My Quest For Strenght

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum so I wanted to share with you some of my personal experience about training and how I ended up a big believer in bodyweight training and gymnastic methods:

First, i'm a 20 years old man from Quebec (i'm primarly french so sorry for the errors) and I've been lifting weights for almost 3 years and 2 years seriously. All this time, I've been training outside or at home where I have a decent home-gym in my big empty cave :twisted: . During the first year of my training I was like many others, only focusing on the asthetic aspect and thriving to look like a bodybuilder. Also, because I was already lean and in great shape before training at 17 years old I soon started to see muscular progress so it kept me motivated to continu this type of training. However, since the beginning, my goal was to develop strenght, endurance, proportions, good cardio, speed...and almost all athletic attributes. Even if I kept this in mind by adding a lot of more strenght, endurance and cardio than a classic bodybuilder would do, I realised few months ago the importance of bodyweight exercises in strenght/endurance gain and overall functionnal development. Without denying the benefits of other type of resistances and exercises such as deadlifts or heavy squats for example, my main priority is now relative strenght. I'm currently 155lbs and I want to max out my strenght at the highest peak possible for this weight or at 165lbs maximum. Anyway, my philosophy is: If I take muscle mass, it should be muscles that allows me to perform anything I want like handstands, planche, sprinting, jumping, flexiblity and any cardio or bodyweight/gymnastic related movement.

Now, I'm currently able to hold free handstands for about 30 sec. to 1min. without moving my hands. My best HSPU record is at 4 (Chin on the ground to complete extension)...feel like I could go on for about 6 more but my balance always give up at the lower part of the 3-4 rep.(I'm now working on isometric holds on the three main phases of the movement to fix this problem 8) ) I'm also working on my planche, lever and I'm planning to buy some ring to begin some ironcross or even handstands on them...My decision to start doing gymnastic style bodyweight exercises started 6 month ago when I tried for the first time a handstand. It felt great and I knew I could have it in a matter of time. I was highly motivated, so I've done countless free handstands almost every day since then. Maybe it wasn't the best way to progress but despite some occasionnal tendons strains due to too much enthusiasm my progress was going great. I'm now enjoying tremendous benefits in strenght just with handstands, HSPU's, one-arm pushups, fingers pushups...and a lot of other movements wich have become an important part of my program.Gymnastic is great!!!

Also, thanks to everyone who contribute to this forum and provide useful training/recuperation informations. I've only discovered this forum last week and I've already learned a lot...so thanks :wink:

hello and welkome! I think it's quite impressive to have a good 30sec free handstand after just 6 month of training! How was your training routine since you started?

Anyway nice to meet you!

have a good training,

Charlie

charlieborro said:

I think it's quite impressive to have a good 30sec free handstand after just 6 month of training! How was your training routine since you started?

Thanks. In fact, my training routine was very intuitive during this summer. I was training almost everyday and mostly doing pushups, one-arm-pushups, pullups, chinups and handstands until I felt I gave my best, wich usually came after at least 45 mins. I was also running a lot and doing plyometric stuffs like triple claps pushups or jumping squats etc. On the side, some weeks were also more focus on the traditional side training which used more weights, like milirary presses or bench presses for example. I also enjoy doing curls time to time hehe.

I would say that for the past two month my training routine has stayed very straight forward and instinct based, compared to the time I was training more like a bodybuilder and where my programs were more well structured. However, has I understand more and more the aspects of bodyweight and gymnastics training, I'm working on a complete program where all the variables will be strictly followed and where instincts will also have there place. I'm looking for the ultimate training routine! :twisted:

In brief, a sort of combination of powerlifting, calesthenics, gymnastics, olympic weightlifting and martial arts.I'm excited about it, it will be awsome!