The Prison Workout Plan

[Wrestler5229]

Here's the deal. I haven't been to prison. I do know some folks that have, but in all fairness, they aren't the specimens of physical vim and vigor that I would like to emulate. I read a lot, I work out a lot, I frequently work out to kill long stretches of time. I would like to share with you all how I would spend my training days should I face a stretch in prison.

WAKE-UP ROUTINE
-10 4-Count Jumping Jacks
-10 4-Count Windmills
-10 Shoulder Circles each forward and backward
-10 Squat Benders
-10 Back Bends
-10 Full Twists

This get-off-the-rack routine is merely to promote some circulation, get the heart going, can and should be done every morning.

DAILY WORKOUT
-Warmup - 50 Four-Count Jumping Jacks
-Pushup
-Situp
-Squat

I assure you these are revolutionary. Well, maybe not. Here's the deal. I would prefer all future trainees to begin with standard pushups done in proper form. For me, this includes my face looking forward about 5 feet in front of me. My hands are under my shoulders. My knees and hips are locked in place. I bend at the shoulders and elbows until my chest touches the floor, all the while squeezing my shoulder-blades together progressively harder the closer I get to the floor. As I push up, I begin to spread my shoulder-blades as far apart as they can go at the top of the rep.

For situps, I prefer a crisp straight-legged situp. One will begin supine on the floor with their legs straight. Their feet will be together, and will not separate. The hands will be cupped over the ears. The movement is initiated by tucking the chin and curling up. There is a one-second pause at the midpoint, constantly striving to touch the forehead to the knees.

As for squats, I prefer the "prisoner squat" variety. In this variation, the prisoner will assume a stance in which the feet are shoulder width, or just a hair wider, and feet are flat, preferably bare, on the floor. The hands are clasped behind the head. The prisoner will begin by pushing his hips back, all the while keeping their knees spread apart. I find that my first two reps are barely breaking parallel, but once my hips pop, I can attain a quite respectable level of depth, and so should you. No partial reps.

The protocol that I would like these exercises done with is a ladder setup. I didn't get this from some secret prison manual, I got this from a few books by Pavel. But I like it and so should you. Here is how it works. I start with one pushup, one situp, and one squat. Then I do two pushups, two situps, and two squats. Then I do three pushups, three situps, and three squats. You guys get the picture. Once I get to a point where I fail on ANY of the exercises, even if I CAN do more on either of the other two, you will restart at one rep of each. And the cycle will go until you can do only one shaky rep of each exercise. You will find that at first, your main workout will be relatively short. I have found in myself and my friends that I can often get a comprehensive workout in well under 10 minutes. But you will progress quickly, and you will soon be doing some pretty respectable workouts with some pretty respectable reps, and exercise variations. You will be smoked, tired and sore, but you will not be so fatigued as to prevent you from training every day.

After a few weeks, your work capacity will have increased DRASTICALLY. You will find that you have the energy and the recovery ability to do TWO workouts per day. I encourage you to do so. Your body will take on a harder feeling, and you WILL get leaner. I have. A few weeks later, you will find that you can do THREE workouts per day! Here however is where I draw the line. Do not be upset or concerned if your second workout of the day is better than your first, I often find this. Do not be upset if your third workout is less impressive than your first or second - this is to be expected. You will know when you are ready to add a second workout.

STAGE II (OPTIONAL)

This workout is to be tacked on IMMEDIATELY after you finish the Pushup/Situp/Squat workout.

Supplementary Workout
-Bench Dips
-Crunches
-Calf Raises

Bench dips, like the sissy thing you could do before you could do real dips. Puts a little extra burn on the triceps and shoulders. Can be done off the rack, off a chair, or off the head.

Crunches. I prefer to do these on my back, I will bend my hips and knees to 90* angles, and cross my ankles. I cup my hands over my ears, and crunch my abs until my elbows touch my knees.

Calf raises. Come on, I don't need to explain this.

Here's how it works. This is completely optional, if you don't feel like doing it, you don't have to. If you only want to do it after one workout, fine. If you want to do it after every workout, awesome. Immediately after you finish your last, shaky, single, solitary, prisoner squat, you will go immediately into your bench dips. You will use the exact same protocol as the previous - ladders. I love them, and you will grow to hate them. And then love them. This little volume boost will hit most missed areas in your training, and should promote some extra growth.

