Topic: Hoover's Log (feel free to reply or whatever)

[BLee]

About me:
Name: Brandon Hoover
Height: 6' 0''
Weight: actually unsure on this I have no way to see but I'm not over weight at all really.
Age: 16

Not much to say here. I'm bored with life and people around where I live don't do shit besides sit around. So I decided to get back in shape and try out parkour because it looked like a lot of fun and a reason for me to stay focused on getting back in shape. Did football and other sports for 6 years (8-14) then I moved from upstate NY to central Florida. My interest in sports dropped completely because it was always about the friends for me and then my new friends didn't really do much. Lost all my muscle gained a bit of weight. Right now I'm just trying to condition my body back to a decent level and learn some basic parkour.
Got a bowflex thats what I will be using mostly would love to go running but its always in the 80s and 90s here with 80% humidy

Goals:umm lets see
Find some place to train skills...
Find a place to run that isn't 90 degrees
10 consecutive pseudo planche push ups
20 consecutive push ups
40 consecutive push ups
5 pull-ups/chin-ups (once I receive my Iron Gym via mail)
Hand stand
Fix my form on burpee.
Construct a parallette for V and L sit progressions.

Honestly all tips are welcome. (Work out routines, form, what I should be learning first, anything really.)

[BLee]

day 1: 9/05/2009
Bench Press: 120lbs 2 sets of 12
French Press: 40lbs each arm 4 sets of 10
Shoulder Press: 60lbs each arm 2 sets of 10
Leg Press: 280lbs 2 sets of 15
Leg Curl: 110lbs 2 sets of 10
Calf Raise: 280lbs 2 sets of 20
Crunches: 2 sets of 40

Practiced my roll on carpet.

[David Johnson]

Once you're used to exercising again, try exercises that directly translate to parkour movements.
This incredibly useful guide to such exercises was made by our very own Chris Salvato: Article

Good luck training!

[Spencer B]

Once you're used to exercising again, try exercises that directly translate to parkour movements.
This incredibly useful guide to such exercises was made by our very own Chris Salvato: Article

Good luck training!

Nice plug! 

But seriously though, you can do them now. And you should really...

day 1: 9/05/2009
Bench Press: 120lbs 2 sets of 12
French Press: 40lbs each arm 4 sets of 10
Shoulder Press: 60lbs each arm 2 sets of 10
Leg Press: 280lbs 2 sets of 15
Leg Curl: 110lbs 2 sets of 10
Calf Raise: 280lbs 2 sets of 20
Crunches: 2 sets of 40

Practiced my roll on carpet.

Bench Press is fine in moderation with free weights, but if it's some kind of machine, you don't get the best benefit from it.

French press is an isolationist exercise and a crappy one at that. at least the french Press I'm thinking of. (Don't know how many French Presses there are though...  )

Shoulder press, again, is great with free weights and IN FRONT OF YOUR BODY. But since it's Bowflex I doubt any of the weights are free.

Leg press is crap, it creates a sh*t-ton of shear force on the knees like a wall-sit does, only this time you have weight on it. Plus it mainly works the quads, a muscle that is already well developed in people, while neglecting the hamstrings and glutes, a muscle that most people NEED more strength with. That last one is just a recipe for muscle imbalance.

Leg curl on a machine... I personally wouldn't recommend them at all... ON A MACHINE, that is. Natural leg curls, or glute-ham raises are fine, and one of the few isolationist exercises that will help as much as compound ones. However, NLG's are VERY difficult and strenuous and if you're just starting you'd be better of with squats or even pistols.

Calf-raise works a muscle that doesn't really need work with weights, or any specific work at all really. Jumping, running, balancing, and even walking barefoot will strengthen your ankles more that raises. So you can drop them.

Crunches can cause issues with posture and are an exercise that is less useful than anything else on here. They don't work your core the way it was meant to be utilized and are something I would definately recommend you drop.

Lastly, it would help to know if you have access to a pullup bar, free-weights, or maybe even the money to buy them, or rings and maybe the money to buy them. And I'm sorry if I came off a little harsh overall here too.

[BLee]

Lastly, it would help to know if you have access to a pullup bar, free-weights, or maybe even the money to buy them, or rings and maybe the money to buy them. And I'm sorry if I came off a little harsh overall here too.

No money or access to a pull up bar atm. Though I'm moving in a month or two and will have to stay after school for an hour or so and wait for my ride since we are moving out of the school zone and I was gonna ask the coaches if I could have access to the gym and weight room while i wait. but at the moment all I have is a $3000 bowflex that i got from some guy who owned it for a year and sold it for $200 because he never used the thing. Only free weights I have are some 10lb dumb bells that i got at a garage sale.

