Throughout high school, I started each morning by going down to the basement to lift weights for an hour. But this routine fell apart as my schedule became more hectic during and after college, and eventually I stopped exercising altogether. Six years later, after losing all my strength and muscle mass, I set out to recover it.

While it wasn't feasible to recreate the old environment of a basement gym, I identified the key factors that led to success in that environment, and realized that they could be accomplished in a bedroom with gymnastic rings hanging from a pull-up bar.

Initially I focused on simply getting back into shape: getting ripped and then building mass.

Then I started taking things more seriously, trying to maximize performance on various calisthenics. I've started posting on YouTube to hold myself accountable for making progress. It really helps to see video evidence of tiny improvements compounding into massive long-term gains.

While my main goal is just to have fun staying fit, I do want to maintain a decent physique and see how far I can go with exercises that feel like they're in my natural wheelhouse.

Every hold and rep stops just before form failure.

Morning — gymnastic isometrics on rings (2 days back, then front when recovered; usually every third or fourth day for front):

After 2 days of back isometrics, I try front isometrics on the next morning. Straddle planche on rings is the recovery check — if it’s not there, I do another back day and front the following day.

Back isometrics (3 circuits, each circuit 2 rounds):

1. [circuit 1, 2 rounds]
   1. horizontal-straddle front lever
   2. horizontal-straddle Victorian on bars (elbows supported)
2. [circuit 2, 2 rounds]
   1. vertical-straddle front lever
   2. vertical-straddle Victorian on bars (elbows supported)
3. [circuit 3, 2 rounds]
   1. front lever lean
   2. Victorian lean on bars (elbows supported)

Front isometrics:

1. [circuit 1, 2 rounds]
   1. straddle planche on rings (filmed)
   2. tuck planche on rings (filmed)
2. [circuit 2, 4 rounds] iron cross (filmed)
3. [every other front morning] back lever at the end
4. [otherwise] another iron cross circuit (4 rounds)

Afternoon — full-body workout:

Circuit (3 rounds; slow tempo on each movement):

1. slow straddle chin-up to row
2. slow straddle handstand push-up
3. slow L-sit pull-up
4. slow hollow push-up

Then:

1. slow shrimp squats
2. glute bridge