As I have much to achieve in life, and knowing it is a “survival of the fittest” challenge, I need to ensure I keep myself as physically fit and strong as I can for as long as I can. Luckily for me, I have a fighter’s mentality, which helps me embrace the very hard work it takes to literally keep in fighting shape. As I have no illusions of being the strongest guy in the gym, or even looking like I am (being an ectomorph and all) I choose to keep fit using bodyweight exercises. These help ensure that I don’t injure myself trying to push or pull too many plates, and, perhaps one day, be the fittest guy in the gym for my size. Barring that, perhaps I’ll be the one that can do the most handstand or one-arm push ups. If so, I’ll take it!
Gyms today are quite different from the boxing clubs I trained at in my youth, my twenties and into my thirties. I look back fondly on those days and the hours spent in each of them learning and drilling the sweet science and sparring with others in my weight class. From the Kingsway Boxing Club in Vancouver under Michael Olajide Sr., to the Toronto Newsboys Boxing Club under Tony Unitas, the Cabbagetown Boxing Club under Peter Wylie and lastly, the Atlas Boxing Club under Adrian Teodorescu, I learned from some of the best.
Racks of free weights, strength training stations, cardio cycles/steppers/ellipticals/rowers and the latest individual muscle isolation devices are all part of the landscape of where I work out now, in my condo’s gym. Despite this selection of commercial quality machines, and despite being married to an amazing personal trainer (hereafter referred to as “The Doll”) who could easily create a plate-based resistance training regimen for me at no financial cost, I prefer my body itself being the machine.
I like how bodyweight training develops body control, balance and situational awareness. It also keeps me in close contact with my past’s pull ups, push ups and planks, which were the perfect complement to all of the heavy, speed and other bag work, sparring, skipping and running I used to put in.
The fact that boxing has weight classes is what drew me to it, since I was always undersized, and today, I’m drawn to bodyweight fitness as it develops a high strength-to-weight ratio. This translates well to the athletic/aquatic activities I like and also results in a good physical appearance, which is never a bad thing!
Rather than targeting certain milestones in the form of a certain amount of weight moved, bodyweight exercises offer some clear targets to shoot for, such as my first muscle up or my first unassisted handstand push up(s). Another great benefit of this program is that it emphasizes micro-increments, giving tendons, ligaments and connective tissue time to adapt. It emphasizes compound functional movements while targeting all the main muscle groups and, again, thanks to its progressive incremental structure, it helps ensure I don’t injure myself!
When I began my bodyweight program, I found a level in each of the exercise progressions that I was able to complete three sets of a good amount of repetitions with good form. For those exercises that require holding a position or carrying out a movement for time, I carry them out over a slow 36 count.
Despite it not occurring on the course, a not-so-recent “golfer’s elbow” injury prevented me from progressing to more difficult exercises with respect to pulling movements such as inverted rows (including one arm versions of them), pull ups and chin ups. It also prevented me from doing any bodyweight isolation exercises focused on a specific part of my biceps. Having said that, the progressions I’m stalled at are more than most can do, so I’ll take this as a win. If/when this heals, I’ll be back to pushing my boundaries again, with The Doll, my boundary-pushing life partner herself ensuring my form is flawless!
Disclaimer: The information contained herein should not be construed or considered professional advice. Nonetheless, thanks for reading! If it resonates, there’s “plenty more where that came from” on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube ‘n’ Twitter.