BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES FOR
EXTRAORDINARY STRENGTH
Brad Johnson
IronMind®
STRONGER MINDS, STRONGER BODIES™
©2005 IronMind Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means without written permission, except in the case of
brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews. For further information,
please contact the publisher.
Published in the United States of America.
IronMind Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 1228
Nevada City, CA 95959 USA
www.ironmind.com; sales@ironmind.com
Lane Johnson photo set-up;
Logan Johnson photos.
About the Author
Brad Johnson is a former high school and collegiate gymnast. He was the
Kansas State High School Pommel Horse champion in 1978, and a two-time
bronze medal winner on the Pommel Horse at the NAIA college gymnastics
championship while competing for Fort Hays State University in Hays,
Kansas. Brad enjoyed training for competition as much as participating in the
competition itself. Brad is a school psychologist at Haysville Middle School
in Haysville, Kansas. He has been happily married for fifteen years and has
two very talented children.
Dedication
To my late grandfather and strongman, Cedric Johnson
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my wife Natalie for putting up with me and picking up
the slack around the house to give me the time to work on this book. To my
parents, Rick and Fran Johnson, thank you for believing in me and supporting
me in all of my endeavors. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to
Pavel Tsatsouline: I would not have believed that I had anything significant
to offer to the strength training community without your encouragement. A
special thanks to Randall Strossen and Elizabeth Hammond for giving me the
opportunity to write this book: it has been a pleasure working with both of
you.
Other IronMind Enterprises, Inc. Publications
SUPER SQUATS: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks by Randall
J. Strossen, Ph.D.
The Complete Keys to Progress by John McCallum, edited by Randall J.
Strossen, Ph.D.
Mastery of Hand Strength by John Brookfield
IronMind: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D.
MILO: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes,
Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D., Publisher and Editor-in-chief
Powerlifting Basics, Texas-style: The Adventures of Lope Delk by Paul Kelso
Of Stones and Strength by Steve Jeck and Peter Martin
Sons of Samson, Volume 2 Profiles by David Webster
Rock Iron Steel: The Book of Strength by Steve Justa
Paul Anderson: The Mightiest Minister by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D.
Louis Cyr: Amazing Canadian by Ben Weider, CM
Training with Cables for Strength by John Brookfield
The Grip Master’s Manual by John Brookfield
Dexterity Ball Training for Hands Course by John Brookfield
Captains of Crush® Grippers: What They Are and How to Close Them
by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D., J. B. Kinney and Nathan Holle
Winning Ways: How To Succeed In the Gym and Out
by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D.
The Complete Sandbag Training Course
by Brian Jones
To order additional copies of Bodyweight Exercises for Extraordinary
Strength or for a catalog of IronMind Enterprises, Inc. publications and
products, please contact:
IRONMIND ENTERPRISES, INC.
P.O. BOX 1228
Nevada City, CA 95959 USA
tel: (530) 265-6725
fax: (530) 265-4876
web site: www.ironmind.com
e-mail: sales@ironmind.com
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 Push-ups
• General Push-up Progressions
• Knife Fighter Push-ups
• Pinch Grip Push-ups
• Spider-ups
• Crush Grip Hover Planks
• Upper Body Crush Push-ups
• Kettlebell Crush Push-ups
• Bottom-up Kettlebell Crush Push-ups
• Teeter-Totter Push-ups
• Ring Exercises
• Ring Push-ups
• Ring Flyes
• Archer’s Flyes
• Suspended Renegade Rows
Chapter 2 Pull-ups
• General Pull-up Progressions
• Gripper Pull-ups
• Pliers Pull-ups
• Anvil Horn Pull-ups
• Grip Chins
• Ball Pull-ups
• Hex Dumbbell Crush Chins
• Plumber’s Pull-ups
• Kettlebell Crush Pull-ups
• Seesaw Pull-ups
• Sledgehammer Pull-ups
• 2″ × 4″ Leverage Pull-ups
• Half Iron Crosses
• Finger Pull-ups
• No-Handed Chins 29
Chapter 3 Climbing
• General Climbing Progressions
• Baseball Bat Climbing
• 2″ × 4″ Climbing
• The Incline Ladder 32
Chapter 4 Midsection Strength
• Exercise Preparation
• Superman Push-up Walkouts
• Wheel Jackknives 37 (Knees and Standing)
• Standing Wheel Jackknife Variations
• One-arm Standing Wheel Jackknives
• Ring Jackknives
• Rope Jackknives
• 2″ × 4″ Lever Jackknives
• Kettlebell Lever Jackknives
• Wrist Roller Jackknives
• Kettlebell Crush Jackknives
• Wall Slides
• Dragon Flags
• Dragon Flag Variations
• Vertical Scissor Dragon Flags
• Horizontal Scissor Dragon Flags
• Dragging Flag Press/Pull-ups
• Counterbalance Dragon Flags
• Extended Range Dragon Flags
• Hanging Knee and Leg Raises
• Four-Point Weighted Hanging Leg Raises
• Roman Column Sit-ups 55
Chapter 5 Program Design
Chapter 6 Injury Prevention
• Healthy Elbows
• Lower Back Health
Introduction
A brief history of my strength training experience will help the reader
understand my current strength training philosophy. After my gymnastics
career, I was determined to remain strong the rest of my life. I had rarely
trained with weights and I relied on the beloved bodyweight exercises,
performing high repetitions of various types of push-ups, dips, pull-ups, leg
raises, and sit-ups. My body quickly adapted to the high repetitions; for
example, I worked up to 13,000 consecutive sit-ups. A typical workout
consisted of 1,000 push-ups and 1,000 sit-ups: I did 20 push-ups and then
flipped over and did 20 sit-ups and continued in this manner until I reached
1,000 repetitions of each. On December 6, 1992, I performed 1,283 nonconsecutive parallel bar dips in 1 hour. On June 6, 1993, I did 6,001
consecutive supine leg raises in 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Because I was primarily developing endurance with all of the high repetition
work and had never developed much muscle mass—I was always skinny—I
became interested in weightlifting to add some muscle. After joining a gym
and following a typical bodybuilding-type routine, my muscles grew and I
initially experienced some good strength gains. The gym that I attended
eventually went out of business, so I bought some equipment (bar, bench,
attachments, and weights) to use at home. When I got married and had
children, we ran out of space for the bench, bar, and weights, so the weights
were traded in for a pull-up bar. Wanting to maintain the strength that I had
earned through weightlifting and to continue performing a large variety of
exercises, I experimented with different ways to utilize my own bodyweight
to replicate the exercises that I performed at the gym with weights. I found
that, with a little creativity, I was able to duplicate almost any exercise that I
did in the gym. I really enjoyed the feeling of moving my body through space
more than pushing or pulling weights: these movements can help you achieve
and display mastery of your body. I enjoyed the mental challenge of coming
up with various exercises and am fascinated with performing exercises that
have never before been attempted or achieved.
My current philosophy of strength training was heavily influenced by Power
to the People by Pavel Tsatsouline. In Power to the People, I learned about
neurological strength training which “can be summed up as acquiring the
skill to generate more tension.” I learned the importance of quality versus
quantity in strength training. The attention to detail required to perform the
exercises with high tension had a lot of appeal for me. Pavel also taught me
to “limit the repetitions to no more than five” when your goal is maximum
strength.
In The Naked Warrior: Master the Secrets of the Super-Strong Using
Bodyweight Exercises Only, Pavel presented many more “high tension
techniques.” I practice, study and apply these techniques during every
repetition of every exercise that I do. They are largely responsible for the
recent strength gains that I have achieved. Many of these tension techniques
are included in the Performance Tips sections.
I currently apply this high-tension, low-repetition philosophy to bodyweight
exercises by selecting variations of bodyweight exercises that are difficult
enough so that 5 or fewer repetitions are challenging; and I find ways to
increase the difficulty of these exercises when I am able to perform well over
5 repetitions.
This book is written for individuals who like to feel their bodies move
through space while training for strength. The exercises presented here will
benefit those whose sport, hobby, or career requires them to crawl, climb, or
otherwise maneuver their body around and through obstacles. While all of the
exercises included can be developed to extremely advanced levels for those
individuals who enjoy a tough physical challenge, progressions have been
included for most of the exercises so that individuals of all strength levels can
successfully perform the movements. I suggest that you try the exercises, if
appropriate for your current ability level, as you read along. The exercises
may be of particular interest to law enforcement officers, military personnel,
rock climbers, martial artists, and grip enthusiasts.
Most of the training includes variations of the following bodyweight
exercises: push-ups, pull-ups, and jackknives. Many of these movements
have been designed to simultaneously work your grip, core, and upper body
muscles. You will notice that I have not included many exercises for the legs.
There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) I use more traditional barbell and
bodyweight exercises for my lower body, like deadlifts, squats, and onelegged squats; and 2) the lower body does not seem to lend itself to as many
variations as the upper body does.
IMPORTANT!
Please read Chapter 6, Injury Prevention on page 59 before attempting any of
the exercises.
I hope that you will try these exercises and consider at least one of them
worthy of inclusion in your workout rotation. Even if you do not utilize any
of the specific exercises, I hope that this book will show you that outstanding
and extremely challenging exercises can be developed using only your
bodyweight. Feel free to experiment and come up with your own variations.
By performing the exercises that I have described and utilizing the program
that I have presented, you can expect improvement in:
• your bodyweight to strength ratio
• your crushing and pinch grip
• your finger strength
• your abdominal/core strength
• your ability to climb any obstacle that you may encounter
• your ability to maneuver through obstacles (especially those that require
placing your body in odd positions)
• your confidence in your ability to effectively handle your bodyweight,
regardless of the situation
Chapter 1 – Push-ups
Push-ups are excellent for developing upper body strength. The standard
push-up and many of its variations can be performed anywhere, and the only
equipment that you need is your own body. One of the frequently stated
disadvantages of push-ups and other bodyweight exercises is that your
bodyweight is fixed. A single push-up may be beyond your current ability.
What good is an exercise if you cannot perform a single rep? On the other
hand, push-ups may be so easy for you that you can perform 20 or more reps
before your muscles feel at all challenged. When you have performed that
many reps, you are developing strength endurance. Although I have nothing
against strength endurance, high-rep push-ups will not help when your goal is
developing maximum strength.
To have an effective strength training session, you must be able to adjust the
resistance to make the exercises possible yet difficult enough that 3 to 5
repetitions are challenging. You must also be able to increase the resistance
as you gain strength. I will first provide some general push-up progressions
that will allow you to change the resistance—and the level of difficulty—on
all the variations of push-ups. If a type of push-up has its own specific or
unique progressions, I will discuss them after describing the individual
exercise.
General Push-Up Progressions
In The Naked Warrior, Pavel teaches us that it is possible to adjust the
resistance of bodyweight exercises by “redistributing the weight between
your limbs, manipulating the range of motion, training in an unstable
environment, varying the leverage, and minimizing bounce and momentum.”
I will teach you how to vary the resistance of push-ups by elevating your
hands (to decrease the percentage of your bodyweight that you are pushing)
or by elevating your feet (to increase the percentage of your bodyweight that
you are pushing). I did an experiment to get an estimate of what percentages
of bodyweight that I push by manipulating the position of my hands and feet.
I measured the amount of my bodyweight that I pushed with my hands on top
of a bathroom scale in the following push-up positions:
• hands on picnic table with feet on ground
• hands on bench of picnic table with feet on ground
• hands and feet on ground
• hands on ground with feet on bench of picnic table
• hands on ground with feet on picnic table
I recorded the highest amount that was registered on the scale when doing a
smooth push-up, and then divided that amount by my bodyweight to
determine the percentage of my bodyweight that I was required to push in the
different positions. The percentages are as follows:
Push-up position
% of bw pushed
Hands on table/feet on ground
Hands on bench/feet on ground
Hands and feet on ground
Feet on bench/hands on ground
Feet on table/hands on ground
62%
72
86
91
94
Your percentages will vary depending upon the height of the bench and table
as well as your body type. This illustrates that it is possible to effectively vary
the amount of resistance utilizing your own bodyweight.
