How to Get Big Results Using Just Your Bodyweight
WHAT IS A BODYWEIGHT EXERCISE?
Body weight exercises are simply exercises that are done using only the weight of your body with no external load such as a dumbbell, kettlebell, band, or barbell. This is not to say that you can’t utilize an apparatus such as a TRX (two long straps with handles that attach to something elevated) to increase the variability of your bodyweight exercises, in my opinion. It’s still just using your bodyweight.
People often don’t have access to a gym because they can’t afford it, don’t like them, don’t have the time, or just like to workout at home or in the park instead. Plus, exercise equipment can be expensive or people don’t have the room to store it. Oftentimes, people are embarrassed to go to the gym because they unfortunately feel insecure about their current condition, or don’t know how to use equipment. There’s also people who just like the idea of just using their bodyweight to get in insane shape.
This article will help you with many of the questions you might have about a bodyweight routine as well as dispel some myths.
BEFORE STARTING A BODYWEIGHT ROUTINE
What many people fail to understand before embarking on their fitness journey is the necessity to be crystal clear about the results they are looking for. Are you interested in…
Losing fat
Building muscle
Cardio fitness
Getting stronger
Longevity
Injury prevention
Sport development
General fitness
You MUST understand this: there is a massive difference between getting strong and getting stronger as well as between getting yourself leaner and building muscle mass when it comes to your workout routine.
If your goal is to squat 400 lbs which is to say you are very strong, then no amount of bodyweight exercises are going to help you achieve this. You must lift weights.
If your goal is to become stronger, that can be achieved no problem with a bodyweight routine. A getting stronger routine does not tap into the potential strength within a person without utilizing a heavy load such as with a relatively heavy barbell.
A getting ripped routine is also much different than a mass routine. A getting ripped routine will usually be more circuit oriented and done while keeping the heart rate elevated the whole time.
A gaining muscle mass routine will involve hitting the same muscle with multiple sets and usually at several different angles and with a much higher total training volume than the other modalities.
So, and this is a big “so”, get crystal clear on what it is you want to achieve with your bodyweight routine. Be honest with yourself. I will show you the way.
BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES
First off, I am not going to list all of the bodyweight exercises out there. There’s just too many to list. Not only that, there are many variations of each one that will give you a bit of a different result.
But here is a sample:
Push up
Push up plank
Plank
Burpee
Squat
Split squat
Single leg squat
Bulgarian split squat
Skater squat
Lunge
Walking lunge
Reverse lunge
Hundreds of abdominal exercises
TRX row
TRX bicep curl
TRX skull crush
TRX knee tuck
TRX leg curl
Squat jump
Split jump
Broad jump
Skater jump
Glute bridge
Side bridge
Dog pointer
Dead bug
Hand walkouts
And that’s not even scratching the surface.
If you can’t afford something like the TRX, there are cheaper versions out there, or you can just take those exercises off that list.
A list like that can be pretty overwhelming for some. Especially beginners. Maybe you’re really out of shape and would like to get started. The beauty of bodyweight exercises is that almost every single one can be made much easier to start and then you can progress to make them more difficult as you improve. Believe me when I say, you will improve really fast if you keep it up. Consistency is key.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you have no chance of doing a single correct push up. This might keep you from starting a bodyweight routine. However, you can start doing correct form push ups on your kitchen counter. If you can do that, you can get stronger over time and then graduate to the back of your couch.
You can do the same thing with a bodyweight squat. Can’t do a low, full range of motion squat? Fine. Maybe you can sit in a chair and stand up. You get stronger doing that and find lower things to sit on until you don’t need to sit down on anything and can perform a correct bodyweight squat.
Every. Single. Exercise. Can be started at more easy and attainable starting points and then incrementally progress to harder and harder versions.
HOW TO START A BODYWEIGHT EXERCISE ROUTINE
Step 1: As I stated earlier, the start of your bodyweight fitness journey begins with you deciding what results you are looking for.
Step 2: The second step would be to choose exercises and a routine that are congruent with your goals.
A routine where someone is trying to get stronger will be different than someone who is trying to do a bodyweight routine for cardio fitness, or someone who is trying to build muscle mass.
