemovingontothisversion.1.Toperformthehandstandpush-upusingparallettes,placeyourhandsonyourparallettes,8to12inchesawayfromthebaseofasturdywall.2.Kickupintoahandstandandletyourfeetcarryoveruntiltheycometorestagainstthewall.Keepthecoretightandthebodyasstraightasyoucan.3.Fromhere,bendyourelbowsandallowyourfeettoslidedownthewall.Keepgoinguntilyourheadnearly touches theground.Theaim is togetyourhandslevelwith the shoulders,but thiswilldependonyour strength, flexibility, andtheheightofyourparallettes.4.Nowpushupharduntilyoureachthestartpositionandyourarmsarestraightagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAsthisvariationofthehandstandpush-upusesalotbiggerrangeofmotion,itisquitelikelythatyouwillstruggletopushyourselfupfromthebottomposition,especially when you first start training with them. As with the many otherexercisesthatwehavelookedatsofar,thebestwayofincreasingstrengthusingthisexerciseistousethenegativephaseofthemovement.Todothis,simplygetintothehandstand,loweryourselfdowntothegroundasslowlyaspossible,andthenallowyourfeettodroptothefloor.Thenrepeatthisforthedesirednumberofrepetitions.

UsingparalletteswithnosupportAfterpracticingandbuildingupyour strengthandbalancewith thehandstandpush-upvariationspresentedsofar,itwillbetimetoworkonthemostdifficultversion; the free balancing handstand push-up with the hands on parallettes.Gettingtothisstagewillbeamajormilestoneinyourupperbodytraining,andonceyoucanperformtheseyouwill find thatyouroverheadpressingstrengthwillbeataphenomenallevel.1.Toperformthisvariation,placeyourhandsonyourparallettesandmakesuretheyarestableandsecure.Yourparallettesshouldbeaboutshoulderwidthapart,butsetthemuphoweveriscomfortableforyou.Makesurethattheareaaroundyouisfreeandclearofobstacles.2.Kickupintoahandstandandletyourfeetcarryoveruntilyourbodybecomesvertical.Keepthecoretightandthebodyasstraightasyoucan.Youcaneitherhaveyourlegstogetherorinastraddle“V”position.Whicheverbodypositionyouchose,makesurethatthetoesarepointedtohelpalignthebody.3. From here, bend your elbows and allow your body to move towards theground.Keepgoinguntilyourheadnearly touches thefloor.Theaimis togetyour hands level with the shoulders, but this will depend on your strength,flexibility,andtheheightofyourparallettes.Asyoudescendyoushouldallowyourbodytoangleslightly.Thisisnatural,andisaconsequenceofthewaytheshouldersareconstructed,andthemovementofyourcentreofgravity.4.Fromthisbottompositionpushupharduntilyoureachthestartpositionandyourarmsarestraightagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAsthisvariationisthehardestofthehandstandpush-upvariationslookedatsofar, it isveryunlikely thatyouwillbeable toperform themperfectlyonyourfirstattempt.At first, try reducing the rangeofmotion tomake themeasier tohandle.Todothis,onlyloweryourselfdownasfarasyourstrengthwillallow,andnofurther.Asyourstrengthbuildsyoucanincreasetherangeofmotionthatyou use, until your hands become level with your shoulders in the bottom

position. In addition, the more time you spend balancing in a handstand, themoreproficientyouwillbecome,anditwillalsomakeexertingstrengthwhilsttryingtobalancemucheasier.

Ninetydegreepush-upOnce all of the handstand variations presented so far start to become fairlystraightforward, you can start to train for the ninety-degree push-up. Thisexercise isacombinationofahandstandpush-upandabentarmplanche,andwillreallyhelptodevelopwholebodymuscularcontrolandco-ordination.Theyare very difficult, but given enough time and enough training they should bepossibleforanyonetoachieve.1.Toperformtheninety-degreepush-up,kickupintoafreestandinghandstandandgetintoacomfortableposition.Youcaneitherusethegroundorparallettesforthis.Placingyourlegsintoastraddleposition(awide“V”withpointedtoesand locked knees), makes the movement slightly easier. Depending on yourwrist flexibility you may need to turn your hands out slightly to allow theforearmsenoughfreedomtomove.2.Fromherestartthebendtheelbowsandloweryourselfdowntotheground,asyouwoulddoinanormalhandstandpush-up.3.Asyoustarttobendyourelbowsandyourbodystartstolowertotheground,allowyourshoulderstomoveforwardofyourhands.Youshouldaimtomakethe body progressivelymore horizontal at the same rate as you descend. Thiswillensurethatyoumaintainbalanceallthewaythroughthemovement.4. Keep bending the elbows and leveling out the body until you reach thepositionofabentarmplanche.Thisiswhenyourentirebodyishorizontal,andyourelbowsareasbentasyoucanmanage.Tokeepthispositionstabletryandpress your upper arms into the sides of your torso, similar in principle to theelbowlever(whichisshowninthenextsection).5.Fromthisbottompositionpushbackuphard,whilstreversingtheorientationof your body so that it becomes progressively more vertical as your armsstraighten. This stage will require a lot of control as it is easy to eitheroverbalance onto your back or under balance and land on your feet. Keeppushingupuntilyoureachahandstandagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.Teachingpoints

This exercisewillmost likelygiveyoua lotof troublewhenyou first start totrainit,butthisiscompletelynormal.Iknowofnoonethathasperformedthisperfectly on their first attempt, so do not worry if it feels too difficult. Thereason is that the ninety-degree push-up demands both extreme strength andextreme balance and muscular control. The only way to progress with thismovementistokeeppracticing.Themoreyoupracticethestrongeryouwillget,andtheeasierthemovementwillbecome.Inaddition,workingonmovements like theplanche,back lever,andallof thehandstandvariationswillallcontributestrengthandathleticability,whichwillin turn make the ninety-degree push-up possible. Remember, with much ofcalisthenicsthereisahugeamountofcarryoverfromoneexercisetotheother,soifyoufeelthatyouarenotprogressinginonearea,trymovingyourattentionelsewhereandthencomebacktotheexercisethatyouwerehavingtroublewith.The chances are that youwill break throughplateaus and stickingpoints a lotquickerandeasierthisway.

LeversThisnextsectioncontainsallofthelevertypeexercises.Thesearetheplanche,front lever, back lever, half lever, and human flag.Unlike themajority of theotherexercisesfeaturedinthisbook,theleversareisometricexercises.Isometricsimplymeansstatic,orunmoving,andrequiresyoutoholdabodypositionforasetperiodoftime.Thisisdifferenttoamovementsuchasthepull-up,whichhasboth a concentric phase (where you pull yourself towards the bar), and aneccentric phase (where you lower yourself down to the ground). Isometricexercisesingeneralandtheleversinparticularareincredibleforonething,andthat is building huge amounts of strength. Just like the deadlift, back squat,benchpress,andoverheadpressareusedbystrongmentogethugelystrongandpowerful,theleverscanbeusedbythosethattrainusingcalisthenicstodevelopinhumanlevelsofstrength,allwithoutliftingaweightofftheground.Thishastodowith theway that all of themuscles contract in a position like the frontlever.Ifwetakethismovement(thefrontlever),asanexample,wecanseewhyitbuildssuchhugestrength.Theforcerequiredtoholdthepositionisextreme,buttheabilityofthebodytoexertforceinthispositionisverysmall.Thisistheexactreasonwhytheleversandtheassociatedexercisesaresogoodforbuildingstrength.Foralloftheexercisesinthissectionyouwillnotbeperformingnormalsetsandreps.Instead,youwillbetryingtoholdthepositionsforasetperiodoftime,inasmanysetsasit takesyou.Forexample,letssaythatyouwantedtoholdthefront leverfora total timeof30seconds,butyoucouldonlyhold thepositionfor3seconds.Thiswouldmeanthatyouwouldperform10setsof3secondstoequalatotalholdtimeof30seconds.Asyouprogressdonotincreasethetotalhold time,butsimply increase theamountof timeyouhold thepositionfor ineachset.Forexample,asyougetstrongeryoumaydo5setsof6seconds,then3sets of 10 seconds, then 2 sets of 15 seconds, and finally the total time of 30secondsinoneset.Onceyouhitthisandyouareabletoholdthepositionforthetotal time in one go, then it will be time to move onto the next stage of theexercise.Withinthissectionarethefollowingmovements:

Planche

Frontlever

Backlever

Halflever

Humanflag

12.TheplancheTheplanchecanbethoughtofastheultimateupperbodypushingexercise.Likeallof theexercises in thissectionit isastatichold,andassuchisdesignedtobuild unreal amounts of strength throughout the entire body. The planche isactuallyagradedgymnasticsposition,normallyreservedforroutinesonthestillringsor floor, and isused todemonstrate thegymnastsmaximal strength.Theessenceof theplanche is tohold thebodyhorizontal, elbows lockedout,withonlythehandsorfingertipstouchingthefloor.Atfirstglancetheperformerwillseemtodefythelawsofphysics,butuponcloseranalysistheplancheissimplyacounterbalanceposition.Theweightoftheupperbodyandtheweightofthelowerbodywillhavetobeevenlydistributedfortheplanchetobesuccessful.Inrespectofthemusclesbeingused,asthehandsaretheonlypartofthebodyincontactwith the ground, thewhole bodymust be tense otherwise the positionwillnotbepossibletomaintain.Thelowerback,glutes,allofthemusclesofthelegs,and theentirecoremustcontractwithahugedegreeof force tokeep thetorsostable.Theupperbodyisalsoheavilytaxedaswell,especiallythefrontoftheshoulders,astheyhavetodealwiththehugelydecreasedleveragefromthefactthatthelowerbodyisveryfarawayfromtheanchorpoint(thehands).As with the other movements of this nature, the longer your limbs and theheavier you are will have a very big impact on your ability to perform theexercise, as well as your rate of progress. Simply put, taller people, heavierpeople,andthosewithlonglimbswillfindithardertoperformtheexercisesinthissection.Donotbeputoffhowever;asatallorheavypersonyoumaywellfind this exercise very challenging, but the extra resistance will allow you togeneratemore strength than a shorter or lighter person. I have also personallyseenvery tall andheavyathletesperforming theplanche, sodonot ever thinkthatitisoutofyourreach.There are a number of factors to achieving a true planche, not all of themimmediatelyapparent,sointhenextfewsectionswearegoingtolookatafewofthem.Thesearehandplacement,supplementaryexercises,andtrainingtimeandvolumeforachievingtheexercise.

HandplacementHandplacementcanhaveabigeffectondifficultyandcomfortwhen trainingtheplanche,sobelowisadescriptionof thedifferent typesofhandplacementyoucanemploy.Experimentwitheachoneandseewhichismostsuitedtoyou.Ifyouwant(andIrecommendthatyoudothis),youcanuseallfourtodevelopallroundplancheability.Fingers facing forwards – This method requires a great deal of wriststrengthandflexibility,butdoesnotplacesuchahugedemandonthebicepsasother hand positions. This is the most common position for the majority ofbeginners, so it might make sense to start here before trying other handpositions.

Fingersfacingbackwards–Thismethodrequireshugestrength fromthebicepsmuscles,butdoesnotrequireasmuchwristflexibility.Ifyoueverwishtograduateontoperformingtheplancheongymnasticrings,thenthisvariationisessential.Mostpeople find thishandposition thehardestoutofallof them,simplybecausehavingtheelbowopenandexposedplacesahugedemandonthebicepsanditsassociatedtendons.Thisdoeshavetheaddedadvantagethoughofbuildinghugeandextremelystrongbiceps,which isoneof thereasons thatsomanymalegymnastshavebigarms.

Using parallettes – Using parallettes to perform the planche exercises isperhaps themost comfortable; thewrists are not taxed asmuch and youwillhave a greater deal of control over your balance. The disadvantage is thatbecause thewrists are ina sideonposition, the forearmscanbeunderahugeamountofstress.Inmyownexperiencewiththeplanche,thiscausedmetohaveforearm splints for a time, where a shooting pain would rise up in the outerforearm. In retrospect this was probably because I had over trained, and notthroughanyparticularuseofparallettesforperformingtheplanche.

Usingfingertips–Thelastmethodisforthoseofyoulookingforevenmoreofachallenge.Usingthefingertipsfortheplanchedoesnotrequiremuchwristflexibility,butwilldevelopmassivehandand fingerstrength,plus, ifyoupulloneoftheseoutofthebagnexttimeyou’reatthegym,peoplewillnotice!The

correctwaytopositionyourselfonyourfingertipsistotryandputthemajorityof the stress through the thumb joint, with the other fingers assisting andsupporting.Needlesstosay,itcantakeawhiletoincreasestrengthinthehandsandfingers,sotakeyourtimewithitandprogressonlyataratethatissensible.

SupplementaryexercisesIn addition to the actual planche exercises, like the tuck planche, straddleplanche, etc, there are a number of supplemental exercises that need to beperformedinconjunctionwiththeplancheexercises.Thisinmyopinionis themainreasonpeoplefailtoprogresswiththeplanche.Thebacklever,lookedatinthissectionaswell,isoneofthesesupplementalmovements.Atthefirstlook,itdoesnotseemlikethebackleverwillhelpwiththeplanche,butacloserlookrevealswhy it is important.Theback leverdevelops themusclesof the lowerbackandcore,aswellastheglutesandlowerbody,andmorespecifically,theabilityofthosemusclestoholdthebodyinahorizontalposition.Thisisexactlywhattheback,core,andlowerbodymusclesarerequiredtodointheplanche,so training the back lever will obviously help strengthen and progress yourplanche.Theothermovementsthathelpwiththeplanchearethecoreexercises,suchasthehalf lever,as thesebuildhugecorestrength,which isneededforallof themore advanced calisthenic exercises, and any of the movements that buildstraight arm and shoulder strength and stability. It is worth looking at theseexercisesandmakingsurethattheyareapartofyourroutine,especiallyifyourplancheprogresshassloweddownorplateaued.

TrainingtimeandvolumeTraining the planche is not like training other movements, and is similar inprinciple to the other very demanding exercise like the front and back levers,handstand push-ups, one arm pull-ups, and hamstring curls. This is because itplaceshugedemandsonallaspectsofthebody,includingthemuscles,tendons,andconnectivetissues.Therefore,itcantakeawhiletorecoverfromaworkoutwheretheplanchewastrainedheavily.KnowinghowoftentotraintheplancheandinwhatvolumeisoneofthemostcommonquestionsthatIgetasked.Theansweristhatthiswillbeuniquetoeveryone,asyourgenetics,traininghistory,resiliencetostress,diet,andrecoveryspeedwillbetotallydifferenttosomeoneelse.However,therearesomepointstomakehere:First,becausetheplancheissuchanintenseexercise,initiallyyoumaywanttolimityourplanche training to twoor three timesaweekat themost.Thiswillgiveyourbodyplentyofrestandtimetorecoverbeforethenextsession.Second,ifyoustarttoexperienceanypainwhatsoever,especiallyintheoutsideoftheforearm(imaginealinedrawnfromyourlittlefingertoyourelbow;thepain normally appears here if anywhere), then reduce the volume of yourtrainingimmediately. Ididn’tdo thisandsufferedfora longtimewithpain intheforearmswhentrainingtheplanche.Third,listentoyourbody!Yourbodywilltellyouifitcanhandleextratrainingdays or another repetition or two, and if it tells you that it is time to rest, itprobablyis.

Sets,repetitions,andholdtimesWhen it comes to actually performing the planche exercises, normal sets andrepetition ranges do not really apply. That is because the planche is a staticexercise, and physically cannot be performed for repetitions in the traditionalsense. In the case of the planche (and the half, back, and front levers), it isperformedforasetamountoftimethatisdecidedbeforeyoustartyourworkout.Ideallyyouwanttobuildupslowlyandincreaseyourholdtimesuntilyoucanholdeachpositionforatotalof30secondscontinuously.IfirstcameacrossthisideainCoachChristopherSommersbook,BuildingtheGymnasticBody,whichlaysoutmanybeginningandfundamentalgymnasticconditioningexercises.Init,CoachSommerdescribeshowtoprogresswithstaticorisometricexercisesinthefollowingway;firstly,holdeachpositionperfectlyforasetamountoftime,inourcase30seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Forexample,letssaymymaximal hold time for the tuck planche is 5 seconds.Thiswouldmean that Iwouldperform6setsofthose5secondholdstoequalatotalof30seconds.Asyouimproveandgetstrongerthiswouldreduceto3setsof10seconds,andthen2setsof15seconds,andfinally,youwillbecomestrongenoughtoperformthe30secondholdcontinuously.Onceyoucandothisthenyouwouldmoveontothenextstageinlearningtheexercise.Keepdoingthisuntilyoureachthestagethatareaimingfor.

PlancheleanAlthoughtheplancheleanisnotanactualplancheexercise,itisneverthelessthebestentrypointtoplanchetraining,asitwillexposeyoutoanumberoffactorsthat are common to the planche. These are straight-arm strength, roundedshoulderswithprotractedscapula/shoulderblades,andasimilarbodyposition.1. To perform the planche lean, get into a normal push-up position. Handpositionisdowntopersonalpreference,solookattheprevioussectiononhandpositiontoseetheprosandconsofeach.2. From this position, start towalk your feet forward so your shouldersmoveforwardofyourhands.Keepyourelbowjointslockedcompletelyasyoudothis.If theydo start tobend try and straighten themagain,ormoveyour feetbackslightlytomakethemovementeasier.3.Fromherepushyourspineupashighaspossible,andseparateyourscapula.Thinkaboutgettingyourshoulderstotouchinfrontofyoutomakethishappen.4.Gettothepointatwhichyoucanonlyholdthepositionfor10-15secondsandthenhold.Thiscountsasoneset.

FrogstandOnce you have spent some time doing planche leans then it will be time toactuallystartsupportingyourselfonyourhandsusinganexercisecalledafrogstand.The frog stand is an exercisepopular inyoga, andwill get youused tosupportingyourentirebodyweightonyourhands.Your elbowswill have to be slightly bent for this variation, but do notworryabout it. This is just because the legs have to rest on the arms. For all otherexercisesinthissectionthearmsmuststaylockedout.1. To perform the frog stand, place your hands on the floor in front of you,fingersfacingforwardsorslightlyouttotheside,shoulderwidthapart.(Youcanalsouse theotherhandpositionsdescribed in the introduction to thisexercise,suchasfingersfacingbackwards,onparallettesorpush-upbars,orbalancingonfingertips).2. Place your knees on the outside of your elbows, as far forward as you canmanage.Yourflexibilitymaybeanissueherebutthiswillimprovewithtime.3.Pressdownhardandliftyourfeetofthefloor.Youmayhavetoleanforwardtobalance,andthereisariskoffallingontoyourface.Havingasoftmatinfronthelpshere.Onceyouarebalancedholdthepositionforaslongaspossible.TeachingpointsIfyoustruggletosupportyourweightonyourhands,thenkeepyourfeetontheflooratfirst.Graduallytransfermoreofyourweightforwardontoyourhandsasyougetstronger.Ifyoufindthatthisexercisehurtsyourwrists,tryturningyourhandsoutanangle.Thisshouldservetoreducethestressonthem.Assaidintheintroductionto thisgroupofexercises,youshouldaimtohold thepositionfor30secondsinasmanysetsasittakesyou,untilyoucanholdthepositionfor30secondscontinuously.Onceyoucandothis,moveontothenextstage.

TuckplancheOnceyoucanholdthefrogstandfor30secondscontinuouslyitwillbetimetomoveontothisstageinlearningtheplanche,whichisthetuckplanchevariation.Thetuckplancheisthefirstvariationwhereyouwillbesupportingyourentirebodyweightusingjustyourupperbody,withcompletelylockedelbows.Thisisan extension of the frog stand and requires a lot of arm, shoulder, and corestrength. It is also the only variation from now on where a rounded back isallowed.1.Toperform the tuckplanche,placeyourhandson the floor, shoulderwidthapart,andpositionyourfeettogetherbetweenthem.(Youcanalsousetheotherhand positions described in the introduction to this exercise, such as fingersfacingbackwards,onparallettesorpush-upbars,orbalancingonfingertips).2.Pushdownhardandliftyourfeetup.Tuckyourkneesintoyourchestusingyourcoremusclesandkeepyourarmscompletely straight.Donot allowyourelbowstobendatall.Donotworryifthebackisrounded,asthisisstraightenedoutinthenextstage.Pushyourspineupandattempttoseparateyourscapula’s.Thisisthehollowbodypositiontalkedaboutintheplanchelean.3.Nowholdthispositionforaslongaspossible.TeachingpointsMoving from the frog stand to the tuck planche can be very difficult for themajorityofpeoplebutthereareanumberofthingsthatwecandotomakeitalittlemoremanageable. Ifyoustruggle to raiseyour feetoff the flooryoucanusetworaisedobjectseachsideofyoutoallowyourfeettohangbelowthelevelof your hands. Chairs, aerobics steps, or parallettes are suitable for this. Thismethodallowsyou tobuildup thenecessarywrist, arm,andshoulder strengthbutdoesnotplacesuchahugedemandonthecore.Asyougetstrongerstrivetoraisethehipsupuntilthefeetandkneesarehigherthanthehands.Thisisshowninthefollowingsetofpictures.Asbefore,buildupyourholdtimeforatotalof30seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Keepworkinglikethisuntilyoucanholdthepositionfor30seconds

continuously.Onceyoucan,moveontothenextstage.

