Anyone else do bodyweight workouts for strength?

[mko]

I've shifted to work out with BW too just due to sheer fact that I'm lazy and cheap.

For lower back I've done "king deadlifts". Step on a chair or something to go deeper. Albeit it's more of an squat variation.

Also one to try: go to a headstand with back against wall and do a reverse leg raise, lowering your toes to ground and back up. Thats one exercise that I enjoy. You can also do it without the wall if you have the balance.

 

[Leigh]

I've shifted to work out with BW too just due to sheer fact that I'm lazy and cheap.

For lower back I've done "king deadlifts". Step on a chair or something to go deeper. Albeit it's more of an squat variation.

Also one to try: go to a headstand with back against wall and do a reverse leg raise, lowering your toes to ground and back up. Thats one exercise that I enjoy. You can also do it without the wall if you have the balance.

Honestly, the levers I do are brutal. They really hammer my posterior chain.

I've built a frame out of scaffolding and it works great

 

[mko]

If you're doing levers then thats much more effective for sure. Are you doing them for static holds?

 

[Leigh]

If you're doing levers then thats much more effective for sure. Are you doing them for static holds?

That's the goal. I'm not there yet LOL. But I'm getting closer

 

[Anastasios]

For a couple of years I did only chins, horizontal chins, dips, pushups and handstand pushups. Then I had a kettlebell that I did powercleans with.
I kept shrinking in muscle mass though, but retained quite a bit of strength and mostly all of my conditioning. If you ever end up not having time to go to the gym this is a solution as you can start training later on without having to go through a whole phase of getting extremely sore/being weak/getting nauseous/having to ramp up training load slowly.

 

[Leigh]

For a couple of years I did only chins, horizontal chins, dips, pushups and handstand pushups. Then I had a kettlebell that I did powercleans with.
I kept shrinking in muscle mass though, but retained quite a bit of strength and mostly all of my conditioning. If you ever end up not having time to go to the gym this is a solution as you can start training later on without having to go through a whole phase of getting extremely sore/being weak/getting nauseous/having to ramp up training load slowly.

My experience has been the opposite. As noted, I haven't lost any muscle mass. But I do more for my legs and posterior chain than it sounds like you were doing. Did you lose upper body muscle mass?

 

[Anastasios]

Yes, and weight. All my lifts went down significantly. I think if I did them weighted there would have been a difference, but going down in weight and just doing high reps doesnt do much for your max power/strength.

 

[Leigh]

Yes, and weight. All my lifts went down significantly. I think if I did them weighted there would have been a difference, but going down in weight and just doing high reps doesnt do much for your max power/strength.

I'd expect your lifts to go down but that doesn't mean you're weaker. But that's interesting.

I carry on using the CAT method (acceleration) and it's working for me. You must have been a beast on the weights if dips and handstand pushups didn't maintain your muscle.

 

[Anastasios]

Not really. My best lifts are 200kgx2 deadlifts, 105kgx5 bench, 80kg military press, 170kg squats. First time I plateaud was about 10% off those weights, in 2006. Then the same in 2010 but only 5% off those weights. I hit those weights just recently this month.

 

[Leigh]

Not really. My best lifts are 200kgx2 deadlifts, 105kgx5 bench, 80kg military press, 170kg squats. First time I plateaud was about 10% off those weights, in 2006. Then the same in 2010 but only 5% off those weights. I hit those weights just recently this month.

Those are pretty good numbers but I'm pretty light (just under 70kg) and I think the bodyweight stuff keeps me strong enough to do those, or at least get close.

 

[Anastasios]

Well this autumn I started lifting again from a 3 year layoff and I did 180kg on the first deadlift day. So I do retain a lot but there is a significant difference in what it trains. When I lift heavy my strength-endurance goes down...

 

[Leigh]

Well this autumn I started lifting again from a 3 year layoff and I did 180kg on the first deadlift day. So I do retain a lot but there is a significant difference in what it trains. When I lift heavy my strength-endurance goes down...

That might not be general strength though, just lack of deadlift practise. There is no question my numbers will have reduced quite dramatically but I'm just as strong on the mat. When I tried to maintain my strength through wrestling alone, I was noticeably weaker on the mats within a month or two

 

[Anastasios]

I agree. I did the bodyweight stuff because I didn't have the time and energy to focus on lifting heavy. I wanted to learn grappling and muay thai quickly so I did a lot of that. Both grappling strength and striking power remained the same despite not doing powerlifting type workouts, as long as I maintained. As I said I lost weight too so it was pretty interesting to lose 10kg but be just as strong.

