Dr. Anarchy Article: The FleX Theory To Power
PREFACE
You’re sitting in your room scrolling through Instagram (Not Tiktok, we hate Tiktok) and among the THOUSANDS of boring “Poast Fizeek” style photos and monotonous basic list of lifts people LOVE to spam, you see someone doing a cool-looking handstand from a basic press position. YOUR MIND IS BLOWN! But even before you get ready to scroll down, the person then begins to lower into a push up without their feet EVER touching the ground. It looks like it defies the laws of physics. You scoff to yourself “Pfft, it has to be CGI.” but a part of you wonders if it isn’t. You then do a search for “Handstand pushups” and you fall into a rabbit hole that would make Alice pass out from the depth of the drop.
THIS…. IS…. CALISTHENICS
Calisthenics is a form of exercise that uses your own bodyweight as resistance. Calisthenics can help you build strength by challenging your muscles to overcome gravity in some of the most ludicrous of ways. It can also help you improve your endurance, agility, and explosiveness. Calisthenics can also enhance your body awareness, control, and alignment, which can prevent injuries and improve your performance. Some of the most physically impressive (in terms of physique and in terms of performance) athletes are the Calisthenics practitioners. The best thing about it is that to begin, you simply have to master basic bodyweight exercises like Push Ups, Pull Ups, Leg Lifts, Crunches, etc.
Calisthenics can serve as an excellent compliment to a traditional weight-lifting routine or as a substitute entirely, offering a safer route to attain similar and in some cases greater muscle hypertrophy for beginners to intermediates while also building a greater degree of muscular stability and functionality. These come while also adding in a safer medium for making these gains, whereas untrained lifters trying to take their first foray into weightlifting may run the risk of injury or stagnant progress due to not understanding proper progression or rep ranges.
A few pages and article highlight the contrast and capabilities of calisthenics training as a proper stand-in for traditional weightlifting. (Also you can do some cool tricks that can impress your friends. Probably not the ladies/fellas but we don’t lift for them anyways, right?)
This study compared the effects of four weeks of progressive calisthenic push-up training and traditional bench press training on muscle strength and thickness in 23 healthy, moderately trained men. They measured the 1 repetition maximum bench press, push-up progression, seated medicine ball put, and muscle thickness of the pectoralis major before and after training. They found that both groups significantly increased their 1RM and PUP, with PUSH having a greater increase in PUP than BENCH. They also found no significant differences between groups or within groups for MT and MBP. They concluded that calisthenics can be an effective alternative to conventional resistance training for improving upper-body muscle strength and thickness.
2.) Lopes, J. S. S., Machado, A. F., Micheletti, J. K., et al. (2019). Effects of training with elastic resistance versus conventional resistance on muscular strength: A systematic review and meta-analysis. SAGE Open Medicine, 7, 2050312119831116. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312119831116
In this study, it was a meta-analysis (basically taking a look at the data points within a previous study rather than actually utilizing the framework to create a physical study yourself.) This Meta-Analysis was done with a focus on the use of Elastic Resistance Training devices vs conventional resistance training. (Elastic resistance training devices are instrumental when doing Calisthenics training as they can increase the passive resistance of holding what would otherwise be a static movement and limited in hypertrophy.) The analysis found that conventional resistance training offered no unique benefits in strength growth over elastic resistance training. Furthermore, the lower cost and barrier to entry as well as easily performed nature of it led to greater averages of positive results though at the same time there was limited standardization in this analysis.
The use of calisthenics can be a game changer for MANY looking to either get started in the first place or switch up to a more well-rounded training protocol as evidenced by the studies. It should not be neglected that sometimes the best weight we have access to is our bodyweight and the best mode of resistance is gravity alone.
The Special Sauce… Yoga
And then the other end of the spectrum is Yoga and the Yogis. Yoga gets a bad rap because people see it and think about the women going into the gym to their Yoga class where they carry their colorful mats into some dark room at the end of a deep corridor within the gym. It can seem arcane and foreign to some but I promise you, within that chamber of estrogen, artificially heated walls, and relaxing ASMR is the secret to true function and athleticism. Its almost insane to think about that these ladies and the occasional guy were hiding such powerful and sacred secrets behind those hallowed doors but that’s right. Yoga is truly THAT deal.
