Felon Fitness (Part 4)

INMATE PROFILES & ROUTINES

72

As programs from inmates began to appear in Bill’s mailbox, we realized we needed to learn more about the inmates who had sent them. Their statistics (height, weight and age) important for the sake of exercise, but we learned that the inmates are incredibly resourceful when it comes to finding ways to exercise since weights are gone from California state prisons. Just as the inmates use items from their cells to exercise, you can do the same thing with items from your apartment, home, dorm room, etc. If you don’t have dumbbells to work your shoulders, won’t cans of soup work especially given the high volume of repetitions you’ll perform with these workouts? A lot of the inmates use books and/or paperwork as dead weight for their routines. Why not use books in your house/apartment/condo for exercise? The inmates who do not use books often make dumbbells out of piles of magazines. The “prison dumbbell” is a realistic option if you don’t want to spend money on expensive weights. We’ve assembled our own prison dumbbell and documented its’ construction in the appendix at the end of the book.

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Trainer Tips These workouts are not easy. The inmates have to perform a high volume (i.e. a ton of repetitions) of exercise since they don’t have access to weights. Regardless they are very well-conditioned. It is likely you won’t be able to perform as many repetitions as they do. The simple trick will be for you to start with fewer reps and build your way up. For example, inmate T-35745 does push-ups three times a week using the following: 5 sets of 50 regular push-ups 5 sets of 30 regular push-ups 5 sets of 25 regular push-ups 5 sets of 20 diamond push-ups 5 sets of 15 diamond push-ups 5 sets of 25 decline push-ups 5 sets of 20 decline push-ups 5 sets of 15 decline push-ups You can start by performing fewer sets and fewer repetitions (10% of his routine). Your push-up program might look like this: 5 sets of 6 regular push-ups 5 sets of 5 regular push-ups 5 sets of 4 diamond push-ups 5 sets of 5 decline push-ups That adds up to 100 push-ups. That may seem like a lot, but mixed-in with calfraises and squats as done by T-35745, you’ll be surprised by how much you can do right off the bat. Increase your volume each week as you see fit. Any exercises marked with letters (1a., 1b., 1c., etc.) are Supersets and/or Circuits. That means exercises are done is succession without. Rest is enjoyed between SETS. For example: Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Push-Ups

10

20

1b. Squats

10

20

In this example you would perform 20 push-ups then immediately perform 20 squats. Rest would be taken after the squats, before your next superset starts with push-ups.

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Inmate T-35745 With his workout program T-35745 wrote a bit about why he is in prison and what he does to pass the time: “I was arrested just 27 days after my 18th birthday for a string of armed robberies, most of which were committed as a juvenile, to which nobody was physically hurt, thankfully! I credit working out religiously in abling [sic] me to stay focused in not going crazy in this environment. Keeping busy in prison is key in staying out of trouble as well as harms way. Between exercising for 2 hours a day, my job assignment as a teachers’ aid and my college correspondence studies, it is difficult to find the time for trouble.” “For my early morning routine, I don’t take rest between exercises all of the way through” Monday, Wednesday, Friday 4:30am – 5:30am (in cell) 1,000 Push-ups, 1,000 Calf-raises and 400 Squats 1.

50 regular push-ups
50 calf-raises (five sets)

2.

30 regular push-ups
50 calf-raises (five sets)

3.

25 regular push-ups
50 calf-raises (five sets)

4.

20 diamond push-ups
50 calf-raises (five sets)

5.

15 diamond push-ups
20 squats (five sets)

6.

25 decline push-ups
20 squats (five sets)

7.

20 decline push-ups
20 squats (five sets)

8.

15 decline push-ups
20 squats (five sets)

2:00pm – 3:00pm (in recreation yard) Dips, decline push-ups and back-arm presses 1.

10 shoulder-width dips
15-20 decline push-ups (ten sets)

2.

Chest-width diamond dips
20-25 back-arm presses (five sets)



If you noticed, the routines we received from inmate #T-35745 take him one hour to complete

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Inmate T-35745 (cont’d) Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 4:30am – 5:30am (in cell) Curls (shoulder-width) with 40-45lb. water bag 1.

5 sets of 25
20 Cherry pickers

2.

5 sets of 20
20 Cherry pickers

3.

5 sets of 15
20 Cherry pickers

Curls (chest-width) with 40-45lb. water bag 4.

5 sets of 20
20 Cherry pickers

5.

5 sets of 15
20 Cherry pickers

6.

5 sets of 10
20 Cherry pickers

Upright rows with 40-45lb. water bag 7.

5 sets of 15
20 Chain breakers

8.

5 sets of 10
20 Chain breakers

9.

5 sets of 5
20 Chain breakers

Shrugs with 40-45lb. water bag 10. 5 sets of 40 on each side
Arm rotations (20 forward and 20 backward) 11. 5 sets of 30 on each side
Arm rotations (20 forward and 20 backward)



Remember to work your way up in terms of intensity (weight) and volume (number of repetitions). If you can do all the repetitions with 20lbs., you should then think about increasing the weight to 25lbs. When you find a weight you think matches your limit, you can then start adding volume to your routine. Increase intensity and volume in increments of five (5).

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Inmate T-35745 (cont’d) Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 2:00pm – 3:00pm (in recreational yard) Pull-ups 5 sets of 8-10 (as wide as possible) to chin 5 sets of 8-10 (shoulder width) to chin 5 sets of 5-8 (behind neck) 1 mile jog at regular pace Sunday 2:00pm – 3:00pm (in recreational yard) 1 mile jog (fast-paced) 100 Burpies (6-count) 1/4 mile Walking Lunges



This inmate makes a common mistake among gym-going males; He doesn’t work his legs enough. How many men do you see in gyms with well-developed upper-bodies and skinny legs? A lot, right? Too often men forget that increased muscle mass in the legs will boost testosterone levels, thus making it possible to maintain and further develop the upper body. Luckily there are several workouts from inmates in this book that do a much better job at training the lower-half of the body.

