Bodyweight Workouts for Men by Sean Bartram

BODY

WEIGHT

WORKOUTS

FOR MEN

SEAN BARTRAM

Publisher: Mike Sanders
Associate Publisher: Billy Fields
Acquisitions Editor: Nathalie Mornu
Copy Editor: John Etchison
Cover Designer: Harriet Yeomans
Book Designer: XAB Design
Photographer: Matt Bowen
Editorial Assistants/Compositors: Ayanna Lacey, Brian Massey
Proofreader: Laura Caddell
Indexer: Celia McCoy

First American Edition, 2015

Published in the United States by DK Publishing
6081 E. 82nd Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46250
Copyright © 2015 Dorling Kindersley Limited
A Penguin Random House Company

15 16 17 18 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

01–286828–December2015

All rights reserved.

Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise),
without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Published in the United States by Dorling Kindersley Limited.

ISBN: 978-1-46544-145-4
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2015942376

Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author(s).
It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject
matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author(s) and
publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the
book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a
competent professional should be consulted. The author(s) and
publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or
risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence,
directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of
this book.

Trademarks: All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be or
are suspected of being trademarks or service marks have been
appropriately capitalized. Alpha Books, DK, and Penguin Random
House LLC cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a
term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any
trademark or service mark.

DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk
for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For
details, contact: DK Publishing Special Markets, 345 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014 or [email protected].

Printed and bound in the United States of America

All images © Dorling Kindersley Limited
For further information see: www.dkimages.com

www.dk.com
A WORLD OF IDEAS:
SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW

CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 006

Bodyweight Basics 008

What Is Bodyweight Resistance Training? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .010
Advantages of Bodyweight Resistance Training . . . . . . . . . . .012
Must-Haves and Useful Extras / How to Use This Book . . . . .014
Anatomical Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .016
The Big Six. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .018

Squats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 018
Lunges / Push-Ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 020
Burpees / Inverted Rows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 022
Pull-Ups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 024
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .026
Body Angle / Stability / Range of Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 026
Points of Contact / Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 028
Functional Warm-Ups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 030
Inline Lunge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 031
Resting Squat / Trunk Stability Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 032
Inner Thigh Mobility / Thoracic Rotation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 034
Recovery / Foam Rolling Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 036
Nutrition / Hydration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 038

Level 1 040

Dead Hang/ Mountain Climber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .042
Reverse Plank Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 044
Alternating Lateral Lunge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 046
Standard Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 048
Chin-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 050
Close-Grip Inverted Row / Pike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .052
Inverted Bodyweight Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 054
Pull-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 056
Down Dog Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 058
Burpee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 060
Military Push-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 062
Elbow Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 064
Pelvic Peel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 066
Forward Hinge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 068
Backward Burpee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .070
X-Jack / Dip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .072

Hanging Scapula Retraction / Back Lunge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 074
Push-Up Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .076
Bridge Kick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .078
Wall Sit / Squat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 080
Ares Workout / Perseus Workout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 082
Round the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 084
Thor Workout / Super Circuit The 300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 086
Super Circuit Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 088
10 to 1 / Push vs Pull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 090
Dynamic Duos / Hi-Lo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 092
Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 094
Leg Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 096
Level 1 Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 098

Level 2 100

Deep Squat / Spiderman Push-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Front Lunge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104
Alternating Cross-Over Lunge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Archer Pull-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Hanging Leg Raise / Frog Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Forearm Push-Up / Hollow Body Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
T-Stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Hanging Reverse Curl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Shrimp Squat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Back Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Pigeon Peel / Butterfly Peel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Bulgarian Split Squat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
1-2 Push. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Dragon Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Skater Jump / Archer Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Backward Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Single-Leg Burpee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Plyometric Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Stop-and-Go Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Pike Push-Up to Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Crazy 8s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Hercules Workout / Hannibal Workout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
Push-Pull Pairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Yue Fei Workout / Super Circuit Fantastic Four . . . . . . . . . . .148
Legendary Legs / All-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

Tri-Phase / Super Circuit Per-4-Mance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Tri-Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Level 2 Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158

Level 3 160

Handstand Walk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Hollow Body Rocker / Squat Jump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Pistol Squat / Planche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
One-Arm Chin-Up / One-Arm Inverted Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Front Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Single-Leg Reverse Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Neo Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Pancake Push-Up / Flutter Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Burpee to Pull-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Plyometric Inverted Row. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
L-Sit Chin-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Single-Leg Pelvic Peel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Knee Tuck Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188
T-Stand Jump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190
Burpee to Chin-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Tuck Jump Burpee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194
Dragon Flag / One-Arm Push-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Skin the Cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Squat to L-Sit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Leg Hell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Alexander Workout / Spartacus Workout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Push/Pull Power / Vlad Workout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Foundation / Forged. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Inferno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210
Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212
Super Circuit The Bodyweight 500. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Super Circuit Beast Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Redline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Level 3 Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220
About the Author / Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224



INTRODUCTION

Use the body you’ve got to get the body you want!

Intimidated by the gym? Short on time or money? Travel frequently? Or just sick of that
guy constantly doing bicep curls on the gym’s squat rack? … Keep reading!

Calisthenics, or bodyweight training, is arguably the world’s oldest form of strength
training, and now the hottest! Banish the barbells, build lean muscle, decrease body
fat, increase performance, and do it all anytime, anywhere.

As a master instructor, I help people from all walks of life get fit and improve their overall
health. My clients include superhuman pro football players, elite field sport athletes,
and professional race car drivers. They also include men just like you—busy guys who
value every second, and to whom efficiency and economy is just as important as body
fat percentage. No matter the goal, I’ve successfully used the exercises in this book to
help my clients reach peak physical fitness!

This book will take you on an incredible journey to a fitter, stronger body using little
more than your own bodyweight. Featuring 75 exercises—each with modifications to
meet any ability level—36 unique workouts, and a dynamic 90-day plan, Bodyweight
Workouts for Men will challenge your perception of strength training and evolve your
approach to fitness. I can’t promise you it will be easy, but I can promise it will be
worth it!

Join the bodyweight revolution!



BODYWEIGHT
BASICS

The first step in your bodyweight
revolution is to understand what you’re
fighting for! Among other things, this
chapter teaches you the “Big Six”
exercises that will form the foundation of
your training. It also explains the means to
make any exercises easier or harder with
simple, easy-to-follow modifications.