ONE HOUR YARD TIME

Ok, so prisoners are guaranteed one hour of yard time per day. In this hour, you have two objectives. RUN, and get as much volume as you can for your back. My two methods of choice are 20 yard sprints, and Pullups. In this workout, I prefer to work pullups as a ladder, and sprints as one rep, back and forth. So I would do one pullup, one sprint. Two pullups, one sprint. Three pullups, one sprint. You should be able to rack up a good amount of pullups and sprints.

CELL CONDITIONING

Everyone has heard of inmates doing hundreds upon hundreds of burpees per day. I like burpees. Personally, I feel that you'll get good enough cardio and muscular endurance from your workouts, and yard time. However, if you should find yourself in solitary, or with enough energy left over, here's what you can do. In between your workouts, with a minimum of an hour after the conclusion of your previous workout. Perform one burpee, then perform one toe-touch. Repeat to exhaustion. Trust me, this will work you more than just doing burpees to exhaustion. If you're feeling really good, do 8 Count Bodybuilder Burpees instead. You squat down, kick your legs back, do a pushup, jump your legs out to the sides, jump them back in, suck your knees back to your chest, and then explode off the ground!

SUPPLEMENTAL WEIGHTLIFTING PROGRAM

I can't say how your prison is set up. Maybe it has a weight pit, maybe it doesn't. Maybe it has adjustable barbells and dumbbells, maybe it doesn't. I'm under the assumption that you will likely only be able to get in a full workout twice a week max, what with all the other convicts clamoring for the weights, and perhaps your prison has a schedule, what block can lift when. I am under the assumption that you will not have access to plates under 45lbs, as anything lighter could be used as a weapon. I'm under the assumption that there won't be dumbbells less than 50lbs, as anything lighter can be a weapon. I'm assuming you will have a stone bench press, a shaky squat rack, some 45lb plates, and some dumbbells.

Bench Press
3xMAX REPS with 135, or 225

Yates Rows
3xMAX REPS with 135, 225, or 315

Vertical Lifts - grab two dumbbells, heavy, place them by your feet, then get them overhead, in any way possible
3xMAX REPS

Dumbbell Walking Lunges With Shrugs at Top
3x20 yards, to and from

Barbell Cheat Curls
3xMAX REPSx135

Around the Worlds with 45lb plate
3x10, each direction

In between each set of each exercise, do 25 crunches.

Perfect program? No. Well Balanced? Not really. But let's face it. You'll likely not have much time. You likely won't have access to perfect weights with perfect increments. There may be a line for equipment you want. Do what you can, when you can, with you can, and be happy. Nobody is forcing you to lift weights here.

PROGRESSION
-When you are consistently getting over 10 reps on the pushup ladders, for more than two ladders, progress to diamond, wide, knuckle, or incline pushups. Be creative
-When straight legged situps become too easy, progress to dragon flags, gripping the bars of your cell for support.
-When squats become too easy, you can progress to jump squats, one-and-a-half squats, narrow or wide squats, lunges, reverse lunges, lunge jumps, or Bulgarian split squats with your foot on the head, or the rack.
-I have read convict conditioning. I don't think I've ever seen any prisoners in any documentary or prison movie, do one arm pushups, pullups, handstand pushups, pistol squats, or stand to stand bridges, though I can do many of those. If you would like to work towards them, more power to you, and I wish you well.

I hope that anyone reading this has at least enjoyed the read, maybe picked up some new tools for their arsenal. Feel free to post comments, questions, concerns or beliefs below.

[flyrich]

thanx ill give it a try

[Genotropin]

nice!!!!

[Nobrainers]

inb4 op goes to prison just to try this out

[KennethJang]

inb4 op goes to prison just to try this out

lmao

[Jderavian]

shoutout to prison BBers

[newguy84]

inb4 op goes to prison just to try this out

Haha I laughed out loud at this..

[sonofZyzz1]

http://aestheticalpha.com/stay-shred...days-vacation/ minimalist training

[chriskiosses]

cool

[dantefrizzoli]

Okay, thank you!

[samuelstenning9]

Like the workout. And love the ladders method for piling on the volume. I've been wanting to get 'back to basics' a bit with my training. A bit more 'no excuses' kind of daily workout as a baseline that I can add to and/or change as time goes on.

Few questions though, it would be great if you and anyone experienced in this kind of routine (gymnastic, bodyweight, simple but hard work, prison/military,etc based, low equipment usage, quick and intense) had the time to answer..

