Some common questions keep coming in regarding the benefits and the proper application of our Bodyweight Bodybuilding Course. I took some time to answer these so feel free to add any questions in the comments and I'll rock them out as well!
Bodyweight Bodybuilding QnA
1) Can you use bodyweight exercises for bodybuilding?
2) Can bodyweight training add muscle?
In a nut shell, my straight to the point answers are: Hells to the YEA, SON!!
I'll explain further more in this video with a lil' trip down memory lane along with some bodyweight bodybuilding...
Question for YOU:
What are your Top 3 bodyweight exercises for building muscle and how you use tweak each bodyweight exercise for muscle building. Looking forward to seeing your Top 3 bodyweight bodybuilding exercises.
Peace
--Z--
.png?1445448551)
Pull Ups, Dips, Push Ups…followed closely by HSPU, Inverted Rows,Sit Ups, and Lunges.
I got the idea to do some handstand push-ups against a wall while wearing 10 pound ankle weights on each ankle. Later turned it up to two ten pound ankle weights on each leg and I would crank out sets of 8-10 reps for 2-3 sets.
Occasionally I would then use the 20 pounds worth of ankle weights (10 on each leg) and either crank out some hanging leg raises and knee raises or if I was feeling lucky, I would bust out dragon flags with 10 pounds on each ankle (only 1-2 reps at a time doing that).
I would also do weighted pull-ups with anywhere from 10-35 pounds hanging from a weight belt. Been working on upping my numbers on my weight pull-ups lately. Slowly but surely I’m upping my reps
You’re posts are inspirational Zach, thank you for sharing with us all these years.
Pushups(all variations), Pullups and squats. I love bodyweight training. If I had to choose one way to train for the rest of my life this would be it.
Dands
Bethaks
Sprints
Each one is a total body exercise, with different emphases. I have used just these three exercises to great effect in both improving conditioning and strength.
An added bonus: high rep dands & bethaks also help improve mental strength.
Hi Zach,
Anything from Convict Conditioning (more from the later stages in the book). Bodyweight will not (I find) give you immediate size and bulk. But when applied methodically and consistently it is very effective. Also slow rep’s with a solid bracing of core works wonder’s, a testament to bodyweight workout is that my family thought I was juiced up due to my newly found bulk and strength (I’m a former racing cyclist a grey hound of man). This was down to me being consistent and focused on bodyweight workout’s and having a solid diet.
Thanks Zach (keep flying the flag)
Joe
P.S Close grip pull up’s,close grip press ups,pistols and bridges all very very good.
1. Push Ups: great upper body development exercise, it absolutely requires FULL BODY muscular/neural involvment. Some awesome variations include
A) varying hand positions
B) elevated feet from various positons
C) varying rep tempos
D) the usage of explosive repeitions or iso-metric holds followed by an explosive repeition
2. Animal Training- WOW,the usage of animal training is unbelievably fun, challenging, and difficult. It absolutely requires another type of skill altogether to excel in this type of training. Especially when you ask someone to perform finishers or conditioning work with it.I ve been performing handwalks followed by climbing a pole as a finisher to my bodyweight training sessions. This finisher, absolutely gives my forearms, biceps, triceps a great pump as well as development of these muscle groups. Altogether I think using this type of training WILL improve your upper body athletiscism which will enhance your skills at the bodyweight exercises you use for whatever goal and purpose including bodybuilding.
3. Lunges (and all its variations): Great exercise. Really develops the quads, adductors, hamstrings, glutes, calf. I like to vary lunges through using different lunge exercises. You can vary it for example by using varying tempo speeds once bodyweight becomes to easy. For bodybuilding purposes (muscle building)utilizing explosive reps coupled with slower tempo reps will allow you to get best of both worlds and allow for great development of the muscles. This applies I think to most if not all body weight exercises.
Thank you Zach for everything you’ve done for me. You run a great blog with great content. Keep it coming!
My three favorites (and variations) would be:
1) Pushups (clapping, narrow width, standard, swooping, etc)
2) Pullups/Chinups (different grips, different widths, static holds, speed, etc)
3) Sprints
Thank you for your video!
Just wondering what you’d suggest to a 40 year old male who’s going back to the gym after over 3 years of inactivity…
My favourite 3 variations would be
1. push up variations specially plyos
2. front lever rows
3. pistols and shrimps in short unilateral squats