Paul Wade “Training Zone”: description, system and reviews

How to train for the benefit of body and spirit, and at the same time not be afraid of muscle sprains and tears? Training the body according to the principles described by Paul Wade is of interest to many athletes and beginners. The system is also used by many gymnasts to develop strength. However, you won’t be able to build muscle like in bodybuilding.

According to the book, you can train practically from scratch, just as Paul himself began, who ended up behind bars at the age of 22.

Content

• 1 Bodyweight training program 1.1 Strength development
• 1.2 Gaining muscle mass

Who is the exercise suitable for?

What readership is the book aimed at? Everyone can benefit from reading The Training Zone. Both teenage boys and mature men, starting to exercise according to the proposed scheme, will only bring benefits to their body.

Paul Wade not only talks about building endurance and developing strength, but also focuses on a healthy lifestyle and nutrition. In fact, a person who smokes cigarettes will not be able to advance in sports. His lungs will not allow him to bear the load.

It is also important to have the right nutrition. The author himself affirms this principle in one of the chapters of the book - “Fitness and strength are meaningless without health”!

Bodyweight exercises

• Bodyweight strength exercises

• Push-ups Wall push-ups
• Incline push-ups
• Knee push-ups
• Full and partial push-ups
• Narrow push-ups (close grip)
• Uneven-high push-ups
• One-arm push-ups
• Types of push-ups

• Squats - training program for home, types of exercises Squats in a shoulder stand
• Squats: Jackknife
• Supported squats
• Full and partial squats (on one leg)
• Narrow and uneven squats

• Pull-ups Vertical pull-ups
• Horizontal pull-ups
• Pull-ups: Jackknife
• Full and partial pull-ups
• Close grip pull-ups
• One arm pull-ups
• Pull-up training program

• Home exercises for the abs Abs training program for the home

• Bridge exercise

• Handstand push-ups

• Headstand against a wall
• Raven Stance
• Handstand against a wall

Bodyweight training program[edit | edit code]

16-year-old Chris Barviking's body transformation after a year of bodyweight training

• Paul Wade

Strength development[edit | edit code]

• Bodyweight training for strength
• Bodyweight Training: History
• Benefits of bodyweight training
• Strength training program

Gaining muscle mass[edit | edit code]

• Training the nervous system for muscle development
• Gain muscle mass with bodyweight training
• Training individual muscle groups with your own weight
• Bodyweight training program to gain muscle mass
• Muscle growth questions and answers
• Strength training without gaining muscle mass
• 6 Ways to Boost Testosterone Levels

Paul Wade's training programs

How long and how often should you exercise? The answer to this question depends on three main factors: your free time, your level of preparation and the goals you set for yourself. The question of time is quite obvious and does not require much thought. I knew a lot of guys in prison who went to training hours a day. If you work or study a lot, you are unlikely to be able to find much time for training. Moreover, if you have a family with many responsibilities at home, most likely you have very little time to exercise. The level of training also plays an important role - long and intense training is useful and effective only for a prepared body. If your level leaves much to be desired, extensive training will only harm you, no matter how motivated you are. Perhaps the goal plays the most important role in the training process. Long-term and volume training develops endurance and endurance, but is useless in building strength and muscle mass. True muscular strength and power are obtained through hard and intense training, but never long-term. Quality, not quantity, is the main slogan of strength training.

Power is the main goal of all modern training, which is why I discourage long and exhausting training. I advise you to first warm up well (see pp. 261-262), then, putting maximum effort on each exercise, perform two or three “working” approaches. If your goal is strength, then more than two or three approaches is a waste of time, you will only get exhausted, but the result will remain the same. The amount of load should be equivalent to the ability to recover, which means you will have to wait longer for the body to recover and be ready for a new workout.

With these three factors in mind, I have developed the five programs that you will find on the following pages. The first, Fresh Blood, is designed for classes twice a week, ideal for beginners. The second, Good Behavior, is designed to train three times a week and is suitable for anyone who wants strength and muscles. The third, Veteran, involves training six times a week, ideal for those who are already in good shape. The fourth, Solitary Confinement, is exclusively for experienced and advanced athletes who are able to quickly recover from training. The fifth and final one, Supermax, is for well-trained athletes who want to focus on developing endurance more than strength.

