## [t3_37yuv0](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/37yuv0/xpost_from_rbodyweightfitness_progress_ive_been/) ***TL;DR:*** [May 25th, 2014](http://i.imgur.com/DSmQUdS.jpg) // [April 30th, 2015](http://imgur.com/CQJH3U1) [Shia LaBeouf with some inspiration/He's my spirit animal](http://youtu.be/nuHfVn_cfHU) I started the [/r/bodyweightfitness recommended routine](http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/kb/recommended_routine) on May 25th, 2014. In the past 365 days I've completed 105 training sessions of running the recommended routine as is or as a framework for my workout. It comes out to 2 sessions a week over 52 weeks. Basically 4hrs a week for a year. Injuries and deloads have become rather common and there's no way I was able to train every 3 and a half days. I kept track with a [super simple handmade calendar](http://imgur.com/U3yBphW). The X's on workout days were HUGE for me. I always hang it somewhere where I'll see it often. [JUST DO IT](http://i.imgur.com/V63sgnL.gif) ***[Previous 5 month progress post](http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/2kqnod/5_month_progress_pics_first_bar_muscle_up_video/)*** [May 6th, 2013](http://imgur.com/KQvaMMM) [January 1, 2014](http://imgur.com/5ZuFFHw) [My starting point - May25th 2014 flexed](http://i.imgur.com/DSmQUdS.jpg), [My starting point - May25th 2014 unflexed](http://i.imgur.com/9sf1amr.jpg). Starting weight prob 156-160lbs [Album: May 30th, 2015](http://imgur.com/a/pKl5N) // These pics kind of suck but I've put making this post off for longer that I've wanted. It's what I've got today. **26 years old, 170lbs. Male. 6 feet. Just measured and the calipers say 12%bf** It's been incredible. The changes in my body have been insane, I can't believe the strength and skills I acquired in a year. Everyone who knows me has made a comment on it. It helped me fight my depression, it's given me consistency and stability in my hectic life. I can't recommended it enough. I have a few friends who are also running the routine due to everything they've seen me accomplish. **Additional Pics** [Recent, atop a mountain with lighting from brodin](https://instagram.com/p/zkunN-g4W5/) / [Support hold 6 months ago](http://imgur.com/TfR1v8c) / [Back pic 7 months ago](http://imgur.com/J4txyhA) / [Month old back pic](http://imgur.com/Fo6tm0W) / [month ago, sweaty, pump](http://imgur.com/TDMav9w) / [NSFW RECENT BUTT PIC](http://imgur.com/lBB2Cux) / [NSFW CAKES FROM 2 MONTHS AGO](http://imgur.com/3NcxVB1) / [NSFW OG NUDEY SHOT WITH 13k VIEWS](http://i.imgur.com/SDl0bMe) **Skills and Strength PR's.** * 1RM Pullup, BW + 70lbs (31kg) * [Human Flag](https://instagram.com/p/3EnwlCA4ep/) / [More flag](https://instagram.com/p/2Oy9i8g4Zf/) / [Drunk Flag](https://instagram.com/p/xeofZug4Ua/) * [V-sit to Handstand Press](https://instagram.com/p/z-xS8jg4Zs/) (one of the most incredible things. I started crying after I completed it.) This took A LONG time to get. Here's some [fails](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhQqfEMl9wk) * Freestanding handstand is over a minute. Just PR'd on friday actually. Here's my longest recorded at [50 seconds](https://instagram.com/p/z3CdxKA4bf/) / More [Handstand pics](https://instagram.com/p/1PqAchg4UF/) / [and](https://instagram.com/p/2TghT6A4YD/) / [annndd](https://instagram.com/p/yFbG6XA4cb/) / [my dog's dope.](https://instagram.com/p/wmtseXA4TB/) * [Back Lever](https://instagram.com/p/x7oJy5A4cA/) (my PR is somewhere around 7s. Golfers elbow has made this difficult lately) * [Front Lever](http://imgur.com/8SsY7sW) JUST got it actually. Like. Yesterday or a few days ago. A few months ago i decided it was my one big goal for my 1 year mark. It aggravates my tendonitis A LOT but I'm able to hold a full & complete FL for atleast 2 seconds, probably 3. * [Weird bent arm HS press](https://instagram.com/p/2TrZZzA4ca/) * [Headstands](https://instagram.com/p/v15wC7g4Uc/) / [Twisted](http://imgur.com/aZe5uwX) * [Straddle L](https://instagram.com/p/wiDB8Vg4aE/) / [Another](http://imgur.com/QTumIRf) * [V-sit](https://instagram.com/p/xI_7Ohg4W4/) / [Nature V-Sit](http://imgur.com/IaSjcTy) / [Probably my favorite V-Sit pic](https://instagram.com/p/ubgUTnA4Xq/) * [One arm Handstand SCREEN CAP. I was falling.](https://instagram.com/p/1YiE-Vg4QX/) / [OAHS attempt video](https://instagram.com/p/04D7QVA4fW/) * [First ever strict bar Muscle Up with False Grip](https://instagram.com/p/uqp6hrA4SW/) * [V-sit > Tripod headstand > Crow > Crane](https://instagram.com/p/ucF7gPA4cU/). The first real sequence I ever put together. I was stoked. * [Weighted one arm deadhang](https://instagram.com/p/w4n2u_A4dY/) * [Floor adv tuck planche](https://instagram.com/p/1L6UFhA4dv/) * [Some weird nearly bent arm planche and pseudo shoulderstand thing i accidentally fell into](https://instagram.com/p/2wWz8Ig4fh/) * [Bent arm Planche](https://vid.me/IqFS) The only thing I could do prior to starting the program was headstands. I've done yoga for about 7 years now and I did 100 days of meditating for 5 minutes in a headstand. My headstand's pretty solid. **Where I started from** I ran the www.100pushups.com program for a while prior starting the bwf program. I thought the ability to do a lot of pushups would equate to being strong. Or that being able to do a lot of pushups would get me a great body. I got really good at pushups. I got really good at doing hard work (endurance work is hard as hell) and I got conditioned to do a program as it said when it said, which was super important because consistency is hard to grab hold to. Back when I knew nothing I made a post of [my routine](http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/comments/23dtjt/thoughts_and_comments_on_my_gypsy_bodyweight/). The comments in that thread inspired me to actually sit down and read the FAQ and look at the routine. I decided I wanted to run a REAL routine, that was actually balanced, and had real strength progressions built in. I move often, like, real often, and needed something that I could do anywhere, with minimal equipment. [The routine](http://i.imgur.com/heFEfT3.png) was perfect for me. I could do 80 consecutive pushups. Something like 60 dips with feet elevated on a chair. 15 really piss poor form HSPU back to wall. When I started the program I had rings hung from an 11ft ceiling in a garage and a pullup bar. Here's the best [pic](http://imgur.com/dMcXOtU) I wish I had taken more pics. Anyways, plastic olympic rings with adjustable straps and a pullup bar. You can see the bar supports coming off from the wall in the back. That was my equipment. My body, rings and a pullup bar. Where was my strength my first couple times through the program? Something around this: 2 deadhang pullups. A couple terrible rings dips (maybe some straight bar dips, cant quite remember). Assisted pistols where I wasnt going that deep. Foot supported L-sits because I hated L-sits and they were terrible and I hate them. wide rings pushup. near horizontal row. The program beat the shit out of me. And I freaking loved it. I tried for max effort with explosiveness til form breakdown for everything. I tried to work in a 3x8 setxrep scheme. I just ran the routine. I tried for 3x a week. I would go 3x8 a progression and then bump to the next progression and usually be at 3x4 and be pissed. I didn't care if I was stuck at 3x6 FOR A WHOLE FREAKING MONTH because my job was to show up, do the work, put in the volume. And I was progressing in other lifts - When you have 6 or 7 lifts you work (handstands, L-sits, vertical pull, vertical push, horizontal pull, horizontal push, legs) stalling out in one lift isnt all that important. You're still progressing and you know you're going to break through eventually. Who cares. **Where am I at now/Whats my routine?** I'm still using the recommended routine as a framework. I still often do the dynamic stretches, bodyline work (everything for 60s) about 10-15mins of handstand practice and usually a minute+ or support hold on Pbar (I move often and just haven't put the rings up a bunch lately) * Vertical Pull: Pullups still. It's either 3x8 archer pullups, 3x8 behind the neck pullups, or 3x8 L-sit pullups, really whatever I feel like working and/or wherever I feel like I'm weak. If I can use weight I try and do weighted pullups with +45lbs (I'm not getting 3x8 tho so i think I need to drop to +35lbs) Most recently I've been working archer as a progression towards One Arm Chin. They're beast. * Vertical Push: Weighted dips or wall assisted headstand pushups. I've scored two freestanding HeSPU's before and I think I'm about ready to move away from the wall and really start working them freestanding. They're beast. * L-sit: High tuck V-sit. Sometimes one leg high tuck V Sit. My v-sit progress stalled out for a few months because I would just go into an L and lift as high as I could. A few cues (Push the hips THROUGH!) and and emphasis on tucking the legs and lifting as "through"/high as possible as helped me see some