Bodyweight Red Army pull-ups and dips protocol

[the hansenator]

I spent the month of March following the chart for dips and chins using the 5 RM, 2-3 times per week. Started at 3/week but that felt like too much volume so switched to 2/week with some overhead presses on the third day.

In today’s test I managed 9 dips, with the last two being a real grind. So an improvement of about two reps.

Chins stayed about the same at 7 reps with the last one or two being a grind,

I guess I’m a bit disappointed. It seemed like a lot of effort for a pretty small improvement. I think I’ll do something else for a while.

 

[Anna C]

In today’s test I managed 9 dips, with the last two being a real grind. So an improvement of about two reps.

Chins stayed about the same at 7 reps with the last one or two being a grind,

I guess I’m a bit disappointed. It seemed like a lot of effort for a pretty small improvement. I think I’ll do something else for a while.

You went from 7 to 9 -- a 28% improvement, in 1 month? Sounds pretty awesome to me.

 

[BJJ Shawn]

You went from 7 to 9 -- a 28% improvement, in 1 month? Sounds pretty awesome to me.

That always strikes me as a weird way to measure, since it does not really equate to a 28% gain in strength.

Assuming he was 100kg, going from 7 to 9 reps is not the same as going from pressing 100 to 128kg, which is also a 28% improvement.

 

[the hansenator]

You went from 7 to 9 -- a 28% improvement, in 1 month? Sounds pretty awesome to me.

That’s a positive way to look at it.

Even with the low reps, I found that by the 5th or 6th set it was getting pretty hard and I wasn’t really looking forward to it.

 

[Anna C]

I wasn’t really looking forward to it.

Usually a sign of cumulative fatigue, overreaching... then you have a deload week, dissipate fatigue, and lo and behold, you can do more than before! Effective programs are hard at times. Sometimes a reframing of the sucky parts being intentional is all you need to enjoy the process a little more.

That always strikes me as a weird way to measure, since it does not really equate to a 28% gain in strength.

Assuming he was 100kg, going from 7 to 9 reps is not the same as going from pressing 100 to 128kg, which is also a 28% improvement.

Agree... 28% is the increase in strength endurance, or performance of max reps. Depending on how one figures the "load" with dips, it might be more like 7% increase in absolute strength. (Let's say the "load" is 150 lbs, 7 reps equates to a 1RM of 180 lbs, and 9 reps equates to a 1RM of 193 lbs. 1RM Calculator 13 lbs / 180 lbs = 7.2%).

 

[Creamkrackered]

This looks interesting as I’m trying to increase
My pull ups. Sorry if I am being numb but how long do you stay on this for? Say your RM is 1 how many weeks do you 7 sets of 1?

Thanks

 

[Benjamin Renaud]

This looks interesting as I’m trying to increase
My pull ups. Sorry if I am being numb but how long do you stay on this for? Say your RM is 1 how many weeks do you 7 sets of 1?

Thanks

When I used it while at a RM of 2, I just did 1/8 for the first week then started adding sets of 2 (sets of 1 became sets of 2) at the rate of 1 per session. After a couple of weeks I got to 2/7. I was doing it only 2-3 sessions a week. Used it for pull-ups only.

 

[3letterslong]

I spent the month of March following the chart for dips and chins using the 5 RM, 2-3 times per week. Started at 3/week but that felt like too much volume so switched to 2/week with some overhead presses on the third day.

In today’s test I managed 9 dips, with the last two being a real grind. So an improvement of about two reps.

Chins stayed about the same at 7 reps with the last one or two being a grind,

I guess I’m a bit disappointed. It seemed like a lot of effort for a pretty small improvement. I think I’ll do something else for a while.

A personal trainer friend of mine has recently been going on rants about how he ditches clients that insist on graduating from beginner programs before it's necessary and this was basically the reason. An intermediate or advanced lifter will have to invest in a lengthy training scheme just to add a few reps to their PR, but a beginner will add the same number reps in a couple of workouts. Beginners never seem to grasp how much quicker they'll advance in their training by sticking to a beginner plan and adding a rep or two every workout because they somehow assume advanced training is better. No, advanced training is necessary because they can no longer get those sweet gains beginners get.

(Not making any comment about whether or not you're a beginner -- it's just something that was on my mind and your experiences got wheels turning in my brain.)

 

[Gypsyplumber]

Hello,

I'd not add other push or pull move. Maybe some GTG here and there, but not much more.

Nonetheless, even if that's another routine, Bobby Maximus (former UFC) uses what is called Holy Trinity (pull ups, push ups, dips)


By the way, there is also the lower body version (squats, lunges, abs)

Try to Survive Bobby Maximus' Lowly Trinity Workout

This 15-minute leg session is simple, brutal, and effective.

www.menshealth.com

Kind regards,

Pet'

I’d be wrecked if I did 150 pull ups 150 dips and 150 push ups in 30 min lol

 

[BJJ Shawn]

I’d be wrecked if I did 150 pull ups 150 dips and 150 push ups in 30 min lol

Unweighted, I feel like the pushups or dips would be easy. Both of them, that’s a lot of pushing. Add pull ups and I think I wouldn’t make it no matter how hard I tried.

 

[Creamkrackered]

Thank you for the reply. I was thinking potentially doing it in 4 week training blocks and then re-testing my RM?

When I used it while at a RM of 2, I just did 1/8 for the first week then started adding sets of 2 (sets of 1 became sets of 2) at the rate of 1 per session. After a couple of weeks I got to 2/7. I was doing it only 2-3 sessions a week. Used it for pull-ups only.

