Jailhouse Strong 1 Ed 2013 1492755796 pdf
Jailhouse Strong
By
Josh Bryant and Adam benShea
Jailhouse Strong
JoshStrength, LLC and Adam benShea
Copyright © 2013
All rights reserved, including file sharing, the right to reproduce this work, in whole or any part, in any form. All inquiries must
be directed to Josh Bryant and Adam benShea and have approval from both authors.
WARNING! - Before starting any training program, please consult your doctor or other health care
professional. You are agreeing to take full responsibility for any potential risk associated with anything put into practice from this book.
Contents
FOREWORD
I’m going to get right to the point, becgetting Jailhouse Strong, every second counts.
If the reason you bought this book was to get bigger and stronger in less time using the least amount of equipment possible, then do yourself a favor. Skip this forward and go right to Chapter I - don’t worry, I won’t be offended in the least — because what you have in your hands is the tool that will help you achieve exactly that. But if you’re curious why, then read on.
When Jailhouse Strong was originally presented to me, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from it and wasn’t certain there would be anything for me to learn. Throughout my twenty-year career of writing about fitness, I’ve spoken to hundreds of trainers, exercise physiologists, coaches and the like the world over. Each had their own fitness philosophy for getting maximum results — but some of them came with their own personal agenda behind their philosophy. The individuals that shared their secrets in this book aren’t fitness models motivated by a paycheck. They aren’t celebrity trainers pushing the next ‘new’ way to exercise in order to hawk their wares. They are men with nothing to gain by sharing their tricks and tips. Their only motivation is the pure satisfaction of knowing they’ve imparted what they have learned about building a powerful body as quickly as possible onto someone else. But more importantly, they are men driven to be Jailhouse Strong for one specific reason that you and I will hopefully never understand.
That reason is pure survival. As someone that has seen it all in the exercise and fitness world, that is why Jailhouse Strong made such an impression on me, and why I’m certain it will make an impression of you — and your body nothing but time on their hands to focus on their physiques. That might be true, but what I quickly discovered — and what should have been obvious to me from the start — is that despite having all that free time, guys on the inside need to build a better body as quickly as humanly possible.
That’s because when your incentive is pure survival, finding the shortest route to the greatest results is your only choice — and that’s exactly what Jailhouse Strong has brought together in one package.
The techniques in this book are proven methods that achieve maximum results in less time using minimal equipment because for guys on the inside, there really isn’t any choice ‘but’ reach your goals under that type of strict criteria. It’s a street-smart approach to exercise that proves once-and-for-all that the only thing holding you back from the body you want isn’t not being able to afford the right type of supplements or having access to certain pieces of high-tech gym equipment. The only thing holding you back is yourself. BenShea and Bryant have pulled together all of the tactics relied on behind bars for survival, so that you can make your mark on the outside. Use them wisely, and I confidently say, you’ll stay Jailhouse Strong for life.
Myatt Murphy, C.S.C.S.
Fitness expert and author of Ultimate Dumbbell Exercises and Testosterone Transformation
Introduction
From Jean Valjean in Les Misérables tiety is filled with tales of men coming out of the clink broader, bigger, and badder. While the idea of sharing an 8 x 8 cell with a violent sex offender may not be inviting, the strength gained from a jailhouse-style training regimen has an obvious allure.
Anyone who has seen a documentary on prison is familiar with the image of a workout yard filled with jacked cons. This picture begs the question: how do prisoners get so big and strong, while remaining lean and ripped, year round? There are a number of reasons for the freakishly strong inmate, and once they are understood, anyone from the corporate worker to the elementary school teacher can emulate the physical habits that produce such results. Of course, there is one habit you do not want to replicate: actually being in jail. With that in mind, this book will help you build a physique like prisoners on the inside, while still living and enjoying the freedom of being outside prison walls.
The benefits of Jailhouse Strong workouts are numerous: They can be done anywhere: in a cell, a basement, or a hotel room.
They are functional. These workouts are meant to ready your body for the demands of a physical confrontation (making that next trip to your boss’ office or your father-in-law’s house feel like a walk in the park). They require minimal equipment. Often, all that is needed is your own body weight. Lastly, they are just a hell of a lot of fun.
This jailhouse workout program is organized by body part (upper body, lower body, core, and total body) and real world, unarmed combat skill training drills.
