Comments on: Top 3 Reasons Bodyweight Training Kicks Ass

By: BJJ Matt

BJJ Matt — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:08:43 +0000

When is Lashely going to the UFC… He is a realy athlete not like most of these clowns.

By: Jeff Feuerbacher

Jeff Feuerbacher — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:36:19 +0000

Wicked STUFF! Question. WHat are plyo pushups? Anyone? I remember in wrestling (70’s lol) we would form lines and drop to a push up position then push up and “hand walk” acoss the mat draggin our bodies. Perhaps this is what you mean. THanks
Jeff

By: zero_trooper

zero_trooper — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:14:40 +0000

’strength AND power AND athleticism’ – hitting the nails on the heads there Zach.
However, I would amend slightly and say – ’strength + power = athleticism’.

keep up the great work (zach even-esh + blog + website = MOTIVATION )

zero_trooper

By: doug norris

doug norris — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:52:55 +0000

i grew up playing on the toys in santa monica and venice in the 60’s. my boardsport athletes love them. starter athletes fuck’in hate them. IT’S AWSOME!
zach thanks for the sick stuff.
d-fresh

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:54:34 +0000

I wrote this as an article a while back, but it is my testament to the training that Zach is talking about here:

A few years ago I injured my SI joint (Sacroiliac, where the spine and hip join), closely followed with a herniated disk.
This was about the last time I lifted heavy iron.

It was also the time I began to take bodyweight training more seriously. I always kept fit with bodyweight, but never used it for strength purposes. Until I got injured.

With the back injuries came sciatica, limited range of movement in the hip, scoliosis and a whole heap of pain. Serious training was out the window, but you think I’d give up?

I decided to use bodyweight to rehab myself. Nearly every bodyweight drill involves using the core and I badly needed to build my core if I was ever going to get myself back on track.

I chose two exercises and stole Pavel’s Russian ladder training protocol. The drills I chose were:
Pull ups – About the only pain free thing I could do, hanging from a bar was great relief for the back. As I got stronger I hung weight from a belt.
1 Arm Pushups – The best upperbody strength builder. The advantage of this is the torsional stress across the core. Performing a right handed 1 arm pushup places weight on the left foot, this puts the core under pressure to stop the spine getting all twisted.

The ladder protocol is easy. Do 1 pull up, drop and do one push up, each arm. Do 2 pull ups, 2 push ups on each arm. Do 3 pull ups…. you get the idea.
As soon as you can’t complete a set, start back at 1 pull, 1 push.
I varied the intensity over the three training days to avoid over doing it and ensure progress was made.

In no time at all my back started to ease up. The strength built, mainly from the 1 Arm Pushups, was supporting the injury. Mobility started to return and i gently began doing bodyweight squats, then pistol squats.

After about a year of this I switched back to lifting Iron, just to see how I felt. I was stronger than I’d ever been in my life on the overhead press and I deadlifted just short of my previous best, although I could feel the injury warning me not to go any further.

So there you go. My success story with bodyweight only training.

If you want to build a strong body, you have to start with the core, build it from the inside out. Bodyweight does this, it is the purest form of training and the body responds best to it.

Regards

Dave Hedges

By: Coop

Coop — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:32:15 +0000

Hey Z-
I added some of the above drills to my boot camp class last night and they were smoked.

Thanks for the video,
Coop

By: Callie Durbrow

Callie Durbrow — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:43:31 +0000

Great post Zach! Pull ups and chin up variations are killer and I hate seeing people on the lat pulldowns or on some stupid piece of machinery. You are right though, most people think they are strong but cannot do a body weight movement like a pull up, push up, or squat. Those are the foundations of my programs and all of my clients, whether they are 12 or 60 will do them in some form. It works out awesome and they love it!
Keep up the great work.

By: DEAN

DEAN — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:04:22 +0000

Really do enjoy the bodyweight exercises; they DO kick my butt! Since seeing Larry Scott use the rings in his book I’ve been wanting to add them in to my routine. Soon I will! My fav bodywt. exercises are Hindu squats, Hindu pushups, chins & dips.

By: Keith McVay

Keith McVay — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:24:03 +0000

bodyweight workouts are great. another good thing is they free and you can do them any where.

By: Dustin Lebel

Dustin Lebel — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:54:45 +0000

I love that video! Bodyweight training should be a staple in athletes program no doubt about it!