Bodyweight Workouts for Men by Sean Bartram

PROGRAM 99

DAY 01 DAY 02 DAY 03 DAY 04 DAY 05 DAY 06

● ARES ● ROUND THE ● PERSEUS ● 10 TO 1 ● THOR ● SUPER CIRCUIT
WORKOUT WORLD WORKOUT ● CORE KILLER WORKOUT THE 300

● FINISHER ● CORE CHAOS ● FINISHER ● FINISHER

DAY 08 DAY 09 DAY 10 DAY 11 DAY 12 DAY 13

● LEG DAY ● PUSH VS PULL ● BURN ● DYNAMIC DUOS ● HI-LO ● SUPER CIRCUIT
● FINISHER ● CORE CHAOS ● CORE KILLER FIVE

DAY 15 DAY 16 DAY 17 DAY 18 DAY 19 DAY 20

● ARES ● ROUND THE ● PERSEUS ● 10 TO 1 ● THOR ● SUPER CIRCUIT
WORKOUT WORLD WORKOUT ● CORE KILLER WORKOUT THE 300

● FINISHER ● CORE CHAOS ● FINISHER ● FINISHER

DAY 22 DAY 23 DAY 24 DAY 25 DAY 26 DAY 27

● LEG DAY ● PUSH VS PULL ● BURN ● DYNAMIC DUOS ● HI-LO ● SUPER CIRCUIT
● FINISHER ● CORE CHAOS ● CORE KILLER FIVE



LEVEL

2

Level 2 builds upon the
foundation and strength you
developed in Level 1 and
increases the challenge
through multiplanar (more
than one plane of motion)
and dynamic stability (motion
or rotation) exercises.

102 LEVEL 2

DEEP SQUAT DON’T LET 01 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-
KNEES BUCKLE
A full-body exercise, the INWARD WHILE width apart and toes pointing forward.
deep squat primarily LOWERING.
engages the quads, hips,
and glutes. Dropping into
a deep seated position
requires greater hip
mobility and flexibility than
for a regular squat.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify stability: As
you perform the entire
exercise, extend your
arms overhead to
lengthen the torso,
challenge your
balance, and increase
the work for the
glutes and core.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify stability: In
step 2, extend your
arms in front of your
body to provide
counterbalance.

02 Inhale as you bend at the knee and 03 Pause, exhale, and press through your

lower your body until shins and thighs form heels, returning to the starting position
an angle less than 90 degrees. Lower the while squeezing your glutes, tucking your
hips until glutes touch calves and heels, pelvis, and pulling the belly button in.
or as far as possible. Repeat steps 2 and 3 as prescribed.

EXERCISES 103

SPIDERMAN BRACE CORE
PUSH-UP TO PROTECT
LOWER BACK.
Inspired by the agile
superhero of the same 01 Assume a standard push-up position, with palms just
name, this push-up will
increase hip mobility, wider than shoulders, arms straight, and body in a rigid line,
flexibility, and core strength. with weight balanced between arms and toes.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Elevate your feet on a 02 Bend your arms, bringing the chest down as you lift
prop to decline the body and transfer more
weight to the upper body. your left foot off the floor. Rotate the left leg out to the

LESS DIFFICULT side and pull your right knee up to your shoulder.

Modify stability: Instead of performing a 03 Bring your right foot back to the floor and push
push-up in steps 2 and 3, hold the plank
position and roll the knee to the shoulder. your body back up to the starting position. Repeat steps 2

and 3, alternating legs.

104 LEVEL 2

FRONT LUNGE 01 Stand straight, with arms at your side and core engaged.

The front lunge is a
simple, low-impact way
to strengthen the quads,
hamstrings, glutes,
and calves.

MORE DIFFICULT RIGHT KNEE
IS DIRECTLY
Modify stability: For the entire exercise, UNDER HIP.
raise your hands overhead to challenge
stability. 02 Step your left foot forward. Bending your right knee 90

LESS DIFFICULT degrees, lower your hips to bring your left thigh parallel to the floor
and your left knee directly over your ankle.

Modify stability: Hold on to any available 03 Return to standing by pressing through the heel of the left foot
prop to aid balance.
and bringing the foot backward, standing tall to engage the core.

EXERCISES 105

According to the American Council on
Exercise, lunges are one of the most
effective lower-body exercises. Studies
prove strengthening the lower body can
speed up metabolism and aid fat loss.

04 Repeat steps 2 and 3,

this time leading with

the right leg.