77

Inmate K-14865 K-14865 was our go-to guy when it came to correspondence. He did a great job of coordinating our efforts within the prison walls to get the exercise programs of other inmates. He is a 31 year-old who tells us he’s been in prison for over 13 years. He has been working out for 11 ½ of those years and holds a very fit 185 pounds on his 5’9” frame. He weighed 215 before he started working out, writing to us that he was “Fat & out of shape. No wind, lil muscle mass, & overall just unhealthy.” He credits his routine for saving him during a prison attack: “I do workout to strengthen myself so if need be I can defend myself to the best of my capability. I have been attacked before, and because I am in shape & by the grace of God, I was able to fight off two inmates wielding homemade knives, with minor injuries.” K-14865 tells us he also works out to feel better about himself: “It improves my self esteem and helps me sleep sound throughout the night. I feel as if I have to work out; it is a very important part of my daily routine.” Day 1 – Endurance & Strength Circuits Jogging/stretching 5-7 minutes Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Pull-ups (grip varied)

10

15

1b. Dips (grip varied)

10

20

1c. Push-ups (grip varied)

10

20

1d. Run ¼ Mile at 75% of max

10

1

* Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets “This is a monster workout and gives you power and stamina” 

K-14865 starts his routine with back and chest. Remember that pull-ups work your back along with biceps and forearms. Push-ups work chest and triceps. Dips work triceps, some chest and shoulder



The running burns extra fat and calories

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Inmate K-14865 (cont’d) Day 2 – Legs & Core Jogging/stretching 5-7 minutes Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Calf-raises

3

100

1b. Squats

3

30

1c. Lunges

3

30

2a. Calf-raises

5

100

2b. Jump-squats

5

20

2c. Jump-lunges

5

20

3a. Pistol-squats (each leg)

3

10

3b. Step-ups

3

50

4a. 20 Hanging Leg-raises

10

20

4b. 50 Sit-ups or crunches

10

50

Rest 45 seconds between sets

Rest 1 minute between sets

Rest 45 seconds between sets

Rest 45 seconds between sets 

Unilateral (one-sided) exercises such as lunges and pistol-squats will help address any strength imbalances in your legs



When performing jumping exercises you can take extra rest between sets

Day 3 – Rest “Rest” does not mean this inmate lays around all day. K-14865 is very athletic and plays sports on days he isn’t actively training. He told us – “I play every sport around here. Basketball, handball, softball, soccer, and I run. My workouts definitely help me perform at a higher level. In basketball & soccer (contact sports) my physical shape overpowers those who don’t work out.”

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Inmate K-14865 (cont’d) Day 4 – Strength Training Jogging/stretching 5-7 minutes Pull-Ups

Sets

Reps

Full motion w/pause at top (overhand)

4

20

Close-grip (overhand grip)

4

20

Behind neck (overhand grip)

4

20

Close-grip (underhand grip)

4

20

Wide grip (underhand grip)

4

20

Rest 2-3 minutes between sets 

Day 4 focuses on the back with a simple pull-up routine. Remember you’ll use a lot of forearms and biceps when you grip the bar with hands facing in



If you can’t do sets of 20, max out every set



Cool down with stretching once you’ve completed the routine

Day 5 – Strength Training Jogging/stretching 5-7 minutes Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Dips

20

To failure

1b. Push-ups (grips varied w/ pause, don’t fully extend to keep muscles tense)

20

To failure

2.

Back-arm presses

20

To failure



Day 5 routine is another Chest/Tricep workout with a heavier focus on triceps (the back of the arm)



You will have given your chest plenty of rest if you follow this inmates’ routine. Days 2-4 don’t work the chest, making day 5 the perfect time to go back to push-ups and back-arm presses

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Inmate K-14865 (cont’d) Day 6 – Strength & Endurance 20 sets of push-ups/dips/pull-ups to failure (varied grips) Run sprints for 20 minutes (all-out max for 45 seconds, rest 60, repeat) 

Remember that endurance workouts are the name of the game when it comes to survival in California State Prison. The high volume of repetitions with make you lean and mean.



Sprinting is an excellent way to boost natural levels of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which in turn speeds recovery and helps build lean muscle

Day 6 option – Endurance & Cardio 1.

25 Plyometric push-ups

2.

25 Jump squats

3.

25 Jumping jacks

Complete twenty (20) times with little or no rest Finish with 15 minutes of intense jump-rope 

This Day 6 option is a great total-body routine using body-weight for resistance and incorporating functional exercises in the form of push-ups and squats



Establish a steady pace and you’ll find that this routine is a great aerobic workout that isn’t tedious like running on a treadmill

Day 6 option – Strength Push-ups with 5 different variations: Regular push-ups, wide push-ups, diamond push-ups, decline push-ups and staggered-hand push-ups (one hand in front of the other and vice-versa) done back-to-back to failure with 90 seconds – 2 minutes of rest between sets 10 sets, 20 reps of Back-arm presses 10 sets to failure of shoulder pikes Alternate between exercises taking 1–1 ½ minutes of rest between sets

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Inmate K-14865 (cont’d) Day 6 –Cardio & Endurance Full-Body Workout 100

Jumping Jacks

25

Push-ups

50

Squats

25

6-count Burpies

50

Knees-to-chest

25

Push-ups

50

Lunges

25

8-count Burpies

50

Shoulder rotations (arms fully extended)

25

Push-ups

50

Calf-raises

25

10-count Burpies

Repeat 3X resting no more than 45 seconds between exercises 

Remember that a steady pace will help you get through this routine – It’s a marathon, not a sprint



Lunges are done on both legs. Make sure you do the same number of repetitions on both sides!