Nowadays I havent trained any MA for 3.5 years and plan on 1 MMA workout per week in the future. The rest of the days I'll be hitting the gym. If there were MA clubs that had workouts during 10pm-12am I'd train more...

 

[mko]

One main reason I didn't mention for doing BW strength is the fact that I can easily do it after BJJ practice in 20-30 minutes. Doing weights, no matter how light, after cardio/skill training, feels really shitty and like I'm about to injure myself.

 

[La Paix]

@Leigh have you ever seen this guy?



I just randomly picked one of his videos but he pretty good for BW info imo. He's got a really cool story too, fitness guy, seems really smart then lost a leg. He had multiple rough surgeries but got refocussed and back in shape and does a ton of home stuff and diet. I first heard him here.

Podcast: Bodyweight Training & Programming | The Art of Manliness

Here's more to read if you like.

For the first part of his life, [Anthony Arvanitakis](Home) didn’t have to worry about [getting fat](Why Some People Are Fat and Others are Thin - Complete Human Performance).

He trained for 10 years as a rower and canoeist, even winning his national title two years in a row.


Then the accident changed everything.

Anthony was in a motorcycle crash that destroyed his left leg.

For the next five years, Anthony lost muscle and gained fat. He was depressed and in [pain](The Art and Science of Dealing with Pain - Complete Human Performance).

He went through 13 surgeries trying to fix his leg. Every time he thought his leg was better, it would break again.

Eventually, he decided to have it amputated.

Unlike his leg, Anthony didn’t lose his [passion for fitness](Sick of Training? Here are 5 Ways to Reignite Your Passion for Exercise - Complete Human Performance). He decided to get back in shape before the surgery. But it wasn’t going to be easy.

### How Anthony Rebuilt His Body


Anthony couldn’t afford a gym at the time, nor could he do many traditional exercises like squats or deadlifts. So he trained at home.

He used bodyweight exercises to [build muscle and strength](A Research-Proven Guide to Gaining Muscle - Complete Human Performance), but his diet still needed work. Here’s a video of him working out:


In the past, he could easily stay lean thanks to his training. Now it was much harder.

Anthony read every [diet book](http://evidencemag.com/diet-books-2013) he could.

Like many people, he found a system that worked… sort of.

“After a lot of research I discovered that a combination of paleo and [intermittent fasting](http://evidencemag.com/intermittent-fasting-weight-loss/) did the trick so I got hooked on [eating clean](http://evidencemag.com/clean-eating/).”

Anthony lost weight, but his diet was making him miserable.

“Suddenly so many foods became evil, cancerous, and poisonous. I remember one day going to the super-market and coming back almost emptyhanded! As crazy as it sounds nothing seemed healthy anymore.”

Then my friend [Andreas Zourdos](http://metavolismos.com/), introduced Anthony to more scientific approaches to dieting from people like [Jamie Hale](http://www.maxcondition.com/news.php) and [Lyle McDonald](http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/). The more Anthony learned, the more obvious is became that he didn’t need to be so rigid. In fact, letting himself eat his favorite foods, in moderation, made it easier to get lean.


### How Flexible Dieting Helped Anthony Finally Get His Body Back

Anthony gradually introduced some of the foods he’d been avoiding back into his diet. He started eating small amounts of [gluten](http://evidencemag.com/gluten-free-diet/), sugar, and processed foods, and kept getting leaner.

He was just as healthy, yet he could finally relax about his diet. Despite this, Anthony still wondered if flexible dieting would work over the long-term.

“I wasn’t sure if you could lean-out while eating these foods so I did the following experiment. From about 10 % body fat I ate my way up to a 16-17% a couple of months ago and tried this whole flexible diet approach to see for myself. Result: after 2 months on a slow cut I am around 11-12% and still dropping fat. I think I’ll be back to 10% in a couple of weeks.”



*Anthony, after purposely eating back up to a higher weight, so he could prove to himself that flexible dieting would work in the long-term.*

Not only did Anthony lose fat, he purposely regained weight, and then lost it again. Thanks to flexible dieting, he can now control his body composition.

Anthony ate his favorite foods throughout the diet, including ice cream, cookies, burgers, and fries. “In general though my diet was 80 – 90% based on ‘”clean foods,” he adds. He only started [counting calories](http://evidencemag.com/weight-loss-habits/) during the last three weeks of his diet.

This is what he looks like now.


### Flexible Dieting is the Easiest and Most Sustainable Way to Lose Fat

Imagine if I cut off your leg, locked you out of the gym, and said you had to lose 20 pounds. That’s basically what happened to Anthony.