106 LEVEL 2

ALTERNATING 01 Stand tall with your hands by your 02 Cross your left leg behind your right
CROSS-OVER
LUNGE sides and feet shoulder-width apart. and lunge as far as you can to the right.
Landing on your heel, bend both legs and
Apart from building sit as low into the lunge as possible.
strength in the quads and
glutes, this lunge also
enhances balance,
coordination, and agility.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify stability: In all steps, hold arms
overhead to decrease balance and add load to
hips, glutes, and core.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify stability: Instead of taking step 4, 03 Press through the heel of the front foot
perform all repetitions to one side to increase
stability by making the exercise less dynamic. and straighten the body back to standing

position, standing tall to engage the core.

BEND BACK LEG EXERCISES 107
AND SINK HIPS.
Keep hips and shoulders facing
forward. To ease pressure on the
front knee, try to keep the
foot pointing at approximately
45 degrees.

04 Repeat steps 2 and 3 with leg position reversed,

crossing your right leg behind your left as you lunge.

108 LEVEL 2

ARCHER Avoid momentum,
PULL-UP don’t swing, and
pay particular
These are the bridge attention to the
between regular pull-ups deceleration—the
and single-arm ones. The slow lowering
motion replicates drawing or eccentric
a bow to shoot an arrow, contraction—by
generating single-arm controlling your
strength and power. descent.

MORE DIFFICULT 01 Position yourself directly under the pull-up

Modify speed: In bar. Hop up and grab the bar with an overhand grip
step 3, slowly lower (palms facing away) wider than your shoulders.
back down to the Hang from the bar with arms straight.
hanging position
over a count of four HAND OF
to accentuate the STRAIGHT ARM
eccentric muscle ROLLS TO TOP
contraction and OF BAR.
build power.
02 Pull yourself up to the left, tucking your
LESS DIFFICULT
left elbow tight to the chest so your right arm is
Modify stability: extended across the width of the bar, parallel to
Use a resistance the ground, at the top of the pull-up.
band, or place one
foot on a chair to
increase stability
and decrease the
amount of weight
being moved, and
to provide
assistance.

EXERCISES 109

MAKE SURE
THE SHOULDERS
ARE PACKED.

03 Lower back down with control into a

dead-hang position, with your body centered
between your hands. The hands are held wide
on this pull-up, and the body needs to be
centered between them. Repeat steps 2 and
3, alternating arms with each archer pull-up.

110 LEVEL 2

HANGING LEG 01 Stand directly under the pull-up bar. AS YOU PAUSE,
RAISE SQUEEZEGLUTES
Hop up and grab the bar with an overhand TO UNLOAD
This is the Holy Grail of grip (palms facing away), hands wider than SPINE.
abdominal exercises! It will shoulders, and hang with arms straight.
build a bulletproof core, 02 With shoulders open and packed and
increase grip strength and
flexibility, and decompress legs kept straight, raise your legs with
your spine. control until they’re just beyond parallel to
the floor. Pause for two seconds.
MORE DIFFICULT

Modify range of
motion: In step 2,
bring your toes to
touch the bar between
your hands. This
almost doubles the
working range of the
exercise and increases
the work for abs,
back, and hips.

LESS DIFFICULT 03 Lower your legs under control,

Modify points of and repeat.
contact: In
preparation for
eventually performing
a hanging exercise,
start by practicing leg
raises on the floor to
increase stability and
focus on controlling
the raising and
lowering of the legs.

FROG HOLD EXERCISES 111

Frog holds strengthen SPREAD FINGERS
upper arms, forearms, AND ROTATE
and wrists. They also THEM OUTWARD.
strengthen the abdominal
muscles and improve
balance and coordination
for exercises such as
planche holds.

MORE DIFFICULT 01 Beginning in a crouched position, press your knees to

the back of your arms, and lift onto the balls of your feet.

Modify points of contact: In step 2, extend
one leg. This requires elevating more weight
and challenges the core more intensely.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify points of contact: In step 2, move 02 Transfer your weight to your upper body, lift your feet
the knees to the outside of your arms to widen
your base of support, making balancing easier. off the floor, and hold.

112 LEVEL 2

FOREARM 01Start with forearms on the floor and legs extended, HANDS OPEN
PUSH-UP WITH PALMS
with the body evenly balanced between forearms and toes FLAT ON FLOOR.
This exercise combines a
forearm plank and push- in a forearm plank position.
up to work the chest,
triceps, back, and core.
This push-up is an
excellent way to build
strength for exercises such
as the planche in Level 3.