To better understand how cons construct their workouts, develop slabs of functional muscle, and
Barefoot is now a minister, serving the law of the Lord, instead of the code of the street. However, he looked back with a degree of fondness on his experiences on the LA streets of the 1970s and his three stints behind bars. From these memories, he shared stories of heavy lifting as a means to prove one’s worth during the early days of the Crips. He also spoke with overt fondness for the initial founder of the Crips, the greatest street fighter in the City of Angels, the late Raymond Washington.
Dorian Yates is best known as the six-time winner of the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest, but a less- known part of his story is the six months that he spent behind bars. In jail, Yates was introduced to serious lifting, and found his passion for the iron. Dorian shared the physical routine and mental mindset that he cultivated behind bars, which would continue to serve him during his illustrious bodybuilding career. While he does not have the reputation of Dorian Yates, Tyrus Hughes of Metroflex Gym in Plano, Texas is another bodybuilder who shared his training regimen from his time in prison with us. Tyrus’ story was interesting because it was in prison that his body went through a complete transition from a post-adolescent kid, small in size and strength, to a developed man, large in bulk and width. One up-and-coming IFBB professional bodybuilder who had an intriguing story to tell about his time on the jailhouse weight yard was Cory Mathews. He was very open to talking about his apprenticeship in jailhouse-style strength training. Another recognizable figure who we were able to talk with was the former president of the Ventura chapter of the notorious Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, George Christie. Along with discussing physical training bars, George shared his insights on how to conduct oneself in the potentially violent world of prison politics. prisoners at the largest maximum security prison in the United States, gave him an understanding of jailhouse strength which was invaluable to this book.
Mike Knight’s reflections on his time as a guard at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California proved very helpful in providing us with a better understanding of jailhouse strength slang, and the kind of weight that was being lifted by the strongest prisoners.
To gain insight into the type of mindset and attitude necessary for success in unarmed combat in its rawest form, we were privileged to receive advice from Britain’s legendary doorman and best- selling author, Geoff Thompson. We were also fortunate to spend some time talking with former light heavyweight world champion and New Jersey legend, Bobby Czyz. As many will remember from his days as a color commentator for Showtime Boxing, Bobby is intelligent, humorous, and very sincere when he shares his thoughts on a wide range of subjects relating to fighting, street smarts, and situational readiness.
Along with rapping with men from across the pond and over in the Garden State, we were able to get information from some lifting enthusiasts closer to home. It was at a local powerlifting gym that we first met James “Fed” Carroll. At the time, we were adolescent athletes looking to improve our competitive success through a strength program, and Fed was a bouncer at a local strip club.
Nonetheless, a bond was formed through our common interest in the iron. That connection was reestablished when Fed shared his memories of weight training at the California Institution for Men in Chino, California. In our hometown, Enrique “Flea” Perez had a near-legendary status for his ability on the football
A common feature of the stories shared by those who trained behind bars was the way in which physical training was the high point of a low point in their lives.
It is an acknowledgement of the way that strength training improves even the direst situation, and in gratitude for the willingness of these individuals to share their stories, that we write this book.
Now, it is time to get Jailhouse Strong!
Courtesy of Tyrus Hughes
Survival of the Fittest: Get Big or Die
Behind bars, one has to get big or die! But the look respected in prison is not that of the men’s physique competitor with huge biceps. Rather, in prison, one looks to build a physique that screams alpha male physical prowess, and drips with masculine virility. When someone sizes you up in the yard or in a bar, they first look at your neck, traps, forearms and your back (the places where workout-hardened muscles coil into combat-ready weapons). A hard-bitten street soldier can tell the difference between “all show and no go” muscles, and a truly dominant, functional physique.
In the big house, everyone is always watching and waiting, to figure out who are the predators, and who are the prey. The average con is not looking for a challenge, but for easy pickings. He may be looking to take your life, or your manhood. The easiest way to prevent yourself from being stripped of world. It might be that asshole boss that always attempts to lay heavy blocks in the Labor Day Flag Football Tournament. If you build up true functional power, you can stop a sexual predator or put this corporate bully out of commission at the drop of a hat.
The bottom line is, if you are jacked, less people screw with you.
