Start Bodyweight Training

Movement manifesto

2018-02-21T21:52:00.000+00:00

Our bodies are 200,000 years old.

Genetically, physiologically, anatomically, we are undistinguishable from the first Homo Sapiens ever to have walked the earth.

Among the animal kingdom we are almost unparalleled in our capacity to move our bodies in space. We may not be the strongest or run the fastest, but we can climb, crawl, brachiate, swim, invert and walk on our hands, jump, flip, and roll… We are wobbly bipeds with a steady pronograde past. Powerhouses and endurance machines. We are the ultimate generalists, limited only by the rules of gravity and our imagination.

We once lived on an earth athletic. We once depended on movement to survive: to hunt, to chase, to escape, to fight, to gather. We used to be lithe and active, but the world has moved on... And whilst our biology may be stuck in the past of a common ancestor, we have made our surroundings comfortable and risk-free. We have become clumsy and sedentary.

To counteract the inactivity inherent to modern life, we have built a range of palliative, yet somewhat contrived and unnatural practices. We engage in organized sport and games on occasion, we run a few laps around a track or around the block, we take occasional bicycle rides, swim a handful of lengths in the local pool, but also–and for a lot of us- we spend our time quickly and efficiently in industrial concrete boxes powered by catchy dance music and flickering flatscreen TVs. There, we lift iron plates and wiggle our limbs strapped to surreal-looking, solid steel machines and contraptions. The lycra-clad world of the globo gym!

The fitness industry perceives and treats the human body as a machine, which responds and adapts to a set number of repetitions for certain exercises: it creates a ‘disconnect’ between our mind and our body… It implicitly assumes that we, as human beings, can control the way our body develops through a few physiological principles and equations. It encourages us to perceive our own body as ‘independent’ and ‘outside’ of ourselves, and it alienates us from it.

Fitness professionals have fetishized body parts: we are bombarded with miracle gadgets, and snippets of information which promise to deliver a six pack in six easy steps, six short weeks, six minutes a day. Part with your cash; buy the latest biceps upgrade and the latest quick fix... But in the end, what is it that we are being sold? Disembodied limbs which are not our own, and the shiny new products that come with them: we buy into images which do not reflect our bodily realities. We have turned our flesh and muscles into a commodity.

Away from the gym, competitive sports pitch man against man, team against team, distracting us from our shared humanity and disconnecting us from each other. The opponent is seen as someone to dominate and conquer, rather than a partner in a common pursuit. Stadiums and pitches become battlefields. We constantly fight each other rather than support ourselves towards a common goal.

Our exercise grounds consist of rings, cages, sport halls, swimming pools, tracks and gyms. Even in the world of outdoor pursuits, we climb on purpose-built walls and we kayak on artificial lakes and rivers. We perceive ourselves not as part of nature, but rather we see nature as an element to be tamed and modified by man in order to turn it into his own playground. We have become increasingly disconnected from our environment.

We need to free ourselves from artificial environments and from fancy gadgets. We need to free ourselves from a routine which is based around body parts and muscle groups; we need an approach which emphasises collaborative approaches towards natural movement.

A good movement practice should redefine our common understanding of exercise and fitness, and to promote a vision which helps us reconnect:

- to our own body

- to each other

- to our natural environment

A story

In the winter of 2013, I stood on the city beach in Las Palmas, Canaries Islands.

Close to the water’s edge, two girls were practicing acro dancing in a display of sheer athleticism, strength, balance and skill which rivalled that of any seasoned performer. Their movement was an expression of unbridled joy, their bodies lithe and pliable as they cartwheeled, pirouetted, backflipped and somersaulted on the sand and in the shore surf in an intricate, yet totally impromptu choreography. These two were adults, but they played like inspired children under the waning light of the evening sun.

Slowly making his way towards them, having left his towel to go and dip his toes in the sea, an overweight Spaniard waddled and puffed, lumbering like some sea-mammal ill equipped for movement on land.

It was a study in contrasts: sheer agility next to clumsiness, lithe strength next to obese fragility, the sublime and the grotesque. It was a circus tent spectacle, as the trapeze artist soars and spins high above the head of an ungainly clown on the centre ring.

The scene spanned the full range of human movement capability. For me, it was an epiphany.

7 Principles for moving

A good training routine should promote an approach based on:

- An emphasis on movement and physical activity as a lifelong practice.

- The development of a functional movement vocabulary.

- A practice not based on a few training sessions a week, but rather an engaging daily practice of movement, more in line with the way our 200,000 year old Homo Sapiens body is designed to operate.

- A focus on embodied practices and natural movement patterns which reconnect us to our own body and emphasize internal aspects, rather than external, physiological development

- A focus on the creative and expressive aspects of movement.

- A focus on collaborative non-competitive practices which reconnect us to our shared humanity, rather than pitch us against each other.

- A focuson moving and training 'within' our natural environment. An approach which reconnects us to the earth, rather than pitching us against it.

Some movement resources

Free resources:

- Raphan Kebe's Scirocco sequence - A beautiful and engaging yoga flow which should provide a bit of a challenge for beginner movers.

- Marlo Fisken's Flow movement free youtube videos - Marlo has put quite a lot of free videos on her youtube channel. These seem strongly inspired by contemporary (modern) dance, but they make an excellent starting point for developping a movement practice.

- Antranik's Floreio Project, based on the material of Ido Portal, and also, his excellent post on combining Floreio movements.

- Jason Scully's grappling drills.

- Tom Weksler's youtube channel. For movement inspiration. Tom is one of my favorite movement coaches and, although his videos are not designed to be instructional, his channel is a constant source of inspiration. If you ever have a chance to attend one of his workshops, I would highly recommend them.

Paid resources - a roadmap to movement

- Tai Chi made fun and easy - Tai Chi makes an excellent basis from which to build a movement practice, and the Yang style 24-form sequence is an ideal starting point. Having looked everywhere else online for free instructional videos, I eventually came across this series of tutorials on Udemy by David-Dorian Ross. It is not generally recommended that you learn Tai Chi without an instructor, but the clear demonstrations in this course, with multiple viewing angles make it very easy to do so. The course is very dated but -in my view- it still remains the very best introduction to the art for beginners. David-Dorian Ross also discusses the origins, principles and philosophy of this traditional Chinese martial art and movement routine.

- Yoga for absolute beginners - this is another excellent Udemy series of instructional videos which introduces the fundamentals aspects of a yoga practice, and will help you develop both strength an flexibility, before exploring more demanding aspects of a movement practice.

- Animal Flow - Having mastered the Tai Chi 24-form routine and the Yoga for absolute beginners series, I would recommend that you practice Raphan Kebe's Scirocco sequence (see free resources), then move on to the Animal Flow programme. Animal Flow is a very well designed floor-based programme which, starting from basic movements, enables you to put together sequences, and -eventually- leads to improvisation and creating your own flows. Whilst at times challenging, it is noneless easy enough to be quickly picked up by a beginner, and it opens the door to much more complex floor work. The programme is very well structured, progressive, and on the whole the material is excellent. I would also recommend their workshops if you ever have the opportunity to attend one.

- Marlo Fisken's Floor Flow and Flowbility videos. If you want to further your movement practice, I cannot recommend Marlo's videos enough. Although quite 'dancey', Marlo's sequences are so well put together and so graceful that she'll have you flowing in no time. Her sequences will really take your movement practice to the next level. Make sure you have completed the Animal Flow programme before moving on to these, or you'll be jumping in at the deep end.

- GMB elements and GMB vitami n - two good beginner movement programmes with a well designed web interface, clear instructions, and a fairly well structured approach. The drills make a good starting point for a movement practice, though there is less emphasis in these programmes on flowing from one move to the next. If you are struggling with the Animal Flow programme, I would suggest you start with these.

- Acro Yoga - how to win these 6 challenges. If you are looking for a partner practice, this series of Amazon videos makes a fun and well explained introduction to acro yoga.

Make a donation to the startbodyweight programme

2017-12-24T12:39:00.000+00:00

It has now been 4 years since I launched StartBodyweight.com as a free online resource for the bodyweight strength training community.
Thank you to those of you who have helped shape the programme into what it is today with their comments and support.

If you have benefitted from the progressions, training plans and avice on this site, and if you would like to see it remain online or further developped with new progressions and articles, I would ask that you consider making a small donation to keep it running.

