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Here’s A Snapshot of How Prisoners Train
OK, I have to admit that from time to time I watch the various “Lock Down” shows that they have on cable. But, I watch these shows more with curiosity of how many of the guys are in incredible shape than who is the newest member of the GBG (Gay Boy Gang).
Hell, a couple of guys I’ve seen have physiques that rival most guys you see on the cover of magazines.
Since I live in California, where most of the shows are filmed, I know that weights have long been a luxury that the state has taken away from prisoners. A couple of my students, who’ve spent time in prison, tell me the decision was made because the COs didn’t want the inmates getting too big or too strong.
Well, if that was the plan, then they probably should have kept them shackled while they were in their cells because, as I’ve mentioned on many occasions, with a little imagination, determination, and consistency, you can build a tremendous physique using only bodyweight exercises.
I came across this article a couple of months ago when I was searching how guys in solitary confinement continue to train. Now keep in mind that these guys are usually locked in their cells for 22-23 hours a day, and they are fed the crappiest food imaginable! They have no access to the latest fat burner or protein powder. Yet, they continue to build lean, muscular bodies in-spite of these huge obstacles.
So, I thought that you’d guys would like to see how these guys stay in tremendous shape.
The article is little long because the author goes into detail about how he does each exercise in his cell.
Let me know what you guys think …
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Improvising Your Training in Prison
Organised by James Collier, MuscleTalk Co-Owner
Foreword by James Collier
I recently visited my friend Aarron who is currently serving a 4 ½ year sentence in Prison. For a 19 year old, before he was sent to prison, Aarron had an excellent physique with some great size, strength, condition and proportions, and potentially rivaled by very few. Thus, when I visited him, I expected Aarron to have lost loads of size, but was pleasantly surprised to see that he still had some great size and shape, and while we were chatting he mentioned that he hardly got to train in the prison gym so had to improvise a few basic home-made exercises in his cell, in order to maintain his size. He described some of the exercises and I immediately saw that this would make an interesting article and asked him if he wouldn’t mind writing one… I mean it’s not as though he’s stuck for time!
Introduction
If you’re somebody who trains quite frequently, to suddenly stop would be a big shock to your system both physically and mentally, so if you can’t get to a weights room for a long period of time, then you will need to use your imagination and improvise with what you have at hand to train with and give yourself a pump. Prison is not like what you see on TV; there is no gym every day, there are no protein shakes and if you look like somebody who trains and you look strong, then you will hardly get to use the gym at all because the screws and the system do not like above average size and strength because they feel intimidated, and they want everyone to look the same. However, if you use your imagination and improvise then training for muscle mass can be down anywhere no matter what the situation, e.g. banged up all day in your cell, solitary confinement – anywhere with four walls, a toilet and a chair!
To use myself as an example, before I came to prison I had been bodybuilding for 5 years and had entered four shows. I am now serving 4 ½ years in prison, I’m on lockdown for 22 ½ hours exactly per day and have two gym sessions per week, which I have had to put applications in on my wing to get. I have had no choice but to come up with some basic exercises to do in my cell to get pumped and to keep my mind active.
Commandos
A simple exercise that you need nothing but your own bodyweight and a wall to perform. Simply place both hands on the floor shoulder width apart and at least 2 inches away from the wall. Lift your body into a handstand position comfortably resting your body upside-down against the wall for balance and strictness. Then slowly bend your elbows lowering your body until your chin touches the floor, then simply push the whole of your body back up into the handstand position by locking your arms out. Do 8-10 reps to failure. It may be difficult to do at first, but as the old saying goes, ‘practice makes perfect’. Commandos are a way of doing shoulder presses using your own body weight.
Incline Press-Ups
A basic exercise and again needs nothing but your own bodyweight. Place your hands on the floor shoulder width apart and the balls of your feet close together on the edge of your toilet, so your body is in a straight vertical position. Then complete the exercise by doing a simple press-up style movement whilst staying in this position. Do 8-10 sets to failure. Incline press-ups is an excellent classic exercise to bring results to your top chest and triceps.
Canteen & Flyes
In prison you are allowed some luxuries providing you have the funds to pay for them. For example each week you will receive a canteen order form (see below), allowing you to order all sorts from cookies to oats and cereal to noodles and cans of tuna. So this standard privilege is a great opportunity to keep packing the food down and keeping size. It will also enable you to receive a small amount of protein. On the canteen form you can also order bottles of pop that weigh one litre each. Now, this can be very helpful for doing flyes in your cell. Simply order 2 x 1 litre bottles, then hold them in each hand and perform a normal flye movement for chest.
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November 4th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
With nothing else to do, I would think one could work theirself into terffic condition.
But that addiction maybe hard to satisfy once you are out and having to cope with working. I also wonder how many calories a day these inmates receive.
Better to stay out and only have 1 hour a day to practice.
A Cowboy from Texas
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November 7th, 2009 at 11:29 am
I think another reason they got rid of the weights in prison is because they could be used as weapons.
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November 7th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Great post. Many prisoners work out so often that they get rhabdomyolysis which often results in acute renal failure.
I wonder how many grams of protein they are consuming.
Are they consuming 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight? Or is that ratio just something supplement companies push to sell more whey?
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Muata Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Thanks Kal. Hey, that’s a good question, and I’d guess that they probably don’t even get that much protein. I’m going to ask a buddy who has two brothers that are COs, so I’ll let you know
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