Hi!

[Master Wang]

Hi,

I'm Steve (Master Wang is a ridiculous nickname from my university days that's become my internet alter ego), from the U.K. currently living in Japan.

I'm about 79kg and 180cm with a fairly slim, toned physique. I used to play a lot of basketball until a groin injury that didn't really get proper attention. I still play, and also enjoy tennis occassionally. My aerobic fitness is pretty good - when I jog, my legs give out way before I feel any discomfort in my lungs.

I've been training with body weight exercises seriously since January, although since May I was able to increase the number of workouts I did per week to three. Before that it had been one or two due to being really busy. However, I hurt my shoulder at the end of June and had to take some time off. At that point my workout was this (Mon,Wed,Fri):

Dynamic stretches at home, quick jog to the play ground by the beach...

Chin ups 3 sets of 6
Pistols 3 sets of 4 per leg
(using a bench as I can't go all the way down yet)
Dips 3 sets of 11
Back raises 3 sets of 12
Body weight rows 3 sets of 9
Press ups with feet on a bench 3 sets of 14
Side bridge 35 seconds per side

Run back along the beach (not far), do some static stretches then shower.

I was pretty happy with this workout and the numbers as all had increased from the beginning of the year. But since coming back I've found myself really bored with it and need a change. I'm trying out a few things and will post in the workout section when I think I've decided, then after suggestions from people, I'll start the routine and keep a log.

My overall aims are strength, size and endurance, though I'd like to be able to do 12 pull ups and one armed press ups one day. Also handstand pressups would be great, but these are far off aims. First I just want to get back to enjoying my workout.

[Dave.cyco]

Hey Steve, AKA Master Wang! Welcome to BWC! Your workout looks pretty good; you're covering most of your bases. You still need to figure in some core exercises. Might I suggest V-Ups, Russian Twists and Planks. By back raises, do you mean hyperextensions/supermans? If so, good.

You could increase the fun factor and productivity of your session by incorporating pike pushups o your workout. That way you'll already be progressing towards handstant pushups and working the very important overhead pressing range of motion.

Also you should be doing more for your legs. If you want to grow, you have to tax those legs good. Get used to doing high rep sets of ATG bodweight squats, then progress to sets of jump squats.

Train hard!

[Master Wang]

Thanks for the ideas.

The workout of changed to from the one post above looks like this at present:

1 pull up with perfect form between every set of every other exercise (13 in total).
3 sets of one legged squats (currently 5,4,4 per leg on a very low bench)
3 sets of diamond press ups (8,7,6)
3 sets of this - lying belly down flat on a bench with my legs under a T shaped thing that keeps them down, arms extended, then raising upper body, pausing, going down etc. I call them back raises, is there a better name?)
Plank
Side bridge (right)
Side bridge (left)

My aim with the pull ups is to get the form down and gradually add extra reps, building to 2 reps between each exercise. Then, I'll start dropping sets until I can do a decent sized number in 3-5 sets. Also, I'm hoping this will indirectly help when I return to chin ups, where I'd hit a bit of a plateau).

The diamonds were tougher than expected so will stay part of this workout until I can at least do three sets of 12. Then I'll move on to another kind of pressup, maybe the pike pushups.

Afraid I'm not too sure what V-ups, russian twists and ATG bodyweight squats are. I'll search the forums/net and then decide whether I want to include them. My main limiting factor at the moment is time. I'm trying really hard to cap the sessions at 30 minutes. I think I rest to long between activities...

I'm going to post this over in the workouts section as well, so people may want to reply there.

Cheers,

Steve

[cheesedog]

I believe the exercise you mentioned is usually called supermans. The routine looks good.