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Did John Grimek have it right or what!? He was STRONG, athletic, lean and blended all the training modalities together.
We've gotten away from that and everything is extreme left or right. When it comes to your health I am more of a believer nowadays in more balance.
More and more of my workouts are becoming bodyweight based. I also include Bodybuilding, Weightlifting, Odd Objects, Powerlifting...... Why choose only one method or style?
I have less concern with benching and squatting my 1 rep max when it makes me feel like a train wreck. I always tell the men I train, you need to stop pretending like you're 16 years old.What your body could handle 20 years ago is not the same as today.
The answer? Train Smarter.
So how do I train now? More Bodyweight and less all out intensity on the Barbell lifts. I still LOVE my Powerlifting and Weightlifting but I have to strategically blend the free weights and bodyweight bodybuilding.
My Philosophy: Work the barbell lifts hard, but don't kill them or they will kill you.
Yesterday's 5 rounds of hand walking on the power wheel and various monkey bar + pole climbing / rope climbing / beam climbing kicked my butt, thoroughly! My grip is thrashed.
Climbing beams as opposed to comfortable pull up bars forces the grip to work overtime as the fingers are the only part of your hand allowing for grabbing. Walking on your hands develops incredible shoulder, triceps, back and ab strength. Coupled together and you've got yourself a kick ass upper body, animal workout.
I'm NOT impressed with myself in the least. Regardless of Age, I want to keep improving. Rage against being normal. Training for Life. Train to be Dangerous.
Much of my own training, even as I get older is very similar to my athletes at the college level and The Underground Strength Gym.
The main difference is I do less jumping and plyo work then the younger athletes.
I prefer training 3 - 4 x week with the blend of weights, odd objects and calisthenics.
If I want to do more training, it's often calisthenics only. The calisthenics only training feels great, gives my joints a break and I have the freedom to train bodyweight only exercise anywhere, anytime.
The world is your gym.
Below is a Sample Mini Cycle from my Online Team, Gladiator STRONG:
Before the training session begins, we go through a Calisthenics, Band, Light KB & Light Sled work.
Sample Gladiator STRONG Warm Up:
Other warm Ups Might incorporate a short plyo circuit such as this:
3 Rounds of:
A) Hindu Push Ups x 5
B) Clapping Push Ups x 5
C) Hurdle Jumps x 5
D) Lunge Jumps x 5 / 5
The key is to avoid becoming Strong & Useless. This is when you can move big weights but can't move your own body. Athleticism, even as we get older is crucial. Focus on movement, not just moving big weights.
Put this info to use and get after it!
Live The Code 365
--Z--
Recommended Resources
Bodyweight University Inside The Underground Strength Academy
Bodyweight Bodybuilding
12 Responses
Great training! hand walking grills the whole upper-body in a different way than anything else. move like a child or an animal is a great way to train! and it develops raw power! when you do such stuff you don’t need to care about bench,… – this moves work the body also amazing!
dillon is a strong dude. i think he is ready for ninja warrior.
Great vids ! My favorite animal training exercise is a backwards bear crawl with strict form. Give it a try you’ll be surprised !
Well and this might sound silly, but we used to do this as kids. You can get your athletes in a park that has many things kids clime on, like we got over here a metal train, a wooden boat, there was a really tall metal rocket. You can set up a competition on one of those or a race but you’re not allowed to hit the floor during the race. So if these things are close to each other in a park, you can have a race by jumping from one to the other you know going between obstacles. It gets fun when you are just trying to catch one another cos in many cases you get very close but not close enough 🙂 this can last for minutes without rest so you get yourself a conditioning workout and the bonus is you don’t think about the movements or how tired you are, cos you’re too busy thinking about how to catch the other guy or how to keep your distance and maneuver without being caught.
I have a steep hill in my back yard. Crab and bear walks up and down, forwards, backwards and laterally with bodyweight or I add a weighted pack for a total body buttkicking! I do this no rules or edt style on what I call “creative conditioning day”. I also like Lemur jumps (I watch Zaboomafoo with my minime.) Seriously! Watch the Lemur leap in the beginning. Put a few benches or odd objects in a row and jump like a Lemur!!!
Dillon looks like he is trained very well. Would like to see more footage of his training. Is he a wrestler as well? Jon Hinds showed me crab walking forward,sideways and backwards and yes this is a big body conditioner. I can only imagine if you add a weight vest.
One question I forgot ho much time and days are they spending in the gym?
That’s the name of the song in the end of each of your videos? I know it’s Eminem, but what’s the song’s name?
that dudes an absolute beast! whats a typical training week look for that guy?
@bubba29; dude I love Ninja Warrior!! Awesome show! Wish I could watch it here in Australia… Got hooked on it when I was Stateside a few years ago… Now THOSE guys are beasts. Strength, endurance and agility.
Zach Bro! Spent my 35th B-day yesterday doing hill climbing, stone lifting/stacking and agility/bodyweight work in a play ground. Since I’m “old” I thought I would challenge myself with a 50# pack. Love the burn and best part was hiking with my two sons (3 & 5yo).
Go to a park and move the benches in a line (5-6) and crank out some plyo jumps. Then some lateral hand walks w/push ups along the length of all 5 bench seats. Pullups on the monkey bars and sprints. Of course my boys always seemed to beat me in the sprints 🙂
Best day ever!
@Mateusz Never Enough – Eminem