Superhuman Power, Maximum Speed and Agility, Plus Combat-Ready Reflexes—Using Bodyweight-Only Methods
How to Lead, Survive and Dominate Physically—By Becoming “The Complete Package” As an Athlete…
E xplosive Calisthenics is for those who want to be winners and survivors in the game of life—for those who want to be the Complete Package: powerful, explosive, strong, agile, quick and resilient. Traditional martial arts have always understood this necessity of training the complete package—with explosive power at an absolute premium. And resilience is revered: the joints, tendons, muscles, organs and nervous system are ALL conditioned for maximum challenge.
Really great athletes are invariably that way too: agile as all get-go, blinding speed, ungodly bursts of power, superhuman displays of strength, seemingly at will…
The foundation and fundamentals center, first, around the building of power and speed. But Explosive Calisthenics does a masterful job of elucidating the skill-practices needed to safely prepare for and master the more ambitious moves.
But Explosive Calisthenics doesn’t just inspire you with the dream of being the Complete Package. It gives you the complete blueprint, every detail and every progression you could possibly want and need to nail your dream and make it a reality. You, the Complete Package—it’s all laid out for you, step by step.
“The first physical attribute we lose as we age is our ability to generate power. Close behind is the loss of skilled, coordinated movement. The fix is never to lose these abilities in the first place! Paul Wade’s Explosive Calisthenics is the best program for developing power and skilled movement I have seen. Just as with his previous two books, the progressions are masterful with no fancy equipment needed.
You don’t have to achieve a full back flip or kip up to get HUGE benefit from mastering the early progressions. It doesn’t matter if you are a 20-year old looking to push your power and agility to new heights or approaching middle age, trying to slow the hands of time. Do yourself a favor and get this amazing work. This book will be the gold standard for developing bodyweight power, skill, and agility.”— Chris Hardy , D.O. MPH, CSCS, author, Strong Medicine
Teach your body to be the lightning-
fast, explosive, acrobatic super-hunter
your DNA is coded to make you...
With Explosive Calisthenics, Paul Wade challenges you to separate yourself from the herd of also-ran followers—to become a leader, survivor and winner in the physical game of life. But he doesn’t just challenge and inspire you. He gives you the direct means, the secrets, the science, the wisdom, the blueprints, the proven methods and the progressions—that make success inevitable, when you supply your end in consistent, diligent, skillful application.
Now a legendary international bestseller, Convict Conditioning can lay claim to be the Great Instigator when it comes to the resurgence of interest in bodyweight exercise mastery.
And—while Convict Conditioning 2 cemented Wade’s position as the preeminent authority on bodyweight exercise—there is no doubt that his magisterial new accomplishment, Explosive Calisthenics is going to blow the doors off, all over again.
What makes Explosive Calisthenics so exciting—and so profound in its implications?
See, it goes back to the laws of brute survival. It’s not "Only the strongest shall survive". No, it’s more like: "Only the strongest, quickest, most agile, most powerful and most explosive shall survive." To be a leader and dominator and survivor in the pack, you need to be the complete package...
A vanishing percent of people who workout even attempt to unlock their body's inherent power and speed—choose to be different: reclaim your pride and dignity as a fully-realized human being by fully unleashing your true athletic capacity...