You can donate bitcoins anonymously through our static wallet:

1AtG29LB6XpmQufe7MZinftNLEXP6A54p7

or we also accept Paypal donations:

https://www.paypal.me/StartBodyweight

Front planche on a rope

2014-09-14T16:34:00.000+01:00

When my circus and aerial skills instructor showed this technique to me, she called it a 'front planche on a rope'. The name seems a little misguiding to me -and I am not sure it is even the common name for this move- but for want of a better one, I have kept it here...

The technique itself is not terribly hard -maybe of an intermediate level- and it relies more on skill than brute muscle power. It does require a fair amount of core strength however, and -as you can see from the picture- some straight arm and bent arm pulling strength.

Prerequisites: dragon flags, pull ups

The set up for this technique is particularly important: your lower supporting hand should be pressing into your butt cheek before jumping into position, and you will be relying on the friction generated by the rope to support your bodyweight.

From the initial standing position, jump straight into a side crouch, with tuck knees, with your lower hand supporting most of your weight...

Then turn on your back and straighten your legs, whilst still pressing your lower hand into your glutes. The slight bend in the rope created by your lower hand, and the pull exerted by your top hand are what keep you in the position.

Note: as you get into the horizontal position from the side crouch, allow your top hand to slide down a little. This will prevent your body from bending at the waist, and it will allow you to hold a straighter front planche.

Watch the video below for a demonstration of the exercise:

Progression:

1.Start with holds in the side crouch position.
Hold for a few seconds, and rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times. Build up to 5 holds of 15s, with rests of 45s.

2. Tuck knees front planche.
From the side crouch, turn on your back whilst keeping your knees tucked.
Again, start with a few seconds; rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times.

3. One leg extended front planche.
This is a step which I haven't personally found necessary, and which could easily be skipped. However, I have included it here for those who might have trouble transitioning to the next position.

4. Straddle legs front planche.
Hold the position for 5 sets of between 5 and 15s, resting for what remains of a minute.

5. Front planche on a rope.
Once you do sets of 15s, you can start working towards holds of one minute.
Aim for one minute work in total, so for instance, do 3 sets of 20s with 40s rest; or 2 sets of 30s with 30s rest.
Keep building this up until you can hold the position for a full minute.

Weights vs bodyweight exercises

2014-04-08T13:50:00.001+01:00

Here are a few questions I see cropping up time and time again, and I hope this article will help settle them once and for all:

- How does weight training compare to bodyweight exercises?
- Is bodyweight training effective for muscle building?
- Can you get stronger without lifting?
- Which is better for getting into shape?

Photo credits: Flavio Simonetti, German natual bodybuilder , and Yuri van Gelder, gymnast (source: Raymond Nieuwenburg; transferred from nl.wikipedia)

The nature of the debate

Let me start by stating bodyweight training and calisthenics have been given a bad name.

For most people, this type of training conjures images of aerobics classes, school yard and military type calisthenics, and P90X-style workouts, all of which primarily target either the aerobic system, or –at best- muscular endurance.

Yet, examples abound of people who have developed striking muscular physiques using bodyweight only methods: Hannibal for King, Frank Medrano, The Fortress (all of youtube fame), and countless Olympic gymnasts. A few unorthodox fitness writers offer bodyweight-only hypertrophy programs: the French méthode Lafay (which has unfortunately not yet been translated into English) for instance, and Jay Waldron who runs the website StrengthUnbound. There is also a dearth of good bodyweight strength training routines, though I obviously have a bias towards the StartBodyweight basic routine and Antranik offers a very sound intermediate program on his blog.

On the other hand, bodybuilding hypertrophy routines and weight lifting-based strength programs abound, and the effictiveness of these routines is evidenced by the amazing physiques achieved by competitors in bodybuilding competitions such as Mr. Olympia (and yes, anabolic steroids do help)…

So who are we to trust? Kids doing pull ups on the monkey bars and a few unorthodox renegades, or proven programs yielding strikingly visible results?

It gets complicated…

Here’s the catch: whether we are talking about strength gains or hypertrophy (getting big), one of the major principles at play is that of progressive overload.

Progressive overload is the gradual process of adaptation that takes place in the body when increasing stress is placed upon it in the form of heavier loads. And unsurprisingly, progressive overload does not discriminate: whether you lift iron or your own bodyweight, at equivalent weight (or mechanical disadvantage) your strength or hypertrophy gains should be exactly the same.

Proponents of weight lifting will argue that it is much simpler and smoother to keep adding small loads to a barbell, than to keep coming up with bodyweight exercise variations to increase the stress placed on the body. On the other hand, bodyweight exercise progressions can also be fine tuned, and they can offer a very gradual way of increasing the difficulty of a given exercise…

There should be very little difference between the two, up to a point -at least- where you make full use of mechanical disadvantage/leverage, and of your own body weight.

And my contention is that, indeed, the results will be very similar.

An interesting question is, however: where does that point lie (and we will come back to this later)?

First of all though, let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages of both training methods:

Weightlifting:

- Progressive overload is achieved through incrementally adding small loads to exercises. Progressions are very smooth, and the basic mechanics of the exercises remain the same.

- Big compound movements are often closed kinetic chain exercises (which are considered safer), but isolation exercises (and also a few compound lifts) fall under the open kinetic chain category, which somewhat increases the amount of shearing forces placed on the joints

- CNS (Central Nervous System) gains are experienced very quickly at first due to the consistent mechanics of the exercises performed and their limited number (beginner programs such as Stronglifts for instance consist of only 5 basic lifts). As you get better, it becomes increasingly hard to maximize your CNS gains (something which most beginner programs completely ignore). Note however that whilst these movements may be simple to learn, their subtleties are hard to master.

- The greater variety of isolation exercises means you have more control over the way your body looks and develops than with bodyweight exercises. These isolation exercises are seldom used in beginner programs however.

Bodyweight training:

- Progressive overload is achieved through exercise variations, making use of leverage and mechanical disadvantage. Progressions are perhaps not as smooth as in weightlifting, but arguably the constant changes from one exercise variation to the next target muscles from different angles.

- Most exercises are closed kinetic chain exercises and these are generally considered safer and more functional. It is worth noting however that some advanced movements such as back levers and one arm chins place a lot of stress on tendons, and connective tissue of the joints involved.

- CNS gains reoccur frequently: the constantly changing nature of exercise progressions means that each variation has slightly different mechanics than the previous one (basic programs consist of often well over 50 different variations of 6 or 7 basic exercises). These constant changes place far greater demands on coordination, proprioception, balance and flexibility than weightlifting does. Rapid CNS gains therefore happen with each new variation, arguably resulting in increased strength and muscle mass.

- Most exercises are compound exercises, which are widely considered to favour muscle growth far quicker than isolation exercises.

Whilst weight lifting may have a very slight advantage over bodyweight training in the sense that progression is smoother, bodyweight training makes up for it with its greater variety, and balance, agility, and flexibility gains. For all intents and purposes though, in the context of a beginner to intermediate program, the difference between the two in terms of strength gains and muscle mass increase should be negligible.

A picture of the author, training almost exclusively bodyweight, with no particular concerns for aesthetics or hypertrophy.

If that is so, why do you never see bodyweight guys who are ‘jacked’?

Well, you do see guys with noticeable and impressive muscle development.

It is true however, that there doesn’t seem to be any competitors in bodybuilding contests who train bodyweight only… There is a very simple reason for that:

Bodyweight guys tend to be interested in –unsurprisingly!- bodyweight exercises, the majority of which require an optimized power-to-weight ratio. In short, bodyweight guys aim to be as strong as possible whilst maintaining a weight that is as low as possible. For most, putting on more mass is not an objective, as it is simply counter-productive. It does not mean it cannot be done though…

Up to what point can you expect similar gains between weight training and bodyweight?

Well, your body weight is finite, whereas you can generally add more iron onto a barbell than it is humanly possible to lift. So yes, there is a limit to what you can expect from bodyweight training in absolute terms of strength and hypertrophy…

Gains experienced will be very similar between the two however, up to the point where bodyweight exercise progressions stop increasing in a smooth linear manner, and where they start relying too much on other skills such as balance and flexibility, or when you have to consciously slow down your progress to give tendons and connective tissue time to adapt to the stresses placed upon them by the exercises…

Here’s where I would contend that point lies (and therefore, if you cannot perform these exercises, you have not reached the limits of what bodyweight can offer you in terms of pure equivalent strength or hypertrophy gains):

One leg squats, archer pull ups, handstand push ups, decline one arm push ups, legs forward dips, tuck knees front lever rows.