Higher Testosterone Levels On average, criminals behind bars have higher testosterone levels than their free world counterparts
Individuals with higher testosterone levels are more aggressive in general, and more susceptible to criminal and high-risk behavior. As such, people who already have high testosterone are put in a social context where traditional sexual activities are suppressed, and physical confrontations are increased. While incarcerated, testosterone levels are raised further because of primordial ideals like resolving seemingly petty grievances with fistfights, knifings, and brutal beat-downs. This creates a gladiatorial environment that makes it tough for the average man to survive, but an ideal place for the alpha male to thrive. When discussing the high ‘test’ level behind bars, it does not matter what the resident psychiatrist or social worker expert says, because it is difficult to figure out what came first; the pumped-up chicken, or the muscle-producing egg. It is, however, much easier to figure out how raising your test levels can make you Jailhouse Strong! You need to have optimal testosterone levels to become Jailhouse Strong as fast as possible! With this in mind, look at the questions below and see if they apply to you:
Is your waistline over 40 inches in size?
Are you grumpy for no apparent reason? Do you have a hard time losing body fat? Are you lacking energy? Are you over 30 years of age?
If you answered yes to three or more of the above questions, you may be suffering from low testosterone levels.
Below are some measures to consider in order to naturally help your body rebuild its free form testosterone:
Get plenty of rest Exercise regularly
Eat more unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, with a good balance of Omegas 3 and 6
Supplement with herbal extracts such as Fenugreek, Eurycoma Longifolia, and Tribulus Terrestris Avoid long durations of carbohydrate depletionExercise Consistency
The legendary former professional bodybuilder Tom Platz said that when it comes to working out there is “good, better and best.” Almost everyone in the joint works out, at least minimally, so they are getting “good” physical training. This is because pretty much any type of consistent training will yield some positive results. Yet, some are getting better training, and quite a few of the cons are getting the best. One reason for the high frequency of jailhouse training is because, like the military, convicts are on a very regimented schedule that dictates when, where, and how they do all their activities. In this schedule, working out becomes the high point of the day. It offers a break from the monotonous
The takeaway is that you need to make your training a high priority! In the same way that you prioritize an important meeting or a night of drinking with a friend, your training needs to be prioritized. If you train three times per week and miss one workout a month, that means you miss 8 percent of all workouts.
If that does not sound like a lot, look at it this way: Say you work 200 days per year and miss 8 percent of scheduled work days. That would mean that you missed 16 days of work. Now, unless you have a real understanding boss, you will quickly be in the unemployment line. You don’t have to train 40 hours a week. Setting aside just 4-5 hours per week for consistent training will offer significant physical gains.
Exercise Science Think Tanks
Real experiences in the jailhouse weight pile trump theoretical speculation in the lab. Rather than discussing the stock market, the kid’s soccer game, or the hot secretary, guys in the prison yard are concerned with the realities of a brutal environment. As such, they discuss ways to survive and excel in their world. So, much of the talk is about hardcore training. If you want results, it would be more beneficial to be a fly on the prison wall than a reader of a glossy muscle magazine or scientific journal.
Progression One day, the no-nonsense powerlifter, Steve Holl, took a cursory glance around his training grounds.
Then he said, “Look around this gym. The same people lifting the same weights, doing the same exercises, and looking the same for the past 15 years.” After a slight shake of his head, he added: “If muscularity. In the case of bodyweight exercises, by doing 100 push-ups in every workout, you will eventually cease making gains. Once your body has adapted to the workout, you will need to add more reps, sets, time under tension or added resistance. Resistance can be as varied as your cellmate on your back, or a weighted vest; anything to make the exercises more difficult. Even if it is as small as decreasing your rest periods from 45 seconds to 43 seconds, that is still progress. You are still getting better.
Cons are always striving to outdo other cons and destroy their own personal records. Do the same. To make progress toward jailhouse strength, follow these four principles of progress:
The Principle of Individual Differences: Everyone cannot and should not train in the same manner. As one becomes more advanced in training, his ability to recover from workouts will change, and the gains he makes from different types of training will evolve. Some people are fast gainers, while others are slow gainers; most fall somewhere in the middle.
Genetics, experience, aging, injuries, supplementation, mental acuity, and a host of environmental factors will influence how each person adapts to training. This applies to you as you experiment with different routines in this book. The more information you track, the more effectively you can decipher what works best for you.