Now—for those who have the balls and the will and the fortitude to take it on—comes the next stage: Explosive Calisthenics. The chance not only to be strong and healthy but to ascend to the Complete Package. If you want it, then here it is…
"Explosive Calisthenics is an absolute Treasure Map for anybody looking to tear down their body's athletic limitations. Who doesn't want to be able to kip to their feet from their back like a Bruce Lee? Or make a backflip look easy? Paul makes you want to put down the barbells, learn and practice these step-by-step progressions to mastering the most explosive and impressive bodyweight movements. The best part is? You can become an absolute Beast in under an hour of practice a week. Way to go, Paul! AROO!"—Joe Distefano, Spartan Race, Director of Training & Creator of the Spartan SGX Certification
PART I: POWER, SPEED, AGILITY
1: Power Up! The Need for Speed
Power defined—understanding the difference between strength and power…P 3
Functional speed—and the golden mean for power in athletics…P 6
Discover how to move your entire body with lightning speed… P 6
Agility defined…P 7
Discover how to efficiently alter your movement at high velocity…P 7
The difference between complex power and simple power—and what it means for athletic success…P 7
Discover how to enhance your reflexes to generate higher levels of power speed and agility…P 9
Why most gym-trained athletes lack THESE qualities—and will therefore NEVER attain true athleticism…P 10
2: Explosive Training: Five Key Principles
How modern Americans have become the slowest, least agile members of our species in all history—and what we can do about it…P 11
How you CAN teach your body to be the lightning-fast, explosive, acrobatic super-hunter your DNA is coded to make you…P 12
The 5 key principles for developing speed, power and agility… P 12
How to be the COMPLETE explosive machine…P 13
Why traditional box work, core training and Olympic lifting simply won’t cut it—when your goal is high-level explosiveness…P 14
If you really want to build monstrous power, speed and agility in the shortest possible time—HERE is what you absolutely MUST stick with…P 18
The 6 movements you must master—for the ultimate in hardcore explosiveness…P 19
The true essence of calisthenics mastery lies here—and only here…P 19
3: How to Use This Book: Core Concepts and Answers
Do you need to learn the Explosive 6 in any particular order?...P 26
Do you have to start with Step 1?...P 27
How to train short-distance speed…P 32
"Martial arts supremacy is all about explosive power and speed, and you will possess both once you’ve mastered the hardcore exercises in Explosive Calisthenics. Take your solo training to a level you never even imagined with these teeth-gritting, heart-palpating exercises—from a master of the genre."—Loren W. Christensen, author of over 50 books, including Fighting Power: How to Develop Explosive Punches, Kicks, Blocks, And Grappling and Speed Training: How to Develop Your Maximum Speed for Martial Arts
Mastery of progressive calisthenics is like building an arsenal-full of weapons for your physical transformation. The Power Jump and Power Pushup will set up your foundation by supercharging your nervous system, ramping up your reflexes and amping your speed and power.
Expect to be remarkably and resiliently strengthened in your bones, joints, tissues and muscles—over the entire body.
In other words: hard, dedicated work on just the Power Jump and the Power Pushup alone can turn a slow, clumsy Joe Average into a lightning-powered cyborg…
PART II: THE EXPLOSIVE SIX
4: Power Jumps: Advanced Leg Spring
If you really want to become explosive, then the legs are the source of it all—and the best way to train the legs is with progressive power jumps. Here is the 10-step blueprint for achieving ultimate leg power…
Understanding the importance of developing springy legs…P 37
Deconstructing the power jumps…P 38
How to develop the crucial skills of launching, tucking and landing…P 38—40
How to take advantage of Myotatic Rebound—to correctly absorb and redirect force…
How to correctly block when you jump…P 41
Do you need Plyo boxes?...P 43
Step One: Straight Hop—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 44
Step Two: Squat Jump—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 46
Step Three: Vertical Leap—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 48
Step Four: Block Jump—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 50
How to develop the ability to transfer force in dramatic fashion…P 50
Step Five: Butt-Kick Jump—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 52
Step Six: Slap Tuck Jump—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 54
Step Seven: Tuck Jump—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 56
Confer some serious explosive power to the lower body—and is a perquisite for becoming really fast…P 56
Step Eight: Catch Tuck Jump—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 58
Step Nine: Thread Jump—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 60
Master Step: Suicide Jump—Performance, X-Ray…P 62
The ultimate tucking drill—once you master this drill, kip ups, front flips and back flips will come much easier than you ever imagined…P 62
Going Beyond…P 64
Reverse Suicide Jump…P64
Small Space Drills—3 useful speed and power techniques…P 69
Cossacks—for great supple strength and balance…P 69
Wide-to-Close Pop-Ups…P 70
Wall Threads…P 71
"Explosive Calisthenics by Paul ‘Coach’ Wade is a masterfully constructed roadmap for the attainment of power, functional speed, and agility. The book is extreme in that only a small percentage of the population would be able or willing to fully take the challenge, but at the same time, brilliant in that the path proceeds methodically and progressively from relatively simple to extremely advanced, allowing a discretionary endpoint for each individual.
The book is also refreshingly raw. The exercises are all done using only bodyweight and little in the way of equipment. There are only five moves to master and yet each is a proverbial double-edge sword—at the same time dangerous yet potentially transformative.