A person who is looking to build muscle mass or change their body structure will do routines with slower eccentric (example: the going down part of a push up), will be looking to get very close to not being able to do another repetition within each set, and will need to increase training volume over time, crushing the same muscle (like the chest) two or more times per week.
A person looking to build cardio capacity will be doing much faster movements, usually in a circuit style routine where you may go from a push up to a squat jump to a series of abdominal exercises with little to no rest.
A person looking for overall fitness where strength, body structure change, and cardio, will mix all of the modalities on a regular schedule.
Step 3: The third step is to get very good with form on each individual exercise. There are many videos online that will show you how to correctly perform an exercise. This is important for preventing injuries and getting better results.
Step 4: The fourth step would be to figure out how many times you are going to be able to workout per week. You definitely must do more than one workout per week as after five days your body’s benefit from the previous workout begins to decline. Also, you must have a day or two rest after working a specific muscle such as the legs because that recovery time is equally as important as the workout itself. Recovery is when the muscle regenerates and if you don’t let the muscle regenerate, you will be overtraining, may get injured, or at the very least, have the opposite effect of what you are looking for. Recovery is extremely important.
Included in figuring out how many times per week you are going to workout, you must figure out how long your routines are going to be. Ten minutes? Twenty minutes? An hour? If you don’t think you can get a decent workout in ten minutes try setting a timer for 10 minutes and then see how many push ups, sit ups, and burpees you can do in that time. Brutal.
The next and last step is to pick a routine and start. Start now. Start often. Start.
DISADVANTAGES OF A BODYWEIGHT ROUTINE
The main disadvantages of most bodyweight routines, as I see it, are that it is really difficult to address the back muscles and the posterior chain (back of leg, glutes, low back, spinal erectors). That is unless you are utilizing some form of weight or a TRX. Important hinging movements like the Romanian deadlift or rowing exercises that address the muscles on your back will not lead to a very balanced workout or a very balanced body.
An imbalanced body can lead to injury because the muscles on the front of your body are strong compared to the muscles on your back being weak. This can also lead to posture problems which lead to injury.
While I also think it may be difficult for someone who is very deconditioned or overweight to start a bodyweight routine, I firmly believe there are ways to begin at a very easy level such as doing push-ups on a vertical wall or performing a squat where you sit on something even just two inches beneath your rear and standing back up.
Still, I feel the benefits of starting a routine with bodyweight only far outweigh the drawbacks a bodyweight routine can provide.
ARE BODYWEIGHT ROUTINES JUST FOR BEGINNERS?
No.
Have you ever seen a gymnast's body? Not a lot of weight training going on there. That’s not to say that you need to start doing backflips off a set of rings, but it’s just an example of what bodyweight training can achieve.
Quite often in my training or the training of pro-athletes, and just as often with your average person who wants to get in shape or improve longevity, we do one day of weight training for a specific muscle and then the next workout will be completely bodyweight.
An example of this is the bench press. This works the chest, front shoulder, and back of arms (triceps). But that’s pretty much it. When you’re doing a push up or a variation of a push up you need to tighten your abdominals and stabilize your hips, and if doing correctly, activate your glutes. A push up is utilizing much more of your body for a given exercise and will closely mimic a more real life movement (unless you are trapped under a tree and need to press it off of you). Keep in mind what I said earlier about strength and the ability to lift a heavy object. A push up will make your chest stronger but will not make your chest as strong as a bench press would because you can’t increase the load when doing the push up. Both have their place, but just doing variations of push ups can add muscle and greatly improve your body structure aesthetically.
Many pro bodybuilders do push ups on yoga blocks in order to get a deeper stretch at the bottom of the exercise and slow their descent with a pause at the bottom so that a simple push up becomes a massive chest builder.
High level military personnel do thousands of push ups, pull ups, ab exercises, and burpees. If those are good enough for them to get in and stay in shape it should be good enough for you.
It really comes down to how you do a particular exercise in order to achieve a specific result even with no weight. Because you can build mass by doing 5-30 reps of a given exercise IF you are getting at least very close to the point where you can’t do another repetition (something most people don’t realize they aren’t coming close to) you can make almost any exercise, bodyweight or not, a muscle changing movement.