FlatbackplancheOnce you have spent some timewith the tuck planche and can hold it for 30seconds continuously, it is time to look at thenext variation,which is the flatbackplanche.Asthenamesuggests,thisvariationisperformedwithaflatback.Thisexerciseisidenticaltothepreviousstageexceptthatthehipsareraisedupand the back kept completely flat. This moves more of your bodyweightbackwards, which increases the demand placed on the arms and shoulders. Italso lengthens the frontof thecore,puttingmoreof ademandon the torsoaswell.Eventhoughitonlylookslikeasmalladjustment,youwillbesurprisedathowmuchmore challenging this variation is. This also forces you to controlopposingmusclegroups,namelythemusclesoftheabdominalsandthemusclesofthemiddleandlowerback.Innormalmovementthesetwoopposingmusclegroupsact toeither flexorextend thespine. In the flatbackplanche theywillbothhavetocontractagainsteachother,whilststrivingtoholdastableposition.It can take quite a while to educate your body to behave like this, but keeppracticinganditwillcome.1.Toperform the flatbackplanche,get in the tuckplancheposition.Youcanuseanyofthefourhandpositionsdescribedintheintroductiontothisexercise,suchasthehandsonthefloorfingersfacingforwards,handsonthefloorfingersfacing backwards, on parallettes or push-up bars, or balancing on fingertips.Experimenttofindthemostcomfortableforyou.2.Raiseyourhipsuptoshoulderleveluntilyouachieveaflatback.Thinkabouttiltingyourpelvisforwardtodothis,andyoumayhavetoleanforwardslightlytobalance.Again, completely lockout theelbows.Pushyour spineup so thatyoureachthehollowbodyposition.3.Nowholdthispositionforaslongaspossible.TeachingpointsEven though the flat back variation looks very similar to the tuck planche,moving thehipsupandback increases thedifficultybyavastamount.This isbecauseyourbackhastosupporttheentireweightofyourlowerbody,thefrontofyourcoreisextended,andyouhavetoleanforwardtocompensateformore

ofyourbodyweightbeingmovedbackwards.Ifyoustruggletoholdthepositionfor any period of time at all, hold the tuck planche, then raise your hips upmomentarily,thenlowerthembackdownagain.Toallowsteadyprogressionwecanusethesamemethodasbefore.Buildupto30secondstotaltimeinasmanysetsas it takesyou.Thenkeepworkinguntilyoucanhold theposition for30secondscontinuously.

Single-legplancheOnce you have the flat back planche honed, and can hold it for 30 secondscontinuouslythenyoucanstarttoworkonthenextstage,whichisthesingle-legplanche.Thisstageisnotquiteashardasyoumayexpect,aswhilstonelegisstretchedouttotheback,theotherlegistuckedupniceandtightunderneaththecore,whichallowsyoutokeepalargeamountofyourbodyweightclosetoyourcentreofgravity,whichmakesthemovementeasier.1.Toperformthesingle-legplanche,getintoaflatbackplanche.Youcanuseanyofthefourhandpositionsdescribedintheintroductiontothisexercise,suchas the hands on the floor fingers facing forwards, hands on the floor fingersfacing backwards, on parallettes or push-up bars, or balancing on fingertips.Experimenttofindthemostcomfortableforyou.2.Keepingonekneetuckedtightintoyourchest,slowlyextendtheotherlegoutstraight behind you. Strive to get your whole body as straight as possible.Pointing your toes aswellwill help to align the body.Make sure to keep thehollowbodypositionasmuchaspossible.3.Holdthisposition.Makesureyouworkwitheachlegextendedtoworkeachsideofyourbodyequally.TeachingpointsIfstraighteningyourlegoutandholdingitthereistoodifficult,thenstraightenitand immediatelybring itback inagain.Keepdoing this, trying tohold the legoutforlongerperiodseverytime.Youcanalsoalternatelegsforrepetitions.Onceyougettothisvariationdonotworryabouttryingtoholdthepositionfor30secondscontinuously.Asitissuchanintensemovement,aimtoholditforasolid20secondsbeforemovingtothenextstage.

StraddleplancheAfteryouhavebecomeproficientenoughwith thesingle-legplanche,youcanstartattemptingthestraddleplanche.Asthenameimplies,thisisperformedwiththelegsinastraddle,ora“V”position.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthewiderthestraddle, the easier the exercise will be. This is because more of yourbodyweightwill be closer to your centre of gravity,making the lever shorter,requiring less strength to perform. Achieving the straddle planche will be amajorbreakthroughandmanypeoplestophere,anddonotevenbothertolearnthefullplanche.Whicheverchoiceyoumake,knowthatthestraddleplancheisoneofthehardestcalisthenicmovementsthatexist.Thestraddleplancheisaverydemandingexercise,sodonotbedisappointedifittakesyoualongtimetomaster.Themistakemostpeoplemakeisthinkingthatitsimplyinvolvesleaningfarenoughforwardsothatthelegscomeoffthefloor.Thisisonlyhalfthestoryhowever,asthelowerback,glutes,andcorehavetobe strong enough to support the lower body. To overcome this problem, youshouldcontractallofyourmusclesashardaspossible.Ifanypartofthebodyisnotundertensionwhenyouattempttheseexercisesthenyouwillnotbeabletoperformthem.Thereanumberofwaysofgettingintoastraddleplanche,andtheyare:FromatuckplancheForwardpull

Kickthroughs

FromahandstandI used all of themethods that I amgoing to describe at somepoint alongmyjourney toget theplanche, so it iswellworthyouexperimentingwitheachofthemuntilyoufindtheonethatismostbeneficialtoyou.

1stmethod–FromatuckplancheThe first method of learning the straddle planche is moving from a simplervariationofthemovementtothemoredifficultone.Inthisinstancewewillusethetuckplancheandthenmovethelegsoutuntilwereachthestraddleposition.1.Toperformthestraddleplanche,getintothetuckplancheposition.Youcanuseanyofthefourhandpositionsdescribedintheintroductiontothisexercise,suchasthehandsonthefloorfingersfacingforwards,handsonthefloorfingersfacing backwards, on parallettes or push-up bars, or balancing on fingertips.Experimenttofindthemostcomfortableforyou.2.Fromthetuckposition,slowlyextendbothlegsinawidestraddleuntiltheyarestraightbehindyou.Youwillhavetoleanforwardasyoudothis,andmuchofthesuccessfulnessofthemovementwillbedowntoyourabilitytobalance.3.Strivetogetyourwholebodyasstraightaspossible.Pointingyourtoeswillhelp to align the body. Contract all of your muscles as hard as you can togeneratetensioninthewholebody.4.Nowholdthispositionforaslongasyoucan.

2ndmethod–ForwardpullThe secondmethod to learning the straddle planche is moving into it from apush-upposition.Thishasmanybenefits,mostnotablythegradualnatureofthetransition.1.Toperform the forward pullmethod, get into a push-up positionwith yourlegs in a very wide straddle. You can use any of the four hand positionsdescribed in the introduction to this exercise, such as the hands on the floorfingers facing forwards, hands on the floor fingers facing backwards, onparallettes or push-up bars, or balancing on fingertips. Experiment to find themostcomfortableforyou.2.Fromhere, start to lean forwardand“pull”your legswithyou.Making thepullslowwillenableyoutogaugethebalanceneededmuchmoreaccurately.3.Keepahollowbodypositionandkeepleaningforward,untilyourfeetstarttodriftoff theground. It is finehere ifyour torso risesandbecomes flat first. Ifthishappensthenafteryourtorsoisinthecorrectpositioncontractyourglutesandlowerbackhardtoraisethelegsuptothesamelevelasthetorso.4.Onceyoureachthestraddleplanchepositionholditaslongasyoucan.

3rdmethod–KickthroughsThe third method in learning the straddle planche is using what I call kickthroughs.Kickthroughsallowyoutousemomentumandspeedtoget intotheproper position for a split second before retracting your legs again. Kickthroughs can only really be performed using parallettes, as youwill need theextraheighttoallowthelowerbodytomovebetweenthearmsunhindered.1.Toperformkickthroughs,placeyourhandsonyourparallettesandgetintoahalfleveroratuckhalfleverposition.2.Fromheremoveyourlegsthroughthegapinyourarmsandouttothebackasfast as you can. In effect you will be trying to “kick” your legs into a widestraddlewhilstleaningforwardandgeneratinglotsoftensionintheupperbodyandcore.3.Assoonasyoureachthestraddleplanchepositionholditaslongasyoucan.At first thismay only be a split second.Once you cannot hold it any longer,allowyourlegstodropandcomebackthroughthegapbetweenyourarmsagainandresume thehalf leverposition.Thisallowsyourshoulders tohaveasmallrest.4.Repeatthekickthroughsforaslongasyoucanwhilstkeepinggoodform.

4thmethod–FromahandstandThelastandprobablymostdifficultmethodofgettingintothestraddleplancheis lowering into it fromahandstand.Even though this soundsverydifficult, itactuallyhasanumberofbenefits.Firstly,youcanmakethetransitionasslowasyouwant,allowingyoutokeepcontrolovereveryaspectofthemovement.Secondly,thedescentactsasaslownegative,whichwillhelpbuildstrengthinexactlythesamewayasothernegativemovementselsewhereinthebookdo.Thirdly, it looks insanely cool, which is always a good reason for doing anexercise.1. To lower into a straddle planche from a handstand, get into a freestandinghandstand.Thehandplacementyouuseforthisisentirelyuptoyou,butIpreferusingparallettesastheseaffordagreaterdegreeofcontrol.Onceyouareinthehandstandplaceyourlegsinthewideststraddlethatyoucan.2.Fromthehandstand,starttomovetheshouldersforwardwhilstallowingthelegstodrop.Thisissimilartotheninety-degreepush-upintheprevioussection,butinthiscasethearmshavetostaycompletelystraight.3. Keep letting the shoulders move forward and lowering the legs, until thewholebodyishorizontalandyoureachthestraddleplancheposition.4.Nowholdthisaslongasyoucan.

FullplancheAfter putting in months of consistent work you should be ready to startattemptingthefullplanche.Thisisessentiallyastraddleplanchebutwherethelegs are brought together. This small adjustment may take many weeks ormonths to perfect, as the leverage is decreased even further than with thestraddleplanche.Whengetting to thisstageevena5secondhold isextremelyimpressive.1.Toperformthefullplanchepositionyourselfinastraddleplanche.Youcanuseanyofthefourhandpositionsdescribedintheintroductiontothisexercise,suchasthehandsonthefloorfingersfacingforwards,handsonthefloorfingersfacing backwards, on parallettes or push-up bars, or balancing on fingertips.Experimenttofindthemostcomfortableforyou.2.Toactuallymove into the fullplanche thereare twomainwaysyoucandothis.Thefirstistogetintoastraddleplancheusinganyofthe4methodsthatIdescribed in the previous section, which were, from a tuck planche, slowtransition, kick throughs, and from a handstand. Then simply bring your legstogetherfromthestraddleposition.3.Thesecondwayis touseanyof thefourmethodsdescribedin theprevioussectionbutstartwiththelegstogether.4.Nowholdthispositionaslongaspossible.

Planchepush-upsAlthoughholdingeachpositionoftheplancheisanamazingexerciseinandofitself,we can addmovement to this traditionally static exercise to incorporateevenmorevariation and strengthbenefits.These come in the formof planchepush-ups. As the name suggests, these are simply push-ups performed in theplanchepositions.Planche push-ups can be performed using each of the different variants, butobviouslythehardertheplancheexercisetheharderthepush-upwillbe.1.Toperformaplanchepush-up,getintotheplanchevariationofyourchoice.Thepicturesthatfollowshowbothatuckplancheandastraddleplanchepush-up.2. From the top position, bend your elbows and start to lower yourself downtowards the ground.Make sure that you keep the body position as perfect aspossible.3.Onceyouhavegottenaslowasyouareableto,pushbackupharduntilyourelbowslockoutagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

13.ThefrontleverAlthough the pulling exercises we looked at in the pull-up section are veryusefulandbuildunrealamountsofstrength,theyallhadonethingincommon;thepullwasinitiatedandperformedwithbentarms.Pullingwithstraightarmsiscompletelydifferent and inmost casesmuchmoredifficult.This iswhere thefront levercomesin.Thefront lever isalmostentirelyunknownoutsideof thegymnasticsandclimbingcommunity,butisoneofthebesttestsofpullingandcorestrengththatthereis.Itissimilarinconcepttothebacklever,exceptthatthe body position is reversed. This movement is much harder than the backlever,astheshoulderjointisfreetorotate,whilstinthebackleveritisnot.Aswithalloftheotherlevermovementsinthissection,makesurethatyourelbowsstaylockedatalltimes.Thisdramaticallyreducestheleverageyouwillbeableto exert on the movement, building more strength and a more impressivephysique.Youshouldalsouseanoverhandgripforallstages.Asthefrontleverisastaticholdwecannotdothetraditionalsetsandrepetitionsasisdonenormallywithanyotherexercise.Wewillusethesamemethodasfortheplanchewehavejustlookedat.Thisinvolvesholdingthepositionforasetamountoftimeinasmanysetsasittakesyou.Forexample,ifourtargettimeis30 seconds, andwe you can only hold the position for 5 seconds, youwouldperform6setsof5seconds toequal the30second total.Asbefore,yourholdtimeswillincreaseasyougetstronger,sothatyouwilldo3setsof10seconds,2 sets of 15 seconds, and then the entire30 seconds inonego.Onceyou canholdthepositionfor30secondsinasinglesetthenmoveontothenextstage.

VerticalpullsThehardestthingaboutthefrontlever,baringtheextremestressonthecore,isthe fact that throughout the whole movement the arms must stay completelylockedout.Itisthisactionthatallowssuchhighpullingstrengthtobebuiltandthiswhichmakes the front lever so beneficial. Pullingwith straight arms is avery difficult concept for many people to adapt to, as the body will nearlyalwayswanttobendtheelbowstomakethemovementeasierandtoprotecttheelbow joints from damage. To learn this, we can perform an exercise calledvertical pulls.Theywill get youused to pullingdownwith straight arms, andtheywillalsoteachyouto“lockin”thescapula’s,aswastaughtintheshouldermobilitysection.1. To perform the vertical pull, grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip,shoulderwidthapart,andhangwithcompletelystraightarms.2. From here, pull your scapula down. To do this think abut moving yourshouldersdownandawayfromyourears.3. Then start to pull downwith your hands, as if you are trying to pull themdownthroughthebar.Youshouldbetryingtoreducetheangleatyourarmpitasmuchaspossible.Leanbackintoitandallowthelowerbodytostaylimp.4. Hold this position for as long as you can, making sure that your form iscorrect.

TuckfrontleverOnceyouhavepracticedtheverticalpullsandyouhaveanideaofwhatitfeelsliketopulldownwithstraightarms,youcanmoveontothisstage,whichisthefirstactualfrontleverpositionyouwillperform.Thetuckfrontleverhasexactlythesameupperbodypositionastheproperversion,butthecoreandthelegsaretuckeduptighttokeepthebodyweightasclosetothehandsaspossible.Thereisnoother requirementhereother than tohave thehipsandshoulders levelwitheachother,sodonotworryifyourbackisrounded.1. To perform the tuck front lever, grab the barwith an overhand grip. Yourhandsshouldbeshoulderwidthapart.2. Tuck your knees up to your chest (as in the hanging knee raise), and pulldownashardasyoucan.Keeppullingyourhipsupuntiltheybecomelevelwithyourshoulders.3.Nowholdthispositionaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsAtfirstyoumaystruggletopullyourbodyupatall.Tohelpwiththis,kickoffthe ground and usemomentum to get into the tuck position. As you becomestrongeryouwillbeabletouselessmomentumandmorepullingstrength.Aimtoholdthisforatotalof30seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanholdthepositionfor30secondscontinuouslymoveontothenextstage.

FlatbackfrontleverOnce you are confidentwith the tuck front lever, you canmove onto the flatback variation.Whereas the tuck front lever allowed a rounded back, the flatbackvariationdoesnot.Althoughthetwoexercisesmaylookalmostidentical,theflatteningofthelowerbackisextremelydifficultforanumberofreasons:Firstly, flattening the back makes the front of the core and the abdominalslonger,whichmeansthattheymustfighthardertoexertanyforce.Secondly,flatteningthebackmovesmoreofyourbodyweightawayfromyourhands, which forces the back muscles to work even harder to maintain theposition.1.Toperformtheflatbackfrontlever,getintoatuckfrontlever.2.Nowattemptloweryourhipsandflattenyourback.Itshouldfeellikeyouaretryingtotiltyourpelvisforward,orstickyourbumout.Donotletyourelbowsbend.3. You will reach the correct position when your hips are level with yourshoulders, and your entire back is as flat as you canmake it. Now hold thispositionforaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsAshasbeensaid, thisexerciseonlylooksslightlydifferentfromthetuckfrontlever,butisactuallymuchmorechallenging.Itisquitelikelythatyouwillnotbeable tohold theposition forany lengthof timeat first, so tobuildstrengthallowyourbacktobecomeflatforasplitsecond,andthenallowittocurve.Asyougetstrongeryourholdtimeswillincrease.Again,aimtoholdthisforatotalof20seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanholdthepositionfor20secondscontinuouslymoveontothenextstage.

Single-legfrontleverOnceyoucanholdthetuckfrontleverwithaflatback,thenextstageistostartextendingoneofyourlegstoachievethesinglelegfrontlever.Thismovementhas one leg completely straight whilst the other is tucked up into the chest.Although this sounds much more difficult than the previous stage it actuallyisn’t.This isbecause the leg that is tuckedup into thechestkeepsa lotof thebodyweight underneath the hands,whilst the straight leg can help to generatetensionintherestofthebody,helpingtoholdthepositionforlonger.1.Toperformthesingle-legfrontlever,grabthebarwithanoverhandgripandgetintotheflatbackfrontleverposition.2.Keepingonelegtuckedtightlyintoyourchest,slowlyextendtheotheruntilitbecomescompletelystraight.Pointthetoesofyourstraightlegtohelpgeneratemusculartension,anddonotletyourelbowsbend.3.Hold thisposition foras longasyoucan.Makesureyouperformsetswitheachlegextendedsoasnottocreateanystrengthimbalances.TeachingpointsExtending your leg will place a much greater demand on your core than thepreviousvariations,sotakeyourtimeanddonotgetfrustratedifyoustruggletoperform it correctly. Being diligent and maintaining good form is the bestmethodhere.Ifyouextendalegandyourhipsbegintobendthenbringthelegbackinasmallamount.Aimtoholdthisforatotalof20seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanholdthepositionfor20secondscontinuouslymoveontothenextstage.

StraddlefrontleverOnce you have some experience with single-leg front levers you can startworkingonextendingbothlegsatthesametimeinastraddle“V”position.Thisvariation ismuch harder than the single leg version, as your core has to fullysupport the entire weight of your lower body with your hips in a completelyopen position. If you have a flexible lower body then this movement will beeasier for you, as awider straddle or “V” shapewillmean thatmore of yourbodyweightisclosertoyourhands,whichmakestheexerciseeasier.Ifyoufindthat you are really struggling, it pays to spend some time working on yourflexibility.Thereanumberofwaystoactuallyarriveinthestraddlefrontlever,andallofthemcanbebeneficial.Inmyexperienceitisbesttouseallofthesemethodsasthey can really help you to break through sticking points and plateaus. Themethodsare:FromatuckfrontleverPendulumsAsthisvariationisextremelydifficult,aimtoholditforatotalof10seconds,inasmany sets as it takes you. Once you can hold the position for 10 secondscontinuouslymoveontothefinalstage.

1stmethod–FromatuckfrontleverThefirstmethodofgettingintothestraddlefrontleveristomovefromoneofthe tuck variations and then slowly extend both legs. This requires a lot ofcontrolandmuscular tension,and isperhaps thehardestway tomove into theposition,butitlooksthesmoothestandstrongest.1.Toperformthestraddlefrontlever,getintothetuckfrontleverposition.2.Fromhere,starttoslowlyextendyourlegsintoawidestraddle“V”position.Astheweightofyourlegsmovesawayfromyourcentreofmassyouwillhavetopulldownharderinaprogressivemanner.3.Keepmovingyourlegsoutuntilyourentirebodyishorizontal.Nowholdthispositingaslongasyoucan.

2ndmethod–PendulumsThe second and perhaps themost impressive way to get into a straddle frontleverisbyusingpendulums.Thependulumissimplyawayofgettingthebodyinto theproperpositionbyusingmomentum,andallowsyoutokeepthestrictbodypositionthroughouttheentiremovement.1.Toperformthependulumgrabapull-upbarwithanoverhandgripandpullyourchinoverthebar.2.Fromhere,aimtoswingyourlegsforwardbutmoveyourshouldersbackanddownuntilyoureachthehorizontalposition.Atfirstitmayfeeldifficulttolockoutyourelbowsat thebottomof themovementbutkeeppracticinganditwillcome.3.Holdthehorizontalpositionforaslongasyoucan.Atfirstthismayonlybeasplitsecond,butwithtimeandpracticeyourstrengthwillincrease.4.Whenyoucannothold thepositionany longer,pullyourselfbackup to thetop of the pull-up by letting your lower body swing back underneath you andpullingyourshouldersupand forwards.Asyouprogresssimply remain in thehorizontalpositionforlonger.

FullfrontleverOnceyouhavebuilt up thenecessary strengthworkingwith the straddle frontlever,youcanstarttobringthelegstogethertoachieveatruefrontlever.Thisisfractionallyharderthanthestraddlevariation,althoughsomepeoplereportthathavingthelegstogetherenablesthemtogeneratemoretensioninthebody.1.Toperformthefrontlever,grabthebarwithanoverhandgrip,andgetintoatuckfrontlever.2.Nowbringbothofyourlegstogetheruntiltheyaretouching.Pointyourtoesand tryandgenerateasmuch tensionaspossible throughoutyourentirebody.Donotletyourelbowsbend.3.Holdthispositionanddonotletyourhipsbend.TeachingpointsInaddition to themethod justdescribedyoucanuseanyof the threemethodsdemonstrated in the previous section for getting into the front lever position,whichwerefromatuckfrontlever,andpendulums.Keepworkingwithituntilyoucanperformthemovementwithgoodform.Asthisvariationisextremelydifficult,aimtoholditforatotalof10seconds,inasmany sets as it takesyou.Try andworkyourwayup to a continuousholdtimeof10seconds.

