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Bodyweight Bodyweight Practitioners: Conditioning / Skill balance

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SamTX

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For those that have ever spent extended time as exclusively bodyweight / calesthenics practitioners, how did you split your training between conditioning and skill work? Whenever I get the notion to head fully in the bodyweight training direction, I have a hard time coming up with an approach that adequately addresses one without sacrificing progress in the other.

I know much of the answer depends on the old, "What are your goals?" question, but I would be interested to hear your approach, and how you arrived at the balance that you struck.

Or, now that I think about it, maybe I am wrong to consider them part of the same integrated approach, and should consider them two distinct modalities.
 
When I do calisthenics only block, a do skill work almost exclusively. Hill sprints for conditioning. Or I add swings/snatches, but then it's no longer calisthenics only.
 
Coach Sommers just combines everything so his skill work and strength work become conditioning work. I thought that was interesting.

I used to do skill work, strength work and then conditioning all in the same workout, in that order. But now that I've discovered Original Strength, I don't even know what's strength work and what's conditioning any more.

However, the gold standard for combining strength and conditioning with just pure calisthenics is Ross Enamait's Never Gymless. He doesn't explicitly program skills, but his programming prioritizes isometrics and that can easily be your skill work. He's selling the book for a dollar because of the Covid lockdowns and I highly recommend it.
 
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I think there's a spectrum of mostly skill, low strength on one end, and high strength, low skill on the other end. That would be handstands on one end, because once you get the basic shoulder and wrist conditioning down, the skill of the handstand is to balance it to make it easier. On the other end would be something like a front lever lever or maybe planche work. Neither of those are happening without a high degree of strength, although the planche has a (smaller) balance component to it.

To me, the only bodyweight/calisthenics movements that I wouldn't really consider skills are any that you can just do lots of reps of and keep decent form without much thought. These would be things like basic pushup variations, rows, bodyweight squats.

Once you start drifting towards anything that has a balance component (pistol, one arm pushup, handstands, etc) the amount of skill require changes. Even moving the hands back a few inches towards your hips (To perform pseudo planche pushups) suddenly adds a skill component. So there's a blend of skill and strength in most calisthenics moves, imo.

As far as balancing skills vs strength and conditioning in your training, the most important rule is that the more skill a move requires, it should be practiced when you are the freshest. The next thing I would say is that the more balance (like handstands) a skill requires, the more often it should be practiced (for handstands I'd say at least three days a week).
 
Hi Sam,

I have focused my training with bodyweight for a few decades. Over this time I have studied and followed a number of different programs and have settled on a training cycle approach based on the season. This works best for me. I am not saying it is the best for everyone but meets my goals of having good bodyweight control and maintaining strength.

Spring starts with a 4-6 week block of pyramid training. Push ups, pull ups, and squats.

Summer and fall consist of basic strength training in a 5x5 or 3x5 program with variations thrown in. Pull ups, push ups, dips, back bridges, bodyweight rows, and various types of squats are done. I will randomly add weight to my body or change the movement to make things harder or easier.

Winter is where I will focus more on skill training. For me skill training is the one arm push, shrimp squat, pistol squat, hand stand, and L sit pull up.

All of my strength training is done three days per week with hard days, medium days, and light days diving up the week.

Regarding conditioning, I will run, cycle, do a run/crawl, ruck, snowshoe and sprint three days per week. Selection is random or seasonal.

I find skill training develops a lot of fatigue for me so that is why I focus on these exercises during the winter when my conditioning workload is lower. In addition, I do some brief mobility and stretching work everyday. At 50 years old this is a requirement to maintain my ability to move well.

Best wishes on your training.
 
@SamTX. Al Kavadlo, Old Man Strength. This program clearly defines and incorporates both strength and skill into the daily program. (Listed so). Only place I've seen it programmed that way. Pardon my enthusiasm, but my pistol and side to side Cossack squats are really progressing under this guidance. Having achieved timed Simple and becoming enchanted with the strength gains, ( I never thought I could TGU a 32 when I first felt it). I have somehow found myself a BW practitioner. Archer pull here I come. I'm gonna get it. Human flag? I'd like it but I've a lot of mileage to cover on an already high clock to get there. BTW I'm practicing on a homemade rig. Gorilla buckets set in concrete for bar. (ex scaffold bar). I love the rawness. Courage corners should be basic and minimal for me. Others opinions may vary.
 
