Armstrong program

[dav246]

Hello there, just your average guy hitting 16 reps trying to beef up that PFT score, and came across Armstrong and am giving it a go. I have one question for those with experience with it: Is the program all I should be doing upper body wise? Just the pushups in the morning and then bar work in the gym later, or should I do the program in addition to other things? Right now the plan is do Armstrong, then go through my usual abs and leg work.

 

[HSMPBR]

My experience was this: doing Armstrong-only for upper body was a really good break from the typical strength training wear and fatigue. I also saw great results in number of push-ups (in addition to the vast increase in pull-ups). You, and only you, could or would care if your max bench goes down a few pounds. And if it’s the mirror you’re considering, well, that’s also you and only you.

Great program. Hope you enjoy.

 

[Odominable]

I’ve used it for close to 15 years now to maintain max pull ups every PFT, and I am by no means a physical specimen. Great program. I never bothered with the morning pushups, and always incorporated the appropriate day at the end of whatever my normal workout was. The only time I don’t is if my main workout is heavy upper body and I might be gassed for the pull-ups, in which case I’ll do them to start out

 

[HuggyU2]

Maj Posey came up with this a number of years ago.

Zero to Twenty-plus: Marine develops program to improve pull-ups

“I haven’t met someone yet who I haven’t been able to train to do a pull-up.”Major Misty Posey, the plans officer for Manpower Integration, developed a pull-up training program to help all Marines

www.marines.mil

https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Docs/PullupTrainingGuide.pdf

 

[dav246]

Thanks for all the responses guys, been hittin it for a week and a half now and I've already gone up two reps.

I have ended up doing it like this:

MWF:
Armstrong underhand(chin ups)
Abs
Armstrong overhand(pull ups)
Legs

T-Th
Armstrong underhand
10 mins moderate cardio, 5 minute break
Armstrong overhand

This is in addition to my morning running and the morning routine that I have modeled very closely to Armstrongs every day.

 

[Highlander51]

Thanks for all the responses guys, been hittin it for a week and a half now and I've already gone up two reps.

I have ended up doing it like this:

MWF:
Armstrong underhand(chin ups)
Abs
Armstrong overhand(pull ups)
Legs

T-Th
Armstrong underhand
10 mins moderate cardio, 5 minute break
Armstrong overhand

This is in addition to my morning running and the morning routine that I have modeled very closely to Armstrongs every day.

Little late to the party here but I ran this program religiously before enlisting 12 years ago, short answer it works very well if properly executed. I went from 0 to 20 in the four months I did it before boot camp. I don’t do the pushups anymore due to shoulder issues but I still run a version of it to this day and have never dropped a point on a PFT from missing a pull up.