Most people think of bodyweight training as a stop-gap measure that can take the place of equipment based training when in a pinch. Nothing could be further from the truth. For centuries - even millennia - men of many cultures have been using bodyweight exercise to build impressive levels of strength and power.
We need look no further than the old-school yogi for proof. Although our modern day westernized version of yoga may not inspire visions of strength, the traditional physical culture called yoga was indeed imbibed with vitality and vigor. Tough old yogis could perform equally well in the realm of strength as they could in yielding flexibility.
Bodyweight, like any other form of resistance, can be applied to many different goals. In order to target strength, we need only choose and arrange our exercises into protocols which we know will work for that goal.
Strength is a function of two things, the size of the muscle, and the connection between the muscle and the brain. So in other words it depends on the raw horsepower that you possess and your ability to call on that horsepower when you need it. If the mind-muscle connection is not robust, you will not be able to tap into your full strength.
This ability to tap into more muscle fibers on demand is one of the aspects that the Bodyweight Exercise Revolution strength program takes advantage of with great success. Among the various protocols we use to elicit the desired adaptation is the Ballistic Method.
This method is performed through an explosive movement that actually causes you to lift off the ground. We shoot for between 5 and 10 repetitions depending on the exercise (the resistance offered will be different for each exercise). We look to stop when we can no longer create that explosive movement and the repetitions start to slow down.
The explosive nature of the exercise sends a strong signal to the muscle and recruits a significant number of muscle fibers, thus strengthening that all important neuromuscular link.
A great exercise for this is the Quad Squat from the Circular Strength Training® system. One of the big complaints most people have about bodyweight exercise is the lack of variety. But the truth is, the number of bodyweight exercise variations is almost limitless. Take a look at this youtube.com/watch?v=5Q5v3WaT-yY innovative bodyweight exercise here on YouTube. You'll see immediately that if you simply add an explosive push off the ground to the Quad Squat it becomes a perfect exercise for the Ballistic Method.
Give it a try for yourself. Do five sets of 5 to 10 repetitions, stopping when your reps start to slow down. Rest two to three minutes between sets. You'll find that your strength in other pressing exercises will begin to improve after three to four weeks of supplementing with this form of bodyweight training.
And the best thing is you can do this anywhere and anytime. If you travel a lot, are very busy or don't like the cramped bustle of commercial gyms, you can do bodyweight exercise in the smallest of spaces with little time commitment.
If you're tired of the same old exercise programs, visit us and grab two free manifestos revealing our picks for bodyweightexerciserevolution.com best bodyweight exercises.
Adam Steer is co-author of the Bodyweight Exercise Revolution ebook. He's also a Head Coach of the Circular Strength Training? system. Adam is also a fitness trainer and coach in Quebec city and an avid blogger on the subject of health first fitness. He's delivered workshops to fitness professionals in Singapore, Australia, Washington State, Philadelphia and New York City.
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