Fresh blood

The program is designed specifically for those who are just starting to master bodyweight training. I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to build a good foundation and intends to train in the Training Zone for a long time. The program includes four basic exercises and is designed for two workouts per week.

• When you first start exercising, your fitness may be poor and muscle soreness can sabotage your strength. Therefore, the program provides sufficient time for recuperation.

• The program includes only four of the Big Six exercises. Bridges and handstand push-ups require higher levels of contractile force and joint strength - these exercises can only be performed after the basics have been mastered.

• Muscles develop faster than joints. That's why this program gives soft tissues that are new to this activity time to get used to the new load.

• Follow this program or create a similar one and train the beginning levels of the Big Six using it. Once you have completed Level Six of all four exercises above, move on to the next program.

Solo training in prison

In 2008, actor Tom Hardy played Bronson in the feature film, based on the biography of a prisoner. The actor approached his role responsibly: he had to gain 19 kg of weight in just 5 weeks, meet with Bronson in the colony, and communicate with him on the phone in order to adopt the manner of communication. As for nutrition, before training Tom ate chicken with rice, and after it - pizza, ice cream, and washed everything down with cola. In addition, he shaved his head and grew a mustache to look as much like Bronson as possible.

The charismatic Hardy got creative with the limited space and lack of equipment, which greatly helped him pull off the role. All efforts were not in vain; for this role, Tom Hardy received an award in the “Best Actor” category.

We present to your attention Hardy's bodyweight training plan, they will help you build muscle mass during self-isolation.

Warm-up

According to Charles Bronson's training plan, just because you're in a confined space doesn't negate the need for a good warm-up. It should last from 10 minutes to half an hour.

1. Start by stretching the main muscle groups.
2. Use a dynamic exercise such as active leg raises.
3. Run in place with your knees raised high.
4. Reach your toes without bending your knees.
5. Do a tiptoe up and down.

Time: 60 seconds for each exercise.

Rest: 30 seconds between sets.

Handstand push-ups

Charles Bronson's favorite of all exercises is the handstand push-up. This is an incredibly difficult exercise, but a critical one.

1. Face the wall in a standing position.
2. Then lift your legs so that you are in a handstand against the wall.
3. Squeeze the muscles of your abdomen, buttocks and thighs.
4. Get down to the floor surface as low as possible, controlling your position.
5. Push up and straighten your arms.
6. Say it again.

How many times to do: 10-15 repetitions.

Number of approaches: 5.

Rest: 30 seconds.

Push-ups between two chairs

Push-ups between two chairs are one of the main exercises in the prison training manual. This is a very effective way to build chest muscles. In his book, Bronson says he has a long-standing love for this exercise.

Remember, it's not about speed, this exercise should be done slowly, with great control. I guarantee that within a month of training you will gain 5 centimeters in your chest area. I do 100 reps with a chair; after the 100th time you will have a puddle of sweat on the floor. It's great.

How to properly perform this exercise at home:

1. Place two chairs slightly wider than your feet.
2. Emphasis on both hands.
3. Slowly bend your arms.
4. Lower your upper body to the floor surface.
5. Without touching the floor, return to the starting position.
6. Keep your back straight.

Reps: 10-15 per set.

Approaches: 5.

You should rest for 30 seconds between each approach.

Crunches

Surely you know very well how to do crunches correctly. However, there is a wide variety of options. According to Charlie, the style of crunch has little impact on the final results in this bodyweight workout.

There are dozens of variations of crunches, but I love this one the most: to do this, you need to lie on the floor, place your legs at a certain angle, and, placing your hands on the back of your head, begin to perform the exercise.

This exercise works the abdominal muscles perfectly.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back on the floor in front of the bench.
2. Place your heels on the bench and make sure your knees and hips are bent to 90 degrees.
3. Cross your arms over your chest.
4. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor.
5. Reach straight towards the ceiling as high as you can, leaving your lower back flat on the mat.
6. Slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor and immediately move on to the next rep.

Number of repetitions: 10-15 times per set.

Approaches: 5.

Rest at least 30 seconds between sets.

Squats

One of the most important exercises for any person who regularly pays attention to fitness is squats at home. They should definitely be included in your training program.