Frontleverpull-upsWhilstthestaticexercisesinthisfrontleversectionareexcellentfordevelopingstrength,ifyouarelookingforanadditionalchallenge,orjustabitmorevariety,youcanstart training front leverpull-ups.Todo this, simplyassume the frontleverpositionofyourchoice,andperformapull-up.Forthesetobemaximallyeffective, ensure that you maintain a good form throughout. This includeslockingouttheelbowatthebottomofeveryrep.Asanexample,shownbelowareatuckfrontleverpull-up,andafullfrontleverpull-up.

14.BackleverThethird lever typeexercise thatwearegoingto lookat in thissectionof thebook is theback lever.Thiscanbe thoughtofas thecompleteoppositeof thefrontlever,andworksmanyoftheopposingmusclegroupsthatthefrontleverdoes.Itisalsoextremelyusefulfordevelopingstrengthfortheplanche.Infact,inmyexperience,Iwouldsaythatasolidbackleverisaprerequisiteforagoodplanche.Traditionally,thebackleverisusedbyagymnastwhenmaneuveringinand out of strength positions on the rings. It also prepares the athlete to exertstrengthinanunnaturalormechanicallydisadvantagedposition.Performing the back lever can either be done with an overhand grip or anunderhandgrip.Usinganoverhandgripiseasier,asthereismuchlessstressonthebiceps and its associated tendons.However, if youperform the back leverwith anunderhandgripyouwill develop awesomebiceps and elbow strength,which is vital for planche trainingwith fingers positioned backwards, and formoreadvancedgymnasticstraining,suchastheIronCross.Iwouldrecommendusing both grips, as this will ensure you have all round strength and are notweakerinonepositionoveranother.Youwillfindthateventhoughtheyaresomewhatequalandoppositeintermsofthemusclestheyuse,thefrontleverandbackleverarenotequalindifficulty.Inmyexperience thevastmajorityofpeopleachieve their firstproperback leverwell before their first proper front lever. There aremany reasons for this, themainonesbeingthattheshoulderisinanaturallymoreinflexiblepositioninthebacklever,andthatthemusclesusedinthebackleveraretraditionallystrongerthanthoseusedinthefrontlever.AswithotherexercisesthathavethislevelofdifficultyIhavebrokendownthemethod of learning the back lever into several stages.Make sure that you arecomfortableandconfidentenoughwitheachstagebeforemovingontothenextone.

GermanhangThe first stage in learning the back lever is theGerman hang. Itwill developstrengthandflexibility in theshouldersandback,andpreparethebodyfor theprogressionstowardsthehardervariations.1. To get into the German hang, grasp the pull-up bar with an overhand orunderhandgrip.2. Keeping your elbows locked out, tuck your legs up to your chest and pulldownhard.Aimtogetyourlegsthroughthegapinthemiddleofyourarms.3.Keeprotatingrounduntilyouarefacingforwardsagain.Youmaynowextendyourlegsdowntothefloor.YouarenowintheGermanhangposition.Simplyholdthispositionforaslongasyoucan,bothtobuildflexibilityintheshoulderand strength. Then let go and drop to the ground, or rotate back around byreversingthemovement.TeachingpointsWhenfirsttryingtogetintotheGermanhangyoumaystruggletopullyourlegsupandthroughthegapinyourarms.Kickingupintothispositionfromthefloorcanhelphere,ascanbuildingyourpullingstrengthwitheitherpull-upsor thefront lever. Strengthening your core will also help. Practice rotating forwardsand backwards to get comfortable being in this position. This will also buildstrengtharound theshoulder joint.OnceyouhavebecomecomfortablegettingintoandoutoftheGermanhang,itistimetostartworkingonthenextstage.

TuckbackleverOnceyouhavemasteredtheGermanhang,itistimetostartraisingthehipsuptoachievethetuckbacklever.Thisisnotashardasthetuckfrontlever,andyoushouldfindthatyouwillprogresswiththisquitefast.1. To perform the tuck back lever, grasp the pull-up barwith an overhand orunderhandgrip,andgetintoaGermanhang.2.Fromthisposition,tuckyourkneestightlyintoyourchestandthenraiseyourhipsupuntiltheyarelevelwithyourshoulders.Itisfineatthisstagetohavearoundedback.Makesuretolockoutyourelbowsandpulldownashardasyoucan.3.Onceyouaresurethatyourpositionisgood,holditforaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsTo generate strength in this unusual position, attempt to squeeze your armstogether behind your back. This will help to generate the muscular tensionneededtoholdtheposition.Aswiththeotherstaticpositions,holdthisforatotaltimeof20seconds,inasmany sets as it takes you. Once you can hold this variation for 20 secondscontinuously,moveontothenextstage.

FlatbackleverAswiththefrontlever,thenextstageinthebackleveristoflattenoutthebackandmove the hips and lower body a little further away from the hands. Thisstagerequiresmoremuscularcontrolandismuchharderthanthetuckvariationwe have just looked at. Simply put, in this stage you should be attempting tomakeyourentirebackasflataspossible.1. To perform the flat back lever, grasp the pull-up bar with an overhand orunderhandgrip,andgetintoatuckbacklever.Lockyourarmsintoyoursidesandpulldownashardasyoucan.2.Fromthisposition try to flattenoutyourback.Thismeans thatyouhave tomaketheabdominalslongerwhilstcontractingthelowerandmiddleback.Thinkabouttiltingyourpelvisforward(stickingyourbumout)whenyoudothis.3.Assoonasyoureachtheproperpositionholditforaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsFlatteningoutthebackcanbeverydifficult,especiallyifyouarenewtothesetypeofstaticexercises.Tomakethiseasier,youshouldmoveintothepositionfor a split secondand thenmoveback into the tuckback leverposition.Keepdoingthiswhilststrivingtoholdtheflatbackpositionforlongerandlonger.Again,hold thispositionfor20seconds, inasmanysetsas it takesyou.Onceyoucanholdthepositionfor20secondscontinuously,moveontothenextstage.

Single-legbackleverOnceyouarecomfortablewiththeadvancedtuckbacklever, it is timetostartextendingyour legs tomovemoreofyourbodyweightawayfromyourhands.The single-leg back lever is not actually that much harder than the flat backlever,mainlybecauseonelegwillbetuckeduptightintothechest,whichkeepsalotofyourbodyweightclosetoyourhands.1.Toperformthesingle-legbacklever,graspthebarorringswithanoverhandorunderhandgrip,andgetintoaflatbacklever.2.Tuckonelegtightlyintoyourchest,thenstarttomoveonelegoutbehindyouuntilitisstraight.Pointyourtoestohelpalignyourbodyandgeneratemusculartension.3.Nowholdthispositionforaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsIfyoucannotextendyourlegoutbehindyouuntilitisstraight,justmoveitfarasyouareableto.Asyougetstrongeryouwillbeabletoextenditfurthereachtime.Makesuretoworkbothlegsequallytoensurethatnostrengthimbalancesoccur.Again,hold thispositionfor20seconds, inasmanysetsas it takesyou.Onceyoucanholdthepositionfor20secondscontinuously,moveontothenextstage.

StraddlebackleverOnceyouhavegottogripswiththesingle-legbacklever,bothlegscanstarttobe extendedat the same time to arrive at a straddleback lever.This is a vitalstage,asonceyouhavemasteredthisyouwillbeabletostartbringingthelegstogethertoachieveafullbacklever.1.Toperformthestraddlebacklever,graspthebarorringswithanoverhandorunderhandgrip,andgetintoaflatbacklever.2.Fromthispositionextendbothlegsinawidestraddle“V”position.Thewiderthe straddle the easier the movement will be. Point your toes to generatemusculartensionandalignyourbody.3.Nowholdthispositionforaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsYoushouldbeaimingtoholdthepositionfor20secondsinasmanysetsasittakes you.Once you can hold the position for 20 seconds continuouslymoveontothenextstage.

FullbackleverOnceyoucanholdthestraddlebackleverfor20secondsinasingleset,itwillbe time for you to move onto the full back lever. This is where the legs arebroughttogetheruntilthebodyformsacompletelystraightline.Thisisaharderposition to hold but is essential to achieve if you want to progress with theplanche.1. To perform the full back lever, grasp the bar or ringswith an overhand orunderhandgrip,andgetintoastraddlebacklever.2.Fromthispositionbringyourlegstogetheruntiltheyaretouching.Pointyourtoesandcontractallthemusclesinyourlowerbodyashardasyoucan.3.Holdthispositionforaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsInadditiontothemethodjustdescribed,youcanalsogetintothefullbackleverbyusingnegativesaswell.Ifyoufind thatyoucannothold thepositionfor long,bringyour legs togetherfor a second, thenwiden them to a straddle again.Keep doing this until yourholdtimesincrease.Asthisisaverystrenuousposition,don’tworryifyoucannotholditforatotalof20seconds.Acontinuousholdtimeof10to15secondsisstillimpressive.

15.HalfleverThehalfleveristhesimplestofthegymnasticcoreexercises,andatfirstglancelooks to be fairly straightforward. Once you attempt it however, you willappreciate justhowdemanding it is,andhoweasymostothercore training is.The half lever is also called theL sit in gymnastics circles, and is one of thefoundationexercisesthatallgymnastsmustperfect if theyarelookingtobuildenoughcorestrengthtodowell.The half lever is also an absolutely perfect example of the disadvantagedleverageprinciplethatwasmentionedintheintroduction.Astheweightofthelegsismovedfurtherawayfromthehands, thecorehastoworkprogressivelyharder to support the lower body, which is why this exercise builds somuchstrengthwithouthavingtoaddanyexternalweightatall.Thehalfleverisalsooneofthehandfulofmovementswehavelookedatsofar(alongwith theplanche, front lever, andback lever), that reliesonperformingholdtimesinsteadofthetraditionalsetsandrepetitions.Again,aswiththeotherexercises,youshouldbelookingtoholdthepositionforaspecifictotaltimeinasmany sets as it takes you.For thehalf lever I recommendbuildingup to atotalholdtimeofatleast30seconds.

TuckedbackleverThisfirststage in learning thehalf lever is toholdasimplifiedpositionwherethelegsdonothavetobefullyextended.Youcanuseanythingtohelpyouwiththis, including chairs, boxes, aerobics steps, or any other raised platform. Ipersonallyuseparallettesforthisstage.1.Toperform the tuckedhalf lever,placeyourhandson theplatformyouareusingandlockoutyourelbows.2.Pushdownhardandthenraiseyourlegsuntilyourthighsarehorizontal.Youshouldkeepaninetydegreebendintheknee.3.Nowsimplyholdthispositionforaslongasyoucan.Youshouldaimtoholdthisforatotalof30seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanholditfor30secondscontinuously,moveontothenextstage.TeachingpointsAlthough the tucked lever ishardenoughby itself, as soonasyouareable toyoushouldstarttryingtopushyourhipsasfarforwardasyoucan.Thisactionmakestheanglebetweenyourlegsandtorsobigger,whichmakesthemovementharder.Thisisknownas"openingthechest",andshouldbedoneateverystageofyourhalflevertraininginordertobuildasmuchcorestrengthaspossible.

AngledhalfleverOnceyouhavebuiltupsomecorestrengthwiththetuckvariation,youcanstarttoworkwiththeangledhalflever.Thisinvolvesstraighteningoutthelegswhilstkeepingthembelowthelevelofyourhands.Again,youwillneedtousesomesortofplatformforyourhandstoreston.1.Toperform theangledhalf lever,placeyourhandson theplatformyouareusingandlockoutyourelbows.2.Pushdownhardwithyourarmsandthenstraightenyourlegsoutinfrontofyousothatyourheelsareaninchor twoabovethefloor.Tryandget thelegsintoa45-degreeangle.Remembertokeepyoukneeslockedoutifyoucan,orbentifyoucan’t.3.Nowholdthispositionforaslongasyoucan.Youshouldaimtoholdthisforatotalof30seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanholditfor30secondscontinuously,moveontothenextstage.TeachingpointsIfthisstageistoohardforyou,tryusingahigherplatformforyourhands.Thiswillallowyour legs tostillbestraight,butyourcorewillnothave toworkashard asmore of your lower body’s weight is closer to your hands.Make themovement as easy as you need to in order for you to be able to perform itproperly.Form is everythinghere, andbetter formwillmeanquickerprogressand better results. Again, as with the tuck variation, start pushing your hipsforwardassoonaspossible.

HalfleverOnceyouhavemastered the raisedhalf leveryoucanstartworkingonraisingyourlegsupuntiltheyarehorizontal.Thisstagecantakesometime,butismadeeasierifyoufollowtheprogressionsthatIhavelaidout.Itisalsoworthsayingthatbreathingin thehalf lever isalwayssomewhatdifficult,as thediaphragm,whichisacoremuscleusedforinflatinganddeflatingthelungs,canstarttoactasastabiliserifthemovementisverydifficult.Tryandtakesmallbreathswhenperformingallofthehalflevervariations.1.Toperformthehalflever,placeyourhandsontheplatformthatyouareusingandlockoutyourelbows.2. Push down hard with your arms and raise your legs up until they arehorizontal.Keepyour knees locked andpoints your toes to generatemusculartension.3. Try and hold this position for as long as you can.Again, aswith the othervariations,youshouldaimtoholdthisforatotalof30seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanholditfor30secondscontinuously,moveontothefinalstage.TeachingpointsAsthehalfleverissodifficult,youwillprobablynotbeabletoholdthepositionforverylongbeforeyourlegsdrop.Tospendtimeinthepositionandtobuildstrength,moveyourlegsoutintothefullpositionquickly,beforebringingthembackinuntilyouarriveinthetuckhalfleverposition.Keepdoingthisandyourholdtimeswillsteadilyincrease.

FloorhalfleverOnceyouhaveachievedthehalfleverusingaplatformofsomekind,itwillbetimeforyoutotryandstartperformingitusingnothingmorethanthefloor.Thismuchharderasyouneed toensureyouarepushingdownashardaspossible,andalso thatyour legsarehighenoughandhorizontalenoughfor themnot tofoulontheground.1.Toperformthehalfleveronthefloor,sitdownwithcompletelystraightlegs.Placeyourhandsonthegroundnexttoyourhipsandlockoutyourelbows.2.Fromherepushdownahardasyoucanwithyourarms.Attempttodrawyourscapuladown tohelpelevateyourentirebody.At thesame time liftyour legsfrom the floorandextend themstraightout in frontofyou.Pointyour toes tohelptogeneratemusculartension.3. Now hold this position for as long as you can. Again, as with the othervariations,youshouldaimtoholdthisforatotalof30seconds,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.

HalfleverextensionsAfteryouhavespentsome timewith thehalf lever,youcanstart toaddsomemovement into the exercise tomake it a littlemore exciting and challenging.Halfleverextensionsarethesimplestway,andcanhelptolearnhowtopushthehipsforwardandopenupthechest.Youshouldbeaimingtoincreasetheangleatthehipsasmuchaspossiblewiththese.1. To perform the half lever extensions get into a tucked half leverwith yourkneesheldtightlyintothechest.2. From here, extend both of your legs out at the same time until they arecompletelystraight.3.Assoonastheyarestraightthenkeepextendingandtryandpushthehipsasfarforwardasyoucan.Thenretractbothofyourlegsuntilyourkneesaretuckedtightlyintoyourchestagain.Thiscountsasonerep.

HalfleverbicyclesAnother excellent variation that we can use to make the half lever moreinterestingandmorechallengingistomoveeachlegouttofullextensiononeatatime.TheseIhavecalledhalfleverbicycles.1.Toperformhalfleverbicycles,getintoahalflever,buthaveonelegtuckedintothechestandtheotherfullyextended.2.Nowbringtheextendedlegbackintowardsyourchestwhilstextendingtheotheroneout.Holdeachpositionforasecondortwobeforecarryingon.

HalfleverswimmersThe last half lever variation we are going to look at are called half leverswimmers.Theyareverydifficult,inthefactthatyouwillhavetoholdthehalfleverpositionand“swim”thelegsatthesametime.Thisputshugedemandsonthecoreandreallyworkstheabdominalsmorethananyothermovement.1.Toperformhalfleverswimmers,getintoahalfleverposition.2.Fromhere,moveyour legsup anddownas far asyoucan,making sure tokeepyourkneeslocked.Dothisaslongasyoucanbeforerestingagain.

16.HumanflagThehumanflag isanotherexercise that isexcellent foralloverbodystrength,and places a huge demand on the oblique muscles of the torso. It combinespushing,pulling,andcorestrength,andaboveallelselooksextremelycool!Itisalso a very good exercise for developing straight arm pulling and pushingstrengthintheupperbody,asinthefullversiononearmwillbepushingashardaspossiblewhilsttheotherwillbepullingashardaspossible.Thisexerciseisalso used bymany different high-level athletes, such as the ChineseOlympicWeightliftersIhavementionedbefore.To perform the human flag you will need a vertical pole or other suitablelocation.Youwillhavetoexperimenttofindaplacethatyoucanuseregularly.I sometimesusea smithmachine, squat rack,or evena climbing frame in thepark.Itisalsoadvisabletousechalktoimproveyourgrip,asifyoustruggletoholdon to thebaryouwill have a real problemdevelopingenough tension tocompletethemovement.

VerticalflagTostarttrainingthehumanflagyouneedtobeabletoholdyourbodyverticalwith straight arms.This stage is surprisingly difficult, andwill hopefully giveyouanideaofwhatitisliketostarttrainingtheflag.1.Toperformtheverticalflag,graspthebar(s)inthefollowingway:– The bottom handwith your fingers pointing down, palm facing away fromyou.–Thetophandwithyourpalmfacingaway.Your hands should be wider than shoulder width. You will just have toexperimenthereuntilyoufindasuitableandcomfortablehandposition.2.Makingsurethatyourelbowsstaylockedduringtheentiremovement,pushhardwithyourbottomarmandpullhardwithyourtop.Attempttoliftyourfeetoffthefloorandholdyourbodyverticalforaslongaspossible.3.Makesurethatyouworkbothsidesequally.Thiswillensurethatyoudonotdevelopanystrengthimbalances.

TeachingpointsIntermsoftheholdtimesforthisparticularmovement,astheflagissodifficult,youshouldaimforatotaltimeof10to15secondsorso,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanperformtheexerciseforthetotaltimeinoneset,thenmoveontothenextstage.

TuckedflagOnceyouhavegotusedtotheverticalflagitistimetostarttryingtoraisethetorsointoamorehorizontalposition.Obviously,thefurtheroutwestickourlegstheharder themovementwillbe,sofor thesecondstagewearegoingtokeepourlegsandkneestuckedupintothechestasmuchaspossible.1. To perform the tucked flag, grasp the bar theway it was described above.Jumpyourfeetoffthefloorandtuckyourkneesuptoyourchest.Atthesametimepushhardwithyourbottomarmandpullhardwiththetop.2.Keeppushingandpullinghardwithbotharmsuntilyourtorsoishorizontal.3.Tryandholdthispositionforaslongaspossible.Makesureyouworkbothsidesequally.

TeachingpointsAgain,youshouldaimforatotaltimeof10to15secondsorso,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanperformtheexerciseforthetotaltimeinoneset,thenmoveontothenextstage.

StraddleflagOnce you have built up a decent level of strength using the first and secondstages,wecanstarttoextendthelegsoutfromthebody.Thiswillstarttomakethe movement much more challenging, as the leverage we can exert on theexercisebecomes lessand less.Thestraddle flag requiresyou topositionyourlegsinawide“V”position,asthisstillallowssomeofyourbodyweighttobeclose to thebar,butgivesyouan ideaofwhat it is like tobe inaproper flagposition.1.Toperformthestraddleflag,graspthebarintheusualway.Jumpyourfeetupintotheairandmovethemintothewideststraddleyoucan.2. Push down hardwith your bottom arm, and pull down hardwith your top.Makesuretokeepbothelbowslocked.3. Hold this position for as long as possible.Make sure youwork both sidesequally.TeachingpointsThe straddle flag is a lot harder than the tuck flag, and for this reasonmanypeoplefinditverydifficulttoworkwith.TocompensateforthisIliketojumpinto the positionwith asmuch force as possible. This allows you to instantlyarrive in the straddle flag position and try and get a feeling of what kind ofstrengthitrequires.Inmyjourneywiththeflagthiswasthemethodthathelpedmeoutthemost,asitallowedmystrengthtodevelopslowlyandalsoallowedmetoworkwiththenegativephaseofthemovement.Again,youshouldaimforatotaltimeof10to15secondshere,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.Onceyoucanperformtheexerciseforthetotaltimeinoneset,thenmoveontothenextstage.

HumanflagOnce thestraddleflagstartsbecomingeasier,wecanattempt tomoveinto theproper human flag position where the legs are held together and the body iscompletehorizontal.Again,goingfromthestraddlepositiontolegstogetherisveryintense,sotakeyourtime.1.Toperformthehumanflagstartintheverticalorstraddleflagposition.2. From the vertical flag, push and pull hard until you reach a horizontalposition.From the straddle flag slowlybringyour legs together.Youcan alsojump into the position the same as before. Pointing your toes will help tocontractyourmusclesandmaintaintheposition.3. Hold this for as long as possible. Again, make sure you work both sidesequally.TeachingpointsAgain,youshouldaimforatotaltimeof10to15secondshere,inasmanysetsasittakesyou.