Hands Elevated Push-up Top Position
Hands Elevated Push-up Bottom Position
Feet Elevated Push-up Top Position
Feet Elevated Push-up Bottom Position
You can also reduce the resistance with push-ups by utilizing your knees
rather than your toes as your pivot point, which decreases the percentage of
your bodyweight that you are lifting. However, as Rick Osbourne and Brian
McCaskey noted in Pull Your Own Weight, it can be a large step from your
knees to your feet when you are attempting challenging bodyweight
exercises. Osbourne and McCaskey suggested a technique called pivot point
variation. I have found it to be very useful for making progress, and in fact, I
was able to work up to 33 one-arm, one-thumb push-ups utilizing this
method. They suggest varying the pivot point by using a small bench that is
very low to the ground, which you place under your body at any point
between your thighs and your feet. The many intermediate steps between
your knees and feet allow you to do extremely challenging exercises that you
may not even be able to successfully perform from the knees. The closer the
bench is placed to your feet, the harder the exercise. As you gain strength,
move the bench a little closer to your feet until you don’t need it any longer.
Once it becomes too easy to perform the particular push-up with your full
bodyweight, you can increase the resistance by shifting a greater percentage
of your weight to one arm, performing the exercise with just one arm, or
adding weight to your body with a weight vest or weights in a backpack.
Follow these progressions on all of the following push-ups. Experiment with
different progressions to find the one that is appropriate for your present level
of strength. Initially err on the side of the exercise being too easy to decrease
the risk of injury. If you can easily do more than 10 repetitions, try a more
advanced progression. Continue to experiment with different progressions
until you find one where 3 to 5 repetitions are challenging.
General Push-up Performance Tips
Pavel Tsatsouline has taught me the importance of attention to detail in
strength training. Many of these details are tension generation techniques. I
have studied and practiced these tension generation techniques for a few
years and am thoroughly convinced that they make a tremendous difference
in one’s strength performance. Please pay careful attention to the details. I
have included them because I believe they will make a significant difference
in your push-up performance. The following performance pointers apply to
all push-up varieties:
• flex your abdominals as if bracing for a punch
• flex your glutes
• flex your lats and pecs
• keep your body rigid and do not allow your lower back to sag
• pull your shoulders down (opposite of shrugging)
Knife Fighter Push-ups
Knife fighter push-ups are excellent for developing supporting grip strength
but will also strengthen your chest, shoulders, triceps, and wrists.
Set-up
Cut two 12″ long pegs out of 1″ thick dowel rods. Place the bottoms of the
dowels on the surface on which you will do push-ups (table, bench, or floor),
approximately shoulder width apart.
Exercise Performance
Grab the middle of a dowel with each hand. Walk your legs back into pushup position. Lower yourself slowly until your head is at hand level. At the
bottom of the push-up, you will want the dowels to be in line with your ears
and slightly away from your shoulders. If the dowels are closer to your
shoulders, you will find it more difficult to push yourself up because your
shoulders will feel jammed. You may need to adjust your foot placement to
achieve this position. Pause momentarily at the bottom and then push
yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of
repetitions.
Performance Tips
• squeeze the dowels very hard with your hands
• push the dowels down into the floor very hard with your hands to prevent
them from wobbling and to work your upper body muscles more
effectively
Additional Progressions
• use PVC or metal pipe instead of a wooden dowel (which is more
difficult because you will need to grip tighter to prevent your hands from
slipping)
• use baseball bats rather than dowels, with the bats upright on their
handles and your hands gripping them where they taper. You will really
need to grip the bats tightly (especially if they are aluminum) to resist
sliding down the taper, a feeling similar to lifting an anvil by the horn
• use a longer dowel and grab higher on the dowel. You will need to press
the dowels very hard into the surface to keep them stable. Your muscles
will need to work very hard to accomplish the push-up and keep the
dowels upright—you will challenge your triceps strength with these
Knife Fighter Push-up Top Position
Knife Fighter Push-up Bottom Position
Pinch Grip Push-ups
This is an incredible exercise for developing your pinch grip strength. Your
wrists and triceps will get a tremendous challenge as well.
Set-up
Cut a 2″ × 4″ into two one-foot long sections, making sure that the board is
smooth and splinter-free. Place the 2″ × 4″s on their ends, shoulder width
apart, so that they extend upward one foot on your chosen surface (table,
bench, or ground). The 2″ side of the board should be facing you.
Exercise Performance
Get down on your knees and pinch grip the 2″ × 4″s with each hand at the
midpoint, with your thumbs on the inside and fingers on the outside. Walk
your legs back to push-up position and slowly lower yourself to the bottom
push-up position. At the bottom, the 2″ × 4″s should be a few inches in front
of your head to prevent your shoulders from feeling jammed. Hold briefly at
the bottom and then push yourself back up to the starting position. Once you
can easily do 5 reps, move to a harder position. When you pinch grip weights,
the challenge is preventing the weights from slipping out of your hand to the
floor. With Pinch Grip Push-ups, the challenge is preventing your hands from
slipping down the 2″ × 4″s.
Performance Tips
• pinch the boards tightly with your hands
• push the boards hard into the floor to keep them from tipping over and to
increase the activation of the upper body muscles
Pinch Grip Push-up Top Position
Pinch Grip Push-up Bottom Position
Spider-ups
Spider-ups will increase your finger strength.
Caution: Allowing your fingers to bend back at the joints can cause joint
injury. Keep your fingers slightly flexed as if you are gripping a ball. This
will increase the effectiveness and the safety of the drill.
Set-up
Place a towel on a hard floor with a smooth surface. Fold the towel over a
few times to cushion the fingers.
Exercise Performance
Place one hand in fingertip push-up position on the towel. Rest the majority
of the weight on your knees and your free hand. Begin in a wide claw
position, with all fingers spread out, and then pull all of your fingers toward
the center until they meet each other. Return to the starting position.
Progressions
• you can manipulate the weight resting on your fingers by shifting your
weight forward or back and by resting more or less weight on the free arm.
Experiment to find the appropriate amount of resistance for your fingers
• if you wish to work both hands at the same time, place both fingers and
use pivot point variation to find the appropriate amount of resistance and to
increase the resistance as you get stronger
Spider-up Start
Spider-up Finish Close-up
Crush Grip Hover Planks
This exercise works your crushing grip while performing a variation of the
push-up, and it also works your upper body and core.
Set-up
You will need a pair of one to three-pound hex dumbbells for each hand. If
you do not have them, they are relatively cheap to buy or you can substitute
dowels, PVC, or metal pipes for the dumbbells. I prefer the dumbbells
because they better simulate the handles of the grippers. Place two samesized dumbbells on their ends, one in front of the other, with their sides
touching each other. Now place the other pair of dumbbells in the same
configuration, shoulder width from the first pair.
Exercise Performance
Get down on your knees and grasp one pair of dumbbells with your right
hand and the other pair with your left hand. Your grip on the dumbbells will
be identical to how you hold a gripper. Now take a position on the floor
where your forearms are parallel to each other, with your elbows resting on
the floor directly beneath your shoulders. Adjust the rest of your body so that
you are in plank position with your elbows still resting on the floor. Press up
slightly so that your elbows come off the floor. Your elbows should be about
the same height as the bottom of your hands and your forearms should be
parallel to the floor.
Performance Tips
• tightly grip the dumbbell pairs so that your hands do not slip down the
handles
• press the dumbbell pairs hard into the floor so that they do not fall over
• tighten your abs as if you are bracing to take a punch
• tense your glutes to help protect your back
Progressions
Gradually increase the amount of time that you hold this position. I generally
move on to a more difficult progression when I can hold the current position
for 30 seconds.
Crush Grip Hover Planks
Crush Grip Hover Planks Close-up
Upper Body Crush Push-ups
I have frequently seen recommendations for doing push-ups on a stability
ball. These push-ups are effective as you need to use your upper body
strength to stabilize the ball. I was intrigued by the exercise and wanted to
experiment with other variations. I am a big fan of the crushing exercise as an
upper body movement with an emphasis on the chest. The upper body crush
exercise requires you to place your palms on either side of an object and then
lift it without actually gripping it with your fingers—that is, you lift the
object by pressing into it with your palms. I will now describe a push-up
variation where you lift your bodyweight (rather than lifting the object from
the floor) utilizing upper body crushing power.
Set-up
Place a medicine ball on the floor. If you don’t have a medicine ball, a
basketball or soccer ball with plenty of air will work.
Exercise Performance
Place your right palm on the right side of the ball with your fingers pointing
toward the floor. Do the same thing with the left hand on the left side of the
ball. Extend your legs back into push-up position. You must apply a great
deal of pressure against the ball with your palms in order to prevent your
hands from slipping down the ball toward the floor. Lower your straight body
to the point where your chest is just above the ball. Hold momentarily and
then return to the starting position. Perform for the desired number of
repetitions.
Progressions
The curvature of the ball allows you to assist with your fingers by gripping
the ball as you do when palming a basketball. Assist only as much as
necessary with your fingers. The goal is to get to the point where you
completely support yourself with the pressure of your palms against the ball
without helping with your fingers. Doing so greatly increases upper body
tension.
Upper Body Crush Push-up Top Position
Upper Body Crush Push-up Bottom Position
Kettlebell Crush Push-ups
You can also perform the crush push-up using a traditional kettlebell. If you
do not currently have one, I highly recommend investing in one or more.
They are extremely versatile strength and conditioning tools. Performing this
exercise with a kettlebell is more challenging because the surface of the
kettlebell is slippery.
Ketllebell Crush Push-up Top Position
Ketllebell Crush Push-up Bottom Position
Bottom-up Kettlebell Crush Push-ups
Once you have mastered the regular Kettlebell Crush Push-up, try the crush
push-up with the kettlebell supported by the handle on the floor. This creates
an unstable environment which provides an even greater challenge. In
addition to pressing in hard on the sides of the kettlebell, you will need to
press the kettlebell hard into the floor to keep it from tipping over.
Bottom-up Kettlebell Crush Push-up Top Position
Bottom-up Kettlebell Crush Push-up Bottom Position
Teeter-Totter Push-ups
A teeter-totter push-up is an advanced push-up variation because you are
required to perform the push-up in an unstable environment. Additionally, it
is a fun way to work toward a one-arm push-up.
Set-up
Place a two to three-foot long 2″ × 4″ flat on top of a golf ball. Begin with the
ball at the mid-point of the board.
Exercise Performance
Put your hands on top of the 2″ × 4″. Do not wrap your fingers around the
board as they could bang into the floor if you lose your balance. Instead, just
curl your fingers in front of the board. Walk your feet back into push-up
position. In order to keep the board from tilting to one side, you will need to
press equally hard with both arms. Pressing the board hard into the ball will
help with stabilization and will also make the upper body muscles work
harder. Lower your straight body so that your chest touches the top of the
board. Hold momentarily and then slowly press your straight body back up
into push-up position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Performance Tips
• press the board hard into the ball
• when you manipulate the position of the ball, make sure that you work
the left and right sides of your body equally
Progressions
As you become proficient in this exercise and it is easy to perform over 10
repetitions, make the exercise harder by manipulating the position of the ball
relative to the ends of the board. For example, placing the ball closer to the
right end of the board will necessitate supporting more weight with your right
arm than with your left. If you press too hard with your left arm, the board
will tilt to the left side. Once you have gotten to the point of doing push-ups
with the ball near the edge of the board, you are basically doing one arm
push-ups on an unstable surface.