The more technical explanation for yoga is the ancient practice that involves the combination of physical poses, breathing techniques (Very key), and meditation. Yoga can help you increase your flexibility by stretching your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia (The sheaths and covering for our muscles). It can also help you improve your posture, balance, coordination, and range of motion. Yoga can also reduce stress, anxiety, and inflammation, which can affect your flexibility and recovery. Seasoned athletes usually will integrate some form of Yoga into their daily routine or training regimens either as active recovery day fare or as some sort of add on to achieve a flexibility or performance goal.
Article by Khan, Erlenbach et. Al cited the additional neuroprotective and extra effects of Yoga on the brain and how it contributes to positive aging through the usage of breathing practices, postures which stimulate the brain, and allow for increased focus and attention to detail. These effects persist beyond the duration of the actual practice itself. The breathing contributes to the regulation of mood and emotional regulation through affecting the stress management of the body and building positive patterns. As a result addition of Yoga to daily training is a value add for non-athletes and athletes when it not only comes to performance but also positive quality of life outcomes. This makes it a perfect piece to the puzzle of a well-rounded life for anyone.
There are also articles which show the benefits of Yoga in terms of enhancing sports performance which are outlined by three articles in 3 different types of athletes along gender lines.
26 Male collegiate baseball and soccer athletes are divided into yoga and non-yoga groups. Depending on the group, the athletes either continue with their training in the usual modalities associated with their sports or they're given biweekly yoga sessions led by a certified instructor. The study measures the flexibility, balance, and joint angles of the athletes after a 10-week program utilizing video angle and other in-depth assessment techniques. There were significant gains in mobility, balance, and joint angle for the Yoga group compared to the non-yoga group at the conclusion of the study.
This study was conducted on female athletes and distributed them into groups based on whether they were performing Hot Yoga or served as the control. The control group maintained the usual training modalities of their sport while the Hot Yoga group performed 60 minute sessions of Hot Yoga 3 times per week for a total length of 12 weeks. After the conclusion of the study, the fat free body mass, body fat, blood pressure, heart rate, and stress perception of the athletes were taken during regular activity. The Hot yoga group displayed significant improvements in all metrics compared to the control group leading to the conclusion of a possible benefit of hot yoga on athletic performance regardless of sports in females.
This article was conducted in Hong Kong on Chinese adults. These people participated in a 12 week Hatha Yoga program and then assessed on their cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance and flexibility compared to those in a control group that were placed in a traditional resistance training regimen. The group that participated within the Yoga group showed significant improvements over the control group in measures of cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength as well as flexibility over the traditional training regimen control group.
As demonstrated, the benefits of yoga as a compliment to your athleticism are numerous and documented. There’s almost no downside to incorporating some practice of yoga into your daily routine, whether you decide to go fully into calisthenics or not.
The Dark Horse, Martial Arts
For many people, I likely haven’t factored in one thing that they’re looking for and that’s the “Competition” and “Conditioning” aspects of training on this alternative path to power. That’s ok, because the last piece of this trifecta is certainly not the least…. Martial Arts have existed as long as exercise itself for the use of the body as a tool for warfare is possibly the most primordial of uses of the body. Many people look at martial arts through the high-flying lenses of Shaolin Kung Fu styles although this is only scratching the surface of Martial Arts. There are so many different styles of Martial Arts, let along Kung Fu itself which simply means “Great Art” that allow a person who is beginning on the journey of becoming the most fit version of themselves to express the gains that they’ve made in either a performative or practical manner.
Most Martial Arts are explosive in nature or have explosive components to them that allow them to train the body to engage in athletic movements at high speeds which can translate to greater athletic performance in other sports or activities or simply help an individual get better at the art. I don’t have or provide studies for this portion as it can be tough because there are different arts which can’t necessarily be measured or compared to each other. BJJ, Sambo, and other grappling arts for instance have short duration moments of explosion for which it would be difficult to test and make an objective claim but performance leaps in these activities indicate that progression is occurring in moves that require this level of explosiveness such as transitions, passes, lockouts, etc. These show that more explosive engagement of muscle fibers is being trained and improved upon. Regardless, you’re guaranteed to get better at using explosive movements in rapid succession as your conditioning naturally improves and when you combine this with the mastery of breathing and focus gained through Yoga, you’re guaranteed to go far and become an impressive specimen.