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Inmate K-16233 For those of you reading this book who are not in their mid-20s, you’ll be happy to learn that this particular inmate is older than many of the other people who have written us. K-16233 tells us he’s in his mid-forties and he has “learned that the explosive strength exercise puts strain on [his] kness as well as joints.” K-16233 really watches what he eats: I don’t eat butter, mayonnaise, white bread, cakes, frosted corn flakes, pancakes or french toast. I watch my diet and instead of eating 3 meals a day I eat 5 small meals throughout the day. My lunch snacks (like gummy bears, graham crackers, peanut butter crackers or any junk food) are traded for the lunch’s fruit. This diet is imperative to the success to my health, my strength in exercise and size. With these elements my routine will succeed in my physical training. You can see from what he wrote that his diet is not impossibly strict and detailed. He simply makes sure he stays away from processed carbohydrates (sugar-laden food that does nothing but add extra calories), junk food, fatty food and other edibles that don’t have any nutritional value. When asked why he works out, K-16233 wrote us the following: Mostly I work out to reduce my stress level. I also workout to stay healthy. I have back problems. So I work out to keep my back strong and to keep all my muscles and joints healthy and strong. Plus being healthy also does protect the body from disease. There’s a lot in here. I’ve been lucky. When it comes to injuries and the benefits of exercise he tells us: I have two interanular tears L5 and S1. They don’t limit my exercise routines but after I work out my body starts aching. I rest up on the weekends and start all over again on Monday. With all my pain I don’t take no pain medication, not even aspirin. At 43 years of age I’m getting stronger and stronger and I feel as I work out doing different routines it is shocking my physique making me stronger and healthy as I get older. One of the greatest benefits from working out is the stress release. I have peaceful days and I don’t feel so much anxiety after my workouts. That’s the best benefit I get out of all my workouts – peace of mind.

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Inmate K-16233 (cont’d) Week One and Week Three Overview Monday: Push weight exercises Tuesday: Calisthenics, martial art and shadow boxing exercise with stretches Wednesday: Pull weight exercises Thursday: Calisthenics, shadow boxing, martial art defense and stretch exercise Friday: Push weight exercise Week Two and Week Four Overview Monday: Pull weight exercises Tuesday: Calisthenics, martial art shadow boxing exercise with stretches Wednesday: Push weight exercise Thursday: Calisthenics, martial art shadow boxing exercise with stretches Friday: Pull weight exercise



You’ll notice in the Week 1 and Week 3 overview that K-16233 performs his “push weight” exercises twice and the “pull weight” exercises once. He then reverses the routine and does “pull weight” exercises twice (in Week 2 and Week 4) and the “push weight” exercises once. That reversal is a smart way to make sure muscle groups receive equal amounts of rest and exercise during a given program.



Because of his age (as of May 2009 K-16233 is 43 years-old) he rests on Saturdays and Sundays. He may be active with sports on the weekend, but he refrains from any strenuous activity to let his body recover properly.

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Inmate K-16233 (cont’d) “Push-Weight” exercise routine Exercise

Sets

Lateral raise with a book

3

Reps 15

“I strongly recommend you start with a small book and work yourself up to a tenth edition Webster” Curl & Press 10 As many as possible in a 30 sec.

To failure

Kneeling Paperwork Press 3 sets with 25lb stack

20

3 sets with 35lb stack

15

4 sets with 25lb stack

To failure

Push-ups

10

20

*Squats

10

25

Go at an “easy pace” with no rest between sets * Superset squats with push-ups

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Inmate K-16233 (cont’d) “Pull-weight” exercise routine Bicep Curls (with 45-pound prison dumbbell) Exercise

Sets

Reps

Curls

3

20

Single-arm curls

4

6-8

Curls

3

To failure

(30-second rest between every set) Lawnmowers (widely known as a Dumbbell Row) Weight

Sets

Reps

35 pounds

3

20-30

45 pounds

3

10-20

25 pounds

4

To failure



K-16233 makes no mention of doing pull-ups during his “pull-weight” days. His age and previous injuries (he mentioned an old shoulder injury) likely prevent him from doing pull-ups.

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Inmate K-16233 (cont’d) Calisthenics routine (3 cycles as fast as possible) 25

Push-ups

50

Jumping jacks

50

Squats

20

Atomic Sit-ups

75

Mountain climbers

25

Push-ups

50

Jumping jacks

50

Knees to Elbows

15

Atomic Sit-ups

20

Push-ups

50

Squats

K-16233 wrote to us admitting that due to his age he no longer does what he considers “explosive” exercises so he does not attempt any kind of burpies for aerobic exercise.

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Inmate #V-43776 We’ve learned a lot about the young men who gave us their workout routines. Even those who didn’t write a lot about themselves left plenty of clues . . . V-43776 is 25 years-old and has been in prison since he was 18. He weighed 110 lbs. upon entering prison and currently weighs 150 lbs. V-43776 made an important point when he gave us his workouts. He reminded us that on some days inmates are not allowed out of their cells. Prison administration would tell us that these lock-downs are for the safety of inmates as well as prison guards. On such days inmates alter their workouts. When prohibited from leaving their cell, inmates have no access to pull-up bars, dip bars, a track for running or the rest of the prison yard to play sports. Such cell workouts translate easily to programs that can be performed outside of prison. Do you travel for business? Have you ever been stuck in a hotel room because you have no access to transportation, you’re in an unfamiliar city and the only solace you find is in basic cable? This situation is the perfect opportunity to complete one of the workouts provided to us by V-43776. The only items you’ll need will be the hotel bed (to put your feet up for incline push-ups), your suitcase (for curls and upright rows) and enough floor space to shoot your legs out into a push-up position (for burpies). ALL hotel rooms have enough room and furniture to finish a CELL workout. These workouts don’t take long.

88

Inmate # V-43776 (cont’d) Monday, Wednesday, Friday (Cell workout) Stretches (10-15 minutes) Cross-arm shoulder stretch Overhead tricep stretch Toe-touch Standing Quad stretch Jumping-Jacks (50) Exercise

Sets

Reps

1. Ten-Count Burpies

1

50

2a. Regular Push-Ups

6

25

2b. Squats

6

20

3a. Wide Push-Ups

6

25

3b. Calf-raises

6

25

4a. Incline Push-Ups

6

25

4b. Squats

6

20

5a. Diamond Push-Ups

6

25

5b. Calf-Raises

6

30

6. Oblique Crunches

7

15

7. Reverse Crunches

7

15

8. Modified V-Ups

7

15

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Inmate # V-43776 (cont’d) Tuesday, Thursday (Cell workout) Stretches (10-15 minutes) Cross-arm shoulder stretch Overhead tricep stretch Toe-touch Standing Quad stretch Jumping-Jacks (50) Exercise

