Janissary Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Hi everybody! I was wondering about to which degree body weight exercises can replace weight training. I don't have access to a Gym right now and will not have at least until october next year, so body weight stuff has to do it for me. I don't want to bulk up a lot, just get athletic, and a little big (like a wide receiver, that's what I am and that's what I aim). Quote Link to comment
bigm141414 Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Quite a bit really. There are some great progressions for body weight exercises. Wall pushups ->one arm push ups -> handstand pushups. BW squats -> pistol squats. Bench dips -> full on dips. Bodyweight row-> pull ups. Tons of stuff to do body weight-wise. Edit: What is your starting point? How are you at everything listed above? Quote "Pull the bar like you're ripping the head off a god-damned lion" - Donny Shankle Link to comment
gugi9000 Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 I'm following the Body Weight Brigade.I want to built some strength before I shop for barbells. Quote (Fitocracy | Runkeeper) Link to comment
MMyers Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 There's a lot you can work on, especially with a year. Work on Low Skill stuff like One Arm Push-Ups, One Arm Pull-Ups, and Pistol Squats. You could then move on to a High Skill type of Calisthenics like Gymnastics. Quote Link to comment
Janissary Posted November 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Thanks everybody for the tips! I am above average in my athletic skills, but I got a out of shape a lot. If it is possible (and from your posts I figured it is) I'd like to totally replace weight training by body weight exercises. Quote Link to comment
Loren Wade Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Bodyweight can completely replace your weight training depending on what kind of results you want. If you're not looking to bulk up, you just want to get fit, add strength, and look good... check Convict Conditioning. There's a bunch of us here that follow it. Either way, the The Bodyweight Brigade is fine as well (as mentioned above). As always, let me know if I can help. Quote lobro's a druid? twitter | fb Link to comment
The Tin Man Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 The recommendations above are great. Another well-respected resource in the area of strength gains through bodyweight exercise is Convict Conditioning. I haven't read it/trained with it yet but I am considering it when my gym membership runs out in February. Quote The Tin Man: Cyborg Ranger Tin Man's Out of Date Epic Quest I am what I do. Link to comment
Centurion Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 There's a book called 'Convict Conditioning' that is based around the idea of body weight exercises over weight lifting (obviously limit access to a full gym in prison, gotta make do with what you have) and it has an introduction that talks at length about how weight-lifting is a very modern idea (less than 100 years old, I think) giving examples of some renown strong-men who trained using only bodyweight exercises, how gladiators used to train using essentially a form of gymnastics (and as far as records can be trusted were pretty big guys) and how lifting weights will undoubtably build muscle quicker but doesn't help build tendons, strengthen joints etc. so can be damaging in the long run. Even if you don't like what the author says (and I'm sure a lot of it is highly debatable) the book includes a lot of different body weight exercises and progressions that are really useful Quote Link to comment
Centurion Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Lol, looks like 3 of us recommended Convict Conditioning at the same time Quote Link to comment
Loren Wade Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 #BOOM Quote lobro's a druid? twitter | fb Link to comment
BrendanTownsend Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Just wanted to say, thanks for the Convict Conditioning recommendation. I'm definitely going to check that out. Quote Brendan's Workout Log "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill Link to comment
NukeTheUnicorns Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 HAVE YOU HEARD OF CONVICT CONDIToh hey guys! Quote Valar Morghulis Link to comment
Guest Carjack Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 and it has an introduction that talks at length about how weight-lifting is a very modern idea (less than 100 years old, I think) giving examples of some renown strong-men who trained using only bodyweight exercises, how gladiators used to train using essentially a form of gymnastics (and as far as records can be trusted were pretty big guys) and how lifting weights will undoubtably build muscle quicker but doesn't help build tendons, strengthen joints etc. so can be damaging in the long run. Shame that's all BS except for the part about weights building muscle quicker.Anyway, exercises to do until you can buy an Olympic dumbbell and plates or barbell...Legs and posterior chain:Hill sprintPistol squatGlute-ham raiseBack extensionPushing:One arm push upHandstand push upPulling:Pull up and one hand chin upGrip:Dump a big towel in a bucket of water, then twist all the water out as hard as you can, until the bucket is empty.Midsection:High rep push ups resting in the plank position.Pull upHanging leg raiseDragon flagNeck:Get in the back extension position and clasp both hands behind your head for resisted neck extensions and curls Quote Link to comment
MMyers Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Convict Conditioning is ok if you don't have a specific thing. If you only have 1 year, I wouldn't. You need to do things specifically, with a goal in mind. You can't say: "I hope I make it far enough in Program X by next October to be prepared..." You need to think and tailor things specifically to your needs, hopefully planning things well enough that you will be prepared. Basically, what I'm saying is, would 50 Wall Push-Ups help in the long run? Maybe. Would building up to 50 Wall Push-Ups and then going on to the next step help me in a year when I could've invested my energy in getting as strong as possible? No. And all that stuff about joint integrity kind of goes out the window when you run headfirst into other guys to try and get an egg shaped ball behind a white line. Quote Link to comment
