Convict Conditioning - Paul Wade

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Performance
Lie on the floor, face up. Your feet should be together, your legs should be straight, and your
arms should be by your sides. Lift your feet an inch or two from the floor. Pressing down with the
hands will help you keep your torso stable. This is the start position (fig. 70). Now, keeping your
legs locked, raise your feet until they are directly above your pelvis. Exhale as you lift, keeping the
stomach tight. It should take you at least two seconds to smoothly accomplish this-don't
explode up. Your legs and torso will form a right angle at this point. This is the finish position (fig.
71). Pause briefly, before reversing the motion exactly, inhaling as you go down. Pause again in
the start position and repeat. At no point should allow your knees to unlock, and your heels
shouldn't touch the floor until the set is completed.
Exerci se X-Ray-
This exercise is a favorite in military training camps and martial arts schools alike, because it
increases stomach and hip power and stamina, while promoting function and flexibility at the
same time. It is deceptively easy, however; just bending the knees a fraction and "bouncing" the
feet off the floor makes the exercise much easier. Unfortunately it also makes the exercise far less
productive in terms of pure strength and conditioning.
Trai ni
• Beginner standard:
• Intermediate standard:
• Progression standard:
Goals
1 set of 5
2 sets of 10
2 sets of 20
Perf ect i ng Your T echni ~ue
This exercise can be made a lot easier by bending the knees; but that's not an advisable shortcut
because the major benefits of this exercise come from the fact that the legs are straight. If you can't
meet the beginner standard, go back to flat frog raises (Step 4) and build up to 3 sets of 30 reps
before trying again. If you still have problems, keep the legs straight but focus on shorter, top
range reps and acquire more depth whenever you are able to.