17.FloorcoreexercisesAlthoughitmaylookliketheupperbodyiskingwhenitcomestocalisthenics,therealworkhorsemusclegroupisactuallythecore.Thetrunkortorsohousesallofthemusclesthatacttostabilisethespine,anditisalsothelinkbetweentheupperbodyandlowerbody.Asimpleglanceatanexerciseliketheplancheorthe front lever should reinforcewhy the core is so important in these typesofhighlevelmovements.Thecoreactsasahomepointorfoundationfortheupperbodytopullorpushfrom,andforthelowerbodytojump,squatandleapfrom.Asanathleteyoucouldhave the strongestupperbodyand lowerbodyon theplanet,butifyoucannotconnectthemwithastrongcorethenitisuseless.Traditionally the core has been trained with crunches, sit-ups, and othermovementsthataremoresuitedformanyrepetitions.Whohasn’theardofsomecelebrityorotherboastingabouthowtheydo1000crunchesaday?Whilstthismaybegoodfortheiregos,itisnexttouselessfordevelopingstrength.Thecoremusclesaremuscles likeanyother,and togetstronger theresistance that theycontractagainsthastoincreasewithtime.However,thecoreisnotabodypartlike thearmsor the legs.Thearmsand legscanbemovedaround indifferentdirections,cangraborholdontobarsandotherobjects,andtherefore itseemslikestrengthwouldbedifficulttobuildinthecore.As usual, the key to developing strength using bodyweight exercises andcalisthenicsliesinknowingwhatexercisestoperformandhowtoperformthem.YouwillremembertheprincipleofdecreasedleveragethatItalkedaboutintheintroduction; well this is where that principle really comes into play. As wecannot addweight to thecore, andaswearenotusinganymachinesorotherfancy equipment, we will use decreased leverage to progressively make theexercisesinthecoresectionmoreandmorechallenging,sothateventuallyyoucanbuildanabsolutelybombproofcore.Donotbeunderanyillusions;onceyoucanperformsomeofthemoreadvancedexercisesinthissectionyouwillhavemorecorestrengththanyoueverthoughtpossible.Asalastnote,doingcoreworkalonewillnotdevelopasixpack,nomatterwhatyouhavebeentoldbyvariousfitness“experts”.Burningfatoffoneareaofthebody in particular, known as “spot reducing”, does not and cannot happen.Agooddiet,andagoodconditioningregimearetheonlythingsthatworkifyou

wishtoreducetheamountofbodyfatthatyouhave.

PlankThefirstexercise thatwearegoingto lookat in thissection,andtheonecoreexercisethatmostpeoplearefamiliarwith,istheplank.Asthenamesuggests,thisexerciserequiresyoutoholdyourbodyinarigid,“plank”likeposition,foraslongasyoucan.Thisisanotherstaticorisometricexercisesowewillnotbeperformingsetsandrepetitionshere,butholdtimesinstead.1.Toperformtheplankplaceyourforearmsonthefloor,orplaceyourhandsonthefloorasyouwoulddoforanormalpush-up.2.Stretchyourfeetoutbehindyouandthenbalanceonyourtoes.3.Now raiseyour hips upuntil your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles are inline.Holdthispositionforaslongaspossible.TeachingpointsOne of the biggest issues formany people startingwith the plank is that theyhaveanarchin the lowerback.Thiswillbeseenasahollowshapewhere thebackmeetsthehips,andisasignofweaknessinthecore.Itisalsocommonforwomentohaveanexaggeratedhollow,simplybecauseoftheirbodyshapeandbone structure. To rectify this, try and squeeze your abdominals as hard aspossible,andtuckyourbumunderneathyourhips.Thisshouldacttoflattenoutthelowerbackandisastrongerpositiontobein.Intermsofholdtimes,tobeginwith,simplytryandholdthepositionfor3setsof 20 seconds.As this becomes easier, increase thehold times as long as youcan.

SideplankThesideplank is thegateway to theobliquegroupofexercises, and isalmostexactly same as the normal plank we have already looked at, but just in adifferentbodyorientation.Again,thisisastaticexercise,sothatmeansthatyouwillperformthemovementforasetholdtimeinsteadofsetsandrepetitions.1.Toperform thesideplank,placeone forearmon thegroundandstretchoutyourlegsatninetydegreestothisarm.2.Placeyourbottomfooton itsside,and thenplaceyourother footon topofthis.3. Now raise your hips up until a straight line can be drawn through yourshoulders,hips,knees,andankles.Yourtorsoshouldbesquareontothegroundandyoushouldfeeltensioninyouroblique’sclosesttotheground.4.Nowhold this position for as long as possible.Be sure to switch sides andworktheoppositeobliqueaswell.TeachingpointsIntermsofholdtimes,tobeginwith,simplytryandholdthepositionfor3setsof 20 seconds.As this becomes easier, increase thehold times as long as youcan.

CrunchAlthoughImentionedthecrunchinderogatorytermsintheintroductiontothissection, nevertheless it is still a useful exercise to start building a little corestrengthwith, and is easily achievable by themajority of people, even if theyhavenotraininghistorywhatsoever.1.Toperformthecrunch,lieonyourbackwithyourkneesbentataroundninetydegreesandyour feet flaton the floor.Youmaywish to tuckyour toesundersomethingsolidtostopthemmoving.2.Crossyourarmsoverandfoldtheminfrontofyourchest.3.Fromhere,curlyourshouldersandupperbackoffthegroundandmoveyourchest towards your knees. Stopwhen your upper andmiddle back are off theground,anddonotletyourlowerbackcomeoffthefloor.4.Thenloweryourshouldersdowntotheground.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsIn terms of sets and reps, because of the simple nature of this exercise, youshouldbeabletocrankoutafairnumberofthese.Aimfor3to4setsofatleast20repstostartwith,andonceyoucandothismany,simplyincreasethenumberofyoufeelyoucan.

DishAfterlookingatthetwopreviousmovements,whicharequitesimpleinnatureandwellknownintheexercisecommunity, thisnextoneisa little lessknownandcanbemuchmoredifficult.Thedishisverycommoningymnasticscircles,andisbothanexerciseandabodyposition.Thenamecomesfromtheshapethatthe body is held in, being a shallow "U" shape, similar to an actual dish. Itengagesandrequires theuseofallof theabdominalmuscles,andalso teachesyoutokeepthespineinastableposition,whichisarequiredskillformanyoftheotherhighlevelcalisthenicmovements.1.Toperformthedish,lieonyourbackwithyourlegsstraightandyourarmsbyyoursides.2.Liftyourshouldersandupperbackoff thefloor,and liftyourhandsoff theground.3.Nowliftyourlegsoffthefloor,ensuringthatyoulowerbackandmiddlebackdonot leavetheground.Thinkaboutpressingyourspinedownashardasyoucan,ordrawingyourbellybuttontowardstheground.4.Nowholdthispositionforaslongaspossible.TeachingpointsFormanypeopleattempting thedish for the first time, theywill find italmostimpossibletokeeptheirentirebackincontactwiththegroundforthedurationof the exercise. Tomake the exercise simpler, all you have to do is bend thekneesandkeepmoreoftheweightofthelegsclosertothetorso.Then,asyougetstronger,youcanstartstraighteningthelegsuntiltheyarecompletelylockedout.In addition,whenyouget comfortableperforming thedishwithyour armsbyyoursides,youcanraisethemaboveyourheadandstickthembackoutbehindyou.Thisstretches thecoreoutevenfurtherand increases thedifficultyof theexerciseagain.Intermsofsetsandholdtimes,youshouldtryandholdthispositionfor3setsof

10secondstostartwith,andthentryandsteadilyincreasetheholdtimesasyougetstronger.

V-upOnceyouhavegotten someexperienceperforming thedish,wecanaddsomemovementintoittomakeitalittlemoreinteresting.Thev-upisacombinationofadish,sit-up,andlegextension,andwilltestyourstrength,balance,andco-ordination.1.Toperformthev-up,getintothedishpositionwithyourarmsbyyoursides.2.Fromhere,raiseyourtorsoofftheground,usingyourabdominalstodoso.3.At thesame time,bendyourkneesandbringyour legs toyourchest.Keepyourarmsstretchedoutinfronttoaidyourbalance,andtryandkeepyourspineasstraightaspossible.4.Fromthistopposition,reversethemovementuntilyoureachthedishpositiononcemore.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsIntermsofsetsandreps,tostartwithtryandperform3setsof10reps,aimingto get as much control and into the movement as possible. As this becomeseasier,increasethenumberofrepsasmuchasyoucan.

Sit-upThesit-upisanotherexercisethatshouldbewellknowntomanyofyou,evenifyouhavenotexercisedbeforeortrainedusingcalisthenics.Itcanbethoughtofasanextensionofthecrunch,andusesthecoremuscles,andtosomeextentthehipflexors,toliftthetorsoofftheground.1.Toperform the sit-up, lieonyourbackandpositionyourknees at aninetydegree angle.You can hook the feet under something solid here to help keepthemontheground.Atrainingpartnercanalsoholdyourankles.2.Positionyourfingertipsonyourtemplesandlayyourarmsbacksothatyourelbowstouchtheground.Thisisthestartposition.3.Fromhere,contractyourcoremusclesstronglyanddrawyourselfupasfarasyoucan.Asyoudo sobringyour elbows forwarduntil they touchorgooveryourknees.Thisisthetopofthemovement.4.Fromthispositionloweryourselfbackdownagaintothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsFormanypeople,sittingupfullyandgettingtheelbowsallofthewayoverthekneeswillbetoodifficult.Tostartwith,simplysitupasfarasyouareableto,thenasyougetstrongermaketherangeofmotionlargeruntilyoucanperformthemovementproperly.Intermsofthesetsandreps,tryanddo3setsof20repstostartwith,andthenasyougetstrongerincreasethenumberofrepsbyasmuchasyoucan.

LyinglegextensionThe lying leg extension is a mixture between the dish and the hanging kneeraise,andisverygoodfortargetingthelowerabdominalsalittlemorethantheothercoreexercises.Again,aswiththedish,themainpointtothismovementistokeepthelowerandmiddlebackpressedintothegroundashardasyoucan.1.Toperform the lying leg raise, lieonyourbackand liftyourshouldersandupperbackoffthefloor,asyoudidinthedish.Tuckyourkneesintoyourchest.Thisisthestartposition.2.Fromhere, start to extend your legs out until they become straight and theknees lock out.Keep your feet as close to the ground as you can all thewaythrough themovement.Ensure that your entire spine stays firmly pressed intothegroundatalltimes.3.From the extendedposition, bringyour legs in slowlyuntil they are tuckedintoyourchestagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAs beforewith the dish, if you find that your back comes away for the floorwhenyouextendthelegs,simplyextendthelegsoutasfarasyoucanuntilyourbackstartstocomeawayfromtheground.Thiswillbethelimitofyourstrengthfor that particular session. As you get stronger you can extend the legs outfurtherandfurtheroneachrepetition.Forthesetsandrepshere,startbydoing3to4setsof10to15reps,andthenincreasethenumberofrepsyoudoasyougetstronger.

ExtendedplankThe plank, which was the first exercise shown in this section, is good forbeginners,butwecanstilluseavariationof it tokeepbuildingmorestrength.Tomaketheexercisemorechallengingallwehavetodoistomovethehandsand feet further apart. This stretches out the core and forces it to becomestrongertoholdtheposition.Asimilarprincipleisseenwithbridges.Thewidertheriverabridgehastospan,thestrongerthebridgehastobe.1.Toperformtheextendedplank,getintothepush-upposition.2.Nowstart towalkthehandsawayfromthefeet,untilyouareinastretchedoutposition.Keepthelowerbackflatandtheheadlookingdownattheground.Ideallyyoushouldkeepmovingthehandsandfeetfurtherandfurtherapartuntilyourentirebodyisonlyafewinchesfromthefloor.3.Holdthispositionforaslongaspossible.Aimtomakeithardenoughsoyoufailataround10to15seconds.TeachingpointsIfyoustruggletoperformtheextendedplankwithyourwholebodyonlyafewinchesfromtheground,justwalkyourhandsandfeetasfarapartasyoucan.Asyougetstronger,movethemprogressivelyfurtherapartuntilyoureachtheendgoal.Withthesetsandrepshere,theaimistobuildasmuchstrengthaspossible.Thismeansthathold timesof30secondsorsoarenotreallyworth it.Youneedtomakethemovementhardenoughsothatyoustarttofailataround10secondsorso. If you find that you can carry onmore than 10 seconds, thenmove yourhandsandfeetfurtherapart.Doing3to4setshereisalsorecommended.

ArchThe arch is the first exercisewe are going to look at in this core section thatinvolvesthemusclesofthelowerbacktoalargedegree,andalthoughitlooksrelativelysimple,manypeoplearecaughtoutby itsdifficulty. It isanunusualpositionformostpeopletoexertmuscularforcein,andthisisprobablywhyitcan feel somewhat awkward when first trying it. This movement is also thecompleteoppositetothedishpositionandexercisethatwelookedatearlier,andusesprettymuchtheopposingmusclegroupsaswell.1. To perform the arch, lie face down on the ground with your arms bent atninety-degreesandheldouttothesides.2.Contractyourback,bum,andlegmuscles,andraiseyourtorsooffthefloorasfar as possible. Squeeze your shoulder blades together hard. You should betryingtomakeashallow“U”shape,muchlikeyouwereinthedish.3.Nowholdthispositionaslongaspossible.TeachingpointsOnce thenormal arch starts tobecome too easy, you canmake themovementmorechallengingbyextendingyourarmsout in frontofyou in thesamewaythatthedishcanbemademoredifficultbystraighteningthearmsaswell.Thiscausesthemusclesoftheupperbacktoworkharder,aswellasmovingmoreofthebodyweightawayfromyourcentreofgravity.Intermsofthenumberofsetsandrepstoperform,startwith3setsof10secondholdsandthensteadilyincreasefromthere.

RearsupportThe rear support isanotherexercise taken from thegymnasticsworld,but thatfitsinwithcalisthenicsperfectly.Therearsupportiskindoftheoppositebodypositiontothepush-up,butbecauseofthewaythebodyisconstructed,therearsupportismuchhardertoholdthanthefamiliarpush-upposition.1.Toperformtherearsupport,sitdownonthefloorwithyourlegsstretchedoutinfrontofyou.2.Placeyourhandsbyyourhipswithyourfingersfacingforwards.Fromhere,pushuphardwithyourarmsandraiseyourhipsashighasyoucan.3.Theaimistogettheshoulders,hips,knees,andanklesallinastraightline,withyourchestandstomachfacingthesky.Onceyouareinthispositionholditforaslongaspossible.TeachingpointsOnce the rearsupportbecomesquiteeasywithyour feeton the floor,youcanstart to elevate your feet by placing themon a platformor box of somekind.This will put more of your bodyweight onto the target muscles and reallyrequiresyoutocontractyourlowerbackhard.Youshouldstartbytryingtoholdthepositionfor3setsof10seconds,withnodroppingofthehips.Steadilybuildyourholdtimesfromthere.

DragonflagThelastexerciseinthisfloorcoreexercisesectioniscalledthedragonflag.ThedragonflagwasmadefamousbyBruceLee(whichiswhyitiscalledthedragonflag), and requiresvery littleequipmentandprovidesabitofvariety from theother static core exercises in this chapter. Youwill need something solid andimmovablethatyoucanholdonto,suchastheuprightofagymmachine,orabedpost.Experimenttofindasuitablelocation.Thedragonflagalsogivesyouanideaofwhatitislikeforyourcoretosupporttheentireweightofyourlowerbody,andisagoodsupplementalexerciseforusewiththefrontlever.Likewiththeothermorechallengingmovementsinthisbook,itisbesttobreakthe dragon flag down into manageable chunks to make it easier to progress.Therearefivestagestothisandtheyare:

Thecandlestick

ThetuckeddragonflagThesinglelegdragonflagThenegativedragonflagThedragonflag

CandlestickThefirststageinlearningthedragonflagistobeabletogetyourbodyintothetop position, or what I call the candlestick. This involves balancing on yourshoulders andholding your legs vertically upright. It is quite daunting but theactualpositionisverysafe.Intermsoftheequipmentneeded,youwillwanttouseeitheramatorsomethingsofttopadtheundersideofyourshouldersandbackoftheneck,asyourentirebodyweightwillbesupportedonthemhere.IoftenalsouseasmallboxtoraisemyselfoffthegroundsothatIfeelalittlelesshinderedbythefloor.Youshouldalsoplacethematorboxyouareusingjustshortofyourarmsreachaway from thebarorobject thatyouwillbeholdingonto.This is so thatyouwillbeable togetsome tension in thearmsandsupport the restofyourbodyadequately.1.Toperformthecandlestick,liedownandplaceyourshouldersonthegroundoralowplatform.Youcanuseamatheretoprotectyourneckandshouldersifyoulike.2.Reachbehindyouandgrabholdofthebarortheobjectyouareusing.3. From here, tuck your knees into your chest and pull yourself up onto yourshouldersuntilyourtorsobecomesvertical.Nowtryandextendyourlegsfullyuntil your knees are locked out. Point your toes to help align the body andgeneratemusculartension.Holdthispositionforaslongasyoucan.TeachingpointsForthisstageallyoushouldbeconcernedaboutisspendingtimeinthepositiontoget comfortable supportingyourselfonyour shoulders. Iwould recommendholdingthecandlestickpositionaslongasyoucan,thenrestingfor45secondsorso,andthendoing4moresets.Keepdoingthisuntilyouareconfident,andthenmoveontothenextstage.

TuckeddragonflagAfteryouhaveperfectedbalancingonyourshouldersyoushouldstart toworkwith the tuckedversionof themovement.This is simplywhereyouwill keepyourkneestuckedintoyourchestandworkwiththecompletemovement.1.Toperformthetuckeddragonflag,laydownwithyourarmsoveryourhead.Graspthebarorobjectyouareusingwithastronggrip.Youmaywishtouseamattoprotectthebackofyourneck.Youshouldbefarenoughawayfromtheobjectyouareholdingforyourarmstobeslightlybent.2.Fromhere,raiseyour legsandtorsooff theflooruntilyourfeetarepointedtowardtheceiling.Youshouldbebalancingonyourshoulderswithyourtorsoverticalandyourkneestuckedintoyourchest.3. From this vertical position, start to pivot around your shoulders and loweryourentirebodydowntowardstheground.4.Keepgoinguntilyourlowerbacknearlytouchestheground,andthenreversethe movement until your torso becomes vertical again. This counts as onerepetition.TeachingpointsIntermsofsetsandreps,youshouldbeaimingtoperform4setsof5to6repshere.Thedragonflag ismeant tobeastrengthbuildingmovement, so the reprangeneeds tobekept lower thansomeof theothercoreexerciseswithin thissection.

Single-legdragonflagThesingle-legdragonflagishalfwaybetweenthetuckedvariationandthefullvariation,andassuchisthenextstageinyourdragonflagtraining.1. To perform the single-leg dragon flag, lay downwith your arms over yourhead.Graspthebarorobjectyouareusingwithastronggrip.Youmaywishtouseamattoprotectthebackofyourneck.Youshouldbefarenoughawayfromtheobjectyouareholdingforyourarmstobeeitherslightlybentorcompletelystraight.2.Fromhere,raiseyourlegsandtorsoofftheflooruntilyouarepositionedinacandlestick.Now tuckone leg tightly intoyour chestwhilst keeping theotherperfectlystraight.3. From this vertical position, start to pivot around your shoulders and loweryourentirebodydown towards thegroundasslowlyaspossible.Keepasolidgrip on the supporting bar or object that you are using.Do not let yourwaistbend at all during this movement. It is very important that all the movementoccursfromyourupperbody.4.Keeploweringyourselfdown,untilyourentirebodytouchestheground.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

NegativedragonflagOnceyouhaveworkedhardenoughwiththetuckeddragonflagandsingle-legdragon flag, you can start to extend the legs out until your body is in acompletely straight line. This stage has youworkingwith negatives until youhavebuiltenoughstrengthtoperformthemovementfully.1. To perform the negative dragon flag, lay down with your arms over yourhead.Graspthebarorobjectyouareusingwithastronggrip.Youmaywishtouseamattoprotectthebackofyourneck.Youshouldbefarenoughawayfromtheobjectyouareholdingforyourarmstobeeitherslightlybentorcompletelystraight.2.Fromhere,raiseyourlegsandtorsoofftheflooruntilyouarepositionedinacandlestick.Youshouldbebalancingonyourshoulderswithyourtorsoandlegscompletelyvertical.3. From this vertical position, start to pivot around your shoulders and loweryourentirebodydown towards thegroundasslowlyaspossible.Keepasolidgrip on the supporting bar or object that you are using.Do not let yourwaistbend at all during this movement. It is very important that all the movementoccursfromyourupperbody.4.Keeploweringyourselfdown,untilyourentirebodytouchestheground.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAswithothernegative typemovements in thebook,suchas theone-armpull-up, thestressesandstrainsonthemuscles, tendons,andligamentscanbeveryhigh, so do not be concerned about performing lots and lots of reps of thisvariation.Iwouldrecommenddoing5setsof2to3reps,andifyougoslowlyenoughinthenegatives,thenthatshouldbeplentytogetthemusclesworking.

