Case Study 2: Prisoners

A lot of dudes in prison are jacked and in shape. Let's face it, if you have nothing but time to pass and nothing to do, and need to fight for survival, then working out is a must. I know you are probably not a prisoner reading this, but you can benefit from their workout routines. In jail, you sometimes cannot get access to weights because they can be weapons. So what do you do if you cannot get access to any equipment? Use your flesh and bones. 

A gentlemen by the name of Coach Wade was locked up and came out with a book which is an excellent resource for getting in shape like a hardened convict. The book is entitled "Convict Conditioning". I will give you the reader a snippet of what the book has by disclosing the basic exercises in the book but highly recommend purchasing the book to get even more benefits and to support the work of one of my biggest influences in fitness. 

The 5 "Power Moves" of Convict Conditioning:

The Pull Up/Chin Up

This exercise is one of the best, if not the best, to be able to perform. It is easy, just hang from a bar, and pull yourself up with your chin to the bar. This exercise has a ton of benefit to your arms, back, and surprisingly works your core more than situps. If you do not have a bar use stairs, a tree, or anyother overhang you can find. It is my favorite and a staple for any routine.

Push Ups

The push up seems to be the grand daddy of exercises. It has been used by dojo masters and drill sargeants alike. It is also easy, and all you do is get low, push your feet back and put your weight on your arms and feet. Just lower yourself to the ground and bring yourself back up. That's it! This exercise with a lot of variations can be adjusted for difficulty, so buy CONVICT CONDITIONING!

The bodyweight squat is a great burn for leg day! All you do is put your hands behind your back and lower yourself until your butt is flush with the ground. Make sure your try to keep good posture with your back! This exercise is great if you don't want chicken legs!

The leg raise is a great abdominal exercise which will make your core stronger and tone it. All you need to do is hang from a bar and bring your legs to your chest. Just do this for a few reps and feel the burn!

The handstand pushup will give strength to both your arms and core. Just do a handstand against a wall and lower yourself slightly with a bend in the elbows, and then go back to an erect position. Doing this a few times gives a good workout. If you do this long enough, you can really boss AND DO IT WITHOUT A WALL!

Here are five different exercises which you can use and build on. Do it in a circut or anyway that works for you. I highly suggest buying CONVICT CONDITIONING to really learn how to use these exercises to benefit you. It really helped me. Go out and give these a try and get ripped like Robert De Niro in Cape Fear.