Royal court Mastery!!!!!!!

[Ronin]

I see a lot of people have heard of Matt Furey and Combat Conditioning, but has anyone mastered the royal court? By master I mean 500 straight squats, 250 straight pushups and 3 min. arch with no hands?

[Ronin]

I'm personally up to 100 hindu squats 50 hindu pushups, and 30 seconds on the bridge. Anyone else working towards mastery or are the videos and books just something to look at and critique and then go on to something like..."Look at how much I can bench!" :D

H Chris,

I don't own Matt Furey's material, BUT I have been doing hindu squats and hindu pushups for a while.

I can do about 100 hindu push-ups and about 150 hindu squats (ie no rest between reps). I haven't tried to max out though... so perhaps I can do more. Never done the bridge, but I'll have to see what I can do... :)

Most of my training is based on bodyweight exercises. Now I'll have a goal in actually trying for the "royal court". :D

Steven

[Paul Kerr]

I'm up to 250 squats, 125 pushups and a 3 minute bridge with hands ( about 1.5 without ).

Some people I know are a little put off by Matt Furey's marketing approach (it doesn't really bother me), and, imho, are missing out on a really beneficial programme. I've nothing but praise for the royal court - strength and flexibility are both up. Since starting up with bodyweight exercises I've totally dropped my free weight routine.

[Ronin]

Thanks for the replies guys! I knew there had to be someone out there doing this stuff besides me. Steven, you will love the back bridge. If I had to pick a favorite exercise out of the three, that one would be it. Paul, I agree, Matt does get a bit crazy with the advertising, but at least he isn’t selling junk. I imagine it’s pretty hard to make a living teaching people how to be healthy, but I think he has a course on that too!:D I’m about to sale 600lbs of free weights, a bench, and miscellaneous weight equipment. I’m really curious about the combat abs course. That will be my next purchase!

Hi guys,

I've been really into bodyweight training as well.
I've been using Scrapper's "Mod 1" and his 'free' workouts (workout 1 is my favorite) you can see on his website at www.trainforstrength.com

Also, I enjoy Pavel Tsatsouline (Kettlebell and Bulletproof Abs in particular) and Scott Sonnon's material (Warrior Wellness, Be Breathed, Grappler's Toolbox and Maximology).

For a great Ab program I'd recommend checking into "Bulletproof Abs" and "Be Breathed". They are awesome and very affordable.

I still have my weights :o and am reluctant to give it up as I do Deadlifts (different variations) on a regular basis.

Steven

[aemon_]

hey, anybody have a link explaining what a hindu squat is?

thanks!

later

See this article:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler19.htm

[aemon_]

thanks alot for the link, and this thread. i've been needing to work out, but can't afford a gym, and hadn't found a good workout yet.

thanks!

later

I REALLY recommend Scrapper's website: www.trainforstrength.com
He has workout programs (based on calisthenics) posted on the site.
Great stuff!

Steven

[Ronin]

Originally posted by sresell

For a great Ab program I'd recommend checking into "Bulletproof Abs" and "Be Breathed". They are awesome and very affordable.

I still have my weights :o and am reluctant to give it up as I do Deadlifts (different variations) on a regular basis.

Steven


Hey Steven, I've looked at bullet proof abs, but doesn't Pavel want you to buy some kind of machine to do the exercises with?

I was going to keep my weights too, until I talked to a friend a few weeks ago that has been lifting for years. He was deadlifting one day and felt fine, and then the next day his knee blew up like a grapefruit. It really got me thinking about weights versus bodyweight exercises. I love to lift weights too, but I had a shoulder operation in February, and I would like to really avoid anything like that again, if possible.

I went to amazon.com and checked out 'Be Breathed'. As I was reading the description, I was thinking hmmm..that sounds like some of the stuff we do in Systema. Then I read upward and saw that Scott Sonnon made it. LOL...now wonder it was familiar! I'll check that out. Thanks.

[Ronin]

Here is a guy that isn't well known, but I found a few months back doing a search on bodyweight exercises. He is a prisoner in England or something like that.

http://www.solitaryfitness.com/

Chris,

All the exercises in Bulletproof abs can be done without any "special" equipment. There are a couple of exercises that require that you have access to a barbell.

He also demonstrates one of his contraptions during the explanation of the "Janda situp" but shows it done with a partner as well. It can easily be done solo without a partner nor the piece of equipment he is peddeling (which is what I do).

I can relate to the shoulder problems. I have chronic tendonitis as well as bursitis in my shoulder(s). I've torn my AC joint (grade one and two tear) in my shoulder twice in the past year and a half (from MA).
I think that there's a chance of injury no matter what type of exercise you do. You have to pay attention to proper form, tension and breathing (especially when lifting heavy). For a really good primer on DL's I recommend "Power to the People" video by Pavel T.
I know I've endorsed a lot of his product, but I swear I don't get paid for it! :D
FWIW, my favorite videos/books by Pavel is "The Russian Kettlebell Challenge" and "Bulletproof Abs".

Yes, Be Breathed is quite similar to some of the breathing exercises done in Systema (if not the same) except it is put into a 'program' (i.e. a follow along type format). Sonnon's tapes have helped me a lot in recovering my range of motion, not to mention making me more relaxed during my MA practice.

Steven

By the way, where do you train in Systema?

[Ronin]

Hey Steven,

Thanks for the info. I have Pavel's Power to the People book. Never used my pretty little work out gloves, with the built in wrist wraps,or my nice suade on one side, smooth leather on the other padded weight belt again. Your right about lifting properly. I never had any problems lifting weights the way he taught it. It should be madatory reading for anyone that even thinks about lifting. Do you do Systema too? I train with Serafim in Gaithersburg, MD.

I know what you mean about not using the fancy belts and gloves (not that I used them much anyway...) :D

I've been training a little bit of Systema since February. I've been dabbling with RMA for about a year and a half (some with ROSS IDP's). Unfortunately the group in my area disbanded recently. So a few of us are informally training together at this point. Hopefully our instructor will be back after the new year.

Steven

[Ronin]

I used to do an art that called for some stomping on the ground. This caused some chronic pain in my feet, that was magnified from being flat footed. When I switched arts, I still had the pain even though I no longer stomped my feet on the ground. I've recently notice that I have no more problems with that. Could it be that the constant bending of my toes has caused my whole foot to be come stronger?