You can obviously carry on making strength gains past that point with bodyweight exercises only, but they will be slower than what you would expect from a weight lifting routine. You will develop other skills though, such as greater agility and proprioception, balance and flexibility, and generally a stronger core (To the proponents of weightlifting who claim core strength gains from big compound lifts are equivalent to those of a good core routine: let me see your front or back levers).

“What about deadlifts?” some will say… there is no bodyweight equivalent, right?

Well, quite right: there isn’t. There are however a variety of posterior chain exercises that can be trained, such as bridges, hip thrusts, single leg deadlifts, glute ham raises and reverse hypers… Most bodyweight beginner programs glance over them (the one on this site included) because they are not simple to progress. It does not mean they can’t be trained though!

Gymnasts who have never lifted can often deadlift well in excess of 300lbs on their first attempt at the exercise for instance (and much more with a bit of practice!)

In short:

If you are a newcomer to strength training and do not have access to a gym, don’t worry. You can experience similar gains at home up to quite an advanced level (see above). You can also still make gains past that point, but they will be of a different nature, focusing more on skill and agility, and your progress in terms of pure strength will be slower (but nonetheless significant).

Case study: pistol squats vs. barbell squats

Squats (together with deadlifts mentioned above) are generally considered one of these areas for which weight training far surpasses bodyweight exercises.

Bodyweight squat progressions follow a fairly smooth, linear manner up to the pistol squat, after which there isn’t anywhere obvious to go…

On face value, a pistol squat should be equivalent to a barbell squat of 1x your own body weight, which –even in the context of a beginner program- is really not all that much.

It is not quite that simple however: most bodyweight athletes who can perform a one leg squat will actually be able to back squat quite a bit more than their bodyweight (somewhere around 20% more). This is due to the inherent difficulty of pistols which recruit more muscular fibre than equivalent squats of 1xbody weight due to the demands placed on balance and stability by the exercise.

I would suggest that whilst pistols may be inferior to barbell back squats in terms of initial strength or hypertrophy development, they are also far superior at developing the flexibility, stability and strength at the extremes of range of motion necessary for a deep squat. It is not altogether rare to see experienced squatters struggle or be entirely unable to perform full ROM squats without (and sometimes even with) the help of raised heels.

Pistol squats do have their limits, granted, but if you are not a bodyweight purist, their difficulty can also be increased by holding a gallon milk bottle in front of you or a kettle bell/dumbbells.

Concluding words: why do we have to choose anyways? Is it really a case of one vs. the other?

Writing the case study above, the following point crossed my mind: the debate about weights vs. bodyweight exercises is purely a theoretical one, and mostly fictitious. The only people bothered will be bodyweight purists who categorically refuse to ever pick up anything (and if you are one, I have news for you: unless you are exercising naked, you are already weight training), and those who believe such purists make up the majority of bodyweight athletes.

Why should we be bothered? After all, countless weight lifters customarily perform bodyweight exercises (from pull ups and dips to explosive movements like clap push ups), so why wouldn’t bodyweight athletes do the same and use weights, weighted vests, or gallon bottles of milk (!) when it suits their needs?

Choosing between weights and bodyweight, in my mind, is just like choosing between peas and carrots: it’s not about which is most nutritious, but merely a matter of taste and/or what’s available… And if you can have both… well, they’ll get on together just like peas and carrots!

An additional note:

If you nonetheless remain perplexed by the question of whether weights or bodyweight training is better, this might be because one of the following reasons:

- You do not have easy access to a gym; you want to make best use of what you can find at home, and you are worried you will not gain strength or mass. If this is you, I hope this article will have alleviated your fears. If it hasn’t, you really need to get off your butt: start working out and stop theoretizing!

- You are a bodybuilder who struggles to perform some basic bodyweight moves such as pull ups or muscle ups, and you need to salvage your ego by establishing the superiority of your training methods. I’m sorry for you. I doubt you will have read this far, but just in case you did: congratulations! Hopefully you now appreciate the benefits and limitations of bodyweight training a bit better than most!

- You are one of the 'strictly bodyweight' purists I mentioned above. I feel sorry for you also: your dogmatic views are preventing you from optimizing your progress… Weights can actually be used for a variety of valuable purposes such as: pre-exhausting a certain muscle group before training a compound movement; counter-balancing your own bodyweight in exercises such as pistol squats; extending the life of most bodyweight progressions; in pre-hab/rehab work; and in loaded progressive stretching protocols.

I will leave you with these words from a friend of mine: "We have just reaffirmed that the world is, again, not black and white, but grey as f*ck!". And therein lies the answer to the question of 'weights vs. bodyweight'!

Start Bodyweight on reddit

2014-03-30T13:10:00.001+01:00

I have been finding it increasingly difficult to answer all the questions asked through this website, as well as the facebook group and my personal messages.
I decided to create a subreddit, as a forum of sorts to support the Start Bodyweight routine.
The forum format is more appropriate to questions and answers than a blog, and it will give followers of the program a chance to interact and support each other.
Feel free to post about your progress, to share your thoughts and suggestions about the program, and make sure to support new users.
http://www.reddit.com/r/startbodyweight/

Embodied knowledge and bodyweight training

2014-03-29T13:39:00.000+00:00

Long Jump, 1887, Eadweard Muybridge

As I walked down the street, the stranger nodded at me almost at the same time as I nodded back. There was a moment of instant recognition, the way riders usually acknowledge each other when they come across another motorbike on the road; a shared experience.

I am no great fighter, but I have trained in boxing and a few other martial arts, and I can usually recognise a fighter, less by the distinctive marks their face sometimes carry, but rather by the way they move, and look at other people and gauge and assess them… This particular guy was clearly a boxer.

Similarly, a dancer will move in a particular, almost inexpressible way that makes them easy to spot: a certain poise and grace. Long distance runners, sprinters, gymnasts, climbers… all have distinctive movement patterns honed through countless hours of drilling the same motions. A tacit knowledge that is carried within the body, and constantly accessed even in the ordinary movements of daily life.

They say you never forget how to ride a bicycle: this is a knowledge that exists within your body, evolved from specific motor skills and proprioception.

But what is tricky about embodied knowledge, is that it is very difficult to verbalize. How can someone teach you balance, coordination or even movement, using words? These are all experiences, not utterances.

Historically, embodied knowledge is perhaps less important than it once was, because it can now be documented: through photos, videos, and written description. But think of a kata in martial arts for instance: an intricate set of movements, each with a practical application, which would have been passed from teacher to its students through generations. Knowledge of martial arts once was –mostly- embodied through the practitioners of that art.

When it comes to training and performance, embodied knowledge is unlike other kinds of explicit knowledge: whilst you might be able to perform very well at a given sport or physical activity, you do not necessarily need an in-depth intellectual knowledge of it. You might not be aware of the historical background of that sport, of the physiological principles at play, or how to coach it. But without an embodied knowledge of it, you will never be good at performing it.

Embodied knowledge is not even recognized as ‘knowledge’ most of the time. Yet it is intricate, in-depth, and often very subtle. It is a deep understanding of their sport or activity which athletes carry within their body.

Now, take your average internet forum warrior: they will often possess a good knowledge of their subject, gathered from different sources (some of which less reliable than others!), but the image we have of them, is that whilst they talk a good game, they can’t do the things they speak of. They might even be able to analyze a movement (think ‘form checks’), but without a tacit understanding of what it is like to train and/or perform that movement, what they can tell you will always be limited.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you find the natural athletes and the performers: those who can do, but struggle to verbalize and share how it is they actually perform.

So why does embodied knowledge matter you ask, beyond that it can point to a shared experience of the body in motion, and beyond these moments of recognition that emerge from encountering someone who ‘moves the same’.

Well, for a start, if you are trying to improve in a given discipline, you should seek a trainer or coach who possesses not only an intellectual understanding of the activity, but also embodied knowledge of it, which they can verbalize. These are the rare people who can truly accelerate your progress in your chosen field. They are in a sense, well-rounded scholars.