MORE DIFFICULT

02 Push down evenly through the palms of your hands,

raising your body as you fully straighten your arms.

Modify speed: In step 3, lower the body
slowly over a count of four to provide an
eccentric muscle contraction that helps build
strength and power.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Perform with hands 03 Slowly lower back down by bending the arms to return
against a wall to shift more weight into the
stronger muscles of the lower body. to the forearm plank starting position.

EXERCISES 113

HOLLOW 01Lie on your back with arms and legs extended. Pull your
BODY HOLD
belly button in and tuck your pelvis to connect your lower back
This killer abdominal
exercise is essential to to the floor.
master because it teaches
the posterior pelvic tilt
required for exercises such
as handstands.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify range of motion: In step 2, add 02 Slowly raise your legs, shoulders, and head off the ground.
small leg flutters of 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10cm)
to create greater engagement of your core. Hold this curved position for the duration of the exercise.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle and range of motion: KEEP LOWER
In step 2, hold legs higher to decrease BACK AGAINST
leverage and the weight of the legs. FLOOR, ENGAGE
ABS AND GLUTES.

114 LEVEL 2

T-STAND KEEP
SPINE LONG,
Lengthen the hamstrings, PULL BELLY
learn to control the hips, BUTTON IN.
and challenge your
balance in this yoga- 01 Stand with feet together and arms at
inspired functional
exercise. your sides.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify stability and range of motion: In 02 Inhale and slowly bend from
all steps, extend your arms overhead to
lengthen your torso and challenge balance. the hips, lowering the torso and
letting your arms hang. As you
LESS DIFFICULT fold forward, raise one leg until
torso, arms, and leg are parallel
to the floor.

Modify stability: Hold a box, chair, or bench 03 Exhale as you lift the torso and lower the leg
for balance so you can focus on keeping your
hips square to the floor throughout the motion. in one fluid motion. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the

opposite leg.

If balancing is a challenge, bend EXERCISES 115
deeper at the waist to allow
fingertips to touch the floor. Try this ...
Adding a dynamic kick increases
the range of motion and generates
a force your core has to work
to stabilize.

T-STAND KICK

As you stand tall in step 3, bring the back leg
through and snap out a kick.

116 LEVEL 2

HANGING KNEECAPS
REVERSE POINT DIRECTLY
CURL AT CHEST.

This targets your lower 02 Raise your knees and curl your
abdominals and lower
back. A strong, flexible hips upward until your knees are
core makes you more tucked inside your elbows, then lift
powerful in all endeavors. your feet.

MORE DIFFICULT 01 Position yourself directly under your pull-up

Modify range bar. Hop up and grab the bar with a shoulder-
of motion and width underhand grip (palms facing you).
repetitions: In
step 2, add a
smaller second
knee tuck/crunch
at the top of the
motion before fully
straightening legs
in step 3 increasing
the work by 50
percent.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify range of
motion: In step 2,
tuck and raise the
knees only until
thighs are parallel
to the ground to
decrease the work
for the knees and
the time the core
needs to be
engaged.

This exercise can be EXERCISES 117
performed from a dead
hang—hanging from the Try this ...
bar with arms straight Twist both knees across the body
and shoulders packed— as you curl upward, as if skiing
but make sure you’re not moguls, to engage the obliques.
swinging and using
momentum.

SKI TUCKS

Bring both knees across the body to one elbow,
lower, and repeat to the opposite elbow.

03 Lower back down slowly until your feet

nearly touch the ground.

118 LEVEL 2

SHRIMP 01 Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and
SQUAT
hands at your sides.
This unilateral leg exercise
burns fat and increases
strength, but it requires
balance, core strength,
and coordination—making
it both fun and
challenging.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify stability: In steps 2, 3, and 4, hold 02 Bend one leg at the knee and reach back to
the back leg with both hands to decrease
balance and leverage, increasing the workload hold the ankle with the same arm. Extend the other
for the core, glutes, and legs.
arm out straight for balance.
LESS DIFFICULT

Modify stability: Hold any available prop Try to maintain a rigid body throughout to
for support, to slowly build strength with retain energy. When a joint is unstable, the
correct form. energy produced by your musculature can’t
be efficiently transferred through the body
to produce optimal movements.

EXERCISES 119

DON’T LET
SQUATTING KNEE
BUCKLE INWARD.

