A review of a series of static exercises

One Minute Workout

Static holds for up to 1 minute that increase difficulty by change of leverage. Overcharging means
to do more than one 1 minute exercise per day.
Breaking the minute into smaller increments is acceptable.
The claim is that these static holds provide maximum intensity (of effort) throughout the time, in
contrast to normal dynamic reps. Difficulty increases by changing the position of the hold. These
progressions allow strength to develop across different parts of the range of motion. (Focusing on
one hold may only strengthen one part of the movement.)
These movements are also compound exercises, these require balance and utilise reverse
balance??
The author claims that The exercises in the One Minute Workout work on strength, muscle
endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, and, to a certain extent, power. However, it is hard to
see how a static exercise can achieve all of this, especially power, as this is maximum strength in
minimum time, which implies movement. In discussing agility and coordination as well as power
and speed, the author admits that some attributes require specific training, so a static-only protocol
cannot be the only necessary system.
Generally, lots of generic advice however, setting goals has specific application to progressing
from an easier exercise to a harder one.
The author says exercising on an empty tank is unhelpful, but research shows that it may help men,
in particular, to lose fat.
Basic Progressions
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Sit Presses
Squats
Front Planks
Front Leg Raises
Back Planks

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

Sit Presses
Squats
Front Plank
Front Leg Raises
Back Plank
Back Leg Raises
Side Plank
Side Leg Raises
Back Lean Leg Raises

(An example suggests doing this twice in three weeks, with Sundays off, but also suggests that a
delay of more than 14 days, on average, means a loss of benefit.)

Supported Sits (static dips all begin pushing hands down near the thighs, moving them back
towards the hips increases difficulty)
Seated Chair Press pushing down as in a dip, but without lifting bottom from the seat
Rising Chair Press as above, but lifting the backside off the seat, with feet supporting some of the
weight
Tuck Sit Press as above, but lifting weight off the seat and feet off the floor
L-Sit as above, but lifting legs to horizontal
Straddle L-Sit as above, but with feet some distance apart; placing hands inside or outside legs
changes difficulty
Angled V-Sit as L-Sit above, but with feet raised to 45
Vertical V-Sit as above, but feet as near vertical as possible, since this may involve leaning back,
this may be very similar to the Angled V-Sit
[Personal experience suggests that an angled sit may actually be easier than a horizontal L-Sit, as
the leverage is lessened]

Front Planks
Front Bent Plank as in the top position of a bent-knee Press Up, with a bend at the hip
Front Knee Plank as above, but with a straight line from back to thigh
Front Plank as in the top position of a full Press Up, arms under shoulders
Front Plank: Arms Forward Lv1 as above, but with arms under the chin
Front Plank: Arms Forward Lv2 as above, but with arms under the forehead
Front Plank: Arms Forward Lv3 as above, but with arms as far forward as possible, Superman
Press Ups
Front Plank: Arms Back Lv1 as above, but with arms under chest/upper abdomen (May need to
adjust hand position or even anchor legs to prevent tipping forward)
Front Plank: Arms Back Lv2 as above, but with arms under the mid/lower abdomen (May need to
rotate hands towards the back and anchor legs)
Front Plank: Arms Back Lv3 as above, but with arms under the hips (Adjustments may be needed,
as above)
Front Plank: Arms Side Lv1 as above, but with arms somewhat out to the side (1 foot?)
Front Plank: Arms Side Lv2 as above, but with arms further out to the side (2 feet?)
Front Plank: Arms Side Lv3 as above, but with arms almost as far out to the side as possible