DragonflagAfteryouhavespentenoughtimedoingnegatives,andthemovementdowntothe ground has gotten slower andmore controlled, it will be time for you tomoveontothelaststage,whichistoperformthemovementproperly.1.Toperformthedragonflag,laydownwithyourarmsoveryourheadandgetintothecandlestickposition.2.From this vertical position, start to pivot around your shoulders and loweryourentirebodydowntowardstheground.Keepasolidgriponthesupportingbar or object that you are using.Do not let yourwaist bend at all during thismovement. It is very important that all themovement occurs fromyour upperbody.3.Keeploweringyourselfdown,untilyourentirebodyishorizontalandyouareacoupleofinchesfromtheground.4. Now pull back up to the start position, keeping your body as straight aspossiblethroughouttheentiremovement.Youshouldtryandkeepanybendatthewaistfromhappening.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsThewholepoint of the dragon flag is to challenge the core tomove thebodywhilst it is in a straight line. You must aim to pivot the body around theshoulders andkeep the spineas straight aspossible at all times.This is easiersaidthandonehowever,andthereareanumberofthingsthatcangowrong:Firstly, it is extremely common to see themovement being initiated from thehipsor the lowerbody. It is vital that thewholebodymoves as a singleunit,with the toes, knees, hips, waist, and torsomoving in a straight line with nokippingorwhatIcall"worming",whereonepartofthebodymoves,andthenanother,andthenanother.Secondly, you may have the situation where your core is strong enough tohandle themovement but your upper body is not; in otherwords, you cannotsupport yourself properly on the bar or object that you are holdingwith yourhands. To rectify this simply spend more time doing upper body pulling

exercisesandyourstrengthwillincrease.Lastly,youmaynotbeloweringyourselfdownuntilyourbodyishorizontal.Itisalltooeasytothinkthatyourbodyisintherightposition,butthetruthofthemattermaybeverydifferentindeed.Doingthemovementinfrontofamirror,orgetting a training partner to help you, or even filming yourself can be a greathelphere,asusinganyof thesemethodswill tellyoustraightawaywhetherornotyouaredoingitcorrectly.Intermsofsetsandreps,againthisismeanttobeastrengthbuildingexercise,so there isnoneed(andyoumaynotbeable toperform) lotsand lotsof repswithout tiring. I would go for 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 5 good, slow, controlledrepetitions.

DragonflagswimmersOnce you have gotten used to performing the dragon flag, you canmake it alittle more difficult by performing a swimming motion with the legs whilstholdingtheposition.Theseswimmersareverytough,asyourcoremuscleswillhavetonotonlyholdtheposition,buttomoveyourlegsaswell.1.Toperformthedragonflagswimmer,getintoacandlestickpositionandthenlowerdownintoahorizontalposition.2.Nowmoveyourlegsupanddown,likeyouareswimming.Tryandkeepyourkneeslockedasmuchasyoucan.3.Keepdoingthisaslongasyoucanandtheneitherraiseyourselfbackupintothecandlestickposition,orsimplydropyourfeetdowntothegroundandrest.

18.LegraiseexercisesThesecondgroupofcoreexercisesarethosethatcanbeperformedonapull-upbar.Theseareparticularlyeffectiveaswhen thebody is inahangingpositionthecoreisasstretchedoutasitcanbe,whichmeansthattocontractthemusclesfromthatpositionwillbemoredifficult,whichinturnbuildsmorestrength.Themovements in this section progress from the hanging knee raise, through thehanginglegraise,tothewindowwiper.

HangingkneeraiseThehangingkneeraiseisthefirstinthisgroupofexercisestobeperformedonapull-upbar.Thismeans that aswell as the core, your hands andgrip strengthwill be getting worked as well. The hanging knee raise is also the gatewayexercisetothecoremovementsperformedonthepull-upbar,andonceyouhaveperfectedthis,thenalotofothermovementswillopenthemselvesup.1.Toperformthehangingkneeraisegrabapull-upbarwithanoverhandgrip.Makesureyourarmsarestraightandyourlegsarehangingloosely.2.Usingyourcoremusclesraiseyourkneesupashighasyoucan,tuckingthemintoyourchestifyoucan.Tryandeliminateanyswingbypullingdownslightlywithyourarms.3.Loweryourlegsbackdowntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsTherearea fewthings thataredifficultabout thehangingkneeand legraises,andtheyareasfollows:Firstly,mostpeoplehaveaproblemwiththeirgrip,inthattheycannotholdontothebar longenough tostartworking thecoremuscles.Toremedy thiswecansimplyhangfromapull-upbarforasetamountoftime.Asyourgripstrengthincreasesyouwillbeabletoperformhangingkneeraisesmuchmoreeasily.Inaddition, your other training, like pull-ups, will also increase your strength inthisarea.Secondly, there is the issueofnothaving enoughcore strength to actually liftyour knees up.To address this, simply raise your knees up as far as you can.Over time, just like all of theother exercises, your strengthwill growand themovementwillbecomeeasier.Thirdly,thereistheissueofnotbeingabletocontrolyourswing,orofusingtoomuch momentum to raise the knees. To control excessive swinging you willneedtopulldownslightlywithyourarms.Thisshouldfeelverysimilar totheverticalpullsthatwelookedatinthefrontleversection.Thisshouldhelptoleanthebodybackslightly,whichwilleliminateanyswingthatmayoccur.

Lastlyyoumustbesuretotryanduseaslittlemomentumtoraisethekneesaspossible.Thismay feel tempting, especially in the early stageswhere you arestrugglingtoperformthemovementproperly,butitwillkillyourprogressinthelaterstages,andisbadhabittogetinto.In terms of sets and reps, start by trying to perform 3 or 4 sets of 8 for thisexercise.

HanginglegraiseOnce you have got to grips with the hanging knee raise, and you cancomfortablytuckyourkneesallthewayuptoyourchest,itistimetomoveontothenextstage,whichisthehanginglegraise.Theultimateaimofthisexerciseistohangfromabar,andwithstraightlegs,andthenraisethemupuntilyourtoesreachyourhands.Thismovementrequiresbothastrongcoreandflexibility.1.Toperformthehanginglegraise,graspapull-upbarwithanoverhandgripandhangwithyourarmscompletelystraight.2. Pull down slightly with your arms to keep the momentum to a minimum.From here start to raise your legs up as high as you canwhilst keeping yourkneeslockedout.3.Keepraisingyourlegsuntilyourfeetreachyourhands.4.Loweryourlegsslowlyuntiltheyreachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAtfirstyoumaynothavethestrengthtoraiseyourlegsallofthewaytoyourhands.Ifthisisthecasejustraisethemasfarasyoucan.Youwillgetstrongerovertime,andeventuallyyouwillbeabletoraisethemalloftheway.Ifyou find thatyoucannot eliminate themomentum,oryou find thatyouareswingingexcessivelywhenperformingtheexercise,havesomeonepushonthebackofyourshoulders.Thiswillstopyoufrombeingabletopulldown,whichallows your shoulders tomove back,whichmakes the exercise easier.As forsets and reps, you should be aiming to perform at least 4 sets of 8 repseventually.

WindowwipersWindow wipers are an awesome variation on the hanging leg raise and theyrequireahugeamountofabdominalstrength.Beforeyouattemptthismovementyoushouldmakesurethatyoucanperformaproperfullhanginglegraiseandbeabletogetyourtoestothebarquiteeasily.1.Toperformthewindowwiper,hangfromapull-upbarwithanoverhandgrip.Raiseyourtoesuptothebar,keepingyourlegsasstraightasyoucan.2. From here,move your legs over to one side, aiming to keep your arms asstraightaspossible.Keepthetoesinlinewiththepull-upbaratalltimes.3.Keepmovingyourlegsoverasfarasyourflexibilitywillallow.Thenmovethemovertotheoppositesideandrepeatthemovement.TeachingpointsOneofthemainproblemsthatpeoplerunintowhentryingtoperformwindowwipers,isthattheycannotkeepthelegscloseenoughtothebartocompletethemovement.Topracticethis,simplyperformalegraiseandholdyourfeetatthetopofthepositionforaslongasyoucan.Intermsofsetsandrepsyoushouldtryandperform3or4setsofatleast6repsforthismovement.

19.LowerbodyexercisesAssaid in the introduction, traditionally the lowerbodyhasnotbeen themostwidely trained body part for many calisthenic enthusiasts over the years, buthopefullyIcanhelptochangethatview.Infact,insomesimilarbooksonthissubjectofbodyweighttraining,thelowerbodyisnotevenmentioned,withtheemphasis on the development of the upper body and core being the mostimportantthing.Ireallydisagreewiththis,asinmymindcalisthenicsshouldbeabout developing a complete physique, which is capable of performing thewidestrangeofmovementpossibleinthegreatestnumberofsituations.Thisiswhythelowerbodymustbeincluded.In this next section I have chosen to include both exercises that develop purestrengthandalsothosethatdeveloppower.Itisallwellandgoodtobuildhugeamountsofstrength,butthatstrengthmustbeabletobeputtogooduse,asinbeingabletojumplongdistancesorjumpontoahighplatformorotherobject.

SquatThesquatisoneofthesimplestandmostfundamentalhumanmovements,andhasbeenperformedforas longaswehavebeenaroundasaspecies.AsMarkRippetoe observes, in his book Starting Strength, it involves a vital part ofathleticpreparation,which ishipdrive.Hipdriveconsistsof two things:kneeextension, and hip extension. This means that both angles of those joints getbigger.Kneeextensioninvolvesthemusclesfromthequads,orthefrontofthethigh, and hip extension uses three groups of muscles, which are the glutes,hamstrings,andadductors.1. To perform the squat, standwith your heels shoulderwidth apart and yourhandsfoldedacrossyourchestorheldoutinfrontofyou.Yourtoesshouldbepointedoutataround30degrees,althoughthiswilldifferslightlydependingonyourphysiologyandflexibility.2. Bend at the knees keeping your back as straight as possible and your eyeslooking forward. Push your hips back and down at the same time. As youdescend, push your knees out and let your hips drop between the gap in yourknees.Alsomakesurethatyourfeetstayasflataspossible,withnopartofthesolecomingofftheflooratanytime.3.Keepsquattingdownuntil thehipjointislevelwiththekneejoint.Refertothefollowingpicturestoseewherethisshouldbe.4.Fromthisbottomposition,drivethehipsupuntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsThesquatisquiteacomplexmovement,withalotofinterplaybetweenmusclesandjointsandisactuallyquiteeasytogetwrong.Squatsalsorequireagreatdealof flexibility,even if theydonot look like theydo. Ifyoucannotgetyourhipjointlowenoughtobecomelevelwithyourkneejoint,thenjustsquatdownaslowasyoucan.Asyourstrengthandflexibilityincreaseswithtime,youwillbeabletodescendlowerandlower.

Inaddition,thesquatisalsooneofthefundamentalfivemovementsthatItalkedabout in the introductory section. The target is to be able to do 25 perfectrepetitions,sotostartIwouldrecommendtrying3to4setsof10andthenbuildfromthere.

LungeWhilst squats are good for developing mobility and strength in a stationaryposition, we can use lunges to develop power and strength in amore naturalrunning gait. You can either concentrate on one leg at a time or alternatebetween left and right. In my experience most people find these marginallyharderthanthesquat,asmorepressureisplacedononelegateachtime.1. To perform the lunge, standwith your feet shoulderwidth apartwith yourhandsbyyoursides.2.Stepforwardwithonelegasifyouweretakingabigstride.Makesurethattheheelhitsthegroundfirstfollowedbytherestofthefoot.3. From this position bend both legs until your rear knee nearly touches theground. Try and keep your torso as upright as possible throughout the entiremovement.4.Fromthisbottompositionyoucaneitherpushdownhardwiththefrontfootandreturnbacktothestandingposition,ORyoucanpushoffhardwiththerearleg and step forward.The firstmethodcanobviouslybeperformed in a smallarea,asyouareessentiallystandinginonespot,butthesecondrequiresalittlebitofspaceasyouwillneedtomoveforwards.5.Makesurethatyoualsousebothlegsanequalamount,asyoudonotwanttodevelopanystrengthimbalances.TeachingpointsAswithmanyof theotherexercises, ifyoucannotdropyourkneetothefloorthenjustworkwithareducedrangeofmotion.Asyourstrengthbuildsyouwillbe able to drop lower and lower,which acts to stretch out themuscles in thelower body and themovement should becomemore effective. You should beabletoperform3or4setsof10lungesoneachlegwithouttoomuchtrouble,evenifyouhaveonlyjuststartedtraining.

BridgeAnother exercise that we can use to target the rear of the lower body is thebridge.Thisisastaticexercise,whichmeansthatthereisnomovementinvolvedand that themuscleswill have to contract for agivenamountof time.This issimilarinprincipletotherearsupportthatwelookedatinthecoresectionofthebook,butthisexercisedoesnotrequiretheuseoftheupperbody.1.Toperformthebridge,layonyourbackwithyourfeetflatonthefloor,kneesatninetydegrees.2.Keepingyourshoulderspressedfirmlyintotheground,raiseyourhipsupashighaspossible.Aimtogetyourknees,hips,andshouldersintoastraightline.3.Nowholdthispositionaslongasyoucan.Aimtoholditfor3or4setsofatleast20seconds.

Single-legbridgeTomakethismovementharderyoucansimplyperformitwithonlyonelegonthegroundandtheotherstickingupintotheair.Thisputsaddedstressnotonlyon the glutes and the hamstrings but also the core, as it is forced to fight thetwistingmotionofthebody.1.Toperformthesinglelegbridge,layonyourbackwithyourfeetflatonthefloor,kneesatninetydegrees.2.Keepingyourshoulderspressedfirmlyintotheground,raiseyourhipsupashighaspossible.Aimtogetyourknees,hips,andshouldersintoastraightline.3.Nowholdthispositionaslongasyoucan.Aimtoholditfor3or4setsofatleast20seconds.

CalfraiseThecalvesareinvolvedinsquatsandlungesandalllowerbodymovements,butwecanusea specific exercise towork them in isolation.This isuseful ifyoufeelthattheotherlowerbodyexercisesdonotworkthemenough,orifyoufeelyourcalfdevelopmentislacking.1.Toperform thecalf raise, simplystandwithyour feet shoulderwidthapart,makingsurethatyouhavesomethingtoholdontoifyourbalanceisnotgreat.2. Fromhere, contract your calfmuscleshard and raiseyourself upontoyourtoesashighasyoucan.3.Thenlowerbackdowntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsToincreasetheresistancehereyoucansimplyaddweighttothemovementbyholdingaweightineachhand.Dumbbellsorkettlebellsareexcellentforthisandcanbefoundinmanydifferentweightsinanygym.Alternatively,youcanjustgeta trainingpartner to jumponyourback,whichwill increase the resistancegreatly.Also,youcanperformthemovementwhilstinacrouchingposition,asshowninthefollowingpictures.Intermsofsetsandrepsyoushouldtrytoperform3to4setsof10.Makesurethatyouperformthemovementasslowlyaspossible.

Single-legsquatOnceyouhaveperfectedthenormalsquatyoucanstarttrainingforthesingle-legsquat,orSLSasitissometimesabbreviatedto.Thisisexactlywhatthetitlesuggests;atrue,unassistedsquatusingasingleleg.Itrequiresahugedealoflegstrength,nottomentionbalance,musclecontrol,andactiveflexibility.Liketheone-arm push-up and the one-arm pull-up, the single-leg squat is a unilateralexercise,andassuch,buildshugeamountsofstrengthandathleticproficiency.Ihave broken the movement down into four different stages, and these are:Assistedsingle-legsquatSingle-legboxsquatSingle-legsquatWeightedsingle-legsquat

Assistedsingle-legsquatTostartyoursingle-legsquattrainingyouneedtobeabletoassistyourselfwithyour arms. There are a number of ways that this can be done, from using asuspensiontrainertoadoorframetoarandomgymmachine.Allthatisneededissimplysomethingthatyoucanholdontothatissturdyenoughforyoutopullon.1.Toperformtheassistedsingle-legsquat,assumeaone-footedstance.Grabtheapparatus you are usingwith both hands,making sure that you have a securehold.2.Extendyourfreelegandlockoutyourknee.Fromhere,starttobendyourlegandloweryourselfdowntotheground.3.Use your arms to support yourself and aid in your balance.Keep loweringdownuntilyoucannotgoanyfurther.Yourdepthherewilldependonanumberofthings,includingstrength,flexibility,andmobility.4. From the bottom position, push up hard with your leg until you reach thestanding position again. Use your arms asmuch as you need to assist you instandingupagain.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsWorking with the assisted single-leg squat is the same as any other assistedexercise.As youget stronger you can simply reduce the amount of assistancethatyouareusingandmovemoreoftheexerciseontothetargetmuscles.Intermsofsetsandreps,tryandperform3to4setsof5repsoneachleg,andthendomoreasyougetstronger.

Single-legboxsquatThesecondstageinlearningthesingle-legsquat,orSLS,istoreducetherangeof motion to allow yourself to get used to the balance and flexibilityrequirements.Youwillneedsomesortofboxorplatformforthis;thesameaswasusedforthepush-upvariations.1.To perform the single leg box squat, assume a one-footed stance on top ofyourbox.Holdyourarmsoutinfrontofyourselftoaidyourbalance.2.Keepingyourfreelegstraightandextended,starttobendyourkneeandstickyourhipsback.3.Keep squatting down as low as you can. Once you are sat down keep thetensiononthelegs.4.Fromhere,pushupharduntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAswithmanyoftheotherexercises,toprogresswiththeSLSyouneedtomakethemovementmoremanageable.Todothisyoucansimplyraisetheheightoftheboxyouareusing,asthiswillreducetherangeofmotionthatyouareusingandmaketheexerciseeasier.Asyougetstronger,reducetheheightoftheboxgradually.Tostartwith,tryandperform3to4setsof5repsoneachleg,andincreasethenumberasyougetstronger.

Single-legsquatOnceyouhavespentenoughtimewiththetwovariationspresentedsofaryouwillbereadytostartworkingonthefullversion.Thefullsingle-legsquatwillcallformoreflexibilityandmobility thantheothervariationslookedatsofar,anditwilllikelytakeyoualittlewhiletoperfectthemovement.1.Toperformthesingle-legsquat, standonone legwith theother legheldashorizontalaspossible.2.Squatdownonthegroundedleg,keepingyourheelonthefloor.Puttingyourarmsoutinfrontofyoucanhelpwithbalance.3.Onceyougettothebottomofthemovement,pushbackupuntilyoureachthestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsThesinglelegsquatisaverychallengingexercise,butfortunatelywecanuseasimpletechniquewelookedatearliertohelp.Thebestwaytotrainthesingle-leg squat is by using negatives. This will involve simply doing the negativeportionof the squat, and then rollingbackwardsontoyourback to recover,orplacingyourotherfootdownonthegroundandstandingupwithtwolegs.Another technique that we can use is to place the working leg on a slopedplatform.Thiswillenableyoutoincreaseyourrangeofmotionevenifyouhavelowmobilityorflexibility.Intermsofsetsandreps,onceyougettothisstage,tryandperform3to4setsof5repsoneachleg,andonlyincreasethistoamaximumof8to10repsbeforemovingontotheweightedversion,whichisshownnext.

Weightedsingle-legsquatOnce you have become fairly proficientwith the normal single-leg squat, youcanaddsomeweight to theexercise tomake it a littlemorechallenging.Thiscan be done in a variety ofways but the best is probably to use a dumbbell.These can be found in a variety of weights in any commercial gym. Funnilyenough, some people actually find the weighted version of this movementslightlyeasier,astheweightcanacttohelpyourbalance.1.Toperformtheweightedsingle-legsquat,grasptheweightyouareusinginbothhandsandholditoutatarmslength.2.Standononelegandextendtheotheroutinfrontofyou.3.Fromhere,squatdownononelegasfarasyouareableto,aimingtogetyourhamstringtouchingyourcalf.Makesurethatyourfreelegstaysstraight.4.Tohelpyoubalance,usetheweightthatyouareholdinginyourhandsasacounterbalance.Forexample,ifyoufeelyourselffallingoverbackwards,movethe weight further forward. If you find yourself falling forwards, bring theweightclosertoyourtorso.5.Fromthebottompushdownhardwithyourleguntilyoureturntoastandingposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsItgoeswithoutsaying thatasyougetstrongerandmoreproficientyoushouldaddmoreweight.Keepprogressinglikethisaslongasyouneedto.Again,forsetsandrepsyoushould tryandhitat least3setsof5oneach leg, for3 to4sets.

HamstringcurlTraditionallythehamstringshavebeentrainedusingthesquatandlunge,asthequadswork togetherwith them to balance forces on each side of the knee. Inrecentyears ithasbeen invogue tousehamstringcurlmachines to isolate themuscleandapplyextraresistance.Thisisadequateformostpeople,butifweareseriousaboutdevelopingextremestrength thenweneedabetter exercise.Thehamstring curl is that such exercise. It is effectively a bodyweight biceps curlusing the hamstrings. It is an extremely toughmovement that can take a longtime tomaster, but once you canperforma fewperfect reps, your hamstringswillbeabsolutelybulletproof.Intermsofequipmentandapparatusneededforthismovement,youwillneedaplacewhereyoucankneeldownwithavertical torsoandsomething tosecureyourankles. It ispossible touse theundersideofa squat rack,adumbbell,orevenatrainingpartnerforthis.Experimentuntilyoufindasuitablelocation.Itisalsorecommendedthatyoupadthekneestoprotectthekneejoint.Asthis issuchahardmovementwewillbreakitdownagain intomanageablestagestomakeprogressioneasierandinjurylesslikely.Theseare:Piked hamstring curl Assisted hamstring curl Negative hamstring curlHamstringcurl

PikedhamstringcurlTheinitialstageinlearningthismovementistoattempttoreducetheloadonthehamstringswhilststillperformingtheexercise.Todothiswecansimplypike,orbend,atthehips.Thislessenstheamountofstressonthehamstringsandglutes,andalsoreducestherangeofmotionofthemovement.1. To perform the piked hamstring curl, secure your ankles and pad theundersideofyourknees.2.Bendforwardatthehipskeepingthethighsasverticalaspossible.Thebiggerthebendheretheeasierthemovementwillbe.3.Keepingtheangleatthehipsconsistent,starttoloweryourselfdowntowardstheground.Contractallofyourmusclesashardasyoucantogenerateasmuchmusculartensionaspossible.4.Assoonasyoutouchthegroundwiththeupperbody(orgetclosetotouchingit),curlyourselfbackuptothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAs you progress with the piked hamstring curl you should simply reduce thebendinthehips.Thiswillmakethemovementhardertoperform.Ontheotherendofthescale,ifyouneedtomaketheexerciseeasierthenjustmakethebendinthehipslarger.Forsetsandrepsitisadvisabletokeepthenumberofeachaslowasyoucan.Thestressonthehamstringswillbeextreme,soIrecommendaround3to4setsof3to5repstostartwith.Iwouldnotgoanyhigherthanthis,asthisismeanttobeastrengthbuildingexerciseandnotamuscularenduranceone.

