Body Weight Exercises

poopypants

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Bottom line Is I will soon be in a situation where I will most likely only have my own body weight to work with and would like to diversify my arsenal of BW exercises I have at my disposal.

Everyone knows about good old push ups, their many varients and also pullups and dips if you have something to brace/hang from but what else can one accomplish to target direct muscle groups using only ones own BW?

Any and all ideas/videos/questions are welcome, lets discuss.
 
SilentBob187

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Burpees, let me find Hurley's old thread....
 
poopypants

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I know the burpee but thats also a mostly aerobic type of exercise based on explosiveness and endurance but lookin for some more direct focused exercises for groups rather then full body exercises... still a good one though.

any one else?
 

Highlanda01602

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Crossfit.com is filled with BW/Pylometric videos, check that one out.

Random exercises coming to mind...
If you have a pullup "bar", try "Knees to Elbows". Just as it sounds, from a dead hang, drive you hips up and forward and make contact. Your torso should be rotating slightly backwards to make the movement more natural.

Pistols, aka one-legged squats, builds balance, coordination, and flexibility. Nonetheless builds strength, but that's fairly obvious.

Hand-stand pushups... very difficult if you have yet to try these... essentially overhead pressing your bodyweight, despite a smaller range of motion (unless you're advanced and use something like cinder blocks for a deeper ROM).

Pike pushups... "dive bomber" stance, but just nose-to-ground touches. In other words, bent at the waist in the pushup position, making an incline pushup position.

Planks and neck bridges... core stability for the win.

There's really no secret though with BW exercises, but you already know that. It's just about getting creative and designing your own ass-kicker. People underestimate how powerful bodyweight exercises can be when done at high intensity! I think you'll have fun doing this.
 
poopypants

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Thats great Highlanda! thanks for all the info brotha should be very useful!
 
crader

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Walkouts are a good core exercise, if you can get 2 6lb medicine balls you can use them to roll out with your hands and back in again to make it harder.

I assume you will be using heavy things around the house to do squats and curls and tri kickbacks with? Over head baby lifts..lol
 
poopypants

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Walkouts are a good core exercise, if you can get 2 6lb medicine balls you can use them to roll out with your hands and back in again to make it harder.

I assume you will be using heavy things around the house to do squats and curls and tri kickbacks with? Over head baby lifts..lol
These Ive done, lol..... in fact I even patented what I like to call "dog bells" back in '05







 
Manimalia

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hit up some headstand shoulder press against a wall (HARD. i can only do about 5). follow that with...

bent-over shoulder presses. put your butt in the air and make an upside down v. press yourself down and up. it's HARD if you move through it slowly/correclty.


then for triceps, you will wanna prefatigue with dips and then hit up some diamond pushup 21's. but you don't HAVE TO finish with ONLY 7 full pushups. do 10, 12, whatever you can.


deadlift squats are a good option for legs. stand on one leg and imitate a deadlift and do this for high reps. mix that in with some one-legged step ups for quads/butt, and don't let your other foot touch the floor much at all. just the tip.

do some mary katherine lunges as well.

wide pullups for back. chin 21's for bis.

that's about all i can think of.

oh and burpees/walking to and fro for cardio.
 
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Man, everybody took my suggestions... :(

Just kiddin' - there's some great info here!

For one leg squats, I prefer to do them standing on a box, so the leg not being worked hangs off the side. This increases ROM. Same for One leg Deads.

And burpees? Roll from squat position onto your back, then forward again into squat position, then push-up, etc. Adds one step to the movement, but it will REALLY get you winded quick.

Also, plyometric push-ups and pull-ups are killer.
 
poopypants

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Also, plyometric push-ups and pull-ups are killer.
plyometric meaning slowed down or the same as TUT? these are the only way IMO to make up for the fact that pushups can become depressingly easy after doing them regularly (i can hit a quick rigid 100 no problem for sets when doing them constantly)

pullups are still difficult enough on their own for me so I couldt imagine trying to slow that down too much.... suppose If I did them avidly that they would get easier as well...
 

