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Increase Strength and Build Muscle with Bodyweight Exercises

thegang — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:49:19 +0000

Bodyweight exercises can be a great way to increase strength and build muscle. Many people do not realize the strength level that can be achieved and the muscle that can be built with only bodyweight exercises. One of the most famous of individuals that have built an incredible physique through bodyweight exercises is Hershel Walker. In an interview done with Academy of Achievement in 1991 Herschel said the following:

“I didn’t grow up – my parents didn’t have a lot of money. My high school didn’t have a lot of money to afford a lot of the expensive weights. You know all this stuff. They used that as an excuse. I started doing push-ups and sit-ups during commercials as I was watching TV. And started doing about, sometimes 2,000 push-ups, 3,000 sit-ups, 1500 pull-ups, 1000 dips, or different things like that. I started creating different hand positions for all that, then I learned that could work you out. ”

All you have to do is to look at Herschel’s physique even today to realize that there is great merit to bodyweight exercise. It requires hard work but it can provide great gains in strength and muscle.

Bodyweight exercises such as pull ups and push ups and sit ups allow you to follow the principle of progression. You can build muscle when you progressively overload your muscle. Increase the number of push ups you do every day. Increase the number of pull ups that you do every day. Eric Cressey just made a post recently that stated if you did one set pull ups to failure every day for one month that you would double the number of push ups that you could do in one set.

It is based on the idea of progression. If you want to increase strength and build muscle then embark on a program of progressive bodyweight exercises. You will be amazed by the results. Maybe one day you will build up to 1000 push ups like Herschel Walker.

The Best Bodyweight Exercises to Build Muscle

thegang — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:15:21 +0000

Many people acknowledge that you can get a great metabolic workout with bodyweight exercises, however, many of these same people are reluctant to say the bodyweight exercises are effective at building muscle. I will dispute this thought process. Bodyweight exercises may not make you a power lifter but they are definitely a help when you are trying to pack on slabs of muscle. So let’s take a look at some of the best bodyweight exercises to build muscle.

Push Ups. There are many different variations of push ups that you can do. All of them are effective at building muscle. I remember from years ago that Herschel Walker attributed his physique to hundreds of push ups each day. A push up uses about 60% of your body weight when you perform one. If you were to elevate your feet you would be using an even higher percentage of your body weight.

You can use many different variations of the push up to build muscle. Wide grip, narrow grip and a staggered grip will each give you a different feel. Narrow grip push ups are quite challenging for not only your chest muscles but you triceps as well.

If you want to not only add muscle but are looking or a bodyweight exercise to build strength then you might want to consider performing plyometric push ups. To perform this you will set a platform on each side of your arms. Then you will explode up so that you raise yourself off the ground and catch yourself on the platforms. Then perform a depth drop and propel yourself off the platform and back on to the ground. You can view the video below to see it in action.

Adam Archuleta attributed his great strength gains prior to attending the NFL combine back in 2001 to this type of training. He benched over 500 pounds at just of 200 pounds of body weight.

Pull Ups. Pull ups are not only the best bodyweight back exercises you can perform they may be the best back exercises you can perform period. Arnold Schwartzeneggar stated that the wide grip pull up was in his estimation the best exercise to pack slabs of muscle onto his lats. Not only will pull-us give you that “V look” or “cobra loo.” to your upper back but it will also provide a great workout and build muscle for your biceps.

You will find out that if you do a lot of pull ups that you will never have to do another bicep exercise in your life. And peope will still walk up to you and ask you how you got such big arms.

There are many different variations that you ca do for push ups as well. Wide grip, narrow grip, overhand grip and underhand grip will each hit you back and biceps in different ways.

One-legged squats (pistols). This is one of the toughest bodyweight exercises to perform. Not only does it require balance but an incredible amount of strength. This exercise will build muscle in your quads.

It is a very challenging exercise to perform at first and you may need the aid of some object to help you get up initially. The TRX Suspension Trainer is great for this. If you don’t have one of these you may want to use a door knob or some other object that you can grab onto to get you past the sticking point in the squat.

Handstand push ups. The last of the best bodyweight exercises to build muscle that we will cover here is the hand stand push up. It is quite difficult. You will place your hands about 2 feet from a wall and kick up into a handstand. Then lower yourself to the ground till your head touches and raise yourself back up. As I said, this is quite a challenging exercise but it is a great bodyweight exercise for shoulders.

You may want to do this on a carpeted floor. The first time I ever tried one was outside on concrete and I ended up with a scab on the top of my head when I contacted the ground a little hard. You can walk your arms away from the wall to lessen the amount of weight you are trying to push up. The closer to the wall you are the more of your bodyweight you will be using.

These four exercises are what I would consider to be the best bodyweight exercises to build muscle. Give them a try and see what you think.

Bodyweight Exercises Do Bodybuilding Good!

thegang — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:05:54 +0000

By Hugo Rivera

Bodybuilding training is composed mostly of weight training exercises. For the best results possible, your bodybuilding training should be composed of mostly free weight exercises that use dumbbells and barbells for resistance. However, I often get asked the questions: “What about bodyweight exercises? Are these useful for bodybuilding?”

