Hey ChatGPT,

Please respond to my queries as an ex-military personal trainer with years of experience both in real combat but also a decade as a personal trainer for professional athletes and bodybuilders. The personal trainer you will be responding as will be humble, wise, and very intelligent. He will not boast or brag. He will simply provide the best answers. His name will be Mark. Mark considers all aspects of his client’s life and their goals when providing fitness recommendations and personalized regimens.

As the client, I am currently halfway through a ‘100 pushups in 7 weeks’ routine that teaches the reader to perform 100 pushups straight in a few months and am really enjoying it.

Try to provide a workout program similar to ‘convict conditioning’ or ‘overcoming gravity’. The ONLY equipment the client has is a chin-up bar, so focus on basic calisthenic exercises.

I am the client. When I ask questions from now on, respond as Mark the trainer.

Program¶

This program is designed to help you develop full-body strength, endurance, and mobility using nothing but your bodyweight and a pull-up bar. By following a structured approach, you’ll progress from basic movements to advanced calisthenics, building powerful pulling strength, explosive pushing ability, rock-solid core stability, and resilient legs. Expect to see noticeable improvements in 4-6 weeks, with significant gains in 3-6 months, depending on consistency and effort. The plan balances push, pull, core, and leg training, ensuring steady progress toward pistol squats, L-sits, one-arm pushups, and dragon flags. Stick with it, focus on controlled movement and progressive overload, and you’ll build serious strength, mobility, and endurance.

Progressive overload is the gradual increase of resistance, reps, or difficulty in an exercise to force your muscles to adapt and grow stronger. In bodyweight training, this means increasing reps, slowing down movements, adding pauses, or progressing to harder variations (e.g., moving from pushups to archer pushups to one-arm pushups). The key is to consistently challenge your muscles while maintaining good form.

Overview¶

Since you’re already working on pushups, we’ll add exercises to cover pulling, core, and legs, ensuring full-body strength and progression. Here’s a structured program:

Bodyweight Strength Routine¶

Push (Upper Body)¶

• Pushups – Follow your 100 pushups program.
• Pike Pushups – Targets shoulders; elevate feet for more difficulty.
• Archer Pushups – Builds unilateral strength.

Pull (Upper Body)¶

• Pull-ups – Work towards 10+ reps per set.
• Chin-ups – Focus on biceps and overall pulling strength.
• Horizontal Rows (Australian Pull-ups) – Use a low bar or improvise under a sturdy table.

Core (Stability & Strength)¶

• Hanging Knee Raises – Progress to L-sit raises.
• Plank Variations – Standard, side, and one-arm planks.
• Dragon Flags (or Reverse Crunches) – Builds advanced core control.

Legs (Lower Body)¶

• Squats – Bodyweight squats, work towards pistol squats.
• Lunges – Forward, reverse, or jumping lunges.
• Calf Raises – Slow and controlled on one leg.

Frequency & Structure¶

• Workout 4-6 days per week, alternating push/pull/core and legs.
• Progression: Increase reps, slow down tempo, or add harder variations.
• Recovery: Stretching, mobility drills, and active recovery days.

This program mimics “Convict Conditioning” principles while adding gymnastic-style progression like “Overcoming Gravity.” Stick with it, and you’ll build raw, functional strength. Keep me posted on progress!

Push (Upper Body) Progressions and Form Guide¶

1. Pushups (Chest, Triceps, Core)¶

Form Cues:

• Hands shoulder-width apart, slightly turned out.
• Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line (no sagging hips).
• Lower until your chest nearly touches the floor (90° elbow bend).
• Push through your palms, fully extending the elbows at the top.

Progression Table:

Tip: If you’re doing the 100 pushups program, integrate harder variations to keep building strength instead of just endurance.

2. Pike Pushups (Shoulders & Upper Chest)¶

Form Cues:

• Start in a downward dog position (hips high, legs straight or slightly bent).
• Hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
• Lower your head straight down between your hands.
• Press back up, keeping elbows at ~45° angles.

Progression Table:

Tip: Keep your elbows from flaring out. Control the descent and don’t rush. This move is key for overhead pressing strength.

3. Archer Pushups (Unilateral Strength)¶

Form Cues:

• Place hands wider than shoulder-width.
• Lower your chest toward one arm while keeping the other arm straight.
• Push through the working arm while keeping control.
• Maintain a tight core—don’t twist your hips.

Progression Table:

Tip: Start with smaller weight shifts to each arm and increase the range over time.

How to Structure Progressions¶

• Train push exercises 3-4x per week, rotating between different variations.
• Move to the next level when you exceed the rep goal by 2-3 reps in good form.
• Add tempo work (slow negatives) for strength and control.
• Balance pushing with pulling to avoid muscle imbalances.

Pull (Upper Body) Progressions and Form Guide¶

1. Pull-ups (Lat & Upper Back Dominant)¶

Form Cues:

• Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away.
• Engage your scapula (shoulder blades down and back) before pulling.
• Pull until your chin clears the bar, keeping your core tight.
• Lower slowly and controlled to a full hang (no half-reps).

Progression Table:

2. Chin-ups (Bicep & Lat Focused)¶

Form Cues:

• Hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing toward you.
• Keep elbows tucked and core engaged.
• Squeeze your biceps at the top, then lower slowly.
• Avoid excessive swinging.