The harshness is ok. I've never really had to try to get in shape before with the sports I used to do it just came naturally. Kinda new to making my own routines. Maybe some of your concerns about muscle isolation will be nullified today since I am working the opposite muscle groups today. Yesterday I worked my chest, shoulders, triceps, and legs: today I'm mostly working my back, shoulders, biceps, forearms, and trunk area.

Day2: 9/6/09
Seated Lat Rows: 120lbs 1 set of 15
Narrow Pulldowns: ^^
Rear Deltoid Rows: 100lbs 1 set 15
Standing Bicep Curl: 50lbs each arm 1 set 20
Reverse Grip Barbell Curl: 90lbs 1 set 15
Low Back Extension: 80lbs 1 set 15
Crunches: 1 set 20
Reverse Crunches: 1 set 20
APK Warm-up and agility work.
Short run down the road a couple times.
Practiced my roll. I think I got it down pat for the most part. (Though the first one I did today I kneed myself in the face lol)
Practiced Kong Vaulting over my bed. (bout 3ft high 5 across)

[Spencer B]

Maybe some of your concerns about muscle isolation will be nullified today since I am working the opposite muscle groups today. Yesterday I worked my chest, shoulders, triceps, and legs: today I'm mostly working my back, shoulders, biceps, forearms, and trunk area.

No, they aren't, Isolation exercises just don't cut the mustard for building strength when compared to compound exercises. There is no if, ands, or buts about it. Whether it be the depletion of glycolytic stores forcing widespread muscular, hormonal, and CNS adaptations or the high rate of transfer to parkour and everyday life, they are simply better than isolation exercises. They take less time to perform, they provide better results, and for a novice, intermediate, pr even advanced trainee they are invaluable.

[/rant]

Seriously though, I would suggest what i suggest to everybody... A day or two of reading in the general fitness forums.

[BLee]

I see your point but honestly I have no idea what half those exercises int he linked thread are and most of the ones I do I can't do yet. You are being very helpful but I don't really know where to start. An example of a starting workout routine here would be greatly appreciated. Keep in mind that for the time being I have no free weights outside of 10lb dumb bells and no access to a pull up bar. =/

Day 3: 9/7/09
APK Warm up: 2 rounds (excluding pullups bc of lack of pull up bar)
Bench press: 120lbs 2 set 15
Shoulder Press: 80lbs 2 set 10
French Press: 90lbs 1 set 20
Leg Curl:90lbs 2 set 15
Bicep curl:50lbs 1 set 10
Squats:3 set 20
Push ups:3 sets 15^^
Sit ups:3 set 20
Dips: 2 set 20
Pseudo planche push up: 1 set 5 (those are hard new goal)
Burpees: 2 set 5

[Spencer B]

I see your point but honestly I have no idea what half those exercises int he linked thread are and most of the ones I do I can't do yet. You are being very helpful but I don't really know where to start. An example of a starting workout routine here would be greatly appreciated. Keep in mind that for the time being I have no free weights outside of 10lb dumb bells and no access to a pull up bar. =/

Well, weighted exercises are optional... And if you have access even to a tree limb or any enclave where you could do a pullup, we could set you up with a decent workout. And there are tons of things you can do without a pullup bar or weights, for example...

Pushups,
One-armed pushups
Planche progressions, including Pseudo Planche Push ups.
(If you have two chairs or the like) Dips, Weighted dips (with your ten pound weights a/o w/e you have)
Handstand pushup progression
Clapping Pushups
Elevated Pushups
Air squats
Pistols
Jumping Squats
Burpees
Box Jumps
Broad jumps
Vertical Jumps
Jumping Squats
Jumping Pistols
L-Sit
L-Sit Progressions
V-Sit
V-Sit Progressions
I-Sit
I-Sit Progressions
Elbow Lever

With the right structures, not even equipment you can do:

Natural Leg Curls
Dragon Flags
Wall Hangs
Assisted Climbups
Climbups
Wall Dips

Enough suggestions yet? 'Cause I could go on. And in order to help you set up a routine, we need goals. Your goals, things you want to do.

[BLee]

So how does this look?
Bench press
Bicep curl
Shoulder press
leg curl
sit ups
push ups + pseudo planche pushups
Squats + jumping squats
dips
V-sit and L-sit (progressions)
WOD

Throw in some running, a few round of the APK warm-up, and pull ups once I get my iron gym (just bought it off amazon) and that's my work out routine? Of course it will be a constant work in progress; for example I master pseudo planche push ups and build of some strength I will move up to elbow levers and eventual planche push ups. Same with squats->pistols and L-sit progression->L-sit, etc.