Sets

Reps

1

100

2a. Single-arm Book Curls

10

15

2b. Upright Rows

10

15

2c. Back Arms

10

20

7

15

7

15

7

15

1. Ten-count Burpies

(25-second rest between sets) 3. Oblique raised-leg Crunches (15-second rest between sets) 4. Reverse Crunches (15-second rest between sets) 5. Modified V-Ups (15 second rest between sets)

90

Inmate # V-43776 (cont’d) Monday, Wednesday, Friday (Yard workout) Stretches (10-15 minutes) Cross-arm shoulder stretch Overhead tricep stretch Toe-touch Standing Quad stretch Jumping-Jacks (50) Exercise

Sets

Reps

1. * Wide-grip Pull-ups

5

10

2. * Close-grip Pull-ups

5

10

3a. Dips

10

10

3b. Regular Push-Ups

10

25

3c. Back Arms

10

20

4. Regular Push-Ups

5

25

5. Wide Push-Ups

5

25

6a. Hanging Oblique Knee Raise

8

5

6b. Hanging Knee Raise

8

10

6c. Straight-arm Oblique Knee Raise

8

10

Rest 30 seconds between each set  The inmate does wide-grip pull-ups with his hands twice as wide as his shoulders. He holds his body at the top of the pull-up for seven seconds before lowering himself down slowly. V-43776 has his hands touching (all the way together) for close-grip pull-ups.

91

Inmate # V-43776 (cont’d) Tuesday, Thursday (Yard workout) Stretches (10-15 minutes) Cross-arm shoulder stretch Overhead tricep stretch Toe-touch Standing Quad stretch Jumping-Jacks (50) 1 Mile Run Exercise

Sets

Reps

1. Behind the Back Pull-Ups

5

10

2. Close-grip Pull-Ups

5

10

3a. Behind the back Pull-Ups

5

10

3b. Incline Push-Ups

5

25

4a. Diamond Push-Ups

5

25

4b. Back–Arm Presses

5

20

5a. Hanging Alternating Oblique Knee Raises

8

5

5b. Hanging Knee Raises

8

10

5c. Straight-arm (on dip bar) Alt. Oblique Knee Raises

8

10

* 30 seconds of rest between each set and/or superset

92

Inmate V-70887 Mondays and Thursdays – Arm Routine Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Concentration Curls

4

10

1b. Back-Arm presses

4

30

2a. Standing Dumbbell Curl*

4

6-8

2b. Back-Arm presses (as slow as possible)

4

15

3a. Hammer Curls*

4

6-8

3b. Back-Arm presses

4

Failure

4a. Reverse Curls

4

20

4b. Hand ball squeezes (each hand)

4

10

5a. Upright Row

4

15-20

5b. Lateral Arm Raises (no weight)

4

30-50

6a. Front Raise (palms down)

4

4-6

6b. Arm Rotations (each direction)

4

75

* 3 second raise and 4 second release

* 2 second raise and 3 second release

Rest 1 minute between supersets

“You should have a good pump on shoulders, delts, biceps and triceps. Routine should take no longer than 40 minutes because you didn’t take no breaks! To increase weight loss, do 15 minutes of cardio. Do 50 jumping jacks, 50 mountain climber (each leg), 25 palm-kicks (each side). Do 4 to 6 sets how ever many you can in 15 minutes non stop.”

93

Inmate V-70887 (cont’d) Tuesdays and Fridays – Chest Exercise

Sets

Reps

5

6-8

2. Celly/Partner Mattress Bench Press

4-5

8-10

3a. Dumbbell Single-arm Flies

4–5

8

3b. Push-Ups

4-5

25

4a. Push-Ups

4

25

4b. Jumping Jacks

4

50

5a. Push-Ups

4

10

5b. Mountain Climbers

4

10

6. Push-Ups with alternating legs kicks

4

15-20

1. Celly/Partner push-ups

“This six step chest routine should take 40 to 45 minutes. Do a 15 minute cardio 50 Jumping Jacks, 1 Squat then stick out left arm straight out. Left palm facing down. Bring right foot to kick left palm. 1 Squat reverse right arm, kick left foot. 25 each kick, total 50 squats, 40 wind mills. Do 4 to 6 sets. 15 minutes non stop.”

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Inmate V-70887 (cont’d) Wednesday – Endurance & Power 1.

Hand-stand Push-Ups (10 reps)

2.

10 Push-ups into 10 Mountain Climbers (repeat five (5) times)

3.

Knee-tucks (40 reps)

4.

Progressive/Pyramid Burpies – Do one burpie with a push-up at the bottom. Complete two squats before starting the next burpie. On the next burpie you will do two (2) push-ups. Complete three (3) squats before starting the next burpies. The next burpie will include three (3) push-ups. This progression continues until you perform 20 squats and 20 push-ups with the last burpie.

“Do the 4 exercises. 6 sets in the following above order. This routine should last 25 to 35 minutes. Then do 15 minutes cardio. 50 Jumping Jacks, 40 mountain climbers each leg, 50 Squat Palm-kicks. 4 to 6 sets for 15 minutes.”

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Inmate #T-79116 Before going to prison this 30 year-old weighed 198 pounds. That’s pretty heavy for a man who’s 5’8”. He’s now a very respectable 151 pounds. He wrote explaining that his workouts help in multiple ways: “It does help pass the time and also I like to be in good shape so I can protect myself if need be, but I try to avoid that by having the utmost respect for everyone. I also like to work out to help keep my mind strong and keep me from going insane because I’ve got so much more time to do left (27 years) My workouts benefit me by keeping the weight off. I gain bad weight easy (fat) and lose it very slow, so I do a ton of cardio to be lean & ripped. My cardio workout consists of burpies, running, jump-roping, and playing sports mostly basketball.” This inmate also uses a tape measure to see where he loses and/or gains size on his body. Measuring is a great way to track progress. T-79116 also expressed an important point: “if my body is sore I do listen to it and take a few days off so that I don’t hurt myself” How many people do you know who injured themselves because they tried to “work though” pain and ignored the warning signs their body gave them? Have you ever known someone who was happy to have injured themselves rather than taking it easy? Injuries take months to heal. Preventative rest/recovery takes a few days. Tuesday – Arms Exercise Bicep Curls (10 wide-grip, 10 shoulder-width, 10 close-grip) Back-arm Presses



