3-Year Calisthenics Journey - Before and After - 6’8” 215lbs to 225lbs

[christopher3927]

@kema1212 Can you please post your diet?

 

[kema1212]

@christopher3927 Unfortunately, I don’t really take care of my diet. I’d like to say I eat relatively clean and mainly home cooked meals.

Only notable things are is:
-I’ve completely cut out bread
-to maintain my weight I need to eat around 3500-4000 calories a day
-I don’t drink alcohol

 

[dawn16]

@kema1212 I started rings in the last month and I agree: humbling 100%. I added them as part of weightlifting program and I find that they are a great addition. I am progressing on the RTO, dips, push-ups, pike push-ups, pulling exercises, but L-sit is nearly impossible. I’d be interested as a fellow tall guy how you overcame. What you say about videotaping and analysis is spot on. I definitely get more critical about ROM and form. Often I had to get honest and do 3 solid, controlled reps rather than 10 sloppy reps. You look awesome.

 

[kema1212]

@dawn16 You’re not going to like my answer, but it’s just the cold hard truth especially for taller people. It takes a long time for your tendons to adapt to movements and also for your muscles to learn how to stabilize. My only advice is proper form and staying consistent - one month of rings is a very short time.

What sucks is you will not progress as fast as shorter folks even if you work at it harder. It’s something you have to accept but at the same time makes achieving movements that much more rewarding. For example, I am three years in and I STILL cannot achieve a strict muscle up, however I can do a pull-up with 90lbs added on.

 

[dawn16]

@kema1212 For sure I am aware of those limitations. I’m taking a consistent and measured approach to the process—- having a blast at the same time.

 

[basharg]

@kema1212 Amazing Work! Good advice.

I just realized I totally missed my core exercises today.

 

[nonebutjesus]

@kema1212 Damn, you're literally twice my size. Except the weight lmao

 

[jgc]

@kema1212 Looks good bro. Keep that diet up and keep pushing yourself! You got this! Try eating a plant based diet and see how that impacts your journey, I bet your results will be sick!

 

[kema1212]

@jgc Thanks man! I’ve thought about it - the only drawback is with the work I’m doing and my baseline rate I need around 4000 calories a day to progress.

I’m wondering how feasible that is on a plant based diet. Do you have any tips or resources?

 

[dgiharris]

@kema1212 I went to 3500 plant based. The secret is to get a shitload of different legumes and nuts. But I went back to protein powder and the occasional chicken breast because eating constantly was exhausting and I was unwilling to start including unhealthy sugars just to meet quota. I still have 15 bean soup 3 nights a week, fill up on fresh fruits every day for lunch, and get plenty of nuts for snacks. It's good habits even if you aren't 100% plant based.

 

[dgiharris]

@kema1212 Also 6'8". I've been trying to get up to a pullup for months now. Is there something I can do that will bridge the gap between dead hangs and flexed hangs?

 

[kema1212]

@dgiharris Hey man, don’t worry you will get it! I highly recommend 3 movements that helped me achieve my first pull-up:

-Scapular pull-ups: going from a complete dead hang to an active hang for reps
-Active hang for time
-Pull-up Negatives: this is the key to achieving a pull-up as it is the eccentric movement of a pull-up. Jump up to the top of the pull-up and lower yourself as slow as possible to a complete dead hang. Try your best to maintain the same pace your entire descent.

When I first started I would do:

3-sets:
3 Pull-up negatives
10 scap pull-ups
20 seconds active hang
Rest

Good luck!

 

[dgiharris]

@kema1212 I haven't done those eccentrics and now I'm kicking myself for forgetting them. Eccentrics are what got me to do my first pushup too at age 19. Ya boy is...skinny.

 

[kema1212]

@dgiharris If it makes you feel better I was 160 lbs at 6’8 at age 18 anything is possible!

 

[dgiharris]

@kema1212 So was I lmao. Now it's 7 years later. I didn't like bball so no athletic training for me.

 

[steph_rome]

@dgiharris I'm still working on my first too, but I can definitely tell that scapular pulls and negative pull-ups have helped me develop my back a lot.
However I still miss some strength to initiate the pull-up from a dead hang.. still working on it
(6'9'' BTW)

 

[kema1212]

@steph_rome That’s awesome man keep it up. Trust me that dead hang pull-ups are the right way to go for a healthy scap for us tall guys!

 

[hope321]

@kema1212 Well done, this is a solid write up on the impact of consistency. Also finally a before and after that's actually comparable, huge points for that too