Bodyweight training

[ChaserHUN]

Just wondering, how strong and big someone can get with only bodyweight excercises?

[Jason X]

strong and big are not always the same.

 

http://beastskills.com/

[ChaserHUN]

That's true. I don't wnat to get huge actually, I want to be really strong. I'm interested in bodyweight training because I want to use minimal equipment, and if I travel somewhere I can do it easily. I saw some vide where a dude used a chest expander to add extra resistance to his push ups. I tried it out and it's not too easy

[Strategist]

Bodyweight training athletes have more functional and brute strength...

Regular gymmers have more absolute strength .

[James]

How big can you get with bodyweight training? Ever seen a male olympic gymnast?

 

http://www.verticaljumping.com/images/male_gymnast.jpg

 

When was the last time you someone as big as this guy in your gym? I recently read an interview with the US mens coach (whose name escapes me I'm afraid) & he stated that none of his athletes do any weight training.

[applehead]

bodyweight training is great. more than half of my training logs use bodyweight.

there should be (is there already?) an active thread here for bodyweight training enthusiasts, to share information, exercises, videos, websites, tips and all that stuff.

[ChaserHUN]

I don't know too much bodyweight excercises, I would need some, especially for legs

[Ducati]

You can do everything on P90X with bodyweight or bands.

 

For legs, try plyometrics.

[James]

Pistol squats - one of the best leg exercises there is, bodyweight or otherwise.

[MartinVegartin]

I recently read an interview with the US mens coach (whose name escapes me I'm afraid) & he stated that none of his athletes do any weight training.

 

The chap is called Christopher Sommer, of gymnasticbodies.com

 

I believe you can build great strength and quite a bit of bulk just with gymnastic training but I think some gymnasts sometimes also use weights. Some don't. I am always amazed by the incredible upper body strength of male gymnasts, especially on the rings and pommel horse. Sometimes you see them swinging in a complete circle on the high bar holding on with just one hand. Their grip must be quite strong.

[ChaserHUN]

What are polymetrics?

Is the P90X program based on only bodyweight excercises?

[Ducati]

Plyometrics is jump training. Lots of squats and jumping and such. Very high impact aerobics.

 

P90X is about 70% body weight, and 30% weights or bands. Push ups and pullups are the most predominant exercises. They always have one person using bands to show how to avoid the need for weights or a pullup bar.

[ChaserHUN]

I saw there are bands that has resistance up to 18kg, with more it would be relly challenging. Why I like bodyweight training because I don't need too much equipment.

[AVOJAMACADA]

I do 100 pushups and 75 crunches evry 2nd day.Love bodyweight excersices.

 

The variations of pushups can cover mad amounts of upper body area.Put your hands right together and you got a tricep workout for eg.

 

 

For legs I use a coupla (3) big 5 gallon water jugs and do squats,lunges,etc.

[ChaserHUN]

I've red somewhere about isometric excercises, it's a type of bodyweight excercises I think. Is that good? I red somewhere that Bruce Lee used it a lot

[kenjimac]

yea ive read bruce was a big fan of them. they can add a lot of strength but they will not add size. for leg bodyweight exercises, i second the recommendation of pistol squats. one of my favorite exercises as it also improves your balance and coordination. if you do four or five sets of those, 3 or 4 sets of jump squats, 3 sets of mountain climbers and round it up with a good amount of hill sprints you have a pretty intense lower body workout. you can even find a couple 2x4s or something so that if you stand on the balls of your foot, you can lower your heels without touching the ground. then lightly touch a wall for balance, stand on one foot, put your other behind the first and do standing calf raises.