Teeter-Totter Push-up Ball Set-up
Teeter-Totter Push-up Top Position
Teeter-Totter Push-up Bottom Position
Ring Exercises
I wrote an article for Power Athlete’s magazine a few years ago describing
the use of gymnastics rings for strength training. Basic bodyweight pressing
exercises (push-ups, dips, etc.) on rings are much more challenging because
you must stabilize the rings. You must keep downward tension on the rings at
all times in order to control their movement. The rings are unique because
they move independently of each other, and each ring can move in any
direction. As such, the exercises that can be performed on low rings are
limited only by your imagination. I will cover a few of my favorites, but I
encourage you to experiment with other movements.
At the time I wrote that article, the only available gymnastic-type rings were
the competitive gymnastics rings and the playground variety of rings that you
can buy at a builder’s supply store. I went with the playground variety as the
competitive gymnastic rings were too expensive for me. Many adjustable
height strength training rings are now on the market. I will describe how to
make a low-tech pair of rings out of chain and sections of PVC pipe, but you
may prefer to buy a pair of rings that have been specifically designed for
strength training.
Set-up
Buy two chains to hang from a tree, rafters, pull-up bar, etc. Buy enough
chain so that the rings can eventually be adjusted to hang 4″ to 5″ off the
floor. Make sure that the chain is strong enough to support your bodyweight.
Thread the end of the chain that will hang closest to the floor through a 6″
section of PVC pipe and then attach the chain back to itself with a carabiner,
leaving enough room for your hands to fit on top of the PVC pipe and under
the loop formed by the chain. Follow this same procedure with the other
chain.
Ring Push-ups
Exercise Performance
Grab one ring with each hand; the rings should be hanging approximately
shoulder width apart. Your hands should be directly underneath the
shoulders, with your arms straight and elbows locked. Walk your feet back to
push-up position. Slowly lower yourself to the point where your hands are
just below your shoulders, hold momentarily, and then press back to the
starting position. Perform the desired number of repetitions.
Progressions
Resistance can easily be adjusted by altering the length of the chain. The
farther the rings are from the ground, the greater the incline; and the greater
the incline, the smaller the percentage of your bodyweight that you are
required to press. If you wish to increase the resistance, increase the length of
the chain. Continue progressing in this manner until the bottoms of the rings
are just a few inches from the floor. Difficulty can also be varied by altering
the pivot point. Once you can easily perform 10 repetitions, you can add
weight to your body or progress to Ring Flyes or Archer’s Flyes.
Ring Push-up Top Position
Ring Push-up Bottom Position
Inclined Ring Push-up Top Position
Inclined Ring Push-up Bottom Position
Performance Tips
• tense your abs and glutes and maintain a tight grip on the rings
• press down hard on the rings to control and prevent their movement
Ring Flyes
This exercise is similar to dumbbell flyes except that you are utilizing your
own bodyweight for resistance.
Exercise Performance
Begin in the same position as for Ring Push-ups. Extend your arms straight
out to each side of your body. Lower your body until your chest is
approximately level with the rings and your hands are at the same height as
your shoulders. Pause momentarily and then return to the starting position.
Perform the desired number of repetitions.
Performance Tips
In addition to the pointers specified for the Ring Push-ups, pull your arms
into your shoulder sockets and pull your shoulders down (opposite of
shrugging) to activate your pecs and lats.
Progressions
• reduce the incline as your strength increases
• perform Ring Flyes with your feet on a bench to increase the range of
motion
• add weight to your body when you are able to easily perform Ring Flyes
with the rings lowered to just above ground level
Ring Flye Top Position
Ring Flye Bottom Position
Archer’s Flyes
Exercise Performance
Begin in push-up position. Lower yourself by bending one arm as if you were
doing a one-arm push-up. Extend the other arm out to the side as for a ring
flye. Pause momentarily and then return to the starting position. Perform the
desired number of repetitions. You can emphasize either part of the
movement (the one-arm push-up or the one-arm flye). By pushing primarily
with the bent arm, you are doing an advanced one-arm push-up. You can help
as much as you like with your straight arm. You can also emphasize the onearm flye by pushing primarily with the straight arm. Switch the role of your
arms and repeat.
Performance Tips
Same as for Ring Flyes (page 12).
Progressions
• reduce the incline as your strength increases
• place your feet on a bench to increase the range of motion
• add weight to your body when you are able to easily perform Archer’s
Flyes with the rings lowered to just above ground level
Archer’s Flye Top Position
Archer’s Flye Bottom Position
Suspended Renegade Rows
Do not attempt Suspended Renegade Rows until you are proficient at Ring
Push-ups. Also, practice shifting your weight from one arm to the other on
the rings in push-up position before attempting Suspended Renegade Rows.
The Suspended Renegade Row is an incredible exercise for the upper body
and core. The core muscles are essential for stabilizing the body in order to
row from this position. This exercise works your chest because you need to
push down hard on the handle of the non-rowing arm for stabilization.
Set-up
Suspend two 10″-long sections of 3″ PVC pipe from the rafters with chain. I
use the 3″ PVC to challenge my grip in addition to the upper body and core
muscles. Place a 20″-long section of 1-1/2″ PVC pipe through each of the 3″
PVC pipes so that it extends beyond the 3″ PVC on each side to add weight.
Place Olympic plates on either side of the 1-1/2″ pipes. Slide up the plates
snugly against the 3″ PVC pipe and then secure the plates in place with a
spring collar. You may need to add a little duct tape to the ends of the 1-1/2″
PVC pipe so that the spring collars do not slip.
Exercise Performance
Assume push-up position while holding the two 3″ PVC pipes. The weighted
PVC pipes should be approximately shoulder width apart. Maintain good
push-up position throughout. Push down hard on the handle with the nonrowing arm while pulling the other handle up to your shoulder. Attempt to
keep your hips parallel to the ground (do not allow the hip on the working
side to rise higher than the one on the supporting side). Hold momentarily
and then lower the handle to the point that the chain supports its weight.
Reverse the role of the arms and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Performance Tips
• keep your body straight and rigid from shoulders to feet
• do not allow your back to arch
• do not allow your rear to lift up too high
Progressions
Once you get comfortable with stabilizing the rings in the push-up position,
do progressively heavier Suspended Renegade Rows until you find the
weight that is challenging for you. There are many ways to vary the difficulty
of Suspended Renegade Rows:
• vary the size of the PVC pipe (thicker PVC pipe will provide a greater
grip challenge)
• vary the amount of weight used
• vary your foot position: begin with feet spread apart and gradually bring
them closer together to increase the difficulty
Suspended Renegade Row Bottom Position
Suspended Renegade Row Top Position
Chapter 2 – Pull-ups
The pull-up is a phenomenal exercise for your upper body, arms, and
abdominals. Few will deny that pull-ups are great for the upper body and
arms, but many question whether they work the abdominals. If you do not
believe that pull-ups require abdominal strength, try a pull-up while
consciously relaxing your abs. Furthermore, challenging pull-up variations
require and can develop a strong grip.
General Pull-up Progressions
If you are not currently able to do a particular pull-up variation with your full
bodyweight, stand on a bathroom scale, pull down as hard as you can, and
record the amount of weight that is registered on the scale. Gradually work to
the point that there is no weight on the scale.
Decrease the percentage of your bodyweight that you are pulling by using
longer chains and lowering whatever you are hanging from closer to the floor
and doing body rows. A body row is basically a reverse push-up. Initially
hang the object at a height where if you lie on your back with your chest
directly underneath it and straighten your arms, you will barely be able to
reach the object. Pull your chest up to the object and keep your body straight.
It helps to imagine that your body is a board. If this is still too hard, you can
raise the height of the object. The higher the object, provided that your feet
are still on the ground, the lower the percentage of your bodyweight you are
required to pull.
Once you can easily perform well over 5 repetitions of the body row, place
your feet on a bench. If your feet are higher than your shoulders when you
are in the bottom position, you will be required to pull a greater percentage of
your bodyweight.
If the pull-up becomes too easy for you, you can add weight to your body, do
offset pull-ups (pulling your body towards one arm so that you are pulling a
higher percentage of your bodyweight with that arm), and for a real test, do
one-arm pull-ups.
Body Row Bottom Position
Body Row Top Position
Feet Inclined Body Row Bottom Position
Feet Inclined Body Row Top Position
General Pull-Up Performance Tips
Prior to pulling yourself up:
• tightly grip the bar or object that you are hanging from
• pull your arms down into your shoulder sockets
• pull your shoulders down (opposite of shrugging)
• tense your abdominals
• tense your glutes (imagine pinching a coin with your cheeks)
While performing the pull-up:
• pull from your elbows rather than from your hands
• pull your elbows to the ribs
• lock out the elbows at the bottom of the pull-up
Gripper Pull-ups
Gripper pull-ups will work your crushing grip in addition to your upper body
and arms.
Set-Up
Hitch a pair of IronMind’s Close the Gap Straps over a bar about shoulderwidth apart. You could also attach a pair of leather straps to a bar. I prefer the
Close the Gap Straps because they are very easy to attach and remove from
my pull-up bar. Hold an inverted hand gripper (the two handles facing up and
the coil facing down) in each hand. I use two Captains of Crush® Guides.
Carefully close the gripper handles onto the straps. I like to get a deep bite on
the straps so that the tops of the gripper handles are even with the bottoms of
the straps. Make sure that the handles of both grippers are lined up on the
straps.
Exercise Performance
You will need to squeeze the gripper handles tightly onto the straps or they
will slip off and you will be unable to pull yourself up. Lower your body
down to the point where your arms are straight and your elbows are locked.
Pull your body up until your chin is higher than the bottom of the gripper
handles. Perform the desired number of repetitions.
Progressions
There are many ways to vary the difficulty of gripper pull-ups:
• use easier or harder grippers
• vary the strap thickness—it is harder to pull yourself up with thinner
straps
• add weight to your body and continue using the easier grippers. This is
my favorite method because I like exercises that equally challenge my grip
and the other muscles involved in the exercise
Gripper Pull-up Set-up
Gripper Pull-up Bottom Position
Gripper Pull-up Top Position
Pliers Pull-ups
This exercise works your crushing grip in a similar fashion to Gripper Pullups. However, you can perform Pliers Pull-ups if you do not have a pair of
grippers. A nice thing about this exercise is that your hand position is not
fixed as it is with a pull-up on a bar. During the process of the pull-up, you
can adjust the position of your palms relative to your body. For example, you
can start with your palms facing away from your body and then allow your
palms to gradually and naturally turn towards your body while pulling
yourself up, decreasing the stress on your shoulders and elbows. The position
of your palms relative to your body is determined by you rather than by the
equipment that you are using.
Set-up
Utilize two chains of even lengths with a carabiner attached to one end of
each chain. Loop the end of the chain with the carabiner around a pull-up bar
or tree branch and attach the carabiner to a link in the middle of the chain so
that a few links of the chain hang down below the carabiner. Attach the other
chain in the same way, making sure that the hanging links of the chains are
the same length. The two chains should be about shoulder width apart.
Exercise Performance
Clamp down on the lowest link of the chains with a pair of pliers in each
hand. Make sure that you have a secure (tight) grip on the chains. Lift your
feet off the floor and hang from the pliers with straight arms and locked
elbows. Pull yourself up until your chin is higher than your hands. Hold for a
moment, lower and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Progressions
See General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
Pliers Pull-up Bottom Position
Pliers Pull-up Top Position
Anvil Horn Pull-ups
IronMind sells an anvil simulator (the Little Big Horn) that can easily be
hung from a chain. Pull-ups using Little Big Horns feel great. Not only do
they simulate grabbing an anvil by the horn, but they are also easy on the
elbows and shoulders. When you hang them from a chain, they swivel so that
you, instead of the bar, determine your hand position.
Set-up
Hang a pair of Little Big Horns from a pull-up bar, rafter, or tree limb with
chains set shoulder width apart.
