Anyone want to talk about bodyweight training?

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bexcobham
bexcobham Posts: 107
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I like the idea of this. No equipment and you can do it at any time with no excuses. I found it excellent so far with burpees etc.

I might get ***** slapped by people who lift, but I'd like to find out the best bodyweight exercises and my ultimate goal is to be able to do a pistol squat.

The main reason I like it, is because its really functional, you are training all over and you can combine it with curcuits and cardio intervals.

Hell, I could even use the monkey bars in the park behind my house!

Any suggestions and inspiration. Anyone want to be my buddy or mentor on this one?
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Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    PM Waldo. He trains with just bodyweight and has had great success.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • MildredBarhopper
    MildredBarhopper Posts: 99 Member
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    I have been doing body weight workouts for almost a year and I think they are great. My results may have been faster if I lifted weights, but this is way more convenient. Right now I'm doing a 3-month program from the website "A Shot of Adrenaline" and it's going well. I wasn't sure if results were happening but I was told the other day my shoulders are looking good, so it must be working!
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I personally enjoy lifting heavy and wouldn't do just body weight. I combine my lifts with Jump Rope training and love it!

    That being said, there is nothing wrong with body weight training. In the end you need to do what YOU like and not give much about what other's think of it :wink:
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    You Are Your Own Gym is a pretty popular recommendation here. There is a book and an app (I think the app is like $3).
  • parisallez
    parisallez Posts: 30
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    imo, insanity is the ultimate bodyweight exercises kick-your-own *kitten* into shape. bodyweight stuff is hard, that's why nobody wants to do it.
  • spicegeek
    spicegeek Posts: 325 Member
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    Check out JC Santana body weight training
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    My weekly bootcamp relies a lot on bodyweight training. I have been going for a little over a year and see huge results in my strength, fitness, and shape. I just got a pretty good app called 12 Minute Athlete that creates a 12 minute interval workout for you based on what equipment you have (you can choose none) and it's killer. It's amazing what you can do with just your own body!

    You should also check out TRX training. It is a piece of equipment but technically you are using your own bodyweight :) and it is awesome!
  • bexcobham
    bexcobham Posts: 107
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    Thanks for the suggestions. :)

    I am in the countryside, so it's a real faff to get to a decent gym. By the time you get there, you have wasted 40 mins. So, you get the picture. There is a council run fitness centre, so I may sign up with that to use the weights, but you have to do a lengthy induction. They have some very strange rules due to 'elf and safety and the bloke who runs it rubs me up the wrong way.

    So, I reckon bodyweight exercises I can do at home would be the way to go. I'm going to start the day shortly with burpees and sprawls. I'll make a fool of myself later on the monkey bars at the park and maybe have a go at assisted pistol squats.

    ClassickQC - is that your butt? If so, I am well envious. How can I get mine like that? Did you get like that from lifting heavy or are you just naturally blessed? You should be well proud of that!
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
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    - have a look at Al Kavadlo and his website called "We're working Out" on-line. All bodyweight and awesome bodyweight physique.


    edit: spelling
  • Elektrolyfe
    Elektrolyfe Posts: 151 Member
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    If you can afford a small set of dumbbells and a cheap bench you can hit almost every muscle group, it is how I started close to 1.5 years ago.

    Although if I could go back in time I would have started immediately in the gym.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I might get ***** slapped by people who lift, but I'd like to find out the best bodyweight exercises and my ultimate goal is to be able to do a pistol squat.

    my calves are ****ed from wearing heels too much, so i cant pistol squat all the way down, but i keep trying!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Any suggestions and inspiration. Anyone want to be my buddy or mentor on this one?