Sets

Reps

5

30

5-8

50

This Tuesday workout is done with supersets – Each set of curls is followed immediately by a set of back-arm presses. Rest one minute between supersets

96

Inmate #T-79116 (cont’d) Wednesday Exercise

Sets

Reps

1

500

10

10-12

6-count Burpies Pull-ups/Chin-ups

In between each set of pull-ups power-walk one quarter mile Thursday Exercise

Sets

Reps

Side Busters (each side)

3

100

Crunches

3

100

Lower back extensions

3

100

Push-ups

10

50

Dips

10

15

* Above performed any time before 12 noon 5-mile run

In between each set of the two exercises, power-walk one quarter-mile lap Friday Exercise

Sets

Reps

Side Busters (each side)

3

100

Crunches

3

100

Lower back extensions

3

100

1

500

Above performed any time before 12 noon 4-mile run 6-count Burpies



Remember this inmate admits to doing “a ton of cardio” because he puts easily puts on weight. Each day he power-walks 10 laps, that adds up to 2.5 additional miles of aerobic exercise.

97

Inmate #T-79116 (cont’d) Saturday – Abs & Cardio Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Side busters (right side)

3

100

1b. Crunches

3

100

1c. Side busters (left side)

3

100

* In between each set of abs, do 100 lower back extensions Above performed right after breakfast 3 Mile Run 500 6-count Burpies Sunday – Abs & Legs Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Side busters (right side)

3

100

1b. Crunches

3

100

1c. Side busters (left side)

3

100

* In between each set of abs, do 100 lower back extensions Above performed right after breakfast Exercise

Sets

Reps

10

100

Squats

* In between each set power walk one quarter-mile lap Note: The last 15 reps of each set is jump-squat

“Working out is about feeling it. Some days will be better than others. You won’t complete all workouts all the time, so don’t get depressed if you don’t finish. Just remember, you have to build up to everything. This is a full body workout enjoy and listen to your body.”

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Inmate #T-44462 This 27 year-old has been in prison since March of 2001. His workouts take him only 45-60 minutes each. More importantly he mentioned the benefit of exercise that everybody can appreciate: It makes me feel good about myself…gives me self confidence. It’s also a big stress reliever. When I feel a little stressed or depressed I work out. The physical benefit of exercise is well-documented, but we often forget the psychological benefits. T-44462 reminds us that self-confidence important, both in and out of prison. His confidence may prevent other inmates from trying to take advantage of him. Working out also relieves his stress. He kills two birds with one stone when he exercises; his self-confidence goes up and his stress levels go down. Who doesn’t want that in their life? This inmate may work out only three times a week as he mentions below, but remember he stays active. The fact that he enjoys playing sports while in prison makes staying healthy and fit that much easier. If you find an activity you enjoy doing as well, you’ll be fit and healthy without even trying. “I’ve tried to do the Monday-Friday routine but I found it made me always tired, weak and bored. The every other day routine I saw the most results in and I felt more energy. The thing that keeps me in shape the most is I think sports. You got to be really active and full of energy and you’ll notice once you’re done your whole body will be tired.”

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Inmate #T-44462 (cont’d) Monday and Friday Warm-up: 50 jumping-jacks Exercise

Sets

Reps

Back-arm Presses

10

10

Curls

10

10

* 30 push-ups between every set of Curls and Back-arms * Rest 20 seconds between every set of the three exercises 1 Mile Jog Exercise

Sets

Reps

Behind neck pull-up

10

8

Bar Dips

10

25

* 20 second rest after each set of dips Exercise

Sets

Reps

Pull-ups (underhand grip)

10

8

Bench dips

10

25

* 10 second rest after each set of dips 1 ½ Mile Jog Cardio – Handball and Basketball

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Inmate #T-44462 (cont’d) Wednesday Warm-up: 50 jumping-jacks Exercise

Sets

Reps

5

25

Jump Squats

10

15-20

Lunges

10

25

Squats (with weight)

* 20 seconds of rest between each set of all three exercises

1 minute rest before beginning Push-up and ab routine below

Exercise

Sets

Reps

Hand-stand Push-Up

5

5

Diamond push-up

5

30

Sit-ups

10

25

Crunches

10

50

Leg lifts

10

10

* 30 seconds of rest between each set of the five exercises Before prison this young man tells us he was “Skinny, no definition, no energy, no wind, was only able to do 20 push-ups; Now I do up to 50 & 60.” He has actually added 13 pounds of muscle since he started these workouts. He also revealed he knows how to work around injury: I have a back injury. It started off as a spinal cord injury from a car accident that now over the years of sleeping on steel beds and no pillow has progressed into a herniated disc which I treat with medication prescribed for nerve damage. I also take other over the counter medications (motrin, muscle relaxer, etc., etc.). The medication is what helps me work around the injuries and pain.

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Inmate #J-30121 This six-footer tells us he likes to work out for self-defense and that minor injuries don’t bother him because he knows how to stay off any body part that is giving him pain. He admits his endurance has greatly improved with the workouts he currently does in prison. “Due to my exhaustive exercises, I feel like a linebacker! I feel powerful! I’m 215 pounds and 36 years old, so I’m surprised that my health, flexibility and energy is as good as it is. Being my age, I’m now focusing on my abs, legs, chest and arms. But I train myself to be in good condition. I do a lot of shadow boxing because it keeps you tight and lets you know how fast of slow you can go if you need to defend oneself. Shadow boxing and front kicks are great warm ups!!! Sometimes I’ll do 10 sets of one hundred punches, 15 push-ups, 15 front kicks (each leg) and 15 jump squats. I’ll do my 10 min ab work out before and after this exercise and believe me, you’ll get a great sweat and it will make one feel like a champ!” When asked how he learned about fitness, he gave credit to the following: Reading magazines, books and from those who knew about exercises. Mostly reading about it. I took an interest in the specials ops (like the Navy S.E.A.L.s) exercises, because they train to keep their bodies in the best shape. We believe stretching is best after a workout and that a warm-up should last between five and ten minutes. This inmate stretches before his routine. While we question its’ benefit, we want to share with you exactly what these men do. Stretching before all workouts for 30 seconds each side: 1. Wide stance toe-reach 2. Wide stance torso stretch with one arm up 3. Wide stance ground touch (bent-over at waist) 4. Close stance toe touch (head touching knee caps) 5. Standing knee hold (pulling knee in toward chest) 6. Standing quad stretch (pulling heel back toward buttocks)