Omen

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I was gonna post my routine cause it might help someone, then I decided against, then I read your post and I'll post it before my workout tonight.

You will be VERY VERY happy with the results you see from it but will cuss me out everytime you do it :lol:

In less than 2 hours I'll post it, I'll post the link here for ya, it's nothing but body weight exercises for strength, endurance, explosiveness and like any workout fat loss and muscle gain will follow.
 
poopypants

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Tons of great suggestions so far guys.... keep em comin...

even if you see something you were thinking but know a specific twist to make them more difficult or focus on a specific muscle group then please dont hesitate to mention it as well.

:thumbsup::thumbsup: to everyone who contributed thus far... reps to all.
 
poopypants

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I was gonna post my routine cause it might help someone, then I decided against, then I read your post and I'll post it before my workout tonight.

You will be VERY VERY happy with the results you see from it but will cuss me out everytime you do it :lol:

In less than 2 hours I'll post it, I'll post the link here for ya, it's nothing but body weight exercises for strength, endurance, explosiveness and like any workout fat loss and muscle gain will follow.
That would just be supurb, great to hear of someone applying these types of exercises with viable feedback. Please feel free to post a link or copy and paste it directly, I want to clutter this up with info so others can reap the benifits as well.
 
John Smeton

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weighted push ups are supoosed to be awesome I may try these as a chest exercise when i can

Step up lunges holding somethingand there may be a time that you can have access to weightsif the system allows it

Goodluck! and keep positive
 
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Plyometric meaning fast and explosive. A plyometric push-up is one where you launch yourself from the ground every rep. A plyometric pull-up is where you move upward so quickly you can release the bar momentarily. They work. Well. ;)

Interested to see Omen's routine - bw is a viable addition to any program, but designing a workout entirely with BW movements is tough.
 
poopypants

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Plyometric meaning fast and explosive. A plyometric push-up is one where you launch yourself from the ground every rep. A plyometric pull-up is where you move upward so quickly you can release the bar momentarily. They work. Well. ;)

Interested to see Omen's routine - bw is a viable addition to any program, but designing a workout entirely with BW movements is tough.
LOL. well guess I fudged that one, lol. I can do plyometric pullups then... my only worry will be crackn my chin or teeth on the bar as I tend to get carried away with them as it is sometimes and have popped myself pretty good.... Ill be trying these though.
 
poopypants

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weighted push ups are supoosed to be awesome I may try these as a chest exercise when i can

Step up lunges holding somethingand there may be a time that you can have access to weightsif the system allows it

Goodluck! and keep positive
Thanks Smeton bro, Im a positive guy anywho so Ill make the best of everything... thats why Im researching now, gotta have plenty to do.
 

Omen

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Alright, a little late but here it is, I put this program up a while back and did some recent and needed modifications.

Wake up 12pm empty stomach:

This is my current level for the PT program that was given to me(week 1&2) Category 2:

3 mile run (only twice a week due to lack of time)

6x30 push ups
6x35 sit ups
3x10 pull ups
3x20 dips

Immediately followed by burpees (squat/thrusts), I do the 20 descending sets, I added these as HIT cardio because jumping rope was becoming low intensity cardio and I'm not good with any tricks to make it harder.

30-45 min swim (only twice a week with the running days)

This might surprise some of you but I don't eat anything after that, I'm on CKD/IF (Intermittent fasting), I only eat from 8pm-3am, refeed/cheat on the 15th and 30th of each month.

WORK ( I haven't had a day off in 5 months, that's right, 5 months)

Go home and workout from 1am usually to 3 am

Combat conditioning exercises:

-Hindu Squats 25 X6

-Hindu pushups 25 X 6

-Back Bridges less than one minute without hand support X 6

-Front Bridges more than one minute without hand support X 6

Follow by 20 descending sets of burpees as HIT, I eat a small meal around 8pm, but after this workout at 3am I eat like a ****ing pig, very little carbs from a handful of blueberries and tons of fat and protein.