I strongly recommend digesting the
information in this chapter, as it will
make all your training more effective
and efficient.

10 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

WHAT IS BODYWEIGHT
RESISTANCE TRAINING?

Bodyweight exercises are strength-training
exercises that don’t require the addition of free
weights such as dumbbells or barbells. The
practitioner’s own weight provides the
resistance for the movements.

Examples of traditional bodyweight resistance exercises
include push-ups and pull-ups. The beauty of this training is
that for every exercise, there’s a simple yet effective way to
increase or decrease the exercise’s challenge. Take the push-
up, for example. To make the exercise less difficult, you can
perform a kneeling push-up. To make it more difficult, you
have a multitude of options, from changing your hand
positions to establishing stops throughout the motion to
elevating your feet. These variations not only increase the
exercise’s difficulty, but also extend the range of motion and
recruit more muscle fibers.

In general, increasing the number of repetitions will
improve endurance, while strength gains are made by
increasing the intensity of the exercise by decreasing
leverage, by working at the ends of range of motion, or by
adding dynamic tension.

Organizations such as the World Calisthenics
Organization and competitions such as Battle of the Bars
showcase the elite performance that can be garnered from
bodyweight resistance training. Practitioners and legends
such as Al Kavadlo, Kenneth Gallarzo, Frank Medrano, and
Denis Minin defy gravity on YouTube and other social media
sites with physics-bending feats of strength created by
utilizing the same techniques presented in this book.

Despite what an entire industry tries to promote, you do
not need to pick up a weight to gain strength, increase lean
muscle mass, and improve athletic performance.

WHAT IS BODYWEIGHT RESISTANCE TRAINING? 11

BENEFITS OF BODYWEIGHT RESISTANCE TRAINING

VERSATILITY CONVENIENCE COST EFFICIENCY

While every exercise Because your own body Bodyweight resistance We all live busy lives;
can be adapted to supplies the resistance training will cost you time is our most
provide a greater for the exercises, nothing. You can keep precious commodity.
challenge to the bodyweight training can those monthly gym Combining strength and
practitioner, the basic be undertaken anytime, fees, so it might even cardio workouts saves
exercises are also anywhere—your home, a save you money. time and reduces the
perfect for beginners. hotel room, a gym, or in transition time between
the great outdoors. exercises. Most
workouts take only
10 to 45 minutes.

12 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

ADVANTAGES OF BODYWEIGHT
RESISTANCE TRAINING

Let’s be honest. While we work out for the health benefits, a big plus is looking great with
your shirt off. Being fit, lean, and healthy boosts self-confidence and makes you want to
spend more time training.

I suspect you’re interested in decreasing body fat, gaining load, not reps. But why can’t bodyweight exercises be
strength, adding lean muscle, and improving your athletic progressive? Take standard push-ups. Perform as
performance. The exercises and programs in this book many repetitions as possible in a given time, and it’s
will help you meet those goals. only about endurance. Increase the time it takes to
perform each rep, however, and/or the dynamic tension
ADAPTABILITY (the muscular force required to execute that rep), and it
makes the exercise more challenging and builds both
For years the fitness industry portrayed bodyweight strength and lean muscle mass, just like adding weight to
exercise as little more than a warm-up, endurance, or a barbell. Applying these basic principles to every
cardio workout. The theory was that gaining strength bodyweight exercise allows you to adapt the resistance
required lifting heavy, progressively, and with attention to and force required.

ADVANTAGES OF BODYWEIGHT RESISTANCE TRAINING 13

BUILD LEAN MUSCLE AND BURN FAT through exercise adaptations, and there really are an
endless number of ways you can apply the techniques,
You’ll work multiple muscle groups at once via compound exercises, and workouts found in this book.
exercises. The minimal equipment and space required
make it easy to transition between exercises, reducing CORE STRENGTH
rest time and allowing for a high intensity interval training
type of workout. Alternating sets with minimal or no rest Consisting of at least 29 muscles, your core is more than
forces the body to produce muscle-building and fat- just six-pack abs. Every bodyweight exercise featured in
burning hormones like HGH and testosterone. This also this book engages the core either as a primary muscle or
stimulates excess post-exercise oxygen consumption for stabilization. This will not only carve the kind of killer
(EPOC, also known as the “afterburn”), the measurable core usually featured on models on the front covers of
increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous fitness publications, but will also improve your posture
activity intended to erase the body oxygen debt. Fatty and athletic performance.
acids are released as fuel for recovery. EPOC can boost
fat burning by up to 48 hours. SYMMETRY

INCREASE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE There’s no better way to develop a natural, symmetrical,
and functional physique. You’ll build the lean, athletic, and
Alternating between exercises, working multiple muscle perfectly proportioned body of a Spartan warrior,
groups per exercise, and the lack of equipment all allow gymnast, or martial artist. Research suggests that body
you to keep your body in a state of confusion, preventing symmetry can indicate biological fitness and longer life
it from adapting to a steady workload. Build in easy and expectancy—not to mention that studies have shown that
simple ways to add or remove challenge and variety humans find symmetrical people more sexually attractive!

14 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

MUST-HAVES AND USEFUL EXTRAS

The best part about bodyweight resistance training is you need little more than your body
and determination to have an incredible workout.

Ingenuity will allow you to use your surroundings, park financially chained to your gym membership. However, there
benches, climbing frames, or chairs to replace the free are a few optional items I strongly suggest you invest in for
weights and cardio equipment that keep you mentally and optimal performance during the exercises and workouts.

THE MUST-HAVES USEFUL EXTRAS

SHOES To make sure you can feel your PULL-UP BAR A pull-up bar is not essential, as you can find a number of alternatives for

connection to the floor, I advocate wearing a bar-oriented exercises. However, to maximize training performance, I strongly suggest you invest
minimalist-style shoe when training. If you’re in a door-mounted bar or freestanding pull/dip station.
new to minimalist footwear, I strongly
recommend alternating between your old
shoes and the minimalist style for two to four
weeks to allow your body to adjust to the
decrease in support and cushioning.