Head spring, Muybridge, circa 1884

In the context of bodyweight training, the concept of embodied knowledge is also particularly interesting. All the common bodyweight exercises we see included in training programs stem from embodied knowledge: they are as old as man’s first attempts at improving himself through physical training. The different mechanics of push ups, squats, pull ups, etc, are knowledge transmitted through the bodies of men and women from generation to generation.

But the way these exercises are trained and performed is also evolving rapidly, with the resurgence of bodyweight training in recent years: protocols now draw heavily from weight training; detailed bodyweight progressions are being designed which did not exist 20 years ago; there is a heavy borrowing from other disciplines and cross-pollination –from circus and hand balancing arts, to gymnastics, martial arts, dance, parkour, yoga, etc.

A new embodied knowledge is emerging, which has more to do with the art of movement at large, and less with that of simple bodyweight exercises. Callisthenics competitions for instance, reflect this variety of movement.

I recently attended an aerial skills workshop (static and flying trapeze, corde lisse, and silks). Warm up consisted of –among other things- coordination exercises, such as circling one arm in one direction, while the other followed the reverse motion. The rationale behind those simple coordination/warm up exercises was that the skills transferred directly to the far more complex motor skills involved in aerial moves.

And therein lays the true importance of this discussion: the total of your whole embodied knowledge is greater than the sum of its parts.

The more you use your body in new and foreign ways, the easier it becomes to acquire new skills.

Here are a few tips, which will help you become a better bodyweight athlete, and increase the knowledge bank that exists within your own body:

- Make sure your training program includes all planes of motion: do not shy away from certain exercises, just because they feel uncomfortable, or because you are not very good at them.

- Practice balance and coordination training.

- Devote sessions to playing, and experiencing what you’ve learnt: explore new ways of moving your body around, try new apparatuses (dip bars, ropes, rings, new things to vault over), take up new activities with ties to your practice (climbing, parkour, gymnastics etc).

- Try to verbalize what you are doing, and try to teach it to other people. This will greatly help you consolidate your movement patterns.

- Seek coaches who possess not only an intellectual knowledge of their discipline, but also deep embodied knowledge of it.

Get lean with bodyweight exercises

2014-03-22T09:59:00.000+00:00

This is the story of this site’s banner: the story of an article that was never written. And it all started with my cat!

I must confess, I have limited amounts of energy: I let work get the better of me quite easily, and when I get busy, my whole life seems to collapse. Winter and springtime are always a busy time for me.

Around this time last year, I realized the winter months had taken their toll: I’d fallen into a slump, my training had virtually become non-existent, and I’d piled on a few pounds. At 80 kg (176lbs or 12 ½ stones) I was the heaviest I’d been since I could remember.

It was then that I decided I could actually make the best of a bad situation: I could use this opportunity to write an article on how bodyweight strength training could be used for weight loss. I would put together a 12 week program, and I would document my progress with weekly pictures. No fake before and after pictures here, no photoshopping: just clear weekly photos, from the same angle, illustrating my progress.

And yes, it was Gingie –my cat- who provided me with the inspiration… Put simply, he is the best bodyweight athlete I know: he can easily lick his own butt, clear three times his own height in one vertical jump, and climb the least accessible of trees!

More importantly, the thought occurred to me that Gingie and I shared similar training principles when it came to weight loss and keeping lean: (!)

- Bodyweight training, in my view, is ideally suited to getting lean. Whether your aim is to achieve a muscle up or (in Gingie’s case) to jump on the kitchen window sill, specific training will involve not only developing the right muscles, but also getting rid of superfluous fat. There’s a peculiar symbiosis at play: being strong, lean, and not overly bulky is essential to become good at bodyweight exercises, and in turn bodyweight strength training helps you develop and optimize your power-to-weight ratio. If you look at the physique of bodyweight athletes, you see incredibly strong and resilient, yet very lean bodies. My training consisted of the basic routine on this site.

- Cardio: obviously, like any other cat, Gingie is no great fan of steady state cardio due to his lack of sweat glands. And, whilst I do not share his reservations, current research has often highlighted the benefits of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for weight loss… Seeing him sprint around the garden like a mad banshee, before having a little rest and starting all over again, I decided to alternate my bodyweight strength sessions with tabata sprints on the rowing machine, and sprinting sessions on the local football field. I also decided to re-learn to use my natural springs (my feet and my legs), and included some barefoot running and plyometrics.

- Paleo: no carbs or sugars for Gingie… He is a strict follower of the paleo diet. And whilst I liked the idea, this seemed like way too big of an imposition for me: I simply cut out all sugars, with the exception of 80% cocoa dark chocolate, and I did my best to limit my carb intake. I did not count calories or consciously restrict my total intake, and I didn’t pay anal obsession to my macros: I ate when I was hungry, and pretty much what I wanted other than what I mentioned above. I also loosely followed the principles of leangains, which in my case simply involved skipping breakfast. This proved a little tough in the initial two or three days, but soon I got used to it, and it became second nature.

- Sleep: I made sure that I got plenty. Nowhere near as much as Gingie’s 18 hours a day, but 8 or 9 hours a night… This together with my increased protein and fat intake boosted my testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH) production.

- Stretching: Gingie is always stretching… I swear he stretches in his sleep! I simply made sure that each session started with dynamic stretching, and that it finished with 15 mins of static stretching, following the basic static stretching routine on this site.

- Fighting and playing. Gingie is a warrior, and he fights from his back. I struggle to find the time to attend martial arts classes nowadays, but I forced myself to go to a couple of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu sessions over the course of those 12 weeks. I got my ass handed to me; I realized how much my cardio sucked; but it was also a reminder of how much fun martial arts training can be, and of the sense of confidence and pride it can instil in you.

So what were the results?

Well, the banner illustrates my progress: I went from 80kg (176lbs) to 70kg (154lbs) in the space of 12 weeks.

Strength-wise, I progressed from 3 sets of 4 pull ups, to 5 consecutive muscle ups and a 10s front lever.

Clearly, I did lose weight.

But did I pack on muscle, and did my absolute strength levels increase?

This is a question I find very difficult to answer myself. I wasn’t a newcomer to bodyweight training, and a large part of the muscle mass you see in the week 12 photo was already there, hidden under the layers of fat. Certainly, my power-to-weight ratio improved, but this could be largely the result of weight loss.

However, the pictures also suggest mass gains in my lats, delts and triceps, and this goes against the received notion that, in order to gain muscle you have to eat a calories surplus, and that therefore it is almost impossible not to put on fat at the same time. Bodybuilders know only too well this process of bulking and cutting…

I do not have scientific evidence for it - it is something highly subjective- but I do think following the leangains protocol allowed me to retain –certainly- but also to put on muscle while losing weight.

Gingie’s 10 principles of cat training

I never published the article I originally intended to write about my cat, the fitness trainer.

It just seemed too gimmicky, too forced and too contrived.

However, I have kept these 10 principles, inspired by him, on which I have based what I wrote here:

1. De-clutter. Make time for yourself, and look after your body and your health. Every day.

2. Cut the carbs, cut the sugars and all the crap processed food. You don’t have to follow a strict paleo diet for this, but make sure to eat lots of greens and fruits, quality meat and other sources of protein. Eat to satiate your hunger.

3. Rest and sleep lots. Not only does it allow your muscles to recover, it will also boost natural Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and testosterone production.

4. Stretch. Every day. Dynamic stretches before a workout; static stretches after.

5. Follow a bodyweight strength training program, at least 3 times a week.

6. Do High Intensity Interval Training at least twice a week. Look into Tabata circuits & other similar protocols.

7. Do plyometrics (but no more than once a week).

8. Develop your body’s natural springs. Walk and run barefoot (but introduce this very gradually).

9. Pick up a martial art.

10. Rediscover your natural environment, and learn to move in it. Do your pull ups on tree branches, your push ups on a grassy lawn.

Twelve principles of bodyweight training

2014-03-03T18:28:00.003+00:00

1. Master your body

It’s not about how much you can lift, but whether you can move and control your own bodyweight in the first place.

2. Progressive overload does not discriminate.

It does not matter if you lift iron or your own bodyweight ; for the same weight lifted (or equivalent mechanical disadvantage) your strength gains will be the same!