Exercise Performance
Grab a Little Big Horn with each hand. Lift your feet off the floor and hang
from the horns with straight arms and locked elbows. Pull yourself up until
your chin is higher than your hands. I generally start with my hands in a
neutral position (palms facing each other) and gradually rotate them so that I
finish the pull-up with my palms facing me. This motion seems to place the
least amount of strain on my shoulders and elbows. While I think that you
will prefer this method as well, experiment with hand positioning during the
pull-up and do whatever works best for you. Hold momentarily at the top and
then lower yourself to the starting position (straight arms with locked
elbows). Perform the desired number of reps.
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Performance Tips (page 16)
• the grip difficulty of this exercise can be manipulated by changing the
end of the horn that is facing down. If the tapered (smaller) end of the horn
is higher, it will be easier to grip. Once it is easy to grip in this position,
flip it for a greater grip challenge
Anvil Horn Pull-up Bottom Position
Anvil Horn Pull-up Top Position
Grip Chins
This is a similar exercise to Anvil Horn Pull-ups that can be performed if you
do not have a pair of Little Big Horns. I read an article in Klein’s Bell
(August, 1931) about an exercise called grip chins where you hang from two
handles and perform chin-ups. They were called grip chins because the grip is
usually the weakest link.
Set-up
Make two 8″-long handles from 2-1/2″-diameter PVC pipe and drill a hole
approximately 1″ from the top end of each pipe. Thread a chain through the
hole and hang the handles from a floor joist, tree limb, or pull-up bar.
Exercise Performance
Grab the handles and lift your feet off the floor. Lower your body to the point
where your arms are straight and your elbows are locked. Pull your body up
until your chin clears your hands. Pause at the top, lower, and repeat for the
desired number of repetitions.
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
• use PVC pipe with a larger diameter for a greater pull-up challenge
Grip Chin Bottom Position
Grip Chin Top Position
Ball Pull-ups
Ball pull-ups will challenge the grip of even the strongest athletes.
Set-up
Drill a hole through the centers of two baseballs and thread a chain through
the hole in each ball. Hang the balls by attaching the chains with carabiners to
an overhead bar, rafter, or tree limb.
Exercise Performance
Reach up and grab the bottom of a ball with each hand. Lift your feet off the
floor and hang from the baseballs with straight arms and locked elbows. Pull
yourself up until your chin is higher than your hands. You will cheat yourself
out of the optimal grip training benefits of this outstanding exercise if you
grab the sides of the balls or attempt to hook your hands over the top of the
balls because you will no longer be pulling away from the weak point of the
grip.
If you want to ensure that you are not cheating, try the Abacus Pull-up.
Thread a steel bar through the holes in the balls and hang the whole
apparatus. You will need to make sure that the bar is thin enough to fit
through the holes in the balls with a little room to spare but strong enough to
support your bodyweight. As you try to pull yourself up, the balls will roll
toward you until your hands are in the correct position.
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
• use softballs instead of baseballs. The softball will require more of an
open-hand grip, a more difficult position to maintain
Baseball Pull-up Bottom Position
Baseball Pull-up Top Position
Hex Dumbbell Crush Chins
Hex Dumbbell Crush Chins work your chest, lats and arms, and they teach
you to recruit your chest muscles while performing a chin-up. If you do not
crush the dumbbells together hard enough, they will come apart at the top
when you pull down on them. As a result, you will not be able to pull
yourself up.
Set-up
Loop a leather weightlifting belt around a pull-up bar or other sturdy object
overhead.
Exercise Performance
Utilizing a chin-up grip (palms facing you), place two small hex dumbbells
end-to-end on the inside of the lowest part of the belt loop. The heads of both
of the dumbbells should be supported by the belt. Utilizing your pec strength,
crush the ends of the two dumbbells together, lift your legs off the floor, and
lower your body until your arms are straight. Pull yourself up until your chin
is above hand level, pause momentarily, lower and repeat.
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
Hex Dumbbell Crush Chins
Plumber’s Pull-ups
Plumber’s Pull-ups will work your upper body crushing strength in addition
to your grip.
Set-up
Hang a short 2″ × 4″ from a pull-up bar or rafter. I hung the 2″ × 4″ by
drilling a hole in both ends and threading an IronMind Daisy Chain halfway
through each hole. I then threaded the end of the daisy chain through the loop
at the other end and pulled until it was snug against the board. I did the same
on the other side and attached the free ends of the Daisy Chains to eye bolts
in the rafter with carabiners. The 2″ × 4″ will hang horizontally. You could
also hang the board from a regular chain attached to a pull-up bar: loop the
chain over the pull-up bar and through the hole in the board, attaching the end
of the chain back up to itself with a carabiner. Make sure that your hook-up is
even on the opposite side so that the board hangs horizontally. Place a mat
below the 2″ × 4″ in case you fall.
Exercise Performance
Clamp onto the 2″ × 4″ with a pair of plumber’s pliers. Lower your body to
the point where your arms are straight. Squeeze the handles as hard as you
can and pull yourself up. It is very important to push the pliers away from
your body if you lose your grip on the 2″ × 4″: you do not want them
smacking you in the face! Pull yourself up until your chin is above your
hands and hold briefly, lower and repeat.
Performance Tips
• tightly squeeze the handles of the pliers
• utilize your chest crushing strength to squeeze the two handles toward
each other
• make sure you use wood to clamp onto so that the pliers have something
to bite into
• prior to performing your first pull-up, pull yourself just a little way off
the floor to test your grip on the 2″ × 4″
• adjust the height of the 2″ × 4″ so that it is not very high off the floor in
case you lose your grip on it with the pliers
Plumber’s Pull-up Bottom Position
Plumber’s Pull-up Top Position
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
• hang a pipe from a pull-up bar to do pull-ups from instead. Drape a chain
over the pull-up bar and attach the two ends of the chain together with a
carabiner. Do the same thing with another chain and hang it about two feet
away from the first chain. Place a pipe across the loops at the bottom of the
chains. The pipe is now supported by the chains and is hanging parallel to
the floor. It will be much harder to hang onto the pipe than it was with the
board because the pliers cannot bite into the pipe as it could with the wood.
Please use a mat underneath and be extremely careful if you attempt this
type of pull-up
Kettlebell Crush Pull-ups
These will work your upper body crushing strength.
Set-up
Hang a kettlebell from a pull-up bar. I use an IronMind’s Daisy Chain for this
because it will not scratch the handle of the kettlebell as a regular chain
would. Drape the Daisy Chain over a pull-up bar, thread it through the
kettlebell handle, and connect the ends of the Daisy Chain with a carabiner.
Exercise Performance
Reach up and place your palms on opposite sides of the kettlebell. Utilize
your chest crushing strength to press your palms into the sides of the
kettlebell. Lower your body to the point that your arms are straight. Pull
yourself up until your chin is above your hands. Lower and repeat for the
desired number of repetitions.
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
• the ultimate goal of the exercise is to pull yourself up without gripping
the bell with your fingers. However, the curvature of the bell does allow
you to assist with your fingers if necessary. If you need to use your fingers,
only grip with them as much as you have to and gradually rely more and
more on your chest crushing strength to pull yourself up
Kettlebell Crush Pull-up Bottom Position
Kettlebell Crush Pull-up Top Position
Seesaw Pull-ups
Seesaw Pull-ups work your upper body, core, and grip. They can be
performed as a substitute for rope climbing (although there is really not a
good substitute for rope climbing) if you do not have access to a climbing
rope.
Set-up
Drape a rope or leather weightlifting belt over a pull-up bar so that the ends
hang down an equal length.
Exercise Performance
Grab one end of the rope with either hand. Lift your feet off the ground so
that you are hanging from the rope with both arms straight. Pull yourself
halfway up to assume the starting position. Pull down with one arm until your
hand is just in front of your shoulder. Hold on to the rope with the other arm
and allow it to rise towards the bar until it is completely straight. Reverse the
position of the arms to complete the first rep. Perform as many reps as
desired.
Progressions
• if you cannot currently perform the exercise with your full bodyweight,
you can assist with your legs: place a chair under the bar and support some
of your weight with your legs. Assist only as much as necessary and get rid
of the chair when you can perform the exercise with your full bodyweight
• if the exercise is too easy, you can make it more difficult by adding
weight to your body
• if you do not want to add weight to your body, resist as much as you wish
with the opposite arm
• if you wish to increase the abdominal challenge, do a bicycle motion with
your legs by bringing your opposite knee up towards the elbow of the
pulling arm. If that is still too easy, put on some ankle weights
Seesaw Pull-up Start
Seesaw Pull-up in Progress
Leg Assisted Seesaw Pull-up
Seesaw Pull-up Bicycle Variation
Sledgehammer Pull-ups
Sledgehammer pull-ups will work your supporting and pinch grip strength
(similar to a hub pinch grip) while performing pull-ups in an unstable
environment. They are also an effective way to work towards one-arm pull-
ups.
Set-up
Hang a sledgehammer horizontally from a rafter, tree limb, or pull-up bar by
hitching a Daisy Chain around the handle and then clipping the other end of
the Daisy Chain to an eye bolt attached to a floor joist or to any other sturdy
object overhead. Make sure that the sledgehammer is balanced horizontally.
Exercise Performance
There are a couple of different types of pull-ups that can be done with the
sledgehammer:
• grab the hammer head with one hand and the handle with the other hand
and do pull-ups. This method works both the supporting and crushing grip
of the hand holding onto the hammer head
• do a pull-up by grabbing the handle with one hand and the hammer head
underneath with the other hand using a hub pinch grip. This method is
much harder!
Performance Tips
In spite of the instability of the set-up, try to perform a strict pull-up without
swinging or frog kicking.
Progressions
See General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
You will probably find that you can’t support half of your bodyweight with a
hub pinch grip on the hammer head. If you move one hand closer to the
Daisy Chain, you are forced to pull a greater percentage of your bodyweight
with that hand in order to keep the sledgehammer parallel to the floor. Place
the hand on the handle closer to the Daisy Chain than the hand on the
hammer head and attempt a pull-up. The advantage of changing the hand
positions is that you are able to adjust the amount of weight on the gripchallenged hand (the one with the hub pinch grip) to the point that it is
challenging but possible to pull yourself up. An additional advantage of
pulling yourself up this way is that you are effectively training the arm
holding the handle because you are required to pull more than half of your
bodyweight with that arm.
Adjust the position of your hands relative to the Daisy Chain. Gradually work
the hand on the handle farther away from the chain and the hammer head
closer to the chain.
Sledgehammer Pull-up Supporting Grip Bottom Position
Sledgehammer Pullup Supporting Grip Top Position
Sledgehammer Pullup Hub Pinch Grip Bottom Position
Sledgehammer Pull-up Hub Pinch Grip Top Position
2″ × 4″ Leverage Pull-ups
These pull-ups are unstable, like the Sledgehammer Pull-ups, because they
are supported at a single point.
Set-up
Get a 2″ × 4″ approximately two feet long and place it over your pull-up bar
with an equal amount of board on either side of the bar.
Exercise Performance
Grip the edges of the board with the thumbs on the bottom and fingers on the
top. Lift your feet from the floor, straighten your arms, and pull yourself up.
You will need to support an equal amount of weight with both arms in order
to keep the board balanced on the bar. When you near the top of the
movement on the bar, you will need to pull your head to one side to avoid
hitting the bar. Hold momentarily and then lower to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps, alternating the side of the bar where
you pull your head.
Progressions
Gradually move one end of the board closer and closer to the bar, which will
shift a greater percentage of the weight to the arm that is closer to the bar—
that is, in order to keep the board from teetering, you will need to pull harder
with and place more weight on the arm that is closer to the bar. This is also
an effective way to work toward one-arm pull-ups.
2×4 Leverage Pull-up Bottom Position
2×4 Leverage Pull-up Top Position
2×4 Leverage Pull-up Top Right Arm Emphasis
Half Iron Crosses
The Iron Cross, where the arms are extended out to the sides at 90-degree
angles to the body, is regarded by many as the ultimate display of strength.
