Building Explosive Strength With Body Weight

The ability to move/lift something heavy in a very short amount of time. That's the most basic way to describe explosive strength. The most common ways to train explosive strength is through the use of Olympic barbells, kettlebells, and dumbells, using techniques such as the snatch, clean, push press, etc. But what if you have no access to these tools or just prefer using your own body weight?

Well never fear, there's a solution! It's call plyometric training and it can be applied to just about any body weight exercise. Plyometric is a fancy name for jump training, or explosively coming out of contact with the ground. Plyometrics are a more advanced form of body weight training and can put a whole lot of stress on your joints, muscles, and surrounding tissue ... so it's best to build up towards performing these advanced movements by first mastering the basics. For example, a plyometric push up would be a clapping push up (or the triple clapping one in the video above), but before performing the clapping push up you'll want to master the regular push up and a few others such as the ones demonstrated in "The Body Weight Solution".

Plyometrics are excellent for improving sport performance, explosive strength, and improving functions of the nervous system. So if you're looking to improve your fitness level and gain some explosive strength, perhaps you'll want to give some of the following exercises a try!

- Jump Squats

- Jump Split Lunges

- Clapping Push Ups (Triple Clap Shown Above)

- Burpees (click here for a video)

- Explosive Rows

- Even running is a prolonged plyometric exercise

Remember to work up towards these techniques and build the structural security your muscles and tissue need to withstand the rigors of plyometric training. It will take time, but it's well worth the reward that plyometrics will bring you!

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100lb Chin Up, Heavy Dips! Silverback Style!

For the past while now I've been focusing my workouts on body weight exercises with added weight. Here's a video detailing some of the progress I have made with my weighted chin ups and dips. If you're interested in boosting your strength and want to build it with some different exercises than the standard squat, dead lift, and bench press, then you might want to pay close attention to the youtube channel and this blog!

I'm currently finishing up my second book titled "The Silver Back Program". It will be an entire book dedicated to helping you achieve animal style strength through some body weight only techniques as well as weighted body weight techniques. The book will include progressions, full colour photos, step by step instruction, and an entire program to help you become CRAZY STRONG! I'll write more about it in upcoming blogs, until then enjoy the video!

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Body Weight Complex For Extreme Results!

If you're pressed for time and need a great workout with little to no equipment, why not try a body weight complex? It's a very effective form of training that smokes just about every muscle in your body when done correctly! I have a much more detailed article about them coming up in the January Issue of the FREE Jungle Fit Magazine! It will also include a workout involving the complex shown below! Enjoy!!

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Green Lantern Workout!

So as you all might very well know ... I'm kind of a comic book nerd! So needless to say I'm more than a little pumped for the upcoming "Green Lantern" movie starring Ryan Reynolds. So to help get everyone else excited I've created this Green Lantern inspired workout! Enjoy!!

Ab & Stability Ball Exercises That Don't Suck!

Stability balls are a pretty fun tool to change up your workouts and challenge yourself to new levels of fitness. It's sort of funny how such a simple piece of equipment has so many uses and can do everything from rehabilitate the elderly, to enhance the conditioning of an MMA fighter. The main function that the ball is designed for is strengthening your core and abdominal wall. Now if you're like most people, you probably feel more than a little stupid performing the basic exercises demonstrated on the poster located on your gym wall! Well have no fear!! I've put together a short video demonstrating a few of my favourite stability ball exercises along with a few others that don't include the ball. Each one will challenge your core/abdominal strength in unique and functional ways. If at first you have trouble performing these exercises, there are plenty of progressions and body weight exercises to help you build the strength to perform them, for more info click here!

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Holiday Gift Ideas!

Looking for some last minute holiday gift ideas for that fitness enthusiast on your list? Well I've got a few suggestions that might help you out!

"The Primal Blue Print" By. Mark Sisson: An excellent book on health/wellness from an evolutionary (caveman) point of view. I recommend this book to all my clients and love it due to the fact that it's much more than a book on evolutionary nutrition, but also a life style book. Its main theme is primal/paleo style nutrition but also touches on fitness, natural human movement, sleep, and stress! If you're looking to get back into shape and regain ultimate health, this is a great book to start!

The Lebert Equalizer System: One of my personal favourite pieces of fitness equipment hands down! It's very, very versatile allowing you to perform a push ups, body weight rows, single leg squats/lunges, dips, and much more with a variation for all fitness levels! If you're not using the Lebert Equalizer, you have no idea what you're missing out on! You can find out more about the Lebert Equalizer by clicking this link.

Kettlebell DVD's by. Mike Mahler: Mike Mahler is one of North Americas top kettlebell instructors. He's authored ebooks books on the subject, as well written for a hand full of major fitness publications! Mike's DVD's are second to none, put together with clear and precise instruction, expertly detailed programs, and there's one for you no matter what your fitness goal might have in mind! Learn more by clicking this link.

Online Program Design: Everyone needs a little help with their training! So why not get someone you love the best gift of all? A program designed for them by highly qualified professional, and founder of Jungle Fit, Timothy Bell. Online training allows you to have a personal trainer at your finger tips to answer your questions and adjust your program any time you need. It just makes sense if you want to achieve your goals in half the time and at an affordable price! Just read one of the testimonials from satisfied clients! To learn more click here.

The "Body Weight Solution" by. Timothy Bell: An in depth ebook, detailing tons of pushing, pulling, pressing, squatting, lunging, and core variations and progressions. No matter who you are, where you life, how in (or out) of shape you are, this book is for you! You'll learn how to challenge your fitness through clearly detailed step by step instructions on body weight exercises, no need for equipment. You'll also learn how to put these skills together in a fitness program to help you meet your goals, no matter what they might be! To learn more just click here!

"We're Working Out!" A Zen Approach To Everyday Fitness By. Al Kavadlo: An excellent book by one of NYC's fastest rising fitness educators! Al's unique simplistic and refreshing view on fitness is something that everyone should experience. For those who are looking to get into health and fitness, then Al's book will really help you jump into the swing of things with the perfect mind set. For the experienced trainee , Al's book will help remind you of what's truly important when it comes to health/fitness and refresh your outlook! To learn more just click here!

... So now that you have some great ideas, there's no excuse! Get out there, get shopping and share the gift of health/fitness with those you love! Happy Holidays from me (Timothy Bell) to all of you!

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Assisted Pull Ups!

Pull ups are one of my favourite exercises, and one of the best upper body strength and conditioning tools. However, they can be quite the challenge for most people to work towards performing. There are a multitude of ways to work towards achieving your first pull up, a bunch of which I have outlined in my book "The Body Weight Solution". When working with a partner or trainer, they might assist you by placing their hands on your lower back, pushing you up lightly reducing the amount of weight your pulling. Getting proficient at body weight rows of all kinds will also help prepare your body to start attacking the chin up or pull up. But what if you want to start performing pull ups right now, all alone? What if you're not strong enough to perform them without any help??

Simple!!

Try using a resistance band to take some of the pressure off and help you chin that bar! Simply loop the band through the handles over the bar and secure it tightly. Be sure to use a strong quality band that shows no signs of wear and tear. Then place your knee through the loop and BAM! You now have an instant spotter to help you get up and over that bar. Using a band with greater tension will reduce the amount of body weight you're pulling, using a band with less tension will force you to lift more weight. It's that simple, and you can pick up quality resistance bands from just about any fitness store. Now enjoy the video at the top to learn how to set up the band and start performing chin ups or pull ups today!

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