How would you structure the daily workout to include pullups? Just plug them in before pressups each ladder?

How about a specific burpee conditioning method? Ladders again or go for the 100 in a minute goal? I'd like to use these as my primary conditioning tool.

Different superset ladders for specific goals? I.e. Focus on arms could include close grip chinups, diamond pressups, etc.

Would love to hear more ideas or maybe a specific routine and progression system based on all this from a more experienced user. Would be awesome to hear from an actual fit and strong ex-con.

[CaraG73]

My friends that just got out of prison told me that it is all about doing bodyweight exercises and having others help you add resistance with their body weight as well. A.k.a. squats with someone on your back haha

[Lowpala]

Tear two pieces of your bed sheet off, long ways... twist and tie loops on both ends for grips. Use a buddy for weight... for example, ROWS... sit on the floor facing each other, feet together, you pull as he resists then he pulls and you resist. CURLS... one stands and curls, the other in his knees (no homo) facing buddy does a close grip pull down. LEG EXTENSIONS... Sit on top bunk with loops around ankles, buddy on bottom bunk does rows pulling legs down. The possibilities are seriously endless. Most cell blocks have a broom/mop atleast for a little while during the day to clean cells, take it and use as a barbell with the loops of the sheet around it... buddy applies weight.. MIL PRESS, CURLS, SKULLCRUSHERS, SHRUGS, ETC ETC...

If bunks are close enough together, do pushups in between bunks with hands on the bottom. Buddy stands on your back with his hands on top bunk doing dips that way he can adjust the weight on your shoulders... press lighter for heavier "bench press" and harder for lighter.

Like I said the possibilities are endless, when you have 24/7 to think of ways to work out, you will figure it out Helps if you have a cell mate that is as motivated as you are.

I have never increased my size or strength so fast in my life... every rep required 100% effort.. weight can be variable throughout the exercise using this technique.

[JamesW129]

I don't get it, if you have access to dumbells / plates why don't you just do a normal strength routine

[JonathanCSmith]

Nice post, can't go wrong with getting your heart rate up first thing in the morning. I try to do something like this before I go to bed as well, then my home made shake to keep me from losing weight while I sleep!

[samuelstenning9]

Tear two pieces of your bed sheet off, long ways... twist and tie loops on both ends for grips. Use a buddy for weight... for example, ROWS... sit on the floor facing each other, feet together, you pull as he resists then he pulls and you resist. CURLS... one stands and curls, the other in his knees (no homo) facing buddy does a close grip pull down. LEG EXTENSIONS... Sit on top bunk with loops around ankles, buddy on bottom bunk does rows pulling legs down. The possibilities are seriously endless. Most cell blocks have a broom/mop atleast for a little while during the day to clean cells, take it and use as a barbell with the loops of the sheet around it... buddy applies weight.. MIL PRESS, CURLS, SKULLCRUSHERS, SHRUGS, ETC ETC...

If bunks are close enough together, do pushups in between bunks with hands on the bottom. Buddy stands on your back with his hands on top bunk doing dips that way he can adjust the weight on your shoulders... press lighter for heavier "bench press" and harder for lighter.

Like I said the possibilities are endless, when you have 24/7 to think of ways to work out, you will figure it out Helps if you have a cell mate that is as motivated as you are.

I have never increased my size or strength so fast in my life... every rep required 100% effort.. weight can be variable throughout the exercise using this technique.

You were in prison then? What did your routine look like each day?

Thanks all

[bodubet]

op goes to prison just to try this out

[Lowpala]

You were in prison then? What did your routine look like each day?

Thanks all

Push/Pull/Legs/Push/Pull/Legs/Off

I am going to use the normal exercise equivalent, just note that these were done with a sheet and or someone's BW.

Push
-Incline Bench
-Flat Bench
-Cable Crossovers
-Military Press
-OH Tri Extensions

Pull
-Seated Cable Rows
-Pull Ups
-Shrugs
-Barbell Curls

Legs
-Squats
-Leg Extensions
-Leg Curls
-Standing Calf Raises

[michaelmendyka]

nice

[Jroost5o]

We used water bags in the pin...

[Iworkowwt]

You forgot the number one prison exercise

Butt squeezes. Gets that butthole impenetrable after a few months ths you could pinch a rock in half