The Principle of Overcompensation: This is a very simple principle, but its importance is often overlooked. It is a survival trait built into your DNA by your Creator. The way that your body adapts to stress metamorphoses into strength. A scar or callus is an example of your body trying to heal itself as efficiently as possible. When you put an increasing amount of stress on your muscles, they will overcompensate by becoming bigger and stronger as a defense mechanism.
The Law of Overload: Whether it means more reps, sets, shorter rest periods, additional weight added to your body, or increased frequency, the principle is to progressively make training more intense. If you do not continually overload your
training, you will either maintain or, more likely, lose ground. We are either evolving, or devolving. Choose to evolve!
The Importance of Deloads: More is not always better, because you want to gradually overload your training. Periods of very intense training must be followed by lower intensity periods, also called “deloads.” This may be referred to as an active recovery.Jailhouse Intervals slow cardio, intense interval training can produce up to nine times the fat loss for every calorie burned during a cardio workout. The primary reason is that training with intervals will stimulate your post-workout metabolism more significantly than long, slow cardio.
Sleep and Recovery
Many convicts are able to get a full night’s sleep, and take naps throughout the day. Sleep is imperative to recovery. The body produces most of its natural growth hormone during REM sleep.
While many experts state the body needs at least seven hours of sleep, they are talking about the “average person.” If you are a hard-training athlete, you are not average, and you need more sleep than this. At least eight hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep is recommended, along with taking naps as often as possible.
A recent study conducted by the University of Chicago Medical School, and published in the Annals
of Internal Medicine, confirmed the importance of a full night’s sleep. The study consisted of two
control groups, in which members of both groups were on calorie-restricted weight loss diets. One group was sleep deprived; the other group had a full night’s sleep every night. Both groups lost the same amount of weight in this study; however, the sleep-deprived group had 25 percent less fat loss. If you are trying to maximize muscle mass and minimize body fat, you need your sleep. Convicts certainly have an advantage by not having to work 40-plus hours a week. You have an advantage by not having a cellmate who could potentially slash your throat or attempt to do the horizontal mambo on any given night. Here are some steps that you can take as a free man to increase your sleep quality. Remember to use your time wisely. The irony for most free men is that your free time is minimal.
Take melatonin Eat dinner by candlelight versus electrical light Get a massage or use a foam roller prior to going to bed Set a sleep routine Take a nap during the day
Remove stress from your life (if you are a worrier, journal your thoughts before bed)
Avoid good or bad news before bed; emotional stimulation will keep you awake If all else fails, look to medicationNUTRITION
“Big” Al Davis
Ask any bodybuilder how he got so big and lean, and they will usually claim that it is all diet. A prisoner doesn’t have access to the highest quality food, but with extra funds, he can buy protein powder and cans of tuna. In some instances, the gateway to legal muscle-building supplements (and not-so-legal muscle-building supplements) can be obtained from a connection on the outside. An advantage to the nutrition plan in jail is that the meals are consistently eaten at the same time every day. Like with training, a consistent time to eat is beneficial for the body.
Along with planning a consistent meal plan for your days, take advantage of life on the outside, and get your hands on the best nutrition and supplements that you can. Cons have a very hard time getting access to strength-building nutrients, but you have ready access to protein, a blender, protein bars … whatever is needed for you to better yourself physically.
When you are training hard and looking to fully realize muscle gains, eat at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. While this is certainly above FDA recommendations, your goal is to build an ass-kicking machine, not just sustain life. Although it is best to eat as much protein as you can from natural sources, supplements do have their place as a way to get additional protein, or as a convenient way to get protein when you are short on time. Remember the word is “supplement,” NOT “substitute.” To look great, you will generally have to follow a strict dietary regimen, high in protein, and without excess carbohydrates and fat. When it comes to nutrition, you have all the advantages at your disposal to get Jailhouse Strong!
Take Home Lesson
Sometimes, to get lean, muscular, and dangerous, you need to look past the studies and look to the school of hard knocks. Don’t take this on faith. I encourage you to take a tour of Penn State and the state pen. Who looks sharper, harder, and more battle-ready? The sleep-deprived, nutritionally depleted, anxious college student? Or, the broad-shouldered, well-rested, testosterone-pumping con? The answer is obvious.
II - A Brief History of Jailhouse Strength
Prisons have exways wanted to separate criminals from law-abiding citizens. Early jails were different from the societal reintegration institutions of today. They were merely a place to hold individuals until the real punishment could be carried out. In early prisons, there was no pretense of rehabilitating the inmates; just keeping them out of society until the gallows were ready to go; like a holding pen at the slaughterhouse.
