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Bodyweight Training: A Return To Basics Jeffrey S. Harrison, CSCS, NSCA-CPT Pottstown , Pottstown, Pennsylvania

United States military. Bodyweight bodyweight to develop greater training, simply stated, is any strength and stamina. that involves using the body as a means of resistance to perform work against ADVANTAGES OF BODYWEIGHT gravity. TRAINING There are approximately 206 bones in Although traditional training methods, the body, although the number can such as free weights and machines, can vary, and over 600 muscles all of which certainly make an individual stronger, work in accordance with each other popular , such as the bicep (5). The muscles work with the levers curl, are open-chain exercises that use Paul Sorace, MS, ACSM created through the bones and only 1 as the resistance is moved RCEP, CSCS*D creating movement. With bodyweight away from or toward the body using Column Editor training, the movements are not used freely movable limbs while increasing to move equipment or other exercise the forces transmitted to the involved modalities. These movements are used joint (1,2). With regards to strength SUMMARY to move the body against the always machines, because of individual varia- tions of size and strength, it is difficult FOR CENTURIES, MAN HAS present forces of gravity and ground reaction forces, the work of our bodies to construct a machine that accom- SOUGHT OUT THE MOST against the weight of the earth. Similar modates everyone’s unique anthro- EFFECTIVE METHODS TO BUILD to other types of traditional resistance pometry (4). Bodyweight training, on STRENGTH, VIGOR, AND VITALITY. training techniques such as dumbbells the other hand, is specifically unique to OVER THE YEARS, METHODS HAVE or medicine balls, bodyweight training each individual’s limb length, muscle/ EVOLVED, SOME HAVE VANISHED, is functional because it allows the tendon insertion, and bodyweight. AND SOME NEVER WENT AWAY, individual to work in a 3-dimensional Furthermore, most body-weight exer- ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES NE- or multiplanar environment to over- cises are closed-chain exercises, which GLECTED AND FORGOTTEN. THIS come the force of gravity. Although use multiple joints as the resistance is COLUMN HIGHLIGHTS THE AD- something as simple as could movedawayfromortowardanan- VANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, be considered bodyweight training, for chored body part. Closed-chain activities AND TRAINING PROGRESSIONS the purposes of this column, body- often are more functional movements. TO ONE OF THE SIMPLEST weight training goes beyond walking. When you perform closed-chain exer- METHODS OF TRAINING AND cises, you often strengthen several CONDITIONING KNOWN TO MAN, muscle groups at once. BODYWEIGHT TRAINING. BODYWEIGHT TRAINING IN The debate over which training PRESENT DAY method is best, bodyweight training Common types of bodyweight training or weight training, generally concludes A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO include , which include that bodyweight training does not BODYWEIGHT TRAINING pushups, situps, and thrusts; produce significant gains in absolute odyweight training is not some- jump training to develop quick and strength. Absolute strength is defined thing new or trendy. It goes back explosive power; and yoga, a form of as the ability of an athlete or client B thousands of years and was bodyweight training emphasizing the to move a given absolute load and is often the chosen training method in connection between the mind and the generally accepted measure of recorded history of the ancient Greeks, the body. Gymnasts, some of the an individual’s strength. Bodyweight Romans, and Egyptians, and is still strongest and most skillful athletes training, on the other hand, develops used for the same reasons today by the in the world, often use their own relative strength, which is defined as

52 VOLUME 32 | NUMBER 2 | APRIL 2010 Copyright Ó National Strength and Conditioning Association Table 1 Sample bodyweight exercises

Upper-body exercises Push-Ups Pull-Ups Chin-Ups Dips With 2 hands—wide With 2 hands—wide With 2 hands With 2 hands—close With 2 hands—close With 1 arm Inverted rows With 1 arm With alternate grip 2 under handed Clapping 2 over handed* Lower-body exercises Squats Lunges Skips Bounds Wide stance Forward Prisoner squats Backward Box jumps Y squats Walking Jumping Jumping Total body exercises Body builders Mountain climbers Burpees Jumping jacks Jump rope Cross body mountain climbers** Body killers

* See Figure 1.