Not sure which art to choose? Explore your body and figure out what you’re best suited for.
Maybe some you want to become more proficient at kicking. Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, or Karate would serve you well, especially after working on flexibility through Yoga as well as the added core strength and balance of Calisthenics. Maybe you like the raw power of each of your limbs, explore Muay Thai, Lethwei, or Boxing. Want to get really technical? Go with a grappling art or even try your hand at one of the many animal themed styles of Kung Fu. Like to mix and match? Go to a MMA gym and enjoy the full bevy of techniques blended or try the often misunderstood art of Bujinkan. (Ninjas rule)
The options are endless and one thing that you will realize is that your conditioning will improve SIGNIFICANTLY over those who do traditional forms of cardio.
Getting Started on Your New Routine
I’m sure after being inundated with all of this amazing knowledge you’re amped to get started on your new journey. (If not go back through and reread this info and GET AMPED.) There are a couple of ways that you can begin training today. For many people, they’re going to want to find a content creator or creators and get immersed into the community around the activity. Don’t worry, I got you. Other people may want for me to give them some starters and pointers to begin right here in this article. Don’t worry, I’ve got you as well. Lets begin!
Comprehensive Yoga and Calisthenics Communities and Creators
So for many people, they want to get immersed and go into the community to meet new people and learn about what the can do to get started on their fitness journey. The 2 pages I recommend you begin to learn both Calisthenics and Yoga are as follows:
Saturnomovement
Saturno Movement is a collective project between Gabo and his friend Miguel and other practitioners of functional mobility. This is arguably the most comprehensive of the 2 communities that I will provide as they have tutorials that center around but not limited to:
Yoga Flows
Calisthenics Skills Breakdowns
Calisthenics Workout Progressions
Core Strengthening Workouts
General Flexibility
Primal Movement Tips
Everyday Morning Routines
All Levels Training Seminars
etc.
It really does make my job of figuring out what I want to do on a day where I wake up and don't have a specific plan for training. Almost any video that you find on their channel will give you some new ideas to train and work on. I can't recommend them enough to get started.
Some of the videos I'd recommend starting on would be:
Obviously I could keep going down the Saturno Rabbit Hole, but for now I think you’ve got something to give you a nice sampler and introduction to what they do. On to the second channel:
Fitness Faqs:
So this channel would be more for the people who would rather dump ALL their skill points into the Calisthenics bucket and are enticed by the ability to do a front-lever or a dragon flag rather than being fluid and flexible. That's perfectly fine and Fitness Faqs is like a one-stop shop for everything around the Calisthenics lifestyle. It is home to workouts, useful tips, podcasts from prolific people in the space, and talks about the science and methodology of Calisthenics.
Some useful videos which I would recommend for someone who wants to delve deeper into fitness faqs would be:
Now, if you want to be one of those people that wants to mix it up with others, I would recommend joining some communities to really get the full experience. This is where REDDIT comes in.
Redditors get a bad rap, but there are some reddit communities which stay above the bad reputation and serve a net positive to helping others reach their goals. These groups include but are not limited to:
yoga (reddit.com)
Flexibility (reddit.com)
Reddit's Bodyweight Fitness Community
CalisthenicsCulture (reddit.com)
Your favorite full length workouts, all in one place! (reddit.com)
Give them a look and begin to delve into your rabbit holes as I’m sure you’re more than eager to take the plunge.
Some Movements And Training Splits To Work On.
For those of you who would like to take a more measured approach and don’t want to simply splinter off into your own exploratory endeavors, I have some yoga movements you can work on and string together yourself as well as a scheme to help you structure how you’ll incorporate basic calisthenics training (See video tutorials or just stick with push ups, pull ups, crunches, and leg lifts). If you want more info on specific Calisthenics skills to train for, then that’s where you’re going to want to watch the videos recommended as the approaches to gaining new skills and movements in Calisthenics is FAR too varied to be standardized.
Yoga Movements:
Breathing:
Breathing is the foundation of ANY yoga practice and you should be sure to mind your breathing, keeping it at a slow pace through your nose at all times. Ensure that you breath in a deep manner, taking in air and expanding your diaphragm rather than shallow and frantic breaths. Some positions may be intense and the natural impulse will be to shallow breathe but this will limit the amount of flexibility that you gain from a pose as muscle relaxation in a movement is KEY to progress.