03 Bend the front leg at the ankle, 04 Press through the heel of the front foot and

knee, then hip and, keeping the torso straighten the body back to standing position, one
tall, lower your body into a squat until ankle held and the other arm out straight for
the knee of the backward-bent leg balance. Repeat steps 2 and 3, using the other
hovers above or taps the floor. side of the body.

120 LEVEL 2 01 Lie on your back on

BACK BRIDGE the floor with knees and
elbows bent, palms on
Stretch the front of your the floor by the side of
body, strengthen the your head, and fingers
muscles supporting your pointing at your toes.
spine, and work almost
every muscle on the back SQUEEZE GLUTES,
of the body in this familiar PULL BELLY
and fun exercise.
BUTTON INWARD.
MORE DIFFICULT

Modify range of motion: After reaching full
extension in step 2, lower halfway, press back
to full extension, and then lower completely.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify speed: Instead of doing repetitions, 02 Simultaneously press through your
hold the highest point of the exercise in step 2
for the duration. palms, straighten your arms, and push your
hips up. Round your back, squeeze your
glutes, and create an arch or bridge.

EXERCISES 121

03 Hold for the

prescribed duration,

then lower with control.

Quality, not quantity! If you
can’t hold for 30 seconds, break
these into smaller, more
manageable chunks—perform
three for 10 seconds or two for
15 seconds.

122 LEVEL 2

PIGEON PEEL THE CLOSER
THE HEELS
The peel in Level 1 TO THE GLUTES,
increases strength in hips, THE HARDER.
hamstrings, glutes, and
core. This version takes it
further by rotating the legs,
providing greater work for
the gluteus medius and
tensor fascia latae.

MORE DIFFICULT 01Lie flat on your back on the floor or a mat. Bend your legs and place

your feet on the floor wider than your shoulders. Roll your inner thighs

together and squeeze them tight.

Modify points of contact: In step 2, extend
and elevate the arms to remove any leverage,
increasing the load on the glutes and core.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify speed: In step 2, hold at the top of 02 Press through the soles, squeeze the glutes, and lift the hips to
the motion instead of performing repetitions,
to create an isolation hold and build strength. form a straight line from shoulders to knees. Pause at the top and hold

for one or two seconds before lowering back to the floor under control.

EXERCISES 123

BUTTERFLY IT’S HARDER
PEEL THE CLOSER
THE HEELS
The butterfly peel rotates TO THE GLUTES.
the legs, providing greater
work for the iliopsoas, 01 Lie flat on your back on the ground. Bend your legs, place your
sartorius, pectineus, and
piriformis. feet on the ground with soles together, and open the knees as wide
as possible.
MORE DIFFICULT

Modify stability: In step 2, after reaching
the top of the motion, lower halfway, raise
fully, then lower with control, for 1.5 reps.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify speed: Hold at the top of the motion 02 Press through the feet, squeeze the glutes, and lift the hips until
in step 2 instead of doing reps to create an
isolation hold and build strength. your body forms a straight line from shoulders to open knees. Pause at
the top of the motion and hold for one or two seconds before lowering
back to the ground under control.

124 LEVEL 2

BULGARIAN 01 Stand with the top of your back foot on a bench, chair, or other
SPLIT SQUAT
elevated surface.
This unilateral leg exercise
is incredibly useful as it not
only builds leg strength, it
also increases flexibility of
hip flexors and helps
create overall balance.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify range of motion: In step 2, add a 02 Bend your legs and lower body until the thigh of the front leg is
plyometric jump to increase the workload and
create performance-enhancing power. parallel to the floor, and pause for two to three seconds.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify speed: Hold in the deepest position Extend your arms out in front for balance,
of step 2 for the duration. This isolation hold or overhead to increase the challenge.
will generate strength.

EXERCISES 125

THE HIGHER
THE BACK FOOT,
THE HARDER THE

EXERCISE.

03 Return to a standing position by pressing

through the heel of the front foot, standing tall to
engage the core.

126 LEVEL 2

1-2 PUSH 01 Begin in the plank position with hands on the floor slightly wider

The 1-2 push is an intense, than shoulders, legs extended, and on your toes. Engage the core and
full-body move that will form a straight line from ankles to head.
elevate your heart rate
while working the muscles BRING KNEES
in your core, arms, and COMPLETELY
legs. Complete the move THROUGH ELBOWS.
as quickly as you can, but
that correct form takes
priority.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify range of motion: In step 3, add
a plyometric (clap) push-up to generate
explosive upper body power.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: For all steps, place your
hands on a tall prop, shifting most of the
weight into the lower body.

