CC1 was my introduction to bodyweight training. CC2 has upped the ante, and provided the perfect complement to the first volume.At this point in time, after almost ten weeks of training, I am one week away from finishing step one of the first 5 in CC1; I finally had the funds available to purchase CC2 roughly three weeks ago. The way this has perfected my bodyweight training is incredible. Being the fanatic that I am, I have incorporated every exercise from CC2 that is appropriate for my level of fitness into my routine- fingertip pushups, hang progressions, preliminary front and wrestler's bridges, calf work, joint circles, and what is becoming the cornerstone of my training, the trifecta progressions. The addition of the trifecta progressions has given me all of the benefits of 45 minutes of yoga in under 3 minutes. That alone has been worth the price of the books.I've noticed that some people have complained about the price point and the whole 'convict' aesthetic. Some people seem to feel that $39.95 plus shipping is expensive. I say that slipping into complete phyiscal breakdown and getting strung out on medication as old age encroaches is even more expensive. A one time investment in an exercise program you can utilize for the rest of your life? Priceless. Another way of looking at the price issue is to compare this to a gym membership plus trainer fees. Think about it.Regarding the convict/prison theme, look at it as both an inspiration and a warning. The inspiration comes from Paul's story, and the warning comes from the fact that prison seems really scary. Work your body and mind, maximize your strength and flexibility, and build a lifestyle that inspires others. So, to sum up, combining both volumes results in a complete course of body work that can be completed in an hour; I have developed two routines combining everything except handstand push ups; the first runs M,W,F and the second runs T,Th,S, and both routines are completed within an hour. Joint circling and the trifecta stretches happen first, and are done seven days a week. The first routine then includes pushups, squats and bridges, and then moves to fingertip push ups and the hang progressions. The second routine includes pullups and leg raises, and then moves to the flags. Neck and calf training happen twice weekly. Adding in the CC2 exercises increased my workouts by maybe 20 minutes, and has multiplied my results a millionfold. Thorough and efficient, starting my day with these routines has lead to increased energy and mental toughness, and at 36 I feel like I'm 22. My hat's off to you, Coach. Can't wait for CC3. Thanks.
Convict Conditioning Ultimate Bodyweight Training Log free download
Together with CC1, this is the most thorough and complete book about total bodyweight conditioning there is. It's worth also reading Al Kavadlo and Pavel Tsatsouline but this book forms the bedrock of all training. The knowledge in it is crucial. If you don't like it, just ignore the discussion of convicts and bodyweight vs lifting weights but he's got a point about a lot of gym training.
Not only is this a superb book on progressive calisthenics all by itself, I believe it takes the methods from convict conditioning one and pushes them through the roof. I started CC1 a while back, but was used to doing hundreds of pushups and pullups a day, so I quit CC after a month or two and went back on my pushup/pullup blitz.Neck and shoulder weakness forced me to come back to CC (thankfully) and that's when I bought CC2. I knew Coach Wade was about strengthening the muscles ALONG WITH the joints and tendons and I knew that to get strong, all of these things must be increased together in a harmonious way. I've found high volume pushups great for a muscle pump, but not so good for joint strength or raw strength overall (as he's pointed out).THe biggest obstacle to anyone picking up these books and benefitting is lack of patience. Once you adopt the mindset of increasing your reps slowly and progressively, that's when you see the results. Progress is seen after months of training, not days. And you won't see results unless you're willing to put in the time and effort.Grip strength from CC2 literally caused my forearms (always weak looking spots for me) to explode. And I'm still only on bar hangs. Not only that, bigger, stronger forearms, in my humble opinion, helps your biceps look bigger. AND increasing grip strength carries over nicely to mastering the pullup series. The trifecta is the PERFECT off day routine. The reason I quit CC the first time was because I missed training everyday. I need exercise and if I can't do it everyday, I feel it's a day wasted. So the component of doing these brilliant joint strengthening exercises on OFF-DAYS was perfection for me. Shoulder and neck pain are gone. The trifecta workout which only takes ten minutes tops, leaves me feeling almost high. The twists in particular feel so damn good, it's unbelievable.I haven't even got to neck or flag training yet. And the coach's advice on nutrition and sleep and logging your training is spot on. I could write a whole other essay on these principles in CC2 as they relate to my experiences, but I'll just leave it at they're simple and they work. If you have the first convict conditioning and really want to take your training to another level, get this book. I almost want to say it's necessary because the things in CC2 just make everything in the first CC more effective. So, my rating for CC2 is a 12 out of 10. 2ff7e9595c
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