Body weight workout success?

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salad_bar
salad_bar Posts: 66 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all,

I started a body weight workout this week. At first I thought it was pretty simple and short, but it gave me a good challenge.

Anyone else have success with standard body weight workouts?

Replies

  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
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    I started doing bodyweight exercises at first to build glute, hip flexor, core and leg strength to help me maintain form on longer runs. I wound up reading You Are Your Own Gym to get more info (and to get all of the exercise details and routines) and started doing a 10 week routine. I saw results fairly quickly, both in body shape and strength. All told after a little over two months I set new PR's on back to back Saturday half marathons, shaving a total of 22 minutes off my half marathon time last year. Plus I feel strong at the end of the race and am no longer doing the "marathon shuffle" after 10 miles like I used to. I'm very much ready and confident at this point to begin increasing mileage past 13.1 miles in May after my next half marathon. Two and a half months ago, before starting these bodyweight exercises, things were a lot different. I was actually just concerned with "finishing" back to back half marathons...not at all thinking about setting new personal bests in each of them. let alone by that margin.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    90% of my strength training is bodyweight. Been heavily into that style of training for a few years now.
  • joolsmd
    joolsmd Posts: 375 Member
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    I do a couple of body weight classes a week. I prefer them to just lifting weights (although I do that too!)
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Yes I have had success doing body weight exercises. This where I started before lifting weights.
  • InsanityForMe
    InsanityForMe Posts: 73 Member
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    With the exception of the program I'm following now, all of my workouts are body-weight style. I love them! I hope you try them and enjoy them as well. :-)
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
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    I do a lot of bodyweight workouts during my bootcamp classes and because of it I've noticed strength gains in my weight workouts.
  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
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    Sorry to sneak in...whats a body weight workout??
  • salad_bar
    salad_bar Posts: 66 Member
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    kmab1985 wrote: »
    Sorry to sneak in...whats a body weight workout??

    Basically using your own body (and associated weight) for strength. For example, push ups, pull ups, planks, lunges, squats, etc.

    So far I'm really enjoying it because it challenges me. I want to be able to do proper push ups, and a pull up (or two). The other thing is I can do these workouts anywhere (no need for weights or a gym). When I go for my next outdoor walk/jog, I can stop at the park benches and do some tricep dips, crunches, planks, etc. It's versatile.

  • kmab1985
    kmab1985 Posts: 295 Member
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    Ah yeah I know what you mean now....thanks!! I'm new to all this bodyweight/strength training etc so will quite sit here wondering what thungs mean haha!
  • ihhsmiley
    ihhsmiley Posts: 1 Member
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    Is there a good body weight programme available for free?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Did basically a combination of body weight and TRX (which again is body weight) with a bit of kettlebells the last couple of years. The change both in strength and building muscle was quite impressive.

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