Loren Wade Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Convict Conditioning is ok if you don't have a specific thing. If you only have 1 year, I wouldn't.You need to do things specifically, with a goal in mind. You can't say: "I hope I make it far enough in Program X by next October to be prepared..." You need to think and tailor things specifically to your needs, hopefully planning things well enough that you will be prepared.Basically, what I'm saying is, would 50 Wall Push-Ups help in the long run? Maybe. Would building up to 50 Wall Push-Ups and then going on to the next step help me in a year when I could've invested my energy in getting as strong as possible? No. And all that stuff about joint integrity kind of goes out the window when you run headfirst into other guys to try and get an egg shaped ball behind a white line.Even though I am huge into CC, I am inclined to agree with this. But in CC's defense, you only need to spend a day or two on wall pushups. I don't think it's necessary spending a few weeks doing it. However, it also says quite a bit about a person's strength if they can't do 50 wall pushups in the beginning. It helps that person build strength for the next exercise. Each progression is so well done. And honestly, Wall Pushups and Vertical Pulls, for most, you could probably just skip. I did them just because I felt like starting at the beginning.But if you skip those, I still think you can build a ton of strength with CC in 1 year. Quote lobro's a druid? twitter | fb Link to comment
MMyers Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Yeah, but the average person would really just say: "Well, the book says I should ideally spend a month on each step. I guess I will." Again, not saying it's bad, but when you're looking at a time frame, you need to set a goal and work backwards. Ideally, people would tailor the program to their goals, like Crossfit with Crossfit Endurance and Crossfit Gymnastics, but that's just not the case when the goals are defined in a program for you. Quote Link to comment
King_mob Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Shame that's all BS except for the part about weights building muscle quicker. Carjack my man you and me are in serious danger of agreeing on something. Quote Are you eating while your reading this? Link to comment
MMyers Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Janissary, is there a reason you want to do BW, or do you think it is the only option?Christian's Fitness Factory 35 lb KettlebellYou might like Kettlebells. Quote Link to comment
161803398874989 Posted November 10, 2011 Report Share Posted November 10, 2011 Carjack, I agree. The progressions in CC are well done, but the crap about weightlifting being the devil's work is just bullshit. My brother is a powerlifter (has been for a few years) and he hasn't had any joint issues. Quote Quare? Quod vita mea non tua est. You can call me Phi, Numbers, Sixteen or just plain 161803398874989. Link to comment
Janissary Posted November 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 thanks for the help everybody! ArmyMBM, the reason why I want to do BW exercises is easy. If I sign up for a gym, I have to get a 12-months contract. Starting around June, I will not be able to work out in a gym though (travel + 6 months internship in another country), so I'll be waisting a whole bunch of money. Quote Link to comment
aj_rock Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Lots of hotels have gym rooms with basic equipment, and other countries have gyms too... just putting that out there If, like you say, you are training to be a reciever in football, I would recommend NOT the bodyweight stuff and doing explosive weight training. You can do much better sport specific type movements on weights than you can bodyweight. In football, you're either exploding and accelerating to maximum speeds, or your trying to move something errr somebody that may weigh a significant amount more than you. I'd just talk to your coach if I were you and pick up a football specific training program. Quote Why must I put a name on the foods I choose to eat and how I choose to eat them? Rather than tell people that I eat according to someone else's arbitrary rules, I'd rather just tell them, I eat healthy. And no, my diet does not have a name.My daily battle log! Link to comment
Guest Carjack Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Buy an Olympic bar, at least 300 pounds of plates and an Olympic dumbbell.Lifts you'll find useful: Olympic squat (you can Steinborn lift it if you're flexible and don't have stands), clean, clean & press, push press, Pendlay row, floor/bridge press, barbell roll out (like an ab wheel but with a bar and small plates), deadlift, Zercher squat.Once you go on your trip, put the Olympic dumbbell in your trunk with 140 pounds of plates.You'll be practicing this every day: http://justbebetter-rightnow.blogspot.com/2011/04/swing.htmlCombine it with clean & presses, bench presses, rows, handstand push ups, hill sprints, etc. Quote Link to comment
Janissary Posted November 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Yes, other countries have gyms, too. But you can't get a membership for less than a year. That's the problem. Getting a bar and dbs is not an option, since my goal is getting ripped and saving money Plus I need to travel by plane so putting it in my trunk and carrying it around is not an option. I can't leave at my place, because it will not be mine anymore once I leave, and I get put it at my parents place, since there is already a truckload of stuff that needs to be transported from Munich to Berlin (that's a 6h drive). So right now I don't see any possibilities except body weight exercises :S Quote Link to comment
Guest Carjack Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Weights aren't expensive. Look at the used ads in the paper for the ones fat people are giving away, and if that fails, go to craigslist.You can also fill up sandbags and kegs to lift up to your shoulders, which will take care of lower body strength as long as you keep adding weight.Edit: http://justbebetter-rightnow.blogspot.com/2011/07/final-deal-with-it-muscle-bewilderment.html Quote Link to comment
aj_rock Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 The gym I'm at does 6 month intervals, and you can negotiate for smaller amounts, albeit costs more per month. Never hurts to ask. Quote Why must I put a name on the foods I choose to eat and how I choose to eat them? Rather than tell people that I eat according to someone else's arbitrary rules, I'd rather just tell them, I eat healthy. And no, my diet does not have a name.My daily battle log! Link to comment
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