EXERCISES 127

Try this ...
By changing the angle of the legs
when you bring the knee to the
chest, you can create greater
activation of the obliques.

02 Bend your elbows, bringing the chest toward the floor until your

elbows are bent slightly beyond 90 degrees.

03 Push up off the floor and straighten the arms. DIAGONAL MOUNTAIN CLIMBER

04 As arms reach full extension, bring your right knee In the last step, take the knee across the body
to the opposite elbow.
to your chest and quickly switch legs, bringing the left
knee to the chest. Then return to the starting position.
Repeat steps 2 through 4, alternating legs.

Remember: form
comes first,
speed second.

128 LEVEL 2

DRAGON 01 Assume a modified military push-up position, with your hands
WALK
staggered, arms slightly bent, and right elbow touching the right knee.
This is not named after a
character from Game of
Thrones—but if you were
going to crown one total-
body exercise, this might
be it! Dragon walks target
so many muscle groups,
that they may leave you
breathing fire!

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify speed: Add a pause at the bottom of 02 Straighten your arms and step forward with your right hand and
each rep, forcing you to hold your weight in the
most challenging position. left foot as if crawling.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify range of motion: Keep your hands 03 Drop back into the modified or staggered military push-up
still and focus on only bringing the knees to
the shoulders. position, this time with the left elbow touching the left knee.

Think like a reptile: Stay low to EXERCISES 129
the ground as you move with
smooth, gliding, controlled CHIN UP,
steps. Slink across the floor. EYES FORWARD.

04 Repeat steps 2 and 3, continuing to crawl forward in

incremental controlled steps for the duration.

130 LEVEL 2

SKATER 01 Stand with your right knee slightly bent 02 Bound to the left by pushing off
JUMP
and all your weight on that foot. Cross your your right foot. As you do, swing your
This exercise mimics the left foot behind your right ankle and lower arms across your body in the direction
movement of a speed into a half squat. of your jump.
skater zooming across
the ice. Skater jumps MOVE FROM SIDE
will strengthen your legs TO SIDE IN A FLUID
while improving balance MOTION.
and coordination.
03 Land on your left foot and bring the
MORE DIFFICULT
right foot behind your left. Repeat steps 2
Modify range of and 3, reversing feet so you begin by
motion: In step 3, standing on your left foot.
land and perform a
one-legged squat,
hold the position for
a three count, and
switch sides. This
takes away
momentum, forcing
you to engage quads,
glutes, and core.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify points of
contact: As you land
in step 3, allow the
back leg to touch the
floor for balance and
stability, allowing you
to focus on the depth
of the exercise
without fear of falling.

EXERCISES 131

ARCHER 01 Begin in a modified military push-up, core engaged, THE STABILIZING
PUSH-UP ARM WORKS
balanced between toes and hands, in a straight line from AS LITTLE AS
You’ll place the majority POSSIBLE.
of the weight on one side, ankles to head, with your left arm out straight from the body.
forcing you to hold more
of your weight with one
arm. This generates
strength and stability for
chest, shoulder, back,
and triceps.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify range of motion: Elevate your 02 Bend the right elbow, keeping it tight against the rib
extended arm on a prop, increasing the
activation of the chest, shoulder, and arm. cage, and lower your chest with control toward the floor.

LESS DIFFICULT Pause at the bottom.

Modify points of contact: Move the 03 Push up through the right arm to return to the starting
extended arm closer to the body to create
greater leverage to assist the push-up. position. Repeat the exercise with opposite arm.

132 LEVEL 2

BACKWARD 01 Begin in a plank position.
PUSH-UP

The core-killing backward
push-up is not for the faint
of heart. Adding a fast,
explosive drive or push
with the legs makes your
core contract to slow and
stabilize the body.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Place feet on a chair or 02 Bend your elbows, lowering into a military push-up. Keep your core
other prop to shift more weight into the upper
body and cause the shoulders, chest, and core tight and body flat.
to work harder.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Elevate hands on a prop
and perform inclined military push-ups to
increase stability while building core and
shoulder strength.

Don’t try this exercise if you EXERCISES 133
have not mastered regular
or military push-ups. 04 Drive through the feet, pushing with speed and force to explode

back to starting position. Repeat with control, maintaining good form
and an engaged core.