3. Stay out of the comfort zone

Work on your weaknesses: chances are, you’ve been avoiding certain movements and patterns all your life simply because you weren’t very good at them. This will create imbalances in the long run, and stall your progress. Venture out of your comfort zone: it’s the only way to grow and improve!

4. Beware of dogma

There are no firm rules when it comes to training, just general parameters from which –as individuals- we are free to stray. Beware of dogmatic approaches, and don’t be scared to experiment and see what works for you.

5. Enjoy it

The best routine is the one you’re going to stick to. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, your will power will only take you so far before you give up.

6. Train movement before muscles

Concern yourself less with aesthetics, and more with the quality of your movement.

7. Take your time

You will max out on your progressions much sooner than you think! Use micro-increments. Stop aiming for instant results, and enjoy the journey. Give your tendons, ligaments and connective tissue time to adapt. Make your training a lifelong habit.

8. Explore your ROM

A pull up which does not start from a deadhang, and does not finish above the bar is only a half pull up.

9. Move

A pull up is only half a muscle up. When you start linking exercises together, you start to move.

10. Think strong and light

Bear in mind your power-to-weight ratio: it will serve you well in most other sports and activities.

11. Fitness is not a commodity

We live under the illusion that fitness is a commodity, and that it can be bought… it can’t.

12. Play for results

You do not need a gym and you do not need fancy equipment. By all means, buy what you need, but you really do not need much. Play with what you have: a tree in the park, a staircase, a bench. Don’t pay for results, play for them!

Basic routine infographic poster

2014-01-22T14:10:00.001+00:00

To download the Start Bodyweight basic routine infographic, with all 8 bodyweight progressions and an overview of the routine, click here.

You can also download the PDF version here.

Finally, you can also purchase this infographic via Zazzle, as a high quality poster.

Please note: due to the amount of information packed in the infographic, the legibility is not optimal on the small size poster. It is recommended you purchase the medium size one.

US and international:

Medium poster (13.53" x 36.00")

Small poster (9.02" x 24.00")

UK:

Medium poster (34.37cm x 91.44cm)

Small poster (22.92cm x 60.96cm)

For other countries, change the country domain name in the address bar to the country of your choice. For instance, for Canada, change www.zazzle.com/start_bodyweight... to www.zazzle.ca/start_bodyweight...

Handstands

2014-01-19T16:36:00.000+00:00

One of the main aims of many of those who come to bodyweight training is to learn how to do a handstand.
A solid freestanding handstand is by no means an easy feat however, and it will require many hours of practice before you can hold the position for any length of time.

This progression will suggests some steps towards building a strong handstand.
There are many different methodologies to train this skill however, and this is only one of many.

Prerequisites: Wall handstand push ups

First of all, let me start with an apology: I have very poor lats and shoulder flexibility, and this prevents me from demonstarting the technique with optimal form...
If you look at the picture above, you can see that my back is arched. This was once considered proper form in gymnastics and hand balancing, as it was thought to be more graceful than a straight handstand.

photo courtesy of www.ehm.cz

Nowadays, gymnasts are taught to keep perfectly straight form when performing a handstand, as this lends itself better to the progression towards more advanced skills (see picture).

My lack of form is in part due -as I mentioned- to terrible shoulder flexibility, but also because (like many newcomers to the handstand), I learnt this skill by practicing with my back against a wall, which encourages some curvature of the spine when holding the position.
This is a habit which, once acquired, is very difficult to correct, and my aim in this article is to help you avoid this pitfall.

Before we proceed with handstands proper, let's have a look at a few exercises which will help with good practice.

The crow stand is an ideal position from which to start building towards a handstand: it let's you get a feel for hand balancing, and how shifting your centre of gravity can affect your balance.
You should be able to hold the position for 1 min before you start working on your handstands. See here for the crow stand progression.

Hand positioning: when practicing crow stands and handstands, your hands should be shoulder-width apart, pointing forwards, and your fingers should be splayed. It also helps if you bend your fingers slightly, as if trying to claw at the ground with your finger tips. From this position, you can balance your weight between by pressing alternatively through your fingers, or through the palms of your hands.

The hollow body position: in order to develop a straight handstand, it is important to spend some time in the hollow body position. Lying on the floor, lift your legs and arms of the ground, with the small of your back remaining in contact with the floor at all times. Engage your core muscles.
You should be able to hold this position for 1 min before you start working on your handstands.

Headstand: once you have mastered the hollow body position, kick into a headstand, and engage your core muscles so as to maintain this 'hollow body' when inverted. Build up to a minute in the headstand position.

Straddle to headstand: this drill will not only develop your balance, but it will encourage you to hold that 'hollow body' position when in motion.
Start with your head on the ground and your legs in a straddle, lift your legs up whilst keeping them apart, then bring them together once you reach vertical. Then reverse the motion to lower your legs under control.

Pike to headstand: this drill will challenge your balance and engage your core muscles. Start with your head on the ground and your legs straight, feet together. Raise your legs under control till vertical, then lower again under control.

Handstand against a wall. Starting on the ground with your feet towards the wall, walk your feet up the wall, as well as your hands towards the wall. Try to come as close as possible to the wall, and aim to adopt the 'hollow body' position.
Shrug your shoulders so your head would be as far as possible from the ground, and point your toes up.
Try to generate as much tension as possible by engaging your core and straightening your body.
Build up to one minute in this position before proceeding to the next step.

A note on dismounting the wall handstand: if after one minute you find yourself not having the strength to walk your hands and feet back down the wall, you can get off the wall handstand by rolling forward: bend your arms and tuck your chin in. Allow yourself to roll forward onto your shoulders (rather than onto the top of your head!).

Another method of dismount is to pirouette out of a wall handstand: bring one hand forward, keeping your arms straight ; this will allow your body to twist, and your proximal leg will fall off the wall to the side. Let your second leg follow the first one, and you will land on your feet safely. This movement is very natural, and much simpler than it sounds!

Wall handstand with one leg off the wall. From a wall handstand position, take one leg of the wall and point your toes up. You will near a point of balance, but don't try to fully balance on your hands yet.
Build up to one minute in this position.

Off the wall freestanding handstand. From the position above, bring your second leg to meet the first, toes pointing up and with good tension throughout. Find a point of balance, and build up to 4 or 5 holds of 15s, with a minute rest in between.

Kicking up into a freestanding handstand: this is usually done as a dynamic motion. Plant one leg on the grounds, and put your hands on the ground in front of it. Kick up with your other leg, then allow your first leg to follow the second.
If things go wrong and you cannot find a point of balance at first, simply roll forward, or pirouette out.

Freestanding handstand: aim for 4 or 5 consistent holds of 15s at first, with a minute rest in between. Then build up to 2 holds of 30s ; one of 45s and one of 15s. And finally aim for a full hold of one minute!

Aim to do 5 min of handstand work consistently every day: the key to this skill is to practice regularly until the balance becomes natural.
You will encounter frustrations, but they are all part of the process... Enjoy your journey!

Ab wheel rollouts

2014-01-16T17:30:00.000+00:00

Ab wheel rollouts provide a great core workout with the use of a simple device: the ab wheel. Though the exercise may look deceptively easy, performing ab wheel rollouts from your feet is a challenge that should not be underestimated.

Prerequisites (for standing versions):
Wall plank ; hanging straight leg V-raises

Overview:
This progression will work the rectus abdominis (as well as all the other deep core muscles) both concentrically and -in order to lower yourself under control- eccentrically. Ab wheel rollouts (particularly one arm versions) also require a fair amount of upper body strength.

The video below will show you how to perform the exercise with correct form from your feet, but the principles remain exactly the same whether you are doing knee rollouts, or the incline and decline versions.

Notes:
A few important points:
- at any given time during the movement, there should only be three points of contact with the ground: the ab wheel, and your knees or your feet, depending on which variation you are doing.
- your feet should be together, or at least very close. By opening up your feet, you will shorten the distance the ab wheel has to travel, and thus cheat yourself on the exercise by minimizing the leverage (though this can also be a good strategy in order to add some intermediate steps to the progression below).
- avoid letting your back sag. In order to do so, tense your core muscles, maintain this tension throughout the exercise, and tilt your pelvis backwards.