Progression Table:

3. Horizontal Rows (Australian Pull-ups) (Mid-back & Scapular Stability)¶

Form Cues:

• Use a low bar (waist height or lower) or a sturdy table.
• Body should be straight from head to heels (no sagging hips).
• Pull until your chest nearly touches the bar.
• Squeeze shoulder blades together at the top, then lower slowly.

Progression Table:

How to Structure Progressions¶

1. Train 3-4x per week, alternating between pull-ups, chin-ups, and horizontal rows.
2. Progress once you can do 2-3 more reps than the goal (e.g., if the goal is 10 reps, move up when you hit 12+ clean reps).
3. Add tempo work (slow negatives) if you need more challenge before advancing.
4. Keep strict form over ego—no kipping, no half-reps.

Core (Stability & Strength) Progressions and Form Guide¶

Core strength isn’t just about abs—it’s about full-body control, stability, and power. These exercises will develop the kind of resilient, functional core strength that carries over to all movements.

1. Hanging Knee Raises → L-Sit Raises (Lower Abs & Hip Flexors)¶

Form Cues:

• Start from a dead hang on your pull-up bar.
• Keep shoulders engaged (avoid passive hanging).
• Lift your knees toward your chest, engaging your core.
• Slowly lower back to full hang—no swinging.
• For L-Sit Raises: Straighten your legs for more difficulty.

Progression Table:

Tip: Keep the movement controlled—don’t use momentum. If you swing, pause between reps.

2. Plank Variations (Core Stability & Endurance)¶

Form Cues:

• Engage your entire body—not just your abs.
• Keep your spine neutral (no sagging or arching).
• Breathe through your diaphragm to maintain tension.
• For one-arm planks: Keep hips level and resist rotation.

Progression Table:

Tip: If standard planks feel easy, try adding movement (shoulder taps, leg lifts) before progressing to weighted versions.

3. Dragon Flags → Reverse Crunches (Advanced Core Control)¶

Form Cues:

• Hold onto a sturdy object (your pull-up bar or something fixed).
• Keep your body straight and engage your glutes and core.
• Lower yourself slowly—don’t collapse.
• For reverse crunches: Focus on curling your pelvis off the ground, not just lifting legs.

Progression Table:

Tip: Control is key. If you can’t lower yourself slowly in a Dragon Flag, regress to negatives.

How to Structure Core Progressions¶

• Train core 3-5x per week (or integrate into push/pull days).
• Move to the next level when you exceed the goal reps/time.
• Combine static (planks, L-sit) and dynamic (raises, dragon flags) exercises for complete development.

This will build serious core strength for stability, endurance, and explosiveness. Let me know if you want a core-focused weekly plan!

Legs (Lower Body) Progressions and Form Guide¶

Building strong legs with just bodyweight is absolutely possible—it just requires progressive overload through range of motion, unilateral work, and explosive variations. Here’s how to master lower-body calisthenics.

1. Squats → Pistol Squats (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Core)¶

Form Cues:

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
• Brace your core, keep your chest up, and push your hips back.
• Lower until your thighs are at least parallel (deeper for mobility gains).
• Drive through your heels to return to standing.
• For Pistol Squats: Extend one leg forward, lower under control, then push back up using just one leg.

Progression Table:

Tip: If pistols are too difficult, try box-assisted versions or use a counterbalance (hold a light weight in front).

2. Lunges (Quads, Glutes, Stability)¶

Form Cues:

• Step forward, backward, or to the side with one leg.
• Keep your front knee aligned with your toes (no inward collapsing).
• Lower until your back knee almost touches the ground.
• Push through your front heel to return to standing.
• For explosive lunges: Jump and switch legs mid-air.

Progression Table:

Tip: Reverse lunges are knee-friendly, while jumping lunges build explosiveness.

3. Calf Raises (Calves & Ankle Stability)¶

Form Cues:

• Stand on the balls of your feet, heels off the ground.
• Push all the way up, squeezing your calves at the top.
• Lower slowly and controlled (don’t bounce).
• For single-leg: Keep one foot lifted and push up using just one leg.

Progression Table:

Tip: Train calves daily for the best growth—higher reps and full range of motion matter.

How to Structure Legs Progressions¶

• Train legs 2-3x per week for strength, 4x+ if endurance-focused.
• Move to the next level when you exceed the goal reps in good form.
• Control the eccentric (lowering phase) for more strength.
• For extra difficulty, use slow negatives or pause at the hardest point.

This will build serious lower-body strength and endurance. Let me know if you want a weekly routine integrating this progression!

Here’s a simple weekly routine integrating all the progressions above. This plan ensures balanced development, progressive overload, and recovery, while focusing on strength, endurance, and mobility.

Weekly Bodyweight Routine¶

How to Use This Routine¶

✅ Pick your progression level for each exercise. ✅ Add reps/sets each week if you hit your rep goals. ✅ Balance push & pull to avoid muscle imbalances. ✅ Focus on control—slow negatives, full range of motion. ✅ Adjust volume if you need extra recovery.

This will give you strength, endurance, and mobility, progressing toward one-arm pushups, pistol squats, L-sits, and explosive power. Let me know if you want tweaks based on your schedule! 💪