Don’t Underestimate the Power of Your Bodyweight Part Two

“How to Manipulate Bodyweight Training”

Where I discussed In this article, three methods I have been using for years.

1. Adjust angle of body and placement of feet/hands

2. Manipulate Bodyweight distribution

3. Slow tempo down and add pauses

So. . . . Don’t Underestimate the Power of Your Bodyweight!

If you exercise for the long-term benefits on health and strength as well as wanting to look good naked, bodyweight movements should be an integral part of your training plan.

This being said, The number one best way to increase your overall strength is to use advanced variations of movements. Obviously, if you’re not someone who can do advanced movements, you need to work through your progressions.

Beyond Bodyweight Training Basics.

This is where different forms of advanced bodyweight exercises come into play.

Using the push up as an example again: a simple beginner’s push up would be your regular push up from the floor, the next level of push up with your feet elevated on a box(adjusting angle), and then placing your hands or feet on something unstable (adjust ground aka stability of movement). Finally, to the hardest progression of the push up…’One-Arm Push Up’(adjust two legs to one-leg)

So I provided you with five different ADVANCED BODYWEIGHT MOVEMENTS with Repetition Standards, as well as FOUNDATION MOVEMENT Repetition Standards. Basically both of them use the same exercise (with possible variation) for a set number of repetitions you were striving for. I.e.… ADVANCED 10 reps FOUNDATION 3 reps..

#1 Pistol Squats

Foundation: 3 reps per side


Advanced: 10 reps per side

• Coaching Notes:

A big predictor of success in this exercise is ankle mobility, so if this is an area you struggle with, make sure that you’ve done some mobility work before going right into the move.

If you’re still struggling with balance, put a five pound plate under your heel, or hold a plate in front to give you a slight counterbalance.

Common Mistakes:

Make sure to control this rep as you lower, and avoid ‘falling’ to the bottom position.

#2 How to Do Single Arm Push Ups

Foundation: 3 reps per side


Advanced:10 reps per side

Coaching Notes:

Start off with both hands on the ground at your bodies midline, and the legs wide. Lift one hand and put it on your thigh.

Lower slowly, making sure to keep tension through the whole body at all times.

If starting on the ground is too hard, make these easier by doing them on a bench or a smith machine.

Common Mistakes:

As with many other exercises, this one breaks down if the total body tension is lost. Most of the time you’ll feel sore in the obliques the day after attempting these for the first time, so ensure that your ribs are locked down to your pelvis, and that you don’t shift weight side to side during the rep.

Foundation: 10 midway reps


Advanced:10 full reps

Coaching Notes:

Start off by lifting the legs and pressing the hips up into a shoulder stand position. Make sure that the shoulder blades are pulled back like a row to support and protect the neck in this position.

From here, tighten the core, glutes, and quads hard and begin to lower yourself.

Lower to a point where you have control before bringing yourself back up to the top position. Repeat, adding extra range of motion each time.

Common Mistakes:

Don’t let your hips sag here. Keep the glutes engaged at all times.

Often trainees will try to go too low to fast, resulting in a sloppy rep or loss of control. Instead, Only go to a position where you have complete control, and progress the exercise by generating more internal tension from knees to shoulders.

#4 Front Lever

Foundation: 20 seconds single leg


Advanced:20 seconds

Coaching Notes:

Start off with the single leg version with one knee tucked to your chest. Hold a hollow body position, and think about pulling your arms down to meet your body just like you would with a straight arm pulldown.

If holding for any length of time is too difficult at first, you can start by doing reps. Hold for one count at the top of the movement before lowering under control.

Common Mistakes:

Make sure that the full body is held in tension, and that there is no ‘sag’ in the hips.

When first starting off, it’s easier to begin with some tension in the lats and upper back, so don’t start from a dead hang.

#5 Handstand Pushups

Foundation: 5 reps


Advanced:12 reps

Coaching Notes:

Keep tension through the whole body as you press by squeezing glutes and quads through the whole move.

These are often best done in a cluster set. This means you set up and do 3-5 reps before taking a 15 second break. Then do another 3-5 reps. Repeat.

Common Mistakes:

Don’t overarch your back as you press up.

Since this is such a difficult move, there’s a potential to do more “grinding” type reps on this exercise. Avoid doing that by terminating the exercise before you get to technical failure.

Avoid this by doing sets of “cluster sets”. Do about 50% of your maximum reps, drop down and take 10 deep breaths, and repeat the set.

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