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Bodyweight Calhistenics, fitness faqs and Get Strong.

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Luigib

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For people in the know, how about training using fitness faqs or Al and Danny Kavadlo Get Strong?
 
I'm familiar with the Get Strong program. The programming is very different from Strong First but it's a nice program if calisthenics is your thing. I like that it requires minimal equipment (a pullup bar, a chair/bench/box, and a wall to practice handstands), it's easy to follow and has nice progressions.
 
I don't know the material that the Kavadlos put out, but I have also followed fitness FAQs for quite some time and will second that he puts out great material, especially in terms of function/form for those working towards higher level skills.

@Luigib I'd still suggest getting good at the basics of calisthenics before being concered with too many different programs ;) just accumulate a high volume of basic push, pull, squat, and core variations, and get some work in for your back with bridge/arch work, etc. Don't get overexcited over all the different programs at first. If you want to get strong, get strong at the basics and then try out more stuff.
 
he puts out great material, especially in terms of function/form for those working towards higher level skills.
The way he introduces band to reduce difficult for higher level skills is great. I always feel like from advance tuck to straddle is like 40 kg jump in deadlift - not very one can handle the new weight at first.
 
@bluejeff
Hello, thanks for the answers. I agree with you for the basics, it's been 3 years since I started training with calhistenia, and I don't see too much progress .. That's why I'm looking for information, and fitness faqs to a beginner's upper body program, but I find that there are too many exercises for one upper body session. But what do you recommend as a program for beginners, intermediates?
Sincerely, Luigib.
 
In choosing a program, it’s helpful to know what you like and dislike. What I really mean by that is what you know you will do and do consistently over a log period of time, and what you won’t really stick to...

So if what you’re doing isn’t giving you the results you want here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do you have clear goals? That is: do you just “want to get stronger” or are you setting goals like “being able to do a certain amount of push-ups, or lift a certain amount of weight?”

Are the programs you’re choosing aligning with your goals? For example, if someone’s primary goal is to build a lot of muscle in a short time, and they’re doing a program based on pure strength, then they are doing the wrong program for their goal.

Have you followed a program the way it was written, or did you change things in it?
When you followed a program, did you follow it for the full amount of time it was written for, or did you try it for a couple weeks and then change?

I find the most helpful thing you can do for yourself is to determine what your goals are (be specific!), then find programs oriented towards those goals, and then follow those programs. Stick with them until they are done before trying other things.

Being curious about other programs is fine, but don’t let it distract you from the work you are trying to do at the time.

If the fitness FAQ program doesn’t look like something you’d enjoy, then look for something else. Don’t make it too complicated for yourself ?

Many programs have been suggested . I’d just pick one that seems like it fits your needs and go.
 
@bluejeff Hello, I hear a lot about ladder training on the forum, what does it mean? For example if my program is: Chin-ups, push-ups, Hanging knee raises, squat, lunge and straight bridges?
Finally, what does scale training mean?
 
@bluejeff Hello, I hear a lot about ladder training on the forum, what does it mean? For example if my program is: Chin-ups, push-ups, Hanging knee raises, squat, lunge and straight bridges?
Finally, what does scale training mean?
It seems like you are on phase 2 of Get Strong with what you are describing.

The exercise selection is good, no need to necessarily change it unless it doesn't align with your goals. What you might want to work on to get stronger is technique, attention to detail and intensity/volume.

I followed Get Strong for a while and stopped making progress with the way it was programmed. I needed more volume per exercise and less reps per set.

The two things my SF instructor told me that made a huge difference were: stop when rep speed drops and only do my max number of total reps once per week.

Let me clarify, for rep speed, instead of doing sets of 8-10-12 (or less reps for pulls) reps or whatever the program prescribes, I would stop my sets as soon as my reps weren't as crisp and speedy. I also took a light pause at the bottom and lowered with control, rep speed was with the concentric part. So if my speed dropped at rep 6 then that is where I'd stop.

With regards to total reps, only once per week would I do my max number of sets, which was also my max number of total reps. One day I could do 75 reps of push-ups, the other days I'd do less, something like 30 to 60, which is more than what most days of Get Strong call for.

You could keep the Get Strong program but adapt it to Strong First principles. Instead of doing the prescribed sets and reps in the program, you keep the exercise selection, which isn't bad at all, but adapt it by varying the total volume and intensity of each session and also by doing less reps per set and more focus on tension/strength with each move.