WATCH OR TIMER A watch or timer is TOWEL In addition to FOAM ROLLER Using a foam roller to provide pre- and/or

essential for keeping track of the work and mopping your brow, a towel post-workout myofascial release will increase your performance
rest intervals in some workouts. can also be used to help and decrease your risk of injury.
assist with some exercises.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 15

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book begins with the pertinent questions of what, when, where, and why bodyweight
resistance training. Please read this information, as it will educate you on the foundation-
building “Big Six.”

It also explains how to warm up and cool down This book presents a plan engineered to take a beginner
functionally and how to hydrate and fuel your body from Level 1 to Level 3 over a 90-day period, increasing
correctly. These topics will help you work out safely, strength, building lean muscle mass, and decreasing
improve your performance, and reduce your recovery body fat along the way.
time so you can work out more efficiently.

THE METHOD

1 2 34 5

Hydrate and perform Refer to the first day of Turn to that workout page After every workout, Tomorrow, move on to
functional warmups the 30-day program for and perform the exercises foam roll for recovery, the next day’s workout
before every workout. Level 1 to determine it lists, referring as and hydrate and refuel in Level 1. Over the
which workout to necessary to the your body. You’re done course of a month,
perform. individual exercise pages for today! complete the exercises
for reference. in Level 1. Then repeat
for Levels 2 and 3.

THE EXERCISES Q&A

The exercises are explained with step-by-step photos, What if I can’t perform every exercise or every rep at the end of the
and each has a unique more difficult and less difficult 28-day period?
version. Review these exercises until they’re familiar. You can either repeat the level and extend your overall commitment, or
move on to the next level and continue to substitute any exercise from
THE WORKOUTS the previous level until you have it mastered.

Workouts vary in length, style, and format to keep your What do I do after 90 days?
body on its toes. Some have built-in finishers, short Start again, but this time perform all the more challenging progressions
metabolic-boosting sets, and core circuits that target for each exercise, or create your own workouts.
your abs but also your back, hips, glutes, and other
stabilizing muscles. What should I do on my rest day?
Enjoy it—it has been hard earned! And definitely foam roll and recover.
THE PROGRAMS

The three programs are an easy-to-follow graphical
guide for each level. Each one provides a comprehensive
30-day plan. Combined across all levels, they create a
90-day bodyweight evolution.

16 BODYWEIGHT BASICS Trapezius

ANATOMICAL CHART Pectorals—Pectoralis major
and pectoralis minor help
Throughout these pages, move the shoulder joint.
you’ll find mentions of the
various muscle groups Serratus anterior—
strengthened and developed Originating between the first
by bodyweight exercises. and ninth ribs, it inserts at the
The diagrams here will help shoulder blade and moves and
you understand musculature stabilizes it.
and general anatomy.
Biceps—This two -headed
The abdominals consist of the following three groups: muscle is responsible for
shoulder flexion, elbow
Rectus abdominis—Also known as the “six-pack,” this runs flexion, and upward rotation of
the length of the front of the abdomen and is important for the palm.
posture. Its primary function is flexion of the lumbar spine.
Tensor fascia latae —
Internal and external obliques—Found on the lateral and This thigh muscle helps to
anterior portions of the abdomen, these pull the chest downward stabilize the pelvis atop the
femur (thigh bone) during
and compress the abdominal cavity, providing strength and standing.
support for the abdomen and spine.
Sartorius—The longest
Transversus abdominus—The innermost of the flat muscles muscle in the body, it assists
of the abdomen compresses the ribs, providing thoracic and in flexion and lateral rotation
pelvic stability. of the hip, and flexion of
the knee.
Illiopsoas (hip flexor)—A combination of the psoas Pectineus—This flat,
major and illiacus, and essential to athletic activities quadrangular muscle moves
such as running because they’re the strongest flexors the thigh toward the body and
rotates it toward the center.
of the thigh at the hip joint.
Quadriceps—Comprised of
Adductors—Commonly called the inner thigh, this the rectus femoris, vastus
group of muscles includes the adductor brevis, lateralis, vastus intermedius,
and vastus medialis, which
adductor longus, adductor magnus, pectineus, and extend the knee.
gracilis. They function to contract and pull the leg to
Rectus femoris—See
the body’s midline. Quadriceps.

How many muscles are in the body? This is tricky
to answer because each muscle is actually made

of many layers of muscle tissue, and there are
three types of muscle—skeletal, cardiac, and

smooth. However, the commonly accepted
answer is 650 skeletal muscles (the ones

attached to bone).

Trapezius—Resembling a trapezoid, it ANATOMICAL CHART 17
functions to move the scapula and support
Deltoids—The posterior, anterior, and
the arm. lateral deltoid are primarily responsible for
abduction of the arm on the frontal plane
Latissimus dorsi—The primary function of (lifting the arm up and out to the side).
the broadest muscle of the back, also known
as the “lat,” is the adduction of the arm. It’s Triceps brachii—This large muscle on the
rear of the upper arm is principally
often used when performing a pull-up or a responsible for extension of the elbow joint
chin-up. and straightening of the arm.

Erector spinae—This bundle of muscles Gluteals—The gluteus maximus, gluteus
and tendons extends the length of the medius, and gluteus minimus make up the
buttocks. Thery’re responsible for movement
vertebral column. It functions to straighten of the hip and thigh.
the back and provide side-to-side rotation.
Piriformis—A pear-shaped muscle in the
Abductors—Located in the buttocks and glute region that aids in external rotation of
lateral hip region on both sides of the body, the hip. The piriformis laterally rotates the
femur with hip extension and abducts the
the abductors consist of the gluteus femur with hip flexion.
maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus,
Gastrocnemius—These two heads of
and tensor fascia latae. muscle run from just above the knee to
the heel. Commonly called the calf, the
Iliotibial band—This is a longitudinal gastrocnemius is essential for running
fibrous reinforcement of the tensor fascia and jumping.

latae. The action of the ITB and its Soleus—This powerful muscle in the rear
associated muscles is to extend, abduct, and portion of the lower leg works with the
gastrocnemius to perform plantarflexion of
laterally rotate the hip. the foot (pulling toes toward shins).