My main goals atm are just over all conditioning. I know its a broad generalized goal, but right now I just need a full body workout to get my muscles back in shape. I would also like to accomplish handstands as one of my first goals eventually leading to handstand pushups and such.I mainly need to work my core and upper body as my legs have always naturally been strong. (ex: fattest laziest kid in middle school could outrun track team) Any tips to work balance are cool too.

Really looking to kick it into over drive once I move as Ill have two nice thick oak trees with lots of branches and a nice fenced in yard my mom will let me build in.

PS: what is an I-sit? Couldn't find it.

[Spencer B]

PS: what is an I-sit? Couldn't find it.

I-Sits are kind of a more vaguely known hold, yeah. I'll post a vid with one in if I can find it later.

Throw in some running, a few round of the APK warm-up, and pull ups once I get my iron gym (just bought it off amazon) and that's my work out routine? Of course it will be a constant work in progress; for example I master pseudo planche push ups and build of some strength I will move up to elbow levers and eventual planche push ups. Same with squats->pistols and L-sit progression->L-sit, etc.

Really looking to kick it into over drive once I move as Ill have two nice thick oak trees with lots of branches and a nice fenced in yard my mom will let me build in.

Well, firstly, you can't really master an exercise... You just become proficient enough with it that it becomes kind of moot to still do it. 

Secondly, elbow levers and planches are very different. Not a big deal, but don't want you working on elbow levers for ever and then trying a planche and failing horribly. Planche's require planche specificv training, and elbow levers require a much less amount of strength and can actually be achieved through general training + some specific work.

My main goals atm are just over all conditioning. I know its a broad generalized goal, but right now I just need a full body workout to get my muscles back in shape. I would also like to accomplish handstands as one of my first goals eventually leading to handstand pushups and such.I mainly need to work my core and upper body as my legs have always naturally been strong. (ex: fattest laziest kid in middle school could outrun track team) Any tips to work balance are cool too.

Learn form for handstands and practice. That's all you can do. Balance is the same. Practice, practice, and even more damned practice.

So how does this look?
Bench press
Bicep curl
Shoulder press
leg curl
sit ups
push ups + pseudo planche pushups
Squats + jumping squats
dips
V-sit and L-sit (progressions)
WOD

Well, like I said, Bench and Overhead Press (Shoulder Press) are only really useful with free weights. And the same leg curl as before? Like machine assisted? Or the one I mentioned, 'cause they are VERY different. Again, sit-ups are a total waste of time and removing them from your regimen will save time and frustration. And curls...I guess okay for now... But once the Iron Gym comes in, I expect you to ditch them in favor of pullups and chinups. 

And finally the WOD... That might be more difficult than you think to add on-top of everything here... I would suggest either one or the other really... And if your goal is general overall strengthening and whatnot, it might be better to hold off of a specific routine for a while and to just do the WOD for a while to get a feel for the exercises and maybe find some goals for yourself.

[BLee]

I-Sits are kind of a more vaguely known hold, yeah. I'll post a vid with one in if I can find it later.

That would be great. I hate asking people to find things for me but I searched around a bit and couldn't get it.

Well, firstly, you can't really master an exercise... You just become proficient enough with it that it becomes kind of moot to still do it. 

Well yea that's what I meant Just getting up to a point where I could actually start working on planches. Right now I won't even attempy lol

Well, like I said, Bench and Overhead Press (Shoulder Press) are only really useful with free weights. And the same leg curl as before? Like machine assisted? Or the one I mentioned, 'cause they are VERY different. Again, sit-ups are a total waste of time and removing them from your regimen will save time and frustration. And curls...I guess okay for now... But once the Iron Gym comes in, I expect you to ditch them in favor of pullups and chinups. 

Well I don't have access to free weights but working them on the bowflex has produced results for people I know so I'm going to keep up with that for awhile. The leg curls are still with a "machine" but I don't know anyone who has ever done it differently. Also I looked for "natural legs curls" and couldn't find anything.

Also yea the curls are pretty much just a plug until i can start working on my pull-ups and chin-ups.

And finally the WOD... That might be more difficult than you think to add on-top of everything here... I would suggest either one or the other really... And if your goal is general overall strengthening and whatnot, it might be better to hold off of a specific routine for a while and to just do the WOD for a while to get a feel for the exercises and maybe find some goals for yourself.

This routine will usually be broken up into 2-3 sessions as I don't usually have that much uninterrupted time throughout the day. I was mainly throwing the WOD in there as one of these short sessions or, like you said, to see what I cannot yet do and need to work on.