AssistedhamstringcurlOnce you can perform a number of good repetitionswith the hips in a pikedposition, the timewillcome to startextending thehipsandattempting the fullmovement.The likelihood is thatyouwill still be tooweak to execute a solidrep,sointhisstagewewillusetheupperbodytoassistwiththeexercise.Inthisstagewewilllooktoeliminatethepikeorbendinthehipscompletely.Youwillmostlikelyfeelahugeamountofextratensionandstressinthelowerbackasaresultofthis,butthisistobeexpectedastheleverageisdecreasedtoverylowlevels.In this movement you will also be using the upper body to assist with theexercise.Thereareanumberofwaysofdoingthisbutoneofthesimplestistouseeitheraboxorraisedplatformonwhichtoplacethehands.Thiswayyourupperbodycanregulate thedifficultyof themovement through theentiretyoftheexercise.Experimenttocomeupwithalocationandmethodthatissuitablefor you. In the following pictures I have used a simple bar to help assist themovement.1.Toperformtheassistedhamstringcurl,secureyouranklesandpadtheundersideofyourknees.2.Ensure thatyourhipsarecompletelyopen,and that theshoulders,hips,andkneesformastraightline.3.Placeyourhandson theboxorobject thatyouareusingand start to loweryourselfdowntowardstheground.Keepasmuchtensionthroughoutthebodyaspossible.4.Asyoudescenduseyourhandsandupperbodytoreducetheamountofstressonthehamstrings.5.Onceyouget to thebottomof themovement,useyourupperbody topushhard against the box and contract your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back toreturntothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.Teachingpoints

Again,aswithothermethodsofthistype,youcanusetheupperbodytoassistless the stronger you get. Sets and reps should be the same as the previousvariation,being3to4setsof3to5repsatthemost.

NegativehamstringcurlThe third stage in our journey on learning the hamstring curl is the negativevariation.Thisusestothetriedandtestedmethodofthenegativephase,andisthelaststagebeforeworkingonthepropermovement.1. To perform the negative hamstring curl, secure your ankles and pad theundersideofyouknees.2.Keepingyourtorsoasstraightaspossible,starttobendyourkneesandloweryourbodydowntotheground.Tryandmakethismovementasslowaspossible.3.Clenchyour fists and attempt to generate asmuchmuscular tension as youcan.4.Assoonasyourtorsoreachestheground,placeyourhandsonthefloorandpushyourselfbackuptothestartposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAswiththeothernegativephasemethods,forthehamstringcurlyoushouldbelookingtoslowthemovementdownasyougetstronger.Youcanalsousetheupperbodylessandlesstohelpyoubackuptothestartposition.Setsandrepsshouldbeslightlylessthanthepreviousvariation,asthestressonthetargetmusclesismuchmoreextremethanbefore.Try3to4setsof1to3repsatthemost.

HamstringcurlOnceyouhavespentsometimewiththenegativevariationthenallthatremainsis to perform the movement without the help of the upper body. This is animmenselydifficultmovement, so takeyour timeandonlyprogresswhenyoufeelthatyouareready.1.Toperform thehamstringcurl, secureyouranklesandpad theundersideofyourknees.2.Putyourarmsacrossyourchestandkeepyourbodystraight.3. Lower down, pivoting from your knees until your torso nearly touches thefloor.Donotallowyourhipstobend.4.Fromhere,contractyourhamstrings,glutesandlowerbackhardtoreturntotheuprightposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsFor sets and reps for this movement I would simply do what you can. Thechancesare thatyouwill strugglemassively toperformdouble figures, so justconcentrateonthequalityofthemovementaboveallelse.Youshouldbeaimingtodo3setsof3to5repseventually,progressingonwardwhenyouareready.

20.ConditioningAlthoughconditioningwouldnottraditionallybeincludedinmanycalisthenicsworkouts, I think that it deserves a place in most peoples training regime.Conditioningcanbedefinedasthebody’sabilitytodoanimmenseamountofworkinashortperiodoftime.Therearetwotypesofcardiovascularfitnessthatwecanusetotrainourheartandlungsandvascularsystem.Oneisaerobicfitness,andtheotherisanaerobicfitness,andabriefexplanationofthemisasfollows:Aerobic exercise is that done in which energy is produced with the aid ofoxygen.Walkingandlightrunningareexamplesofthistypeofexercise.Anaerobicfitnessisthatwhichisdonewhereenergyisproducedwithouttheaidof oxygen. This form of exercise is extremely intense, extremely tiring, andreallytakesalotofmentalpoweranddeterminationtosmashthrough.Now,thisisnotabookaboutconditioning,itisaboutbuildingasmuchstrengthas physically possible using calisthenics training; however, being fit andconditioned makes your workouts easier and enables you to keep going forlonger,whichcanonlyleadtobetterresultsinashorterperiodoftime.Assuch,do not feel that you have to perform burpees or sprints every time you train.Once every one or twoweeks should be enough, and you can leave themoutaltogetherifyousowish.

StarjumpsStar jumps are a favourite exercise of militaries around the world. They arestraightforwardtoperform,canbemademoredifficultinanumberofways,andcanalsoactasagoodwarm-upexercise.1.Toperformstar jumps,standwithyourfeet togetherandyourarmsbyyoursides.2.Jumpupintotheair,andmoveyourfeetandarmsoutthesideasyoudoso.3.Keepmovingthefeetandarmsuntilyoulandonthegroundagain,bywhichpoint your feetwill bewidely spaced apart andyour armswill be raised overyourhead.4.Fromthisposition,jumpagainandbringyourfeetbacktothecentreandyourarmsbackdowntowardsyoursides.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsIn termsofsetsandrepshere, tryandperform3setsof20repsasfastasyoucan.Youcanalsotryanddoasmanyrepsinaspecifictimeperiodaspossible.Forexample,seehowmanyrepsyoucandoin3setsof60seconds.

JumpingsquatNormal bodyweight squats are awesome for developing lower body strength,andwecanuseavariationofthemforourconditioningaswell.Jumpsquatsareexactlywhattheysoundliketheywouldbe;squatswhereyoujumpatthetopofeachmovement.1.Toperformthejumpsquatstandwithyourfeetshoulderwidthapartandyourkneesslightlybent.2.Squatdownas lowasyoucan, using the same technique as for thenormalbodyweightsquat.3.Fromthisbottompositionpushuphardwiththelegs,andjumpashighasyoucanintotheair.4.As you land bend your knees to absorb the shock, and continue with theexercise.TeachingpointsForsetsandreps, tryanddo thesameasbeforefor thestar jumps,which is3setsof20 reps as fast asyoucan.Youcan also try anddo asmany reps in aspecifictimeperiodaspossible.Forexample,seehowmanyrepsyoucandoin3setsof60seconds.

JumpinglungeAswiththenormalbodyweightsquats,lungescanalsobeusedasanexcellentconditioning exercise. They are somewhat harder than jumping squats, as thefront legwill take thebruntof the force and impact asyou takeoff and land.Theycanbemadeeasierbynotdippingas lowoneach rep,but thiswillalsodiminishyourresults.1. To perform the jumping lunge stand with your feet in the extended lungepositionasshowninthepicture.2.Dropdownuntilyour rearknee isnearly touching theground.At thispointyourtorsoshouldbeuprightandbothofyourkneesshouldbeataroundninetydegrees.3.Fromhere,pushuphardwithbothofyourlegsandjumpintotheairashighasyoucan.4. Inmidair, switchyour legsaroundso thatyour front legmoves to the rearpositionandthebackmovestothefrontposition.5. Bend your knees to absorb the impact when you land, and then repeat forrepetitions.TeachingpointsAsjumpinglungesaresomewhatharderthanjumpingsquats,youwillwanttoperformslightlyfewerofthem.Try3setsof8repsoneachleg,andthenbuildupfromthere.Youcanofcoursedosetsforspecificamountsoftime,suchas3setsof40seconds,andsoon.

SquatthrustSquatthrustsarealittlemorechallengingthantheexerciseswehavelookedatsofar,andwillreallyhelpyoutogetyourheartrateup.Thesquatthrustisalsothefirstpartoftheburpee,whichwewilllookatinthissection,andsocanbeusedbythoseofyoulookingforaneasierexercisetogetstartedwith.Theyalsorequirealittlebitmoremobilitythantheotherconditioningexercisesthathavebeenpresentedsofar.1. To perform the squat thrust, crouch down and place your hands flat on thefloor.Thisisthestartandfinishposition.2. Fromhere, jumpyour feet into the air and extendyour legs out backwardsuntilyoulandinthetopofapush-upposition.3. From here, jump your feet into the air and return them to the crouchedpositionthatwestartedwith.Thiscountsasonerepetition.

TeachingpointsIn termsofsetsandrepshere, tryandperform3setsof20repsasfastasyoucan.Youcanalsotryanddoasmanyrepsinaspecifictimeperiodaspossible.Forexample,seehowmanyrepsyoucandoin3setsof60seconds.

MountainclimbersMountainclimbersareyetanothergoodconditioningexercisethatcanbeusedto increase fitness and burn body fat in a very effective way. They are verysimilar in principle to the squat thrust, and can simplybe thought of as a onelegged variation of that exercise.They are also easier than the squat thrust soyoushouldbeabletodomoreofthem.1.Toperform themountain climber, start in a push-uppositionbut place onefootneartothehands.Keepthearmsasstraightasyoucan.2.Fromhere,jumpintotheairandswitchlegs,sothatthefrontleggoestothebackandthebackleggoestothefront.3.From here, jump up and repeat the action so your legs end up in the startposition.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsIntermsofsetsandrepshere,tryandperform3setsof30to40repsasfastasyou can. You can also try and do as many reps in a specific time period aspossible.Forexample,seehowmanyrepsyoucandoin3setsof60seconds.

BurpeesBurpeesareperhapsthemosttiringofallconditioningexercises,foranumberofreasons:The first is that thewhole body is used, and the amount ofmuscleworked ismassive,fromthechestandshoulderstothecoreandlegs.Thesecondisthattheyaremeanttobeperformedasquicklyaspossible,whichmeansthatyouwillsoonbegaspingforbreath.Thethirdisthatyouhavetomovethebodythroughspaceintwodifferentways,bothbackwardsandforwards,andupanddown.Manypeopleleaveburpeesoutoftheirexerciseregimen,whichinmyopinionisamassivemistake.TheyelicitsuchahugeresponseinthebodythatIfrequentlytellmyclientsthatiftheycouldonlydooneexercisetogetfit,itwouldbetheburpee.1.Toperformtheburpee,start in thecrouchedposition, thesameas thesquatthrust.2. Fromhere, jumpyour feet into the air and extendyour legs out backwardsuntilyoulandinthetopofapush-upposition.3. From here, jump your feet into the air and return them to the crouchedpositionthatwestartedwith.4.Fromhere,jumpintotheairashighaspossible.Assoonasyouland,returntothecrouchedpositionthatwestartedwith.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAsburpeesareverydifficult,youshouldstartbytryingtodo3setsof10reps.This shouldbeplenty tobeginyourburpee training,and thenasyouget fitterandmoreconditionedyoushouldincreasethenumberthatyoudo.

BastardsOnce you have got to grips with the burpee, you can step it up a notch andperformamovementaffectionatelycalledthebastard.Thesearethesameastheburpee ineveryway,except thatwhenyouarrive in thepush-upposition,youperformapush-upbeforereturningyourfeettothecrouchedposition.1.Toperform thebastard, start in thecrouchedposition thesameas thesquatthrust.2. Fromhere, jumpyour feet into the air and extendyour legs out backwardsuntilyoulandinthetopofapush-upposition.3.Onceinthepush-upposition,performapush-up.4.Afteryouhaveperformedthepush-up,jumpyourfeetintotheairandreturnthemtothecrouchedposition.5.Nowjumpintotheairashighaspossible.Assoonasyouland,returntothecrouchedpositionthatwestartedwith.Thiscountsasonerepetition.TeachingpointsAgain,thebastardisaveryhardmovementsoyoushouldstartbyonlydoing3setsof8to10reps.Increasethisnumberasyougetstronger.

SprintsSprinting is perhaps one of the best whole body workouts you can possiblyengage in, especially if you are looking for increasedmusclemass, increasedgrowth hormone output, and increased metabolism. There is a reason whysprintersandmarathonrunnershavesuchvastlydifferentphysiques,anditisnotalldown to the things that theyeat.Sprintingandallotherveryhigh intensityexercise elicits huge changes in the body not only during the workout, butafterwardsaswell.Itisthispostexerciseenergyexpenditurethathelpstoshedbodyfatandencourageleanbodymassmaintenance.Thereafewwaysthatyoucanperformsprints,but thetwomethodsthatIuseareflatsprintsandhillsprints.Flatsprintsareperformedonflatground,suchasarunningtrack,grassland,orevenaclearpavementorroad.Hillsprintsinvolvesimplyrunningupahillasfastaspossible.Thisisperhapsthemostsimpleandmost tiringofallexerciseactivities,andwill requirenotonlystrengthofbodybutstrengthofmind.Ineachcase,makesuretheareathatyouarerunningonisclear of debris and obstacles, and that there is no risk of you running intoanybody.1. To perform sprints simply increase your running pace to its maximumintensity.Thismeansrunningasfastasyourlegswillcarryyou.Youmayhavetobuilduptothisbutpersevere.2.Makesuretouseyourarmsandputasmuchpowerintoeverymovementasyoucan.TeachingpointsIntermsofsetsandrepshere,tryandsprintforashortperiodforanumberofsets.Forexample,oneofmyfavouritedistances tosprint is40to50metres. Iwilldothis5timeswithatleast60secondsrestaftereachsprint.Increasethisdistancetonomorethan100metresandtryandkeepthenumberofsetsbelow10,otherwiseyouwillbetootiredtosprintandthebenefitwillnotbefelt.

BearcrawlsBear crawlswere a favourite punishment exercise during the time that I spenttraining in the Royal Marines. Punishingly brutal, but utterly effective, bearcrawlsgivetheentirebodyaworkout,involveallmusclesgroups,andreallytestyourdetermination to the limit. Ideallyyouwillneedapatchofgrassorotherareawhereyoucanplaceyourhandson thegroundwithout fearofhurtingorcuttingthem.1.Toperformthebearcrawl,get intoapush-uppositionwithyourhandsandfeetslightlyinfrontofoneanother.2.Fromhere,crawlforwardonyourhandsandfeet,movingoppositehandsandfeetatalternatetimes.Forexample,asyoumovetherighthandforward,movethe left foot forward, and thenmove the left hand forward and the right footforward.Carryonlikethisforthedesireddistanceortime.Youcanalsocrawlbackwardsforanaddedchallenge.TeachingpointsIntermsofsetsandrepshere,tryandcrawlforasetdistancefor3to5sets.Forexample,even20metresisagooddistancetogo,andyoucanalsocrawlforasetamountoftime.Forexample,do5setsof20metres,or5setsof40secondsasfarasyoucan.

21.TrainingprogramsNowthatwehavelookedatalloftheexercisesthatareavailabletous,itistimetostartputtingthemintoaprogramthatwecanfollowandprogresswith.Iwillsayat theoutset that there isnosuch thingasaperfectprogram.Many,manypeoplesearchforyearsinanattempttofindaprogramthatwillturnthemfromaweak,skinnypersonintoastrong,muscularone,butthesimplefactisthatthereisnosuchthing.Allprogramshavetheabilitytowork,andtheonlythingthatprevents them from working is that many people do not follow them longenough.Forexample, learningandgettingstrongenoughtoperformaplanchecantakeupwardsofayear,possiblymore,dependingonyourpreviousstrength,traininghistory,andgenetics.Ifyouonlystickwithaprogramforafewweeks,thenyouwillneverseetheresultsofthatprogram,especiallyiftheprogramisdesignedtobefollowedforanumberofmonthsormore.Itisalsoimpossibleformetoproduceprogramsthatworkwellforeverysingleperson that may be reading this, and this is for a number of reasons. Firstly,every single person has unique genetics, and these determine many factors,including starting strength,mobility, howwell yourbodydealswith the stressplaced upon it, how fast you recover, how your body adapts, etc. All that aprogramofthissortcandoistogiveyouaguideonhowyoushouldapproachyourtraining.Then,itisuptoyoutofinetuneyourprogramandmakeityourown.Donotworry,asIwillexplainfullyhowtodothis,andalsohowtoadaptandchangeitasyouprogress.Before startingaprogramhowever, thereareacoupleof things thatyoumustknowfirst,andtheseareasfollows:You must know what your goal is You must know how many sets andrepetitionsofeachmovementyouwilldoWearegoingtolookatbothofthesepointsinthenexttwochapters.

SettinggoalsThefirstthingtoworkoutbeforeyoustarttrainingiswhatgoalyouhave.Thishas tobe the reason thatyouwish to train, andmay takeyoua littlewhile tofigureout,andwillundoubtedlychangeasyouprogress.Now the overall theme of this book is to build asmuch strength and athleticpotentialaspossible,usingbodyweightexercisesinaprogressivemanner.Thisdoesnotmeanthatwecannotachieveothergoalsusingcalisthenicshowever.Ashortlistofpossiblegoalsmightbeasfollows:

Increasedstrength

IncreasedmusclesizeIncreased muscle tone and reduced body fat Increased mobility andflexibility

Increasedathleticpotential

Increasedhealthbenefits

Stressreduction

Socialreasons

Improvingsportsperformance

RehabilitationandinjurypreventionThegoalslistedabovearejustthetipoftheiceberg,andformanyofyoutherewillbeatleastoneortwoofthosegoalslistedthatapplytoyou.After you have decided on what goal it is you are trying to achieve then Irecommendthatyouwriteitdown.Thishelpstosolidifythegoalandsetsitinyourmindandconsciousness,andyouaremuchmorelikelytofollowitthroughifyoudo this.Thenext thing towritedown is theprocessbywhichyouwillachieve it. For physical training and calisthenics the overarching factor is theamount and intensity that you train, so for example, if your goal is to getstronger, then you could put that you intend to train 5 days perweek. If yourgoalistoperfectahandstand,thenitwouldbetoincludeatleast30minutesofhandstandpracticeeveryday.Theimportantthingtorememberisthatthereisnodefinitivecorrectanswerforthesethings;theywillvaryandchangeaccordingtothepersonandyourexercisebackground,aswellasmanyotherfactorsthatareoutsideofyourcontrol,includinggenetics,injuries,etc.AfteryouhavewrittendownwhatgoalorgoalsyouhaveitwillbetimetomakeitintoaSMARTgoal.SMARTisanacronym,andmeans;Specific,Measurable,Achievable,Realistic,andTime-framed.Asanexampleofgoalsetting,let’ssaythatmygoalistobeabletoperform5pull-upswithin3months.Shownbelowisthewayinwhichyouwouldwritethisdown.ThisisSpecific,becauseitmentionsthegoalveryclearly.ItisMeasurable,becauseIcansimplytestwhetherIcanperform5pull-upsornot.ItisAchievable,becausethemethodstolearningapull-uparestraightforward,andIcanfollowtheprogressionslaidoutinthebook.It isRealistic, because Iwill train3 timesaweek, Iwill trainhard, and I amdeterminedtoachievethegoal.It isTime-Framed, as I have allowedmyself 3months inwhich to reachmygoal.Shownnextisanexampleofmygoalsettingprocess,andwhatitlookslikeforme.Bear inmind that this ismygoal andwill not necessarilybe the sameas

yours,sodonotworryifitdoesnotlookthesame.Goal - Increase strength, reduce body fat percentage, and progress ontomoreandmoreadvancedcalisthenicmovements.Process -Train4-5 timesaweek,dependingon timeandworkcommitments.Includeequalamountsofpushing,pulling,core,andlowerbodyexercises.DomoreofoneareaifIfeelIamgettingweakorlackinginthatpartofthebody.Timeframe-Ongoing.Specificexerciseswillbetestedat6monthintervals.Once you have this written down, then read the next chapter, which explainsaboutsets,repetitions,andholdtimeswithintheexercisesthemselves.

Sets,repetitions,andholdtimesIn thissectionwewill try tounderstandhowtogoaboutknowingmoreaboutsets, reps, and hold times. Youwill have noticed that in the exercise section,after each exercise, there is a short description tellingyouhowmany sets andrepstodoandalsohowlongtoholdcertainpositionsfor.Thesenumberscanbeused to great effect, but it is important that you know why those particularnumbershavebeenchosen.Formanyyearsnowithasbeenwellunderstoodthattheamountofrepetitionsyou do, or the amount of time that your muscles are under tension for, willdictate how your body reacts and adapts to the demands placed upon it. Forexample, for the body to get stronger the resistance itworks against needs toincreaseover time.There isnopoint insimplyperforming increasingnumbersof repetitions,as theoverall resistancehasnotgoneup, thereforeyouwillnotgetstronger.Thesamehappensifyouaretryingtobuildmuscularendurancebutonlyworkwithlownumbersofreps.Yourbodywillsimplyhavenoreasontoincreaseitsstamina.

