monkey training

I like going to the zoo. I could spend my whole day there. I like the scenery, eating lunch at the overpriced cafe' and overspendingat the gift shop. I like shooting four rolls of film that I'll only ever loook at once or twice. I like sharing the excitement with my children and proving to them how smart I am as I come up with answers to each and everyone of their questions, like exactly how old is the tortice and how come all the alligatyor does is sleep and are you sure its not dead and 'why can't we go play with the cute tiger babies?

I like all of the animals in the zoo, but the ones that stand up and get most of the attention are the energetic monkeys. The mobile, athletic animals appear to be the monkeys ( and apes). They always seem to be moving. Running, jumping and literally swinging around.

The athletisism of the gibons, the legs of the chimps, the lat spread of the orangutng, the sheer brute power of the gorilla, the acrobatics of the spider monkey the crazy high testosterone of the baboon; hey-monkeys are cool.

So here i am at the zoo.... wondering....

how do we mimic these attributes in our own training?

how do we practice these primal movements in the gym?

WELL......after a thourogh warm up

do this

1) roll over pushups into sprint- change direction sprint - leap to pullup ( and if you can; do an up and over or muscle up)

2) crouching jumps

3) one arm-fat handle-woodchop pushdown.

4) monkey bars

5) foward roll squat jump (or deck squat jump)

now if this doesn't make you feel like a monkeys uncle....

you can do this circuit fashion or break it down into traditional sets and spend 10-15 min. on each series.

If you haven't done anything like this since you were a kid at the zoo playground it will be hard. As you get accustomed to it, just try to get more sets in during the 10-15 minute time blocks.

So there you have an idea of good solid monkey training you can do in a gym or playground. You'll be strong, athletic and fast. the more work done in the alotted time frame the more conditioned you'll become.

a lean, mean simian machine.