Should you do bodyweight workouts? page

[wolfman]

Hey gang! Do you guys do body weight workouts? Notice any benefit from the
? I usually just lift heavy, barbell workouts, going just fine, but I think there is something to be said about doing 20 strict pullups or 100+ pushups with ease. What does everyone think?

[Richardmac]

Check out the link at the top of this forum to Marks workout. It will change how you approach training.

Richard

[MissJecka]

Check out Welcome to You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises by Mark Lauren

Also, I just started following Mark's "Essential Primal Movement Progression" from his PB Fitness e-book. Here's my thread about it: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread64950.html. I still have a kettlebell, a resistance band, ankle weights, and two pairs of dumbbells. I rarely use the ankle weights for my lower body workouts, yet my lower body is probably the strongest part of me. I use dumbbells still, but plan on phasing them out as I follow Mark's program for a while.

So, yes, you can do bodyweight-only moves and be just fine! (I'm sure the many crossfitters out there are going to kill me now!)

[sbhikes]

I do body weight exercises and I don't lift heavy. What kind of results are you looking for? I personally think being able to move your body in space is really beneficial. I like the improved balance. I like the toned muscles. I like that I feel strong for other exercises without having to spend a lot of time doing those other exercises (can't go for long hikes or bike rides every day, you know.) I find body weight exercises to be very hard and I get sore every damn time I do them so I assume they must be doing something every single time.

[jakey]

i do both, bodyweight and barbell. love 'em both! check out al kavadlo's site.

[wolfman]

Goals aside, I was just trying to have an open discussion, I squat 280 and deadlift 350 etc, I have no problems with my workouts just curious about people's thoughts on bodyweight stuff.

[sbhikes]

Looking at Al Kavaldo, it's pretty obvious body weight exercise can give someone incredible strength and a great body. Plus I think there's a measure of elegance in simplicity to body weight workouts.

[RichMahogany]

Plus, it gives the little guys a chance to outdo the big guys. I may never squat 500 pounds, but I can do more muscle-ups than most dudes who can. So 1 more vote for yes.

[Philosopher Dan]

I do a combination of the Convict Conditioning program and a version of Pavel's "Power to the People" workout. Two days a week are CC (I'm not ready to go to 3 days a week on his program, according to the author). One day a week is my PtoP workout. I do dead lifts and Russian Military Presses.

Sometimes I do another day or two of other things for fun. Sometimes I'll do tire flips and sled pulls. Or I'll do kettle bell juggling.

Since I started this split, I quickly brought by dead lifts back to where they were previously (305 x 5); and I exceeded my previous bests on RMP (70 x 7 per side - or 2 pood for you purists!).

I think the time spent on the CC workouts have really helped my dead lifts and RMP's. I think my joints and arms are much stronger after doing 6 months of CC than they were doing things like P90x or the programs I was following previously.

I really enjoy the split, too. I'm hoping this whole primal thing works with it. (It seems like it should).

In terms of body weight stuff which might help you, given the lifts and weights you mentioned, some box jumps might add to what you do. Also, a power lifter I knew a few years ago used to do something like an L-hold close-grip pull-up. That looked like it would be handy for what you are talking about.

[sandstone]

Tacfit, it's probably the most advanced bodyweight system available today.