PU and SU improvement sites
 

So far the PU site has improved my PUs quite a bit, starting SU site in conjunction with PU site tomorrow when I take the SU test.

www.hundredpushups.com
www.twohundredsitups.com

It's for the guys who suck at PU or SU or who would just like to improve their PU or SU or both.

The push-up one seems to have the most dramatic effect on my body for push-up improvement, only done two days of it, third day is tomorrow, but PU have gone up by 10 each time...


Edited to add: New program for increasing leg strength/endurance.

http://www.twohundredsquats.com/

Just found this one will begin it tomorrow as I also begin my two hundred sit-ups in conjunction with the push-up program.

I will check them out - thanks

I bought an "abmat" for the home after using one @ the crossfit place.

Let me know how that abmat thing works.

Testing out the #100 PU program. Started @ week 3 day 1. I do 30-50 p/u every morning, so I'll just supplement in this program 3x a week in the morning.

They force you to max every day preceding 5+ sets for reps. I do a lot of p/u for reps. but rarely do I max. Current P/U PR: 79. Maybe this program can help get those last 21. Will advise how the program goes. :lifter

Also, for the record the abmat is worth the $ especially if for Crossfit, really helps for unanchored sit-ups. If you do not practice many unanchored sit-ups I think you can save the $ on this one. This thing keeps me in one place rather than my butt sliding and always having to readjust. Here's a link: http://www.roguefitness.com/store/Abmat_info.php. That is also about the best price I have found.

it works
 

Draco,
It works by putting a arch in your back on the way down. It forces you to streach your abs, so there is no way to cheat on the way down you will break the plain. If u ancor your feet with dumbells touch the floor behind your head and come all the way up and touch the dumbells, if u have monkey arms make sure your chest touch's you kneens. Just remember the bigger bump side goes at the small of your lower back and not under your butt.

V/r
Anevolution

A side tip for Push ups.
 

You can verify through contact with old ODA 055 members in '84, '85.
Start and rest position is the front leaning rest. On "go" do 40 push ups as fast as you can...rest for a "quick" 10 count. then do 10 more push ups and rest for another 10 count...Do this as long as you can do Fast 10s. Don't continue when you speed slow by half. Try it you'll like it.....Blitzzz

And do GOOD push-ups, according to the Army reg.

Doing bad push-ups is not good form and they will not count at any serious Army APFT.

If you do 100 in thirty seconds with your butt in the air, and the count stays at one, you really have not accomplished anything and you are a NO GO/APFT FAIL.

TR

Very interesting. After much trial and error, this is how I went beyond the max. I varied my hand positions, though. Starting out very close to the body (forearms barely touching rib), then to normal width, then to wide (keep hands in contact with floor all the time, or the event will terminate!). This is non-scientific, but I reasoned that this method forces every single muscle fiber on triceps, lower and middle pectoralis, and posterior deltoid to get engaged. Also I think this one is from Pavel Tsatsouline: when you think you hit muscle failure, contract hands, forearms, abs, back, thighs muscles and imagine hands rotating inward like screws as you push. It will yield 3 to 5 more. I also exhale just before pushing like kiap in MA. TR is spot on, as always. I counted close to 100 in my last APFT, but the grader only put 92.

Try Hindu squats/pistols. That will build you up in a hurry...

negative
 

Harder is not always better. Same thing with faster. I would assume you meant this only for those who have established a strong baseline first as far as ROM, flexibility, stamina, and strength to properly do the exercises. Although occasionally I do pistols or one-legged squats 15+ on each legs, and notice the jumpstart in improvement, that exercise is also a certified knee killer. Not just for the 28 or 30+ years old, but anyone whose leg muscles isn't squared away. Same thing with the Hindu squats. Unless the person has been conditioned (ie. entire life) with the third-word squats, the exercise has more harms than benefits. IMHOO

My thoughts on this stamina stuff in view of 18Xers and guys shipping to Basic kinda thing...feedback desired.

Working stamina (i.e. developing high rep ability) is all good but I have always felt there is a better way...

To butcher the concept...the stronger and more powerful (speed) you are... in let's say Bench Press and Weighted Pull-up and to a lesser degree Weighted Sit-ups (even Body weight squats if you like)...the less your 'stamina' system is taxed and therefore the more reps you can do before you reach the limit of you current stamina fitness level in that particular movement.

