Comments on: 10 Essential Strength Books Part 9 – Convict Conditioning

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:46:29 +0000

Just google Convict Conditioning pdf you’ll find it

By: Sonny

Sonny — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:45:18 +0000

Hi. I started with this baby after hearing about it all over net, since I wanted to get back into shape, and trust me, I lifted some weight, done lotta time with bodyweight, but this book is like a precious diamond – I’m somehow sure that I’ll never find any simpler and more effective exercises than there. I started on 9.2.2011 (keeping a training journal is a good idea), been working on it ’till today, but had a lot of drop outs.. My currents are step 3 for pullups, just completed step 4 for squats, still hanging at 2nd step on my way to six pack from hell (but damn, nothing ever formed my abs like this – I look better than pro muay thai boxer now) and on step 3 for pushups, where I also thought that I’m stronger, ahem.. It’s freaking awesome, and I swear I’ll never drop out again, I’ll rather die than to ditch this. It does wonders with your body (especially legs for me), and makes you feel like a beast. Can’t recommend it more.. Even kicked my girlfriend (which is quite overweighted, for her small stature) to it, though it’s a pain to coach her.. Planning to take a picture of myself every sunday to keep a photojournal too, then compare the results (not that I care that much for the looks, whole sh*t that moves me is that unbelievable power in the last steps). Stay strong people, and don’t drop out from your training, for any reason, it’s not worth it. I’ll come back next time, when I hit elite in any step available, then will post how I feel. See ya

By: Convict Conditioning

Convict Conditioning — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:26:28 +0000

one of my favorite books. no fluff. strength training method that goes way back to the ancients. love it

By: Jonathan F.V.

Jonathan F.V. — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 03:40:49 +0000

Oh, thank you! I was getting quite tired at the time I red your article, so I apologize for my inattention. I’ll read all the comments, and congratulations for the one-arm push-up!

By: A Texan

A Texan — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:12:59 +0000

Steve,

Glad to hear of your progress. I’ve started doing push-ups, squats, leg-lifts and Australian pull-ups (from under the bar, with legs extended and touching the floor). After just a week and a half of fairly light work-outs (I’ve gone into getting back into shape gung-ho too many times to repeat that mistake) I’m already seeing progress in both strength and how I look. OK, I’m still woefully out of shape and 50, but the progress is encouraging and I am going to continue. Part of the reason is that I put the pull-up bar in the doorframe leading from the bedroom to the bathroom – I can’t miss it several times a day, so I HAVE to use it. Besides, if I don’t, the wife will start bitching about the useless eyesore – so it won’t be useless. Other good news is that my kids (10 and 7) want to use it and do other exercises, so we’re doing it as a family.

By: Josh Hanagarne

Josh Hanagarne — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:07:04 +0000

I never had handstand pushups as a goal. This post mentions one arm pushups, which I was able to do fairly easily by the end of 2010. I never would have been naive enough to think I or anyone else would be knocking out one arm handstand pushups in that time frame.

As for the rest of it, please read my reply to “A Texan” above regarding the interruption of my training

By: Jonathan F.V.

Jonathan F.V. — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 05:00:57 +0000

Hi Josh! I just wanted to know how the progression went. I makes a couple of years that you wrote this review, saying that you’d be doing one arm handstand push-ups by the end of 2010 (honestly, I think it takes much more time to succeed doing that). I just wanted to know where you’re at right now, please.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 22:59:32 +0000

Hey Tex! I am the guy who last posted January 10th of 2010 and, as a bonafide fat, old guy, I can tell you that this stuff works. After about a year of off and on working out on my own (OK…more OFF than ON…) I began doing the CC progressions with my youngest son again last February following a deadlift progression schedule. Anyway, after about three months the ladies at church, the cafeteria at work, etc. are “touching” my arms and shoulders when they talk to me ALL THE TIME and I had to change seats in a restaurant last week to keep my date from outright slapping a younger lady that just couldn’t stop looking. Read my post above if you think I am one given to hyperbole. I have more chest, arm and shoulder muscle than I have EVER had and I could do 100 push-ups and 30 pull-ups any time you wanted to see them 20 – 30 years ago. Absolutely phenomenal results – I even stopped myself from falling with ONE ARM after a trip during a dinner party at my place in front of 8 witnesses. Here’s the real kicker: I am still doing the wall push-ups (3 x 30), and only level two pull-ups (3 x 10), level two squats (I am still too chunky to have started on level one of these) and level one leg-lifts (3 x 15). I am a long way from proving or disproving my theories concerning the order of the progressions as I stated back in 2010 but I am also far from doubting that such seemingly “easy” exercises can yield genuine results. Try them – you will make gains in both muscle mass and strength and you will do so with a minimum of injury if you take Mr. Wade’s admonition to “milk” the progressions seriously. BTW – I have set a serious goal to do one-arm pull-ups and squats again before I turn 50 and perform my first-ever one arm push-ups. Of course, I intend to take my weight much more seriously as part of that goal. Best of luck to you.

By: Josh Hanagarne

Josh Hanagarne — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:57:38 +0000

Mr. Texan, in the last 8 months I have had some very, very unusual health issues (nothing to do with lifting), and I’ve been derailed about as much as someone can. My progress on this routine is set back nearly to zero at this point.

If you really want to follow a program and you prefer bodyweight training, I think CC is a solid enough program to help you make some progress. I should tell you that I no longer follow set programs, however. There’s a cost to forcing myself into routines and rep schemes that I just don’t want to pay anymore. If you are interested in what I am doing now, and how I train my clients, this is currently the best example of the method:

http://www.grip-rip.com/perpetual-progress/?AFFID=29925

Or maybe you could just go completely professional with your couch potato adventure and see if you can find a bunch of sponsors!