Prisons did not change much until the late eighteenth century, when American Benjamin Rush lobbied for prison reform in Pennsylvania. Rush asserted that the primary objective of punishment should be the reformation of the criminal, and deterrence from future crime. He argued for a change in punishment philosophy because the incarceration experience tended to harden criminals, and engendered hatred toward the government. As a result of Rush’s work, prisons gradually became what they are today, or claim to be: rehabilitation facilities. In accordance with this goal of rehabilitation, prisons started to offer recreational programs and activities to help the prisoner acclimate into a civil society. One of these activities was weightlifting. Proponents of weightlifting in prisons say that “banging around the pig iron” helps the inmates pass the time, relieve stress and anxiety, build a sense of purpose, and create a positive self-image. They also say that prisoners who lift will behave better because they do not want to lose their access to the iron. Some prison administrators, like Garry Frank, believe that weightlifting not only helps the individual inmates, but also the institution as a whole, because it creates a safer population. Frank, the athletic director at Angola State Prison in Louisiana, asserts that the low rates of violence at his prison may be attributed, in part, to the inmates being able to lift weights.
Rockview State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania. While in the pen, Williams started to experiment with high-volume training and lifting twice a day, concepts which were way ahead of his time. He also found ways to overcome the Spartan setting of the prison weight room. For example, when he needed a weight belt to lift, he would tie a couple of towels around his waist. Even without state-of-the-art equipment, Williams still went on to become the second man in history to officially bench press 600 pounds. He was also built like a brick shit house; he was said to have a 60-inch, relaxed chest, and 23-inch cold-measured arms! Another strong man that came out of the can was Greg “the Beetle” Lowe. Greg is considered one of the greatest power lifters of all time, a feat he achieved while being locked up in the State Correctional Institution in Graterford, Pennsylvania. Although the Beetle did not start lifting seriously until he got locked up in 1985, it only took him eight years to become the national champion. As he aged, this incredible strength stayed with Lowe. In 2007, at the age of 52, the Beetle competed in a powerlifting meet and squatted 865 pounds, bench pressed 460 pounds, and deadlifted 820 pounds for a 2,145-pound total! Amazingly, he did all this while serving a life sentence.
A dedicated focus on training while incarcerated can lead to international success, as it did for some of the Japanese-Americans who were in the internment camps of World War II. While being detained in the Tule Lake Segregation Center, Emerick Ishikawa introduced a number of young men to physical culture through the Tule Lake Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Club. After the war, Ishikawa became a US Champion and a bronze medalist in the World Weightlifting Championships. However, it was one of his pupils, Tommy Kono, who would become one of the greatest lifters of all time. Before he medaled at three Olympics, won six consecutive World Weightlifting Championships, and set 21 world records, Kono began his lifting career at an internment camp with a York Ten-In-One exercise brutal kettlebell workouts as a means to maintain physical strength, and their sanity. This tradition continues in the Russian prisons of today with the holding of the “Spartakiada Games,” a prison Olympics of sorts. This competition brings together nine Siberian prisons to compete in six different events. In 2011, the winner of the most prestigious event, the kettlebell overhead press, performed 67 reps with a 24-kilogram (52.8 pounds) kettlebell in each hand.
Although these stories indicate a vibrant iron culture behind bars, over time, many members of the general public began to fear the “super criminals” they felt were being created in the prison weight pile. This general fear and public outcry pressured many politicians and prison administrators into reassessing the benefits of jailhouse lifting. Consequently, by the early 1990s, some states began to phase out their weightlifting programs. Arizona was the first to completely get rid of their weight room, and other states quickly followed suit.
As a result of states banning the lifting of weights and removing traditional exercise equipment, prisoners began to create incredibly interesting exercises by just making use of what they had. They had bunks, so they did pull-ups on them. They had floor space, so they did pushups, sit-ups, and burpees. They had a deck of cards, so they did “Tyson squats” (explained below).
Even without access to quality training equipment, some beautiful physiques were developed. What this taught us, and what was confirmed with our numerous interviews, is that state-of-the-art equipment is not needed to create a magnificent shape. All you need is a plan and a work ethic. This book will provide you with the plan. You have to provide the work ethic.