NEVER PLACE
KNEES OR SHINS

ON FLOOR.

03 Drive back by pushing with power through the palms of the

hands, bending legs to 90 degrees and straightening arms to

approximately 45 degrees. Shift your bodyweight into your feet.

134 LEVEL 2

SINGLE-LEG 01 With your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees and bring your
BURPEE
hands to the ground just in front of your feet.
Raising a leg throughout
the plank and push-up 02 Hop your feet back into a plank position with one leg elevated to
phase of the Burpee adds
an increased load for the hip height.
core, challenging the
abdominals, lower back,
and stabilizing leg.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify points of contact: In steps 1 03 Perform one push-up with your core engaged and leg elevated.
through 4, change the hands for the push-up
to a military push-up position.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify points of contact: In steps 2 and 3, 04 Lower the raised leg and jump your feet back to your hands, shifting
cross the elevated leg on top of the stabilizing
one, adding support and increasing balance. your weight into the heels and lifting your chest.

EXERCISES 135

FULLY EXTEND
LEGS, HIPS,
AND ARMS.

The Burpee was created in the 1930s
by American physiologist Royal
Huddleston Burpee for a PhD thesis.
Burpees are a total-body strength
and cardiovascular exercise.

05 Jump up from the crouching position 06 Land softly with a slight bend at your knees, hips, and ankles.

and reach overhead with your hands.

136 LEVEL 2

PLYOMETRIC 01 Begin in a full plank or regular push-up position with core engaged,
PUSH-UP
balancing between toes and hands, and forming a straight line from
Adding an explosive
plyometric press and ankles to head.
controlled landing to the
push-up—the perfect
compound exercise—will
generate incredible upper
body power.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: For all steps, place feet 02 With core still engaged, bend your elbows, bringing your chest
on a stable elevated surface, shifting weight
to the upper body so it works harder. toward the floor.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Place your hands on a Landing with arms straight
stable elevated prop, shifting weight to would be harmful. Instead,
the lower body so the upper body has less land immediately into the
work to perform. next rep, bending elbows
and wrists.

LEGS, HIPS, AND EXERCISES 137
BACK FORM A
STRAIGHT LINE. 03 Once elbows are slightly beyond 90 degrees, push up hard

enough for your hands to come off the floor. Control your landing, but
immediately repeat steps 2 and 3 as many times as prescribed.

138 LEVEL 2

STOP-AND- 01 Assume a full plank or traditional push-up position with the
GO PUSH-UP
body balanced between toes and hands, and with the hands slightly
Pausing at the bottom
portion of the push-up wider than the shoulders.
forces you to recruit as
many motor units (muscle
fibers) as possible to
overcome the weight.
Pausing at any other point
builds isometric strength.

MORE DIFFICULT

02 Bend your legs and lower the body until the thigh of the front leg

is parallel to the floor, and pause for two to three seconds.

Modify body angle: Use a chair or prop to
elevate your feet and transfer weight into the
upper body and core to work them harder.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Kneel to transfer your 03 Continue to lower to the deepest part of the push-up and hold
weight to the lower body, descreasing the work
required from the upper body. for two seconds.

EXERCISES 139

Stop-and-go push-ups
activate more muscle
fibers than their standard
counterparts, allowing
greater gains in strength in
a shorter period of time.

04 Press through the palms to straighten the arms and lift the

chest. At the halfway point, pause and hold for two seconds.

05 Return to the starting position

with arms fully straightened.

USE THIS
TECHNIQUE WITH

ANY TYPE OF
PUSH-UP.

140 LEVEL 2 When you perform push-ups,
imagine rotating the palms as if
PIKE PUSH- screwing them into the floor.
UP TO This will lock your shoulders and
PUSH-UP create joint stability.

Build boulder shoulders
with this push-up combo
that also engages the core
and lower body.

MORE DIFFICULT

Modify body angle: Elevate feet to transfer
mass to the upper body, requiring it to perform
more work.

LESS DIFFICULT

Modify stability: Perform the push-ups 01 Stand straight and fold forward from the hips until
separately. This lets you focus on depth
and form. your hands are on the ground 2 to 3 feet (.5 to 1m) from

your feet, forming a triangle.

EXERCISES 141

DON’T ALLOW
ELBOWS
TO COLLAPSE
INWARD.

02 Perform a pike push-up by bending your arms to lower the 03 Straighten the arms and press away from the ground,

crown of the head to the ground. Your arms should form a returning to the pike position.

90-degree angle.