I guess you could say that mixing Limit Strength / Power training AND stamina training is attacking the High Rep APFT goal from a different angle.

This might be a good point for an analogy...you're driving a four wheeled drive and you have it in 2 wheel drive mode...you're only achieving so much in two wheeled mode so you flick it into Four wheeled mode....what happens....?

Just working stamina is like living in two wheeled mode, why not flip into 4 wheel drive...work your Strength / Power as well?

Some benefits...

1) More Sustainable
You can ramp up Stamina significantly in as little as 6 weeks (even 2 weeks with Mega sets volume stuff), just look at what Basic Training can achieve, however the issue is you lose upwards of 40% of your stamina in as little as 6 wks of no training and maintenance requires at least a 10min rep once per week to maintain if not more.

Limit Strength on the other hand, you only lose 10% over 6 weeks of no training and really only need to do one 20min 5 x 5 sets (kinda thing) every 6 weeks to maintain, perhaps a little more often then that - like every 4 wks (different horses for different courses).

I have worked with a number of guys who are very weak limit strength wise*, especially in their pull-ups, and really struggle to pick up their SU-PU-PLU over the maxs of 80-80-20 no mater how much stamina volume they do.
(Preferably 100-100-20 or there abouts - I was one of these guys in regards to PLUs)

2) Return on investment
Another benefit here is the law of diminishing returns.
Let's say you are weak* in one of these limit strength areas...let's say it's PUs...To get 100 strict PUs you are really having to get to 95% of your Stamina genetic potential to achieve this (cos you're weak) and the closer you get to your GP the harder you have to work and more training resource you have to expend to see gains.

Where as you are no where near your GP in Limit Strength, specifically Bench Press (or Weighted Dip or Military Press for that mater)...you're gonna see quicker (and more sustainable) gains with less effort if you work on your Limit Strength / Power AND Stamina.

Depending on where your Limit Strength is at I would consider holding off on this high volume Stamina stuff and focus more on your Limit Strength and Power (Blitz) with a lesser focus on Stamina until 6-8 wks out from shipping to basic or the next 6 monthly APFT kinda thing. At around 6-8 wks out start some of this volume stuff.

I can currently maintain my scores at around 60 with pretty much no stamina work simply because I am now stronger then I was. Ramping up to 100 isn't such a big leap and doesn't take nearly as much effort.

Thoughts welcome

S

*By weak I'm talking about...
Bench Press - 1 rep maximum - less then 75% Body Weight
Strict Weighted Pull-up - 1 rep maximum - less then 25% of body weight hanging from feet or chain around waist

Go beyound the normal limits....
 

Just check out the Blitz thread Stamina = endurance, speed x strength = power. Both are achieved in Blitzing. Simple, Simple Simple....

I was usually at around 95 push ups on my APFT's. I don't remember doing anything very special to get there. Bench pressing heavier weights and push up pyramids were my general regime. With pyramids, I would do 20 down, 20 up with no more than 30 seconds between sets. Tried to vary between regular, diamond, and wide as well. With diamonds, I also liked to do a few sets of 5 counts (5 seconds down, 5 seconds up).

With situps, I also got in 90-95 before time was up, but I did no actual weight training for them. At my own pace I could do upwards of 550+ consecutively, using the resting position for a max of 10 seconds occasionally. I liked anything that would get my upper back (and lower if possible) body off of the ground, such as sit ups, crunches, cross crunches, flutter kicks, leg lifts, etc, and something I know as hibberty jibberties. I don't know if that is the correct nomenclature for the exercise. Starting position is the same as the flutter kick, but with hands floating out to your sides and not under your butt. 3 counts. 1st count: Do a crunch while lifting your left knee to your chest, return to starting position. 2nd count: Same thing with right knee. 3rd count: Both knees towards chest.

And as TR said, always do them in the correct form.

Keep in mind that this is simply what worked for me. Take it for what it's worth to you.

I gotta say I think that's what alot of guys may be missing...strength AND varied stamina volume stuff...but that's only a guess.

May as well drive with the four wheeled drive on. :cool: :D

S

Bam Bam Boxing
 

watch the clock at 1:08 to 3:08

100 Push up in 2 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm4_2...eature=related