Hamstrings—Consisting of three posterior The 650 skeletal muscles are all named in Latin
thigh muscles, the semitendinosus, after their location, shape, function, or insertion
and origin points. The hardest-working muscle in
semimembranosus, and biceps femoris, the body isn’t shown here. It’s the cardiac
hamstrings are responsible for knee flexion muscle—the heart—which beats once per
second, or even faster during exercise or duress.
and hip extension.

18 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

THE BIG SIX

In some shape or form, every exercise in this book takes its cues from the Big Six! These
exercises are utilized on a nearly daily basis as you progress through the workouts in this
book. The next few pages teach the benefits of each exercise, but above all provide tips
and tricks for mastering form.

CORRECT FORM

SQUATS Keep your chest up, your
glutes back, and your feet
The squat doesn’t work flat on the floor. Your back
only the legs—it’s a full- will arch slightly. The shins
body exercise. Your are close to vertical and the
hamstrings, quads, and knees line up with the toes.
glutes are indeed the
prime movers when you
squat, but your core
muscles also work to
stabilize you.

WHY SQUATS RULE

They Boost HGH and Testosterone They Decrease the Risk of Injury
Squats increase muscle-building hormones throughout the entire body, Building strength in the quads, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and abs
causing a stimulus for growth. reduces your risk of injury when running, jumping, or changing direction.

They Improve Core Strength and Posture They Increase Efficiency
Abdominals, back, and obliques must work to stabilize your spine and Squats are a supercharger for the metabolic benefits of your workout.
maintain an upright posture throughout the motion.

They Improve Hip Mobility They Increase Athletic Performance
Deep squats work the hip through a larger range of motion, increasing hip Squats generate power, which will make you explosive on and off the
mobility and flexibility, which may prevent back pain. field or court.

THE BIG SIX 19

EVALUATING A SAFE DEPTH HIP DYSFUNCTION

Some people can’t perform deep squats immediately
due to hip dysfunction or weak or tight muscles. Here’s
how to establish the safe depth of your squats and to
identify poor movement patterns or overcompensation.

Face sideways on all fours in front of a mirror, core engaged and If you tip forward while squatting, you have weak glutes, which
knees just wider than your shoulders. Drop your bottom down toward are the primary muscle used in hip extension. You’re tipping because
your feet and observe yourself. your lower back is switching on to compensate. Squat less deeply.
Progress through the book and your muscles will strengthen so you
can squat lower.

ANKLE DORSIFLECTION

If your back looks rounded, you may have a weak or tight adductor SQUATTING WITH
magnus or glutes. When performing a squat, stop before your back PROPER FORM
gets round. It’s okay to go shallow. As you progress through the book, STRENGTHENS
your muscles will strengthen and hip mobility will increase. You can KNEES AND
then squat more deeply. LOWER BACK.

If your back looks flat, you will be able to perform a good, deep Keep your feet flat on the floor: As shown above, correct ankle
squat with moderate depth. dorsiflexion (pulling the feet and toes back toward the shin) is about 15
degrees. Lack of flexibility in the calves and soleus, or wearing bulky
training shoes, can cause lost mobility in the ankles. Lack of dorsiflexion
can lead to several issues when you squat; the easiest to spot and correct
is the heels lifting off the floor. You’ll improve flexibility by progressing
through the book; more flexibility will also enhance any athletic move
that involves landing and decelerating the body.

20 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

CORRECT FORM

LUNGES Stack the feet, ankles, knees, and hips on top Keep the trailing knee underneath the hips to
of each other, and step straight back, keeping load the hip, utilizing the front leg glute to
Lunges prepare the body them in line. Keep the chest up, and the shin perform the majority of the work.
for deceleration and of the front leg relatively vertical.
change of direction. Any
weaknesses could lead to WATCH OUT FOR THESE FLAWS
overcompensation,
decreased performance,
and possibly injury.

As you perform a lunge, focus
on moving your torso only up and
down, not pushing it forward.
This keeps your weight balanced
evenly through the front foot,
allowing you to dig the front heel
down and back to perform the
movement. Press into the floor
with your heel, which tones more
lower-body muscle.

These key points ensure perfect,
pain-free lunges.

Don’t let the knees cave in, and keep the hips The trailing hip should not sink or dip.
forward at all times.

Don’t over-stride ... ... or under-stride.

THE BIG SIX 21

CORRECT FORM

PUSH-UPS

The push-up may be Keep elbows above wrists, hands rotated outward roughly 45 degrees.
the perfect multi-muscle Tighten your core, and keep the pelvis in a posterior pelvic tilt—
(compound) exercise, imagine wearing a belt and pulling the buckle up toward your navel.
effective at building
strength and stability STARTING POSITION
and burning body fat.
Incorrect starting position:
Most people associate push-ups People often set up with their
with the chest, arms, and/or back, hand position shoulder high
which is correct since the primary and elbow width to make the
movers are the triceps, pectorals, exercise easier. Viewed from
serratus anterior, and lats. What above, this looks like the
most people forget, though, is that letter T.
the push-up is a “moving plank,”
and abdominal muscles dominate
when it comes to spinal stability
during push-ups. The rectus
abdominis is the primary stabilizer
for preventing your hips from
sagging, while the obliques prevent
lateral shifting and twisting.

Correct starting position:
The arms should form an
angle of 20 to 40 degrees from
the body. Viewed from above,
you’ll look like an arrow. This
is easier on the shoulder joint
and leads to higher activation
of the pectorals and triceps.

22 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

CORRECT FORM

BURPEES 01 Squat: The final phase of the squat

Done correctly, the should look like a sitting frog. You’ll also
Burpee might be the return to this position before the vertical
best metabolic-boosting jump. Hip mobility often inhibits jumping
exercise on the planet, the feet far enough forward to have heels
an incredible total on the floor. Make sure to rock your weight
body strength and back into your heels and lift your chest.
cardiovascular exercise.
02 Sprawl: This extends the legs and
The Burpee has four athletic
components: a squat, a martial positions you in a plank. Don’t jump too
arts or wrestling style sprawl as far—arms at 90 degrees, palms level with
the legs hop back, a push-up, chest, and shoulders over wrists. Don’t
and a vertical leap. The key to sag—engage your core and use a posterior
successfully completing a Burpee pelvic tilt to lock it in.
is to break it down into these parts.
03 Push-up: This is where I see the
START SLOW.
PERFECT EACH greatest number of flaws during Burpees.
STAGE, THEN ADD You should not sprawl all the way to the
SPEEDAND REPS. floor with no control, “bounce” your chest
off the floor, or lift your chest and arch
like a cobra.