progress lately * Horizontal Push: Adv. tuck planche, 3x8 PPPU AND planche leans. All of them. Adv tuck planche usually gets held for 6-8s, and planche leans get like 10s per set. * Horizontal pull: Front Lever work. Just recently got my front Lever so it's either front pulls or adv tuck Front lever. I Aim for 2-3 sets above 6s to count as one "set" * Accessory Work/Core Work: I try and target my weakness and work towards where I'm weak. If I make my weak parts strong I won't be weak anymore. If I have time at the end of my workout I do 3x8 dragon flags and I try and work in some ab wheel rollouts or hanging leg lifts. I'll also train grip strength with false grip or some one arm deadhangs or weird grip holds. I have my vertical push and vertical pull paired. I do pullups and rest 90-120seconds and then i do my vertical push and rest 90-120 seconds. That's one set. I do three sets. Rest a few minutes because that pair always kicks my ass. Then I do my horizontal push, rest 90-120s, V-sit work, rest 90-120s, then my horizontal pull, rest 90-120. That's one set. I do three sets. I occassionally do Pistols squats now. I try and run and do yoga. I don't train legs often. **Diet:** I'm vegetarian/pescatarian. I drink a lot of beer. I don't track anything. For some reason I can't be bothered. I try to get 100g of protein a day but if I don't I don't do anything about it. I usually eat a lot of pasta and pizza. I try to eat a lot of salad. I haven't had much of an appetite in the past 12 months and for that reason I haven't added much mass. I started at 155ishlbs and I'm somewhere around 170lbs now. I probably gained 12lbs in the past year. A pound a month is terrible. I take creatine as my only supplement and sometime protein powder. Creatine is seriously the shit. If you're not taking creatine yet you're a complete goon. [read about it](http://examine.com/supplements/Creatine) and buy it. I've lived in 5 homes in the past 12 months. Sacramento, San Diego, Palm Springs, Mammoth Lakes (All California) and ~~I'm currently living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.~~ Scratch that, back in California, partying for most of June, moving back to Mammoth for a while. I was depressed, awfully depressed, when I started the routine. The value that following a structured program with progressive overload built in has given my life is unreal. Im so, so happy I stuck to this. **Additional fitness stuff** I've practiced yoga for 7 or 8 years now and practice as often as I can. Good weeks its two or three times a week. Bad weeks, well, bad weeks turn into bad months and I haven't practiced in the past month. Yoga compliments BWF incredibly well because a fair amount of moves require good flexibility as well (Legs straight in L-sit for example.) I also live in a ski town during the winter and snowboard as often as I can. This year I nabbed 40 days on this hill and sent [the biggest booter of my life.](http://imgur.com/3ff16ap) It was dope. **Where do I go from here?** Not exactly sure. Atleast I haven't laid out a plan yet. I'm dealing with a pretty nagging golfers elbow/tendinitis flare up and need to take some time off to allow that to heal properly. ~~I'm also living in Fort Lauderdale trying to get a job on a luxury yacht, which is something I've never done, and requires a fair bit of attention.~~ I've seen it said that you should switch to a different program when you can't recover quickly enough. My deloads due to tendon pain have been far more frequent than infrequent lately and I do believe I need to find/put together another training plan. The recommended routine was absolutely badass and served me incredibly well but I don't think it's something I can progress linearly anymore. Word of note, well, word of bragging: Most the mods on /r/bodyweightfitness say they expect my progress to be "about the max you would see someone achieve" with a year of doing the program. I've progressed incredibly quick. I work incredibly freaking hard and I've earned it all but I definitely have some favorable genetics and conditions helping. Come hang out with us on the IRC channel! There's people WAY smarter than me always giving good advice and tips. And we talk about beer and women! https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.snoonet.org/bodyweightfitness?12/?settings=dd892af474749b032ba39bb88a8894d9 --- submitted to [r/Fitness](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness) by [u/ImChrisBrown](https://www.reddit.com/user/ImChrisBrown)