SetsThe number of sets you performwill again depend on your goals. If you arelooking to build strength then you should perform only a few sets, as themovementsyouwillbeperformingshouldbeverychallengingandtherewillbealotofstressanddemandonthebody,andyousimplywillnotbeabletokeepperformingsetsforaslongasyouwishwithoutgettingfatigued.Agoodstartingpointhereistoperform2to4setsofeachexercise.Ifyouarelookingtobuildmusclesizeandmassthenthenumberofsetsshouldbe slightlyhigher, as themovementsyouperformwillbe a little less stressfulthan for building strength. I would recommend anything from 3 to 6 sets formusclebuildingandgainingsize.Formuscular endurance and increasing thenumberof repetitions that you canperform, here you should try and do asmany sets as is realistically possible.Anythingfrom5to10setshereisgood.Also,atechniquecalledGreasingtheGrooveisverygoodatincreasingthenumberofrepetitionsthatyoucanperformofagivenexercise.Thewaythisworksistoperformahighnumberofsetsbutalownumberofrepetitionswithineachset.Forexample,let’ssaythatIwishtoincreasethenumberofpull-upsIcanperforminonego.Thebestwayofgoingaboutthisistodosomethinglike20setsof2repetitions.Thisway,youwillbeperforming thepull-upmovementmany times, butwill not get fatigued easilybecause you are only doing 2 repetitionswithin each set.Over time, youwillbecomemuchmoreproficientatwhateverexerciseyoupick,andyourrepetitionrangewillgoupdramatically.

RepetitionsHowmanyreceptionsyouperformineachset ismaybethebiggestdictatorofhowyour bodywill adapt and react to the demands placed upon it.There aremany different opinions on this subject, and you are just as likely to disagreewithminethananyoneelse’s,however,therearesomefactsthatareundeniable.Thiscanbebestrepresentedbyafewshortlines,whichareshownnext.Tobuildstrength=Repetitionrangeof1to5repetitionsTobuildmuscle=Repetition range of 6 to 12 repetitions To build muscular endurance =Repetitionrangeofabove12repetitionsInessence, thelessrepetitionsyourbodyisabletoperformofanexercise, themore strength it builds, and the more repetitions you can perform, the moremuscularendurance itbuilds.This isnotahardand fast rule though,and it isoftenwisetoexperimentwithdifferentrangesandfindwhatworksforyou.For many of the easier movements it is possible to performmore repetitionsquiteeasily,butonceyoufindyourselfdoingsomeoftheharderexercises,youwillfindthatitisnearlyimpossibletoperformmanyrepsofthem.Forexample,it isnotuncommon tobeable toperformupwardsof50 repsofnormalpush-ups, but there is no person that I know of who can do the same number ofplanchepush-ups.Itisworthbearingthisinmindwhenworkingoutexactlyhowmanyrepsyoushouldbecapableofinanexercise.

HoldtimesIncontrast to setsand reps,hold timesaresomewhatdifferent,as it ishard toquantifyexactlyhowhardsomeoneiscontractingtheirmuscles,butthereareafewrulesthatwecanfollowhere.Ihavealreadymentionedthatmovementslikethehalflevershouldbeperformedforaspecifictimeframe,say30seconds,inasmany sets as it takes you. This is a good guide and enables your body tobecomeaccustomedtotheexercisebeforeyouprogress.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatsomemovementsaresodifficultthatholdtimesof30secondsare simplynotpossible.Forexample, I think theworld record for theplancheisslightlylongerthan20seconds.However,thisisnotabadthing.Allittellsmeisthattheplancheisaverydifficultexerciseandthatbecausetheholdtimeissoshort,itistakingmassiveamountsofstrengthtoperform.Itisworthrememberingthiswheneveryoufeelthatyourholdtimesarenotlongenough.

OverandundertrainingAmongthemanyconcernsforpeoplestartinganewformofexerciseorexerciseprogram,themainonehastobetheworrythateithertheywillnottrainenough,knownasundertraining,orthattheywilltraintoomuch,whichisalsoknownasovertraining.Under training isnotnecessarily abadproblem, as theonly side effect is thatyoumaynotprogressasquicklyasyoupotentiallycould.Onlyyouwillknowifyou have more left in tank so that you can give a little more effort on anexercise,andyoushouldtryandgettoknowyourbodyasmuchasyoucan,toenable you to tell when you have done enough andwhen you have done toomuch.Overtraining is a different story altogether, as if unchecked, it can ruin yourprogressandsidelineyouwithvariousinjuriesandotherproblems.Remember,even thoughyouareworkingwithyourownbodyweight, the stress and strainthatyourbodywillbeunderduringsomeofthemorechallengingmovementsisvery extreme and if you are not careful you can do some damage. This isespeciallymorelikelyifyourushaheadintomovementsthatyouarenotreadyfor.Aboveallelse, takeyour timeandallowyourbodytogetstronger. Itwillnothappenovernight,butitWILLhappen,youjusthavetogiveittime.

CreatingyourownmovementsThe exercises andmovements that I have shown and demonstrated so far areexcellentinandofthemselves,butyourworkoutscanbetakentothenextlevelbystringingandlinkingtogetherdifferentmovements.Thereareunlimitedwaysofdoing this,and theonly realbarrier isyour imagination.Ofcourse,withsomany exercises available and so many ways of combining them, it would beimpossibleforme to listallof themhere.This is reflected in thesimplicityofthetrainingprogramsthatareshowntowardstheendofthissection;itwouldbeimpossibleformetoincludelotsofdifferentwaysofperformingthemovementsandlinkingthemtogethersoIwillleavethatbituptoyou.WhatIcandothoughistogiveyouafewexamplesinthehopethatitwillspuryourimaginationandencourageyoutoexperimentwithyourowntraining.Example1The firstexample requiresyou toperformaclosegrippush-up, thenanormalpush-up, then a wide grip push-ups, before starting again with the close grippush-up.Continuelikethisforthedesirednumberofreps.Example2Inthesecondexampleperformadishfor10seconds,thenperform5v-ups,holdthedishagainfor10seconds,perform5v-ups,andsoon,untilyoucannotdoanymore.Example3Perform5pull-upsandthenperform5hanginglegraises.Onthelastlegraisemoveyour legs throughyourarmsandmove intoaback lever.Hold thebackleverforaslongasyoucanandthendropoffthebar.Example4Perform a single clap push-up, then a back clap push-up, then a double clappush-up,andfinallyatripleclappush-up.Repeatforasmanyrepsasyoucan.

Example5Perform3single-legsquats,placetheotherfootdownandjumpashighandasfar forward as you can. Land, and then perform 3 single leg squats with theoppositeleg.Repeatforsets.Example6Hangfromabarandperformasinglepull-up.Atthetopofthemovementmoveinto a front lever, thenmoveback to the top portion of a pull-up again.Thenlowerdowntoadeadhangagain.Repeatforreps.Example7Getintoanextendedplankandmoveyourhandsasfarawayfromyourfeetaspossible.Holdtheextendedplankfor10seconds,andthenallowyourbodytodroptotheground.Nowperform5Lalannepush-ups.Thenshuffleyourhandsbacktowardsyourfeetuntilyouarriveinanormalpush-upposition.Repeatforasmanysetsasyoucan.Example8Hang from a bar with an overhand grip. Perform a hanging leg raise. NowperformaGermanhangandholdthepositionfor10seconds.Thenmoveyourlegsthroughthegapinyourarmsintoadeadhangagain.Repeatforsetsorreps.Example9Perform a false grip muscle-up and pause at the top of the movement. Nowperform5frontdips.Nowdoaveryslownegativemuscle-up,andthendropoffwhenyourreachthedeadhangposition.Thiscountsasoneset.Example10Get into a freestandinghandstand andhold it for 5 seconds.Performasmanyhandstandpush-upsasyoucanandthenwalkasfarasyoucanonyourhands.The examples I have just given are the tip of the iceberg.Depending on yourstrength level, the equipment that is available to you, or your training goals,

there are literally millions of combinations of exercises that you can performwhenyouusealittleimagination.Ontopofallofthat,youcanevencreateyourown exercises themselves. Free yourmind, and don’t feel constraints on yourphysicalability!

Program1–FundamentalfiveNowthatwehavethebackgroundinformationyouneedongoalsettingandsets,reps, and hold times, it tis time to start looking at the training programsthemselves. There are four different programs in the COMPLETECALISTHENICSwayofdoingthings,andtheyaredesignedtostartrightatthebeginningandmoveonfromthere.ThefirstprogramwearegoingtolookatiscalledtheFUNDAMENTALFIVE.This program is designed to make sure that the foundational exercises that Ilistedinthebeginningofthebook,whicharethepush-up,pull-up,tricepsdip,hanging knee raise, and squat, can be performed perfectly with no technicalerrors. As I explained before, this is a vital stage, and I would recommendensuring thatyoucanperformallof thesemovementsperfectlybeforemovingontothemoreadvancedexercises.This program is a beginner level program, but some of you that have eithertrained before or who think of yourself as having a decent level of strengthshouldtrytomeettherequirementsbeforemovingontothenextprogram.Therequirementsare:Push-ups-20perfectrepetitionsPull-ups-10perfectrepetitionsTricepsdips-10perfectrepetitionsHangingkneeraises-10perfectrepetitionsSquats-25perfectrepetitionsOne thing that you might be thinking is that only working up to 5 exercisesmightbesomewhatboring,andinrealityitcanbe,butthisstageisessentialifyouhaveonly just started trainingor you cannot perform themovements as Ihavedemonstrated.Ihavesaidbefore,youshouldn’trunbeforeyoucanwalk,and this is more true with exercise than anything else. If you do not lay theproper foundationyouwill always struggle toprogress.Formostpeople,evencompletebeginners,itshouldnottaketoolongtobeabletocompletealloftheexercisesinthissection,sostaydeterminedandkeeppushingforward.ThereareeasierexercisesthanthefiveIhavelistedhere,suchastheboxdip,row,chin-up,plank,dish,crunch,sideplank,lunge,calfraise,etc.,andyoushouldinclude

theseinyourtrainingaswell.Itisimportanttorememberhoweverthatthemainpurposeistoincreasestrengthsothatthehigherlevelexercisescanbereached,andthismeansthatifanexerciseistooeasyforyou,simplymoveon.In terms of what muscles to train on what days, it is not really necessary todivideyourtrainingintospecificbodyparts,muchlikeabodybuilderwoulddo.Wearetrainingmovementpatterns,andastheexercisesareroughlydividedintopushing, pulling, core, lower body, and conditioning, it makes sense to keepthemthatwayforourtrainingprogramaswell.Asabeginnerwedonotwanttoovertraineither,soamaximumoffourtrainingdaysperweekwillbemorethansufficient.BelowisatablethatoutlinestheFUNDAMENTALFIVEprogramthatyoucanuse as a guide to help plan your workout. It is divided into a 7-day rotatingworkout, which starts onMondaywith pushing exercises for the upper body.This routine should be able to be followed by even the most inexperiencedperson,andwilldelivergoodgainsinstrengthandproficiencyifit isfollowedproperlyandtheexercisetechniquesareadheredto.Again,itisrecommendedthatyouperformagoodmobilityworkoutbeforeyouractualstrengthworkout,andmakesuretostretchafterwardsaswell.Refertotheearlier sections on mobility and flexibility if you are unsure of what thisinvolves.

FundamentalFive

Monday-Thefirstexerciseyouwilldoisthepush-up.Tryandperform3setsand as many reps as you can in each set. It is fine here if you use a raisedplatformforthehandsaswearejusttryingtogetstrongerhere.Thesecondexerciseyouwillperformisthedipexercise.Hereyoucandoeithera ledgedip if your strength is not strong enough, or some tricepsdips if yourstrengthisatadecent level.Keeptryingtoworktowardsthegoalofdoing10perfecttricepsdips.

Thirdlyyouwillperform3setsofsquats.Concentrateongoodformhereandtryanddescendas lowasyouareable to.Your target is tobeable toperform25perfectrepsbeforemovingon.Youcanalsodoconditioningexerciseshereaswellifthatispartofyourgoal.Notethatthisisnotrequired,asourmainfocusistobuildstrength.Tuesday -On thisdayyouwill aim toperformapullingexercise, ideally thechin-up. If you are not strong enough to performany chin-ups,workwith therowuntilyourstrengthincreases.Again,youshouldbeaimingfor3setsofasmanyrepsasyoucando,untilyoucando10perfectreps.Thesecondexerciseshouldbeyourcoreexercise.Thiscanbeanyoftheeasiervariations,suchastheplank,crunch,dish,orhanginglegraise.Remember,thatthesoleaimhereistoworkuptoperforming10perfecthangingkneeraises.Wednesday -This is a restday,andyoushouldensure thatyougetplentyofgoodfoodandsleeponthisday.Thursday-ThisshouldbethesameasMondaysworkout.Friday-ThisshouldbethesameasTuesdaysworkout.Saturday/Sunday-Thesearebothrestdays,asinthebeginningitisimportantforyourbody tohaveenoughrestand tobeable to recoverproperly fromtheworkouts.Thisalsoleavesyoutotallyfreshfortheweekahead.Aswassaidbefore,onlyonceyoucanperformthefivefundamentalmovementsand their required number of repetitions, you should move on to the nextprogram.

Program2–BuildingonthebasicsAfter you havemastered themovements listed in theFUNDAMENTAL FIVEprogram, it will be time for you to start moving onto some of the morechallenging variations that are shown in the exercise section of the book.ThesecondprogramiscalledBUILDINGONTHEBASICS,becauseineffectthatisexactlywhatyouwillbedoing.Forthisprogramallyouwillbelookingtodoistostartincorporatingsomeofthe more advanced variations of each exercise type. For example, wide grippush-ups,widegrippull-ups,frontdips,hanginglegraises,etc.Anotherexercisegroupthatyouwillbeusinginthisprogramissomehandstandwork.Itdoesnotmatterifthisisonlythefirstorsecondstageofthehandstand,likewallwalksorawallsupportedhandstand,justsolongasyourshouldersandupperbodybecomeexposedtothestressesandstrainsthatthisplacesonthem.Theoverallgoalofthisprogramistokeepbuildingstrengthandtoprepareyourbodyfor themuchhardermovementstocome.Withthat inmind, therearenoreal requirements here, other than that youbecomeused to performing lots ofdifferentvariationsoftheexercises.Thisdoesnotmeanthatyouhavetodoallof themovementsand learnevery singleexercisebeforemovingon; it simplymeansthatyouneedtoexposethebodytoenoughstressthatitchangesandgetsstronger.

Buildingonthebasics

Asyoucanseefromthetable,theworkoutissplitintoa7dayroutineagain,justlikethepreviousprogram.Also,feelfreetoinsertanyconditioningmovementsyoumaywanttodoonaydaywhereyoucanfitthemin.Again,thisisonlyifyouwishtodothem.

Monday-Onthefirsttrainingdayyoushouldperformpush-upvariations,dipvariations,andcorevariations.Exactlywhichexercisesthatyouperformisuptoyou, but as a short guide Iwould recommend the following; close grip,widegrip, and deep push-ups, triceps dips, front dips, and hanging leg raises, sideplanks, v-ups, and dragon flags. We are trying to build as much strength aspossibleheresosticktolownumbersofsetsandalowtomoderatenumberofrepsforeachexercise.Tuesday -This is thenext trainingday,whereyouwillbeperformingpull-upand muscle-up variations, lower body movements, as well as starting somehandstandworkforthefirsttime.Forthepull-upvariationstrydoingchin-ups,pull-ups,andwidegrippull-upstostartwith,beforemovingontomoredemandingvariations.Remember, it isallaboutbuildingasmuchstrengthaspossiblesokeep themusclesunder tensionandkeepyourformasgoodasyoucan.Forthemuscle-upsyoushouldsimplybetryingtomakeyourpulltothebarstronger,aswellasworkingalittlebitonthetransitionstageofthemovement.DoNOTworryifitfeelslikeyouarenotmakingmuchprogress;thesethingstaketime,sobepatientanditwillhappen!For thelowerbodymovements it isadvisabletostartworkingonlunges,deepsquats,thebridge,etc.Yourlegsshouldbenaturallystrongerandyoushouldnotstruggletoomuchwiththelowerbodymovementsuntilyougettothesinglelegsquatandthehamstringcurl.Thisdayshouldalsoincludesomehandstandwork,andformostpeopleatthiswill consist ofwallwalks and possiblywall-supported handstands.Make surethatyouspendsometimepracticingyourhandstandsastheybuildhugelevelsofstrengthandathleticabilityforalittletimeandeffortinvestment.Wednesday-Thisisarestdaywhereyoutryandeatasmuchgoodqualityfoodaspossibleandalsogetplentyofgoodqualitysleep.Thursday - This is a repeat of Monday, where push-up variations, dipvariations,andpull-upvariationsareperformed.Friday-ThisdayisarepeatofTuesday,wherecoreexercisevariations,lowerbodyexercisevariations,andhandstandworkshouldbecompleted.

Saturday/Sunday-Thesearebothrestdays,whereyoushouldtryandeatasmuchgoodqualityfoodaspossibleandalsogetplentyofgoodqualitysleep.Astherearenorequirementsforthisprogram,Iwouldsimplysuggestthatyoubecomecomfortableperforming someof the average level exerciseswith easebefore moving onto the next program, which is called LEARNING THELEVERS. This is because the levers are much more difficult than theFUNDAMENTAL FIVE, and as such you will need to build a good base ofstrengthbeforeprogressing.

Program3–LearningtheleversOnceyouhavegottentogripswithsomeofthemoreadvancedmovementsthenitwillbetimetoincorporatethestaticholdsandleversintoyourtraining.Thisthird program is known asLEARNING THE LEVERS, and is where you willexposed to theplanche, front lever,back lever,half lever,and thehumanflag.All of the exercises I have just mentioned are isometric in nature. Isometricexercises are extremely taxing on the body, not only in amuscular sense, butalso in theway that itstresses thenervoussystem.Inmuch thesamewaythatperforming heavy bench presses, deadlifts, andweighted squats does, holdingthebodyinalockedpositionwhereallofthemusclegroupsarecontractinghardcanreallytakeitstollonthebody,andthefirstfewworkoutswillbeashocktoyou.In thisprogramyouwillnot simplybeperforming the leversandnothingelse(although that programwould yield incredible gains), but you will be addingthem to your normal training. This means that you will still do push-upvariations,pull-upsvariations,dips,muscle-ups,coreexercises, squats, etc., aswellasstartingtoworkwithall5ofthelevers.Youwillalsobepracticing5to10minutesofhandstandsalmosteverysession.Thisisbecauseaswellasbeinga strength exercise, handstands also require huge amounts of skill, and todevelopthis,yousimplyneedtospendtimedoinghandstands.In addition, I do not really see the need to include some of the easier coreexercises as most of the levers make use of the core very intensely, andperforming the easier core movements will yield little to no benefit strengthwise.Also,feelfreetoinsertanyconditioningmovementsyoumaywanttodoonaydaywhereyoucanfitthemin.Again,thisisonlyifyouwishtodothem.

Learningthelevers

This program is broken down into 7-day blocks, just like the previous twoprograms.Monday-Onthefirsttrainingdayyouwillstartwithplanchework.Ifyouarecompletelynewtoitthenplancheleansandfrogstandsarewhereit’sat,asthesewillexposeyoutothedemandsofplanchetrainingwhilstbuildingstrengthinaprogressivemanner.Incontrasttotheplanche,youwillalsoperformpull-upson

thisday,sothatyougetbothpushingandpullingintoasingletrainingsession.You should strive to perform the hardest pull-up variations that you cancurrently do, and try and do a couple of different types. Youwill also spendsometimedoinghandstandsaswell.Tuesday - On the second training day youwill begin by looking at the backlever.ItisimportantherethatyoustartwiththeGermanhangstage,asthiswillget your shoulders used to being in the unusual position that the back leverrequires.Asthebackleverisapullingbasedexercise,youwilldodipsonthisdayaswell,tobalancethepushwiththepull.Again,likeMonday,youwillalsodosomehandstandworkheretoensureyoukeepprogressingwiththeskill.Wednesday-Thethirddayinthisprogramisarestday.Thursday -Onthefourthdayyouwillbedoingfront leverwork.Ifyouhavesome pull-up strength then the first stage of these should not give you hugeamounts of trouble, but themovement is still very challenging.Youwill alsoperformpush-upvariationsonthisday,andtheseshouldbethehardestonesthatyou can currently manage. Again, at some point in the session you shouldperform some handstand work, to enable your skill and proficiency to keepbuilding.Friday-Thefifthdayinthisprogramiswhereyouwillbeperforminghumanflagwork.Thisisanotherverydifficultmovement,andassuchyoushouldstartwith theeasiestvariationandworkyourwayupasyougetstronger.Youwillalso include muscle-up work here, which will help to reinforce shoulder andscapulastrength.Again,atsomepoint inthesessionyoushouldperformsomehandstandwork,toenableyourskillandproficiencytokeepbuilding.Saturday-Thelasttrainingdayintheprogramshouldincludethehalfleverasthe main exercise that you will be working on. Start with the tuck variation,aimingtoworkyourwaytowardstheraisedorfullversionatasteadyrate.Onthisdayyouwillalsoincludelowerbodymovements,startingtoworktowardsthesinglelegsquat,andthehamstringcurl.Again,atsomepointinthesessionyoushouldperformsomehandstandwork, toenableyourskillandproficiencytokeepbuilding.Sunday-Thelastdayintheprogramisarestday.