04 Leap: Always start the leap from the

squat position. This stable platform allows
you to drive through the lower body and
propel yourself into the air. While in the air,
make sure to achieve “triple extension,”
which means you’ve fully extended not just
the arms, but the ankles, the knees, and
the hips. Getting into triple extension
requires starting from a bent position, in
which all joints are primed for movement.

THE BIG SIX 23

CORRECT FORM

INVERTED
ROWS

Think of inverted rows as
the counter-punch to the
push-up. They utilize all
the pulling muscles,
opposite those used
during a push-up.

Inverted rows work biceps,
lats, traps, and deltoids. They’re
essential for creating balance and
symmetry in the body.

All inverted row variations require you to keep your body in an elevated
horizontal inverted plank. Maintaining elevated hips in this way fires the
glutes and hamstrings, and your abdominals stabilize the spine. Your key
focus is to squeeze the shoulder blades and lift the chest to the bar.

FIXING FLAWS

The head bob: Don’t jut out the chin to find an The hip thrust: Don’t fail to retract the The sag: Don’t let hips sag or glutes drop.
extra inch or two of motion. A failure to retract scapulae, let the elbows drift behind the body, This indicates a lack of strength in the glutes,
the shoulder blades misses the entire purpose or jerk your forearm to get halfway up and hamstrings, pelvic floor, and core. To build
of an inverted row. Instead, keep the chin thrust your crotch to the heavens. Instead, strength and work up to a horizontal inverted
slightly forward and down, and the neck aligned squeeze the glutes, engage the core, and use plank, bend legs, place feet flat on the ground,
with the cervical vertebrae. a posterior pelvic tilt to help lock in the core. and engage the glutes and core for stability.

24 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

CORRECT FORM

PULL-UPS Despite popular belief, pull-ups aren’t
vertical; you should move up and back.
Most of us spend large
amounts of time sitting at Pack the shoulders and brace the core by
a desk, and this leads to assuming a hollow body hold position with
the devolution of the body. your feet slightly forward of your hips.
Pull-ups build incredible Tighten the glutes to unload the spine.
strength and posture, Look at the bar, keeping the chin up. Pull
and also decompress backwards, squeezing the shoulder blades
the spine. and engaging the lats, lifting as if trying to
touch your chest to the bar. Lower slowly,
with control.

These points apply to both overhand pull-ups
and underrhand chin-ups.

ACHIEVING MORE MOBILITY

Correct mobility is essential to completing any exercise, but it’s absolutely critical when undertaking
pull-ups. Before performing pull-ups, begin with a drill to open the shoulders and chest and create
mobility to hang correctly. You’ll need a foam roller and a towel.

01 Place the foam roller directly below the

shoulder blades, lift the hips, and extend the
arms, keeping the towel taut, the backs of
your hands on the floor, shoulders packed,
and elbows locked.

02 When ready, extend your legs and your

lower back to the floor without elevating

hands or bending arms.

THE BIG SIX 25

DEAD HANG Shoulders packed: Think of the dead hang as
a hanging plank! Just like a plank, it’s all about
Now that you’re mobile, the next step is keeping your shoulders down, rib cage down and
to get comfortable hanging. The genesis in, core engaged, and glutes tight.
of any pull-up is the dead hang. A strong
grip equals a strong upper body. Get
comfortable hanging from the bar but
make sure you keep correct form with
your shoulders packed.

FIXING FLAWS

Shoulders by ears: If your shoulders look Chin up: The simplest trick for great pull-ups Lean back: Squeeze and engage the back
like this, practice the hanging scapula is keeping your chin up. By so doing, you’ll muscles, and at the top of the motion lean
retraction found in Level 1 until this position lengthen your body and position it to maximize slightly back as if touching chest to bar. This
becomes comfortable for you. your results on the bar. allows the the large back muscles to activate.

26 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

MODIFICATIONS

Almost every exercise can be made more or less challenging with some
fundamental modifications. This allows you to quickly and easily adapt an
exercise to meet your ability level. These pages show how to apply each
modification to a push-up, but it’s possible to perform them on any exercise.

YOU CAN
MODIFY ANY
EXERCISE.

BODY ANGLE More difficult: Elevating
the feet makes the exercise
Adjusting the angle more challenging by
between your body and transferring weight to the
the floor allows you to shift upper body, which then has
more or less weight onto to work harder.
the working muscles.
Less difficult: The work of
a push-up is performed by
the chest, back, and
shoulders. With the hands
elevated on a chair, bench,
or other prop, your weight
shifts from the upper body
to the lower body.

STABILITY MODIFICATIONS 27

Stability is the constant More difficult: Touching
fight between your body’s fingers and thumbs in the
center of gravity and its shape of a diamond directly
contact with the floor—its under your chest narrows
base of support. Simply the base of support and
raising one foot off the decreases stability.
floor decreases stability
and makes an exercise Less difficult: By opening
more challenging. Stability- either the feet or hands,
based modifications you widen the base of
improve core and joint support and make the
strength, making you more exercise easier because your
athletic and decreasing weight is distributed over
the risk of injury. a larger area.

RANGE OF More difficult: Performing
MOTION a greater amount of work on
each rep during the toughest
In a full range of motion part of the exercise
(ROM), you perform an increases the challenge.
exercise from the absolute Lower; then come up only
top point to the absolute halfway, lower fully again,
bottom point and back and go fully up. You’ve
again. Changing the performed 1.5 reps.
ROM by shortening,
lengthening, or even Less difficult: Half
stopping can make the push-ups, in which you
exercise easier or harder. lower your body only
halfway, decrease the
ROM—a good way to build
confidence in the early
stages of practicing a new
exercise.

28 BODYWEIGHT BASICS More difficult: Raising an
arm off the floor decreases
POINTS OF the number of joints from
CONTACT four to three, increases the
load on the working arm,
The more points of and decreases stability.
contact you have with
the floor, the easier the Even more difficult: The
exercise. With fewer surface area of the points of
contact points, you have contact also plays a role in
to move the same mass modifying the exercise.
with fewer joints. Going from the entire palm
on the floor to a two-finger
push-up decreases the
surface area.