Ladders work very well with calisthenics, instead of doing 3 sets of 10 reps for example, you would do 3 ladders of (1,2,3,4) reps. Ladders are less fatiguing and allow you to do more volume. If your max number of reps is close to 10, doing 3x10 will be hard, doing 3 ladders of (1,2,3,4) will be much easier and each rep will be of better quality. The amount of rest you take between ladder rungs (between the 1 and 2 and 3 and 4) will be up to you but if you follow the principle of keeping rep speed as good from the first rep to the last you should be good. If your speed decreases, you need more rest. You should take a few minutes and even longer between ladders.

I've used ladders to work my push-ups, which never got better just doing 3 sets of X reps. I'd do multiple ladders of (1,2,3,4,5) with long breaks in between them, 15 mins to 1hr+ and would do from 3 to 5-6 ladders per day. Paying particular attention to the set-up, tension and the tempo, taking a pause at the bottom, also keeping rep speed always the same.

If you are doing Get Strong, you could do a workout from phase 1, one from phase 2 and one from phase 3 to have variability and alternate. That way you have easier days and harder days. For example your push-ups would go from hands elevated to regular to feet elevated. Your pulls would be, flex and active hangs, chin-ups and pull-ups. Your squats would go from BW squats to split squats/step-ups to bench pistols. EDIT: it could be Phase 2 week 2 , Phase 1 week 3-4 and Phase 3 week 1 for example. Medium-light-heavy or something similar.

Just keep the reps/sets within your abilities and not go to failure. On harder days you do less total reps. On easier days you do more sets or ladders for more total reps of the easier exercises. Instead of 3x10 do maybe 5x6 or instead of 3x15 do 5x8 etc. Or instead of 3x3 do 2x (1,2,3) or 2x(1,2) etc.
 
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@Benjamin Renaud Waw, sacred summary. So what you say there is not bad at all, but I don't have a lot of time for training and a lot of physical work outside. What I'm looking for is to improve in the basic movements, push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and with the additions of Get Strong exercises, it's not bad, after I follow this program because it's kind of the only one I know in Clahistenia and that I already have , for me the sets and reps look good on me, it's just that I block with the handstands so I took it off and I replace it with dips / Pike Push-ups. And so I am already starting to move forward in the program having removed this exercise on which I am blocking. Hope this makes me move a little faster, whatever the outcome is not the goal, but travel is important! But I will soon participate in Strongfirst training hopefully and it will enlighten me to practice bodyweight. I admit that phase 4 attracts me a lot and that to mix everything up I don't know if that will make me move faster .. Thank you anyway :)! Luigib
 
@Benjamin Renaud Waw, sacred summary. So what you say there is not bad at all, but I don't have a lot of time for training and a lot of physical work outside. What I'm looking for is to improve in the basic movements, push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and with the additions of Get Strong exercises, it's not bad, after I follow this program because it's kind of the only one I know in Clahistenia and that I already have , for me the sets and reps look good on me, it's just that I block with the handstands so I took it off and I replace it with dips / Pike Push-ups. And so I am already starting to move forward in the program having removed this exercise on which I am blocking. Hope this makes me move a little faster, whatever the outcome is not the goal, but travel is important! But I will soon participate in Strongfirst training hopefully and it will enlighten me to practice bodyweight. I admit that phase 4 attracts me a lot and that to mix everything up I don't know if that will make me move faster .. Thank you anyway :)! Luigib
So how much time do you have for training each week?
 
I discovered the Free Start Bodyweight Basic Routine program, and wanted to know if anyone had used it and had advanced with it? So I would like to know compared to Convict Conditioning programs revisiting style going with 3 × 10 and changing stages, the Get Strong program and the basic routine, what would be the "best" program to advance in calhistenia, for the muscle and the strength? If there are people who have tried and have answers, I'm in favor! Thank you very much, Luigib.
 
Not sure if it's still available, but I know the Kavadlos put out a free e-book version of Get Strong early on in quarantine. But ya, I would say that Get Strong is really good for just getting good at the main 6 movement planes for strength. If FitnessFAQs is anything like CaliMove (assuming since they collaborate) then it'll be much more time consuming and leads to more advanced skill based movements and less for strength/muscle building
 
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