How I Used Calisthenics Circuits to Become an Endurance Machine Without Losing Muscle

0:00 Intro
0:17 RV Story
1:15 Starting Strength
1:48 Milk
2:46 Minimalist Training
3:12 Down Workouts
3:54 Calisthenics Circuits
4:57 Progressive Overload
5:28 Time
6:35 How To
7:47 Now
8:10 Fun
8:30 Outro
Circuit Example
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Another Example
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Disclaimer: The Stone Circle (Cody Ryan Training) is not a doctor or a medical professional. Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. The Stone Circle (Cody Ryan Training) will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.

[@mrpink6022]

That's why I throw in burpees. You can layer these bodyweight exercises into CIRCUITS, ROUNDS, and vary the routines to keep your mind interested. My bother in law changed my entire thinking on exercise ...he did 7 years in prison doing nothing but pushups, dips, pullups, squats and many calisthenics variations. Funny he said after a while he would never count...just go hard for time or until fatigued. He felt hitting a number would automatically set you up to just hit that number instead of going to exertion. His mantra.. BEAT YOUR NUMBERS OR BEAT YOUR TIME...... GREAT VIDEO! love to hear about ANECDOTAL training rather than facts or research.....

[@thestonecircle]

7 years that's a long time to get into bodyweight stuff, sounds like he's really been there! I'm glad to hear the same! A scientific study means absolutely nothing compared to the real thing

[@NAchternaam-dc3dz]

7 years of eating another mans ass. He s tough af

[@bassmuscle101]

I loved doing 15 down workouts. Dips, Rows, 100ft sandbag carry isbone of my favorites

[@thestonecircle]

Adding the sandbag is next level!

[@Aliistrength]

Breathing easier alone is worth it! I was doing a lot of circuit training a year and a half ago and I definitely felt like my endurance was off the charts, felt way better when doing jujitsu, I could even run a faster mile time at a heavier body weight. Definitely want to find a way to incorporate it without interfering with my powerlifting goals. Great video man!

[@thestonecircle]

Thank you! It's cool to hear circuits translated to something as intense as jujitsu too, those guys are on another level cardio wise!

[@tsa6394]

Really clean lookin video with nice visuals and good enunciation. I'm liking seeing all of this come together

[@thestonecircle]

Thank you I really appreciate that!

[@LowHangingFruitForest]

You reinvented CrossFit.

[@thestonecircle]

Haha hey those guys are pretty jacked!

[@The.Ghost.of.Tom.Joad.]

I hear you. I had the same thing happen during Covid, pre-vaxx, when I quit my gym. After working out with your classic squat/ barbell rows/ bench/ military press/ deadlift/ pulldown/ curls workout for 30+ years, I was forced into a tiny garage. No room for even a bench with two cars. So I hung a cheap suspension trainer (Rip-60) in the rafters, and some light (for me) kettlebells (35-55 pounders). Most of my workout was fast, explosive calisthenics. Not having enough weight to squat, I'd do 25 goblet squats with my heaviest kettlebells, jumping at the top. I'd rip off 50 pushups, then do Spiderman and pike variations. I'd do dips and pullups on the Rip-60. I took little to no time between sets. Talk about endurance. Now, eight months back at the gym, I've regained most strength I lost. But I recover much faster. And I still do my garage workout once per week. I'm amazed that I am even fitter at 55 than I was at 45... and I've been exercising regularly since age 14.

[@thestonecircle]

Wow that's awesome to hear! That's my goal too, I just need make sure I keep these in at least once a week. It's crazy how effective they are, when I stopped doing these altogether my full body workouts went from 2 hours to almost 3, that extra rest time adds up fast

[@The.Ghost.of.Tom.Joad.]

@@thestonecircle Yup. The fast recovery gets me the same workout that used to take 2 hours about 90 minutes, Unfortunately, there's nothing in the world that can speed up setting up and stripping down the barbell, gathering and returning dumbbells, etc. Not to mention chit-chatting and waiting for equipment to open up.

[@thestonecircle]

@@The.Ghost.of.Tom.Joad. haha oh I get that! Even in my home gym, I swear half my workout is getting exercises set up and organizing the room so I don't trip over things!

[@The.Ghost.of.Tom.Joad.]