The performance of the Iron Cross is beyond the scope of this book, but the
Half Iron Cross will give you a taste for the feat. If you wish to pursue it
further, there are many resources available that you can check out.
Set-up
Hang a pair of rings from a pull-up bar, floor joist, or tree limb.
Exercise Performance
Lift your feet off the floor and hang from the rings with straight arms and
locked elbows. Pull down with one arm like a regular pull-up. Keep your
other arm straight and pull it down and to the side into the Iron Cross
position. Lower yourself to the starting position and repeat for the desired
number of repetitions. Switch the role of the arms and repeat.
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
Half Iron Cross Bottom Position
Half Iron Cross Top Position
Finger Pull-ups
Finger Pull-ups will work your open hand and fingertip strength.
Set-up
Hitch a pair of IronMind’s Eagle Loops to a pull-up bar.
Exercise Performance
Place any combination of fingers inside the loops. Lift your legs off the floor
and do pull-ups.
Performance Tips
• make a hook with the fingers that you will hang from and place the Eagle
Loops between the first and second knuckles
• press in towards the Eagle Loops with the tips of the involved fingers
• do not attempt to progress too quickly; go slowly to avoid finger strain
and a possible lingering finger injury
Progressions
Start with four fingers (not thumbs) and both hands. Gradually reduce the
number of fingers that you are pulling with or add weight to your body as
your fingers become conditioned. You will notice that the middle finger is the
strongest, followed by your index finger. Your progressions should always
work the strongest fingers first. I would suggest the following progressions
using both hands:
• all four fingers
• index, middle, and ring fingers
• index and middle fingers
• middle and ring fingers
• middle fingers only
• index fingers only
• ring fingers and pinkies
The safest approach would be to avoid working the ring or the pinky finger
alone. Although I worked up to one-arm, one-finger pull-ups with each
individual finger (not the thumbs), these place a great deal of stress on the
fingers and are not recommended
See General Pull-up Progressions (page 15).
If you are presently not able to perform a pull-up with all four fingers of both
hands, attach the Eagle Loops to a barbell and perform deadlifts until you are
able to lift your bodyweight.
Finger Pull-up Set-up
Finger Pull-up Bottom Position
Finger Pull-up Top Position
No-Handed Chins
A couple of years ago, I developed a bad case of elbow tendonitis and
experienced excruciating pain every time I hung from a pull-up bar. I did not
want to lose ground on my pull-ups but could not risk aggravating my elbow
injury. I came up with a way to perform pull-ups without hanging from a bar.
Another benefit of this drill is that it teaches you to pull from your elbows.
Pavel Tsatsouline recommends pulling from the elbows instead of from the
hands for better recruitment of the lats while performing pull-ups.
Set-up
Hang two leather weightlifting belts or Ab Straps from a pull-up bar or other
sturdy object overhead. If you are using the leather weightlifting belts, drape
a chain over the pull-up bar and attach the two ends of the chain to the belt
buckle with a carabiner. If you are using the Ab Straps, the large carabiners at
the top of the straps can be connected directly to the pull-up bar.
Exercise Performance
Place one arm through the loop formed by one fastened belt and the other
arm through the other belt. Position your arms so that your elbows are in the
middle of and supported by the belts. Lightly grab the chain above the belts
(if using weightlifting belts) or the large carabiner (if using the Ab Straps) to
prevent your elbows from slipping from the belts at the bottom of the pull-up.
Lift your feet off the floor and press your elbows into the belts to pull
yourself up.
Progressions
• see General Pull-up Progressions (page 15)
No-Handed Pull-up Bottom Position
No-Handed Pull-up Top Position
Chapter 3 – Climbing
Rope climbing is an excellent exercise for your upper body, abdominals, and
grip; plus it is a lot of fun. I have experimented with different methods and
progressions of rope climbing and will describe a few of my favorites.
Climbing can be very hard on the elbows. I would not recommend climbing
more than once or twice a week, especially if you have a history of elbow
problems. Also, you might want to avoid the negative portion of the exercise
(lowering) if you are susceptible to elbow difficulties. Begin with a very
conservative amount of climbing and gradually increase your distance.
General Climbing Progressions
If you are not currently able to climb with your entire bodyweight, try the
following progressions:
• place your hands on the object (with one hand directly above the other
hand, or with hands placed on each side of the object). Place your feet on
the floor and do body rows. The higher your upper body is relative to your
hands, the easier the exercise. Gradually lower your upper body until your
back nearly touches the ground at the bottom of the pull-up. Once you are
able to do 10 repetitions at this level, keep your upper body at the same
level and raise your feet
• place your hands on the object, hand-over-hand or side-by-side
(depending on the object), and perform pull-ups. If the object is skinny
(like a 2″ × 4″ or baseball bat), you will not be able to grab it with both
hands at the same height; rather, you will need to have one hand slightly
higher than the other on the object. If the object is wider, like a ladder,
place your hands on each side of the object with both hands at the same
height
• climb using your arms alone
Baseball Bat Climbing
Baseball Bat Climbing will work your supporting grip strength in addition to
your upper body and core strength.
Set-up
Drill a hole in the fat end of a baseball bat and thread a chain through the
hole. Make sure that the chain is strong enough to support your bodyweight.
Attach the chain to a bar or other sturdy object overhead with a carabiner.
The bat will hang with the handle closer to the ground than the fat end of the
bat, which will create a great grip challenge as you climb against the taper of
the bat.
Exercise Performance
Place your hands at the bottom of the handle of the bat (one hand just above
the other) and climb up, hand-over-hand, until you reach the chain, and then
climb back down or drop to the ground and repeat.
Baseball Bat Climbing Start Position
Baseball Bat Climbing in Progress
2″ × 4″ Climbing
2″ × 4″ climbing will work your pinch grip, and your chest crushing, upper
body, and core strength.
Set-up
Drill a hole about 4″ to 6″ from one end of a 2″ × 4″. The length of the 2″ ×
4″ should be about 3 to 4 feet above the floor.
Exercise Performance
Take a hand-over-hand pinch grip on each side of the board. Pull your feet up
off the floor and climb, hand-over-hand, up the 2″ × 4″. This will be a great
challenge for your pinch grip. When you reach the chain, climb back down,
or drop to the ground and repeat.
Performance Tips
• press your palms very hard into the sides of the board
2 × 4 Climbing Start Position
2 × 4 Climbing in Progress
The Incline Ladder
I received Dick’s Art of Gymnastics, which has an 1885 copyright date, for
Christmas a couple of years ago. It includes extensive instructions for many
different ways to climb a ladder. The exercises get progressively more
difficult. The hardest will challenge even the strongest gymnasts and rock
climbers.
Set-up
Use a ladder that is sturdy and made to hold your weight. Place your ladder at
an incline against a tree, making sure that the bottom of the ladder is on an
even surface. Secure the top of the ladder to the tree with chain or bungee
cords.
Both Hands at Once by the Sides
Exercise Performance
Place your feet on the bottom rung of the ladder and grasp the sides of the
ladder with your hands. Extend both arms, grasping the sides of the ladder at
a higher point, and lift both feet to the next rung. Repeat until you have
reached the top of the ladder. Climb down the ladder and then repeat for the
desired number of repetitions.
Right Hand Leading by the Sides Only
Exercise Performance
Extend the right arm and grasp the right side of the ladder. Follow with the
left arm on the left side. Pull yourself halfway, lifting both feet off the
ground. Continue in this manner (raising the right arm and following with the
left) until you reach the top of the ladder. Climb down the ladder and repeat
for the desired number of repetitions. Repeat with the left hand leading.
Hand-Over-Hand by the Sides Only
Exercise Performance
Extend the left arm and grab the side of the ladder. Do the same with the right
arm. Pull with both arms and extend the left arm and grab the side at a point
higher than that of the right arm. Repeat with the leading hand always
passing beyond the height of the supporting hand. Climb down the ladder and
repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Both Hands at Once by the Sides Only
Exercise Performance
While hanging from the sides of the ladder, pull explosively and shoot both
hands up and catch the sides of the ladder at a higher point. Repeat in this
manner until you reach the top of the ladder. Climb down the ladder and
repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Right Hand Leading by the Rungs Only
Exercise Performance
Reach up with both hands holding onto the same rung and pull yourself
halfway up. Extend the right arm and grasp the rung nearest your reach.
Extend your left arm to the same rung as your right arm. Hanging from the
rung with both arms bent, continue by reaching to the next rung with your
right arm followed by your left until you reach the top of the ladder. Climb
down the ladder and repeat for the desired number of repetitions. Repeat with
the left hand leading.
Both Hands at Once by the Sides
Right Hand Leading by the Rungs Only
Hand-Over-Hand by the Rungs Only
Exercise Performance
Hang from the ladder with both hands on the same rung. Extend the right arm
to the next rung, pull with both arms, and quickly raise the left hand to the
rung above that. Repeat with the leading hand always passing the rung
grasped by the supporting hand. Climb down and repeat for the desired
number of repetitions.
Both Hands at Once by the Rungs Only
Exercise Performance
Grab the same rung with both hands. Pull explosively, let go and shoot both
hands up to the next rung. Repeat until you reach the top of the ladder. Climb
down and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Hand-Over-Hand Sideways
Exercise Performance
Stand at the side of the ladder, raise the left hand, and grasp the rung nearest
your reach on one side of the ladder. Raise the right hand and grasp the rung
above that on the opposite side of the ladder. Continue in this manner, with
each hand advancing to the next higher rung until you reach the top of the
ladder. Climb down and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Hand-Over-Hand Sideways Legs Up
Exercise Performance
Stand at the side of the ladder, raise your left hand, and grasp the rung nearest
your reach. Grasp the next higher rung with your right hand. Lift your feet
from the ground and extend them to the front horizontally and together. Raise
the right hand to the rung above that grasped by the left. Elevate the body and
raise the left hand to the rung above that, continuing hand-over-hand until
you reach the top. In descending, pass the leading hand down to the nextlower rung. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Chapter 4 – Midsection Strength
The exercises discussed in this section are my favorites to improve
midsection strength because they not only strengthen the abdominals, but also
require the abdominals to work in concert with other muscles. These
exercises have been part of my training for the last 20 years.
Exercise Preparation
The following abdominal drills are very advanced and can be hazardous to
your lower back if 1) you have an existing lower back problem; 2) they are
not performed correctly; 3) they are performed when the lower back is
already fatigued; or 4) if you try to progress too quickly. I trust that all
readers know their bodies and will not attempt the jackknife if they feel that it
might lead to injury. I will give instructions for proper performance of the
drill as well as progressions from beginner to extremely advanced levels.
Initially, it is best to err on the side of the progression being too easy instead
of starting with one that is too difficult. The following training step is
essential to master in order to achieve success with all of the remaining
exercises. More importantly, it is crucial to maximize your safety.
• Lie down on your back with your feet together and your legs straight.
Press your back as flat as you can on the floor and attempt to eliminate the
space between your lower back and the floor. Attempt to place your fingers
between the small of your back and the floor. If there is space, keep your
fingers there and attempt to press them down with your back. Tucking your
pelvis will help decrease the space. Imagine a coin between your buttocks.
Squeeze your buttocks together so they pinch the visualized coin. Continue
with this exercise until your lower back is as flush with the floor as
possible. Remember what this feels like because this is the desired position
for the exercises that follow.
Lower Back Position for Ab Exercises
I wanted to test my ability to maintain the proper back position while
performing a superman walkout, described below. This drill will provide you
with immediate feedback on whether you are maintaining the recommended
lower back position. Use duct tape to secure a 2″ × 4″ to your back. The
board should be approximately two feet long. Place the board directly over
your spine, with the bottom end of the board approximately at your tail bone.