Take this on and I doubt you will ever again be satisfied with the mundane bench press or the other exercise machines found in the typical gym."—Patrick Roth, M.D., author of The End of Back Pain: Access Your Hidden Core to Heal Your Body, Chairman of Neurosurgery at Hackensack University Medical Center and the director of its neurosurgical residency training program.
5: Power Pushups: Strength Becomes Power
To round out a basic power training regime, you need to pair jumps with a movement chain which performs a similar job for the upper-body and arms. The best drills for these are power push ups. Here is the 10-step blueprint for becoming an upper-body cyborg…
How to get arms like freaking jackhammers…P 73
How to skyrocket pour power levels, maximize your speed and add slabs of righteous beef to you torso and guns…P 73
How to develop upper-body survival-power—for more effective punching, blocking, throwing and pushing…P 73
How speed-power training trains the nervous system and joints to handle greater loads…P 73
The more power you have in your arms, chest and shoulders, the stronger they become. And the stronger they become, the harder you can work them and the bigger they get…P 73
Gives you an extra edge in strength AND size…P 73
Why the best way is the natural way…P 74
Deconstructing Power Pushups…P 74
Correct elbow positioning and where to place your hands (crucial)—to spring back with optimal power…P 74
Why cheating with the Earthworm will only rob you—if freakish strength gains are your goal…P 76
How to apply the Myotatic Rebound effect to maximal advantage in your power pushups…P 78
The Power Pushup Chain…P 79
Step One: Incline Pop-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 80
A perfect way to gently condition the shoulders, elbows and wrists for the harder work to come
Step Two: Kneeling Push-Off—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 82
How to turn your strength into power—and an exceptional way to build your punching force…P 82
Step Three: Pop-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 84
A nearly magical preliminary exercise to get better at clap pushups.
Step Four: Clap Pushup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 86
How the clap pushup builds exceptional levels of torso power and quick hands, whilst toughening the arms and shoulders—invaluable for boxers, martial artists and football players.
Step Five: Chest-Strike Pushup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 88
Step Six: Hip-Strike Pushup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 90
A killer bridging exercise between clapping in front of the body and clapping behind.
Step Seven: Convict Pushup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 92
Step Eight: Half-Super—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 94
Builds high levels of pure shoulder speed—excellent for all martial artists.
Step Nine: Full Body Pop-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 96
Master Step: The Superman—Performance, X-Ray…P 98
A wicked, wicked move that works the whole body—both anterior and posterior chains.
Get upper-body pushing muscles that are king-fu powerful and robust as a gorilla’s…P 98
If God had handed us a "perfect" explosive upper-body exercise, it might be this…P 98
Going Beyond…P 100
The Aztec Pushup…P 101
The Crossing Aztec Pushup… P 102
The One-Arm Clapping Pushup…P 103
Small Space Drills…P104
The Push Get-Up…P 104
Round-the-Clock Pushups…P 105
360 Jump…P 106
Fast feet and hands go together like biscuits and gravy—here’s how to make it happen.
"Coach Wade saved the best for last! Explosive Calisthenics is the book all diehard Convict Conditioning fans have been waiting for. There has never been anything like it until now!
With his trademark blend of old-school philosophy, hard-earned wisdom and in-your-face humor, Coach expands his infamous system of progressive bodyweight programming to break down the most coveted explosive moves, including the back flip, kip-up and muscle-up. If you want to know how far you can go training with just your own bodyweight, you owe it to yourself to get this book!"—Al Kavadlo, author, Stretching Your Boundaries
6: The Kip-Up: Kung Fu Body Speed
The mesmerizing Kip-Up is the most explosive way of getting up off your back—and is a surprisingly useful skill to possess. Learn how here…P 109
Deconstructing Kip-Ups…P 110
The Roll-Up, Hand Positioning, the Kick and the Rotation…P 112
Step One: Rolling Sit-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 114
A fantastic conditioning exercise, which strengthens the midsection, hips and back…P 114
Step Two: Rolling Squat—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 116
How to generate forward momentum.
Step Three: Shoulder Pop—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 118
Strengthens and conditions the wrists and shoulders for the task of explosively pushing the body up.
Step Four: Bridge Kip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 120
Learn how to generate enough lower body power to throw the head, shoulders and upper back off the floor.
Step Five: Butt Kip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 122
Step Six: Half Kip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 124
Step Seven: Kip-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 126
Impossible without an explosive waist, super-fast legs and the total-body ability of a panther—which you will OWN when you master step seven…
Step Eight: Straight Leg Kip-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 128
Step Nine: Wushu Kip-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 130
Master Step: No-Hands Kip-Up—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 132
If there is a more impressive—or explosive—way to power up off the floor, then humans haven’t invented it yet…
Master this advanced drill and your total-body speed and agility will start to bust off the charts…P 132
Going Beyond
Roll Kip, Head Kip and Ditang Breakfall…P 134—136
Small Space Drills…P 137
Bridge Push-Offs, Sitting Kips and prone Kips…P 137—139
"Once again, Paul ‘Coach’ Wade, inspires with a life-changing approach to fitness that relies only on the weight of one's body. In his comprehensive new book, Explosive Calisthenics, he presents how calisthenics can and should be taken to the next level. Starting as he always does, with history of the early practitioners of bodyweight training, Explosive Calisthenics explains the widely misunderstood difference between 'strength' and 'power' as perhaps the key theme. This crucial distinction is what defines truly functional exercise as a life-long endeavor that has been a fountain of youth since ancient times.
To that, Wade ties his dynamic calisthenics to popular disciplines including my own, martial arts—drawing on exercises specific to the combative arts, but applicable to any physical activity. Wade also includes basic jumps, rolls, and somersaults as key parts of the regimen. Correctly, Wade prefers not to define these as ‘gymnastics’ but as whole-body explosive power and speed training. While this may not be for everyone at first, I would encourage the calisthenics-advanced non-gymnast, to give these ‘explosive’ movements a try.
Of particular note to me as a long-time proponent of time-tested, more functional fitness training, I very much appreciated Wade's discussion of developing the senses as a fundamental part of Explosive Calisthenics. As a professional, more traditional martial artist and Chen Taijiquan practitioner, development of the senses through exercises that utilize whole-body movement and stringent eye-hand-foot coordination practices, Wade's presentation of total senses development as part of advanced calisthenics training is fantastic to see.
And lastly, Wade's emphasis on solo training, which he explains so well, is something not to be over-looked. The importance of solo training not only builds true functional fitness, but as Wade describes, provides an inner strength and focus that spoke directly to me as a traditional martial artist. In my teachings I've always maintained that relying on no one else or any apparatus other than your own body for core training is what truly separates the master from the student and from those who can't let go of psychological and physical baggage that holds them back, from those whom depend on nothing other their own strength. Wade's discussion of this ageless wisdom is magnificent to see and is to me the heart and soul of Explosive Calisthenics."—Stephan Berwick, author True Strength Yang
7: The Front Flip: Lightning Movement Skills
The Front Flip is THE explosive exercise par excellence—it is the "super-drill" for any athlete wanting more speed, agility and power.
Discover how to attain this iconic test of power and agility—requiring your entire body, from toes to neck, to be whip-like explosive…P 141
Deconstructing Front Flips…P 142
Run-Up, Take-Off, Unfurl, landing…P 142—143
The Front Flip Chain…P 144
Step One: Shoulder Roll—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 146
Step Two: Press Roll—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 148
Step Three: Jump Roll—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 150
Step Four: Handstand Roll—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 152
Step Five: Backdrop Handspring—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 154
Step Six: Front Handspring—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 156
A phenomenal explosive drill in its own right…
Step Seven: Flyspring—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 158
Step Eight: Back Drop Flip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 160
Step Nine: Running Front Flip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 162
Master Step: Front Flip—Performance, X-Ray…P 164
Going Beyond…P 166
The Round-Off and the Cartwheel…P 166—167
Small Space Drills…P 170
Kojaks, Thruster and Unilateral Jump…P 170—172
"Your body is the ultimate ‘training tool’. Paul Wade shows you how to transform your own body and turn it into a weapon! I've taken these methods and applied them to the training of my athletes as well as my own training and the bottom line is that they work. The workouts and exercises deliver. They are powerful and results driven.
If you are done wasting your time on fads and gimmicks and simply want a training program that works BIG time. This is it."—Zach Even-Esh, author The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning
8: The Back Flip: Ultimate Agility
The Back Flip is the most archetypal acrobatic feat—displaying integrated mastery of some of the most fundamental traits required for total explosive strength.
If you want to be a contender for the power crown, then you have to get to own the Back Flip—which defines true agility…
Discover how to develop a super-quick jump, a massive hip snap, a powerful, agile waist and spine—and an upper body that can generate higher levels of responsive force like lightning… Simply put, this is the single greatest test of explosive power, true speed and agility found in nature. Here is how to pass the test…
Deconstructing the Back Flip…P 176
General tips for the many skills needed to master the Back Flip…P 176
5 key exercises to strengthen you arms and shoulders…P 178
How to achieve a powerful Tuck…P 179
How to use the Depth Jump to further condition your joints…P 179
The Back Flip Chain…P 180
THIS is the most important consideration to have in place for finally achieving the Back Flip…P 180
Step One: Rear Shoulder Roll—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 182
Step Two: Rear Press Roll—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 184
Step Three: Bridge Kick Over—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 186
A great antidote to fear of the Back Handspring
Step Four: Side Macaco—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 188
Step Five: Back Macaco—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 190
Step Six: Monkey Flip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 192
Step Seven: Back Handspring—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 194
Step Eight: One-Arm Back Handspring—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 196
Step Nine: Four Point Back Flip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 198
Master Step: Back Flip—Performance, X-Ray…P 200
Going Beyond…P 202
Small Space Drills…P 205
One-Arm Wall Push-Aways (great exercise for powerful, bulletproof elbows)…P 205
Donkey Kick and Scissors Jump…P 206
"Explosive Calisthenics continues the epic saga of the Convict Conditioning opus, which has become a staple for any bodyweight training library. If you've applied all the incredible techniques taught in the first two books, you'll be able to maximize your training with even more impressive moves. Coach Wade offers up a blueprint for pushing your workouts to a whole new level. Lots of books say they are taking things to a whole new level—this one really does.
Where books one and two laid a strong foundation with exercises like muscle-ups and human flags, Explosive Calisthenics literally brings in the explosiveness by introducing flips and other power-based moves. With his usual step-by-step guides and clear instructions, Wade covers an extensive list of exercises with progressions and regressions that makes this book perfect for both beginners and advanced calisthenics enthusiasts. Holding true to the Dragon Door style, the pics are bold and easy to follow. I'm inspired to go do some flips right now!"—Mike Fitch, creator, Global Bodyweight Training
9: The Muscle-Up: Optimal Explosive Strength
If ever one popular strength exercise qualified as a "complete" feat, it would probably be the mighty Muscle-Up—one of the most jealously-admired skills in all of bodyweight training…
The Muscle-Up requires a very explosive pull, plus a push—so works almost the entire upper-body; the back and biceps pull, while the chest, triceps and shoulders push. Your grip needs to be insanely strong, your stomach crafted out of steel and you require a highly athletic posterior chain.
Discover the complete blueprint for achieving the planet’s hottest bodyweight move…
Learn how to achieve the elusive, total-body-sync, X factor the Muscle-Up requires—and build insane explosive power in a highly compressed time frame…
Deconstructing the Muscle-Up...P 211—214
The Muscle-Up Chain…P 217
Step One: Swing Kip—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 218
A fantastic conditioning exercise, which conditions the deep tissues of the shoulders, spine and hips as well the grip and forearm/elbow complex...
Step Two: Jumping Pullup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 220
A key progression so you can develop the necessary power for the Muscle-Up...
Step Three: Kipping Pullup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 222
The cornerstone of all power-training on the bar...
Step Four: Pullup Hop—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 224
Step Five: Clap Pullup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 226
Step Six: Chest Pullup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 228
Step Seven: Hip Pullup—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 230
Once you can achieve the Hip Pullup you will have mastered the pulling portion of the Muscle-Up…
Step Eight: Jumping Pullover—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 232
Builds the skill of correct technique for pulling your torso over the bar…
Step Nine: Bar Pullover—Performance, X-Ray, Regressions, Progressions…P 234
An incredible exercise for harnessing nuclear-level explosive strength—having this technique under your belt might even save your life…
Master Step: The Muscle-Up—Performance, X-Ray…P 236
An incredible exercise for harnessing nuclear-level explosive strength—having this technique under your belt might even save your life…
Bonus Progressions: Dips…P 238
If you can comfortably perform a horizontal bar dip, then your chances of completing a Muscle-Up have skyrocketed…
The Ten-Step Chain of Dip Progressions
Bent Dips, Straight Dips, Feet-Elevated Dips, Feet-Up Parallel Bar Dips, Self-Assisted Parallel Bar Dips, Self-Assisted Parallel Bar Dips 2, Parallel Bar Dips, Legs Forward Parallel Bar Dips, Perpendicular Dips, and Horizontal Bar Dips…P 238—241
Russian Dips and L-Hold Dips…P 242—243
Korean Dips…P 244
How to take your dipping to superhuman levels…
Double Dips: Explosive Variations…P 245
Dipping drill for speed-strength…P 245
Walking Dips…P 245
Hopping Dips…P 246
To step up the shock factor…
Clap Dips…P 247
Power Dips…P 248
This will add that much extra explosivity and agility into your Dip work…
Swing Dips…P 249
Take things even further and build total-body power and coordination…P 249
Going Beyond…P 250
Underhand Muscle-Ups…P 250
Throws new power demands on the body, particularly the grip and biceps…P 250
Archer Muscle-Up…P 251
The asymmetrical performance makes this version even more demanding—and therefore rewarding, for the power-fiends amongst us…
Full Kips…P 252
Small Space Drills…P 253
Sideways Pop-Up…P 253
Requires outrageous ab strength and is a fantastic movement to build a super-powerful core…
Pike Slaps…P 254
Jump Kick…P 255
A useful, fairly low-stress exercise for healthy hips…
"Explosive Calisthenics is aptly-named. This book is a power-boosting ‘smart-bomb’ that delivers a payload of immensely practical info. The content is not only interesting and unique, it practically screams at you to try it out. You will love the skills and their associated progressions. For multi-sport athletes, prospective parkour-enthusiasts, budding badasses and aspiring ninja warriors everywhere, here is your textbook!" —Mike Gillette, author, Rings of Power
PART III: PROGRAMMING: THEORY AND TACTICS
10: Making Progress: The PARC Principle
If you can work your way up to the ice-cold, bad-ass master Step for all Explosive Six—you will become the most explosively powerful athlete you know. No question…
So how DO you move safely and effectively upwards through these chains—and achieve bodyweight immortality? The answers, my friend are fully contained in these next sections…
Progression Standards for the Explosive Six…P 259
3 reasons why "rep-building" simply won’t cut it for fast-power techniques…P 261
How to know when to move up from one step to the next in the chain…P 264
PARC and the 4 key competence components in explosive training...P 264
How to best apply the PARC principles in your training…P 266
11: Power and Skill: Twin Training Methodologies
Twin Training Methodologies…P 269
Why two different methods and when to pick which…P 269
Power and Skill Methods…P 272
How to express your power in a more sophisticated manner through skill-based movement training…P 274
12: Power Building: The Rule of Three and the Rule of Six
What is raw power?...P 275
The 3 main qualities you need to have established in order to successfully perform Kip-Ups and Flips…P 275
How to build enduring power and joint integrity throughout your whole athletic life…P 276
How to build a bigger and more turbocharged "power vehicle"—fail to achieve this and you will be like a speedster running on empty…P 276
Injury bulletproofing…P 276
How should you program your basic power moves?...P 276
How to apply the simple engineering of 2 basic rules—so your power will take off like a ramjet…P 276
The Rule of Three…P 277
The Rule of Six…P 279
The time-tested formula for determining the optimal rep range for your sets.
THIS is the bread-and-butter rule-of-thumb followed by most successful explosive athletes and coaches…P 280
Definitions of Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced…P 282
How long should you rest between sets?…P 283
13: Skill Development: Time Surfing and Consolidation Training
Consolidated Training…P 285
How to choose the right exercise…P 285
Hebb’s Law—and what skill training primarily improves...P 286
Time Surfing…P 287
The 3 main benefits of time surfing…P 288
When to employ Consolidated Training…P 289
Why Consolidation Training is the most natural way to train…P 289
14: Sample Programs: Session Templates
Why you should focus on progressions, not templates…P 293
Some fundamental, applicable approaches to training plans that will fit different goals and objectives…P 294
Warm-Up Protocol…P 295
How much and how should you warm up?...P 295
4 keys to an effective warm-up protocol…P 295
Pure Power, Sacred Trinity, 4-Leaf Clover, 25’s, 2-Day Split and their variants…P 296—300
The Muscleman…P 301
How to integrate explosive work with strength and bodybuilding programs…P 301
Johnny Kung Fu and variants…P 302
"Paul Wade’s series Convict Conditioning continues with the newest addition, Explosive Calisthenics. I applaud the loss of the convict/prison shtick and we get to explore what Wade does best: he progresses a movement from the basic and simple to, in this case, it’s most complex (and awesome). The chapter on programming, the sets and reps of things, has a series of rules that you will instantly claim as your own.
I can’t believe we abandoned traditional calisthenics in our schools and training programs, but this book is the best argument I know for carrying signs in front of schools proclaiming ‘No More Dodgeball’ and ‘Calisthenics Progressions for All!’"—Dan John, author, Never Let Go
BONUS MATERIAL
Bonus Section 1: Advanced Speed Training: "Coach" Wade’s Top Ten Tricks and Hacks
The Top 10 Tips and Tactics for becoming faster than a speeding bullet… P 307
Super-Speed Tactic # 1: How to Hack the Speed Cycle…P 308
The 5 stages of the Speed Cycle…P 308
Super-Speed Tactic # 2: How to Exploit Gretsky’s Law…P 310
Super-Speed Tactic # 3: Train the Senses…P 311
Understanding how to train sensory mediation and sonic location…
Training the Kinesthetic…P 313
Training the Olfactory/Gustatory…P 313
Super-Speed Tactic # 4: Exploit Reflex Channelling…P 314
Understanding the Yerkes-Dodson Law and how to program your reflexes…
Understanding Hebb’s Rule as it applies to training-mastery…P 314
Super-Speed Tactic # 5: Utilize the Plyometric Edge…P 315
How to take proper advantage of "shock" training…
Super-Speed Tactic # 6: Lose Weight…P 317
Why calisthenics is the perfect discipline to accompany a weight management program…P 317
Super-Speed Tactic # 7: Optimize Joint Health…P 319
How to cultivate supple strength and stay injury-free…
Super-Speed Tactic # 8: Explore B-Ball Drills…P 321
Super-Speed Tactic # 9: How to Master the Speed Illusion…P 322
Super-Speed Tactic # 10: How to Think Yourself Faster…P 323
Bonus Section 2: Animal Agility Drills
10 major animal-type movements that can be your wild card/X-factor in your power and strength training…P 327
These animal agility drills increase strength and efficiency while reducing the chance of injury. The legs stay "springy" whatever your age and total-body coordination improves…
Bear Walk…P 328
Great for beginners and experts alike…
Panther Stalk…P 329
This wriggly beaut is AKA Spiderman Crawls
Dog Sprint…P 330
Locust Jumps…P 331
A wonderful total-body warmer
Crab Walk…P 332
A fantastic workout for the back muscles and the triceps…P 332
Duck Walk…P 334
Builds tension-flexibility in the hips, thighs, knees and ankles—very, very valuable to radically improve mobility and enhance joint health…P 334
Kangaroo Hop…P 335
Chimp Swing…P 336
Bat Flips…P 337
Wonderful explosive grip exercise that also works the forearms, elbows, shoulders and abs…
Monkey Turns…P 338
The Explosive 6 Complete Progression Charts…P 342—344
Explosive Six: Complete Progression Charts
"I have found in my work with world-class athletes that they have a common skill; the ability to generate explosive power. Paul Wade's new book shows you not only how to generate explosive power, but how to direct and control it as well. If you have ever wanted to join the rank of superhuman, this book gives you the road map of how to get there. The progressions allow anyone to master the skills of the athletic elite. Plus you'll also learn Speed Hacks that will give you lightning quick reflexes and Animal Drills for agility. Get this book and become amazing!"—Jon Bruney, author, Neuro-Mass