Since fitness clubs are closed, it is difficult to find barbells and additional weights in the form of plates. Therefore, you will have to turn to your children or your wife for help. Bronson often did back squats with his fellow prisoners. He said it was great for balance and strengthening the back and legs.

If you don't have this option, you can take a chair, lots of pillows or a vacuum cleaner. To start, do 10 reps without weight. When you do 10 with a chair, you can increase the number to 30. If it’s hard, remove the chair and do it without weight.

How to do squats:

1. Extend your arms forward in front of you parallel to the floor, chest up, and your spine should be in a neutral position.
2. Keep your whole body collected at all times.
3. Breathe deeply, bend your knees, and then move your pelvis back.
4. Continue to abduct your pelvis until your knees bend.
5. During squats, focus on keeping your knees in line with your legs.

Number of repetitions: 10-15 in each approach.

Approaches: 3.

Rest: 30 seconds between sets.

Burpee

Another good exercise that increases endurance, strength, and improves heart function. Burpees are a favorite exercise among fans of CrossFit and functional training.

You need to do this exercise simply because it gives an all-round workout to the body. You will puff, pant, sweat, but it's all for your own good. So, do burpees and enjoy the process. Over time you will do it faster until you achieve perfection. The average man on the street can easily do five reps without speeding up, so when you reach the 50 rep mark, you can be proud of yourself!

1. Start in a standing position.
2. Jump into a squat with your hands on the floor.
3. Place your legs back and get into a push-up position.
4. Keeping your back as straight as possible, jump to bring your feet closer to your hands.
5. Try to keep your knees between your elbows.
6. From this position, keeping your back straight, jump up to a standing position, and, returning to the ground, return to the position from which you came.

Number of reps: 20-25 reps per set.

Approaches: 3.

Rest: 45 seconds between sets.

Arm raises

“Here's an exercise to build muscle. No weights needed,” Bronson writes in his book Fitness in Solitary Confinement.

Grab a towel or something else (ideally something stretchy, but not nylon as it can burn your hands or create static electricity). If I don't have a towel or a shirt (after all, most often I'm in a solitary, bare cell with nothing), I still do it with my fingers intertwined. I pull hard and then relax my hands, the principle is the same.

How to perform lateral raises:

1. Stand up straight and hold the exercise band in front of you at chest level. Make sure your hands are shoulder-width apart.
2. Stretch the tape in different directions, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
3. Return to the starting position.

Number of repetitions: 30 repetitions per set.

Approaches: 5.

Rest: 45 seconds of rest between sets.

Exhalation

Every gym enthusiast knows how important it is to do squats and crunches, but there are other ways to get rock-hard abs. “The abdominal muscles are extremely important,” Bronson writes in his book.

They are not there to challenge anyone while showing off a six pack. They are needed to prevent a variety of diseases. But if, in the end, you achieve the desired cubes, then this will be an additional advantage.

This is one of the strangest exercises in Charles Bronson's prison manual. At first, it seems like you're not doing anything at all, and then suddenly you can't stop.

Charlie's instructions for inhaling:

1. Take an old rag or a worn-out sock and hang it on a strong thread so that the objects are above your head.
2. Fill your lungs with lots of air, tilt your head back and make that object move.
3. Be careful, you will feel like you are losing consciousness or start seeing spots in front of your eyes.

Charlie believes that there is nothing shameful in this.

If you feel weak, then sit down, don't be a hero. I usually do 100 reps in a row without stopping. After a short break, once my lungs are filled with oxygen, I add a few more reps.

You will feel everything that is happening in your throat, chest, lungs and abdominal muscles. Even your back will tingle, but it will give strength to the abdominal cavity.

Number of repetitions: 10 repetitions per set.

Approaches: 1.

Rest: as much as needed.

Star jumping

The idea of ​​Charles Bronson doing star jumps in his solitary confinement is quite strange. However, don’t rush to criticize: this exercise is an excellent example of cardio and strength training working together. It can be a great addition to your bodyweight training plan.

Here's how Charlie does it:

1. Place your feet wide and lower your arms along your body.
2. Take a leap and open up in the shape of a star.

“Star jumps are a good exercise,” he writes.

If you are lucky enough to do this on the grass or on a beautiful sandy beach, then I envy you; it's not much fun doing this on cold concrete.

