YHC is scheduled to Q House of Pain this week. Since Churham is under self quarantine, and F3 is postponed indefinitely, I owe the PAX a virtual Q. When researching potential workouts, I came across several articles on prison workouts which piqued my interest. If there is a workout that can be done solitary in a jail cell, it can easily be done in a living room, garage or backyard. I don’t know many ex-cons, but prisoners seem to be jacked, or maybe I just watch too many movies. This workout consists of only three exercises. Simple, yet supremely challenging. As always, modify as needed.
The Thang
3 exercises. That’s it. I wouldn’t Q this workout live, but it works as a virtual Q. PAX can modify and take extra time between sets as needed. The three workouts are
1. The Juarez Valley Push-up Merkin Challenge
2. Mike Tyson Squats
3. Ryan Ferguson Abs
The Juarez Valley Merkin Challenge
The Jaurez Valley Merkin (technically called Push-up) Challenge. This is a 20-set workout (modified to 10 here), featured in the book “Jailhouse Strong.”
Do the following sets and reps
1st set x20 Merkins
2nd set x1 Merkin
3rd set x19
4th set x2
5th set x18
6th set x3
7th set x17
8th set x4
9th set x16
10th set x5
Modify as needed. If you can only do 10 reps for set 1, then do 10 and move on to the next set. If you need time between the reps, take the time. If you need to go to your knees, go to your knees.
If have something left after 10 sets, this is the rest of the workout
11th set x15
12th set x6
13th set x14
14th set x7
15th set x13
16th set x8
17th set x12
18th set x9
19th set x11
20th set x10
Mike Tyson Squats
Mike Tyson devised a squat routine while he was incarcerated. It goes like this:
- Lay 10 playing cards down on the ground, with 4-6 inches between each card (left-to-right, or forward-to-back).
- Squat down and pick up the first card. Advance to the next card.
- Squat down and place the first card on the second card.
- Squat down again and pick up the top card. Then squat down a second time to pick up the second card. Advance to the next card.
- Squat down and place one card down. Squat again and place the next card down.
- Now repeat, squatting once per card before advancing on. And squatting once per card to set them down.
One card at a time! Total squats will be 100. Use proper form. Rest and modify as needed. Check out this video on how to do the exercise before starting. It’s harder than it sounds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-Ceeglt_R0
Ryan Ferguson
Ryan Ferguson was incarcerated in a Missouri jail for 10 years for a crime that he didn’t commit. He was exonerated in 2013. Quite the interesting story
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_W._Ferguson
While in prison, Ferguson devoted himself to fitness, mainly for his own survival. He focused on one exercise day with the goal of working yourself up to 500 reps within 60 minutes. We will modify for the final exercise.
– 200 total reps, your choice of ab exercises: WWII, Ski Abs, Flutter kicks or LBC. Break it out into however many sets that you want.
If you get done early, feel free to do the 500 reps!