**See Figure 2. the ability of an athlete or client to uses bodyweight training exercises added. This type of ‘‘relative strength’’ move a load as a certain percentage of uses their bodyweight as a means of training while not a replacement for their bodyweight. An individual who resistance unless an external load is traditional lifts, such as a or

Figure 1. Over handed (pronated) inverted rows. Assume a supine position (A) under a or any fixed bar and pull toward the bar (B) with either a pronated or supinated grip and chest up while maintaining a rigid torso.

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squat, develops strength that incorpo- rates more and joint stabilization relative to the athlete/ client’s bodyweight. Aside from the physiological advan- tages of bodyweight training, the most obvious advantage compared with weight training is that it is a much more accessible and versatile form of training. Bodyweight training is porta- ble—it can be done anywhere and anytime and equipment is not neces- sary for many of the exercises. A num- ber of exercises (Table 1; Figures 1, 2), such as push-ups and prisoner squats (Figure 3), require nothing more than your body. For the individual or facility on a limited budget, an advantage of bodyweight training is that it costs nothing but time, effort, and a little imagination.

DISADVANTAGES TO BODYWEIGHT TRAINING One of the biggest disadvantages to bodyweight training is that it is per- ceived as too easy for the experienced and too hard for the novice. To the individual who can bench press nearly twice his bodyweight, push-ups could seem to be a very elementary type of exercise. Yet if challenged to complete several repetitions of push-ups in good form, the individual may struggle because push-ups require much more core strength and stabilization than a bench press. Females in general also do not exhibit the same upper-body strength as their male counterparts when performing upper-body body- weight exercises and may be a little apprehensive to add those exercises to their workouts.

TRAINING PROGRESSIONS Progressions in bodyweight training can be a bit more challenging, but the key to effective bodyweight exercises is the same as with any exercise, proper technique, time, and tension. Select Figure 2. Cross body mountain climber. Assume the high plank position (A), bring exercises that load the muscles effec- right knee forward and rotated toward left elbow (B), and repeat (C) with tively through the entire range of left knee to right elbow. motion, and select a speed of move- ment that is controlled and eliminates excessive momentum. As with

54 VOLUME 32 | NUMBER 2 | APRIL 2010 Figure 3. Prisoner squat. Beginning stance (A), with hands behind head, and then into squat (B) maintaining scapular abduction throughout the motion. traditional weight training, the real key properly manipulated can produce muscles using closed vs. open kinetic chain is to actually have a progressive goal favorable results in both physical exercises: A comparison of performance for bodyweight training, and the in- strength and stamina. Although body- enhancement. J Orthop Phys Ther tensities mandated by a complex train- weight training does require instruc- 27: 3–8, 1998. ing program should not be entered into tion on technique and proper 2. Brindle TJ, Nyland J, Ford K, Coppola A, and lightly (3). Total repetitions, multiple progression, it does not require special Shapiro R. Electromyographic comparison sets, repetitions for time, various speeds equipment or a specific place to do it. of standard and modified closed-chain and tempos, and varying the base of Bodyweight training and weight train- isometric knee extension exercises. support (i.e., 1 leg versus 2) can be ing are both beneficial. Using both J Strength Cond Res 16: 129–34, 2002. manipulated to create an optimal training methods effectively will yield 3. Chu DA. Explosive Power and Strength: training program. Bodyweight training optimal results and a strong functional Complex Training for Maximum Results. can be modified to include external athlete/client. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1996. resistance modalities such as weighted pp. 141–143. vests or belts, especially once Jeffrey S. Harrison is the general 4. McMaster DT, Cronin J, and McGuigan M. Forms of variable resistance training. desired goals are accomplished. manager and director of Personal Train- Strength Cond J 31: 50–64, 2009. ing for Pottstown Health Club. 5. Harman E. The biomechanics of resistance CONCLUSION training. In: Essentials of Bodyweight training is an effective REFERENCES and Conditioning, Baechle T and Earle R, means of conditioning and as with 1. Augustsson J, Esko A, Thomee’ R, and Eds. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1994. traditional weight training, when Svantesson V. Weight training of the thigh pp. 19–21.

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