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Bodyweight High reps routine

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pet'

Level 8 Valued Member
Hello,

I often go for high rep push ups in my current routine. This SF article Strength in Numbers: A Case for Push-up Endurance Training convinced me that even if it might not be the "best and fatest" - meaning "optimal" - way to build strength, it works, at least to a certain extent.

Plus, this kind of high reps protocol can also turn into a conditioning routine (for both heart and muscle endurance). IMO this is interesting

Then I was wondering if there were the same kind of equivalence (with figures) related to squat/pull up/abs, regardless the move variation one choose.

Do you think this is worthy to follow the same principle than this article for all the other moves (squat, abs, etc.. ) The idea here would be to go for something based on bodyweight only, to work on strength, endurance and conditioning, to be done daily. For instance : X push ups, Y squats, Z abs, A pull ups ? And changing the variation from day to day

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello,

I often go for high rep push ups in my current routine. This SF article Strength in Numbers: A Case for Push-up Endurance Training convinced me that even if it might not be the "best and fatest" - meaning "optimal" - way to build strength, it works, at least to a certain extent.

Plus, this kind of high reps protocol can also turn into a conditioning routine (for both heart and muscle endurance). IMO this is interesting

Then I was wondering if there were the same kind of equivalence (with figures) related to squat/pull up/abs, regardless the move variation one choose.

Do you think this is worthy to follow the same principle than this article for all the other moves (squat, abs, etc.. ) The idea here would be to go for something based on bodyweight only, to work on strength, endurance and conditioning, to be done daily. For instance : X push ups, Y squats, Z abs, A pull ups ? And changing the variation from day to day

Kind regards,

Pet'

I think it should work. Hanging leg raises for abs, pushup variations for pushing muscles, pullup variations for pulling muscles. For legs I'd go for lunges or airbourne lunges because regular bw squats will probably reach the thousands.
 
While working night shifts back in the day we'd hang a pull-up bar in the doorway and crank out 5-10 reps every 30 min or 60 min (depending on how busy it was in the ER). I found it a bit more taxing than high-volume GTG push-ups and wouldn't do it every day. I enjoyed it and would recommend trying it. Also multiple movements being trained in this fashion could be a bit much? I guess it depends on any other training the individual may be doing at the time.
 
Hello,

Thank you very much for the input guys !

My "plan" is to find a routine using the same principles than the SF article related to high rep push ups. Indeed, if this works for push ups, I think it can also work for other moves.

I use different variations everyday to avoid always taxing joints and muscles the same way, plus trying to reap the benefits of all moves while managing rest.

For instance, this morning, I did 500 feet elevated push ups, sit ups, Hindu squats, and 100 pull ups. However, it could be possible to do other kind of push ups (OAP, diamond, etc...) or other kind of squats (jumping, pistols, etc...) That way, due to the variation difficulty, the volume will vary. A session with pistol will focus more on strength than an Hindu squat session for example.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello,

Thank you very much for the input guys !

My "plan" is to find a routine using the same principles than the SF article related to high rep push ups. Indeed, if this works for push ups, I think it can also work for other moves.

I use different variations everyday to avoid always taxing joints and muscles the same way, plus trying to reap the benefits of all moves while managing rest.

For instance, this morning, I did 500 feet elevated push ups, sit ups, Hindu squats, and 100 pull ups. However, it could be possible to do other kind of push ups (OAP, diamond, etc...) or other kind of squats (jumping, pistols, etc...) That way, due to the variation difficulty, the volume will vary. A session with pistol will focus more on strength than an Hindu squat session for example.

Kind regards,

Pet'
I am tagging the author of that article so that you can get his thoughts..

@Jody Beasley
Thanks Karen
 
Hello,

Thank you very much for the input guys !

My "plan" is to find a routine using the same principles than the SF article related to high rep push ups. Indeed, if this works for push ups, I think it can also work for other moves.

I use different variations everyday to avoid always taxing joints and muscles the same way, plus trying to reap the benefits of all moves while managing rest.

For instance, this morning, I did 500 feet elevated push ups, sit ups, Hindu squats, and 100 pull ups. However, it could be possible to do other kind of push ups (OAP, diamond, etc...) or other kind of squats (jumping, pistols, etc...) That way, due to the variation difficulty, the volume will vary. A session with pistol will focus more on strength than an Hindu squat session for example.

Kind regards,

Pet'

Impressive numbers, Pet!
How do you program the high rep anf low rep days?
 
Hello,

@Marc
Thank you !

I vary the volume using different variations or paces. For instance, Hindu squats or air squat are high volume days. Pistol squats are low volume day.

I enjoy doing alternate day. In all cases, I enjoy reducing the rest as much as I can to get some cardio work at the same time.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
I do mainly abbreviated training with barbells, dumbbells working from 5 - 12 rep sets but every now and then spend a period of time on high rep (20+) sets. It acts as a bit of a tonic, giving joints and muscles some relief from heavy weight, while providing intensity in a different way and on the hypertrophy side, acknowledging this is against the conventional wisdom, it does seem to contribute positively
 
I think there is something to be said about high repetition pushups building strength and muscles in young men (early teens to late 20's). I think it's a phenomenon, if only to me, how well young men respond to high volume pushup work if its done with relatively good form. At least this has been my experience (though I am not a shining example) and the experience of those I know who have joined the armed forces.

Would like to hear what you have to say about the NASA pushup program... since it seems you have done something very similar.

