Muscle Up Inspiration

"You'd be surprised at the things you can achieve when you believe.  The reality surpasses your dreams, and when that happens, there's no reason to sleep." Bar-Barian's Zef.

I had no idea that you could make such an exciting and inspirational video about fricken pull ups.  Zef does some insane moves, but some of it is good fodder for training ideas.  I am going to try out the horizontal pull ups, albeit at more of an angle than the beast on the video.  Holding pull ups at the top help build that strength I'll need.  Also, bringing my head in front of the bar is probably a good way to build up my back.

I was also glad to see that he sometimes used gloves.  This guy's tough (obviously) and if he wears gloves to keep his hands from being shredded, then I'm not a wimp just because I do as well.  I just bought a pair yesterday.  I promise not to use them all the time, but my hands are getting beat up and abused from the bar.  I like calluses, but pinched nerves are hindering my reps.

Check out their site at pull-ups.blogspot.com

Three Months - Three Goals

Goals motivate me.  Without them, I'd probably be lazy, eat junk, and feel like crap.  Goals are what motivated me to complete the Insanity Workout, two parkour bootcamps, and the Honolulu Marathon.  I do compare myself to others, but mainly I compete with myself.  I enjoy proving to that doubtful, pessimistic, negative voice in my head, that yes, I can achieve whatever I set my sights on.

I have set my sights on three goals that will by no means be easy.  I'm not 100% sure that I will reach them all in three months, but I will do my best.

Goal #1 (easyish) - Flagpole

Jason Stantham showing good form in the wind.

I call this one easyish because I can do one with poor form and hold it for a second.  I want to be able to hold solid flagpoles at varying angles for a decent amount of time (10-30 seconds maybe?) on both my left and right sides.  Why?  Because it looks cool and works your core, lats, and obliques like crazy.  Just look at Jason Stantham there.

Goal #2 (difficult) - Handstand

Daniel Illabaca relaxing and enjoying the view.

I can do a headstand with my forearms on the ground as long as there is a wall there to support me.  I suck at these and my yogini wife loves to taunt my form.  Something about being upside down scares me.  I really don't want to break my neck.  By the end of three months I hope to be able to comfortably stand on my hands without any support for a decent amount of time (again 10-30 seconds).  As a bonus, I think it would be cool to be able to walk on my hands, but we'll see.

Goal #3 (damn near impossible) - Muscle Ups

A patriotic demonstration of the muscle up progression.

These will be extremely difficult to perform, even poorly.  I have at times been able to do a respectable wall up, but then I have the huge advantage of being able to kick my feet off the wall and get more flat handed leverage.  Unlike the picture above, my goal is to do these on standard pull up bars, which seems more difficult than the rings, but I've never used those so I don't really know.  I'm imagining that good muscle ups will take skill, strength, and coordination that I do not currently have. 

I will keep you posted on how I actually plan getting there.