NEWSLETTER ARTICLE - Bodyweight Training: Circuits for Shock Treatment

[Joe Black]

By Brad Borland, MA, CSCS

Normally seen as reserved for the “light-hearted fitness enthusiast” bodyweight training can be a surprisingly effective and efficient tool regarding your physique goals. Bodyweight training will not only add to your development, but can also be utilized as a fat-burning circuit in place of machine-driven cardio. Additionally, it can give your body overall strength and performance that some isolated resistance training can lack at times.

Another great benefit is psychological. Throwing in one of these circuits for a break from the norm can rejuvenate certain areas of your physique and get gains moving again. Done at the gym or at home these circuits can many times spawn new muscle strength and growth in lagging areas in less time. Still not convinced?

Do not underestimate a sound bodyweight circuit – give these routines an honest try and find out yourself – no weights necessary.

Beginner upper body circuit:

to be performed non-stop for 3-5 rounds (rest one minute after each round)

- Push-ups
- Wide-grip pull-ups
- Parallel dips
- Reverse-grip biceps chin-ups
- Leg lift off bench
- Lying crunch
- Plank for 20-30 seconds

Advanced upper body circuit:

to be performed non-stop for 3-5 rounds (rest one minute after each round)

- 3-way push-up (feet on bench, feet on floor, and hands elevated – one set of each)
- Rack chins (wide, shoulder and close grip – one set of each)
- Bench dips
- Rack biceps curls (like the rack chins, but with a reverse grip)
- Hanging leg raises
- Crunches on exercise ball
- 3-way plank for 20-30 seconds

Beginner lower body circuit:

to be performed non-stop for 3-5 rounds (rest one minute after each round)

- Squat
- Stationary lunge
- Side lunge
- Sumo squat
- One-legged calf raise off of floor
- Incline crunch

Advanced upper body circuit:

to be performed non-stop for 3-5 rounds (rest one minute after each round)

- Jump squat
- Step-up
- Walking lunge
- One-legged Bulgarian split squat
- One-legged calf raise off of block
- 3-way crunch on exercise ball

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This exclusive article (and others) can be found in the latest Wannabebig Serious About Muscle Newsletter - July 8th, 2010

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[Off Road]

Cool article. They sound like fun...and exhausting. This should be a sticky for all those questions, "What to do while on vacation for a week?"

[Shemz]

Question

When it comes to the variations of the pull-up, is it ok to implement the 'one-rep-at-a-time' method (you know pull-up, rest, pull-up) or do you just go to failure at all 3 variations on the first time?

[geordie1986]

dont know if im just being blind here but how many reps are you to do on each exercise?

[Clementinho]

Yes, the reps do seem to not have been added. I would think that it'd be 1 rep short of failure.

Anyway, I'd like to add that bodyweight training is not just for calisthenics or fat loss circuits. The nature of the exercises make them incredibly difficult to perform - they're closed kinetic chain exercises, which means that the body has to work harder for stability. Also, they tend to burn more calories as they recruit much more muscle fibres and groups in the whole body than iron training. However, I must stress that it's very important that weight be lifted as well.

Bodyweight exercises are also incredibly suited for strength and physique gains. Working to one-limb
work like the one-armed pullup does wonders for your flexibility, mobility, core stability and all-around strength and muscular growth. Few people can actually do a pistol squat! They allow for much more variety here. So, don't just see them as a circuit of "easy" exercises to be lumped together at the end of your training! If they're easy, you're:
a) not doing it right
b) not progressing to the next level of strength.

P.S. Pick up Convict Conditioning or The Naked Warrior from dragondoor.com!