Always a fan of hearing about high repetition calisthenics..
 
Hello,

At the very beginning, high reps can make you sore or create fatigue. After a while, you get used to the volume and then have two options: Harder variations, still increasing the volume. A "third" one consists in reducing rest.

Recently, I hit a front lever on an edge because I currently al travelling. This was the first attempt since a while. It was as good as before. I maintained it (regardless skill) only with high reps push ups and sit ups.

To be more accurate, with a daily push ups and abs variations, including frequent high reps.

I think high reps are really efficient to maintain and even increase strength...to a certain extent. After a while, as we get used to them, we become less proficient. That is why bringing some variation permits to maintain progression.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
There was that study a little while ago which found that sets of up to 30 reps still increased strength and muscles size provided it's a max effort. Lower repetitions were more effective but higher reps still produced results.
 
I may sound like a broken record as I've told this tale many times on this forum but I have personally experienced how high rep work with a lighter weight can increase max strength as well. I have been very big on doing kettlebell military presses, and for a long time only did them on 24kg and 28kg kettlebells as I had nothing else. I think the most of my training was done on the 24kg one. When the time to upgrade came, I played it safe and got both a 32kg and a 40kg kettlebell at once. I could press the 40kg with both arms when it came.

I do not have the experience when it comes to lower body lifts. I think they may play by different rules as the muscles and the muscle fibers are different. But then again, maybe they do not.

Still, even if I have personally found that there is some carryover from repeated light weight work to absolute strength, I do not know how big the carryover is. And a far better question is whether it is better than regular weight upgrades. Even if I have found the high rep, low intensity training work for me, I have not continued to train so after I got myself bigger weights.
 
@pet', just stumbled across the PLP workout on t-nation. Have you seen this one?

Tempted to run it with Easy Strength this winter....
 
Hello,

@Wesker11
I never tried this program, but it seems pretty interesting :) if done with proper technique

Each day, I GTG with push ups. I usually hit 300 / 400 push ups in addition to the training per se. I got a far better front lever, HSPU and bent press doing so. Related to body composition, I got shoulder and upper torso hypertrophy, plus some abs definition. I did not gain weight when I started because I did not change my diet. However, I got lean mass when I started to eat more.

I really think it works to get both heavier and leaner, while improving conditioning.

Kind regards,

Pet'

PLP: The 60-Day Challenge | T Nation
 
You can't go far wrong with the SLDL...

That's what I was thinking. Dan John seems to emphasize more hinge movements over squat movements. So I think it might fit better. I think I will try 2 months Easy Strength followed by 2 months Easy Strength with PLP or PSLDLP.

I will be finished with Get Strong this month and will start this in October.
 
References to Herschel Walker are being made and I just want to briefly point out that Walker is an absolute genetic freak. While he might have been weak and bullied when young, he was an absolutely dominating presence once he hit puberty and beyond. As a Pro athlete, it's perfectly logical that Walker used anabolics as well (just like all other pro athletes). He admitted his dietary plan consisted of a salad and soup for dinner (you read that right) while his physical training plan were just basic, easy calisthenics done for very large volume. He was actually diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Personality Disorder later in life (which apparently made sense to many of his family members based on his behavior). It's a shame he had to deal with that.

Regardless, just how I wouldn't take his diet as any influence to my own diet, I also wouldn't with his training. Due to anabolics and clearly exceptional genetics, what works for Walker isn't necessarily likely to work for anybody else at all. In fact, it's entirely possible Walker was so impressive despite his extreme physical and dietary habits. Not because of them. Just keep that in mind.

@pet' : High rep work has its benefits but like the author of the SF article mentions, its strength benefits probably only extend to maintaining strength. It's not whether it's optimal for strength development (which you admitted it isn't); I'm concerned it doesn't build any maximal strength at all.

That you could do a Front Lever after only doing high rep pushups and situps is correlation, not causation. Push-ups and Sit-ups do not even train the same relevant back muscles of a FL.
A dirty secret about strength training is that it is slow to develop, but also very slow to lose. It's actually the slowest declining physical quantity of all of them. Strength lasts.


Anyways you should absolutely work with high reps and I'm well aware that you know all of ^this information. But it's just mainly to point to other posters that Strength is a very useful quality and can only be developed with lower rep ranges. You don't have to be extremely dogmatic and live in the 3-5 rep range (because 8-10 reps also improve strength, just not as well), but once you use exercises where you can do well past 20 reps per set, it becomes quite a reach to believe that they will strengthen your muscles the way lower rep, high tension work would.

Fun thread!
Just my 2 cents.
 
Hello,

@305pelusa
You are just perfectly right !

Regarding FL for instance, I admit I built it using only low reps and high tension. Related to maximum strength building, nothing beats that (at least for what I experienced). I would not advise high reps to build max strength. It can work to a certain extent (for instance if you start from zero) but not really more than that.

High reps maintain my max strength, at least for a while. Regularly, I enjoy doing them to improve / maintain my strength-endurance. For a while, I train only low reps. Then, I had to carry stuff to move a flat. No problem related to lift for a short while...However I had more difficulties to do it for extended period of time. That is why I think building strength with low reps, and after, maintenance of strength and endurance improvement with high reps can be a good strategy. Cycles can be worth considering

Related to nutrition and supplement, well...I only use rice protein in moderate amonts. Oterwise, I prefer real food. If genetics and supplements do not help, I do not think reaching a Walker's physique (muscle mass) is possible with only a soup and salad a day.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
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