The greatest aspect of calisthenics is that wherever you are, anytime you can do them.
This is frequency.
Frequency for some is necessary to keep negativity out of mind.
As the laundry runs I shadow box, putting power into it.
In mind I’m emulating Mike Tyson, I’m similar in height and proportion, and feel that’d be my style should I box.
So I’m trying to bob, weave, and uppercut in something that resembles it visually.
The movement patterns are likely off, a coach would say so I’m sure, but this is me, alone, getting myself out of breath because it improves my state of mind.
I’m not going to be focussing on the little that is bad.
Out of breath, now enjoying some chocolate milk, and typing up my thoughts – I feel good.
I’m on two to three times daily pushups and bw squats.
I’ll probably be joining the gym my friend goes to, but on a once or twice weekly program.
I’m very strong.
I feel it, and I visualize it as I’m doing my calisthenics.
I was repping 405 in mind as I did pushups earlier.
This practice builds even more strength.
Let’s rewind ;
I look in the bathroom mirror and resemble a pale king kong.
This effect is only amplified with a pump, and after driving home shirtless I did some squats and triceps heavy pushup variants before going indoors, during rests I drank chocolate milk.
In the bathroom before the night’s shower I did another couple sets of vanilla pushups…but visualised heavy benching, a bench rep during each pushup, seeing myself first repping 315, 345, 365, 405, then on the next set 345, 365, 405, all powerfully executed, all for reps.
I look like king kong in the mirror.
My neck is thicker.
My traps have grown recently.
I have serious upper body development.
The comical thing is my calorie burn is quite high from work.
I’m barely eating.
Without the chocolate milk I’d be on starvation rations.
I am however pretty good about getting in some beef and some bacon each day.
Working in a restaurant has its perks.
My bacon cheeseburger grilled cheese sandwich with a root beer or dr pepper near the end of shift is what keeps me in the food.
I’ll usually eat something really small, cheese or chicken outside of work.
I stopped drinking whey again.
It was causing an even higher rate of…weight loss? fat loss?
I felt warmer, which makes sense as protein speeds the metabolism.
Don’t really want to feel even warmer working in a kitchen.
The coworker who wears a hoodie sometimes is nuts.
I could toy around, see what happens going back to up to 6 scoops daily.
Caffeine consumption is up.
I don’t dodge the soda fountain every shift.
However, instead of water or soda I mostly drink ginger ale at work.
It has taste, keeps some calories in you, and doesn’t have caffeine.
This was something I learned to do as a mover one summer.
At a point water bothered the stomach and didn’t have the necessary taste, while gatorade/powerade was too sugary.
Ginger ale hits the spot in this situation, while high quality ginger beer is downright medicinal.
I get little bits of free protein from mess up items.
I’m in a good place eating wise.
Leaning out is just what the time calls for, and I’m very strong right now.
My buddy will be happy if I join the gym he goes to.
I filmed there the other day, and the place would work for infrequent big lift training.
I can see myself just specializing on push/pull for a while there.
A man would be set training just back and shoulders.
Doing that right involves plenty of leg work.
You’re not going to clean & press nor deadlift without leg work happening.
If you’re worried about it throw in some heavy 10s or 20s on front squats, partial front squats, or do something meaningful overhead squatting for reps.
I know the type of programming that works.
•deadlifts
•partials
•c&p
•bent row
•front squats
•overhead squats
Any man would thrive on this.
Frequency?
Anywhere from multiple times daily to once every 10-14 days.
That’s the beauty of lifting. Whether high frequency or low frequency – all work.
Do what works for you, mentally, logistically, whatever.
I’d rather see you getting it in the gym than to not train.
The “weekend warrior” gets a bad rap.
A man could hit the big three or something similar on saturday or maybe after church each Sunday, not stress lifting or even waste a single thought about lifting the rest of the week, and be set.
It’s better to lift than not to lift.
Maintain a 405+ deadlift into your 80+. Aging needn’t be bad.
I know the path of aging I’m on.
I’m 27. I’ll never be weak.
37 will be stronger than 27.
47 will be stronger than 37.
etc, etc, etc, etc, etc
I’ve read accounts of the germanic tribes during the time of rome.
All the men were able bodied, all aged roughly 15 to 80 strapped on shields, picked up spears, and marched to battle joyously.
Heck, the roman legionaries served a 30 year enlistment term, aged 20 to 50.
A 50 year old roman was marching 18 miles a day under load, then building fortifications each and every night.
These were the norm.
Humans are meant to be awesome.
Aging in the modern world is a travesty.
In one of the icelandic sagas, one of the men became feeble in his 90s, was mocked by the women for his being feeble, and within a year or two was dead.
Feeble only came about on one’s deathbed.
This says that for many in modern times, their living is naught but a slow death.
The fuck are you waddling around slurping down naught but bullshit for?
WITH NOTHING FOR EQUIPMENT YOU CAN HIT YOUR PUSHUPS AND SQUATS TWICE A DAY!
An hour or less at minimum wage will feed you a gallon of milk and pound of ground beef each day.
The squats and pushups take 5:00 to 10:00 tops each day.
Aging is a choice.
I know the path I’ve chosen.
That “dad bod” thing is disgusting.
Hit your pushups and squats, your kids will love to be on your back for both.
“Dad used to duck walk considerable distances with me/us riding on his shoulders.” – my kids in the future
Yes, I envision and plan on doing calisthenics with my kids.
(Both with them as weight and doing them together.)
There are no excuses.
Your health and fitness is a part of you, it’s entirely under your control – always has been, always will be.
I refuse to be one of those looked at in disgust, for being…disgusting, a disgusting human body.
It’s not just physical, it’s spiritual.
Your spirit is reflected in your appearance.
Your spirit is slovenly?
Why!
THERE ARE PUSHUPS AND SQUATS TO DO!
Persistence & Tenacity