Place the strap of a light ankle weight (1 to 2 pounds) between the board and
your lower back, and then tuck your pelvis and press your lower back against
the board. The strap will be trapped between your lower back and the board.
Perform the walkout as described below with the ankle weight dangling to
the side of your body. If you arch your back (not recommended), the strap
will slip and the weight will fall to the floor. Walk to the furthest point where
you can still keep the weight from falling. Study how your body feels when
successfully performing this drill and attempt to reproduce it on all of the
remaining jackknives and jackknife variations.
2×4 Drill for Lower Back Start
2×4 Drill for Lower Back Finish
Superman Push-up Walkouts
Superman push-up walkouts are difficult because your body is placed at a
severe leverage disadvantage (at full extension) due to the great distance
between the two points of contact (hands and feet) with the floor. To
compensate for the leverage disadvantage, you must teach your body to
recruit as many muscles as possible and to contract them with maximal force.
Exercise Performance
Begin in pike position (bent at the waist) with your feet slightly apart and
your hands on the floor a couple of feet in front of your toes. Your hands
should be approximately shoulder width apart. Move your right hand 6″ to 8″
farther away from your feet. Move your left hand the same distance, equal
with your right hand. If you can easily hold that position, take another small
step forward with each hand. Continue in this manner until you have found a
level where it is challenging for you to hold the position for 5 seconds. Hold
this position for time. Once 10 seconds becomes too easy at that level, it is
time to take another small step forward.
Performance Tips
• squeeze your abdominals and your glutes
• do not allow your lower back to arch excessively
• simultaneously push your hands into the floor and pull them back towards
your feet (activating your chest and lats)
• attempt to create the feeling that all of your activated muscles are pulling
toward your abdominals. The strength and muscular coordination
developed from pulling your hands toward your feet will help you to
control and eventually stop the forward rolling of the wheel when you have
advanced to the abdominal wheel
Progressions
• when you first attempt this exercise, position your feet about shoulder
width apart to create a broad base of support. Later on, you can move your
feet closer together to give your abdominals a greater challenge
• once you have gotten to the point where you can hold the superman
position (body completely extended with arms overhead) for 10 seconds,
you can shift a slightly greater percentage of the weight to one hand. Make
sure that you work both arms equally
• hold the end position of the walkout with just one arm
Superman Walkout Start
Superman Walkout Finish
One-arm Superman Hold
Wheel Jackknives (Knees and Standing)
This is an incredible drill that works many muscles in addition to your
abdominals. If you follow my directions, it will work your grip, arms, chest,
shoulders, lats, abdominals, and hip flexors. Additionally, your legs will be
worked by consciously contracting the hamstrings and thighs. The Wheel
Jackknife is harder than Superman Walkouts because of the instability of the
wheel. I will describe a list of progressions to take you from beginner to
advanced levels. Proceed from one step to the next when you can easily
perform more than 5 reps.
Caution: Stop this exercise immediately if it hurts your lower back.
Set-up
You have probably seen the deceptively innocent-looking abdominal wheel
in the sporting goods section of the store. Several drills use this piece of
equipment.
Exercise Performance and Progressions
Kneel down on the floor with the handle of the wheel in your hands. Tuck in
your butt and chin and roll out as far as your current strength allows (be very
conservative initially and don’t overextend yourself). Hold momentarily and
roll the wheel back to the starting position by pulling with your arms and
rounding your back. If you have difficulty controlling the descent of the
wheel (falling to the floor because you cannot stop the forward rolling of the
wheel), you can do the drill in front of a wall. Begin with your knees the
correct distance from the wall so that the wheel reaches the wall at the point
just before you tend to lose control of the movement. As you gain strength,
gradually move farther and farther away from the wall until you are
performing the rollout to full extension. Attempt to minimize the help of the
wall and test yourself on the knee rollout periodically to see if you can
perform it without the assistance of the wall. Quit using the wall when you
can stop and reverse the direction of the wheel on your own.
Once you can easily perform 5 to 10 perfect reps of the knee rollout (with
your arms fully extended and your body parallel to the floor), you are ready
to progress toward the standing wheel rollout. Begin in pike position with the
wheel in front of your toes. Roll out to the point just before you feel that you
will lose control of the movement. Hold that position for a second or two and
then roll the wheel back to the starting position. Again, you can utilize the
assistance of a wall if you have difficulty controlling the forward movement.
Gradually move your feet back farther and farther from the wall until you can
roll down to the superman position with your arms extended to the front and
your body parallel to the floor. The eventual goal is to roll down to the point
where your arms are completely extended and your body is parallel to the
floor, without the use of the wall. Be patient in working toward this goal. It is
harder for some body types than it is for others so don’t get discouraged if
your progress is slow.
Performance Tips
• remember the feel of the Superman Push-up Walkout isometric exercise
that was described on page 35. Recreate this feeling as you make the
transition from the Superman Push-up to the abdominal wheel
• tighten your legs by attempting to shorten your hamstrings and thighs
(imagine pulling them up towards your hips)
• tighten your glutes by imagining that you are pinching a coin
• tighten your abdominal muscles as if bracing to take a punch. Attempt to
shorten the abdominals by pushing down toward your navel
• imagine the pressure of the abdominals pushing down resisting the
pressure of the anus pulling up
• tuck your pelvis under (recreate the feeling of the drill on page 34 where
you flattened your lower back to the floor) and do not allow your back to
arch
• pull your shoulders down (the opposite of shrugging) to create a strong
connection with your torso
• pull your arms down into their sockets
• pull your biceps and triceps up towards the shoulders
• pull your forearm muscles up towards your elbows
• tightly squeeze the wheel handles with your hands
• press the heel of the palm hard into the handle of the wheel
• attempt to bend the axle of the wheel in half to recruit your chest muscles
• as you begin rolling out, press the balls of your feet hard into the floor
Kneeling Wheel Jackknife Start
Kneeling Wheel Jackknife Finish
Standing Wheel Jackknife Start
Standing Wheel Jackknife Finish
Standing Wheel Jackknife Variations
Caution: This next exercise is extremely advanced and should not be
attempted until you are very proficient at performing the Standing Wheel
Jackknife. Use extreme caution and don’t perform these if you have any
reservations about injury.
One-arm Standing Wheel Jackknives
You can modify a dual abdominal wheel by moving the two wheels from the
center to each end of the axle. There will be room in between the two wheels
for you to grip the device. You can do a two-leg, one-arm abdominal wheel
or the more difficult one-leg, one-arm version of this drill. With the one-arm,
one-leg drill, hold the wheel in the hand opposite the leg that is on the floor.
Work up to these exercises in much the same way as you worked up to the
standing two-arm version. If the one-arm, one-leg version becomes too easy,
you can grab a light dumbbell in your free hand to make it more challenging.
One-arm, One-leg Standing Wheel Jackknife Start
One-arm, One-leg Standing Wheel Jackknife Finish
Ring Jackknives
The traditional abdominal wheel jackknife has two levels of difficulty: the
kneeling version (beginner) and the standing version (advanced). The
advanced version (superman position with body parallel to the floor and arms
extended overhead with your weight supported by your feet and by the
wheel) is MUCH harder than the beginner version. It is a huge step from the
beginner to the advanced version. I will describe a progression that I
introduced a few years ago at the Dragon Door website involving the use of
hanging rings. The hanging rings allow you to manipulate the difficulty in
very small degrees: basically, you alter the difficulty of the exercise by
adjusting the height of the rings.
Set-up
Same as for Ring Exercises (page 10).
Exercise Performance
Place your feet directly behind the rings. Bend over and grab the rings.
Tighten up your body and lean forward to full extension. Hold the extended
(superman) position for two or three seconds and then return to the starting
position. Perform the desired number of repetitions.
Progressions
When this exercise is done at an incline it is easier to perform. Vary the level
of the incline by adjusting the length of the chains (the farther the rings are
from the floor the greater the incline) and by standing different distances
behind the rings (the closer you stand to the rings, the greater the incline at
the bottom of the movement). Begin at the point that your present ability
allows and proceed at your own rate. Initially you will want to err on the side
of the exercise being too easy rather than too difficult. If 5 repetitions are too
easy, increase the length of the chains so that the rings hang a little closer to
the floor. Continue in this manner until you find a level that is challenging
but manageable. Once you find your training level, continue the exercise at
this level until you can easily perform well over 5 reps.
When you can easily accomplish this exercise with the chains at full length, it
is time to gradually move your feet back farther and farther away from the
chains’ natural hanging position (where the rings would be if they were
hanging straight down). This will further decrease the incline at the bottom of
the movement. Continue in this manner until you are able to hold the
extended position with the chains hanging perpendicular to the floor and
return to the starting position.
Performance Tips
Same as for Wheel Jackknives (pages 37–38).
Inclined Ring Jackknife
Advanced Ring Jackknife Start
Advanced Ring Jackknife Full Extension
Rope Jackknives
The performance of Rope Jackknives and progressions are identical to Ring
Jackknives. You may choose to perform these instead of the ring variety if
you do not currently own a pair of rings. You will also get a great grip
workout because your hands will slip down the rope if you are not holding it
tightly enough.
Set-up
Get a long rope and fold it over so that the two ends meet. Drape the looped
end of the rope over a pull-up bar, tree limb, or other sturdy object overhead;
thread the free ends through the loop, and pull the rope tightly against the bar.
The rope should be long enough so that the free ends touch the ground. It is
not a problem if the rope is too long and there is extra rope on the ground.
Exercise Performance
Same as for Ring Jackknives (page 39).
Progressions
Same as for Ring Jackknives, except instead of adjusting the length of the
chains, alter the difficulty of the exercise by adjusting the height that you
grab the rope.
Rope Jackknife Full Extension
2″ × 4″ Lever Jackknives
The Lever Jackknife is an exercise that I came up with to increase my thumb
and wrist strength for rafter pull-ups on a single rafter. It is also an excellent
way to improve your pinch grip and abdominal strength.
Set-up
Utilize the same 2″ × 4″s that you used on the Pinch Grip Push-ups. Place the
2″ × 4″s shoulder width apart on their ends on the floor so that the 12″
sections extend upward. The 4″ sides of the boards should be facing you.
Exercise Performance
Stand with your feet approximately a foot and a half to two feet behind the
blocks, bend over, and pinch grip the tops of the blocks, with your thumbs on
the sides of the blocks facing you. Take a small step backward (one-half to
one foot) with one foot and then the other. As you step back, allow the 2″ ×
4″s to lever towards your body. Imagine that the blocks are an extension of
your arm and allow the blocks to maintain the same angle towards the floor
as that of your arms.
Progressions
If you can easily hold that position, take another small step backward, which
will cause the 2″ × 4″s to lever more toward you. Continue in this manner
until you have found a level where it is challenging for you to hold the
position for 10 seconds. Once 10 seconds become too easy at that level, it is
time to take another small step backward. When you have gotten to the point
where you can hold the superman position (body completely extended with
arms overhead) for 10 seconds, you can shift a slightly greater percentage of
the weight to one hand. The challenge of this exercise is preventing the 2″ ×
4″s from falling to the floor toward you while you are holding your body in
the jackknife position.
Performance Tips
• same as for Wheel Jackknives (pages 37–38)
• do not allow your wrists to bend back; press your fingers very hard into
the boards to take the pressure off your thumbs
2×4 Lever Jackknife Start
2×4 Lever Jackknife Finish
Kettlebell Lever Jackknives
Kettlebell Lever Jackknives are similar to the 2″ × 4″ Lever Jackknives
except you use kettlebells instead of 2″ × 4″s.
Set-up
Place two same-sized kettlebells shoulder width apart on the ground with the
handles perpendicular to the length of your body.
Exercise Performance
Grab the handles of the kettlebells and then perform the jackknife in the same
way that you did the 2″ × 4″ Lever Jackknife (page 42 above).
