Calisthenics - jack of all trades for MA?

Zephyor

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Recently i started this kind of training to get myself back in shape and after a couple of weeks of documenting and practicing i came to the conclusion that its a great way to boost functional strength and coordination.

Problem is, my goal is not to attain further muscle mass but to loose some weight while maintaining or even improving my strength while only loosing fat.

The very purpose of this topic is requesting suggestion of various circuits you guys do in your gym/dojo that doesn't require equipment and will hit the sweet spots.
any fun variations aside from the everyday push/pull-ups leg raises squats n dips will be welcomed.
 

DanT

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Push-ups are great for developing muscular endurance and definition, especially in the chest and triceps, which are very important for punching. I usually do 15 sets to failure a day. I've noticed considerable improvements in endurance and slight improvements in punch power.
 

Flatfish

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Pull ups, weighted pull ups, dips, pushups in many variations (clapping, elevated feet, narrow, fingertips, divebombers, handstand ....), various planks, bridging etc.

If you want to challenge yourself, there's an app that's called 100 pushup challenge. It gives you a training progression with the ultimate goal to be able to do 100 pushups without a rest. I did it a couple years ago, the training was quite brutal. The last workout before the 100 test had me doing something like 380 pushups.

There's also apps to get you to 20 pull ups (which I still can't do)
 

jobo

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Pull ups, weighted pull ups, dips, pushups in many variations (clapping, elevated feet, narrow, fingertips, divebombers, handstand ....), various planks, bridging etc.

If you want to challenge yourself, there's an app that's called 100 pushup challenge. It gives you a training progression with the ultimate goal to be able to do 100 pushups without a rest. I did it a couple years ago, the training was quite brutal. The last workout before the 100 test had me doing something like 380 pushups.

There's also apps to get you to 20 pull ups (which I still can't do)
im constantly amazed by what there is an app for, it almost like people can't think for themselves with out a little computer telling them what to do next
 

Flatfish

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I don't think having a training progression is a bad thing. Not everyone knows how to put together something that works for a specific goal. If they did there would be no jobs for personal trainers
 

jobo

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I don't think having a training progression is a bad thing. Not everyone knows how to put together something that works for a specific goal. If they did there would be no jobs for personal trainers
well that's a whole other subject, of paying someone a load of money to tell you something you could work out for yourself in half an hour . I mean fine if your going for the 1500 meters world record, but how to just do a few push ups.
I've always considered it like having a personal shopper or just renting a friend by the hour
 

kuniggety

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Using an app is no different than looking up a strength routine out of a book and using a piece of paper to record your results. It just puts them together in one place.

Everyone hates them but burpees are great. Add to them by doing push-ups when you go down or so it under a pull up bar and do a pull up whenever you hop up. Anything plyometric in nature, really, should be a focus of your routines.

Swimming can never be understated. The best shape I've ever gotten into in my life was when I was adding pool work to my routine.

Cardio is important for the heart but fat loss is always more about diet than anything else. Exercise (strength conditioning and cardio) will help kickstart your metabolism but as long as you continue to put junk in you'll continue to get junk out.

Look up Bas Rutten's MMA workout. He was essentially doing HIIT before it became popular. No equipment, 30 min, and it's a great way to start.
 

Jenna

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I've always considered it like having a personal shopper or just renting a friend by the hour
No officer! it is not at all what it look like! I was just 'renting a friend' and she and I are just.. discussing calisthenics.. in our underwear :D
 

JowGaWolf

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Recently i started this kind of training to get myself back in shape and after a couple of weeks of documenting and practicing i came to the conclusion that its a great way to boost functional strength and coordination.

Problem is, my goal is not to attain further muscle mass but to loose some weight while maintaining or even improving my strength while only loosing fat.

The very purpose of this topic is requesting suggestion of various circuits you guys do in your gym/dojo that doesn't require equipment and will hit the sweet spots.
any fun variations aside from the everyday push/pull-ups leg raises squats n dips will be welcomed.
I do exercises and movements similar to the movements is the fighting techniques. There are a wide range of footwork drills that will quickly push your body to it's limits in a short amount of time. These are my own exercises based on Jow Ga kung fu. The ground recovery exercises would probably fit most martial arts systems. These are fairly simple and don't require a partner. Lay or sit on the ground in various positions then defend once on the ground for an incoming attack, then quickly evade the second attack while getting off the ground. When you are back on your feet do a low attacck combo of 4 stikes. Get back on the ground do the same thing but this time at the end do a middle attack. Repeat then end with a High attack combo. That is one set and it works a variety of muscles. If it's too easy then add squats or push ups between the sets or increase the speed. Try to get 5 sets in at first. The goal is to make it to 10 sets without moving like a turtle in slow motion at the end. I'm not sure if I gave a good visual, but it's what I train with.
 

jobo

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Using an app is no different than looking up a strength routine out of a book and using a piece of paper to record your results. It just puts them together in one place.

Everyone hates them but burpees are great. Add to them by doing push-ups when you go down or so it under a pull up bar and do a pull up whenever you hop up. Anything plyometric in nature, really, should be a focus of your routines.

Swimming can never be understated. The best shape I've ever gotten into in my life was when I was adding pool work to my routine.

Cardio is important for the heart but fat loss is always more about diet than anything else. Exercise (strength conditioning and cardio) will help kickstart your metabolism but as long as you continue to put junk in you'll continue to get junk out.

Look up Bas Rutten's MMA workout. He was essentially doing HIIT before it became popular. No equipment, 30 min, and it's a great way to start.
he was talking about an app to reach 20 push ups, foregoneness sake you only need to be able to count to twenty, why would you want to record that in your phone
 

drop bear

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he was talking about an app to reach 20 push ups, foregoneness sake you only need to be able to count to twenty, why would you want to record that in your phone

images
 

drop bear

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yea, but that's not explaining why you need an app to count to 20.its like nobody ever managed to achieve anything before they invented the,smart phone

Well it is if you understand how to motivate people.

Some people need defined goals.
 

jobo

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Well it is if you understand how to motivate people.

Some people need defined goals.
everybody needs defined goals, what you don't need is a smart phone app, unless you can't remember that,20push iis the defined goal, in which case you have bigger problems
 

KangTsai

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If you're trying to "get back into shape," it absolute does not matter in hell what you do. Try some bagwork and stick to whatever pushes you to near collapse.
 

Buka

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No officer! it is not at all what it look like! I was just 'renting a friend' and she and I are just.. discussing calisthenics.. in our underwear :D

Oh sure, give an old man a heart attack with that visual.
 

drop bear

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everybody needs defined goals, what you don't need is a smart phone app, unless you can't remember that,20push iis the defined goal, in which case you have bigger problems

I don't need to jump on a scale each week to loose weight either. But if I track that process I am more likely to be better disciplined than if I don't.
 

jobo

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I don't need to jump on a scale each week to loose weight either. But if I track that process I am more likely to be better disciplined than if I don't.
track as in five weeks you have lost five pounds, do you need to draw a graph ? Or could you just remember that
 

drop bear

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track as in five weeks you have lost five pounds, do you need to draw a graph ? Or could you just remember that

Whatever gets the job done. You could put the weights on t shirts if you want.
 

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