Non-Apparatus Training By Court Saldo AKA Advanced Calisthenics
Found this little gem the other day.
Context
This was written by Court Saldo. If you’re familiar with Muscle Control you’ll know that Monte Saldo was a business partner with Maxick. Court Saldo is the son of Monte Saldo.
Although “Maxalding”( Maxick and Monte’s training system) was based primarily on muscle control they would still in some of their later courses have directions on how to use bodyweight exercises in tandem with muscle control. These exercises were just your standard push-ups and squats however during the movements you would be engaging the correct muscles and relaxing those who had a supporting role. This along with lifting weights was the application of muscle control.
One could say that they were “Flexing on em” as the young kids say.
Maxick was also a great hand balancer and was known for being highly proficient at handstand push ups and overhead pressing.
Based on the title of the book it looks like this was aimed more at muscle growth and full body coordination vice muscle control. The latter is an extremely complex system that takes years to master. Trying to flex one muscle while actively working to relax the surrounding muscles is not an easy task. But if their muscular development and performance tell us anything is that this works. However, due to the lack of measurement to gauge one’s progress, one could fall away and become discouraged. For those of us in the pessimist camp, we should probably use other forms of training based on our station in life. Therefore, something more simplified would probably draw in more of a crowd.
Non-Apparatus training is pretty much training without any gadgets. Weights, bands, springs, etc. This approach to fitness is what revolutionized my worldview back in college. Not being tied to any gym or a significant amount of equipment, I had greater freedom in pursuing strength and muscle.
Gone are the days of heading to the gym on campus to do some squats and you find someone in the squat rack curling weights, taking five-minute rests in between their sets, and playing on their phone during these rest periods.
Gone are the days of wanting to get in a good upper-body pressing workout but your gym partner is sick which influences whether you can use the bench press that day.
Gone are the days of being harassed at the entrance of your local gym by a personal trainer following the orders of their boss to sell supplements or rope you into a free training session which leads to you buying personal training…
With non-apparatus training, the control is back in your hands.
This pamphlet has some interesting things that stuck out to me that I wish to elaborate on.
Intro Section
“THE experienced trainer will readily admit that non-apparatus training must play a vital part in any well-balanced routine, whether in the remedial, fitness or advanced strength degrees of exercise.”
Heck yeah, I can admit to that. Having spent most of my adult life in a military environment the ability to move my body well was of the utmost importance. The proficiency I had gained in lower body movements and upper body pulling movements helped me to get through most obstacles and situations although there were still some weak points I had to address them through other methods hence having the, “well-balanced routine” as mentioned above.
As far as how much of your exercise pie-chart non-apparatus training takes is up to the individual. If you love the feel of weights/the iron in your hands then just sprinkle in some movements near the end of your workout so as not to interfere with the proficiency of your weight lifting.
But for everyone else, non-apparatus training is a perfect fit.
“Even the mechanical muscular contractions produced by apparatus resistance can be made more effective by conscious effort to intensify the power, and attain peak contraction by concentration.”
This mind-muscle connection is something I covered in another post. But combining your ability to accurately activate your muscles along with your movement will add to the benefit of the exercise, creating a better stimulus, making the workout quicker, and leaving you feeling more energetic afterward.
Bodyweight and Leverage Section
“Maxick, that world-famed exponent of every kind of strength and agility, employed certain “impossible” leverage feats in his non-apparatus training and stated that some of these required more strength and concentration than his feats with the weights, including the Two Hands Jerk of two and a quarter times his body-weight.”
This was interesting to read for most narratives state that in order to make exercise more difficult just add weight.
That’s the beauty of non-apparatus training. There is always a way to make something more difficult, it just takes a little creativity/imagination.
No Limit To Progression Section
“Harry B. Paschall, the creator of “Bosco” and one of the most vehement propagandists for heavy weight-lifting, has given us a good lead on non-apparatus leg training by his serious statement that “ The legs of ballet dancers" are unexcelled." He particularly advocates movements from the Cossack Dance as being of great value in leg training.”
It is possible to pack muscle on the legs without heavy weights. Heck, you can find anecdotes about folk's legs getting bigger from just Hindu Squats which is a rhythmic squat where your quads are the most engaged during the movement. Hindu Squats were also used by a famous Indian wrestler known as, “The Great Gama.”
But pistol squats, sissy squats, as well as any bridging will make your legs look nice. They won’t be huge by modern bodybuilding standards but they can fool people into thinking you go to the gym.
I’ve often wondered about modifying my leg training to resemble more of what cossack dancers do. If you look at any of these videos it's essentially explosive jumps both double and single leg from the butt-to-grass position. The quads being in a stretched position for an extended period of time would definitely trigger growth. Combine this with a vigorous concentric(lifting) phase and wallah.
The only prerequisite I can see with this is having strong enough tendons in your lower body.
Handstand Push-ups Vs Overhead Pressing
“For overhead lifting, the legs and postural muscles are employed vigorously and take first call on the blood supply.
When the “upside-down” position is assumed the blood is concentrated in the arms and shoulders by the force of gravity as well as by the effort involved”
This “first call of the blood supply” is something you see in all Maxick/Monte writings. For them, the concentration of the blood supply will determine the, “Whole of the growth forces” for that muscle or set of muscles.
“Also, I wish to reiterate that these are not the most advanced non-apparatus exercises.”
Exercise Five
“SINGLE-ARMPRESS. From the position shown bend the supporting arm as fully as you can. Straighten It and r*p«at Perform full repetitions with one arm before meeting the other. A more general bodybuilding movement can be made of this by turning the body towards the arm so that when the arm is bent it allows the nose to touch the ground.”
A variation of a one-arm push-up. Rotating the body towards the ground will definitely make this exercise more difficult. It will essentially become a diamond push-up with one arm. Very few can do this even with wall support. I’m currently working out the kinks myself.
But once you can achieve this perfect one-arm push-up without the wall I can only imagine how much that can transfer to bench pressing…
Or overall upper-body strength…
“Even the most ardent heavy-apparatus man can use his muscular system to the limits of its powers when he is removed from his weights, squat racks, etc.,”
What’s Missing
This was a wonderful little pamphlet to take a look into history. But In my experience is there anything I would add or change?
Bridging
The higher one goes in the difficulty of lower body squatting movements the more likely knee pain comes about. This is not due to this exercise being unnatural for humans since it’s essentially what people do to go the bathroom but on one leg.
It’s due to an imbalance. This ambulance can be cured through leg movements that focus on the other side of the leg. Which is why I incorporate various forms of bridging into my training regimen.
Midsection Work
Core work is important due to its location and importance in helping one generate force. Something as simple as a leg left or maybe a hollow body crunch could fit in this pamphlet.
Pull-Ups/Hanging Ab Work
Being a booklet on non-apparatus training I can see why pulling exercises or hanging ab work is not in here for both these require some kind of equipment. Also, if you at this time are following the Maxalding way of training your pulling muscles are already getting some love through muscle control.
Wrap Up
I enjoy digging into history. Sometimes the answers and approaches of the past are better than modern methods.
Thank you for making it to the end and if you have any questions let me know.