Bodyweight training is something very near and dear to my heart. It's something that's always fascinated me and always been the core of my training method. I've always said that a knowledge of bodyweight training and bodyweight progressions is the most important tool to have in your fitness arsenal. In this post I'll explain a little bit more about just why I think bodyweight training, in my opinion, is the most sensible and best method of training. Here we go!
1. Requires No Money At All
There's no need to purchase a gym membership or any equipment at all when using your own body as your gym! You can simply head out to a local park and get in an insane workout using the jungle gym and benches. It's actually one of my favourite things to do! If you choose to purchase equipment to use in your own home it's not actually all the expensive. A piece of equipment like the "Lebert Equalizer" is affordable and allows for countless exercise variations!
2. Can Be Done Anywhere
Even if you're no where near a gym or your own equipment, you can still get in a quality workout! All it takes is a knowledge of how to move your own body, how to scale movements, and how to use every day objects as fitness equipment. When you know how to use you body and how to turn objects into pieces of fitness equipment, you're limits will only be bound by your imagination. You'll know this when you're walking around town and eyeing bike racks that would work perfectly for dips and L-Sits! Yes, I actually do that.
3. You Learn How To Control Your Own Body
I don't care how much you bench or curl, if you can't perform proper push ups, pull ups, lunges and other basic body weight movements then you have no business moving weights! Most people have trouble performing deep full squats, let alone performing full deck squats for multiple reps. Being able to move one's own body efficiently, and with ease, is one of the most basic and primal needs for a human. Progressive bodyweight training teaches you how to move your body, and allows you to constantly challenge yourself with new and more advanced movements. When you can move your body with greater ease you'll be able to move external weight with greater ease as well! Your bodyweight training strength and movement will carry over to any weight training you might be doing.
4. Can Be Used To Improve All Aspects Of Your Fitness
Bodyweight training can be used to improve all aspects of your fitness regardless of what you need to improve. We're talking improving your strength, conditioning, flexibility, mobility, static strength, and balance. A program can be made to improve any of these areas without the use of anything other than your own bodyweight! Changing the length of the lever or by using strategic progressions, you can challenge your strength. Carefully timed and tracked circuits and intervals using multi-joint body weight movements can be put together to challenge your conditioning. Various stretches and joint mobility techniques are something I regularly implement in order to help my clients improve their flexibility and mobility. Static holds such as planks, levers, L-Sits, and more are great for improving your static strength and stability. Balance can be challenged through an entire workout, from the warm up to the cool down, using nothing but bodyweight movements. Plenty of joint mobility exercises are great for improving balance, not to mention handstand progressions!
5. It's Easily Scaled To Suit The Needs Of Anyone Regardless Of Current Fitness Level
It doesn't matter if you're an athlete, or someone who's never worked out a day in your life! With carefully programmed bodyweight training you can build a routine that will suit your needs. Some people are looking to perform muscle ups or handstand push ups, others just don't want to be out of breath when they walk up the stairs. Both of these goals are something that can be easily achieve through a bodyweight program. I've trained people from all walks of life, with all sorts of goals, and with routines based in bodyweight training every single one of them has achieved excellent results. You can too!
There you have it, those are just 5 of the reasons I love bodyweight training! All you need is a good knowledge of how to progress your exercises or the knowledge of someone experienced in bodyweight training to coach you. If you feel like investing in yourself, Jungle Fit offers a variety of Ebooks on bodyweight training to get you started! You could also check out my Online Personal Training options and work with me personally as I build you a program to suit your needs. Investing in yourself and your knowledge is never a poor decision!
-Tim
WWW.JUNGLE-FIT.COM
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