As long as there have been prisoners, there have been prison trainings. As common in correctional facilities as beating up the new guy on the first day and avoiding spilling soap on him, inmates have been building better muscles in tight spaces. Here are a few reasons prison training works:

1) Unlimited time: time is the only thing you have. You can spend four hours building better muscles because you have nothing else to do!

2) Confined Space – In prison, ambivalence and indecision do not exist. You can’t persevere over whether or not to go to the gym or run on the beach. You are already in the gym and you can never leave.

3) Creativity Required: With no equipment and no open space to run, it’s just you in a room, face to face with your potential.

4) You are the steppe wolf: a lone soldier, a man on a fitness mission. Better muscles and a haunted past, what else is a lady looking for?

So prison training has its advantages, but most of us don’t want to commit crimes and go to jail simply for the benefit of better muscles. Fear not, prison training has many practical applications in the real world. This is a guide that uses the concepts of prison training to create an exercise routine that you can practice in the confines of your bedroom.

the burpee

Get ready for some bread. The burpee is a staple of prison training. Do 20 drop sets and you’ll have better muscles in no time. Here is the process:

From a standing position, squat down. Place your hands on the ground and jump back up to a push-up position. Do the push up. Jump back into a squat position and then jump into the air bringing your knees to your chest. Do this 20 times. Take a breath and then do 19 more. Then do 18, then 17, and so on. You will feel the prison training burn.

Upper part of the body

The Card Game – This prison training challenge requires a deck of cards and a hat. Sit across the room from the hat and throw the cards at him. Every time you miss and a card lands face up, do as many pushups as you read the card (face cards are 10). Work your way through a full deck and you’ll be working your way to some ripped abs and pecs. And remember to keep your body level, with no butts in the air (especially for real prisoners).

Triceps Prison Workout: This is a simple dip. Place your hands on a chair, bed, or sink and lower your body to the floor.

lower body

Jump Squat – This is basically a burpee without the pushup. Squat down and jump up. This works the quads.

Jump Lunge – Lower body into a lunge position, weight on bent leg with other leg stabilizing behind. Jump in the air and change the position of your feet. Repeat as fast as possible.

Center

The Prisoner Plank: Get into a push-up position, with your body rigid and straight. Now hold this position for three minutes. It’s not that easy unless you have washboard abs.

For the Extreme Prisoner

Hand push-ups: You may have seen Nick Cage wringing them out at Con-Air. The concept is simple: do a handstand (you can prop your feet against a wall for support), then lower your head to the ground and push up. You will build better triceps and shoulder muscles.

Wall Squat: With your back against a wall, lower your body until your upper and lower legs form a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for as long as you can. Simple sounds? Try it for 5 minutes. That’s the way to train in prison.

Prison Training fits perfectly into the Primal Blueprint, a health plan designed to maximize strength and good nutrition for those seeking simpler, more natural alternatives to health in the modern world.