interview w/ Ted Skup

[vegetus25]

http://growingbolder.com/obj/obj-809-439.php?objId=125922

[John Peterson]

Hey Vegetus25,

Ted Skup is great! Thanks for posting his interview. He and I have a great deal in common in terms of what we believe and promote. I like the man's enthusiasm and bare bones message on how to achieve a new and better you. The only point that he and I disagree on is that Ted believes that one should stay with the standard floor Push-Up only and I believe in performing multiple variations in order to strengthen and sculpt the muscles from multiple angles and all directions. . Other than that we are in complete agreement as far as I can tell. Thanks again Vegetus25.

---John Peterson

[gruntbrain]

Even training that would involve all pushup variants would not COMPLETELY satisfy me - eg I'd want to work the legs with isotonics not just isometrics

[stingray]

Great interview. Thanks for sharing. Clearly his agenda is about promoting good health.
His mini set approach and not taking it to failure really speaks to me.
I have been doing standard floor push ups every morning. I have kept my reps low and the sets high and I have been able to knock off 300 just while getting ready for work.

My favorite thing that he said was to have fun with it.

[Scott Silva]

I just ordered his book and am waiting for it to arrive from Amazon,it should get here any day.

Can't wait for yours too John...

Gruntbrain, I know just where your coming from, considering I've always trained with the perspective that most sports that I have enjoyed involve much lower back & leg strength, (ie. football, soccer) and one should be spending a significant amout of time with exercises developing strength there as well..

So, your complaint about lack of talk about training involving the legs is well taken.

Some, though, have had sucess & have done real well with real simple programs of push-ups, and no calisthenics, just running.

One person here (at one time anyways) said he got to looking & feeling his best when he did 1000 push-ups one day and run the next. (WeaponX I believe)

Coach Sommer pasted a nice article here once, about a guy who used to do a nice simple program of push-ups, pull-ups, rope climbing & running who was really strong at only 150lbs.

Maybey I'll re-post it somewheres. It was a great article but it got nuked with all those other posts recently.

WB

[John Peterson]

Hey friends,

I fully understand what you are referencing as far as Ted Skup's lack of lower body and specific abdominal exercise. BUT, I hope that it is not lost on anyone that if they were performing 1,000 real Push-Ups each and every day that they would be in better shape than the vast majority of gym rats. And no, I'm not joking at all. I think it's great that Mr. Skup found the ultimate exercise for himself and has devoted himself to sharing it with others.

---John Peterson

[gruntbrain]

I believe the abs are worked quite well while performing high volume pushups. Their main function is to stablize the spine & isometrics accomplish that. That said, I'd sneak in some Panther Stretch Pushups( as in M7) in the middle of conventional pushup sets

[dynogoalie30]

John, in your conversation with Ted Skup, did you happen to ask him why if thats the case he does not any work for his lower body? it great that 2 great push-up kings like you and Ted where able to talk about training, great stuff, thanks for the information.

[John Peterson]

Hey dynogoalie30,

I'd very much like to have a real conversation with Ted Skup but so far I have not. I have read his book and can say that I totally agree with his philosophy as regards lifelong strength and fitness(with just the one exception that I have already mentioned) but I have not had the opportunity to sit down and discuss it one on one. I think it will be a great time when it happens.


---John Peterson

[gruntbrain]

Even though I would not embark on a Skup regime, I like the idea of it's simplicity & effectiveness. In my case, I use high volume,daily squats/lunges instead of pushups as the foundation of my routine but I also add other items from the Transformetric menu.

[dynogoalie30]

Gruntbrain, I like the idea of your high rep squat and leg routine, Sometime if you dont mind could you post your routine? it sounds pretty good, thanks.

[THE LONE WOLF]

Death, Taxes, and Pushups? Could we work out a tax plan where you get one dollar off of your taxes for every pushup you do?

[Max McKinley]

I think one reason the weight lifters and fitness industry folks criticize people like Ted and John is the simplicity of the message (in addition to the fact Ted mentioned in the interview that there is money to be made by those folks in that business). There is a constant droning of gym promotions, equipment ads, magazine marketing that appeal to our senses. The idea that the pushup can be the all-inclusive exercise just seems too simple - too good to be true. Therefore, one must spend the money on all of the above to be "truly fit". A reasonable diet and execise plan as John promotes is always going to be the best way. Old school always is.

[gruntbrain]

Dynogoalie
Since I'm an endurance/stregth type, I perform at least one 20 nonstop session of squatting or lunging daily.
By using homemade suspension gizmos or long poles with T handles, ANYONE could perform several minutes of nonstop leg exercizes using arm asssitance( think rowing while standing)

Clearly such a training style puts a much greater emphasis on endurance but like Heavyhands you get a decent stregth component

[gruntbrain]

20+ minutes of a geezer doin' squats aint purdy & would bore folks to tears

[farrout]

Hey Vegetus25,

Thank you for sharing, it is a great interview.

The word is spreading that you do not need a gym membership to reach your strength & fitness goals.

Take care,
Steve