Bodyweight High rep pushups & squats daily

[pet']

Hello,

To be honest, I am also [very positively] surprise. I had no doubt it could lead to strength gains. However, I had not such expectations. My freestanding HSPU also improved. Indeed, I can hit 5 in a row, whereas the previous "record" was 3 or 4.

I think these basic exercises can really maintain or even increase strength - at least to a certain extent. Maintaining the skill is important as well, along the high rep routine. I hit a few reps here and there before using heavier weights.

I was a bit worried about overtraining because I did this as a "side-project", but it went surprisingly well. I just listenned to my body: when I was tired, I did less or rest. Most of the time, I prefer this approach because my body and mind know what he can or cannot endure.

From today, and for a while, I'll try another strategy: on alternate days high rep low difficulty moves, low rep high difficulty moves. I think this can maintain endurance, strength and hypertrophy, but also increase maximal strength. I am pretty confident, and mental is a part of the practice.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Oscar]

@pet' how did you arrange the sessions? Did you do GTG sets of 50% your max reps? How many sets and reps, in average?

 

[pet']

Hello,

@Oscar
My "main routine" is done first thing in the morning. It remained the same all the time.

Regarding the GTG, I made things simple. I decided a number of reps per day, and then I did them, regardless the number of sets. I have always done plenty of push ups. Then, I started with 300 per day. Once I reached the 300 per day easily, I put some structure (sets of 50). While keeping the 300, I reached 3 sets of 100 throughout the day. I maintained this pace for a while. After a while, I added a set of 100 on alternate days. Then, I did this additional set everyday. Then I added another one on alternate days, and so on.

Now, I always do sets of 100. Sometimes, I do several sets in 30 minutes or 1 hour. This means I "end" my GTG pretty soon in the day. Sometimes, I do 1 set every 1h or 1h30 so I end later.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[User 4484]

Awesome thread!

Will read Max Shanks article on T-nation when I have time .. sounds like a fun basic program!

 

[pet']

Hello,

For a while, I ran a pretty simple routine, based on 5 sets of maximum repetition (-1 to avoid failure) with very low rest (25s between sets). In terms of moves, I used an agonist / antagonist frame
- OAOL PU / Inverted OA row
- Pull up / Dip
- Pistol
- Dragon flag

This is possible to vary the version to make the move easier, and it is also possible to vary the pace (slow negative, explosive positive, etc...)

I did not run it on a daily base, but 3 days a week base. Even with this frame, it worked terrific. I ran this "long time" ago, but I gained weight and hypertrophy doing it, plus getting some conditioning. Regarding strength, this maintained my BnP record for that time.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[D-Rock]

While keeping the 300, I reached 3 sets of 100 throughout the day. I maintained this pace for a while. After a while, I added a set of 100 on alternate days. Then, I did this additional set everyday. Then I added another one on alternate days, and so on.

Now, I always do sets of 100. Sometimes, I do several sets in 30 minutes or 1 hour. This means I "end" my GTG pretty soon in the day. Sometimes, I do 1 set every 1h or 1h30 so I end later.

Just curious how long it took you to reach sets of 100? I've wanted to do 100 straight for years "just because", mostly because I wondered if it was possible. Never quite got there.

 

[pet']

Hello,

@D-Rock
If we consider this "side project" it took me 2 or 3 weeks. It was pretty fast actually.

That being said, I have been working on push ups almost every day for a decade now. For a while I trained on the following frame: 5 * max-1 with 15s rest. I guess this helped me to get to the 100 pretty quickly.

To get there fast, I would see two options:
- GTG
- Fighter "push up" program.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[D-Rock]

Thank you @pet' ! I'm sure your years of higher reps did help build a base. That's neat how quickly you bumped to 100 though! I appreciate the input.

Just curious how you would personally structure a fighter "pushup" program. I actually did this two years ago, I think I started out in jumps of 2 since pushups are easier than pullups. So I did 2, 4, 6 , 8, 10 and adding reps as prescribed in fighter pullup program. I forget my exact results; I remember it yielded a respectable increase but I did start to burn out after 6 weeks. That was my experience with the FPP too...it's great for a fast increase but it is a short term, intense program.

 

[pet']

Hello,

@D-Rock
You are welcome !

My strategy would be to follow the figther push up program as if it was pull ups, because this move is less taxing (at least for me). So to a certain extent, we can endure a more important volume. However, as soon as progression is stalling (or even regressing), I would do it only on alternate days. That way, I'd get 1 day of recovery between each training day.

I thinks this can work because, I started to modify my "side project" with good results: high reps easy version day and low reps hard version day. That way I manage rest and I keep progressing in both areas.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[JonS]

Just curious how long it took you to reach sets of 100? I've wanted to do 100 straight for years "just because", mostly because I wondered if it was possible. Never quite got there.

The NASA or Drop and Gimme 100 GTG programs from BB are great. Lately, I've been trying @mprevost 's USNA 100 pushups program. I'm currently working on the 35-50 column. Other Fitness Programs – Mike Prevost, PhD

 

[jane nair]

Hello,

At the beginning, I did a 300 push ups a day challenge (in addition to the normal routine). I obtained very good results because I did them with full tension. So I maintained my bent press at more than 1/2 bdw without training it, got a far stronger front lever, and also better OAOL PU. It also helped my HSPU.

Then, I kept the idea and now systematically run either 300 "standard" push ups a day, or use other variations (slow motion, OA, OAOL, etc...).

In addition to the above, I do everyday 300 squats (either Hindu or standard, with bodyweight only).

Related to abs, depending on the day, Janda sit ups or standard sit ups with proper breathing to protect the lower back.