There are different variations of breathing to try such as:
1. Ocean Breathing: The practice of constricting the back of your throat to make a sort of hissing sound as you breath in and out of the throat.
2. Victory Breathing: The loudest of the breaths, highlighted by a deep and sudden exhale which follows a slow and steady inhale. Used to deepen your position in difficult poses.
3. Full Exhale: The emergency breathing where you want to go when things get rough. This is highlighted by breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Easiest to do as its natural, just make sure it does not progress into shallow breathing. Keep your mouth small through this breathing variation.
Downward Facing Dog:
This pose stretches the hamstrings, calves and ankles, and strengthens the arms and shoulders. It also improves blood circulation in the legs and reduces swelling. To do this pose, start on your hands and knees, with your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Tuck your toes under and lift your hips up and back, straightening your legs and arms. Press your heels down towards the floor and lengthen your spine. Keep your head relaxed between your arms and look at your navel. Hold this pose for 5 to 10 breaths, then lower your knees to the floor. You can modify this pose by bending your knees slightly or placing a block under each hand. You can progress this pose by lifting one leg up at a time or bringing your feet closer to your hands. As an inversion it can help your blood flow as well as build strength within your shoulders. Its most-commonly a stretch for the hamstring, calves, and ankles.
1. Come to your hands and knees with your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Curl your toes under and spread your fingers wide on the mat.
2. Push back through your hands and lift your hips and straighten your legs. Your body should form an upside-down V shape.
3. Press your chest towards your thighs and your heels towards the floor. Keep your head relaxed between your arms. Don’t let your shoulders shrug up to your ears.
4. Engage your quadriceps (the front thigh muscles) and rotate your thighs inward slightly. This will help you take some weight off your arms and make the pose more comfortable.
5. Breathe deeply and evenly in this pose. You can stay here for a few breaths or up to a few minutes, depending on your level of comfort.
6. To come out of the pose, exhale and bend your knees. Lower your hips and knees to the floor and rest in Child’s Pose or move on to another pose.
Hand To Big Toe Position: (Standing or Reclining)
This pose is a challenging whether standing or reclining. When standing it will provide balance that strengthens the lower body as well as the muscles of the core. It also improves posture and flexibility of the hamstrings, hips and spine. If doing this reclining, it will take more of a focus on the stretch of the hamstring and the opposing relationship with the quads. The central key to success of this pose while standing is to focus on something. The steps to this position in either variation are as follow:
(Standing)
1. Start in Mountain Pose, standing with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
2. Shift your weight to your left foot and lift your right knee up to your chest.
3. Hold your right big toe with your right index and middle fingers, or use a strap around your foot if you can’t reach it.
4. Straighten your right leg as much as you can without locking your knee or rounding your back. Keep your left leg firm and steady on the ground.
5. If you feel balanced, extend your left arm out to the side at shoulder level.
6. Gaze at a fixed point in front of you or slightly to the left.
Hold this pose for a few breaths, then slowly lower your right leg and release your toe.
(Reclining)
1. Lie on your back with your legs together and your feet flexed. Place a strap or a towel near you if you need it.
2. Bend your left knee and hug it to your chest. Loop the strap or towel around the arch of your left foot, or hold your left big toe with your left index and middle fingers.
3. Straighten your left leg up toward the ceiling, keeping a slight bend in your knee if necessary.
4. Press your right thigh down to the floor and flex both feet.
5. Gently pull the strap or your toe to bring your left leg closer to your chest, without flattening your lower back or straining your neck.
6. Keep both hips on the ground and relax your shoulders.
The Warrior Series Of Poses:
All of these poses play with some level of stability in the hips and leg strength. The main key to mastery of these poses however, lies within the core. Being able to keep a strong and upright posture regardless of your depth and leg bend will carry you through each of these poses. Remember to focus on Victory breathing in these poses and slowly sink into any of them. Feel free to transition from each of them to the next freely.
Warrior I:
1. Stand with your feet about 4 feet apart and parallel to each other on your mat.
2. Turn your right foot 90 degrees to face the front of the mat and angle your left foot slightly inwards.
3. Align your right heel with your left heel or arch.
4. Lift your arms up over your head and bring your palms together. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your chest lifted.
