F1/H1 for increasing maximum push ups/pull-ups/sit-ups

[David Conaty]

Hi guys,

 

I'm new to this gymnastics training, but not new to bodyweight training.

 

I'm after a bit of advice really about if Foundation 1 is for me

 

I'm going into the Army in September and looking to boost my maximum push-ups/sit-ups/pull-ups prior to basic training, as well as flexibility and mobility in general for things like the obstacle courses.

 

I currently have a comprehensive running plan I follow, but want to increase my push-ups so I can bang out the required standard with no effort at all (44 push-ups in 2 mins).

 

I can currently do it ok within about 1 min 30 seconds, but struggled towards the end due to the very strict form they require and them discounting some reps.

 

I can currently do:

 

60 push ups in one go

70 sit ups in one go

8 chin-ups and 0 pull-ups

 

My question is that will solely training with F1 be sufficient to improve my maximum for these tests? Or will it be better if I still do additional high rep sets of these exercises at the end of my F1 training each day?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

David

[Jesse Frigo]

I've been in for a while.  The best way to increase your numbers is to increase your numbers.  Do many many short sets of pushups/situps throughout the day.  As soon as you feel like you are getting just a little bit fatigued, stop the set.  Start with 8-10 sets of maybe 10-15 pushups, adding a couple reps each week.  Eventually you'll be doing 4-5 sets or more at 40-50 reps each.

 

The goal is to increase your volume as high as you can with minimal recovery time.  Don't do any hard reps, don't squeeze out one more.  Just wait, and do another set later.  Every rep should feel easy, as easy as walking.  If it gets hard, if you are squeezing out extra reps, or pushing towards failure you will need additional recovery time, which will hold you back on your next set.  Train pushups for endurance, not for strength.

 

That being said, my situp numbers are going up noticeably just from F1.  I have to work pushups separately (in the manner I explained above) but I am only about 5 months into F1.  I am sure that building up my pseudo planche pushups is helping my overall strength, but building the endurance aspect is necessary to be able to push for 2 minutes straight.

[David Conaty]

Great! Thanks for the reply, it makes a lot of sense.

My main worry was that purely focussing on low reps for strength would inhibit my endurance for doing say 70 or 80 push ups in a row.

I can see the benefits of foundation 1 for mobility and getting great solid strength, so I think I'll get it with handstand 1 and maybe a stretch workout.

[Jonathan Pettit]

I've been in for a while.  The best way to increase your numbers is to increase your numbers.  Do many many short sets of pushups/situps throughout the day.  As soon as you feel like you are getting just a little bit fatigued, stop the set.  Start with 8-10 sets of maybe 10-15 pushups, adding a couple reps each week.  Eventually you'll be doing 4-5 sets or more at 40-50 reps each.

 

 

How many days a week do you do this?  I can regularly do 30-40 pushups with good form, but trying to add sets after that the numbers go down fast.  I'd love to train this endurance more.

[Jesse Frigo]

How many days a week do you do this?  I can regularly do 30-40 pushups with good form, but trying to add sets after that the numbers go down fast.  I'd love to train this endurance more.

I'm not right now (stupid grad school!), but I was doing it a lot, almost every weekday for several weeks to prep for a fitness test.  I never really needed it for situps though.  I got the concept from hundredpushups.com, only I did it more often with as little fatigue as possible, and never the sets to failure.  At the time, my class schedule was a 10-minute break every hour, so I'd probably get in 5+ sets every day.  I started with about half of what I could do in one set without pausing or stopping (~20 per set).  My fitness test score went from a hard-fought 65 pushups to a fairly easy 75+ in two minutes.  While training this way I kept track of each set, aiming for a daily and weekly total, so it doesn't matter if the sets were short, as long as I hit my total for the day/week.  I was adding 5 reps per set every week or two for a couple of months.

 

It works really well to build endurance, but you have to maintain it, otherwise it fades fast.  I have a PT test coming up soon and I'm probably going to be back in the low 60's for pushups again because I've been training for strength and not bothering with any of the endurance work.

 

*Note: Please note that these are Army pushups.  The Army standards are not the same as Coach's standards for rep quality.