Less difficult: Dropping
the knees to the floor
inclines and shortens the
body, increasing stability
and decreasing the amount
of mass moved during the
push-up.

SPEED MODIFICATIONS 29

Altering the speed of an TYPES OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION
exercise can make it
easier or harder. To know Concentric contractions: When a muscle is activated and required to lift a load,
the speed of an exercise, it begins to shorten. Contractions that permit the muscle to shorten are called
though, you must concentric contractions. Bicep curls are a concentric contraction, but for the speed
understand the different modification, think of them as acceleration.
types of muscle
contraction, as each Eccentric contractions: An eccentric contraction increases tension on a muscle
relates to the speed. as it lengthens. Eccentric contractions usually occur when the muscle opposes a
stronger force, causing it to lengthen as it contracts. An example is the lowering
phase of a squat. Think of eccentric contractions as controlled movements similar
to decelerating or braking while at high speed.

Isometric contractions: In this type of contraction, the muscle is activated, but
instead of being shortened or lengthened, it’s held. Think of it as a racecar driver
with the engine at peak revs but clutch balanced waiting for the green light.
Isometric contractions can also form a pause at the mid-point of an exercise.

Hold the start position: This
forces you to defy gravity and hold
an isometric contraction while you
build strength in your core and
shoulders.

Slow the lowering phase: Taking
four seconds to lower to the deepest
part of the push-up and then
pressing back up to the starting
position makes the chest, shoulders,
and triceps contract eccentrically.

30 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

FUNCTIONAL WARM-UPS

Functional training is a classification of exercise that involves
training the body for activities performed in daily life.

For example, squats equate to getting in and out of A functional exercise should prepare us for a daily activity
a chair, and pull-ups hark back to the survival skills or mimic a movement used in everyday life. Functional
necessary for early humans, who had to pull themselves training should make you more stable, balanced, and
into the higher branches of trees to evade predators. confident in performing these motions.

It’s not that exercise such as power lifting isn’t functional The next five exercises can be performed independently
per se, but unless you’re a fireman or in an occupation or chained together to form a cyclical yoga-inspired flow.
that requires lifting or moving heavy objects off a trapped The goal of each is to increase mobility and balance, and
person, or an NFL lineman or a sumo wrestler, you prepare your body for the challenges ahead.
probably won’t be moving large amounts of mass on
a daily basis.

Performing an exercise like
the L-sit chin-up requires
core and shoulder strength
and mobility—especially hip
mobility. Performing the
functional warm-ups will not
only help you move better. It
will also increase
performance and help
prevent injury.

INLINE LUNGE FUNCTIONAL WARM-UPS 31

As a functional warm-up, 01 Stand tall with feet
the inline lunge activates
the glutes, quads, and hip-width apart and arms at
hamstrings. It also forces your sides. Activate your
you to engage your core core and glutes.
and challenges your
proprioception—your 02 Take a step forward
unconscious ability to
perceive movement and with one leg, bend both legs,
spatial orientation, which and lower into a lunge
arises from stimuli within position. Attempt to place
the body. the toes of the rear foot in
line with the front heel and
knee, as if standing on an
invisible tight rope.

03 Straighten both legs,

pressing them firmly into
the floor. Alternate legs.
Perform five lunges per leg,
for 10 reps total.

Variation
For an added balance
challenge, try extending the
arms overhead during the
lunge. This will require, and
in turn result in, greater
trunk stability.

32 BODYWEIGHT BASICS 01 Stand tall with feet roughly

RESTING shoulder width and arms
SQUAT
hanging by your sides.
Since the dawn of time,
our ancestors knew the
power of resting squats.
Human beings have
crouched all the way down
into these to perform
activities like relaxing,
working, and cooking over
a fire. The sitting squat will
help to open your hips and
provide dorsiflexion in
the ankles and feet,
preparing you for squats.

02 Bend at the knees and lower until your glutes are resting on the

back of your calves. Do not let your heels lift off of the floor. Keep
your chest up and hold this position for 30 seconds before standing.
Repeat three to five times.

TRUNK FUNCTIONAL WARM-UPS 33
STABILITY
PUSH-UP 01 Lie on your stomach

Without adequate stability with your hands shoulder-
in the trunk, you waste width apart and thumbs
energy, resulting in poor level with your forehead.
performance and Raise onto your toes and lift
increasing your risk of your torso from the ground.
injury. The trunk stability
push-up helps strengthen 02 Maintaining a rigid
and stabilize the spine and
trunk during a closed- torso, lift yourself as a unit
chain upper-body into a push-up position,
movement—one where making sure the lumbar
the upper body is fixed spine does not dip down.
in place against an
immobile surface. 03 Lower back down into

PLACE HANDS/ the same position as in step
THUMBS LEVEL 1. Perform three to five reps
WITH CHIN TO with correct form.
MAKE IT EASIER.

34 BODYWEIGHT BASICS 01 Begin on your hands

INNER THIGH and knees with your back
MOBILITY flat, and straighten your
right leg out to the side until
Performance is it is perpendicular to your
compromised by poor joint torso.
mobility. The greater your
joint mobility, the greater 02 Keep your back flat and
your ROM, and the more
kinetic energy/tension— push your hips back as far as
and therefore power— possible.
you’ll be able to generate.
Warm up the hips and 03 Push your hips forward
groin with this simple yet
incredibly effective inner as far as you can, keeping
thigh mobility stretch. your back flat and arms
straight. Return to the
ENGAGE CORE IN starting position to complete
ALL PHASES. one rep. Perform eight reps
on each leg.

THORACIC FUNCTIONAL WARM-UPS 35
ROTATION
01 Begin on your hands
Improve your posture by
increasing the mobility in and knees, with a flat back
your thoracic spine. It’s and straight arms.
especially beneficial for
those who spend a lot 02 Bring your right hand
of time at a desk or
keyboard or spend too behind your head and rotate
much time bench pressing your right elbow in toward
at the gym. the floor. Make sure to
rotate through the thoracic
DON’T “FLAP” spine and trunk rather than
ELBOW. through the arm.