You might think it’s time to really “clean up” your diet. Cut out all sweets. Live on meat and vegetables. Only eat at certain times.

None of that is necessary, or helpful.

Anthony worked hard to get lean. But it was much easier to lose weight when he got rid of most of the restrictions he placed on himself. Flexible dieting helped him lose fat and stay in shape with less effort and anxiety. This is after losing his leg, training at home, and being depressed for years.

Anthony started flexible dieting before my book was available. But, [the book](http://evidencemag.com/flexible-dieting-book/) saves you from hours of research, months of trial and error, and mental stress.

Anthony liked it too, saying “This is now officially my favorite ”diet” book… These were the best 15 bucks I have ever spent on a diet book…”

Getting lean is never easy, but it’s probably not as hard as you think if you use flexible dieting. If you’d like to buy my book, *Flexible Dieting*, [click here](http://evidencemag.com/flexible-dieting-book).

P.S. Anthony has also co-authored a book called *[Easy Weight Loss](
View: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LFX411A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LFX411A&linkCode=as2&tag=armlegsathl0b-20&linkId=XAG54IWTBKABMQHD),*
which shares many of the same techniques he used to lose fat. It’s accurate, easy to read, and only $3, so [check it out](
View: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LFX411A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LFX411A&linkCode=as2&tag=armlegsathl0b-20&linkId=XAG54IWTBKABMQHD
).

http://www.completehumanperformance.com/flexible-dieting-case-study-anthony-arvanitakis/

 

[Leigh]

@Leigh have you ever seen this guy?



I just randomly picked one of his videos but he pretty good for BW info imo. He's got a really cool story too, fitness guy, seems really smart then lost a leg. He had multiple rough surgeries but got refocussed and back in shape and does a ton of home stuff and diet. I first heard him here.

Podcast: Bodyweight Training & Programming | The Art of Manliness

Here's more to read if you like.

For the first part of his life, [Anthony Arvanitakis](Home) didn’t have to worry about [getting fat](Why Some People Are Fat and Others are Thin - Complete Human Performance).

He trained for 10 years as a rower and canoeist, even winning his national title two years in a row.


Then the accident changed everything.

Anthony was in a motorcycle crash that destroyed his left leg.

For the next five years, Anthony lost muscle and gained fat. He was depressed and in [pain](The Art and Science of Dealing with Pain - Complete Human Performance).

He went through 13 surgeries trying to fix his leg. Every time he thought his leg was better, it would break again.

Eventually, he decided to have it amputated.

Unlike his leg, Anthony didn’t lose his [passion for fitness](Sick of Training? Here are 5 Ways to Reignite Your Passion for Exercise - Complete Human Performance). He decided to get back in shape before the surgery. But it wasn’t going to be easy.

### How Anthony Rebuilt His Body


Anthony couldn’t afford a gym at the time, nor could he do many traditional exercises like squats or deadlifts. So he trained at home.

He used bodyweight exercises to [build muscle and strength](A Research-Proven Guide to Gaining Muscle - Complete Human Performance), but his diet still needed work. Here’s a video of him working out:


In the past, he could easily stay lean thanks to his training. Now it was much harder.

Anthony read every [diet book](5 Diet Books That are Actually Worth Reading - Complete Human Performance) he could.

Like many people, he found a system that worked… sort of.

“After a lot of research I discovered that a combination of paleo and [intermittent fasting](Will Intermittent Fasting Help You Lose Weight? - Complete Human Performance) did the trick so I got hooked on [eating clean](http://evidencemag.com/clean-eating/).”

Anthony lost weight, but his diet was making him miserable.

“Suddenly so many foods became evil, cancerous, and poisonous. I remember one day going to the super-market and coming back almost emptyhanded! As crazy as it sounds nothing seemed healthy anymore.”

Then my friend [Andreas Zourdos](Metavolismos), introduced Anthony to more scientific approaches to dieting from people like [Jamie Hale](http://www.maxcondition.com/news.php) and [Lyle McDonald](Bodyrecomposition - The Home of Lyle McDonald : Bodyrecomposition). The more Anthony learned, the more obvious is became that he didn’t need to be so rigid. In fact, letting himself eat his favorite foods, in moderation, made it easier to get lean.


### How Flexible Dieting Helped Anthony Finally Get His Body Back

Anthony gradually introduced some of the foods he’d been avoiding back into his diet. He started eating small amounts of [gluten](http://evidencemag.com/gluten-free-diet/), sugar, and processed foods, and kept getting leaner.

He was just as healthy, yet he could finally relax about his diet. Despite this, Anthony still wondered if flexible dieting would work over the long-term.