Progressions
• same as for 2″ × 4″ Lever Jackknives (page 42)
• once you are very proficient with the two-arm version, attempt the
kettlebell lever jackknife with one arm. Follow the same progressions and
do not attempt to progress too quickly
Performance Tips
• same as for 2″ × 4″ Lever Jackknives (page 42)
• press the kettlebells hard into the floor to help stabilize them
Kettlebell Lever Jackknife Start
Kettlebell Lever Jackknife Finish
One-arm Kettlebell Jackknife Start
One-arm Kettlebell Jackknife Finish
Wrist Roller Jackknives
This exercise is what you get when you combine “evil” and “wicked.” Pavel
Tsatsouline refers to the abdominal wheel as the Evil Wheel. IronMind sells a
heavy-duty wrist roller called One Wicked Wrist Roller. The wrist roller adds
another degree of freedom to the jackknife exercise. The traditional
abdominal wheel, especially the single wheel variety, requires the athlete to
stabilize the wheel so that it does not tilt. The Wrist Roller Jackknife requires
the athlete to stabilize from front to back (so that the right side does not come
closer to the body than the left side, and vice versa). The extra freedom of
movement requires the athlete to utilize more tension to stabilize the
apparatus. You will especially notice this when you attempt to roll up the
wrist roller by the subtle shifting of your weight caused by loosening your
grip with your left hand so that you can roll with your right hand.
Set-up
Attach the carabiner at the end of the wrist roller’s rope to something
overhead. I use an eye bolt that is mounted on the rafter in my laundry room.
You could also loop a short chain over a pull-up bar and attach it to itself
with a carabiner and then attach the carabiner on the wrist roller rope to it.
Unwind the rope so that the roller is at the desired height (see Progressions to
help determine the appropriate height).
Exercise Performance
Grab the wrist roller and extend out to the superman position. Once you are
completely extended, begin to wind up the wrist roller. You will notice that
the incline of your body increases as you wind up the wrist roller. Don’t feel
that you have to wind up from fully extended to standing upright as that is a
very long time to maintain the extended jackknife position.
Progressions
• manipulate the difficulty of the exercise by varying the incline. The
farther the wrist roller is from the floor in the starting position, the greater
the incline; the greater the incline, the easier the exercise
• decrease the incline as you get stronger
Wrist Roller Jackknife Start
Wrist Roller Jackknife Finish
Kettlebell Crush Jackknives
Kettlebell Crush Jackknives will work your chest crushing strength while
performing an advanced abdominal exercise.
Exercise Performance
There are two variations of this drill:
1. Place your feet a few inches behind the kettlebell, which is upside down
on the handle, with the length of the handle running perpendicular to your
body. Place one hand on either side of the bell (not the handle). Gradually
walk your feet away from the bell and allow it to tip towards you. Walk
your feet back up toward the bell to complete the rep.
2. Set up in the same way, except the kettlebell handle will run the same
direction as your body. This allows another degree of freedom for the bell.
It will want to tip over from side to side due to the curvature on the top of
the handle and toward you due to the curvature on the side of the handle.
Performance Tips
• utilize your chest crushing power to squeeze the bell with your palms. If
you are not squeezing hard enough, you will not be able to hold yourself or
the bell off the floor
• you will also need to press the handle hard into the floor to keep the bell
from falling over
• you will need to push the bell handle even harder into the floor in the
second version. This is especially true when you get to the bottom of the
movement because it will want to tip over toward you at this point
Kettlebell Crush Jackknife Handle Perpendicular Start
Kettlebell Crush Jackknife Handle Perpendicular Finish
Kettlebell Crush Jackknife Handle Parallel Finish
Kettlebell Crush Jackknife Handle Parallel Finish
Wall Slides
Set-up
Find a sturdy wall or door that will not be damaged by placing your feet
against it.
Exercise Performance
Lie on your stomach in push-up position with your feet flush against a wall.
Simultaneously walk your hands toward the wall and your feet up the wall.
Continue until you reach a handstand while facing the wall. This is the
starting position. Maintain the straight body position throughout the drill.
Take a small step away from the wall with each hand. Your feet will naturally
slide a little down the wall. Keep taking small steps down the wall until you
reach a point where it is challenging to maintain the position. Hold the
position momentarily and then walk your hands toward the wall and your feet
back up the wall until you reach the starting position. Repeat for the desired
number of repetitions.
Performance Tips
• do not allow your pelvis to sag
• wedge your body into the wall by pressing down and toward the wall
with your hands
Progressions
The ultimate goal is to have your feet a few inches off the floor while holding
the handstand position (your feet will be pressed flat against the wall at this
point).
Wall Slide Start
Wall Slide in Progress
Wall Slide Finish
Dragon Flags
All of your hard work on the abdominal wheel has prepared you for the
Dragon Flag. If you want a little more motivation to perform this exercise, it
was demonstrated by Sly Stallone in Rocky IV and was reported to be one of
Bruce Lee’s favorite abdominal exercises. This is a very advanced exercise
and it will be very important to follow the progressions.
Set-up
You will need a weight bench with sturdy posts or a sturdy fixed object (e.g.,
clothesline pole) to hold on to.
Exercise Performance
Lie down on a weight bench and hold on to the uprights behind you or grab
the bench on either side at about ear level. We will start with just the
lowering part of the drill. Pull on the bench or uprights and tuck your knees
toward your chest. Lift your hips up until they are directly above your
shoulders, which are supported by the bench. Extend your legs upward until
your body, from the shoulders to the toes, forms a straight line. Your body
should be supported by your shoulders and not your neck. Pull hard with your
arms and lower yourself towards the bench. Keep your body tight and straight
(do not bend at the hips). When you reach the bench, relax for a moment and
then repeat.
Performance Tips
• tightly grip the bench or uprights
• crush in against the uprights to engage the pecs
• isometrically pull your elbows down in an arc toward your ribs
• tighten your armpits
• tighten your abdominals
• tighten your glutes
• tuck your pelvis to prevent your back from arching excessively
• tighten your legs
• point your toes
• imagine that your body is a steel rod or a board
Progressions
• as you get better at the negatives, attempt to slow down your descent at
different positions of the movement
• you will eventually be able to stop yourself at the bottom of the
movement (when your body is just a few inches higher than the bench),
reverse directions, and pull yourself back up to the top position and repeat
• once you are easily able to perform more than 5 reps, you may want to
increase the challenge by holding something between your ankles. If you
attempt this, start with something that is very light (a pound) and gradually
increase the weight. A pound does not sound like much, but the weight at
your ankles is so far away from the pivot point (your shoulders) that it will
feel like more than a pound. Please be careful and proceed in very small
steps
Dragon Flag Start
Dragon Flag Finish
Medicine Ball Dragon Flag
Dragon Flag Variations
When you can easily perform nearly horizontal Dragon Flags and feel that
you are ready for an additional challenge, you can try the following
variations. The range of motion on all of these exercises is determined by
how far you can go while still maintaining a rock-solid flat back (no arch).
Begin with a very small range of motion and gradually increase.
Vertical Scissor Dragon Flags
Hold the bottom position of the Dragon Flag and slowly raise and lower your
right leg. When your right leg returns to the starting position, raise your left
leg. Raising and lowering both legs counts as one rep. Perform the desired
number of repetitions.
Vertical Scissor Dragon Flags
Horizontal Scissor Dragon Flags
Horizontal Scissor Dragon Flags
Hold the bottom position of the Dragon Flag and separate your feet to the
maximum point that your current flexibility allows, and then slowly close
your legs. Opening and closing the legs counts as one rep. Perform the
desired number of repetitions.
Dragging Flag Press/Pull-ups
Caution: Prior to attempting this exercise, you will need to be able to easily
hold a Dragon Flag for 30 seconds or longer.
This exercise teaches you to keep your core tight during a press and a pull.
Also, you get resistance during the pulling and the pushing phase. You
cannot lower yourself casually as you can on a careless pull-up. The first time
that I performed this exercise, I was astounded by the tension generated when
I pushed myself away from the bar.
Set-up
Install a doorway chin-up bar about 10″ above a floor with a slick surface.
Exercise Performance
Lie down on the floor in front of the bar with your arms bent and the top of
your head touching the bar. Grab the bar and raise your body to the top
position of the Dragon Flag. Lower your body to the bottom position of the
Dragon Flag and hold that position throughout. Push your body away from
the bar until your arms are completely straight. Hold momentarily and then
pull your body back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of
repetitions.
Progressions
If a bodyweight-only Dragging Flag is too easy for you, you can hold a
medicine ball or weight plate between your feet. If you wish to increase the
resistance to the pushing and pulling, place a towel underneath your
shoulders and put dumbbells on the towel right beside either shoulder. Your
bodyweight on top of the towel causes the towel and the dumbbells to slide
on top of the floor.
Dragging Flag Start
Dragging Flag Finish
Counterbalance Dragon Flags
A Counterbalance Dragon Flag is a variation of the Dragon Flag that I came
up with a few years ago. This allows you to perform a Dragon Flag when you
do not have access to a weight bench. It also adds a balance element and
more upper body work to the exercise.
Set-up
You will need two dumbbells or kettlebells of equal weight. I find kettlebells
or dumbbells with a combined weight of two-thirds of my bodyweight to be
ideal.
Exercise Performance
Lie on the floor holding the dumbbells on the floor near your shoulders. Press
the bells up until your arms are straight. Lift your body (legs/torso) so it is
perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower your legs and gradually lower your
straight arms overhead and toward the floor in order to counterbalance the
weight of your body. You only lower the bells as far as necessary to keep
your body from rolling forward. Reverse the movement and perform the
desired number of reps.
Counterbalance Dragon Flag Start
Counterbalance Dragon Flag Finish
Counterbalance Dragon Flag in Progress
Extended Range Dragon Flags
The pivot point for the traditional Dragon Flag is directly under the
shoulders. I have discovered a way to move the pivot point back behind the
shoulders to further increase the leverage disadvantage of this already
extremely advanced exercise. In addition to pushing back the pivot point, this
method also allows a greater range of motion. This exercise allows you to go
from the inverted position, through the horizontal (parallel to the ground)
position, and then to the upright position. The range of motion for the
traditional Dragon Flag is 90 degrees while the Extended Range Dragon Flag
covers 180 degrees.
Set-up
Stand up with your back against two vertical bars or boards that are far
enough apart that your head can fit between them but not greater than
shoulder width apart. I use two 2″ × 4″s that are attached to my stairwell. You
may wish to pad the area on the bars or boards that your shoulders touch to
reduce the pain of having your shoulders pressed up against them.
Exercise Performance
While standing up straight with the back of your shoulders against the pads,
place your palms on the outside of either bar just above the pads. Wrap your
fingers around the bars. Tighten up your body and slowly raise your straight
body up through the horizontal position until you reach the inverted position.
Hold for a moment and then reverse directions and lower your straight body
to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Performance Tips
• same as for Dragon Flags (page 47)
• pull your shoulders into the bars/boards with your arms to prevent your
body from sliding down
• when you approach the inverted position, you will need to grip the
bars/boards tightly and pull up with your arms to prevent your body from
sliding down
Progressions
• do not attempt this exercise until you can easily hold the bottom position
of a Dragon Flag for several seconds
• if you are not currently able to perform the full-range version, raise your
legs to the point where you can no longer keep your body completely rigid
and straight; lower and repeat
Extended Range Dragon Flag Start
Extended Range Dragon Flag in Progress
Extended Range Dragon Flag Finish
Hanging Knee and Leg Raises
Hanging leg raises are one of the core exercises of choice for gymnasts. They
are, however, extremely difficult when strictly performed, and many people
avoid them altogether for this reason. I will describe a series of progressions
so that you can identify the step in the progression that is appropriate for your
current level of strength and proceed at your own rate.
Set-up
Find a bar that is tall enough that your feet do not touch the ground when you
hang with straight arms and legs.