Back Planks
Sitting Back Plank a seated floor dip with feet on the floor
Bent Hip Plank as above, but lifting the hips higher and opening the hip angle (lean back, but
keep shoulders over the hands) Try to squeeze legs together to activate the glutes
Back Plank as above, but get the whole body straight from shoulders to feet (keep hands under the
shoulders as much as possible)
Back Plank: Arms Back as above, but with shoulders about a foot in front of the hands and fingers
pointing back (Don't go forward so far so much that it hurts)
Back Plank: Arms Forward Lv1 as above, but with hands under lower back (shoulders about a
foot behind the hands)
Back Plank: Arms Forward Lv2 as above, but with hands under the buttocks [picture shows that it
is harder to maintain a straight body] (May need to adjust hand position and anchor feet)
Back Plank: Arms Forward Lv3 as above, but with hands lower down the hips, if possible [picture
seems closer to v2 but with more back lean and the legs seem more parallel to the floor]
Back Plank: Arms Side Lv1 as in the Back Plank, but with arms to the side (about 1 foot?)
Back Plank: Arms Side Lv2 as above, but with arms wider (about 2 feet?) Squeeze shoulder
blades together as well as legs
Back Plank: Arms Side Lv3 as above, but with arms almost as wide as possible

Side Planks
Side Knee Plank from a kneeling position, lean to the side and support your body on one arm,
with hand under the shoulder, keeping a straight line from thigh to hip to shoulder
Side Plank as above, but with the body straight from shoulder to heel a one arm press up, with
the body turned to face to the side, variations include legs apart or crossing one leg in front or
behind the supporting foot
Side Plank: Arm Out Lv1 as above, but with the hand beyond the shoulder (about a foot?)
Side Plank: Arm Out Lv2 as above, but with the hand beyond the shoulder (about 2 feet?)
Side Plank: Arm Out Lv3 as above, but with the hand almost as far as you can reach
Side Plank: Arm In as above, but with the hand moved towards the waist slightly
[The following two exercises are given as alternate starting points for progressions, before their
straight arm versions]
Side Elbow Knee Plank as above in Side Knee Plank, supporting body on the bent arm (forearm
along the floor perpendicular to body, NOT on the elbow alone)
Side Elbow Plank as above in Side Plank, supporting the body on the bent arm [The author claims
these variations are more challenging than the straight arm versions, even though they are to be
placed first]

Squats
Half Horse Stance a higher version of the Kung Fu stance, similar to a powerlifter's quarter squat
stance
Horse Stance the full version of the Kung Fu stance, similar to a powerlifter's full squat, with
thighs approximately parallel to the ground
Half Cat Stance the Karate back stance, with the rear leg slightly bent and no weight on the front
foot
Cat Stance a lower version of Karate back stance, with the rear leg bent to 90 and no weight on
the front foot
Pistol Squat a version of Pavel's pistol, but with thigh parallel to the ground and no lower [I think
Pavel advocates going as low as possible]

Front Leg Raises

Front Knee Raise raise leg so thigh is parallel to ground, allowing knee to bend so calf is vertical
Low Front Kick Hold raise leg without bending the knee, as if kicking the knee or lower thigh of
someone opposite
Front Kick Hold raise straight leg until paralllel to the ground, as if kicking the waist of someone
opposite
High Front Kick Hold raise one leg until above parallel, as if kicking someone in the chest, neck
or chin

Rear Leg Raises

Low Back/Rear Knee Raise lift the leg to the rear, with a bent knee, the leg will form a V shape
at about 45 to the supporting leg
Low Back/Rear Kick Hold as above, but with a straight leg [in the picture there is enough forward
lean that the lifted leg is still in line with the body, and the support leg is forward relative to the
body and hip joint]
Rear/Back Kick Hold as above, but lifting the leg until it is parallel to the ground [in the picture
there is total forward lean, so that the body is also parallel to the ground and the lifted leg is in line
with the body, and the support leg is perpendicular relative to the body and hip joint]
High Rear/Back Kick Hold as above, but with the leg raised well above parallel

Side Leg Raises

Low Side Knee Raise lift the leg to the side, with a bent knee, at about 45 to the supporting leg,
as if about to thrust kick to that side
Low Side Kick Hold as above, but with a straight leg, as if kicking to the lower leg of someone to
that side
Side Kick Hold as above, but lifting the leg until it is parallel to the ground, as if kicking to the
waist of someone to that side
High Side Kick Hold as above, but with the leg raised well above parallel, as if kicking to the
chest, throat or neck of someone to that side