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Inmate #J-30121 Day 1 Routine 1 Mile Run (First quarter-mile is done slow, middle half-mile you “pick up the pace to a little less than half speed” and the last quarter mile is done a little quicker than half speed) Five (5) circuits of the following with 4-6 seconds of rest between each Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Regular Pull-ups

5

5

1b. Bicep Curls

5

10-20

1c. Incline Push-Ups

5

15

1d. Dips

5

10

Five (5) circuits of the following with 4-6 seconds of rest between each Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Behind-the-head Pull-ups

5

5

1b. Bicep Curls

5

10-20

1c. Incline Push-Ups

5

15

1d. Dips

5

10



J-30121’s Day 1 routine is a great upper body circuit. The sequence of exercises are very smart – He starts with back before going to biceps (a muscle that assists in all back exercises). He then switches to chest and finishes with triceps (a muscle that assists in chest exercises).

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Inmate # J-30121 (cont’d) Day 2 Routine 1 Mile Run (done in the same fashion as Day 1) Exercise

Sets

Reps

Alternating Forward Lunges

1

100 (each leg)

Calve Raises

1

200

Alternating Reverse Lunges

1

100 (each leg)

Calve Raises

1

200

Hanging Leg Raise

5

5

Roman Chair Sit-Ups

5

10

Day 3 Routine 1 Mile Run (done in the same fashion as Day 1) Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. “Palm-in, Palm-out Pull-Ups”

20

5

1b. 6-Count Burpies

20

10

* 20 Supersets are done with just 10 seconds of rest between sets

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Inmate # J-30121 (cont’d) Day 4 Routine 100 side-busters (done after stretching but before the 1 mile run) 1 Mile Run (3 Minute rest after mile run) Exercise

Sets

Reps

Step-Ups knee-crunch (2 minute rest after step-ups)

1

100 (each side)

Calf-raises

1

200

Squats

1

100

Calf-raises

1

200

Squats

1

100

Day 5 Routine 1 Mile Run Exercise

Sets

Reps

1a. Decline Push-Ups

20

20

1b. Back-arm presses

20

10

1c. Hanging leg raises

20

25

1d. Reverse Curls

20

20

* 20 circuits of the four exercises done with 20 seconds of rest between sets

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Former Inmate H-17796 Nobody has been more helpful in our pursuit of inmate programs than this individual; He’s the man you see demonstrating many of the exercises with tattoos and the super-lean physique. Shant sent us his workouts a few months before his release in September of 2008. We’ve gotten to know him over the course of writing this book and hope he can remain free from prison. Day 1 6:00am – Stomach Exercise

Sets

Reps

Cross Leg Sit-Ups (left/right)

5

15

Oblique Crunches (left/right)

5

15

Leg Lifts

5

30

Crunches

5

30

Sets

Reps

Regular Push-ups

1

Failure (x)1

Regular Push-ups

10

.5(x)

Wide Push-ups (hands pointed out)

10

.35(x)

Diamond Push-ups

10

.35(x)

Double-handed Kick-outs

7

20

Single-handed Kick-outs

7

10

Palms-down Back-arm presses

7

20

Palms-in Back-arm presses

7

20

Sets

Reps

1

100-300

8:00am – Chest/Triceps Exercise

3:00pm Exercise Burpies 1

One set of regular push-ups to failure will determine the number of repetitions performed during other sets. One-half or one-third of the number of repetitions done to failure will be the number of repetitions done in subsequent sets. For example: If you perform 100 push-ups to failure, you will do 50 push-ups in other sets and 33 in others (1/2x and 1/3x respectively)

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H-17796 (cont’d) Day 2 6:00 am – Stomach Exercise Cross Leg Sit-Ups (left/right) Oblique Crunches (left/right) Leg Lifts Crunches

Sets 5 5 5 5

Reps 15 15 30 30

8:00am – Calisthenics Exercise Jumping Jacks 6-count Burpies Squats 3-count Chain Breakers 8-count Burpies Lunges Belly Busters 10-count Burpies Butterflies Navy Seal Burpies Calf Raises Arm Rotations 6-count Burpies Squats Windmills 8-count Burpies Lunges Cherry Pickers 10-count Burpies Jumping Jacks

Sets 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Reps 100 20 50 50 20 50 50 20 50 20 150 300 20 50 50 20 50 50 20 100

3:00 pm Exercise Burpies (your choice)

Sets 1

Reps 100-300

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H-17796 (cont’d) Day 3 6:00 am – Stomach Exercise

Sets

Reps

Cross Leg Sit-Ups (left/right)

5

15

Oblique Crunches (left/right)

5

15

Leg Lifts

5

30

Crunches

5

30

Sets

Reps

Curls

7

20

Reverse-grip Curls

7

20

Single-arm Curls

7

10

Hammer Curls

7

20

21s

5

21

Bent-over Row

7

30

Upright Row

7

20

Double-hand Front raise

7

10

Lawn Mowers

7

15

Front Shrugs

10

30

Behind back Shrugs

10

30

Wrist Curls

10

25

Reverse Wrist Curls

10

25

Sets

Reps

1

100-300

8:00am – Biceps/Shoulders/Forearms Exercise

3:00 pm – Cardio Exercise Burpies (your choice)

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H-17796 (cont’d) Day 4 6:00 am – Stomach Exercise

Sets

Reps

Cross Leg Sit-Ups (left/right)

5

15

Oblique Crunches (left/right)

5

15

Leg Lifts

5

30

Crunches

5

30

Sets

Reps

Navy Seal Burpies

1

100

10-Count Burpies

7

100

8-Count Burpies

7

100

6-Count Burpies

7

100

Sets

Reps

1

100-300

8:00am “Rodeo” of Burpies Exercise

3:00 pm – Cardio Exercise Burpies (your choice)

You may have noticed the workouts provided by H-17796 contain no pull-ups or dips. The reason for that fact is simple; These routines come from inmates who work out while in a Security Housing Unit (SHU) during Administrative Segregation (similar to solitary confinement). For their own safety and the safety of others, many inmates are kept separate from the rest (for a predetermined amount of time) in order to keep gang-related violence and other incidents to a minimum. While placed in the SHU/AD-SEG they do not have access to pull-up bars or dip bars. H-17796 informs us that inmates can always tell when an inmate is released from the SHU – they’re always shredded.

