Explosive Calisthenics (Convict Conditioning, 3) Paperback – January 1, 2015

Review – Explosive Calisthenics by Paul Wade“Explosive Calisthenics” by Paul Wade is a tour de force. This is the same design as Paul Wade's tremendous book, “Convict Conditioning I.” Paul has chosen 6 calisthenic movements – jumps, power pushups, kip-ups, forward rotations, backward rotations, up and over the bar and lays out excellent progressions to master each of these. He intends for these to be mastered one at a time, in sequence, each laying the strength, power, and skill to achieve the next. And yes, these progressions include forward and backward flips and muscle ups. Along the way through the progressions are many variations of each.Paul lays out the best breakdown of the differences between power and skill training I have ever seen. Some would say Paul even belabors this point. But the approach to skill learning (kips, flips, muscle ups) is so different from power learning (pushups, pullups, squats, bridges, leg raises) that this is critical to understand and practice. Paul carefully explains in good, plain English the facts of skill learning and how it differs from power learning. He makes the process of skill learning very, very clear.This is a book that any coach, or self teaching athlete, needs to sit down and read clear through, page for page before starting on any activities in the book. Paul does not give numbers for accomplishing each level as he did in “Convict Conditioning I.” He lays out the acronym PARC (see book) for recognizing when the athlete is ready for the next step. This is much more subjective and difficult than getting numbers of reps and sets. But both the coach and the lone athlete will be able to clearly know when it is time to move up. Paul also makes suggestions for recognizing when more basic work is needed to move up. This approach will minimize injury and burnout in the programs. Paul repeats this concept over and over, and with good reason. These are dangerous moves in which serious injuries and death have occurred.To begin the activities in this book, Paul states that an athlete should have mastered at least levels 5 or 6 (except handstand pushups) in “Convict Conditioning I.” He will need the power and strength of those levels to safely achieve anything beyond the jumps and the earlier power pushups in this book. Even with this prerequisite, I suspect it will take most athletes a year or more to progress clear through the progressions in this book. In my opinion, the athlete should have mastered levels 8 to 10 of the work in “Convict Conditioning I” before beginning the kips and rotational moves in this book.Also included are multiple small space drills for each of the progressions, and wonderful bonus sections that will enrich and improve any man's workouts.While the language is a bit on the rough side, it is nothing beyond what can be expected in a heavily male gym or used by 15+ year olds among themselves. Gone are the name calling and extremely imaginative vulgarities that marred “C-Mass.”“Explosive Calisthenics” reads well. The language is clear and explicit in its directions. The pictures are well done, and illustrative of the skills. The book is intended to be used. While beautiful, very well designed and laid out, it is not the coffee table production of some other Dragon Door books. This book is good enough to buy the paperback. I feel it is well worth purchasing the actual paperback as opposed to the ebook.

Coach Wade changed my life. His books are empowering. I am so much happier with my workouts since encountering his work (I have purchased 4 of his books) and putting it to use. Some people bag on the rhetoric, or question the authenticity of his back story, but I couldn't care less, talking about noise is just more noise; the principles are timeless gold.If you haven't picked up any of his work, then start with Convict Conditioning. This is supplemental to that. If you've read that one then you don't need to hear it from me that Paul Wade is worth reading.The gist is that you are shown how to make similar exercises/skills simpler or more difficult. This mean that anyone can start in at a level appropriate to his strength or skill and then continue to make it more difficult as he progresses.Coach's approach to strength is informative and practical. You will finish off with an understanding of what to do and why, which you can use immediately, and excellent foundation to develop on. Plus you will never need to hire a trainer, pay a gym membership or buy expensive (or inexpensive) gear.Take it to the streets, take it camping, hiking or fishing, to a picnic, to a war zone, to prison... the point is, of course, that it works anywhere.Skinny kids can do it, the obese can do it, women and men, old and young. Virtually anyone can apply these principles to improve their strength and power.

Have not made it all the way through the book because I am in my last semester of a bachelor's degree in nursing and I am still working through exercises from convict conditioning 1 and 2. I also have Calisthenic Mass. Paul Wade, AL Kavadlo, and Danny Kavadlo have great advice. I love their all natural approach to strength training, their motivation, and positive attitude to people who choose to train differently. I am a single father of with 3 children still living at home with me. I started looking at Hannibal for king videos on line which lead me to Barstarzz and Convict Conditioning. I have lost weight, saved time and money by not having to go to the gym, and have gotten stronger by following information from the books. I love calisthenics because I can exercise using bodyweight and still be in the home with my children at the same time. I cannot say enough good about the information these guys have provided for anyone who chooses to pick it up, read it, and patiently follow it. I had an injury when I first began and by starting slow building my ligaments and soft tissue, it has stopped giving me problems. (It originated from trying to lift to heavy in the gym). I built a pull up bar in the back yard and am currently working toward one arm pull ups. Diamond cut abs by Danny Kavadlo is also a fantastic book.

Great exercises, but you need to be in decent shape before you begin. They are not easy.

I've read the book twice. This second time has been a reading to understand deeply, not only the routines and exercises, but more important my body through calisthenics. This Is a highly recommended reading.

Training book is superb

super gutes buch mit einfachen schritt für schritt anleitungen für explosive und dynamsiche calisthenics übungen

High quality book, good size

I love this book. Awesome. Everything you need to know about explosiveness is enriched in this book. go for it.