Dorian Yates with author.
Dorian Yates (Six-time Mr. Olympia)
Behind bars in Britain, Dorian realized that physical training was a means to get respect from other inmates and the guards. As Yates said, “From guards to inmates alike, no one ever messed with me.” While his physique may have been intimidating, Dorian thinks that it was his disciplined approach to training that garnered respect from the jailhouse denizens.
Aside from establishing a top place in the testosterone-fused hierarchy found in the complex web of prison yard politics, hardcore training also offered Dorian a focus for his passion and a direction for his life. As Yates explained it, training helped him “discover his gift.” Dorian understands that not a positive outlet for feelings of depression and anxiety caused by life in a confined space. For those on the outside, the confined space may not be an iron jail cell, but a dull gray cubicle or stifling urban apartment. Whatever the case may be, the benefit of hardcore training as a means to rise above your predicament remains consistent.
Dorian’s style of training in jail combined basic powerlifting movements (such as heavy squats, bench presses, and deadlifts) with a bodyweight circuit that included exercises likes dips, pull-ups, and rope climbing. While the goal among inmates was to complete the circuit three times, Dorian established himself as the strongest inmate with his ability to go through the circuit 5-6 times.
This no-nonsense workout program provided the future Mr. Olympia with the foundational training necessary to sculpt his body into the granite-like mountain of muscle that dominated the professional bodybuilding stage for the majority of the 1990s.
George Christie (Former president of the Ventura chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club)
During his time in federal prison and county jail, Christie preferred to train in martial arts and only lifted “light weights.” But, he did pay attention to the level of commitment that was dedicated to creating massive “upper frames.” Once weights were removed from prisons, inmates would construct “bladders,” by filling bags with water to create their own weights.
Often, guards would find these bladders and have them destroyed. However, this would not deter the inmates’ motivation to train. As Christie says, “The guys in prison always find a way to get done what they want to get done. Lifting weights, making alcohol, whatever it is they’re going to do, they will find a way to do it.” goal on the street is to stay off the ground (unless you want to be the recipient of a thorough stomping), and to keep the fight in the striking and trapping ranges. From a more general perspective, Christie suggests trying to avoid a fight. When you must fight, “get the job done as fast as you can and get the hell out. Don’t stand around and admire your work, because it’s not pretty.” As a means to avoid fights and trouble, in general, Christie’s advice about how to carry yourself in prison could be applied to many social dynamics: “You give respect; you’re going to get respect back.”
Mike Knight (Former guard at the Correctional Facility in Soledad, California)
Mike Knight 1984
In prison and jail there are bars separating the guards from the cons, but this does not always mean that there is a strict division between the two. That is, respect has to be earned by con and guard alike. During his tenure at Soledad, Mike Knight was one of the toughest prison guards walking the tier, and earned respect on both sides of the bars.
As a serious lifter himself, Mike would lift with some of the stronger inmates. This gave Knight a good relationship with the heavy lifters at Soledad, and established his reputation as a guard who was to be respected. In one instance, when an inmate started giving Mike some static, Knight’s reputation among the prisoners kept the inmate in his cell when Mike invited the dude to settle the dispute one-on-one in the rec room.
20-inch “guns.” In addition, it was through the common interest of lifting that Mike was provided a unique window into the day-to-day activities of Soledad’s inmates. Along with noticing the prisoners practicing some unique training methods, Mike picked up on the informal names used for different muscle groups. Rather than using the scientific terms that are most familiar for those in the ivory tower, “yard talk” had its own language for the slabs of bulk they were building.
Biceps were called “knots.” Your shoulders were known as “caps.” A large chest was referred to as the “hood,” while the lower chest called the “nest.” The lats on a sprawling back were named “wings.” And, lastly, the body parts that probably received the most attention were the triceps, or “back arms.”
Angelo “Barefoot Pookie” White (Original Member of the Crips)
As one of the founding fathers of the Crips, and a legitimate OG (Original Gangster) in the urban battle zone of the gang-infested sections of Los Angeles, “Barefoot Pookie” has been a ringside viewer and active combatant in the raw wars fought for respect among some of the toughest street soldiers. However, in Angelo’s day, these battles were not always waged with bullets. Reputations were built on one’s physical prowess.