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H-17796 (cont’d) Day 5 6:00 am – Stomach Exercise

Sets

Reps

Cross Leg Sit-Ups (left/right)

5

15

Oblique Crunches (left/right)

5

15

Leg Lifts

5

30

Crunches

5

30

Sets

Reps

Squats

10

20-30

Lunges (each leg)

10

15-20

Single-leg Squats (each leg)

7

15-20

Bulgarian Squats (each leg)

7

15-20

Double-leg Calf Raises

5

50

Single-leg Calf Raises

5

30

Toe Lifts

5

20

Good Mornings

10

15

Windmills (with weight)

10

15

Sets

Reps

1

100-300

8:00am – Legs and Lower Back Exercise

3:00 pm – Cardio Exercise Burpies (your choice)

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H-17796 (cont’d) Day 6 6:00 am – Stomach Exercise Cross Leg Sit-Ups (left/right) Oblique Crunches (left/right) Leg Lifts Crunches 8:00am – Calisthenics Exercise Jumping Jacks Push-Ups Navy Seal Burpies Squats 3-count Chainbreakers Push-Ups Navy Seal Burpies Lunges Belly Busters Push-Ups Navy Seal Burpies Butterflies Push-Ups Navy Seal Burpies Calf Raises (each leg) Arm Rotations Push-Ups Navy Seal Burpies Jumping Jacks 3:00 pm – Cardio Exercise Burpies (your choice)

Sets 5 5 5 5

Reps 15 15 30 30

Sets

Reps 50 20 20 30 30 20 20 30 30 20 20 30 20 20 100 300 20 20 50

Sets 1

Reps 100-300

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STRETCHES

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Cross-Arm Shoulder/Back Stretch By simply holding your arm across your chest you stretch the middle part of your back (trapezius, rhomboid) along with your shoulder (deltoid). Stand up straight and hold your core tight while doing any standing stretch.

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Standing Toe Touch Stand with your feet hip-width or closer and reach down to touch your toes. This stretch lengthens the hamstring group as well as the lower and middle part of the back. You can bend your knees slightly if the stretch is too much to handle at first.

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Wide Leg Reach Stretching at different angles is a great way to target different muscles. When doing a wideleg reach you target your hamstrings and back along with abductors and adductors (outer and inner thigh).

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Standing Quadricep Stretch There is no re-inventing the wheel in doing this stretch. From a standing position, pull your right foot up and back toward your rearend while keeping your knees under your hips.

TRAINER TIP: To intensity the stretch move the knee of the leg being stretched back, further lengthening the quadricep and hip flexors.

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Standing Knee Pull This stretch is an excellent way to target the glutes (your rear end) and upper part of the hamstring group. This stretch is also a good test of your balance. Stand and pull your knee into your chest. Hold your shoulders back and keep your core tight.

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Overhead Tricep Stretch After a workout full of dips or back-arm presses, be sure to complete this stretch. Hold your arm straight up over your head and let your hand drop below your neck.

Your non-stretching arm can be used to simultaneously pull your elbow back and push your forearm down to intensify the stretch.

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Hip Flexor Stretch This stretch does a great job of lengthening the quadricep (front of the thigh) and iliacus/psoas major (hip flexors). If you sit at a desk all day your hips are flexed for hours. If you then exercise with movements similar to running or lunging you are then actively flexing those muscles. Use this stretch to counter the effects of all that hip flexing.

The more you lean into the position and pull your heel toward your butt the more you will feel this stretch. Keep your shoulders, hips and front foot all facing squarely in the same direction.

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DIET

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Prison Cuisine Can you imagine what inmates are fed in state prison? If you don’t want to try we don’t blame you. They are given poor-quality food yet the inmates who exercise consistently are still healthy, amazingly fit, lean and strong. What’s your excuse? If the inmates are lucky enough to have friends or family who still care about them, they have the opportunity to receive one (1) package quarterly with various items including food. If you go to the website californiaqp.com you can see all the food items family or friends can send to inmates. Unfortunately loved-ones can’t send leafy green vegetables, fresh fruit or lean meat. Every food item that comes from the quarterly package program is processed or just plain junk: cheese puffs, cookies, popcorn, pastas, chips, pastries, candy and crackers of all varieties are available. Bill and I sent these inmates quarterly packages as gratitude for their written routines. Being fit and educated on diet, they all avoided the pitfalls of asking us to send them junk. A couple of them asked for candy on their order forms (and we happily obliged), but it is obvious to us that the sweets they ordered are rare treats they afford themselves (and rarely receive). Most of the inmates asked for items that aren’t edible: socks, toothpaste, deodorant, coffee, headphones, sneakers, hats, vitamins, body wash, pencil sharpeners, pens, shorts, bar soap, toothbrushes and laundry detergent. By and large the inmates avoided getting junk that would otherwise negate the hard work they put into their workouts/bodies. You must do the same if you want to stay healthy and survive as they do.

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Dietary Guidelines Check out the following site: www.usda.gov Every five (5) years the Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture update its’ view of what habits are best for people eating solid food. The guidelines haven’t changed much over the years. Why? It isn’t rocket science. Personal Accountability January 2nd marks the day when nearly every TV talk show in the U.S. begins talking about how best to shed pounds gained over the holiday season. That date also marks when trainers start hearing the following questions: “I’ve heard it’s good to eat no carbs and lots of protein. Is that true?” “Should I supplement?” “Is sugar bad for me?” “How many calories should I take in each day?” “I’ve heard I should graze all day and eat small meals. Is that true?” The answers are simple and haven’t changed: No. You shouldn’t have to. No. It depends on your desired weight and activity level. Yes. We can’t do your homework for you. We’ve found great workouts to get you in shape but you are accountable for your own well-being and thus need to research what it means to eat right. We’ll give you a few places to start, but all-in-all it is in your hands.