Take a Bulgarian split squat which develops the thigh and glute muscles better than almost any other exercise. It’s like a lunge but your back foot is elevated behind you. You put most of the weight on your front foot and only use the back leg to balance you without using it to help you stand back up. Well it’s one thing to lower yourself without slowing your descent, but it’s quite another to lower yourself slowly, like say take a real four seconds to get to the bottom and then do a real one-second pause, and then raise yourself back up smoothly. Now you’re doing something that can really change the look and strength of your rear end. Can you do more than thirty reps of that? Doubtful. Even if you’re an advanced athlete.
So… no. Bodyweight routines are not just for the beginner. Bodyweight routines are for everyone. Beginner and advanced.
BODYWEIGHT TRAINING WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER
I can’t recommend getting not only a good personal trainer but a great one to help you on your bodyweight fitness journey. Good trainers can be fairly expensive, but with your health and wellbeing at stake, I think it’s money well spent.
A great personal trainer will not only be able to show you the correct form on a given exercise but will also be able to give you options if a specific exercise isn’t a good choice at your current level. At a minimum they will be able to show you how to make an exercise easier in the beginning and then help you along as you progress at a propper level.
Even if you can’t maintain the cost of a personal trainer, just having one help you get started with some exercises that fit your goals would be very advantageous for you. You can always do your routine for a few months and then return for different exercises to master. Soon, you will be on your way to having a large list of things to choose from and a heck of a lot more knowledge.
Exercises are movements and they need to be done properly to avoid injuries and to get the most out of every workout.
A great personal trainer can help you:
Choose the right exercises based on your goals
Show you the proper form
Show you the proper tempo
Show you alternative exercises
Teach you how many repetitions are necessary
Teach you how many sets are necessary
Teach you about training frequency
Ensure you are getting proper rest between workouts
Teach you how to progress
Ensure you are working out hard enough to achieve your goals
Ensure you are not overtraining
They should also be able to tell you, and will tell you, if a bodyweight routine doesn’t fit the goals you’re looking to achieve. If you are looking to squat double your bodyweight, a bodyweight routine isn’t going to cut it.
If you can’t afford a personal trainer, there are thousands of great “how to” videos out there and as many programs. Some you have to pay for, but most are free.
If you can afford a personal trainer to help walk you through the correct exercises and form, I can’t recommend it enough.
BODYWEIGHT ROUTINE EXAMPLES
There are many ways to skin a cat. I don’t know why you’d want to, but I guess there are. Anyhow. I’m going to give you some examples I use with my clients that require no equipment and very little space. Keep in mind, I have these people using perfect form, and know when to stop. Our basic rule is, if you’re too tired to perform another good rep, then that’s it. Done.
Hotel Workout
I’ll give this to my people who are traveling and don’t know if there is going to be a gym at the hotel:
10 bodyweight squats
10 push ups
10 reverse lunges
10 V-ups
10 Burpees
3 to 5 sets or with a timer try and get as many rounds as possible in 10-20 minutes, resting as needed for good form on each. If burpees are out of the question, I have them take that out.
Butt Burner
Bulgarian split squat (4:1:1) that’s a four second descent, a one second pause and a one second up
10-20 reps each leg
3-5 setsSingle leg hip thrust (can be done with back on couch or a bench) (4:1:1)
10-20 reps each leg
3-5 setsPartial Squat (you go all the way down but never all the way up (4:1:1)
10-20 reps
3-5 sets
Ugly.
Cardio Pain
Push up x7 + 3 hand clap push ups
Lateral skater jump x20
Plank x1min
Jump jack x20
V-up x10 to 20
5+ sets limited rest
There are many others and keep in mind that these are not something you should just try without consulting your doctor and a professional trainer to help you with correct form. They are examples only!
Bodyweight routines can be all you need to get into the best shape of your life. Keep in mind the limitations, such as lack of hinge and back movements. But also, think about the possibilities. Stronger, better cardio, fat loss, better shaped muscles, and the ability to start with very easy and simple exercises.
I highly recommend adding something like a TRX to your routine, possibly a pull up bar, and something relatively heavy to do hinge movements with. But if not, don’t hesitate to get started.
It would be best if you can find a good personal trainer in your area to help you along the way. It will save you a lot of time and reduce the risk of injury while simultaneously increasing your chances of achieving results.
Know the results you are looking for and see if a bodyweight routine fits that mold.
If it does, then let's get started!
Play to win!