Reps: 10.

Approaches: 2.

Rest: 45 seconds.

Stepping onto a bench

This is one of Bronson's favorite exercises. According to his book, he performs this hundreds, if not thousands, of times every day, using the bed in his cell as a side table. If you have a small chair, this might work.

Here's how to do it:

1. Place a bench (or something similar) in front of you.
2. Step onto the platform with one foot.
3. Push off with your other leg, raising your knee as high as possible.
4. Lower your knee and step back to the floor.
5. Switch to the other leg and repeat.

Do 3 sets of 60 seconds.

Good behavior

This may be the best basic bodyweight training program out there. It includes all the Big Six exercises and is designed for three workouts per week. Good Behavior is an advanced level of the Fresh Blood program, but still provides plenty of rest time to allow the body to recover. Although the program is designed for intermediate levels, advanced athletes will also find it very effective for long-term exercise. If you decide to dedicate yourself to strength training, you should return to the basics - the Good Behavior program - from time to time - no matter your skill level.

• “Good behavior,” if desired, can be included in the schedule of anyone, even the busiest person in the world.

• The program can (and should) be used by all athletes, regardless of their level of training, intending to achieve a decent level of strength.

• For those who recover well from exercise, the program may represent unnecessary precautions. Therefore, rest days can be used by athletes for other sports - running, martial arts, boxing, etc.

Veteran

A very simple, but extremely reasonable program for all those who train according to my system for several months. Instead of training two or three times a week, the program involves training almost daily with just one Big Six exercise. One day is allotted for rest.

A good program for those who really don't have much time. Each approach only takes six to seven minutes a day!

Muscle recovery does not require much time, since within two days the exercises on the upper and lower body do not overlap. The exercises are alternated in the most effective way.

The program is very effective for anyone who trains according to the ten level system to develop strength. Each day you perform only one type of exercise, where you must give your best.

This program is the basis for creativity. If you feel the workload is too much for you, add a day of rest as needed. Don’t limit yourself, just don’t forget about the prescribed rest day to restore your body from stress, no matter what program you choose.

Charles Bronson's Training Principles

For most of his life, our hero sits in prison, where there is no sports equipment and manages to do strength training. At the same time, its functionality is quite great and significantly exceeds the functionality of traditional bodybuilders. For example, he does about 2000 push-ups every day!

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What are the features of Bronson's training system? After reading the book “Fitness in Solitary Confinement,” several cornerstones of the training can be identified:

• NATURAL TRAINING. Due to constant surveillance, this is Bronson's only option. A forced and accepted way of training.
• TRAINING WITH YOUR WEIGHT . Due to the lack of special equipment, Charles has to train with what he has: his own body weight.
• ISOMETRY (STATIC LOADS). Bronson creates static within his own body by counter-moving his arms or using towels and straps.
• FREQUENT TRAINING. Charles trains every day, as a rule.
• HIGH REPEATS. Your own body weight is limited, i.e. the load is relatively light and has to be compensated by the duration of work. For example, Bronson can do 132 push-ups in 60 seconds.
• BASIC EXERCISES. Most traditional bodyweight exercises are basic (working multiple joints and muscle groups).
• STRETCHING AND WARMING UP. Bronson places great emphasis on these two points. Usually he spends about 10 minutes on a good warm-up and the same amount on stretching in order to prepare his body for physical work.

Bodyweight exercises

The only possible way of training for Bronson, in his opinion, has a number of serious advantages:

• you can train anywhere
• absolutely free
• You can do a hybrid workout by combining strength and cardio training.

Regarding the latter, it is important to clarify one important point. The fact is that Bronson does quite a lot of sets and repetitions and often works for speed (for example, trying to do as many repetitions as possible in a minute). Between approaches, as you understand, there is time for rest. So, Bronson recommends increasing the pace by reducing the rest between sets if you need to improve your endurance . Traditional weight lifting with fairly heavy loads (6-12 reps) requires too much rest time. If we work with our own weight, then the load is less and this is better for training strength and endurance.

Isometric training

The essence of isometric training: within a few seconds (in the range of 2-20 seconds), maximum effort is expended to counteract the resistance of a particular object. You can use your own body (counteraction with one hand relative to the other), and various small objects (belts, towels, sticks) or large furnishings (pushing apart a door frame, for example).