    It's all about objectives, for me I do resistance training to help my running performance and mitigate injury risk so bodyweight does what I need and I can build it into my programme easily. I find lifting to be boring and uninteresting, plus the need to practice passive aggressive loitering, and posturing cuts into my training time ;)

    You Are Your Own Gym is a pretty good programme, Convict Conditioning gets a pretty good reputation here as well (Your phrasing suggests that you're a Brit and I don't think the latter is easily available here though)
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
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    I don't do bodyweight training but it seems very practical to me. Maybe you don't develop enormous strength, but you develop functional strength enough to move around efficiently I'm sure. If we are talking pushups, dips, burpees, pullups, then yes. Then do some walking or running. I like the idea.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    If you're comparing bodyweight training to weight lifting, you can only go so far but that "far" is further than you'd think. The issue becomes one of knowledge - to know what is next in the exercise "ranking" that makes it harder. For instance, you have the basic push up - make it easier by using your knees or putting your hands on a chair, make it harder by doing wide grip push ups. But what if it gets too easy? A handstand push up would hit the shoulders more than the chest. Try a planche... push up, then.

    Here's something for people who think bodyweight training's easy:

    logoforum.jpg

    The only one where I think you'd struggle to make it difficult is leg training - a pistol squat is more about skill/balance/flexibility than outright strength (sure, it's good to have balance and flexibility but you don't need that much). Do a shrimp squat. Not so difficult, is it? And you won't really develop your legs much. If you're really on a tight budget, then I suggest getting someone to climb on your back and do Bulgarian squats (although that's fairly easy, too, unless the person on your back is obese).

    As for pull ups - try one handed pull ups and front levers.
  • steve0820
    steve0820 Posts: 510 Member
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    PM Waldo. He trains with just bodyweight and has had great success.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I 2nd this! Very knowledgeable when it comes to bodyweight training. I lift heavy, but I also incorporate many bodyweight exercises and calisthenics to my workouts. Also, anything i'm near a park with the kids, you better believe i'm busting up pulls/chins/dips hahahaha
  • bexcobham
    bexcobham Posts: 107
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    Thanks to everyone who has answered. :)

    I've always been into martial arts and gymnastics when I was younger and think bodyweight training is ultimately functional and it seems to recruit all of your muscles. I'm not really looking to work on developing my biceps etc, but do want to be fit, strong and have good mobility. If you are fit, you will look good - simple as.

    darrensurrey, I agree with you about how you can take bodyweight training to another level. Have you seen anyone doing advanced Ashtanga Yoga? It's pretty hardcore.

    Ha! Yes, the passive aggressive loitering.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    imo, insanity is the ultimate bodyweight exercises kick-your-own *kitten* into shape. bodyweight stuff is hard, that's why nobody wants to do it.

    Insanity is primarily cardio/circuit training. I think the OP is referring to work with a more strength focus. It's a completely different format.
  • bexcobham
    bexcobham Posts: 107
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    imo, insanity is the ultimate bodyweight exercises kick-your-own *kitten* into shape. bodyweight stuff is hard, that's why nobody wants to do it.

    Insanity is primarily cardio/circuit training. I think the OP is referring to work with a more strength focus. It's a completely different format.

    I have heard lots of good things about insanity and I enjoy circuit training. I might also give that a go.
  • KseRz
    KseRz Posts: 980 Member
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    imo, insanity is the ultimate bodyweight exercises kick-your-own *kitten* into shape. bodyweight stuff is hard, that's why nobody wants to do it.

    Its also very high impact (hard on the joints) and one can easily receive overuse injuries from it. There are many more bodyweight exercises and programs that can be just as effective, if not more than insanity; but also be a lot safer.

    Insanity is nice because you dont have to design your own program, and they help you keep pace. The avg person trying this on their own will have a tough time. So its nice to be able to pop in a DVD for that.

    This is a good thread.
  • KseRz
    KseRz Posts: 980 Member
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    ***Countdown Of The Top 100 Hardest Body Weight Exercises Of All Time***

    http://ashotofadrenaline.net/hardest-body-weight-exercises-of-all-time/

    Check these out and enjoy.


    Some of these are crazy like the Human Flag Bicycles. Would love to be able to do that.

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