5. Bend your right knee over your right ankle and keep your left leg straight and strong. Press down through the outer edge of your left foot and avoid collapsing your right knee inward.
6. Gaze up at your thumbs or slightly forward. Breathe deeply and hold for 3 to 6 breaths.
7. To come out of the pose, straighten your right leg and lower your arms. Repeat on the other side.
Warrior II:
1. From Warrior I with your right foot forward, bring your hands to your hips and open your torso to face the long edge of your mat.
2. Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder level and turn your palms down.
3. Keep your right knee bent over your right ankle and turn your right toes to face the front of the mat. Angle your left toes slightly in toward the upper left corner of the mat.
4. Press down through the outer edge of your left foot and keep both legs strong. Reach actively through both arms and turn your head to look over your right fingertips.
5. Breathe deeply and hold for 3 to 6 breaths.
6. To come out of the pose, straighten your right leg and turn your feet forward. Repeat on the other side.
Warrior III:
1. From Warrior I with your right foot forward, bring your hands to your heart center in prayer position.
2. Lean forward and shift your weight into your right foot.
3. Lift your left leg off the floor and extend it straight back behind you. Keep your hips level and point your left toes down.
4. Lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor and reach your arms forward alongside your ears.
5. Engage your core muscles and balance on your right leg. Keep your spine long and gaze at a point on the floor in front of you.
6. Breathe deeply and hold for 3 to 6 breaths.
7. To come out of the pose, bend your right knee and step back to Warrior I. Repeat on the other side.
Reverse Warrior (Extra Credit):
1. From Warrior II with your right foot forward, bring your left hand down to rest lightly on the back of your left thigh.
2. Inhale and lift your right arm up toward the ceiling, reaching back slightly.
3. Keep your right knee bent over your right ankle and press down through the outer edge of your left foot.
4. Lengthen the right side of your torso and gaze up at your right hand.
5. Breathe deeply and hold for 3 to 6 breaths.
6. To come out of the pose, exhale and lower your right arm back to Warrior II. Repeat on the other side.
Side Lunges:
The side lunge is a seemingly simple pose that depending on the route that you take, as pictured above, can get pretty advanced in a hurry. Nonetheless it is unparalleled in opening up the hips and should be a staple in your arsenal. The steps for this are as follows:
1. Begin in Wide-Legged Forward Bend
(This is a pose where you stand with your feet wide apart and bend forward from your hips, bringing your hands to the floor)
2. Bend your left knee into a half-squat.
3. Keep your right leg straight and flex your foot so that your toes leave the floor and you are rooting into the right heel
4. Press your hips back while keeping the spine lifted. Root into your feet so that your body is lifted, instead of sinking
5. There are a lot of options for arm variations. Keep your hands on the floor if you need them for balance. You can also bring your arms to heart's center. Or you can reach for the opposite foot while keeping the other on your knee. There is also the option to twist your outside shoulder inside of the bent knee while reaching for the outstretched leg.
Upward Facing Dog:
This pose has a myriad of health benefits which make it a key to your feel good mix of Yoga positions and poses. Normally this will be done after what is known as a Chaturanga at the end of a flow before returning to the Downward facing Dog position. Its a great mix in regardless of how you choose to include it though. The steps for this are as follows:
1. Start in Chaturanga (with your elbows bent at 90 degrees and your body parallel to the floor. Your hands should be under your shoulders and your toes tucked under)
2. Inhale and press into your palms and the tops of your feet as you straighten your arms and lift your torso and legs off the floor. (Only your hands and feet should touch the ground.)
3. Roll your shoulders back and down, drawing your shoulder blades toward each other.
4. Open your chest and lift your sternum toward the ceiling.
5. Keep your legs active and engaged, but don’t squeeze your buttocks. Your hips should be slightly lower than your shoulders.
6. Look straight ahead or slightly up, but don’t drop your head back or compress your neck.
7. Keep your neck long and aligned with your spine.
8. Hold the pose for a few breaths, then exhale and roll over your toes to come into Downward Facing Dog Pose.
Chair Pose:
This is a strong base of stability pose that is great for the knees. Learning it can be slightly difficult but once you've mastered it, you'll want to do it every chance you get. Unless the intense burn of the quads, hamstrings, and glutes aren't your thing. Nonetheless you'll develop a whole new base of support and become more comfortable at any depth with a little practice. The steps to this are as follows:
1. Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other.