I only have 2 rest days a month, on the 15th and 30th with my refeeds, other than that, this routine is done everyday, except running and swimming, which I have to increase.

The PT routine is attached as a PDF, Category 1 and Category 2.

Video explaining hindu squats, pushups and back bridge.

[ame="http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=sC9P2DsNxO8"]YouTube - Royal Court of Bodyweight Exercises[/ame]

** Also, once you do the hindu pushup, go back to the starting position the way you left it, keep it rounded in a smooth fluid motion, don't take the easy way out and "lift" yourself up to the position.

More on the "Royal court"

Matt Furey

**Front Bridge: Get in the hindu pushup position, lower your head on the floor tuck your chin in your chest and put your hands behind your back, it works your neck and back like muther****er, it's advised to do it to balance with the back bridge.

I've been doing this for a while now, this is the kind of **** well rounded fighters do, Military Personnel in Special operations, etc.....

I don't like weights anymore, I did weights for 3 years of my life and found my place with calisthenics, it's harder than weights for me, works out more muscles and every goddamn time I finish a workout I feel sore as **** the next day, but I still workout that same morning and let me tell you, I love it!!! you gotta be ****ed up in the head to like **** like that!! :lol:

Matt Furey's book has more exercises I could scan them and post them but my scanner is a 3 in 1 deal it takes forever to scan one page, Plus I have college coming up too, the book is pretty cheap though.

Matt Furey - Combat Conditioning fitness coaching

My diet is very simple, small meal at 8pm: can of pink salmon with LOTS of Mayo(smart mayo made with olive oil)/lettuce and EVOO, with 25g of ATW whey Isolate, one hour later I'll have 50g of ATW Isolate with olive oil and workout at 1-3, then I'll have 1-2 lbs of raw ground beef, handfull of blueberries and fish oil

Supps: Whey, ZMA, Fish oil, multi, E, Selenium, B complex, 8g of Vit C a day.

Day in day out.

Ofcourse some people will tell you this is over training too ****ing much blah blah blah, yes I agree it is, Ignore everything I said, some people won't handle this weather physically or mentally about the over training losing muscle thing, funny thing is, I'm cutting at a steady pace, look bigger and let me tell you, I am becoming in the best shape of my life.........this program is hard as ****, but you will be conditioned like a muther****er, balls to the ****ing wall, no pain no ****ing gain!!

And you'll do nothing but eat, sleep and train, I haven't had a day off in 5 months, sleep anywhere from 4-7 hours on a good day and on every refeed day I drink ATLEAST 10 units of Alcohol, training wise you'll be much better.

Any questions, post them right here, I love this routine and don't mind answering any question you have.
 

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poopypants

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damn thats quite a bit of info to digest! Ill have to come back and look it over more carefully tomorrow when Im not about to pass out. Thanks for taking all the time and effort to share that with us Omen :thumbsup:
 

Omen

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So anyone try them or added them to their routine?

Just done with the combat conditioning for tonight, shaved off 3 mins.

Taking 5, then doing HIT.....20 descending sets of Burpees....HOOYAH!
 
poopypants

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So anyone try them or added them to their routine?

Just done with the combat conditioning for tonight, shaved off 3 mins.

Taking 5, then doing HIT.....20 descending sets of Burpees....HOOYAH!
thats def extreme.... I will prob be giving this a run not next week but the week after before I have to take my leave. Not even looking to gain with such a routine just hopefully maintain muscle mass and possibly lean up even more.
 

jdepatie

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have you tried TRX bands? you can hang them from a tree or almost anything. Hundreds of exercises to choose from as well. They are a great bw workout!
 