In the early days, no one had a reputation like the originator of the Crips, Raymond Washington. Undefeated in over 200 street fights, Raymond’s ability as a fighter, along with his highly physical leadership style (rather than promoting all-out gang warfare, Washington would often challenge rival gang leaders to one-on-one fights to settle territory disputes), enabled the Crips to swallow many of the smaller gangs throughout Los Angeles. Having never been put down in fisticuffs, it was an unknown assassin’s bullet that took Washington’s life in 1979. However, many of the Crips’ early members still talk about Raymond’s physicality with a quiet reverence.
Unlike today, in the 1970s, Crips street gang members could prove themselves by the strength in their arms, not the spray of their bullets. As Pookie tells it, bodybuilding was huge in the early days of the Crips, and many of the first members of the Crips earned their street credit through strength on the “weight pile.” While lifting could earn you respect on the outside, it was inside correctional facilities like YA (Youth Authority) and juvenile hall that many Crips were first introduced to weights. When members of the Crips progressed to state prisons, so did their lifting. Pookie recalled many members of the Crips and the BGF (Black Guerilla Family) who could bench over 500 pounds.
Tyrus Hughes (Bodybuilder and personal trainer)
Courtesy of Tyrus Hughes
Now a competitive bodybuilder, it was in prison that Tyrus turned his once-small frame into a mammoth physique. To develop his body, Hughes used a daily routine of unorthodox lifting and arduous bodyweight training. Tyrus’ lifting program was a reaction against prison officials trying to prevent cons from getting too strong. When a low weight was welded onto a bar, Tyrus would take laces from his boots and tie dumbbells to the end of the bar. This unconventional method made balancing the weight for bench press extremely difficult.
To develop his growing bulk, Tyrus was not just content with increasing the barbell load. In his cell, Tyrus would work out with self-made weights.” He would curl bags filled with water and a tightly rolled mattress with newspapers for handles. up playing cards from his cell floor. This workout (described later) has become known as “Mike Tyson Squats” because they were used by the former heavyweight champion during his stay at Plainfield Correctional Facility.
By his own accord, Tyrus was able to train hard every day and make unreal gains in strength and size because prison life allowed for plenty of time for rest, and an escape from the stresses of everyday life on the outside. The primary stress that he had in prison (staying alive) was made more bearable by the increase in strength and situational readiness that he developed with a strict training program.
Cory Mathews (Bodybuilder and Pastor)
Courtesy of Cory Mathews
At 14 years of age, Cory entered prison as the youngest inmate in general population. Fortunately, he was able to find the iron. An inmate named “Kay Kay,” who served as a peace keeper in the weight him out of his life of crime. According to Mathews, there are three reasons why jailhouse training is so successful. First, Cory explains: “When you’re incarcerated, you are confined to getting rest. The major thing is guys get lots of rest.” Although there were many instances in which Cory was concerned about potential riots, he looks back on his time in prison as one of the most stress-free times in his life. With minimal stress, rest and recovery came easy. Second, behind bars, an inmate is getting three meals a day. While the meals are not “bodybuilding clean,” it is a regular diet, and one that can be supplemented with calorie-dense foods (like peanut butter) from the commissary, or what prisoners call “the store.” Third, guys lifted and trained whenever they could, because they looked at it as a hobby. They enjoyed working out, and looked forward to it.
The physical size Cory gained from lifting gave him a certain amount of leverage among the other inmates. However, Mathews stresses a mantra that is pertinent to men of all sizes. “At some point, you’re gonna have to defend yourself and you’re gonna have to show that you stand for something at some point.”
James “Fed” Carroll (Drummer, Lifter, and Doorman)
While Fed was at Chino’s California Institution for Men, the lifting was done in “a giant sandpit with nothing but flat, wooden benches, real steep inc [incline] and dec [decline] benches.” Along with occasional workouts on a single squat rack, an old-school leg press, and a few old Olympic weight sets, most of the hardcore training was done through bench work. This Spartan environment did not prevent inmates from reaching big numbers. While Carroll was at Chino, he saw some dudes hitting 500 pounds on the bench. sets of 25 reps. Similarly, at Chino, Fed knew a fellow inmate who constructed a 260-pound ripped physique by only doing dips, pull-ups, and sit-ups. Both cases indicate the possibilities for bodyweight training to develop a mammoth structure of muscle.