This morning, I did in less than 15 minutes:
(50 push ups - 50 sit ups - 50 squats) X 6, with no rest between exercises and rounds, using supersets. Very good feeling in terms of conditioning and endurance. Such high reps transfer pretty well to strength.

Here is Charlie Hunnam (King Arthur movie) training routine (basically dips, pull ups, push ups, squats and abs, done everyday with high reps): Charlie Hunnam Workout Routine and Diet: From Jax Teller to King Arthur
In several interviews, he gave the same figures so information is checked. However, he insists on a very clean diet to get a proper body transformation.

Cutting carbs + high reps can tend to be efficient and worth trying.

I think it can be true and "real" (meaning without any steroids or so) because in France, there is a training method called "Methode Lafay" (Lafay's Method in english) which is based on high rep sets with low reps. This begets this type of physique, very lean and athletic, but also quite strong and powerful.

Kind regards,

Pet'

300 pushups and 300 squats a day as a beginner?!! how can you do that?need lots of strength and energy. I think you are a stronger guy. Are there any tricks to do a lot of pushups and squat a day?

 

[Marlon Leon]

@pet' I really enjoyed reading your report. However, since it was a side project as you write, how can you be sure where the strength gains came from?

 

[pet']

Hello,

@Marlon Leon

I really enjoyed reading your report

Thanks !

However, since it was a side project as you write, how can you be sure where the strength gains came from?

My last "record" was 36 for the BnP (only 2 per training) and a wobbling 40 (only once per training) for the GU. Then, I stopped doing them. Afterwards, I did my "main routine" and the record did not change. Indeed, the BnP @36 was still doable but with barely more effort. I know it did not change because I tested it here and there

Then, I tackled the side project and I made these "big jumps" for both weight and volume. So the "trigger" was the side project.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

300 pushups and 300 squats a day as a beginner?!! how can you do that?need lots of strength and energy. I think you are a stronger guy. Are there any tricks to do a lot of pushups and squat a day?

Perform a lot of low-rep sets throughout the day. If that's still a challenge, drop the reps down to 100 or lower and gradually add more sets until you can hit 300 in a day. Then look at performing more reps per set.

If you have a hard time with push-ups or squats, work on a regressed version of the movements (kneeling push-ups, box squats etc.) and build up your strength.

 

[pet']

Hello,

300 pushups and 300 squats a day as a beginner?!! how can you do that?need lots of strength and energy. I think you are a stronger guy. Are there any tricks to do a lot of pushups and squat a day?

I have been doing push ups for more than a decade now. I have been doing them almost everyday. I used different variations: feet elevated, standard, OA, OAOL, rings, etc... I guess this is why it did not took me "too much" time to get to the 300 a day. Plus, I am relatively light. This helps me in terms of endurance because I do not have a lot of weight to lift.

In terms of energy, we need to consider two things:
- recovery
- diet

For the first one, as @Chrisdavisjr said, you are not obliged to go for 300 straightaway. You have to be very progressive and listen to your body. If you feel tired, sore, or whatever, dropping to 200 or 100 or even 50 a day. You have to stay perfectly fresh.

For the second one, diet is an important part of recovery. Because this was for me an additional energy expenditure, I ate more. Now, I tend to eat more or less like before because my body got used to the training volume. This goes for both push ups and squats.

If these two elements are incorporated in the training, there is no reason at all it does not work !

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[D-Rock]

The NASA or Drop and Gimme 100 GTG programs from BB are great. Lately, I've been trying @mprevost 's USNA 100 pushups program. I'm currently working on the 35-50 column. Other Fitness Programs – Mike Prevost, PhD

Thank you for sharing this resource! I'm seriously thinking about giving this a go. Do you think maxing each workout would be too intense and cause burnout? It is only the last set though, and done three times per week.

 

[pet']

Hello,

@D-Rock
I did not try this program, however, I trained for an extended period of time with 2-3 trainings a week, with max-1 (push ups, pull ups, abs, squat). As long as you get at least 1 entire day of recovery between 2 sessions, it may work. At least, this was the case for me.

Otherwise, another strategy I used to keep progressing, assuming a 3 times a week training:
session A -> max
session B -> 70%
session C -> max

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[D-Rock]

Otherwise, another strategy I used to keep progressing, assuming a 3 times a week training:
session A -> max
session B -> 70%
session C -> max

I like that a lot!! I was in an "either or" mindset, it didn't even occur to me that I could tweak it slightly like that.

 

[pet']

Hello,

@D-Rock
This frame is commonly used by some calisthenics guys in France who run the "Lafay's Method". It worked very well on me as well. Some of these guys built / have been building very impressive body composition with only a few training hours per week

Another very solid and successful approach (also explained in this method) is doing only 2 sessions a week, but with a max each time.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Chrisdavisjr]

I must say, I'm enjoying this thread quite a lot. High-rep work (push-ups, in particular) used to be pretty much all I did.

Before I knew any better, I was convinced that increasing the reps was the key to getting stronger and bigger. While I admit that I didn't know what I was doing, I managed to get some pretty high numbers in my workouts and, at one time, approached 100 rep sets of push-ups, as well as building a modest but visible amount of lean mass.

Once I'd read The Naked Warrior that all changed, of course, however I do miss higher rep sets and have started to reintroduce them into my training, mainly to see if they help/hinder my progress with Simple & Sinister and partially just for nostalgia.

I've been doing 10, 20, 30, 40 rep push-up ladders as a manageable way of cranking out 100 reps. I only really start to feel the burn on the 40 rep set but I can make it to the end without turning purple. I used to do 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 (150 rep) ladders but it's hard to imagine being able to do that now.