“I wasn’t sure if you could lean-out while eating these foods so I did the following experiment. From about 10 % body fat I ate my way up to a 16-17% a couple of months ago and tried this whole flexible diet approach to see for myself. Result: after 2 months on a slow cut I am around 11-12% and still dropping fat. I think I’ll be back to 10% in a couple of weeks.”



*Anthony, after purposely eating back up to a higher weight, so he could prove to himself that flexible dieting would work in the long-term.*

Not only did Anthony lose fat, he purposely regained weight, and then lost it again. Thanks to flexible dieting, he can now control his body composition.

Anthony ate his favorite foods throughout the diet, including ice cream, cookies, burgers, and fries. “In general though my diet was 80 – 90% based on ‘”clean foods,” he adds. He only started [counting calories](http://evidencemag.com/weight-loss-habits/) during the last three weeks of his diet.

This is what he looks like now.


### Flexible Dieting is the Easiest and Most Sustainable Way to Lose Fat

Imagine if I cut off your leg, locked you out of the gym, and said you had to lose 20 pounds. That’s basically what happened to Anthony.

You might think it’s time to really “clean up” your diet. Cut out all sweets. Live on meat and vegetables. Only eat at certain times.

None of that is necessary, or helpful.

Anthony worked hard to get lean. But it was much easier to lose weight when he got rid of most of the restrictions he placed on himself. Flexible dieting helped him lose fat and stay in shape with less effort and anxiety. This is after losing his leg, training at home, and being depressed for years.

Anthony started flexible dieting before my book was available. But, [the book](http://evidencemag.com/flexible-dieting-book/) saves you from hours of research, months of trial and error, and mental stress.

Anthony liked it too, saying “This is now officially my favorite ”diet” book… These were the best 15 bucks I have ever spent on a diet book…”

Getting lean is never easy, but it’s probably not as hard as you think if you use flexible dieting. If you’d like to buy my book, *Flexible Dieting*, [click here](http://evidencemag.com/flexible-dieting-book).

P.S. Anthony has also co-authored a book called *[Easy Weight Loss](
View: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LFX411A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LFX411A&linkCode=as2&tag=armlegsathl0b-20&linkId=XAG54IWTBKABMQHD),*
which shares many of the same techniques he used to lose fat. It’s accurate, easy to read, and only $3, so [check it out](
View: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LFX411A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LFX411A&linkCode=as2&tag=armlegsathl0b-20&linkId=XAG54IWTBKABMQHD
).

http://www.completehumanperformance.com/flexible-dieting-case-study-anthony-arvanitakis/

No, I haven't seen him. Losing a leg would suck

 

[Tuc Ouiner]

have you ever seen ab wheel device that Louie Simmons sells that straps to your feet? Some of the old timers used to do alot of iron boot training. Some even had a bar to load plates on. I remember seeing an old York iron boot instructional poster which demonstrated several exercises-- most in a shoulder stand position with waist/hips supported by hands. The feet were moved either together or singularly from the sky(elevated) position to just above the floor behind the head. Not sure if this is what you're looking for. Probably reps would be upwards of 10 though.

 

[Leigh]

Been doing this for over a year now. I'm now adding weight to my dips and pull ups. The workout is excellent and I'm still very strong. One thing I found was that using the scaffolding bars for my workouts has increased my hand strength significantly. I replaced the back lever with hyper extensions but still do some hanging roll backs (skin the cat) and front levers because the hand strength and overall coordination is so beneficial.

The hyperextensions have been great for my bad back. I feel a wall of muscle in my lower back, similar to when I was deadlifting. I also try to do yoga daily, which helps.

 

[Grateful Dude]

I've recently started getting some workouts in at home, but I'd like to add some more body weight exercises.

A little background: My main hobby/exercise is mountain biking, and I get a lot of that in every week (usually 3-4 rides a week, each ride 2-3 hours long). My cardio is good, but I haven't done any strength training for years. All of the biking keeps me in shape, but also a little leaner than I'd prefer. I'm not chasing a beach body, my main goal is to gain some strength but I'd be ok with adding a little mass. Mass is hard for me to hang on to though, I've been pretty trim my whole life (always been a runner, mountain biker). Mountain biking is my obsession, so for years now I've only focused on making myself stronger at that (i.e. bike as much as possible). I haven't really had a good attitude towards any type of cross training, as I felt it would take away from my mountain biking time. With family duties and work, and my mountain biking obsession, I don't have time to get to the gym. Which is why I'm trying this at home now, where I can bang out a workout before dinner, or after I get my kid to bed, etc.