Program4–CompletecalisthenicsOnceyouhaveprogressedwiththelevers,andarestartingtograduatetosomeofthemoreadvancedmovementsintheothersections,itwillbetimetomoveonto the last program,which I have namedCOMPLETECALISTHENICS.Bythetimeyoureachthisprogramyoushouldhaveaveryhighlevelofstrength,and it is herewhere youwill look to keep progressing onto themost difficultexercisesinthebook.Notonlythat,butinthisprogrammorethananyother,itisvitalandrecommendedthatyoutryasoftenaspossibletostringmovementstogethertocreatecombosandexercisesofyourowninvention.NotethattheprogramIhaveproducedherecanandonlyeverwillbeaguide.Ihave chosen to include the greatest spread of exercises possible, but if youchoosetoconcentrateononespecificarea,suchastheplancheforexample,ortheonearmchin-up,thenthatisabsolutelyfineaswell.This program is about striving towards the highest-level movements andexercises thatarecontainedin thisbook.Bythispointyoushouldhaveaverygoodideaofwhatnumberofsetsandrepsandholdtimesyoushouldbedoing,whichiswhytherearenoneincludedinthissection.Inaddition,bythetimeyouget tothisprogram,youwillhaveyourownideasaboutexactlywhat it isyouwish to accomplish. If you do notwant to perform some of themovements Ihavewrittendown,thendon’t.Ifyouhaveoneparticularareaofyourphysiqueor strengthyouwish toworkon, likeyourback,oryourpushingstrength, forexample,thenthatisalsocompletelyfineforyoutodo.Also,feelfreetoinsertanyconditioningmovementsyoumaywanttodoonanydaywhereyoucanfitthemin.Again,thisisonlyifyouwishtodothem.

Completecalisthenics

For this program, the routine is split into a six day cycle that simply rotatesaround before starting at the beginning again. For example, if you started thisprogramatthebeginningoftheweek,Mondaywouldbeday1,Tuesdaywouldbeday2,Wednesdaywouldbeday3,Thursdaywouldbeday4,Fridaywouldbe day 5, and Saturdaywould be day 6. Then Sundaywould be day 1 again,Mondaywouldbeday2,andsoon.Obviously,itmaynotbepossibletoactuallykeepto thisscheduleformanydifferentreasons,soifyoucannotavoidtakingtworestdays,thensimplypickuptheprogramwhereyouleftoff.

You will notice in this program that you will only be doing one type ofmovement,onceeverysixdays.Atfirstthismayseemlikeastupididea,butasthehighlevelexercisesgeneratesomuchmusculartensioninthebody,youwillnotneedtodopushingmovements,forexample,everydaytokeepprogressingatthem.Day 1 - Day 1 is where you will do all of the pushing movements in yourprogram.Pushingmovementsarethosethatusethemusclesthatpush.Thesearethe chest, triceps, shoulders, forearms, and core. These will include planches,handstands,push-ups,anddips.Day 2 - Day 2 is where you will do all of the pulling movements in yourprogram.Pullingmovementsarethosethatusethemusclesthatpull.Thesearethe back, shoulders, biceps, and forearms. The exercises include front levers,backlevers,muscle-ups,andalloftheadvancedpull-upvariations.Day3-Day3isyourfirstdesignatedrestday.Day4-Day4iswhereyouwillbeperformingallofthecoreexercisesinyourroutine. It is true, as I have alreadymentioned, that many of the pulling andpushing type exercises involve the core to a largedegree, but there is nothingwring with having a separate training day where you do specific corestrengthening exercises. The core exercises that you should concentrate onshouldbethehalflever,humanflag,dragonflag,andanyofthehighlevelcoremovements.Day5-Day5iswhereyoushouldperformallofyourlowerbodystrengthworkandalsotheconditioningexercises.Thelowerbodyincludesallofthemusclesthatareused to run, jump,changedirection,andmostof theso-calledathleticmovements. The exercises in this section will be the high-level lower bodyexercises,suchasthesinglelegsquat,hamstringcurl,highboxjump,etc.Thehighlevelconditioningexercisesincludetheburpee,thejumpsquat,andsprints.Day6-Day6isyourseconddesignatedrestday.Afterthis,youwillstartagainatday1.

CreatingyourownprogramAsweareallindividualsitmaybethattheprogramsthatIhaveexplainedandsetoutintheprevioussectionsarenotcompletelysuitableforyou,orthatyoumayhavestrengthsandweaknessesinareasthatIdonothave,etc.Tothisend,itisimportantthatyouareabletolearnhowtocreateyourownprogram,sothatyou can perform the exercises that will be best for your overall athleticdevelopment.Forexample,yourpullingstrengthmaybeoutofsyncwithyourpushing strength, meaning that you need to spend more time on the pullingmovementstoaddressthebalance,etc.TheprogramsthatIhaveoutlinedbeforeareaverygoodplacetostartwhenitcomestodesigningyourown,butbeforeyoudoyoumustaskyourselfwhatitisthatyouare looking toaccomplish?Haveyougot a specific exercise thatyouwouldliketoperfect?Haveyougotaparticularsportthatyouwouldliketogetstrongerfor?Areyouinanareawhereyoucannotgettoagymanddonothavethe resources to buy equipment? Any questions like these you will have toanswer for yourself before you set out to build and design a program that istailoredjustforyou.Afteryouhaveansweredthosequestionsitwillbetimetostartconstructingyourprogram.Thefirstthingthatyoushouldidentifyiswhatsortoftimeyouhavetotrain.Itisnogoodwantingtolearnaone-armchin-upinthreemonthsifyouonlyhaveanhour aweek inwhich to do it. Formost people, evenwith full time jobs andfamilycommitments,afewhoursaweekshouldbeplentyof timeinwhichtostartprogressing.Secondly,youneedtoworkoutexactlywhatyourgoalfortheprogramis.Forexample, a goal of mine a couple of years ago was to get my planche to acomfortable level. Thismeant thatmost ofmy training for a fewmonthswasgearedarounddevelopingthestrengthtoperformtheplanche.Thirdly,youshouldtryandworkoutwhatsortoflevelthatyouareat.Thiswillinvolvesimplyworkingoutwhichoftheexercisesthatyoucanperform.Onceyouhavedonethisthenyoucanstarttoputmovementsintoyourprogram.Forexample,formyplanchetrainingprogramIincludedpush-upstowarmupwith,flat back planches to getmy nervous system firing properly, and then finally

workingwithstraddleplanchesandfullplanchesuntilIgottoatotalholdtimeof60seconds.Afterthis,youshouldhavesomethingresemblingaprogramthatyoucanfollowaslongasyouneedto.Then,onceyouhavereachedthatspecificgoal,youcandevelopanewprogramtoenableyoutoaccomplishsomethingnew.Keepdoingthisaslongasisrequired.

FinalwordMysoleaimofwriting thisbookwas to sharemyenthusiasm forbodyweightand calisthenics trainingwith asmany people as possible. I have experiencedmanydifferentformsoftrainingandexerciseandbyfarthemostfunhasbeenthe journey that I have adventured on with calisthenics. Hopefully I havereassured and convinced you that an awesome physique, strength, andathleticism do not requiremagic pills or the newest piece ofmega expensiveequipment.Your own bodyweight, consistent hardwork, and patience are theonlythingsrequired.InclosingIwouldliketothankyou,thereader,forbuyingthisbookandhelpingto spread the message of calisthenics training throughout the world. In thesedaysofcorporationsandhugemultinationalcompanies,it isalltooeasytogetsuckedintothemediasideaofwhatastrongandagilehumanbeingshouldbe,and all too often this is not the image that many of us desire. I would alsoencourage you not to rush through the book and to take your time with themovements. Becoming strong, especially using calisthenics, takes time anddedication,andwithouteitheryouwillnotsucceed.

Acknowledgements

Therearemanypeople Iwish to thankandmanypeoplewhohavehelpedmeover the last few years, not all of them knowingly. First I wish to thankmyfriendPhilTaylor for encouragingme topursue this avenueof training in theveryfirstplace.IwishtothankMitchEdwards,whosharedhisknowledgeandexpertisefromthemomentIsetfootintotheworldofgymnasticsconditioning.OnthewebIwishtothankJimBathhurstfromBeastskills.com,whosetutorialsandarticlesIhavelearntsomuchfrom.IwouldliketothankCoachChristopherSommer of Gymnasticbodies.com, who gives advice and encouragement andasks for little in return, and lastly to themyriad ofYouTube userswho haveprovidedinsight,inspiration,andmuch,muchmore.IwouldalsoliketothankChrisFrosin,whohasbeenaninvaluablepartofmyjourneytobecomingawriter,andwhosepatienceandexpertisemadethisbookpossible. His website can be found at the following link:http://www.chrisfrosin.co.ukFor cover design and visual inspiration, Iwould like to thankMikeSeymour,againwhose patience and zest for design has encouragedmemore than once.His blog and portfolio can be found at the following link:http://www.behance.com/seyIwouldliketothankSamandtheawesomeguysatRigsFitnessinBirminghamfor theuseof theirgym.After askingwhat seemed likecountlesspeopleSamsteppedupandcouldnothavebeenmorehelpfuloraccommodating,andtheset-uptheyhavethereisworldclass.Theyhaveanamazingset-upandtheycanbefoundonthewebattheflowinglink:http://www.rigsfitness.co.ukThemostimportantthankyouistoyou,thereader,withoutwhichIwouldnotbeabletocontinuetodosomethingthatIloveforaliving,andwithoutwhomtheworldofcalisthenicswouldnotbeasbright.Iwouldalsoliketosaythankyou for purchasing this book. It was a pleasure to write, gave me many latenights,butitwasdefinitelyworthit!If you would like to get in touch, or have any questions or comments, thenplease send me an email at the following address:

completecalisthenicsuk@gmail.comIendeavourtoreplytoeveryemailinperson,andIlookforwardtohearingfromyou.Trainhard!Ash

22.FrequentlyansweredquestionsOften,manypeoplehavequestionsthatarenotansweredinthemainportionofthebook,sointhisfinalchapterwewilllookatsomeofthemostcommonones.Q.Ashley,Iamtraininghard,eatingright,gettingenoughrest,etc.,butdonotseemtobeprogressingveryquicklyatall.Whatisgoingon?A. Progression using these types of bodyweight movements has traditionallybeenseenasbeingeasy,orquick,buttherealityisthatbuildingenoughstrengthto perform some of the more advanced movements is a long and arduousprocess.Letustaketheplancheforexample.Thismovementtookmeagoodtwoyearstoachieve,andwhenIstartedIhadagoodlevelofstrength.Thesamewouldbetrueofsomeonewantingtoliftsay250kgor500lbsinthedeadlift.Thereisnowaythatthissortofstrengthcanbebuiltinashortperiodoftime.Themuscleswouldneedtimetogrow,thenervoussystemwouldneedtimetogetstronger,andthetendonsandligamentsofthebodywouldneedtimetoadapttothestressanddemandsthatwouldbeplaceduponthem.Anyhigh-levelmovementcanandwilltakemonths,ifnotyearstodevelopthestrengthandabilitytoperform.Q. Ashley, many people have told me that strength cannot be built withbodyweightexercisealone.Isthistrue?A.Thisisabsolutelynottrue,andforproofsimplylookatagymnast!Theyveryrarely do any movements with weights, and they are perhaps the strongestathletes, pound for pound, on earth. The days where people simply dobodyweightexerciseasawarm-up,orsimplytodolotsofrepetitionsareover.Notonlycancalisthenicsandbodyweightexercisebuildgoodlevelsofstrength,the strength that canbebuilt is oftenmuchmoreuseful than that built simplydoingbodybuildingmovements.Q.Ashley, some people have toldme that some of themovements in thisbook,likehandstands,aredangerous.Isthistrue?

A. Whilst some movements, like handstands and clapping pull-ups can bedangerous, it isveryunlikelythatyouwillget injuredwhilstperformingthem.Thereasonisthatthesethingstaketimetoworkupto,andmostoftheharderexercisessimplycannotbeattemptedifyouhavealowlevelofstrength.Letustakeabenchpressasanexample.Anynovicecanjumponabenchandput200kgonthebar.Iftheyareunpreparedthentheywillhurtthemselvesverybadly. This is true of all weighted exercises as it is possible for anyone,regardlessof their levelofexperienceorability to loadupabaroramachinewithfartoomuchweightforthemtorealisticallyhandle.Q.Ashley, are you againstweight training altogether? I have seen lots ofbenefits from trainingwithweights, sowhy should I giveup thatmethodandstyleoftraining?A.Iamnotsayingthatweightliftingisbad,butonlythatbodyweightexercisecanhelptobuildamuchbetterallroundphysicalstructureandphysique.Thisiswhymanyofthetopathletesintheworld,eventhosewhoseprimarygoalistolift weight, train using bodyweight exercises and calisthenics. The example Igave in the beginning was that of Lu Xiaojun and the other Olympicweightlifters.In addition, many people simply lift weights to look better or to get biggermuscles. This is a very narrow training viewpoint in my opinion. There isnothingwrongwithwantingtolookgood,butsurelyoneofthemostrewardingoutcomes of training is an increased physical capability and the ability to dothingsthatotherpeoplecannot.AsMarkRippetoehassoeloquentlyexplained,strongpeoplearemoreusefulthanweakpeople,andaremuchhardertokill.Q.Ashley,Ihavehadinjuriesandjointproblemsfromtraininginthepast.WilldoingthemovementsinCompleteCalisthenicsaggravatethem?A.Many people havemany different types of injuries, and these can preventsomeofthosepeoplefromtrainingorengaginginphysicalactivities.Calisthenicsisuniqueinthattheonlyweightyouuseastheresistanceisthatofyour own bodyweight. This makes it inherently much safer than weightedexercise,asIhavealreadyexplained.Notonlythat,butthemanipulationoftheleverage that is involved with some movements, like the levers, builds hugetendon and ligament strength, that you will struggle to build doing other

exercises.The likelihood is that you end up stronger, more agile, andmuch less injuryproneafterstartingcalisthenicsthanyoueverhaveinthepast.Q.Ashley,thereisnoperiodisationinthisbook.Whyisthat?A.Periodisationrefers to thescalingof intensitywithinanexerciseor trainingprogram.Thisiswellunderstood,andiscarriedoutsothatathletescancarryonprogressingandnotplateauor injure themselves.Theproblemwithmestatingexactlywhenyoushouldreduceyourtrainingintensity,andforhowlong,isthatIhavenoideawhatyourstrengthlevelorexercisehistoryis.Ialsohavenoideaabout the typeandqualityof food thatyoueat,and theamountandqualityofyourrest.Asaveryinaccurateguide,Iwouldrecommendthatyouexperimentwith a deloading, or lower training intensityweek every 8 to 12weeks or so.This is where you should simply reduce the amount and the intensity of thetrainingthatyoudo,inordertoletthebodyrecoverfully.Thebest thingtodois tolistentoyourbody.Yourbodyis theonlythingthatcantellyouhowoftentorest,howlongfor,andwhentotrainharderandwhento have an easyworkout. The longer youwill train the better youwill get atknowingwhenyouneedtodothis.Q.Ashley,Iamreallytemptedtotrysomeofthemoreadvancedexercises,butIcannotperformtheFundamentalFivethatarerequired.WhatshouldIdo?A.Whateveryoudo,doNOTmoveontothemoreadvancedmovementsuntilyou can perform the five exercises properly and for the correct number ofrepetitions.Theyarethereforareason,andneedtobeperfectedsothatyouwillhave a solid baseonwhich to build your strength.As I have saidbefore, youshouldnotrunbeforeyoucanwalk,andthesameapplieshere.Itmaybeverytempting to progress faster than I have advised, but I have seenmany peoplemake the samemistakeand theyalways regret it.Spendyour timegetting thebasicsright,andtherestwillfollow.Q.Iamnotreallythatkeenontrainingthelowerbody,anditseemslikethelegsarenotneededformostofthemoreadvancedexercises(planche,frontlever, handstands, etc.). Can I simply leave the lower body out of mytrainingroutine?

A.You can of course leave leg exercises out of your own training, but thiswould be a stupid idea. Firstly, training the lower body can help to increasestrengthintherestofthebodyashormonesarereleasedthathelpthegrowthofmuscleandstrengthwhenyoutrainlargemusclegroups,liketheonesthatareinthe lower body. Secondly, if you are interested in developing a completephysique then it makes no sense to leave out one of the biggest areas of thebody. Training the legs makes it possible for you to run faster, jump higher,changedirectionquicker,andjustbemoreathleticingeneral.Q.Ashley,Iamverytall.Willthefactthatmylimbsarelongmakeitmoredifficult for me to build strength using calisthenics and bodyweightexercise?A.Thereisnodoubtthatifyouhavelongarmsandlegsthentheforcethatyouhave toapply toperformsomeof themovementsfeatured in thisbookwillbemoredifficult.Thisissimplyamatterofbiomechanics.Longleverswillalwaysneedtoexertmoreforcetoachievethesamegoal.Forexample,foratallpersonto achieve the full front lever may take them far longer than it would for ashorterperson.However,asatallperson,becauseyouneedtoexertmoreforce,theninthelongrunyouwillbeabletobuildmorestrengththanashorterperson,simplybecauseofthereasonsIhavejuststated.Above all else, do not try and comeupwith excuses to either not train, or toexplainawayyourlackofprogress.Remember,youarenotincompetitionwithanyonebutyourself,andtheonlymeasureofsuccessishowgoodyoufeelafterachievingagoalthatyouhavesetyourself.Q.Ashley,Ifeelabitstupidattemptingcalisthenicsmovementsinmygym,asalmostnooneelsedoesanythinglikethiswhereItrain.Doyouhaveanysuggestions?A.Thereisalwaysatimewhenyouthinkthatthetrainingmethodyouareusingis a little bit strange, but remember, calisthenics is about trying to push theboundaries ofwhat your body is capable of doing. If the guys standing in theweightsareawanttolaughatyoufromthesafetyofthedumbbellrack,letthem.Theywillstillbecurlingthe20’swhenyouaresmashingoutrepsoffullrangeofmotionhandstandpush-ups,andwhenyoudo,theywillbecomingtoyouforadvice.

Q.Ashley,Idonotreallyhaveaninterestintheconditioningexercises.DoIhave to perform them or can I leave them out and just concentrate onstrengthwork?A. As I have already explained in one of the previous answers, it is not arequirementthatyouincludeallofthemovementsIhavepresentedinthisbook.Ifyourgoalissimplytodevelopasmuchstrengthashumanlypossible,thenitiscompletely fine to leave the conditioning exercises out of your routine. Theconditioningmovementsaretheretohelptoincreaseyourfitnessandresiliencetofatigue,andcanalsohelptoburnbodyfatandmakeyoulookmoreripped.Theconditioningexerciseswill alsohelp tobuildmental strength.Movementslikeburpees,jumpsquats,sprints,etc.,areverytaxing,notjustonthephysicalsystem but on the mental and nervous systems as well. You will experiencefatigueand tirednessand it isyourmind thatdictateswhetheryoustopornot.Do not make the mistake of thinking that training is purely physical. Thechangesthatoccurtoyourbodyhappeninsideandout,andsometimesitisthechangesthathappenontheinsidethatmakethebiggestdifferencetoyourlife.Q.Ashley, I am a female but I still want to train using calisthenics. Canwomendothistypeoftraining?A.Yesofcourse!OneofmyfavouritequotesisfromthehealthandwellbeingpractitionerPaulChek,whoremarkedthatwomenare“equal,butnotthesame.”Whathemeantisthatwhilstwomeninthemodernworldarebecomemoreandmore equal in terms of influence, pay, social standing, etc., they are not theequivalent in terms of physical make-up. Women often have much strongerlowerbodiescomparedtotheirupperbodies,whereasinmenitisoftentheotherway around. Women are also not as naturally as strong as men are. This isunfortunate,butitisstillafact.This doesnotmean that as awomanyou cannot perform the exercises in thisbookorbeagreatcalisthenicspractitioner;itjustmeansthatitmaytakeyoualittlewhilelongertogettowhereyouwanttoget.Keeptrainingandperseveringandyouwillreachwhatevergoalyousetyourself.Inmyownlife,Ihavemetandamfriendswithsomeincrediblystrongwomen.Notonlyhavetheyallbuiltstrengthusingbodyweightexercise,butsomehaveexcelledtolevelsthattheirmalefriendswouldnothavethoughtpossible.

Q.Ashley, I am also awoman thatwants to get strong, butmany ofmyfemale friends have said that doing any strength work will make mymusclesgetbig.Isthistrue?A. Whilst it is somewhat true that muscle does grow as a result of strengthtraining,bodyweightexerciseisnotknownformakingpeoplehuge.Inaddition,women have far less testosterone (the male sex hormone) going around theirbodies,soitisfarmoredifficultforthemtobuildmuscleinthefirstplace.Also,building lots of muscle (like female bodybuilders do) requires enormousamounts of food, specific training designed to make the muscles huge, andsometimes a little chemical help in the formof testosterone injections, growthhormone,andotheranabolicsteroids.To reiterate the question I have just answered previously, look at any femalegymnast.Theywillbe far, far stronger than themajorityofmen thatyouwillmeetinyoureverydaylivesandtheyarefarfrombulkyortoomuscular.

TableofContents

1.Preface2.Equipment3.Nutrition4.Restandrecovery5.Warmingupandmobility6.Flexibility7.Push-ups8.Pull-ups9.Dips10.Muscle-ups11.Handstands12.Theplanche13.Thefrontlever14.Backlever15.Halflever16.Humanflag17.Floorcoreexercises18.Legraiseexercises19.Lowerbodyexercises20.Conditioning21.Trainingprograms22.Frequentlyansweredquestions*Nightmare*