Choose one of the following variations as a starting point and perform 3 sets of between 4 and 8 repetitions with periods of between 1 and 2 min of rest between each set. When you can do 3 sets of 8, move on to the next exercise in the progression.

1. Incline knee rollouts. Start on your knees, and roll the wheel as far forward as possible without touching the floor on an incline. This could be a plank you are using for this purpose, or the exercise could simply be performed on a sloping surface such as a driveway, etc.

2. Knee rollouts. The exercise is performed on your knees, on a flat surface. Roll the wheel as far forward as possible under tension, and make sure you do not allow your chest to touch the ground.

3. Decline knee rollouts. Same as above but on a declining slope.

4. Incline standing rollouts. These are performed from your feet, with both feet close together. Tilt your pelvis backwards when performing the exercise to avoid your back sagging.
If you find the transition from the previous variation difficult, perform these with your feet apart, and bring them together over time.

5. Standing rollouts. Same as above, but on a flat surface.

6. Decline standing rollouts. Same as above, but on a declining surface.

7. One arm standing rollouts. This variation requires considerable upper body strength. It requires purchasing a device in which the 2 wheels can be brought apart with a handle in the middle, though it can also be performed with a dumbbell. Incline and decline versions of this exercise can also be performed. Keep your spare arm by your side or folded under your belly.

Muscle up progression

2014-01-09T15:10:00.000+00:00

I am not very naturally explosive at all, and it took me a long time to manage my first bar muscle up.
Though deceptively simple, the muscle up is quite a complex skill, involving two main compound movements, the linking of which requires not only strength, but fine timing.
The basic movement involves performing a pull up, followed by a single bar dip, in order to get on top of the bar. The difficulty of the move however, resides in the transition from the top of the pull up position to the bottom of the dip position, and being able to do explosive pull ups helps with this!
Consequently this is a progression I really had to break down into small steps, in order to make it as gradual and painless as possible.

I hope the following will offer you a clear pathway to your first muscle up.
You might not have access to the equipment to perform some of the steps on this page, in which case just skip that variation. It will make the transition from the one to the next a little harder, but it should be well manageable nonetheless.

Prerequisites: archer pull ups ; modified russian dips

A note on sets and reps: as opposed to the StartBodyweight basic routine which sticks to a format of 3 sets of 4-8 reps, the number of reps vary in this progression according to the difficulty of each exercise, in order to get you to a muscle up as quickly as possible.
Make sure you follow the principle of micro-increments however: if an exercise variation calls for 3 sets of 2-5 reps and you manage 2,2,2 on your first attempt at this variation, only increase by one in your next training session ( 3,2,2 ). When you can do 5,5,5 move on to the next variation.

1. Archer pull ups + modified Russian dips.

Archer pull ups: Focus on pulling with one arm, with minimal assistance from the other. The second arm should gradually straighten over the bar during the pulling motion.
Do three sets of between 3 and 5 on each arm, with 3 to 5 min rest in between sets. Here's a video demonstration:

Modified Russian dips: having lowered yourself in the 'legs forward dip' position, carry on getting lower until your forearms are parallel with the floor.
Do 3 sets of 3-6 reps, with 3 to 5 min rest in between
Watch the video below for a demonstration on parallel bars:

2. Archer pull ups to beginner muscle ups

Archer pull ups to beginner muscle ups: From the top position of the archer pull up, get your elbow over the bar, and push yourself over the bar. In essence, this move will be very similar to a beginner muscle up.
Perform 3 sets of 2-4 reps on each arm, alternating between arms.
Here's a video demonstration:

3. Sternum and belly button pull ups + Russian dips or single bar dips

Sternum pull ups: these will train explosiveness.
Perform a pull up until the bar is at chest level. Make sure your elbows remain close to your body throughout the later part of the move, and that they drive back past your shoulders.
Do 3 sets of 3-6 reps, with 3-5 min rest in between. Once you can do 3 sets of 6 reps, move on to belly button pull ups.

Belly button pull ups: Same as above, but pull more explosively until your belly button is level with the bar. Again, your elbows should brush past your sides, and drive back past your shoulders.
Perform 3 sets of 3-6 reps ; 3-5 min rest.

A note on the position of the legs: looking at the two pictures above or at the video, you will notice that my outstretched legs come under the bar. This occurs naturally to provide balance when performing sternum or belly button pull ups.
It is fine initially, but it will really hamper your progress if you keep the habit, when trying to achieve your first muscle up. In order to get over the bar, the majority of your weight must be in front of the bar during the initial pulling phase of the muscle up, not under it.
The following steps in this progression will gradually encourage you to keep your legs underneath you, rather than in front of you, thus shifting your weight to the front of the bar.

Russian dips: These will require a set or parallel bars. From the 'legs forward dip' position, lower yourself all the way until your upper arms rest on the parallel bars. Then pull yourself back up, helping yourself by bringing your head and torso forward.
Perform 3 sets of 3-6 reps.
Watch the video demonstration below:

Single bar dips: if you do not have access to a set of parallel bars, perform single bar dips instead of Russian dips.
Lower yourself on a single bar until the bar is level with your nipples. This effectively reflects the often neglected middle portion of a muscle up.
Perform 3 sets of 3-6 reps

4. Beginner muscle ups

Beginner muscle ups: From the top of the movement in a sternum or belly button pull up, bring one elbow over the bar, and push yourself up, thus completing a beginner muscle up.
If you have access to the equipment for the next two steps (posts and rings), you can try just a couple of beginner muscle ups or even skip them all together, as they teach you a bad habit (one arm before the other).
Otherwise, perform 3 sets of 3-5 reps, alternating between arms if you can.

A note on wrist position: If you have followed this progression so far, it is possible that your wrist at the top of the movement on belly button pull-ups, is still underneath the bar (look at the kink in my wrist in the picture alongside).
The key to transitioning from here to the elbow over the bar position on beginner muscle ups is going to be rotating the hand and the wrist,as if rolling on the throttle on a motorbike.

Watch the video below for a demonstration;

5. Muscle ups on posts

Muscle up on posts: These are not strictly necessary, but they will ease the transition to the next variation if you have access to a set of posts such as the ones pictured here.
Hold on to the top of the posts and perform a pull up, transitioning into a muscle up. At this stage, you should not have any difficulties achieving these.
Perform 3 sets of 3-5 reps, with 3-5 min in between.
Video demonstration below:

6. Rings muscle ups

Rings muscle ups: Again, these are not strictly necessary, but they will carry over to the next variation, and help smoothen the transition. The move is essentially the same as the one performed on poles, but the way in which you grip the rings is important.

In order to get the wrist in the optimal position for a rings muscle up, it is important to use a false grip, as pictured here. This gets the wrist over the ring, rather than below it, and helps with the transition from a pull up to a dip.

Perform 3 sets of 3-5 reps of rings muscle ups, as demonstrated in the video below:

Rings muscle ups are generally considered to be easier than bar muscle ups (though for some people, it's the other way around, possibly because they use explosiveness rather than strength and technique to get themselves over the bar).
In my experience, most people following the progression on this page will need to achieve a total of 5 consecutive rings muscle, before they can attempt their first bar muscle up.

7. Jumping muscle ups

Jumping muscle ups: The next step in our progression to a bar muscle up, is to really nail down the wrist rotation during the up phase of the pull up.
Practice this by performing jumping muscle ups, as demonstrated in the video below.

These should be fairly easy by now, so perform 3 sets of 4-8 reps.

8. Bouncing muscle ups

Bouncing muscle ups: You should now be ready for your first proper bar muscle up...
In order to make sure you succeed on your first attempt, you are going to make use of the stretch-shortening cycle...
It is easier to perform an initial pull up before attempting your first muscle up: a muscle which has been pre-stretched (the downward phase of your initial pull up) will yield more strength than an extended one (the deadhang position). Effectively, bounce back from your first pull up into a muscle up.
Alternatively, do a jumping muscle up, lower yourself down, and bounce back into a full muscle up, as demonstrated in the video below:

Perform 3 sets of these, gradually building up to 3 sets of 8, with 3-5 min rest in between.

A note on the false grip position for bar muscle ups:

Some people find it easier, at least initialy, to use the false grip (as pictured here) in order to achieve their first bar muscle up.
However, the position is slightly awkward, and it should not be necessary if you have followed the steps in the progression above.
You can see in the video below that I actually find these really awkward myself:

If -like me- you have struggled with muscle ups, I hope you will find this progression useful. The muscle up is a skill which looks easy at first, but which actually requires a fair amount of strength, technique and explosiveness.
Practice the 8 steps above diligently, and you will eventually get there!

