poor man's workout equipment

**nomamao** · Posted On: 11/10/2006 12:00pm

Yeah, usually the guys that do bodyweight exercises that I've seen didn't have any mass at all... and, I think that's because they rely on the exercise, and not enough protein and all that other **** you need...

I've had girls ask me how much I bench, and I'm like "what do you think?"

the numbers they drop are ridiculous. But, it could just be genetics at play. My dad was a huge guy... way bigger than me, but he was 6'1 and 240 when he WAS lifting.

I say that if you combine Isomatric exercise with Bodyweight exercise, and get all the proper protein in your diet, along with amino acids, MAYBE glutamine, and stretching... you will see results...

Guys that rely on the exercise alone for the growth are just dumb.

**zendeath2000** · Posted On: 11/10/2006 12:12pm

one of the best exercises i found that hits the pecs the best beside bench and doesn't tear the crap out of the shoulder girdle is cable cross overs. I have had to rehab my left shoulder for nearly a year now due to a 3rd sep. and it is the only exercise that hits the middle real well. Granted pushups are great too. earlier i posted using the inner tubes as a device... i used a real small but thick one as a suppliment to the push up; just grab both ends and put the middle behind the back (make sure there is tension on the down position and press up).

**nomamao** · Posted On: 11/10/2006 1:15pm

Ok... when you do pushups for the chest in the hundreds... how many sets, and how many variations?

I would do my pushups in sets of 50... 5-6 sets. With pushup bars, so that I could get deeper.

first set would be close grip (shoulder width) with palms facing in.

second would be wide grip with palms facing down (elbows out), like if you were actually pressing a bar.

third set would be with my feet on a chair, palms facing in.

4th would be feet on a chair palms facing down and elbows out, like the 2nd set.

5th would be basically trying to support all my bodyweight from my waist up straight down into my pushup, with my feet resting on a chair. I called these "v pushups", because your body is basically in that shape for that pushup. I'd have my hands a little more than shoulder width apart and it would work the shoulders and the upper chest pretty well for me. I've hit my head a number of times on that one... but it gets easier.

6th set, if I had steam left, would be either 50 ridiculously fast pushups, knuckle pushups, or full body pushups.

After that, I would be pretty wiped out, and would take at least a nice 10-15 minute break before doing anything else, and would usually get a shake in me during that rest period.

My chest has always felt destroyed after my pushup routine. Only thing I can add is that if you don't feel like it's hitting your chest enough, then slow it down.

there's this one pushup that I used to do in class where you take as long as you can to go from top to bottom, constantly moving, but as slow as possible. And, you do the same to get back up.

Well, I hope that helps some with the pushup issue.

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 11/10/2006 1:28pm

nomamao, that sounds more or less what I do regarding push ups, in sets of 40, sometimes up to 320, and on occasions I've gone past 400. Mind you that I never do them alone. I do these sets as part of a cycle of exercises (.ie. 1 set of squats, 1 set of towel chin ups, then 1 set of 40 push ups, no rest in between these individual sets in a cycle, 60 seconds rest between each cycle). That is, I use them as a way to push my anaerobic capacity.

I seldom do knuckle or finger push ups if I'm doing towel chin ups; that would be murder to my wrist and fingers. But perhaps if I were to concentrate on the push ups themselves, I may get a better chest workout. Don't get me wrong, my pecs feel like burning, but nothing like a well-made set of bench presses.

I don't have a problem with bench presses, but if I do them weekly, after the second or third week, my shoulders begin to bitch.

zendeath2000, I have to agree with you that cable crossovers are great... unfortunately, the ligament on my left forearm (just below the elbow joint, forearm side facing inwards), it gets into a lot of pain when I do them (another reason I don't do preacher curls. I have to wrap my forearm pretty thight with an ACE band to do them.

In other words, my shoulders and my left forearm are pretty much fucked up :tongue3:

**nomamao** · Posted On: 11/10/2006 1:50pm

El Macho, I think that if you want to see the best gains from the pushups, you have to do them apart from all the other exercises. And, I would also have short rests between the sets, until I was really tired... First two sets might be 30 seconds apart, and as sets got harder I would add 15 seconds.

I would do those pushups, and then go for a run/or any other cardio, and return to do some Isometric exercises.

On the next day I would work my cycle training (rope for 100 skips, 10 burpees,10 pushups, 10 squats--ten times) or I would do rounds 6-7 3 minute rounds of anything I felt like that worked my ass off... sometimes I would just shadowbox with one pound gloves for rounds... sometimes I would wear a 40 pound weighted vest and do various footwork drills for rounds... But, those were on the days I wasn't doing the pushups, and I'd do Isometric Exercises 6 days a week.

Maybe you should look into various Isometric Holds for your chest. They might add to the workout.

you never know.

**zendeath2000** · Posted On: 11/10/2006 2:19pm

pilates is good for some things like isometric holds or static pressure. Ever try running some of that into your routine and for added resistance use the ankle/wrist weights. I can tell you that after my wife got me into doing that after my regular training regime, im more than exausted. 2 hours later im invigorated again. it might just be me though.

**Flash Jackson** · Posted On: 11/12/2006 12:23am

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**Bang!** · Posted On: 11/12/2006 12:40am

Originally Posted by El Macho

This is a very, very interesting thread. If there one reason I'd like to learn more about BWE is to find a way to replace bench presses. It's killing my shoulders, and I've been swithcing to dips (BW and with weighted chains), push ups in the order of hundreds as well as one hand push ups. They are easier on my shoulders, BUT they do not bang the **** out of my pec muscles the same way bench presses do. That's my conundrum.

If bench presses are killing your shoulders, it's most likely because of your arm position. Do you have your elbows out the whole time? Try keeping them tight to your ribs throughout, with your shoulder blades retracted. This way, you won't even have to worry about not letting the arms go past 90 degrees, since there isn't much stress on the shoulder -- even in a lowered position.

For hitting your chest specifically, though, you're better off with DB presses anyway. Less shoulder stress, more chest-specific.

**Bang!** · Posted On: 11/12/2006 12:42am

Originally Posted by Hannibal

I hate to say it but the benchpress is one of the worst things for your shoulders. Doing hundereds of pushups is fine but if you want to increase your Maximal Strength start hitting the one arm pushups and Handstand Pushups. Experiment with other things too like one arm pushups with your feet elevated off a bed or tabel.

Wrong.