Isothermal training is specific and requires a lot of energy. With classical dynamic training, the maximum tension is significantly less, both in terms of effort and duration, than with isometric training. Alexander Zass (the iron Samson) was once able to develop fantastic strength through similar training with chains. Moreover, the size of the muscles increased slightly, but the strength increased monstrously. The fantastic strength attributed to Charles Bronson comes from maximizing isometric exercises.

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Strength is in the psyche and attitude

Another point that people who don’t go to the gym like, but prefer to work out at home. It’s always nice to believe that the main thing is not opportunities, but the main thing is faith. According to Charles, the development of strength is limited by the psyche. If you can develop maximum mental effort, you can train monstrous strength. If you can't, forget it.

In certain situations, Bronson's psyche accelerates and therefore he can bend the bars of his cell or beat up armed prison guards. Some peoples have used these techniques in the past. For example, the Vikings knew how to put themselves into a berserker state. In this state they were unusually strong and tenacious.

Super Max

Supermax is a good example of volume training that I practiced during my time at Angola Prison. It will require persistence on your part. This program is ideal for developing endurance, but before you begin, you should complete a basic level of training, such as the four programs listed above. But you will not be able to develop strength and power, so when starting to train with this program, make sure that all ten levels of the Big Six are thoroughly worked out. Do not attempt to follow the program unless you have at least several years of heavy training experience.

Train at any time of the day. Doing all the sets in one workout is one option, but you can break your workout into mini-workouts and do them throughout the day. Alternating two exercises through a set is also an option.

To increase the speed of the program, I took just a couple of deep breaths between sets. Therefore, often twenty or thirty approaches in a row turned into one gradual and continuous approach for me!

Start with ten sets of ten reps each and work your way up to doing fifty sets. If you perform two exercises a day, then you will get one hundred approaches per day, and correspondingly two and a half thousand per month. If you need more, increase the number of repetitions.

Hybrid programs

Throughout the book, I keep repeating that bodyweight training is an excellent alternative to heavy weight training, machine work, and other forms of training. I am an old school gymnastics enthusiast, and my own experience as both an athlete and a coach has proven that bodyweight training is the surest way to develop strength.

Believe me. You don’t need anything else—no exercise equipment, no barbells—nothing.

I am aware that many of my readers are already adherents of various types of weightlifting - bodybuilding, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, working with kettlebells, etc. And not everyone is ready to give up their favorite activity for gymnastics with their own weight, but simply want to diversify your workouts.

I'm not as harsh as I might seem. I just want to help you (see how kind I am?). With a little thought, there are plenty of ways to incorporate bodyweight training into any program for any discipline. For example:

Three day cycle

Do you train at the gym three times a week? Many gyms have mats or open space where you can do bodyweight exercises in between heavy weight exercises; Why not mix up your regular gym workout with some Big Six exercises, doing one or two during your workout and moving the other three to the weekend? For example:

MONDAY Push-ups, neck, shoulders, triceps training

WEDNESDAY Leg raises, leg workout, hamstrings, calves

FRIDAY Pull-ups, back muscles, biceps, forearms

SATURDAY Squats (bodyweight, not barbell), bridge, handstand push-ups

Home workout

Instead of spending three days in the gym hitting three major muscle groups, why not try training the major muscle groups for two days and spend the third doing bodyweight exercises at home, focusing on smaller muscles? For example:

MONDAY Squats, deadlifts, leg presses, leg curls, etc. (in the gym)

WEDNESDAY Leg raises, bridges, calf raises, handstand push-ups (at home)

FRIDAY Bench press, bent over row, triceps, etc. (in the gym)

Advantages and disadvantages of training according to the Paul Wade method

Are there any downsides to Paul Coach Wade's training system, the Training Zone?

Still, the author himself, when starting training, was not familiar with the masters of sports and did not know the anatomy of the muscles. There are some shortcomings in his system, which, of course, are noticed by those who have been working in sports for many years. But still, no one denies that the developed system works.

Let's start with the advantages.