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@SamTX A wee random extract and I hope Al wouldn't mind, but this is the format. I would suggest, purchase and enjoy. Be strong. Screenshot_20220722-194431.png
 
@SamTX. Al Kavadlo, Old Man Strength. This program clearly defines and incorporates both strength and skill into the daily program. (Listed so). Only place I've seen it programmed that way. Pardon my enthusiasm, but my pistol and side to side Cossack squats are really progressing under this guidance. Having achieved timed Simple and becoming enchanted with the strength gains, ( I never thought I could TGU a 32 when I first felt it). I have somehow found myself a BW practitioner. Archer pull here I come. I'm gonna get it. Human flag? I'd like it but I've a lot of mileage to cover on an already high clock to get there. BTW I'm practicing on a homemade rig. Gorilla buckets set in concrete for bar. (ex scaffold bar) I love the rawness.
Thank you for the response. Does the Old Man training module leave anything in the tank for other athletic pursuits, or do you feel that the program's demands leave no room for other training?

My issue is this. I am concerned that the two components of serious BW training that appeal to me the most (physique, being able to do cool stuff) won't leave room for other activities.

Dan John's admonition to "keep the goal the goal" is a tough one for me. I tend to program jump. Or, an alternative way to look at it is that I like to have flexibility in programming to head off in interesting directions from time to time. I find that the Dan John Park Bench vs. Bus Bench essay is pretty spot on. The Bus Bench approach is hard to stick to for an extended amount of time.

(note: I am familiar with Convict Conditioning, Kavadlo brothers, Naked Warrior, GMB, Animal Flow, Yoga, Steven Low, Original Strength, and a little bit with Ido Portal. I currently use Animal Flow almost daily. UGH, that's a lot of BW wisdom that apparently hasn't sunk in.)
 
@SamTX
One approach I see is cycle goals while keeping others on maintenance. So for 6-8 weeks (or more) you would focus on one push, one pull, one lower body move mainly, and once or twice a week practice the things you’re not currently focusing on. In the body weight world, a fair amount pushing and pulling exercises carry over to other pushing and pulling exercises.

I believe it is the mindful mover who says to focus mainly on front lever row progressions, planche push-up progressions, and handstand push-up progressions. By doing so you cover a lot of ground and all those elements carryover to other skills.

My dream is to be able to perform five or more full 90-degree push-ups someday. Sometimes I doubt if that is doable, but I still try to train my shoulders through that range of motion, since it encompasses anterior and over overhead pressing in one move. So I accommodate by doing similar moves at intensities I can do. So a way you could implement this idea is to pick movements that give the largest range of motion.

The last thing that comes to mind is this: simply do one press, one pull, one leg move, and one core move each session. Change what push/pull/etc you do each session.
For example:
-day one: push-ups, rows, Hindu squats, hollow holds

-day two: dips, chin ups, pistols, L-sit work

-day three: pike push-ups or handstand push-ups, front lever static hold, squat jumps, side arches

This style allows you to cover quite a bit of ground without overworking some particular pattern. It might help decrease the risk of overuse injuries while simultaneously exposing the muscles to stimulus repeatedly throughout the week. You would just have to adjust load and per-session volume for the degree of training frequency you prefer.
 
@SamTX
Does the Old Man training module leave anything in the tank for other athletic pursuits, or do you feel that the program's demands leave no room for other training?

For me no. Mid 40's. High mileage. Carry injuries. Physical job 6 days a week. (climbing arborist). I walk/run 3 miles daily with my dog and have a young family. Strength gains are very noticeable though. I can keep up with the 20 year old muscular guys at work. I don't think these guys will have a lower back in 20 years though. YMMV.
 
@SamTX


For me no. Mid 40's. High mileage. Carry injuries. Physical job 6 days a week. (climbing arborist). I walk/run 3 miles daily with my dog and have a young family. Strength gains are very noticeable though. I can keep up with the 20 year old muscular guys at work. I don't think these guys will have a lower back in 20 years though. YMMV.
This tells me exactly what I need to know. Sounds like it leaves plenty in the tank. If you are like me, you don't run for physical fitness, but for mental fitness. Even sounds like there may be room for me to get some swings and get ups in from time to time.

And, good on you for kicking that much a#@ on a daily basis. I turn 50 next year and I am not quite ready to give up on the dream of some of the more interesting BW movements.
 
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