The Beauty of Bodyweight training

That Most Basics of Basics

I’ll get to some specifics, but let’s just touch on some of the general advantages of training with body weight: cost and convenience.

This should probably go without saying, but unlike weighted workouts, you can get a complete (or nearly complete) training session with almost no equipment. I say “nearly” complete because, admittedly, it’s very difficult to truly train your back with no equipment at all; of course, if we add a simply piece of equipment like a pull up bar, you now have access to some of the best and most effective bodyweight exercises in the world.

That single limitation aside, you could do a bodyweight workout at home, in a hotel while traveling, or in the gym.

Of course, you knew all of that. Just because a training method is cheap and convenient doesn’t mean it’s “good” right? Of course not. Okay, smart-ass, fair enough.

With that said, let’s dig a bit deeper into why bodyweight training deserves your respect.

History

Before we go any further, let’s cover that bodyweight training deserves a second look if for no other reason than people have been successfully utilizing it for thousands of years.

Lest you forget, bodyweight training has always been—and continues to be—a mainstay in the training routine of every military organization in the history of the world. From the Spartans to Roman infantry, and doughboys to the Navy SEALS, there hasn’t been a great warrior to step on a battlefield without doing some bodyweight training.

And this continues to be true today, for warriors of a different kind: athletes. While certainly athletes today train with iron, the best programs in ALL sports still incorporate bodyweight training into the mix.

In fact, Hershel Walker trained exclusively with bodyweight and not only had an incredible career, he has a physique that is STILL inspiring envy.

If push-ups are good enough for Hershel, Kevin Youkalis, Georges St. Pierre and Ray Lewis, they’re good enough for you. And trust me, you can get a LOT out of push-ups.

And I’m going to tell you how.

3 Ways to Incorporate BW Training Into Your Workouts For MAXIMAL Effect

1) For Fat Loss

Probably the easiest way to see that bodyweight training can be effective for the average user member is for fat loss.

Due to the extremely versatile nature of BW training, it’s exceptionally easy to move seamlessly from one exercise to another; that, coupled with the fact that it’s simple adjust the intensity of the exercise with a few tweaks makes it very easy to see how bodyweight training can be used effectively for fat loss.

There are a few ways to do this, all of which are tremendously valuable.

• A) Perform a single bodyweight-only workout per week. This is extremely beneficial for people who are training mostly with weights and not doing much conditioning wok. Firstly, as mentioned previously, BW-only workouts comprised of circuits are great for fat loss. Secondly, training with multiple training styles each week is superior for fat loss, due to the variety of training stimulus.
  
  Because I want to hook you up, here’s a bodyweight circuit you can try next time you’re at the gym.

A1 Push-Up - 15 reps A2 Walking Prisoner Lunges – 12 steps per leg A3 Jumping Jacks – 35 total A4 Plank – 60 seconds A5 Pull-Ups – 8-10 A6 Speed Squats – As many as possible in 45 seconds A7 Inverted Row – As many as possible in 30 sec A8 Mountain Climbers – 20 per leg A9 Hand Walkouts – 6 total A10 Burpees – 15

Perform this circuit 5 times, resting 15-25 seconds between circuits. No rest between exercises.

• B) Pepper Bodyweight Exercises INTO a weight-training workout. This is what I call, “the Dynamic Interrupt,” and is a great technique you can use to make any workout you’re already doing more effective for fat loss.
  
  Every 4-5 sets, simply take a break from your weight training routine and perform a few bodyweight exercises like jumping jacks, mountain climbers or prowler pushes. You’ll jack your heart rate up, get your core temperature raised, and overall make the workout more metabolic.
  
  Here is an example of a Dynamic Interrupt you can do DURING your next weight-training workout

Dynamic Interrupt
Quad Squat	50 reps
Mountain Climber	20 reps per side
Plank	30 seconds

As you can see, adding bodyweight training into a pre-existing program is an easy way to take your fat loss efforts to the next level.