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Simple dietary rules


Start eating less! If you’re overweight you eat too much. There may be other reasons you carry extra weight, but we’d be willing to bet YOU EAT TOO MUCH




Don’t you dare start thinking that you can eat more now that you’re exercising (especially if you’re overweight). If you want to slim-down you need to burn more calories than you’re eating. Put your fork down and do some burpies




Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat are all important macro-nutrients that you need, so don’t eliminate any of them. The food pyramid outlined by the USDA will give you a good idea as to how much of each nutrient you should consume (not all fat is bad, by the way!)




Cut out the sweets




Eliminate sugar-saturated drinks from your life (it’s an easy place to cut calories). Juices, sodas, alcohol and energy drinks all have calories you simply don’t need.




Cut out fried foods




Eat more vegetables




Eat more fruit




Eat less starchy foods like pasta and bread. These foods aren’t bad for you, but because they add too many calories and don’t fill you up it is recommended that you limit your consumption of such things.

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APPENDIX : PRISON DUMBBELL

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Prison Dumbbell – from Inmate #V-70887 When exercising biceps, shoulders (traps, delts) forearms and triceps a prison dumbbell is necessary. A prison dumbbell consists of about 40 magazines (GQ, Stuff, King, Latina) are all close in size, with good weight to them. Legal paperwork, transcripts, Case Law of at least 15 inches thick, combined with the 40 magazines will give you about 50 lbs or so. To Make a Prison Dumbbell: 1. After gathering magazines & paperwork you’ll need to rip fairly new bed sheets into 5 length-wise equal strips. 2 to 3 inches in width (You may need a tape measure to ensure your sheet strips are of equal length. Scissors come in handy to cut the sheet (they’re hard to come by in prison) and tape also helps later in the process) 2. Stack magazines & legal work on top of each other evenly (As we constructed our dumbbell, we used twelve (12) magazines of equal size. Our dumbbell weighs approximately 10lbs. We estimate a stack of forty (40) magazines will weight between thirty (30) and thirty-five (35) pounds. You can easily adjust the weight of your dumbbell by simply adding or subtracting the number of magazines to suit your current level of strength/conditioning.)

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Prison Dumbbell (cont’d) 3. Tie one strip of rip sheet around the paper stack. Directly in the middle/center as tight as possible. Then tie another strip to the left of the dumbbell, then tie the right side with another sheet strip. Note: All three sheet strips must be evenly tightened. If not, dumbbell will be uneven. Muscle growth will be unbalanced and may cause injury to your body. Then tie a 4th sheet strip to the sides of paper & magazine stack to secure paper in position.

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Prison Dumbbell (cont’d) 4. Handle for dumbbell – Roll up a magazine into a firm bar about 1 ½ inches diameter. Once magazine is rolled up tie a shoe string in the middle of it so it won’t unravel or tape the whole rolled up magazine. Note: The handle you just rolled up will have a small see-through hole at the end of both sides like you’re looking out of a telescope. Your 5th sheet strip goes through it.

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PROBATION

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Out of the California Clink Probation \ prō-bā-shən \ 1. critical examination and evaluation 2 a: subjection of an individual to a period of testing and trial to ascertain fitness (as for a job or school) b: the action of suspending the sentence of a convicted offender and giving the offender freedom during good behavior under the supervision of a probation officer c: the state or a period of being subject to probation Probation: No word could be more perfect for the journey you’re about to take. You’re going to put yourself through a personal evaluation to see if you have what it takes to get fit outside the walls of both a prison and a gym. Think of it as a virtual release. You are now out of your gym prison. You now have the tools to exercise wherever your imagination takes you. You are bound by no equipment. You are bound to no corporate gym taking your money, telling you how their facility is the key to a healthy lifestyle and fit body. In this modern day you have all the necessary information at your fingertips to educate yourself about how to survive in this technologically advanced world.

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It is back-to-basics fitness. You’ll be using your body weight as it was meant to be – to propel and maintain itself as the most intricate, well-designed and fascinating machine in the world. Without clean fuel any machine will break down. Without proper maintenance any machine will break down. Who would have thought the user’s manual for such a complex machine would come down from west coast prisons? The training programs sent to us by the inmates of the California State Prison system show no mercy to any muscle group. Your chest, back, legs, shoulders, forearms, biceps, triceps and abdominals will ache with glorious soreness after you complete one of these workouts. You’ll curse our names as you get out of bed the morning after a workout. You’ll curse our names as you get out of your car the day after a workout. You’ll curse our names for days. For weeks. For months. Then a change occurs. Once you see your body begin to respond to these routines you will no longer curse the authors of this book. You will begin to see definition in your body you haven’t seen in years. You will feel a lightness that has been absent since college or high school. You will be the envy of strangers at work. Doctors will praise you. Friends will pester you to share your secret. Family will pretend they are not jealous that YOU have unlocked your inner inmate. Be cool. Behave. Be well.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

William "Bill" Kroger, is a criminal attorney in Los Angeles. In his 12 years of practice he has visited dozens of jails and prisons throughout the United States. When visiting his clients in prison he noticed they were always in great shape. When he saw them upon their release he was amazed at how fit they had become. Being an avid rock and ice climber and an expert skier, Bill was used to working out on a regular basis with weights and machines, but upon trying the prison workouts he found them to be extremely challenging and fun. At age 50 Bill is a dedicated father and courtroom warrior, and is in the best shape of his life.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Howard Teufel is a Certified Personal Trainer (NASM), lover of baseball and all things fitness related. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, raised in Erie, PA and educated at Indiana University (Bloomington), he has been a personal trainer for nearly a decade in the demanding cities of New York and Los Angeles. His clients fear him before sessions, hate him during sessions and love him after sessions. Howard now lives in Los Angeles around the corner from Bill which has allowed them to train on a weekly basis for over two years.

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