First Cut Fitness

Performing planks is one of the simpler, more effective methods of increasing core strength. If you are bored of the same old, you can make it slightly more challenging by incorporating the time tested Tabata Method, which follows a 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off scheme.

Are you tired of doing regular air squats, pistols, etc., but don't have any free weights to do weighted squats? One of the most effective exercises to develop leg strength and coordination is the Chinese squat (no pun intended). The only equipment you need is a flat wall and your own body!

When first trying it out, make sure not to go too fast, or you might end up on your duff! It takes a little bit of practice, but once you have it, you will be well on your way to a great leg workout.

The muscle up is one of the most effective, yet simple exercises for complete upper body development. However, it can be somewhat challenging and daunting until you get into the swing of things (no pun intended), but no worries! Once you get your first one down, everything after that will be a cinch!

This is one of the moves I get asked about most frequently, but it doesn't have to be so difficult! Here is a super easy tip to use if you are stuck in a rut, and once you get better, you can progress to more advanced variations. Remember, you should be able to do at least 10 pull ups and 10 dips before attempting! Have fun!

The normal handstand to planche push up is a very impressive move indeed, but of course, the level of difficulty is quite high. This is a simple move to help you get a feel for the movement, improve your general hand balancing skills, as well gain some great upper body development.

Before attempting make sure your wall handstands and pseudo planche push ups are sound!

One of the most effective calisthenics movements for upper body development is the muscle up. There are many ways to test your prowess in the muscle up, including doing as many as you can nonstop. Another is to see how quickly you can perform 10 in a row.

Check out this video of E trying it. Give it a shot when you have the chance! It also helps when everyone around you is having a blast!

The climb up is one of the most useful moves in parkour, yet also one of the most difficult to master because it requires a good deal of lower and upper body strength along with stellar coordination. Ryan Ford of APEX Movement uses a "measuring stick" to test your prowess, which is 5 climb ups in a row.

Anything 15 seconds and under is pretty impressive. If you can get it down to 11-12 or even less, you are truly an amazing athlete. Even if you don't do parkour, this is a great skill to practice, as it is essentially a complete upper body workout, with a bit of legs thrown in the mix. This is also a precursor to the muscle up, so if you are able to do a good amount of these, you should be able to perform a muscle up without too much difficulty and vice versa.

Also, keep in mind that the time starts from the moment you make your first descent, and ends when your feet touch the top of the wall on the fifth climb up, not when you ascend back down. Have fun and be safe!

When it comes to working out on the bar, you often see individuals performing complex moves that test the boundaries of human strength. However, you don't necessarily have to try anything quite as daunting to get amazing results.

It all boils down to the basics - muscle ups, dips, and pull ups. As demonstrated in this video here, if performed only a few times per week, this simple superset is sure to provide stellar upper body development. Once these become easy, there are many different variations you can attempt. Happy training!

From March 15-17, we had the opportunity to train with the preeminent parkour coaches in the country, Ryan and Amos from APEX Movement. The newest branch of their ever-expanding empire has recently opened its doors right in our backyard, so we knew we couldn't let the opportunity pass us by.

The idea of this course is not just to learn more about parkour, but to become certified coaches of our own. We figured this would be a great way to complement the calisthenics and bodyweight stuff that we already do. We've always implemented parkour conditioning into our teachings anyhow, so by obtaining this certification from APEX, it will only help to solidify our teachings. Look for more parkour-related content from us in the near future!

 

Oh, and the facilities are pretty nice too! If you are in the area, come check it out, and also see E's Yelp review here!

 

APEX Movement NorCal

930 Detroit Ave. Suite A

Concord, CA  94518