Hello
@JBJB
Welcome to StrongFirst !
First off, I guess you are French, right ? (this is a guess based on your name and also based on the fact that you practice the Lafay Method, mostly famous in France)
For a while, I trained using LF "principles", without practicing the method per se:
- high rep sets
- low rest between sets
- bodyweight only
I practiced Lafay Method for 1 year, but this method is boring on the long run.
What is your current level on the method
I used this with pull ups, push ups, squats. Back then, I used rubber band to work on single leg deadlifts and good mornings (more convenient than the exercise mentioned in the book).
No matter what we can find on LF Facebook page or whatever, this is not the best option to increase maximal strength. Of course:
- it will increase it over very long period of time, but there are better ways do to so,
- it will improve body composition
But, IMHO, the most impressive physiques and performance we see on LF blog and FB are only a few people. I do not think this is very representative of the whole practionners. The most inspiring guys are sort of especially dedicated. Most of them use LF as a bodybuilding tool, not as a performance enhancement tool.
Nonetheless, LF is excellent for increasing your relative strength or strength to body weight ratio. It will give a huge strength-endurance. Basically, this is quite good when you go for the military.
As far as your goals are concerned:
- Best shape. I'm more muscular since doing the method, but I don't feel so fit the rest of the time and I quickly get out of breath.
How is your recovery ?
For instance, do you have enough sleep ? Do you have a very active lifestyle: physically demanding job, lots of walking or whatever ?
By itself, LF will improve your cardio vascular abilities. However, nothing will replace a dedicated work to improve it. From what I remember in the book, it is stated that we can run, swim, etc... to increase endurance. This is supposed to be done on alternate days.
By "fit", I guess you mean being as strong as you look. In addition to the training, nutrition also has to be in check. What does your nutrition look like ?
I think it's useless to have muscles and strength if you can use it everyday
Do you stretch or currently use a flexibility / mobility routine ?
- When the pandemic is over, I would like to start BJJ. So I would like to orient my training a little for this future practice.
How many times per week ? This is important in terms of programming, because BJJ is fairly demanding (I practice boxing)
Now, beyond these questions, below is what I would do:
Conditioning: ~2 a week
- 2-3x running or rucking a week (probably only two if you go for 2 BJJ sessions a week). You do not need to go super long or super heavy (or both). 45 minutes of easy running or rucking with a moderate weight for the same amount of time will get the job done
- 2 sprints sessions: this is very quickly done: 10 sprints. You stop as soon as your top speed decrease, rest until your recovered, and repeat
Strength: ~2 a week
- I would do a progression towards one arm push ups. Along the way, this will maintain or even increase your pushing endurance. It will also strengthen the core (you will need it in BJJ anyway). 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest between sets. The Naked Warrior progressions are excellent. Convict Conditioning (you can easily find them on Internet) are good as well.
Regarding the push, you can also work with handstand push up, following the same sets & reps. You can do them on alternate weeks or alternate sessions.
- I would follow the same logic regarding pistol squats.
- For the hip / hinge, this will be the hardest thing. Depending on the resistance bands you have:
--> Good mornings
--> Single leg deadlifts
--> Regular deadlifts
If you do not have very "thick" resistance bands, good mornings and SLDL may get quite challenging. This will not be optimal for maximal strength, but it will offer a good blend of strength, mobility and balance, which is usefull in daily life. So again, depending on the resistance of your bands, higher reps (up to 15) may be needed).
- Core
--> Hanging Leg Raises. 5 sets of 5 are great for "overall core"
Nonetheless, you'll want to work on anti-lateral flexion, anti extension and rotation. So, to get something "well rounded" as you will need it in BJJ but also outside the mat:
--> Planks, Side bends (or lateral plank), Palloff press. For the 2 laters, you can use the bands you have. Sets 15-20.
I noticed that regarding my activities (rucking, boxing) I need both low reps (which I get using Dragon Flag) and high reps (I use resistance band crunches, side bends, and Russian twist and weighted plank).
-Pull
--> To me, this is "hybrid". I have trouble increasing my strength-endurance with pull ups if I do not do specific work. Contrary to the push up, my body does not transfer strength training to endurance. So, as you want to increase your strength using bdw only, I'd go for Convict Conditioning progression (using a towel to make them uneven for instance).
To trigger some hypertrophy, after the push ups, pull ups, I would do 1 or 2 sets of a regular variation (standard push ups, regular pull ups) for higher reps.
If you want it "plug in play" and even simpler:
Just because you don't have a kettlebell or barbell, doesn't mean you have to lose strength. This bodyweight-only strength program can go with you anywhere.
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You will keep you BJJ and conditioning alongside.
Kind regards,
Pet'