VIDEO: Want to strengthen your entire upper body?

[JoeJustice]

Try this combination:

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I wanted you guys to preview one of the exercises I developed with my ultra simple adjustable pull-up bar. I'm going to be doing a video or two on exercises you can do with this rig in my next episode of Joe Justice: Certified He-Man. This, you might notice, is a variation of the Atlas Level III Push-Up, suspending the feet rather than fixing them to a wall gives you more play with your range of motion and you actually recruit more muscles in your shoulders, chest and back to do the push-up. In a way this makes the exercise easier, since it's not quite as isolating, but it also makes it a very complete upper body worker variation.

Throw in the rope climb and I think you've hit every single muscle in your upper body! The tough part is doing them back to back! I missed the last couple of feet on the rope, its funny watching it because you can see the point where I said to myself, "Nope, not gonna happen." The problem with climbing a rope is you have to take into consideration getting up AND getting down. Actually, I's say the getting down part is the most important of the two!! Ah well, sometimes you win and sometimes the rope wins!

-Joe

[tom]

Nice. Do just that once a day and you're set. As for making it up the rope, nothing is worth a fall. It's about health and fitness.

I got in the first rating, awesome of course.

Tom

the rating was for everything but '70's boy's high school basketball gym trunks

[JoeJustice]

I got in the first rating, awesome of course.


I'll send you a check first thing in the morning.

-Joe

P.S. I knew you'd say something about my cloths!

[b38]

Joe,

Another Great Video! Great Exercise combo.

All the best!

B38

[jonlclay]

Joe,

Great video, seems like your feet are elevated quite a bit versus what I've seen in the books for the A3's. Are you doing that in order to work towards a full handstand PU or is that just how it worked out?

Jon

[JoeJustice]

I don't know if there is a hard and fast rule when it comes to Atlas 3's, I just put the bar at about colorbone level - that's where it's easiest to get my feet up to. But I am and have been working on handstand push-ups! Man, now those are TOUGH! At 6'1" I don't thinl I have ideal leverage for it either. Pushing exervises in general have always been tough for me.

-Joe

[Greg Newton]

Hey Tom,

I like the shorts. It is about time they came back in style. Didn't we both encourage Joe to ditch the baggy clothing? :shame:

Joe,

Do realize that you have developed a great deal of functional strength above the norm? You are also beginning to develop a look like a decathlete.

[Free]

Awesome Joe. I always love your workout video's ... and your choice of music!!:highfive:

[JoeJustice]

Thanks guys, I'm starting to shape up :) Pretty good for a computer nerd who was never an athlete at any point in his life.

My favorite line from that song is, "I'm like a junkie without an adiction" :)

Why do I get so much fasion advice around here??

-Joe

[ben alexander]

Wow! That looks amazing. I ain't trying it, though!

Ben

[Nathan]

Great Video Joe! I look forward to seeing you next one!

---Nate

[DT man]

Don't know about fashion, but the workout videos are great. Other forums are picking up on it and many people are giving positive comments on your conditioning program. Keep the videos coming, we are all getting some great tips. I like the outdoor workout aspect for your program, it gets back to the old Atlas formula but takes it into the 21st Century. By using an unstable base, such as the logs and rope to raise the legs, you have combined the Atlas III with modern CORE ball workouts. To design these exercises, where do you get the ideas from?

[John Peterson]

Joe My Friend,

You do me and all of your friends here proud. Great videos my friend. You personify what it means to become your own best personal trainer. And I hope everyone that watches this latest episode notices that the entire musculature is challenged when performing Atlas III Push-Ups and then following it with a rope climb like that takes true functional strength to an extraordinarily high level. Few men could do what you demonstrate Joe. It's obvious from watching your execution of the exercises that you have complete confidence in your abilities. Congratulations on a superb video Joe.

---John Peterson

P.S. Hey guys, with Atlas III Push-Ups our feet are elevated considerably above our hands. In my case I use two 12" boxes for my hands and elevate my feet on a 24" box or higher. In Joe's video he is using an incredibly steep angle and is performing the exercise in exceptionally good form.Especially considering that he has the added difficulty of performing the exercise in a less than stable environment. Try it friends and you will see just exactly what I mean about Joe's exceptional form.

