Quote: (11-30-2014 08:10 PM)civpro Wrote:
^^ Yes that's true. They're hard as fuck to progress to though, they require crazy flexibility & coordination.
There are plenty of great progressions to get you there, though. The crazy flexibility and coordination is something you work towards. It's not something you "need" so much as a goal.
Start with bodyweight squats, then closed leg squats. Once you get strong there, you can start moving to one-leg versions. For example, start out sitting in a chair and stand on to one leg. Then when you can do sets of 20 with that (nice and controlled), you start in a standing position, sit down, and stand up again for a rep. Then maybe move to assisted pistols, where you hold on to a bar or something as you raise and lower yourself. And so on...
I'm sure there are plenty of other in-between progressions you can work on - it has been a while since I looked them up. Plenty searchable by Google. I think with working towards pistols it's important to aim for the 20-30 rep range before you move to a harder movement because that gives you plenty of time to build up some good technique and balance in that movement before making it harder. You really don't want to take it too fast once you're on one leg or it can be a little hard on the knee.
You can also throw in jump rope, box jumps, and sprints for more leg work without weights.
Personally, I do both weighted movements and bodyweight movements, depending on the day and how I feel, as another poster suggested above. I still stick around 20-rep range even weighted, though I sometimes finish off with a heavier set or two. High reps might not be ideal in many cases, but I'm more worried about getting to pistols than I am about pushing big weight at the moment, and I feel like sticking to lighter weights and higher reps will allow me to practice the movement and build up the muscle endurance I need to maneuver my body like that.
I like to think of my visits to the gym as practice rather than a time to accomplish particular feats (like lifting a certain amount of weight a certain number of times). So everything I do is more about the future than the moment. That said, I still get a damn good workout from my approach.
Beyond All Seas
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling
"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling