Pyramid Workout Method

Pyramid Workout Method

What the hell is a pyramid you might be asking? Well, to be brief, it's a great way to build raw strength fast and progress to harder variations of exercises, such as going from chin ups to one arm chin ups. (and if you check out some of the military fitness sites, it's used by SF to increase scores on pushups and sit ups on PT tests.What more could you want?!)

Basically what you do is pick three exercises(preferably compound like pushups or squats), and work them in a tri-set with an ascending then descending rep count. For example:
1 pull up, followed by 2 push ups, followed by 3 hanging leg raises.
Next set, 2 pull ups, 3 push ups, 4 hanging leg raises.
Next set, 3 pull ups, 4 push ups, 5 hanging leg raises
As soon as you reach failure on any one exercise, perhaps at 4 pull ups, 5 push ups, 6 hanging leg raises, then you work back DOWN the pyramid.
3 pull ups, 4 push ups, 5 hanging leg raises.
then 2,3,4.
then 1, 2,3.
Get the idea?

You can use this method with ANY three exercises of your choosing, such as chest flys, rows, and squats. This morning and currently to up my one arm push ups and chin ups I'm doing it with, one arm push ups, one arm chin ups, and hanging leg raises. But you can use ANY three exercises. Get creative! The key though, is to place the hardest exercise first, that you can do the fewest reps on, and the easiest last.
So for example, I can do WAY more hanging leg raises than one arm chins, and more of both than one arm push ups. So push ups go first. Followed by chins. Followed by leg raises. Work up. Work down. Done.
1 one push up. 2 one arm chins. 3 hanging leg raises.
2,3,4.
3,4,5
4,5,6
5,6,7
4,5,6
3,4,5
2,3,4
1,2,3
You get the idea. These workouts are fairly quick, usually only clocking in at 10-15 min, but are very intense and a FANTASTIC EFFICIENT way to increase raw strength and power FAST. Being that you can use any exercises and work at your own pace and rep count, ANYONE can do this, and if it's good enough for green berets, it's good enough for ANYONE. Try it! I love it!
-Tom