Back levers

2014-01-09T03:45:00.000+00:00

Back levers involve the posterior chain, the core muscles, and the shoulder flexors (particularly the anterior deltoids). They are an intermediate bodyweight exercise which can be performed on rings, or on a pull up bar.

Prerequisites:
arm and leg lift plank, legs forward dips

In terms of difficulty, back levers should be significantly easier than the front lever, which the horizontal pulls progression on StartBodyweight.com leads to. However, some people struggle with these because the shoulder is engaged at its weakest point, towards the end of its range of motion.
Practicing back levers can place quite a lot of stress on the soft tissues, and you should give yourself plenty of rest between your sessions to avoid injuries.

1. Tuck knees back levers. Hanging on the ring or on a pull up bar from an upside down position, tuck your knees towards your chest, and lower yourself down until you are in an horizontal position, with your torso parallel to the ground.
Start with a few seconds, and rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times. Build up to 5 holds of 15s, with rests of 45s.

2. One leg extended back levers. From the upside down position, tuck one knee towards your chest, and extend the other leg, as straight as possible. Then lower yourself down to horizontal.
Again, start with a few seconds; rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times.
Keep alternating between legs.

3. Straddle leg back lever. from the upside down position, extend your legs into a straddle, and lower yourself down to horizontal.
Hold the position for 5 sets of between 5 and 15s, resting for what remains of a minute.

4. Full back lever. This is performed with your legs perfectly straight, and your body in alignement.
Once you do sets of 15s, you can start working towards holds of one minute.
Aim for one minute work in total, so for instance, do 3 sets of 20s with 40s rest; or 2 sets of 30s with 30s rest.
Keep building this up until you can hold the position for a full minute.

Dragon flags

2014-01-08T05:54:00.002+00:00

Dragon flags are an old Bruce Lee favorite which target the core muscles, but also can be quite taxing on the lats, triceps and forearms, depending on how you hold the bench.
This progression will show you how to gradually achieve full dragon flags.

Prerequisites:
leg lift plank, pull ups, hanging bent leg V-raises

Correct form is quite important when performing dragon flags. First of all, ensure that your weight rests on your shoulders when lying on the bench, and that there is no pressure on your cervical vertebrae. This is quite important if you value your spine (!).
Your torso and legs should remain in alignement throughout the exercise. A lot of people tend to bend at the waist on the up phase of the dragon flag, but this makes the exercise considerably easier, and it is considered very poor form.

Watch the video below for a demonstration of the exercise:

For each variation, start with 3 sets of 4 reps with at least 2 min rest in between, increasing by one rep every session until you can manage 3 sets of 8 reps. For instance, start with 4,4,4 reps, then progress to 5,5,4 reps in your subsequent session.
Once you can manage 3 sets of 8 reps, move on to the next variation in the progression.

1. Tuck knees dragon flag. Bend your knees and tuck them towards your chest. The more you straighten them, the more you will increase the difficulty of the exercise. Start with a high knee tuck at first.

2. One extended leg dragon flag: keep one of your knees tucked high, and extend your other leg. This will significantly increase the difficulty of the exercise.

3. Straddle leg dragon flag: extend both your legs in front of you in the straddle position. The further you open your legs, the more your center of gravity will shift towards your shoulders, and the easier the exercise will be.

4. Dragon flag: extend both legs straight in front of you. Focus on tightening your core muscles throughout the exercise, and on maintaining your breathing. Make sure not to bend at the waist on the up phase of the exercise.

L-sit

2014-01-07T10:49:00.004+00:00

The L-sit (a.k.a. floor L-sit) is a core exercise which places quite a lot of stress not only on your core muscles, but also -isometrically- on your hip flexors and on your triceps. It is a good idea to follow a progression in order to build up to the full exercise.

Prerequisites:
Hanging straight leg raises, dips

Note: for a slightly easier version of the exercise, follow the progression using parallettes or push up bars. This will give you more floor clearance, and make the progression much more manageable.

1. Sit on the floor with your hands directly under your shoulders, fingers facing forward. From this position, push into the floor with your hands, straighten your arms, and bring your shoulders down in order to lift your butt off the floor. Hold this position.
Start with a few seconds; rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times. Build up to 5 holds of 15s, with rests of 45s.

2. From the position above, lift one leg off the floor, and straighten it in front of you.
Again, start with a few seconds; rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times.
Keep alternating between legs.

3. Tuck L-sit. From a sitting position, bend your legs and bring your knees to your chest. Straighten your arms, and lift your butt off the floor.
Hold the position for 5 sets of between 5 and 15s, resting for what remains of a minute.

4. With each new session, gradually work your way around straightening your legs, still holding the position for 5 sets of 15s with 45s rest.

5. Once you can hold the position with staight legs, you can start working towards holds of one minute.
Aim for one minute work in total, so for instance, do 3 sets of 20s with 40s rest; or 2 sets of 30s with 30s rest.
Keep building this up until you can hold the position for a full minute.

Elbow levers

2014-01-07T05:26:00.003+00:00

Double elbow levers are essentially a hand balancing skill where the body is held horizontal to the ground supported by your elbows. The exercise will challenge your core and proprioception.

Prerequisites:
decline plank ; crow stand

1. The set up: to be able to hold the position, you will want to have your hands facing back towards your feet or to the side. Your elbows are bent, and digging into your abdomen, just above your hip bones. To get into the position, bring one knee up in between your hands, and rest your weight on both elbows.

From here, rest your head on the floor, and straighten both your legs. You should now be in a very stable position with five points of contact on the ground.

2. From the set up above, lift your head up, straighten your upper body, and hold this position.
Start with a few seconds; rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times. Build up to 5 holds of 15s, with rests of 45s.

3. For this step, raise one leg of the floor. Think of extending the leg straight behind you rather than lifting it.
Again, start with a few seconds; rest for what remains of a minute; then repeat 5 times.
Keep alternating between legs.
Once you can achieve 5 sets of 15s with 45s rest, it is time to move one to the next step.

4. From the above position, now straighten your second leg behind you. Think of straightening and elongating your body rather than lifting your legs off the floor.
Again, build up to 5 sets of 15s, with 45s rest.
Once you've achieved that, you can start working towards holds of one minute. Aim for one minute work in total, so for instance, do 3 sets of 20s with 40s rest; or 2 sets of 30s with 30s rest. Keep building this up until your can hold the position for one full minute.

The crow stand

2014-01-06T12:07:00.001+00:00

The crow stand (a.k.a. the frog stand) is a classic pose found in yoga. It is usually performed to develop hand balancing skills, and -in gymnastics- and as a building block towards the unsupported handstand and the planche. As well as developing your hand balancing skills, the crow stand will work your core stabilising muscles.

Prerequisites:
pike push ups and plank.

1. The set up: beginners often find it reassuring to place a pillow directly in front of their face, as the risk of face planting is very real at first.
From a crouching position, place the inside of your knees on your upper arms (the soft part on the inner thigh should be resting on -or just above- your elbows.

2. Rocking: lean forward and shift your weight directly over your forearms until you find a point of balance, then let gravity bring you back down.

3. Rocking on one leg: lift one leg off the floor, then shift your weight forward until you find the point of balance where your other foot will start to lift off the floor. Then allow yourself to come back down.

4. Once you have gained in confidence, lift both legs off the floor, and bring your center of gravity directly above your forearms.
In this position, you can hand balance by pressing hard into the floor with your fingers or bending your arms slightly to 'fall forward'.
Start with a few seconds. Rest for what remains of a minute, then repeat 5 times. Build up to 5 holds of 15s, with rests of 45s.

5. You should now have the confidence to do the exercise without the cushion.

6. Advanced crow stand: place your knees on your elbows. This increases the difficulty of the exercise by shifting your centre of gravity upwards. In this position, your arms will be much straighter, and you will find yourself higher off the floor.
Again, build up to 5 sets of 15s, with 45s rest.
Once you've achieved that, you can start working towards holds of one minute. Aim for one minute work in total, so for instance, do 3 sets of 20s with 40s rest; or 2 sets of 30s with 30s rest. Keep building this up until your can hold the position for a full minute.