Witnessing the training at Chino’s sandpit and Red’s push-up workout caused Fed to realize the type of gains that could be accomplished behind bars, without complex machines or programs. As Fed succinctly states, “It goes to show that the basics will get you big.” Aside from basic, hardcore training, Fed noticed two other aspects of life behind bars that are crucial for developing jailhouse strength. First, inmates have an established routine of eating and training at the same time every day. From Carroll’s perspective, this is beneficial for training because “the body thrives on a schedule.” Second, the prison is filled with a bunch of dudes all competing for the position of alpha male. This creates a testosterone-rich environment that feeds the desire to train harder and heavier.
Garry Frank (Powerlifting Legend and Athletic Director at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola)
As one of the greatest power lifters of all time, Garry has a thorough appreciation for the iron, and gets excited by the enthusiasm that Angola’s inmates have for the weight pile. As Frank puts it, “It’s really neat that everybody is attuned to strength and weight training … I really enjoy that.” Part of the reason that Angola prisoners are so interested in training is because strength is a means to get respect.
And in a correctional facility, respect is everything. To build jailhouse strength in Angola, Frank notices inmates pushing each other to get leaner and more powerful. Whether during a run in the yard, or on a bench in the weight room, prisoners push importance of rest and recuperation in a physical training program, the inmates at Angola are proof of the benefits of this type of training. Specifically, Frank observes the way in which prisoners keep a robust build into old age. As he says, “I have seen guys out there 65 years old, look like they are 30.”
Enrique “Flea” Perez (Personal Trainer and former football star)
While doing time in various federal correctional facilities, Perez had to put up with less-than-ideal lifting equipment. For example, the weight pile in the Federal Correctional Institution in Ft. Worth was located under a tin roof, and many inmates had to make do with mismatched dumbbells. But, inmates did not let this stand in the way of reaching incredible results, like Enrique’s lifting partner, who could easily do 600 pounds on the reverse grip bench and rep 345 pounds in a behind the neck press.
Perez was amazed at how big and strong inmates could become without supplements, and by just relying on proper rest and eating healthy. However, he did have some ideas about why prisoners were able to make significant gains in a short time. For example, Enrique made note of the fact that many inmates had addictive personalities that could be directed toward training. In many cases, former drug addicts would shift from a severe drug habit to a workout habit. In addition, prisoners were interested in physical training because lifting could help to ensure personal security behind bars. Perez explains, “You’re not going to mess with someone that is really big or works out.” But, more than that, lifting and physical training keeps you sharp for potential combative situations. By lifting weights and doing cardio, you are able to hone your body and your psyche for whatever you may encounter. Enrique says that when you train, you’re strong and you’re ready to go. This is beneficial for the harsh realities of real combat behind bars, when you never
Josh Bryant
Behind bars, an individual encounters many potential obstacles standing in the way of an ideal training environment. Specifically, he has limited time outside, minimal space, and, often, a lack of access to workout equipment. These obstacles may be the same as those faced by the time-crunched executive, the stressed Mr. Mom, or the energy-depleted college student. Yet, the hardened inmate does not let these minor situational difficulties impede his progress toward getting Jailhouse Strong. Using your bodyweight as resistance is one of the best ways to construct a workout program that will not be affected by these slight inconveniences. This is because a bodyweight workout can be completed anywhere, and without equipment. With the correct application of the Jailhouse Strong bodyweight workouts, the street soldier and the weekend warrior alike can make real gains in functional strength and construct the broad-shouldered, lean-waisted look that elicits immediate respect and prolonged feminine stares at the community pool. exercise is one in which you move, while an open kinetic chain exercise is one in which the weight moves. A bench press is an open kinetic movement because your effort moves the weight (attached to a bar) up and down. A push-up is a closed kinetic movement because your effort moves your body up and down.
Closed kinetic exercises can be more beneficial in terms of results and safety, because they build functional strength and are easier on your body. Closed kinetic movements are able to build functional strength because they train the body to move its own weight, a prerequisite for almost any real-world activity, from lifting yourself off your couch, to transitioning into a liver punch. Closed kinetic exercises are considered safer, because they allow an individual’s body structure to determine the movement pattern of the joints. This allows for a more natural range of motion that may remove excessive stress from the joints, and enables the muscles to perform the workout. With this natural range of motion, joints are less likely to be injured, and muscles are more likely to grow.