@@thestonecircle Good advice. I plan to, mostly because variety spices things up, and it saves time. It pays that I really like it, though. I mean, if you told me three years ago that I'd be doing anything gymnast-style, like body-ups and ring work, I'd laugh at you. Me being a classic team-sport blockhead. But I've found that I love the movements because they're hard work and yet strangely freeing.

[@thestonecircle]

@@The.Ghost.of.Tom.Joad. haha yeah that makes sense, there is something very freeing about moving your body through space rather than moving an object through space

[@kimopressler5538]

Found your channel yesterday, the combo of calisthenics and bar work speaks to me and I really like your narrating of your thoughts. I’ll try out a circuit soon!

[@thestonecircle]

Awesome thanks for being here, good luck with your training!

[@Zhalfrin]

Thanks for making the videos you do, i struggle to find much content that talks in detail about strength endurance training.

[@thestonecircle]

Hey I'm really glad you liked this one! Strength endurance is so underrated

[@unknownstrongman]

Great video dude. Really fantastic. Some good info here!! I've got RDLs and sqauts tonight. I'm going to add something, not sure what....

[@thestonecircle]

Thank you! And sounds like a good session hope to see some vids man!!

[@cumshottv6841]

Great video man

[@thestonecircle]

Thanks!

[@jasonwelsh417]

Don't forget your 30 (or more) Down Squats

[@DimiArt]

i love your style of videos! hope you get more subs!

[@thestonecircle]

Hey thank you I really appreciate that!

[@user-ob3dc9os9y]

Nice video. I tried some calisthenics circuits years ago but never stuck with as I found it too taxing. At the moment I'm more focused on hypertrophy and adding in tiny bits of Tabata-style intervals as well as high rep bodyweight leg work to try and keep my cardio conditioning decent. I might try circuits again at some point the future. IronWolf here on KZbin does some circuit style stuff which would probably be good for cardio.

[@thestonecircle]

Yeah it can be difficult finding the right balance, I figure everything cycles, whenever you feel the pull towards calisthenics circuits they'll be there waiting for you! Also ironwolf has some insane conditioning I check in from time to time just to see what he's up to

[@AlteredState1123]

Well done. Do you Murph! My favorite fitness workout.

[@thestonecircle]

Thanks! I haven't but that sounds like a killer of a workout! I think I've seen some guys at a nearby crossfit gym doing that one, no surprise they're all jacked af!

[@AlteredState1123]

@@thestonecircle I won’t boast that I have done an orthodox Murph, but I have done modified ones and they were awesome: there is no way I can currently do 100 strict pull-ups in one workout let alone all of the calisthenics with a weighted vest!The second mile done after all of the callisthenics is a good test.

[@archstan33]

Cali circuits are the most effective total body workouts for sure. Only equipment necessary to get in phenonmenal shape is a pull up bar, a dip bar and rings/extension trainer. Couple with sensible nutrition and consistent application, results are guaranteed!! What you advocate here is pure gold - those that know, know!!!👊🏾💥 Just subbed & liked, great info.

[@thestonecircle]

You said it!! Glad you liked the video thanks for being here!

[@Aravind.M.S-th8fj]

You can also increase intensity in bodyweight exercises by going from bilateral limbs to unilateral limbs Example . Pullups - to- 1arm pullup .pushup- to- 1arm pushup .squat - to- pistol squat Learned this from convict conditioning book

[@thestonecircle]

That's a great way to do it!

[@favoribeneme4629]

I never really enjoyed the prospect of circuits, but this video shed it all into a new light for me. Very enjoyable to watch your journey!

[@thestonecircle]

Hey thanks for being here glad you liked the video!

[@JohnRhodes-lv3rg]

I like bodyweight training but I have to add some weights for my lower back, glutes and hamstrings. Might do the sandbag program for the winter.

[@thestonecircle]

I agree 100%!! Good luck with it, sandbags really changed everything for me at least!

[@ozgurklnc6539]

Great Stuff! How would you implement this circuits with some other strength program for example stone lifting in your case, or other PPL kind of programs.

[@thestonecircle]

Thanks! With stones I think of it in terms of upper lowe which makes it pretty easy. The calisthenics circuits are the upper days and the stones are lower, even though there's some overlap. PPL might be tricky because I think the circuits work best when you Alternate between push and pull in the same workout, but doing something like a 4-5 day split with ppl on three of the days and a circuit on the 4th or 5th could work. With full body you could get your main compound out of the way and do a basic 10 down circuit at the end of the workout as a finisher. They're not super taxing so it's easy to add them to most things!