Truth of the matter is, that bodyweight exercises are the best exercises for the fastest bodybuilding results! Examples of such exercises are the pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, dips, squats, lunges and calf raises. Any exercise where you have to move your torso through space and that can be done just by using your body as the resistance is a bodyweight exercise.

These exercises provide the best bodybuilding results because you have to activate the most amount of muscle fibers (since they provide the most neural stimulation) and use several stabilizer muscles (in addition to the main muscles being targeted) to accomplish the task of moving your body through space. In addition, these exercises are excellent for creating functional strength; in other words, strength that can be used to any task in your daily life.

As you get stronger, resistance can be added by using a weight belt for exercises like the pull-ups, chin-ups and dips, while barbells and dumbbells can be used for the squats, lunges, and calf raises. For push-ups, you can have a partner provide you with the resistance.

So be sure to incorporate plenty of bodyweight exercises in your bodybuilding routine and watch your bodybuilding results soar!

P90x Push Up Stands

thegang — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:28:50 +0000

5 Tips to P90X Push Up Stands

One of the oldest forms of exercise routine known to man would be push – ups. Although it is an old practice, it is still use by many athletes and body builders due to its effectiveness. Push – ups help you build a stronger upper body but it does not end there, it also improves your endurance, blood circulation and most of all, burn extra calories.

Since it is one of men’s favorite exercise routine, experts are always researching for a product or an equipment that would provide better results when used with the mentioned routine. Better results would mean, it is safer to use, more comfortable, handy, and provides faster development. So then the P90X Push Up Stands was introduce to cater to the demands of the public.

This push up stands is built with optimum materials that make it very durable and very handy. It’s base is carefully designed so that it will not slide when someone is using it, making it very safe to use. The stand of this equipment is slightly angled for the purpose of reducing the chances of wrist strains since when you do workouts, the weight of your body is centered to your wrist. Without this feature, you will not be able to enjoy a lot of push ups since with a strained wrist, you will not be able to do your favorite exercise. With this stands, you will not have blisters in your hands, due to the fact that the grips of the stands are covered with foams. This one also provides greater range of motion. In other words, it eliminates a lot of stress in your muscles with the support that it gives to your body.

Here are some tips in using this tool.

1.When you open the package, read the instructions carefully and assemble it.

2.Do your stretching first to get warmed up before you do your push ups.

3.Start your routine. Do not abruptly increase your frequency since it might strain your muscle. You have to increase your frequency gradually to avoid any injuries.

4.During the routine, you can adjust your center of gravity with this tool so take full advantage of it.

5.After the routine, cool down, do another favorite routine of yours, or take a shower if you’re done for the day.

These are very simple tips that can help you get started properly with your favorite equipment. Take note this stand will not limit you to workout only inside your house. Fact is a lot of people are actually doing their push ups inside the office during their break time, because you can bring this tool anywhere you want since it’s so handy. So there you go, I’m sure with the tips and with your push up stand, you will be on your way to a more healthy body and a happier life.

By: Jesse Miller

About the Author:

Finding the perfect Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer takes time and effort. The P90X workout is a great place to start if a person is interested in flat abs. The P90X is also another workout that will help develop flat abs.

Body Weight Training

Gym Iron Pull Up Bar

thegang — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:01:33 +0000

I’ve recently acquired a pull-up bar made by Iron Gym products. I have to say, I’ve had my eye on one of these for a while. Now I do have a full squat rack of where I’m able to do pull-ups from, but am I able to fit my squat rack in between my door way or in the hallway? Nope, I don’t think so. With that said, the mobility of the pull-up bar is phenomenal.

Right when I get out of bed in the morning, all I have to do is simply slip the pull-bar in between my door way and walla! I can knock out a mini workout or warm-up whenever I want. Not to mention the benefits of doing pull-ups are simply outrageous. Pull-ups is an exercise very few people can do, simply because of the lack of upper body strength. I know a few people who can power clean over 250lbs but at the same time they have hard time doing 5 regular pull-ups.

With this piece of gym equipment, you can do a variety of exercises. Not only can you do under hand pull-ups, but you can also do over hand pull-ups as well. Wide or close-grip, you choose for the better. The pull-up bar can also be used as a push-up platform on the ground. With push-ups, it allows you to hit more muscle fibers of the chest and thus allowing you to get more of an effective workout that what regular push-ups offer. Anyways, for $30, you can’t go wrong with the price. If you’ve always wanted to set up your own home gym, the pull-up bar is an awesome start. If you’re wanting to buy this product, it can be located at your local sports store.

By: vishal

About the Author:

Read About Bodybuilding Also Read About Weight Loss Techniques And Benefits of Losing Weight

Bodyweight Exercise

Push Ups: Progression For Greater Strength And Endurance

thegang — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:12:30 +0000

Push ups are one of the classic bodyweight exercises. Every bodyweight training program I know of uses push ups in one form or another. As a result, the ability to perform a proper push up, for high repetitions is a fitness milestone in bodyweight training.