 

[pet']

Hello,

I’d be wrecked if I did 150 pull ups 150 dips and 150 push ups in 30 min lol

These numbers are goals, so I guess one has to progressively ramp up toward them. However, you can break them down as you want. You are not obliged to finish the pull ups before doing the dips for instance.

I did it several times. Push ups can almost be considered as "active recovery". If they were weighted, it may be another story !

What I found is that breathing plays a huge role in this kind of long circuits. Indeed, as long as you maintain a regular breathing pattern, everything is "fine". However, as soon as you mess up your breathing, it gets harder...

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Benjamin Renaud]

Thank you for the reply. I was thinking potentially doing it in 4 week training blocks and then re-testing my RM?

After 4 weeks is a good plan.

I usually don't test, as testing my RM usually leads me to get elbow pain. I usually know when I only have 1 extra rep and just figure out my RM that way.

 

[Creamkrackered]

After 4 weeks is a good plan.

I usually don't test, as testing my RM usually leads me to get elbow pain. I usually know when I only have 1 extra rep and just figure out my RM that way.

Yeah it’s more to check when I’m ready to add more to be honest! Would be interested in reading the original source material if anyone has a name?

 

[stevein7]

I am thinking abouut using something like this in the future. My idea would be chins dips and the sissy squat performed on the apparatus which locks in your feet, pad behind the calves. I imagine that this would chime well with a run bike row programme; probably the "Red" army ( I doubt Karl Marx would have approved of a standing amy!) had its victims doing plenty of cardio type stuff. Communist greetings...get ready for tomorrow...

 

[GreenSoup]

How do you read this chart? Let’s say some body has a max of 5 dips. Where does this person starts and ends the protocol?

Edit: I see now … so it seems quite fast progression does it work?

Perhaps I missed something, but I do not see the progression. This protocol looks handy and quick to adjust some exercises to a plan's specific RM. If you have a 2rm how do you approach it for 3 days a week?

Option 1
Week 1: 1rm 1rm 2rm
Week 2: 1rm 2rm 2rm
Week 3: 1rm 2rm 2rm
Week 4: 2rm 2rm 3rm plan test?

Option 2
Week 1: 2rm 2rm 2rm
Week 2: 3rm 3rm 3rm
Week 3: 4rm 4rm 4rm
Week 4: 5rm 5rm 5rm (which presumes you can use the 5rm rep/set scheme and are working with more than your original ability)
Week 5: 6rm 6rm 6rm etc

Option 3:
Week 1: 2rm 3rm 4rm
Week 1: 3rm 4rm 5rm (by the 5rm set/rep scheme you're already adding a rep!)
Week 1: 4rm 5rm 6rm

Or Option 4 could be a wave cycle 2,3,4 then 3,4,5, etc each week.

There are so many possibilities. What was the intended plan?

 

[K2S5R]

Perhaps I missed something, but I do not see the progression. This protocol looks handy and quick to adjust some exercises to a plan's specific RM. If you have a 2rm how do you approach it for 3 days a week?

Option 1
Week 1: 1rm 1rm 2rm
Week 2: 1rm 2rm 2rm
Week 3: 1rm 2rm 2rm
Week 4: 2rm 2rm 3rm plan test?

Option 2
Week 1: 2rm 2rm 2rm
Week 2: 3rm 3rm 3rm
Week 3: 4rm 4rm 4rm
Week 4: 5rm 5rm 5rm (which presumes you can use the 5rm rep/set scheme and are working with more than your original ability)
Week 5: 6rm 6rm 6rm etc

Option 3:
Week 1: 2rm 3rm 4rm
Week 1: 3rm 4rm 5rm (by the 5rm set/rep scheme you're already adding a rep!)
Week 1: 4rm 5rm 6rm

Or Option 4 could be a wave cycle 2,3,4 then 3,4,5, etc each week.

There are so many possibilities. What was the intended plan?

I’m currently running this, too, so I’m curious.

I wanted to do this as it is accessible in the backyard, I can be outside with my kids, and a bit of a change from a KB dominant practice. Here’s how I’ve used it and plan to for the rest of the cycle.

I erred on the conservative side for RM’s and found an amount with the same set duration. I plan to run through for 4 weeks while keeping the reps, sets, and rest the same. The only variable that is changing is I’m using max tension, so I can almost guarantee that changes daily and will hopefully improve over the course of this cycle. At the end, I plan to go for broke and see what I can actually do once I complete a cycle, and I’ll be ready to revisit my more typical practice.

 

[the hansenator]

Perhaps I missed something, but I do not see the progression.

My assumption was to retest your RM after a month or so.

 

[Ricky01]

So without meaning to sound a bit stupid (and for the sake of this question in am just asking about dips and chinups)....

If my dip and chin up max reps were say 10....I would be doing 6 sets of 6 reps with 1-3 minutes rest in between of each.

Are all dip sets completed first or is it dips, maybe rest a minute then chinups, then maybe rest two minutes and then dips again?

When do you decide to retest your max or move up to eg 7 sets of 6 reps?

Thanks

Richard

 

[K2S5R]

So without meaning to sound a bit stupid (and for the sake of this question in am just asking about dips and chinups)....

If my dip and chin up max reps were say 10....I would be doing 6 sets of 6 reps with 1-3 minutes rest in between of each.

Are all dip sets completed first or is it dips, maybe rest a minute then chinups, then maybe rest two minutes and then dips again?

When do you decide to retest your max or move up to eg 7 sets of 6 reps?

Thanks

Richard

I can only say what I’ve been doing, which has been doing pulls ups then dips (the hanging leg raises) and repeat.

Not that you asked, but I take about a minute rest between exercises and then more like a 2 minute rest between sets. Somewhat self regulating but I shake off the tension and walk to the same spots in the yard. I’ve definitely tried to avoid over analyzing it all for this cycle.