Calisthenics routine
Calisthenics are my preferred method of exercise because:
- Most exercises can be done anywhere at any time, for free because they don't require specialised equipment
- They have a lower risk of injury than many exercises
- Calisthenic routines progress through more difficult exercises, which I find more rewarding than just progressing through the same exercises with increasing weight (which is usually how progression would work for barbell and machines) - what's more is you can have the best of both worlds, as weight can still be added to calisthenics through the use of weighted vests
- I'm an ectomorph, so my bodytype will be able to progress quicker in bodyweight exercises compared to others
- It's quick and simple
For now I do the "Convict Conditioning" exercises, which consist of 6 exercise types, divided into 10 stages of progression (see progression diagram). Once I've progressed far enough I may experiment more as by that point I will have built up enough strength and coordination to do more difficult exercises not listed here. I've listed potential Additional exercises at the bottom of this page.
Below is my current progress:
Overall [28%]
The squat [73%]
Uneven squats
1/2 One-leg squats
Assisted one-leg squats
The pullup [10%]
NOTE: I do not have anything in my house that's appropriate to use for horizontal pulls step, so instead of this I am progressing to full pullups using the Scooby method. I would advise against substituting progression steps like this usually, but in my case the Scooby method has worked for me in the past, before I discovered convict conditioning so I can trust it to work for me again (the only reason I can't still do full pullups is because I stopped working out long enough to lose all my progress).
Uneven pullups
1/2 One-arm pullups
Assisted one-arm pullups
The leg raise [16%]
The bridge [0%]
The handstand pushup [0%]
1/2 One-arm handstand pushups
Lever handstand pushups
Additional exercises
Below are some exercises I may try in the future which are not part of the convict conditioning programme:
The pushup
- Dips
- Decline pushups
- Wide pushups
- Superman pushups
- Gecko pushups
- Plyometric pushups (clapping pushups)
- Stretch pushups
- Jackknife pushups
- Divebomber pushups
- Diagonal pushups
- The plank
- Incline tiger bends
- Maltese pushups
- 1-arm pushups with fewer fingers
The squat
- Lunges
- Leg press lunches
- Sissy squats
- Hindu squats
- Plyometric jumping
- Stair/hill sprints
- Car pushing
- Fireman sprints
- Pistol squats
- Shrimp squats
The pullup
- Dips
- Sentry pullups
- Elbow presses
- Muscle-ups
- Iron cross and other ring exercises
The leg raise
- Sit-ups
- Janda sit-ups
- Incline sit-ups
- Roman chair sit-ups
- Twisting sit-ups
- Russian twists
- L-holds
- Medicine ball work
- Side leg raises
- Twisting leg raises
- V-raises
The bridge
- Bow hold
- Camel hold
- Gecko bridges
- Hyperextensions
- Reverse hyperextensions
- Prone hyperextensions
- Back handsprings
- Flips (e.g backflips, wall flips, flash kicks, twisting flips)
The handstand pushup
- Marion pushups
- Isometric presses
- Windmills
- Hand walking
- Tiger bends