A note on wrist flexibility: if you struggle with the wrist flexibility required to perform the crow stand, try to perform the pictured stretch regularly. Hold 12 seconds for flexibility maintenance, and 20/30 seconds for development. Perform 3 times in succession, at least once a day.

Start Bodyweight on SparkPeople

2013-12-12T18:07:00.000+00:00

There is now a Start Bodyweight team on SparkPeople.

For those you who are already on SparkPeople or if you are interested in a busy diet and fitness social network, you can join the team HERE.

SparkPeople bills itself as the largest online diet and healthy living community with over 12 million registered members.
It looks like a busy community, similar to Fitocracy in its gamification of diet and fitness, with numerous community options.

Flexibility for deep squats and one legged squats

2013-12-03T18:11:00.000+00:00

picture by trokilinochchi

Squatting down with both feet firmly on the ground (not on the balls of our feet) is a basic, everyday human posture which an increasingly large number of us, particularly in Western countries, have lost the ability to adopt. To a large extent, this is due to the prominence of chairs and sofas, Western toilets, and high heels.

Look at children however, and you’ll see squatting down for what it is: a basic, fundamental human position which comes very naturally.

Deep squats and one legged squats are basic movements in weight training and bodyweight training. However, many people find these positions difficult at first, mostly because of the demands they place on flexibility.

picture by FXShannon

The most common reason why people struggle to manage a deep squat or a one legged squat is that they have limited ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (the movement that brings the top of the foot towards the lower leg). Another common reason is poor adductors flexibility and hip mobility, as the wider your stance, the easier squatting down becomes (this is not something which will help with one legged squats though).

Ankle dorsiflexion

Ankle dorsiflexion can be assessed with a very simple test known as the modified lunge test:

Facing a wall, place your toes some distance from the wall, and bend your ankle to touch your knee to the wall. Try different distances from the wall until your knee can just about touch the wall, without your heel lifting up. It’s important that your toes and your knee remain in line, to save your knee joint.

Use a tape measure to measure how far you are from the wall.

Kasayama et al found that measurements in excess of 10.75cm for the right ankle and 11.25cm for the left ankle were necessary in order to maintain a feet-and-knees-together deep squatting position.

However, the study was conducted on Japanese subjects whose torso to femur ratio is genetically higher than that of Westerners. In my experience, you will need to be at least 14 cm from the wall on both feet in order to manage a deep squat with your feet together, or a one legged squat, without falling on your butt.

So how do you improve ankle dorsiflexion?

Well, there’s a range of dynamic and static exercises which will help…

First though, most people’s tendency is to cheat their way into a deep squat by caving their knees in. This causes the feet to pronate and increases range of motion, but it is particularly bad for your knees in the long term, especially if you do your squats weighted. For this reason, you should try to ensure your knee remains in line with your toes at all times when you’re squatting.

Dynamic stretches:

You should try to include these as part of your warm up, and leave the static stretches for the cool down as there is increasing evidence that they weaken your muscles and impair performance.

You’ll need a dowel or a metal bar for this first stretch. This is to make sure your knees do not internally rotate, and that your toes and knees remain in line.

Simply place the bar on the outside of your toes and bend your knee so it would come past the other side of the bar, through its full range of motion. Do that 10 times on each leg.

Squatting itself, provided you are well within your comfort zone, can also be an effective form of dynamic stretching. So doing a few deep bodyweight squats will help. Simply following the one-legged squat progressionwill increase your ankle dorsiflexion range of motion.

If you can get into a deep squat position with your heels on the floor and your legs apart, rock gently and shift your weight on one leg then the other. Do this 10 times.

This next exercise will also stretch your adductors, the muscles of the inner thigh, and it will help with sumo squats, or any kind of weighted squat for which you might lack adductor flexibility or hip mobility.

From a deep squat position, bring your right knee to your left foot, then bring it back and open up your thigh before returning to a neutral position. Do this 5 times on each leg.

Finally this split stance adductor mobilization exercise, switching your weight from one leg to the other, will also increase ankle flexibility. Do this 5 times on each leg again.

Static stretches

Here are a few static stretches to do at the end of your workout. Try to hold each of them for at least 20s.

This first stretch targets the gastrocnemius, the big calf muscle that crosses your knee joint, and attaches to your heel bone through the Achilles tendon.

This stretch targets the soleus (which is lies just beneath the gastrocnemius), and you might also feel a deeper stretch in the Achilles tendon.

A simple adductors stretch which will also target both soleus and gastrocnemius.

Finally, here’s a simple hamstring and adductors stretch which you should also incorporate in your cool down.

Squatting down

Use every occasion you have throughout the day to spend some time in a deep squat position, until it becomes comfortable and second nature. Aim for 5 min a day to start with, then start assuming the position as a normal resting position when watching TV, relaxing, etc.

Start Bodyweight on Fitocracy

2013-11-01T07:55:00.002+00:00

Start Bodyweight now has its own page and support group on Fitocracy, the fitness social network.

Join Fitocracy HERE

Or go to the Start Bodyweight group page to join.

Also, keep updated about new developments to the site by following Start Bodyweight on Facebook, or following me on Twitter

Finally, here's a link to the Start Bodyweight Youtube channel.

Announcing the launch of StartBodyweight.com

2013-10-30T12:22:00.000+00:00

StartBodyweight.com launches today and it has been an exciting journey!

The website offers a free strength training program based on bodyweight progressions which I have been testing and refining extensively over the last couple of years.

A big thank you to all of you who have been providing feedback on the protocols and progressions, and have helped make this a free resource which now rivals (and often surpasses) other bodyweight programs on the market.

Most sections on this site will be regularly updated, as I intend for this resource to be a dynamic document reflecting current best practices and understanding of bodyweight strength training. New articles will also be added regularly.

Bodyweight training has been a source of great progress and development for me, both as a practitioner and as a trainer, and I hope StartBodyweight.com will now encourage more people to take up what has often been a misunderstood and under-rated training method.

Meanwhile, I look forward to meeting some of you in the local parks and both indoor and outdoor gyms.

Nick

Dip bars alternatives

2013-10-30T06:13:00.000+00:00

A dip station or dip bars will allow you to follow the later stages of the dip progression.
The one pictured here folds flat and locks for under-bed storage and makes an ideal home station. It is available at

Here are a couple of alternatives however which will allow you to get started with dips:

Parallel bar dips can be performed between the backs of two chairs. Make sure these are sturdy enough to support your weight, and keep your feet off the floor by bending your legs as illustrated.

Parallel bar dips can also be performed between two tables, or two flat surfaces of the same height. Simply place your hands flat on the surface, and keep your feet off the floor when dipping.

Pull up bar alternatives

2013-10-30T05:51:00.000+00:00

Your choice of a pull up bar will very much depend on the set up of the house or flat you live in. For most people, this will mean a doorway pull up bar. However, wall-mounted, joist mounted, or ceiling bars are usually sturdier, and they offer the possibility of moving on to muscle ups as you progress. I recommend the ones from , which offer a range of all these different types.

If you do not have a pull up bar however, there are a few alternatives that can offer a temporary solution:

Door pull ups: place a towel on top of a door, and perform pull ups by sliding your body up and down the door. This is an effective way to do pull ups, but be aware that it places a lot of stress on door hinges and -in the long term- could leave you with costly repairs.

Door frame pull ups: again, you will need a sturdy door frame if you want to perform these, and not all are suitable. Typically also, door frames are quite narrow, which will mean increased demand on finger strength.

Stairs pull ups: if you have a suitable open stair case, this is a great way to perform your pull ups. The only inconvenient is that your range of movement may be slightly reduced due to limited headroom.

Trees, beams, and other structures: go outside, and you can find a wide variety of things to hang from, such as tree branches. Not necessarily ideal if you're just starting with the exercise, but the unevenness and awkward grip of tree branches will really test your grip strength and allow your muscles to work at different angles and ranges of motion. A great way to start preparing for one arm pull ups.

If you have an open stair case, or a beam from which you can hang straps, a simple system can easily be rigged with two straps and a bit of metal piping. This also offers the advantage that the height of your pull up bar is adjustable, allowing for your feet to rest on the floor for exercises such as inverted rows.