03 Rotate the right elbow

outward to the ceiling,
opening the chest and
rotating your head and upper
back as far as you can.
Rotate back inward and
repeat for eight reps, then
switch sides.

36 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

RECOVERY

Bodyweight workouts require you to exert great stress upon your body. Afterward, your
muscles will be tired and sore. Recovery practices are critical for injury prevention and
consistent training, and they enable you to give maximum effort for maximum results.
Make these four simple practices part of your regular post-workout routine.

1 STRETCH 2 FOAM ROLL

Stretching isn’t sexy and doesn’t make you The fascia is connective tissue that wraps
look good without a shirt, but it’s the most around the muscles in the body. It can
underrated aspect of athletic development. become tense or constricted while working
out, causing pain.
Without the necessary flexibility and muscle pliability,
you’ll struggle to find the depth required to maximize your You can massage yourself with a foam roller to relieve
ability to burn calories and build new muscle. muscle tightness. This is called self-myofacial release.
• Perform foam rolling, a key component of recovery.
• Run through all of the exercises found in the
Functional Warm-ups pages post-workout as well as See Foam Rolling Technique.
pre-workout to increase your flexibility and mobility.

FOAM ROLLING TECHNIQUE 01Position your body on the roller. The weight of your body will apply

Use a foam roller as a warm-up, after working out, or pressure on your muscles. Roll back and forth slowly. When you find a
whenever you feel pain to “roll out” the muscles. This tender spot in the area you’re working, pause and wait for the discomfort
alleviates soreness and stiffness, promotes circulation of to diminish. This could take up to one minute and may be uncomfortable.
oxygenated blood, and even breaks up scar tissue and
restrictions in the fascia.

A foam roller also allows you to apply targeted pressure
to specific spots in the muscle that may be causing pain.

Look for a high-density foam roller that’s about 3 inches
(7.5cm) in diameter. You can find them at sporting goods
stores or online.

The basic technique is the same, regardless of whether
you use it on the legs, back, or arms. There’s a lot of
freedom for experimentation when using the roller. See
what works well and feels best for you, and manipulate
the roller to the correct position. You can create your own
techniques to meet your needs.

RECOVERY 37

3 SLEEP 4 ICE

Sleep is the necessary downtime your body Intense exercise causes microtrauma, or

needs to restore itself. tiny tears, in muscle fibers.

Other mammals don’t willingly delay sleep the way we This sounds scary, but it’s a good thing because micro
humans do. Sacrificing hours of sleep over a long period tears stimulate muscle cell activity, helping repair the
of time can negatively impact your mental strength and damage and actually strengthening the muscles. Icing
commitment to training sessions. Another drawback of helps the body recover faster and reduces muscle pain
not getting enough rest at night is that you’ll want to eat and soreness after intense training sessions.
more than you need to. Leptin is a hormone that regulates
appetite, and its levels fall in the bodies of people who It constricts blood vessels and flushes waste products
haven’t gotten enough rest, causing an increase in food out of the affected tissue. It decreases metabolic activity
craving. and slows down physiological processes. And it reduces
swelling and tissue breakdown. Afterward, the body has
If you find it difficult to get to sleep, make sure to cut out to warm itself, resulting in increased blood flow that
caffeinated beverages. One of the many benefits of improves the healing process.
regular exercise is that it can help you fall asleep faster,
and it contributes to sounder, deeper sleep. But don’t • Fill your tub with water 53 to 59° (12 to 15°C) and
exercise right before you go to bed, because that may submerge your body for between 10 and 15 minutes
have the opposite effect. It could get you wired and make for maximum benefit.
it harder to get to sleep.
• Or instead of an ice bath, apply localized ice (for
• Sleep at least seven hours; note that many athletes example bags of frozen peas) to specific areas of the
may need up to nine hours. body for 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t apply these directly
to the skin; wrap them in a towel first.

02When the area is no longer sensitive, roll up or down the muscle on 03When tender areas can be rolled over without pain, continue rolling

the roller. When you identify any other sensitive spots, again pause and regularly to keep the area relaxed.

wait for the discomfort to diminish.

38 BODYWEIGHT BASICS

NUTRITION

Bodyweight exercises are all about moving your own mass; the
heavier you are, the harder it will be! So it’s essential to prioritize
nutrition to become a lean, mean performance machine.

Exercise effectively tears and breaks apart muscle An excellent post-workout meal: With about 23 grams of protein per serving,
fibers. Protein is essential for exercise because it salmon paired with whole wheat pasta or quinoa and nutrient-packed kale
contains amino acids, the building block of new helps repair and replenish the body.
muscle. Since it repairs muscle, you must provide the
body a constant supply of protein throughout the
entire day for optimum muscle growth. Having a body
with lean muscle mass fueled by protein has another
benefit: It decreases body fat percentage.

What about carbs? Aren’t they the devil? The key is
to save them for post-workout meals, when your body
uses the simple sugars and starches to replace those
energy stores. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are
the best carbohydrates to consume while following the
programs in this book—keep it to around 100 grams
per day.

PROTEIN: HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED, AND HOW CAN YOU GET IT?

To calculate how much protein to eat while on a bodyweight exercise regimen, multiply your weight in pounds by between 0.9 and 1.1.
The result gives you the amount of grams of protein you need daily.