04 Walk the hands away from the feet until you form a 05 Perform a standard push-up by bending elbows to lower

plank or standard push-up position, with hands slightly wider the body until your nose touches the ground.

than shoulders.

06 Straighten the arms, pressing through the center of the 07 Walk the hands back toward the feet, returning to

palms to return to the plank or standard push-up position. the pike position.

142 LEVEL 2 Avoid working to
failure in the latter
CRAZY 8s sets or on very
challenging exercises
There are any number of rep schemes you can follow such as shrimp
when working out, but one of the absolute best I have squats. If three or four
ever used to gain strength and power is affectionately reps is your max with
known as “Crazy 8s” in my gym. It consists of eight good form, stop at that
rounds of an exercise, performing just five reps followed point and rest.
by a 30-second to one-minute rest. This low-rep but
high-volume style of training will build your strength and
help you gain muscle.

T-STAND

WORKOUTS 143

Perform 5 reps of each exercise followed by a rest of 30 CORE POWER
seconds to one minute, depending on your strength and
endurance. Perform eight rounds of the exercise (40 reps Perform all exercises in order, then rest 30 seconds.
in total), before moving on to the next exercise. Complete four rounds.

DEEP SQUAT P102 HANGING LEG RAISE
work 5 reps, rest 0:30–1:00 10x

REPEAT for eight rounds P110

SHRIMP SQUAT P118 HOLLOW BODY HOLD P113
work 5 reps, rest 0:30–1:00 0:30

REPEAT for a total of eight rounds–four rounds HANGING REVERSE CURL P116
per leg, alternate each round 10x

T-STAND P114 BACK BRIDGE P120
work 5 reps, rest 0:30–1:00 0:30

REPEAT for a total of eight rounds–four rounds REST 0:30
per leg, alternate each round REPEAT Core Power for a total of four rounds

ALTERNATING CROSS-OVER LUNGE P106
work 5 reps, rest 0:30–1:00

REPEAT for a total of eight rounds–four rounds
per leg, alternate each round

PIGEON PEEL P122
work 5 reps, rest 0:30–1:00

REPEAT for eight rounds

BUTTERFLY PEEL P123
work 5 reps, rest 0:30–1:00

REPEAT for eight rounds

BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT P124
work 5 reps, rest 0:30–1:00

REPEAT for a total of eight rounds–four rounds
per leg, alternate each round

144 LEVEL 2

HERCULES SET PIGEON PEEL P122
WORKOUT 10x
C
Roman hero Hercules is BUTTERFLY PEEL P123
famous for his strength. This FINISHER 10x
workout features a pyramid Perform all exercises
format of decreasing reps in order and repeat PIKE PUSH-UP TO PUSH-UP P140
and introduces multiplanar twice with no rest 5x, 4x, 3x, 2x, 1x
motions and unilateral between rounds.
exercises to challenge INVERTED BODYWEIGHT ROW P054
the foundation you built 5x, 4x, 3x, 2x, 1x
in Level 1.
REST 0:30 after each round of the set
REPEAT for five rounds in pyramid format
REPEAT sets A–C for a total of three rounds

1-2 PUSH P126
10x

Perform each set for five rounds, subtracting one rep per round SKATER JUMP P130
where shown (pyramid format). Rest 30 seconds between 20x
rounds. Perform all sets and their exercises in order.

SET SINGLE-LEG BURPEE P134
30x
A BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT
10x each leg P124 MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
40x
SPIDERMAN PUSH-UP P042
5x, 4x, 3x, 2x, 1x
P103 REPEAT finisher for a total of three rounds

ARCHER PULL-UP P108
5x, 4x, 3x, 2x, 1x

REST 0:30 after each round of the set

REPEAT for five rounds in pyramid format This is an ASFAP (As
Fast As Possible)
SET P106 finisher, but remember
to focus on form first,
B ALTERNATING CROSS-OVER LUNGE speed second. Push as
10x each leg hard as you can to
boost your metabolism
FOREARM PUSH-UP P112 and improve your
5x, 4x, 3x, 2x, 1x calorie burn.

CHIN-UP P050
5x, 4x, 3x, 2x, 1x

REST 0:30 after each round of the set
REPEAT for five rounds in pyramid format

WORKOUTS 145

HANNIBAL Perform three full rounds with no rest between exercises
WORKOUT or rounds.

