Over the years simplicity has been lost in the training world. Much as mentioned in the Eugene Sandow article from last month, you'll head to most 'globo' gyms and see people utilizing a never ending world of machines. You'll see one youth athlete working the leg extension machine, lifting the entire stack, and strutting around afterwards as if they have accomplished some magical feat of strength which is worthy of your gaze. Then afterwards, they might just head over to the smith machine to pump out a few quarter rep squats, very productive. However, come game day, where is that athlete? They are no other place than on their back pinned by their opponent. Is this athlete getting quality work in during their workouts? Is this athlete challenging their body day in and day out to become THE BEST THEY CAN BE? The answer, ABSOLUTELY NOT?
Does that athlete sound too much like you? Let me ask you, how often do you include bodyweight training in your workouts? Once a month? Once every few months? Never? If you answered yes to any of those three you are missing out on exercises and workouts that can elevate your performance and give you newfound strength and muscle that will help you become a feared athlete in your sport.
You should be aiming to include bodyweight training into your program at the very least once a week (If you're an advanced lifter, which you probably aren't), but preferably every workout. A high frequency of bodyweight training can set you apart from your competition. I personally make it a priority to include at least one bodyweight exercise per workout in my programs and often times have workouts completely dominated by bodyweight exercises and complexes. Hitting up a 20 minute circuit of push ups, pull ups, lunges, handstand walks, and broad jumps will do more for your performance and injury prevention than any long, tedious, and draining bodybuilding magazine inspired workout.
To better understand the benefits, take wrestling for example. In wrestling you must be able to control and dominate your opponent physically who is of near equal weight to you. You must also have an elite proficiency at maneuvering your own body to get into the positions you need to be in to lock down holds and pins. Give me a wrestler who dominates and uses bodyweight drills as a big part of his training program any day over one who follows a 'bodybuilding' program.
So what exercises should you perform? Since the list of bodyweight exercises is seemingly infinite, below is a listing of my top 5 favorite exercises divided up into upper and lower body.
Upper Body: Push Up Variations, Pull Up Variations, Recline Rows, Handstand Walks/Wheel Barrels, and Handstand Push Ups
Lower Body: Squats, Lunges, Cassock Squat, Duck Walks, and Single Leg Squats
Also, don't forget the benefits of using bodyweight exercises to train explosive power. Drills like box jumps, broad jumps, plyo push ups, and stair bounds, etc. will go a long way in making you a more powerful athlete. Again the variety of exercises is only limited to your imagination.
Here is a challenge for you. Go 2-4 weeks straight of performing nothing but bodyweight exercises as your mode of exercise. After this, let me know how you feel...I guarantee you'll have amazing results.
Here is a sample workout:
Complete Max Rounds in 5 Minutes
1A Stair Bounds x5
1B Push Ups x10
1C Duck Walks x30 yards
1D Pull Ups x5
Alternatively you can use more variety and implement a workout like this:
5 rounds for time
1A Power Exercise x5
1B Upper Body Push or Walk Variation x 5-10 or distance
1C Lower Body Exercise x 10
1D Upper Body Pull Exercise x 5-10
There are many ways to skin a cat. After reading this, you should have a pretty good idea how to implement bodyweight training into your program.
Kyle Bohannon, CSCS
Owner/Head Trainer
Strive Training
kyle@trainstrive.com
www.trainstrive.com
513-571-2950
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