Daily protein requirement 126–154g Daily protein requirement 162–198g Daily protein requirement 198–242g
for a 140-pound man for a 180-pound man for a 220-pound man Protein

Sample meal plan Protein Sample meal plan Protein Sample meal plan 52g

Extra large egg 7g All of the protein for a All of the protein for a 52g
180-pound man plus: +
2 tbsp peanut butter 7g 140-pound man plus: 10g 6oz round top steak 179.5g
10.5g 231.5g
6oz tuna 52g 3oz bacon 10g

1 cup black beans 15g 3oz cottage cheese 30.5g
+
2 slices Swiss cheese 15g ½ cup tofu 149g

3oz chicken drumstick 23g

1 cup navy beans 20g

100g Greek yogurt 10g

149g 179.5g

HYDRATION 39

NUTRITION BLUEPRINT HYDRATION

Six simple steps create a solid nutritional foundation. During exercise, you may lose up to two
• Eat four to six small meals each day: breakfast, lunch, and liters of water per hour. Just a 2 percent
decrease in weight caused by dehydration
dinner, with high-protein mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and can lead to a 20 percent decrease in
early-evening snacks. athletic performance. For every liter of fluid
• Avoid sugar and processed foods. lost, core temperature increases, heart rate
• Limit carbohydrates to unprocessed, complex carbs such rises, glycogen stored in muscles is used
as sweet potatoes. more rapidly, and lactic acid increases.
• Eliminate soda, sweetened coffee beverages, and other
high-calorie sugary drinks, including sports drinks. HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU DRINK?
• Cut out alcohol.
• Drink lots of water—it flushes toxins and keeps you What’s the ideal amount to consume when pursuing the
feeling satiated. programs in this book? The daily amount of water intake will
differ from person to person and will vary based on activity.
GREAT POST-WORKOUT
SNACKS AND MEALS When exercising, up your

These small meals are perfect for a man on a bodyweight 4L intake to 4L of water daily.
workout regimen because they include both proteins
and carbs.
• A protein shake with milk and a banana
• Half an avocado stuffed with cottage cheese
• Spinach salad topped with grilled chicken
• A banana sliced lengthwise and spread with nut butter

Drinking shakes that contain whey protein can make you feel less 3L The average man needs 3L
hungry later, and helps you lose body fat and better preserve 2L of water per day.
muscle mass.
500ml You lose 2L of water daily
through normal activities
like breathing, sweating,
and elimination.

Make sure to drink 500ml
of water—preferably mixed
with an electolyte
replacement—both
before and after a
bodyweight workout.



LEVEL

1

Level 1 provides you with a
thorough understanding of
foundation exercises such
as squats, push-ups, and
pull-ups, each with options
to make them more or less
challenging. These exercises
focus on building strength,
muscle tone, and definition,
while teaching the base
forms required to quickly
progress to higher levels.

42 LEVEL 1

DEAD HANG 01 Stand directly under your pull-up bar.

This is a great introduction KEEP SHOULDERS
to bodyweight training “PACKED”—PULLED
because it teaches body DOWN AND BACK.
awareness and helps to
develop the fundamental 02 Hop up and grab the bar with an overhand grip
grip strength vital in all
hanging exercises. (palms facing away) wider than your shoulders,
and hang from the bar with straight arms. Try to
MORE DIFFICULT hang with good form for as long as possible.

Modify stability: In
step 2, gently swing
your body from side to
side to perform dead
swings. This will force
you to recruit the
muscles in your core
for stabilization.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify stability:
Use a resistance band,
or place one foot on a
chair, to provide
support and stability
while you build
confidence and
strength.

EXERCISES 43

MOUNTAIN 01 Position your hands on the floor slightly wider than your ELBOWS STRAIGHT,
CLIMBER MAINTAIN A RIGID
shoulders. Rise up onto your toes, and engage the core to PLANK POSITION
A challenging form a straight back and balance your weight between your THROUGHOUT.
cardiovascular exercise, toes and head. This is the plank position.
mountain climbers mimic
finding a foothold while
climbing a summit and
work your core, hip flexors,
and legs.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify range of motion and reps: During 02 Bending your right leg, pull your knee in toward your
step 2, extend partially, then add a second pull
of the knee to the chest before switching legs. chest while keeping your core engaged.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: For all steps, elevate 03 Straighten the right leg back into its original position
your hands on a prop, shifting weight to the
lower body so it’s easier to sustain the plank. and simultaneously pull the left knee toward the chest.

Repeat, alternating leg positions, with controlled speed.

44 LEVEL 1 01 Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.

REVERSE Place your palms on the floor with fingers slightly spread and
PLANK
BRIDGE pointing toward your toes.

Create stability and
balance through the back
side with this simple
bodyweight staple.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify reps: Add a small pulse to step 2 02 Press into your palms and lift your hips and torso
by lowering halfway down and then
re-engaging the core and glutes to perform toward the ceiling.
1.5 reps, then repeat.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify speed and points of contact: In all
steps, bend your knees to decrease the length
of the body.

EXERCISES 45

The goal is to maintain a straight line
and hold for up to 30 seconds. You may
need to begin by holding the position for
only a few seconds as you build your
strength. Quality, not quantity!

SQUEEZE GLUTES
AND SHOULDER
BLADES, PULL IN

BELLY.

03 Look at the ceiling. Fully

straighten but do not lock
your arms and legs. Squeeze
and engage the glutes, pulling
your belly button to your spine,
and hold.

46 LEVEL 1 01 Stand tall with feet

ALTERNATING shoulder-width apart and
LATERAL toes pointing forward.
LUNGE
02 Step out to the right side
Lateral lunges strengthen
and tone the glutes, (laterally) away from the body.
hamstrings, and thighs. In Remain tall and keep your weight in
the process, they increase the heel as you push back your hips,
dynamic balance. lowering your body until the thigh is
MORE DIFFICULT parallel to the floor.

Modify stability and range of motion: In 03 Push back off of the bent leg,
all steps, elevate the bending leg to decrease
your stability and require greater activation of straightening the hips and knee to
the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. return to your starting position.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify stability: Throughout the exercise,
perform all reps to the same side to increase
stability, allowing you to build confidence and
focus on depth.

Focus on pushing back the EXERCISES 47
hips, keeping your weight
in the heel of the lunging POINT BENDING
leg and glutes. KNEE IN SAME
DIRECTION
04 Repeat the lateral lunge AS TOES.

to the opposite side.

48 LEVEL 1

STANDARD 01 Begin with arms straight, your weight balanced on hands and
PUSH-UP
toes. This is the plank position.
Done correctly, push-ups
build upper body and 02 Bend your elbows, bringing your chest toward the floor. Your
core strength, using the
muscles of the chest, elbows should bend slightly beyond 90 degrees.
back, shoulders, triceps,
abs, and even the legs.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: In all steps, elevate
your feet on a box or bench to decline your
body, transferring weight into the upper body
to cause it to work harder.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Elevate your hands on
a prop to transfer more of the load away from
the arms and shoulders and to the lower body,