Now The Atlas II is when we have hands and feet at the same level so that we are is a standard push-up position but have the added benefit of performing an extended range of motion

[JoeJustice]

DT Man,

Bottom line is, I just try to have fun. I try to find exercises that are fun to do and challenging and I find what I'm doing much more productive and compelling than sitting in a gym curling dumbbells or running on a treadmill for an hour.

It's all about enjoying what you do and when you enjoy it you'll stick with it and experiment with it. :)

-Joe

[tom]

As for the slippage, have you considered gymnastic chalk? It will give you added safety and confidence - maybe one more foot higher. It doesn't take much chalk.

Tom

[gruntbrain]

Indoor trainers can easily make a "suspended pushup platform" in a doorway. Indoor rope climbing is obviously not so easy to rig up.

[GB]

Joe,

Great stuff, keep em coming. What could be next?

GB

[gruntbrain]

I'm hope that Joe makes a vid. showing some creative ways of using a Power Belt.

[inertia]

I really like the outdoor - natural - Ewok gym you have there! Very cool!

[dynogoalie30]

Joe, your video is great as well as all of your other videos, How long did it take you to master climbing a rope? That is one thing that I have always wanted to be able to do, I can knockout 15-18 pull-ups, but cant climb a rope, any secrets or tips you can give me? I know that gripping strength has a lot to do with it, but any tips would be great, keep on bringing on the videos, they are great.thank you.

[JoeJustice]

Ewok Gym?! :rotfl: I don't know if that's a complement or fightin' words! :tongue:

dynogoalie30,
Here's some detail on rope my climbing:
http://www.transformetrics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2814

Two exercises I'd focus on are Power T Push-Ups and Towel Pull-Ups. Do these in many small sets, something like 20 sets of 5. I've had a lot of success in building strength by doing lots of small sets. They start out very easy but by the time you hit the 20th set, even though you're only doing 5 reps, it's TOUGH!

Don't be afraid to work with the DSR and isometric forearm exercises in PYTP as well, they will yield results!

I have not tried gymnastic chalk but I DID try foot powder and that actually does help quite a bit. You'll notice in this video I slipped, if I would have thrown on some powder just before I started to climb I probably would have made it to the top. Your hands will also toughen up quite a bit and become calloused, that helps a great deal with grip as well.

All in all it took me about two weeks to actually climb the rope the first time, but that was after a couple of months of focusing on the Power T's and Towel Pull-Ups. I believe I discuss that in that thread I linked too.

Also, as you read that thread, take note just how often my cloths comes under attack!! With every video I get new grief. Here soon I'm going to start wearing one of those leopards skin leotards the all time strongmen use to wear! Let's see them make fun of that!

-Joe

[gruntbrain]

Slackers like me can acquire a fraction of rope climbing benefits by performing pulls from a thick rope anchored to a chinup bar, tree limb, training parntner,or, ... Pullin' stuff with a thick rope can be done in ways that engage your entire body for a "complete" workout

[tom]

Foot powder? Are you nuts? That probably has some talcum powder in it. The purpose of that powder is to make things non-sticky, the opposite of what you want. Besides, it is often medicated and you'll be breathing it. Jeesh. Get some gym chalk. Safety, safety.

Old-time strong-man leopard leotards are meant to stretched over a huge beer belly. Not suggested.

It's not grief - it's education. Top quality learning at no extra charge.

Tom

[gruntbrain]

Joe's non froufrou, utilitarian approach to attire in an indication of a strong maculine mindset. That said, pokin' fun at him is fun.

[tom]

Our teaching extends beyond the individual to whom it is directed. Now, Joe has somehow gotten a beautiful young lady to marry him already, so our teaching isn't as critical as it is to the other young men on this site who haven't been so successful . . . yet.

Tom

[JoeJustice]

Now, Joe has somehow gotten a beautiful young lady to marry him already,

Blackmail.

-Joe

[gruntbrain]

Tom
Geezers can counsel Youngings not to be seduced by expensive women & froufrou clothes. Practical behavior rules as you age & get uglier