Hannibal is regarded as one of the DEEP SQUAT P102
greatest military leaders in history. 15x
He’s best known for marching an
army–including elephants–across STOP-AND-GO PUSH-UP P138
the Alps. The same dogged submax*
determination and “nothing is
impossible” attitude will be required T-STAND P114
to survive three rounds of this 12x each leg
total-body workout.
ARCHER PULL-UP P108
submax*

PLYOMETRIC PUSH-UP P136
submax*

HANGING LEG RAISE P110
10x

REPEAT the set for a total of three rounds

Adding a stop-and-go FINISHER *Submax = 80 percent of your max number of reps. If you’re
or plyometrics Perform all three unsure of your max number of reps, perform the first round to
changes the speed and exercises in order, then failure (max) and subsequent rounds to 80 percent of that
force of an exercise, rest 30 seconds. Repeat max number–e.g., max = 10 reps, submax = 8 reps.
making it harder but for a total of five
also requiring the use rounds. Total exercise SINGLE-LEG BURPEE–LEFT P134
of different types of time: 10 minutes. work 0:20, rest 0:10
muscle fibers.
SKATER JUMP P130
work 0:20, rest 0:10

SINGLE-LEG BURPEE–RIGHT P134
work 0:20, rest 0:10

REST 0:30
REPEAT the finisher for a total of five rounds

146 LEVEL 2 If 10 reps is too many
on any exercise, make
PUSH-PULL PAIRS things easier to allow
you to continue.
This workout pairs exercises that complement each For example, for push-
other by working opposing forces. Performing a push ups, drop to your
movement followed by a pull movement makes the knees and finish the
workout more efficient because the change of direction remaining reps.
helps avoid muscle strain and helps you to keep going
for longer without the need for long rests.

1-2 PUSH

WORKOUTS 147

Perform each set for five rounds, subtracting two reps per

round (pyramid format). Rest 30 seconds between rounds.

Perform all sets and their exercises in order.

SET P132

A BACKWARD PUSH-UP
10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x

ARCHER PULL-UP P108
10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x

REST 0:30 after each round of the set

REPEAT for five rounds in pyramid format

SET P138

B STOP-AND-GO PUSH-UP
10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x

INVERTED BODYWEIGHT ROW P054
10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x

REST 0:30 after each round of the set

REPEAT for five rounds in pyramid format

SET P126

C 1-2 PUSH
10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x

CHIN-UP P050 RIP IT
10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x Perform all exercises
in order for a total of
REST 0:30 after each round of the set four rounds, with a
REPEAT for five rounds in pyramid format one-minute rest
halfway through and at
HANGING REVERSE CURL P116 the end. Total exercise
work 0:20, rest 0:10 P060 time: 10 minutes.
P126
BURPEE P110
work 0:20, rest 0:10

1-2 PUSH
work 0:20, rest 0:10

HANGING LEG RAISE
work 0:20, rest 0:10

REPEAT Rip It for two rounds
REST 1:00
REPEAT Rip It for two more rounds
REST 1:00

148 LEVEL 2

YUE FEI Perform three full rounds with no rest between exercises
WORKOUT or rounds.

Celebrated Chinese military DEEP SQUAT P102
mastermind Yue Fei personally 15x
fought in 126 battles and never
lost a single engagement. An SPIDERMAN PUSH-UP P103
unbeatable mindset will be submax*
required to endure this grueling
total-body workout. Multi-muscle BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT P124
compound exercises combined 15x
with multiplanar and unilateral
exercises will keep your body off ARCHER PULL-UP P108
balance, increasing athletic submax*
performance while also forging
strength and burning calories. SINGLE-LEG BURPEE P134
10x

HOLLOW BODY HOLD P113
0:30

REPEAT for a total of three rounds

FINISHER *Submax = 80 percent of your max number of reps. To calculate
Perform four rounds your max number of reps, perform the first round to failure
for a total time of (max) and subsequent rounds to 80 percent of that max
eight minutes. number–e.g., max = 10 reps, submax = 8 reps.

If you are struggling HANGING LEG RAISE P110
to perform the full work 0:20, rest 0:10 P060
number of reps for a P116
Level 2 exercise, do as BURPEE P043
many reps as you can work 0:20, rest 0:10
with good form and
then switch to a Level HANGING REVERSE CURL
1 exercise to finish work 0:20, rest 0:10
the reps. For example,
swap the Level 2 MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
archer pull-up for a work 0:20, rest 0:10
Level 1 pull-up. This
will help you to REPEAT for a total of four rounds
continue instead of
simply stopping.