[@shmuelpearl6366]

Hey bro, really enjoying your content. I fell into the gallon of milk a day weight gain strategy as well and found myself at about 195 lbs feeling very unfit. I've been trying to lose the weight for a little bit, down to 180 now but didn't really change my nutrition just started training more. Did you lose weight by a CICO method or some other strategy? Many thanks

[@thestonecircle]

Hey glad you're enjoying the videos so far thanks for being here! And congrats on your progress so far Yeah the gallon of milk idea, it's ruined so many people! I was just super restrictive for about 3 months and lost most of it in that time. Probably would have held onto more muscle if I'd gone slower but I couldn't stand it at the time aha. Yeah cico and made sure to get a higher amount of protein every day. Also fasted 16-20 hours of every day. Was pretty terrible honestly lol I'm currently on a cut rn and I'm taking it very slowly this time

[@Rei_geDo]

Imma try it out for a while

[@thestonecircle]

Good luck with it! I find this type of training very enjoyable

[@RPM1776]

I'm running starting strength, could I do a calisthenics circuit on my off days? (specifically the balanced strength/endurance one you showed in your other video)

[@thestonecircle]

From my experience, if you stick to the starting strength program 100% you should max out the gains you'll get from in within a few months. I'd probably just focus on improving those barbell strength movements until progress slows way down and you pass on to the next stage. At that point you could probably start doing more calisthenics stuff! If you're already making gains doing starting strength though I'd just ride that out as long as you can first

[@UnlimitedUF2]

LETSS GOOO

[@thestonecircle]

YEAHHHH!

[@nunchukGun]

I need to do stuff like this. The hard part is I need to scale back everything else I'm doing for a while cause I know my fatigue ceiling is low right now :/

[@thestonecircle]

These circuits are so worth it! They can build up work capacity pretty quick too

[@lukasfrangart]

Interesting concept - sounds good. how would you set it up if you cant do 10 pull ups in a row?

[@thestonecircle]

5down and up works really well too! I've spent a lot of time with that as well, actually prefer it if I'm being honest. 5,4,3,2,1,1,2,3,4,5 repeat, could even do 3 down and up 3,2,1,1,2,3 repeat, I like that for more difficult variations. Less Taxing on the conditioning but still good!

[@thecalisthenicsman7415]

Bands

[@thestonecircle]

@@thecalisthenicsman7415 that's a great method too

[@tylerlachney1616]

Homeboy discovered CrossFit on his own

[@thestonecircle]

Haha I figured other people probably do something similar, no wonder they're all jacked and lean!

[@UnlimitedUF2]

is it free to stay at any bureau of land management?

[@thestonecircle]

Usually they'll have a sign posted outside the area letting you know for sure, but it depends on what they offer. Some of the land is more like a campsite and they offer electricity hookups/ bathrooms etc but those cost money. I didn't care about all that and just found the free sites. In my experience the free ones are usually a bit further from town, which was actually better for me. There are a few sites you can use to plan out a route beforehand, I used 'free campsites net' and 'campendium' when I was on that trip and they worked pretty well. That was a few years ago and I never saw a campsite closed. Sad thing I've seen over this last year specifically is a lot of the free sites are closed off now, at least in the CO area. Hopefully it's just temporary and that stuff will open back up

[@UnlimitedUF2]

gonna look in to it, thanks for the info, really appreciate it 👊

[@thestonecircle]

@@UnlimitedUF2 For sure!

[@pratikl2000]

How frequently did you do these circuits everyday?!

[@thestonecircle]

Every other day 🙂

[@pratikl2000]

@@thestonecircle thank you

[@oldnatty61]

Circuits, one form of loaded aerobics, are where it's at. As you age you're not going to want to carry any extra body weight. Muscle or fat. You're going to want to be lean w/ off the charts aerobic/strength work capacity. Research what Steve Reeves was doing after he retired from bodybuilding and the work of Dr. Leonard Schwartz, M.D. Why was Superman super?

[@thestonecircle]

"Lean with off the charts aerobic/strength work capacity." Sounds more appealing every day!

[@oldnatty61]

@@thestonecircle It's interesting to me that all the folks I know in my age group who started w/ "get big get strong" find their way to "get lean get work capacity". At least the nattys.