Most people are aware that apes and chimpanzees and other monkey-like creatures are our genetic ancestors, and that they are much stronger than we are. Apes are masters of their own bodyweight, able to swing from limb to limb or climb like it's nothing. Most humans, even ones in great shape, have trouble doing more than a few pullups. After watching the Thug Workouts (google Thug Workout, watch a couple of videos), I've decided to somewhat refocus my energy to bodyweight exercise. My muscles are about as bulky as I want them to be, and from a bodybuilding perspective, I'm satisfied (except for some fat still over my abs... time...). I want to be able to do tons of pullups wtih different grips, hanging situps, dips with massive reps, etc. Most gyms just won't carry simple straight bars bolted to the wall, so we have to look elsewhere. In the thug videos they use scafolding, and I don't have that available. What I do have is monkey bars. Not in my yard, but in the playground at the nearby elementary school.

Not wanting to be thrown in jail simply for being a strange man hanging around in an elementary school playground, I emailed the principal and asked permission to use the playground after hours and on weekends. She agreed with the proviso that I don't start until 6 on weekdays. I noticed that my odometer says it's about a half mile from my driveway to the school, so once spring comes around, my every other day routine will be a half mile jog to the playground, 15 minutes of various hanging, pulling, and pressing exercises using my bodyweight, then a half mile jog back home. On the opposite days I will probably go to the gym and do squats, overhead press, and some other stuff that's better to do with gym equipment. So we're talking at most 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week, and after 6 months of that I will be as in shape as anyone I know, and much stronger in functional strength.