PS: Thanks for all this. It is very helpful.

[Spencer B]

That would be great. I hate asking people to find things for me but I searched around a bit and couldn't get it.

I'll get to it in a minute, but I was listing it mostly cause for the sake of listing, although you can still do it without any equipment and whatnot.

2778#msg242778 date=1252397578]
Well I don't have access to free weights but working them on the bowflex has produced results for people I know so I'm going to keep up with that for awhile. The leg curls are still with a "machine" but I don't know anyone who has ever done it differently. Also I looked for "natural legs curls" and couldn't find anything.

Try searching for glute-ham raises. Hold on... The first exercise listed here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/renegade10.htm

Well yea that's what I meant Just getting up to a point where I could actually start working on planches. Right now I won't even attempy lol

You never know where you stand with them until you try. Read up on the Planche Progressions and maybe try the Frog Stand. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/

Hope this helps.

[BLee]

You never know where you stand with them until you try. Read up on the Planche Progressions and maybe try the Frog Stand. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/

Hope this helps.

I'll try out the frog stand. And yea I was going to do the progressions I tried out psuedo planche pushups last night to start out. Man those things are hard compared to regular push-ups.

[Spencer B]

I'll try out the frog stand. And yea I was going to do the progressions I tried out psuedo planche pushups last night to start out. Man those things are hard compared to regular push-ups.

lol

After a year+ of training they don't that hard anymore.

[BLee]

Day4 9/08/09:
Forced rest day do to a ton of homework and having to babysit my brother. Trying to work out while watching a little kid is just impossible.

[BLee]

Day 5: 9/09/09
4pm
APKWU(still excluding pull ups until i get my bar) 5 Pushups dips and 10 squats 3 rounds
Pseudo Planche Push Up: 2 set of 5
Squats: 2 set of 20
Push ups: 2 set of 20
Bench press: 100lbs 1 set 15
Shoulder Press: 80lbs 1 set 10
Dips: 2 set 20
Sit ups: 2 set 20
Bicep Curl: 50lbs 2 set 10
8pm
APKWU(still excluding pull ups until i get my bar) 5 Pushups dips and 10 squats 3 rounds
Squats: 2 set 20
Push up: 2 set 20
Bench Press: 130lbs 3 set 5
Dips: 1 set 20
Sit ups: 1 set 30
PPPUs: 1 set 10

Had to stop early on second workout because I had a bit of knee pain. Which is hereditary unfortunately. And probably caused from two years of little activity to 20-60 squats a day the past week. My fault got over excited. Will take it easy the next few days on the squats. Only including them in my warm up most likely.

[Spencer B]

For PPPU's you want to try to get 3 sets of 12, and on bench press and overhead press, go for 3 sets of 5 reps.

[BLee]

For PPPU's you want to try to get 3 sets of 12, and on bench press and overhead press, go for 3 sets of 5 reps.

I'll keep that in mind for the presses. As for PPPU's max I can do is 10 right now. But I will shoot for 3 sets of 10 when I have time for a longer workout.

[BLee]

Day 6+7 9/10-9/11
rest days... have been sick with some lung thing that makes my back hurt like a bitch and a cough all the time + a shit load of homework from my two AP Classes.

Day 8 9/12/09 Got sick of sitting still. Still have back pain and coughs though =/
Warm up: 10 squats, 10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 5 dips, apk agility wu. 3 rounds
Push ups: 2 set 20
Dips: 2 set 20
Squats: 2 set 10
Situps: 1 set 20
Bench Press: 160lbs 3 set 5
Shoulder press: 100lbs 2 set 5
Bicep Curl: 50lbs 2 set 20
PPPUs: 2 set 7

[Spencer B]

Day 6+7 9/10-9/11
rest days... have been sick with some lung thing that makes my back hurt like a bitch and a cough all the time + a shit load of homework from my two AP Classes.

Day 8 9/12/09 Got sick of sitting still. Still have back pain and coughs though =/
Warm up: 10 squats, 10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 5 dips, apk agility wu. 3 rounds
Push ups: 2 set 20
Dips: 2 set 20
Squats: 2 set 10
Situps: 1 set 20
Bench Press: 160lbs 3 set 5
Shoulder press: 100lbs 2 set 5
Bicep Curl: 50lbs 2 set 20
PPPUs: 2 set 7

Is everybody getting sick? This is weird...

Anyways, you might want to think about splitting your workout into two. One it will help with time and two, it will help better overall. And the only thing you have to remember is t try not to make it split like upperbody-lowerbody days and you should be fine.