suncloud

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there's also chin ups, though i'm sure you know that already. how about good old farmers carries, where you grab something, and just walk with it till your legs give out? you can also fill a dufflebag with some junk and do squats with them. dufflebags are great to do all kinds of things, even curls, though form becomes a vague issue. i think with a dufflebag a backpack, and a chin bar you can do almost everything. if you got a light enough car (i know someone with a metro that did this) you can even do deadlifts grabbing onto the rear bumper. you can also make sandbags and do clean and presses with them, and that won't cost much to make at home depot. hope i haven't suggested things that have already been covered. also, if push ups are too easy for you, try it while wearing a backpack full of your old college textbooks. wish i knew more about this kind of stuff. good luck poopypants.
 
poopypants

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LOL thanks guys.... actually just inherited an old two piece vacuum from the Gparents in law the kind with the detached motor and bag section and a walking hose/pole/wandthingamajiggy... well with the bag mostly full its a good 35lbs and has a handle perfect to grab for curls... bungie corded some more heavy things to it like wifeys arobic weights and a mini TV even for military pressing... the awkward center of gravity and imbalance of the whole thing def makes up for the lack of weight.

soon I will possibly not even have other objects such as these other then a mattres so I have been precticing purely BW exercise routines only with lots of push up varients to work the back and shoulders as well including hand stand pushups seated dips between chairs ect.

Thanks again for all the input guys.
 
BigKrabbe

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Hey bro, bodyweight exercises are good and have their place in a world where time/money is a serious issue for a lot of us. Have you ever just considered getting 2 30-45 lb dbs? That way you could do bodyweight exercises, and still be able to do quite a few lifts.
 
R-Mac

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some ideas for lower body...

lunges...walking or 1 legged ones

Quad exercise(mad quad burn)....with back against a smooth wall surface...place legs shoulder width apart in front of you and slide you body and back down untill you form a 90 degree angle with your torso and quads...place hands at side on rest quads...hold in position for 30 seconds....rest 45 seconds and repeat for 5 sets of 30 second holds...increase sets and duration of set as your threshold for pain increases :lol:

one legged calf rasies
 
poopypants

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thanks Rmac, Ill def use those!!!

ya thanks for the idea there BKrabbe that WOULD be ideal at an in home thing... but the issue here is that I HAVE a membership now... just wont be anywhere I can get my hands on weights or anything heavy soon and will very likely have only my own BW to work with so specifically need thosee kind of exercises. Thank you again anyhow for the input.
 
crader

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Can you use things at home to add in as weights? Fill empty milk cartons with concrete or sand? Fill up a small suitcase with books to do front squats with or hold something heavy to do weighted sit ups. Walking lunges holding something heavy in each hand?
 
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A movement I forgot about - you can do bw Tricep Extensions.

Gripo the edge of a bench chair, counter top, car bumber, whatever, facing downward.

Lower your body by bending at elbows, as if you were doing a skull-crusher and lowering the bar towards your head.

Push yourself up using your tris - it's pretty tough.
 
R-Mac

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thanks Rmac, Ill def use those!!!

ya thanks for the idea there BKrabbe that WOULD be ideal at an in home thing... but the issue here is that I HAVE a membership now... just wont be anywhere I can get my hands on weights or anything heavy soon and will very likely have only my own BW to work with so specifically need thosee kind of exercises. Thank you again anyhow for the input.
no problem poops
 
Hurleyboy05

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Hey poops, I've had several friends visit the Gym you're headed off too, and most of them have gone for the same reason. They've all been able to use the recreation equipment, and as long as you are patient, I'm sure you'll be able to use it also. Just don't go in trying to prove anything. Use the benches when you get the chance but stick to BW exercises in your down time. I wish you the best man - everything works out in the end!
 
poopypants

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A movement I forgot about - you can do bw Tricep Extensions.

Gripo the edge of a bench chair, counter top, car bumber, whatever, facing downward.

Lower your body by bending at elbows, as if you were doing a skull-crusher and lowering the bar towards your head.

Push yourself up using your tris - it's pretty tough.
I really like these!!!! thanks for the awesome addition!

-poops
 

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