• The book that Paul Wade wrote, The Training Zone, is written in absolutely accessible language. There's even a little humor to keep the language alive.
• Old school training is suitable for absolutely everyone. Many girls who love strength sports also train.
• The author correctly argues that it is impossible to burn fat locally. Full work of all muscles is required.
• A competent system of load progression for complex exercises is provided.
• The main thing in the system is consistency and motivation. Therefore, you should not skip any of the levels, even if the 1st level seems too easy. The author insists that demotivation should not be allowed. And if an exercise of the 3rd or 4th level is difficult, it is better not to rush and stay longer at the 2nd level.

But the disadvantages are the following:

• Vague principles of exercise repetition.
• Not mentioned in the book is the possibility of lower back pain due to the bridge. Of course, the back muscles also need to be trained, like others, but you need to do easier exercises first.
• There are inaccuracies in terminology. Some muscles are named incorrectly. Perhaps these are translation errors.
• Standing upside down push-ups are too difficult an exercise.

This type of squeezing can be performed by masters who have dedicated their entire lives to training and education. But for many others it is better not to do this exercise at all.

It should be noted that there is a lot of useful information in the book for the future athlete. But you still need to look for additional information from books by other authors.

Flexibility and freedom of action

At the very beginning of the chapter, I talked about the benefits of sticking to an exercise routine. But the regime must adapt to the person. And as soon as a person begins to adapt to the regime, all achieved indicators very quickly deteriorate.

Of course, once you have found the right schedule for yourself, try to stick to it. But you must also give yourself leeway. Severe restrictions always lead to boredom, overtraining and exhaustion. If you notice this, start experimenting, try different options. It is not at all necessary to follow exactly the program listed above that you have chosen for yourself. Mix and match. Come up with your own program. Try variations of exercises from time to time. Play with the number of repetitions. Vary the distance between your arms or legs in your favorite exercises. Add volume and lower the intensity of your workouts for a couple of weeks. Replace a fast pace of execution with a very slow one and vice versa. Perform exercises from different angles. Try to do the exercises only partially. Challenge yourself to add one more killer set at the end of each workout: try to perform the maximum number of repetitions of an exercise that comes easily to you. Experience your body's newfound strength with hybrid workouts. Find yourself in new sports - running, boxing, walking, yoga, martial arts.

On the other hand, I was never bored, and nothing could make me stop training - I simply had nothing to distract me. There are a million and one reasons out there to go astray and stop doing exercises, even basic ones, the importance of which cannot be underestimated. Don't stop training. If you ever get bored, there are plenty of ways to vary your workouts.

Lights out!

Training in prison is serious business. She certainly helped keep me sane, and I know plenty of guys who can say the same. The training was something real, something worthwhile. No matter how hard the day was, training was like an island of stability in this crazy world. Whatever we may have lost while incarcerated, training has always provided the opportunity to achieve something even more essential than health and strength: self-respect. Add repetition, work on technique, move on to a more difficult exercise. Logical. Earnestly. Has the meaning. You are always moving forward, you are always in control of events. For me this is a special power. You need to get into the training to understand what I'm talking about. Those of you who are already training will probably agree with me.

So take your training as seriously as you can. Treat her with respect wherever you go. The second you start training, try to change the way you think about training, change the way you look at the world. Stop your jokes and stop doing nonsense. Make exercise your number one priority. Decide on your training goals - do one more repetition, improve your technique, keep them in mind all the time and strive to achieve them with all your might. The moaning, grunting, grunting and puffing that many bodybuilders are famous for is not what you want. Aggressiveness in achieving your goals - yes. But learn to direct your energy in the right direction. Cultivate targeted, controlled aggression. Work in this direction, and you will soon reap the benefits of this attitude towards training.

Find a place where no one will disturb you and practice. I don't recommend lifting weights with friends or colleagues. I believe that the best results of training are achieved in solitude - this is the only way to develop concentration, reduce irritation and heal the soul.

Perhaps my opinion goes against the traditions of modern training. But I prefer to train alone and spend time communicating with people. Always. Exercise gives me more than any of my “friends.” In my life, I have met hundreds, thousands of people who tried to beat me, steal from me, humiliate me and even kill me. Training only brings me benefits. She gives much more than she takes away. I've wasted too much time on people I wish I had never seen. But I don't regret a second of the time I spent training.

Every split second, every drop of sweat is well spent.