Exercise Performance
Hang from the bar with your elbows locked. Keep your arms straight
throughout the drill. Raise your legs as high as you can while keeping your
legs straight. Most people will not be able to complete a full-range hanging
leg raise on their first attempt. Just lift your straight legs as high as you can
without using momentum. Pause for a second and then lower your straight
legs in a slow, controlled fashion. Relax for a moment when your legs have
returned to the starting position and then repeat. You will be able to lift your
straight legs closer and closer to the bar as you gain strength. Do not sacrifice
form and good technique in order to get your legs closer to the bar.
Progressions
If you are not currently able to lift your straight legs to the bar, and you do
not wish to do partial-range straight leg raises, perform hanging knees raises
while observing all of the performance pointers. Additionally, you could
perform 5- to 10-second holds with straight legs at various points of the
hanging leg raises (that is, in the “L” position, the “V” position, or anywhere
between the two).
Once you can easily perform more than 5 strict Hanging Leg Raises, you can
add resistance by holding an object (e.g., ankle weight, medicine ball)
between your feet. I like holding objects between the feet because squeezing
your feet in to keep the object from falling causes your abdominals to
contract harder. Progress in very small increments. A little amount of weight
will add a great amount of resistance due to the severe leverage disadvantage
caused by the weights being so far from the pivot point.
Performance Tips
• pull your arms down into their sockets
• tighten your lats or armpits
• tighten your glutes and keep them tight throughout
• tuck your pelvis
• keep your legs tight and toes pointed
• keep your chin tucked to prevent your head from tilting back
• use no momentum
• do not allow yourself to lean back; this will reduce the effectiveness of
the exercise
Hanging Leg Raise Start
Hanging Leg Raise Finish
Medicine Ball Hanging Leg Raise
Four-Point Weighted Hanging Leg Raises
I designed this drill with the cruelest of intentions. You can add weight at any
individual point, any combination of points, or all of the following points.
1. Shoulders: use a weight vest or back pack. Because this weight will not
be lifted, you can handle a lot of poundage. The resistance will work your
grip, chest, and lats.
2. Waist: put weight on a dipping belt. This will do the same as 1. above
but will add resistance to the leg raise at the top of the movement. You can
also buy or make a weight belt. I just attach the Velcro® straps of two
ankle weights and strap them around my waist.
3. Knees: I like to squeeze weight between my knees. This adds resistance
to the leg raise throughout the range of motion, and the scissor squeeze
causes the abdominals to contract harder. If you do not wish to hold
something between your knees, you can use duct tape to secure ankle
weights above each knee.
4. Feet: put on ankle weights. You do not have to use too much weight
because of the distance of the weight from your pivot point.
Four-Point Weighted Hanging Leg Raise Start
Four-Point Weighted Hanging Leg Raise Finish
Roman Column Sit-ups
Caution: This exercise and any other requiring the inversion of your body
should be avoided if you have high blood pressure.
The Roman Column is an exercise device from the past. It looks like a piece
of equipment that belongs in a torture chamber rather than a gym. The
Roman Column consists of a post with a chain attached at the top. Leather
straps at the end of the chain are hooked around the upper part of the calves.
The post has rests to anchor the feet, which allows the athlete to do sit-ups
with the knee as the pivot point. This position makes it much more difficult
than a regular sit-up because of the leverage disadvantage caused by bending
at the knees rather than the waist. The exercise will also challenge the
muscles of the hips and thighs. I am not aware of any Roman Columns
around any longer but you can perform a very similar drill on monkey bars.
Set-up
Place neck pads, such as those that are used on a barbell while squatting, on
the two end rungs of the monkey bars. You can also use sections of pool
noodles cut to fit the monkey bars if you wish.
Exercise Performance
While hanging from the end bar with your hands, raise your legs up between
your arms and place the bend of your knees over one padded bar and hook
your feet under the other padded bar. Let go with your hands and slowly
lower your body so it is hanging upside down from your knees. Raise your
entire body to the point that it is parallel to the ground. Your body should
form a straight line from your hands to your feet. Slowly lower to the hanging
position, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Progressions
• hold your hands at your chest and attempt to perform an upside down situp by bending at the waist. Do not be discouraged if you are not currently
able to touch your shoulders to your knees. This is an extremely advanced
sit-up. Just sit up as far as you can, lower and repeat
• once you get to the point where you can perform full-range sit-ups as
described above, attempt to do the straight body raise (Roman Column Situps) with your straight arms extended toward your knees. This will be a
little easier than holding the hands at the chest
• perform the same drill with your arms crossed at the chest
• perform the same drill with your arms extended overhead
• hold a light weight against your hips and then bring it with you to the
sitting position. You can increase the difficulty by increasing the weight or
by holding the weight farther away from your knees
Inverted Sit-up Bottom Position
Inverted Sit-up Top Position
Roman Column Sit-up Bottom Position Arms at Chest
Roman Column Sit-up Top Position Arms at Chest
Roman Column Sit-up Top Position Arms Extended Front
Roman Column Sit-up Top Positon Arms Extended Overhead
Chapter 5 – Program Design
I am reluctant to detail any specific programs or workouts because each of us
is different. We have different goals (I have never met anyone who shares my
strength goals) and exercise preferences. I am a big believer in choosing
exercises that you enjoy doing. I have good self-discipline, but I would have
a very hard time motivating myself to work out if I did not like the exercises
that were part of my routine. You have been given many exercises to choose
from. I hope that you will try these and feel that some are worthy of inclusion
in your workout routines. I would like to briefly address a couple of points on
program design.
Sets and Repetitions
I generally perform 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions of the chosen exercises. I
select progressions of the exercises where 3 to 5 repetitions are challenging. I
follow this low-rep protocol because my goals relate to maximum strength. If
you are more interested in developing strength endurance, select an easier
progression with more repetitions.
Exercise Selection
Again, exercise selection is completely your decision. I recommend that you
select one type of push-up, one type of pull-up, and an abdominal exercise
per workout. Although I have not described any in this book, it is also
important to include exercises that work your legs and lower back. I would
recommend pistols or one-legged squats for the legs, and deadlifts or
dumbbell/kettlebell snatches for the lower back.
If you wish to include a climbing exercise in your workout, skip the pull-ups.
I have provided you with several different exercises that will work your grip
in addition to your upper body strength. If you choose a push-up that also
works your grip strength, you might want to select a pull-up that works a
different type of grip strength. For example, if you do Pinch Grip Push-ups,
you might want to do a pull-up that works your crushing grip (Gripper Pullups or Pliers Pull-ups) or supporting grip (Anvil Pull-ups or Grip Chins).
My body responds best to three workouts per week, but you might do better
with more or fewer workouts. Experiment a bit and find what works best for
you.
Sample Workouts
I have included a sample workout for individuals at the beginner,
intermediate, and advanced levels with the following exercises: Ring Pushups, Ball Pull-ups, Wheel Jackknives, one-legged squats, and deadlifts.
Beginner
Incline Ring Push-ups
Ball Pull-ups Body Rows (45 degree angle)*
Kneeling Wheel Jackknives to the wall
One-Legged Box Squats**
Deadlifts
Intermediate
Ring Push-ups with rings just above floor
Ball Pull-ups (shoulders just above floor)
Kneeling Wheel Jackknives to full extension
One-Legged Squats
Deadlifts
Advanced
Ring Push-ups with feet elevated
Ball Pull-ups
Standing Wheel Jackknives
One-Legged Squats holding a DB or KB
Deadlift
Sets Reps
3
3
3
3
3
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
Sets Reps
3
3
3
3
3
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
Sets Reps
3
3
3
3
3
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
3 to 5
*With Body Rows, the angle refers to the position of the body relative to the
floor in the bottom position prior to pulling yourself up.
**One-Legged Box Squats are an easier version of a One-Legged Squat
where you decrease the range of motion by sitting back on a box, step, or
bench instead of going all the way down.
It is quite possible (probable even) that your ability in one exercise is at a
different level than your ability in another exercise. For example, you may be
at the intermediate level in Ring Push-ups, Ball Pull-ups, and Wheel
Jackknives, but at the beginner level with One-Legged Squats. That is not a
problem. Just perform the exercise at the appropriate level for your current
ability.
Chapter 6 – Injury Prevention
I will not make any bones about it, the exercises that are presented in this
book are extreme, and they do pose a risk of injury. There are some exercises
that other people can perform without injury that give me some problems
even when I am very careful about maintaining good form and technique.
Caution: If any exercise that I have covered does not feel right to you and
you believe has a high injury risk, DO NOT TRY IT.
You need to consider the benefit-to-risk ratio. Performing an appealing
exercise may not be worth it if it costs you several months of training time to
recover from injury. One-arm pull-ups are an example of a high risk exercise
for me. They place a lot of stress on the elbows. I love performing them;
however, I inevitably get a nasty case of elbow tendonitis if I perform them
too frequently. The loss of training time would interfere with my progress
toward other training goals that are more important to me. I do them
occasionally (once or twice a month) to maintain my ability to do them.
Healthy Elbows
In Training for Climbing, Eric Horst reports that “Climbing works these
muscles (forearms) in a very specific way that, over time, can result in
tendonitis on either the inside or outside of your elbow.” The grip and pull-up
work described in this book could result in similar elbow injury. Horst
recommends Reverse Wrist Curls and Forearm Rotations as a “pretty good
insurance policy” against elbow injury.
Reverse Wrist Curls
Grab a light dumbbell (5 to 20 pounds) and perform wrist curls with your
forearm resting on your thigh. Horst recommends “twenty half repetitions;
that is, beginning with your hand in the neutral position (wrist straight), curl
the dumbbell upward to the top position, hold it there for two seconds, and
lower it back down to the starting position.” Horst recommends 2 to 3 sets
twice a week at the end of the workout.
Reverse Wrist Curls
Forearm Rotations
Place a light weight plate or plates (2-1/2 to 7-1/2 pounds) on one end of a
dumbbell bar. Leave the other end empty. Grab the empty end of the bar. Sit
down with your elbow resting on your thigh and rotate your wrist from the
palms-down to the palms-up position. Horst recommends 2 sets of 20 to 25
repetitions before and after each workout.
Forearm Rotation Palm-down Position
Forearm Rotation Palm-up Position
Expand-Your-Hand Band Start
Expand-Your-Hand Band Finish
Finger Extensor Exercises
In The Grip Master’s Manual, John Brookfield recommends training the
finger extensors (the muscles involved in opening the hand). Brookfield
reports that, “Properly exercised, the extensors will increase your strength on
other grip exercises and will give your hand balance overall, which helps to
prevent hand injuries and hand pain.” I do high repetitions of opening my
hands against the resistance of the IronMind Expand-Your-Hand Bands
following every workout. You can also open your hand against the resistance
of your other hand, or bury your fist in sand and open and close your hand.
Healthy Elbow Workout Program (perform this program after each workout)
Sets
Reverse Wrist Curls
Forearm Rotations
Finger Extensor Exercises with
2
2
one set to 2 repetitions short
Reps
20
20
Expand-Your-Hand Bands
of failure for each color/strength
of band
Another important practice for maintaining healthy elbows while following
this program is to lock the elbows at the bottom of every pull-up repetition.
Lower Back Health
In “Gymnastics, Posture and Injury” on the Dragon Door website, Mark
Reifkind (former national-level all-around gymnast for the University of
Iowa) stated that “with the tucked pelvic posture you get a very serious
imbalance between the abs and the spinal erectors as well. Constant trunk
flexion without a concomitant amount of work on spine extension can really
create serious back injuries, and I see these every day with my gymnasts.
This could be alleviated with a commitment to a strength program that is
based in solid fundamentals, such as squatting and deadlifting.”
Many of the exercises that I have covered in this book involve the tucked
pelvis position that Reifkind refers to. For this reason, do your lower back a
favor and include a deadlift or dumbbell/kettlebell snatch as part of your
workout.