Body weight only strength training

rybo

Does anyone else follow a program like this?

At this point in my life, this is going to be my next "fitness adventure". I'm not looking to gain or lose weight, I am good where I am, I just wanted to increase the amount of strength training I do to go along with my running.

I've found a couple websites out there, most give decent descriptions of the various movements. Can anyone offer ones with an actual program to follow?
2 sites that seemed interesting were unique body weight exercises & global body weight training.

waldo56

Yes. Well mostly, I do suppliment it with some dumbbells, but they are for rehab/prehab exercises (such as external rotations and wrist extensions) and to increase the load in already low leverage positions (such as a weighted pistol squat).

By and large programming for bodyweight sucks. There is no great beginner-intermediate program. You are much better off taking equivalent exercises and applying them to the programming weight people use.

This is probably the best article for BW programming:
http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2010/3/the-fundamentals-of-bodyweight-strength-training/
it is written by Steven Low, the author of Overcoming Gravity, one of the best BW books out there.

A good intermediate to advanced program can be found at Gymnasticbodies.com, Coach Sommer's site and in his book Buiding the Gymnast Body, another really solid book that can take you to very advanced levels. If there is a program that I am following, this is the one, though I am only loosely following it. The forums there are an invaluable source of information.

Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade is a popular beginners program. It is the most rigid and strict program, much like the 5x5 weight programs. The problem with it is that it is overly strict, many users become overly dogmatic and really miss the point. But it is a program that requires no personal imput into the programming (like the beginners barbel programs). The biggest issue I and many people have with it is that the programming just isn't very good, the progression is artifically slow and the rep ranges somewhat nonsensical. But it is a good read for beginners since it is a very good into to full body bodyweight programming, the framework set up is very solid and it does teach the progressive aspect of things. It is pretty easy to overcome its shortcomings if you don't perform it as strictly, and follow your bodies cues.

Two good sites for advanced exercises and tips for performing them are beastskills.com and alkavadlo.com.

BackTatJIM

Set your MFP to maintain your weight. Then start weight training every part of your body. legs, back, shoulders, Bis, Tris, chest. ect. If you are not eating extra calories you will not gain muscle mass but you will gain strength. Eat what your body needs for the day, no more and no less, lift them weights and you will get strength results.(Strength comes before size) * As far as a routine goes, you should check out some workout plans online, I make a new routine every 8 weeks, but I get tips from friends and books...

LessJos

I follow Mark Lauren's You Are Your Own Gym (book is available on Amazon, app for Android and iOS available too) program. And I think it is great. There are 4 different difficult levels which each come with a 10 week program.

feisma

I recently started using Lauren's program "You are your own gym" and am really liking it. The app sets out some really easy to follow programs geared toward several different levels of experience/fitness.

vtachycardia

Beast skills to see what is possible. Awesome guy.

Also, not strictly body weight but search-- functional patterns----for strength conditioning balance and fun

Also, like running - parkour maybe your bag

auzziecawth66

Bump (have been curious about more body weight training myself)

vtachycardia

Renewed my interest in bodyweight and feats of strength and practise.

Found this guy from Holland on Youtube - he has workout plans - you also see where he started from and where he is now.

http://www.youtube.com/user/jlvi13?feature=watch