2. Spread your toes wide and ground down through all four corners of your feet.
3. On an inhale, sweep your arms overhead, palms facing each other, ears in line with your arms, shoulders relaxed.
4. On an exhale, bend your knees deeply and shift your hips back as if sitting in a chair. Bring your thighs as close as possible to parallel with the floor, knees hip-width apart, weight on your heels, knees directly over your ankles.
5. Keep your chest lifted and your collarbone broad. Engage your low belly, navel draws into the spine, tailbone points down.
6. Hold the pose for 5 breaths or longer if you can. To come out of the pose, straighten your legs on an inhale, and bring your arms to your sides on an exhale.
Lord’s Shiva:
This pose is definitely not one that's going to be very beginner friendly but it is a marquis yoga pose that everyone loves to show off when they get it right. This will highlight your strength, stability, core strength and upper body flexibility along with quad and Hamstring flexibility. Its not uncommon to only be able to perform this correctly on one leg. Be sure to find a point that does not move and stare at ONLY that. The stps to this are as follows:
1. Standing tall with your feet together and your arms by your sides. Relax your shoulders and breathe deeply. (YOU WILL NEED THE RELAXATION!!!)
2. Shift your weight to your left leg and bend your right knee to bring your heel towards your buttock.
3. Reach back with your right hand and grasp your right foot or ankle. Keep your hips square and your spine straight.
4. Inhale and extend your left arm up towards the ceiling, palm facing forward. Gaze at a fixed point in front of you for balance.
5. Exhale and gently kick your right foot back and up, lifting your right thigh parallel to the floor or higher.
6. At the same time, lean your torso forward and lower your left arm parallel to the floor or lower. Keep your chest open and your shoulders away from your ears.
7. Hold this pose for 20 to 60 seconds, breathing normally. Feel the stretch in your front body and the strength in your back body.
Training Schedule Example
This is a rough example of what you can expect a regular training week to look like. Don’t be afraid to mix it up based on your preference. If you want more yoga, then switch the Yoga and Calisthenics days around with more focus on doing Yoga.
Beware of trying to do both Yoga and Calisthenics together in the same day at the beginning as your muscles may still be adjusting to the methodology. Take it at a reasonable pace.
MONDAY:
CALISTHENICS FOCUS:
Upper Body Push Pull Work - Push Ups, Pull Ups, The specific training on a Push-up related skill like the handstand pushup or Planche. 5 sets of 5 for specific skills based training.
TUESDAY:
YOGA FOCUS:
Choose 3 Movements and focus on flowing through them repeatedly. Begin to mix them up and hold each movement for at least 10 breaths. Do about 3-5 flows of these. Include Cardio or Martial Arts related training on this day.
WEDNESDAY:
REST, RECOVERY, RELAXATION:
Stretching using some of the 15 Minute Saturnomovement Stretch Tutorials is also recommended on these days.
THURSDAY:
CALISTHENICS FOCUS:
Lower Body based movements are recommended here. Consider Squats, Lunges, Jumps, and other movements that keep the lower body working. Bands are also useful to augment these movements. This is the only day where mixing in Yoga movements would be recommended w/ the Calisthenics workout. High Rep ranges here. (15 - 25)
FRIDAY:
YOGA FOCUS:
If you found the flows you've made were too easy, include more movements into them, 5 - 7 movements. Or consider using the channel and videos provided above for more guidance.
SATURDAY:
CALISTHENICS FOCUS:
Full Body here. Focus Both Upper and Lower but omit the Yoga movements from the lower body as you're going to be doing a lot of work here. Add in some cardio to finish it out.
SUNDAY:
REST, RECOVERY, RELAXATION:
Same as Wednesday, maybe stretch today but the main focus is prep for the upcoming week again.
Conclusion:
Well, that took a minute to go through, but if you’re still reading, then congratulations on your newfound obsession. I guarantee you that’s what this will become. Don’t worry, you have all the resources you need and if you’re wanting to focus on any of the 3 paths to power I’ve presented, don’t worry, it won’t hurt my feelings to know that you decided to discard my message of synergy. (Just kidding. Sorta)
Remember that this is your path and its simply an alternative to make fitness fit into your aspirations of being fit rather than the other way around. Go forth and conquer.