Muscles are just plain dumb. Despite their ability at some level to perform amazing Cirque De Soleil type feats, muscles only ‘know’ two things—tension and stretch. They can’t differentiate between tension or stretches regardless of how the tension got there..
Let’s talk tension. As far as a fitness enthusiast is concerned, muscle tension comes when you place resistance on the muscles. It doesn’t matter what form that resistance takes. As far as the muscles are concerned, resistance is resistance is resistance.
The muscles have no idea what form the resistance takes, whether it is a dumbbell, a resistance band, a barbell, or your body weight. Free weights are superior to machines when it comes to building strength because free weights require you to stabilize the load in three planes, however, the weight on the muscles is not any different.
In fact, the only reason to ever use an external load (i.e. weights) is because your body weight is not enough resistance. Most guys are making exercises harder by adding an external load when they aren’t even capable of handling their body weight in the same exercise. I’m constantly amazed by how many people I meet who can bench press whatever pounds of weight, but are unable to perform ten correct push-ups (typically due to a lack of core strength and synergistic muscle stability). As far as I’m concerned, unless you can do an easy 20 push-ups, you have no business getting under a bar for bench pressing. In my training facility, everyone begins with body weight exercises. You have to earn the right to lift weights.
Now, I’m sure some of you are jumping up and down, convinced that your body weight is not enough for you to get a ‘good workout.’ You think you’re much too strong. And you’re probably right. If you’re an Olympic gymnast, that is. Remember that most gymnasts use primarily their body weight in their conditioning programs, and they have no problems developing great physiques and great strength levels. I’d go as far as to say that most gymnasts have better physiques than most weight trainers. And these guys train exclusively for performance—not for mass or aesthetics. Former conditioning coach to the Great Britain Olympic gymnastics team, Nick Grantham, noted that the majority of male gymnasts, after years of body weight training, could typically bench press double their body weight the first time they ever benched. If that’s not evidence of the efficacy of body weight training, then I don’t know what is.
The key to effective body weight exercises is the same as with any exercise—time and tension. We need to select exercises that load the muscles effectively through the entire range of motion, and select a speed of movement that eliminates all momentum.
Sample Workout
CIRCUIT ONE:
1A: Rear Foot elevated split squat: 20 each leg with 2s pause at the bottom of each rest. 30s rest
1B: “T’ push-ups 10 reps each side , 30 sec rest
1C: Hip thigh extension (single leg glute bridge): 20 reps ea. 30s rest
1D: Inverted row: 15 reps 30 sec rest
Repeat the circuit one more time.
CIRCUIT TWO:
2A: Step Up (high box): 20 reps each side, 30s rest
2B: Mixed grip chins: 5 reps EACH SIDE, 30s rest
2C: Single Leg Bent Knee Deadlift: 10 reps each side: 30s rest
2D: Dips (or Wide Grip Push ups): AMRAP (As many reps as possible), 30s rest
Repeat the circuit one more time.
Bodyweight only exercises are a great addition to your own training. If you currently train clients in groups, perform sports conditioning, do bootcamps outdoors, teach martial arts classes or just want some extra workout ideas for days outside of the gym that can replace cardio training , check out : 101 Bodyweight Exercises
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AC
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