For about the past month I've been doing:
- Pull ups: usually 10-12 reps each set(I do both pronated and supinated grip; about shoulder width grip for chin ups, little wider for pull ups)
- Push ups: 15 per set
- Dumbbell Curls: 10-15 per set
- Dumbbell overhead press: 10 per set (this is a weak lift for me, so I start to fade on latter sets)
- Squats with dumbbells: 20 per set
- Lunges with dumbbells: 10-15 per set (this is a recent addition to the list)
- Calf raises with dumbbells; 15-20 per set

I'm starting to build up my base a little bit to where I can make it through multiple sets of all of those in a single workout. I basically run through those exercises like a circuit, rest a bit, and the go through again. Depending on how I feel, I've been doing 3 to 5 cycles through that circuit (5 is a really good day though, that's still pretty tough at this point. Tend to start failing at that point) and I've been trying for 3 times a week. I was a little sore the first couple times, but now I can run through those and still feel fine enough to get out bike the next day. I haven't done any strength training in a long, so I'm sure there is a better way to go about this. At present, I only have a couple sets of dumbbells and my pull up bar. Anyway, I feel good getting some strength training in, however simplistic it may be. One thing I feel I'm missing is a dip bar or rack, but I haven't looked into a DIY setup for my garage as of yet. Chest is a weak spot for me, so I feel that would be beneficial.

@Leigh if you or anyone else have any suggestions or comments, I'm all ears. Ideally I can fill in a few more exercises and get a little structure to this.

 

[Leigh]

@Leigh if you or anyone else have any suggestions or comments, I'm all ears. Ideally I can fill in a few more exercises and get a little structure to this.

My advice is always the same - follow the LAW (Leigh's Awesome Workout )

5 x 5 with 65-70% 1RM max
Weights version:
Bench
Squat
Deadlift
Overhead press
Rows or pull ups

Calisthenic version:
Dips or weighted pushups
Bulgarian split squats or some other single leg squat
Hyperextensions
Front levers or leg raises
Handstand pushups
Pull ups

If the bodyweight stuff is too hard, drop the reps. Don't go to failure. Strength comes with muscle and practising what you want to be strong at.

 

[Grateful Dude]

My advice is always the same - follow the LAW (Leigh's Awesome Workout )

5 x 5 with 65-70% 1RM max
Weights version:
Bench
Squat
Deadlift
Overhead press
Rows or pull ups

Calisthenic version:
Dips or weighted pushups
Bulgarian split squats or some other single leg squat
Hyperextensions
Front levers or leg raises
Handstand pushups
Pull ups

If the bodyweight stuff is too hard, drop the reps. Don't go to failure. Strength comes with muscle and practising what you want to be strong at.

Hah, you should trademark LAW. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I need to look up what a couple of those exercises are...

I'm fairly limited with equipment right now, and I don't have a ton of spare room in the garage for too much stuff. But I'm open to grabbing a few more items. I've been wanting to get a flat bench. That alone would open up a few options. I could do dips off of it, bent over rows, etc. With the few weights I have now I can't really do anything 5x5 (too light currently with what I have). It's probably an outdated thought, but I've always done more reps thinking it equals more strength endurance.

Point noted about not going to failure. I'ts still early in this program for me, but I do feel a little better. I suppose at the most basic level, what I've been doing lately is better than not doing any strength workouts. I've noticed a little improvement on the bike too from the squats and lunges, it's given me a little boost on the longer climbs.

 

[Leigh]

With the few weights I have now I can't really do anything 5x5 (too light currently with what I have).

Surely you can't rep out on handstand push ups or weighted pull ups.

I built myself a frame out of scaffolding for £30 and have a couple of weights, adding up to 20kg in total. I hang weights off a judo belt for dips and pull ups.

 

[Brigsy]

Hi Leigh. Am I understanding right that you are still applying 5x5 to the Calisthenic version? Is your scaffold set up a basic frame to hand from? Trying to work out something I can do with this cocking sciatica.

 

[Leigh]

Hi Leigh. Am I understanding right that you are still applying 5x5 to the Calisthenic version? Is your scaffold set up a basic frame to hand from? Trying to work out something I can do with this cocking sciatica.

That is all correct. The frame has two parallel bars for dips and an over head bar for chins.

As a tip, use an online calculator to work out your 1 rep max. Eg, if you can do 20 pull ups at a bodyweight of 70kg, you can work out what your 1rm max would be, then add weight to get you to 65-70%.

If it's under your bodyweight, do less than 5 reps.

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks brother.