But there is more to this classic bodyweight exercise than high repetitions and bragging rights. As a matter of fact, some people get so caught up in high repetitions that they forgo proper form, reducing the strength and endurance gains, and increasing the risk of injury. In this article I’ll reveal an alternative to high repetition push ups.

But first, what is a proper push up?

A proper push up is an incredibly demanding full body exercise, requiring both upper body strength and a strong, stable core for proper completion. This is important. It is not just an upper body exercise. It is a full body exercise.

Start by lying on the ground with you feet together and your hands on the ground by your shoulders. Your elbows are flexed and should remain close to your body throughout the entire movement. Don’t flair your elbows!

Perform a push up by pressing with your arms until your entire body leaves the ground. In the up position, only your hands and toes remain on the ground. The body has to remain stiff and straight throughout the entire lowering and raising. The only thing that should move during the movement is the arms.

This is very important. The body should be straight at the top, during and at the bottom of the movement. This is accomplished by using your core stabilizer muscles, **** and legs to make your body as ridged as possible.

As you can see, your whole body is involved in completing a proper push up, not just your upper body. Upper body strength and core strength must be coordinated to do a proper push up. If either your upper body or core is weaker than the other, errors will occur and performance will be lowered.

Ok, once you know how to perform push ups, most people try to go for high numbers. Yes, being able to do 100 push ups is a sign of great strength and endurance. But striving for high numbers is not the only way you improve!

You can also improve push ups by going from easy to difficult. Increasing the difficulty of the push up variation is an excellent way to build incredible strength. This method allows you to keep the repetition number relatively low, reducing the risk of overuse injuries. Plus, it reduces the possibility you will sacrifice quality for quantity, furthering your chance of injury!

Here is an example:

- Start with incline push ups

- The increase difficulty by doing the classic push up

- Increase the difficulty again by doing decline push ups

- And finally make it harder by doing handstand push ups

You could also throw in one armed push ups to increase difficulty. But the point is this, there are more ways to improve your strength and endurance with push ups than just increasing the number or repetitions you can do in one set.

Let this push up progression example serve as an example of other bodyweight exercise progressions. A lot of people say they get bored with bodyweight exercise because they only try to improve by doing more and more reps. Now you know, increasing repetition is not the only progression method in town. And in many cases, more strength and endurance improvements can be made by going from easy versions of an exercise to more difficult versions.

By: Eddie Lomax

About the Author:

Coach Eddie Lomax, author of Workout Without Weights uses 6 different progression strategies to get the most out of bodyweight training for combined fitness, fat loss and physique building.

Body Weight Exercise

Killer Push-up Variations That Will Get You a Ripped Chest, Shoulders and Arms

thegang — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:01:35 +0000

It’s most likely the first exercise that you learned and the one lay-people do almost instinctively when they try to work out. Yet, the Push Up it remains one of the most valuable and effective movements, provided you know how to use it to its fullest potential.

I have found that although the push up is well known and commonly practiced in the world of strength training, it’s still very misunderstood and underutilized among performance and fitness professionals.

This article will show you how to use creative push up progressions and variations to;

Build Hypertrophy (increase muscle size)

and

Increase Strength

It’s my goal to give you a new appreciation for the push up and help you understand that its more, much more than just another “old school” gym class exercise.

A Quick Rant on The Perfect Push Up Handles

I will admit that I think those perfect push up handles are kind of cool. However, being cool doesn’t always translate into being effective. That aside, I have a philosophical problem with the name “Perfect Push Up”

I dislike using the word “perfect” in regards to the push up or any exercise for that matter.

First of all, nobody is perfect.

Secondly- the word perfect, in this case, implies that there is only one best way to do an exercise. Let’s face it, we come in all shapes and sizes and because of that we don’t all move in the same way. Therefore, it’s completely unreasonable to hold everyone to the exact same standards.

It is for this reason that I prefer to use the word “ideal” in regards to proper mechanics during sports and lifting. This is a much more general term that can be individualized by saying “what’s ideal for that person”.

“Perfection is reserved for the divine and not for humans”

Unknown

Push-ups for Hypertrophy (Bigger Muscles)

When training for Hypertrophy, we need 2 things;

- High volume

- Constant muscle tension

Here are 3 unique push up variations that fit the above categories and therefore are great for building hypertrophy

Swiss Ball Squeeze Push-Ups

In this exercise the hands are placed lower on the sides of the ball than a normal ball push up. This is a small change that makes the exercise more difficult by forcing the exerciser to squeeze the ball very hard in order to avoid falling and continue the exercise. The squeeze creates a tremendous amount of tension on the Pecs, shoulders and triceps. A weight vest and/or elevated foot position can be used for increased overload.

The Arko Wheel Push/Fly-Up

This exercise is just plain tough! The combination push-up / fly really allows you to maximize Pec and Shoulder recruitment. It should be note that this movement demands allot of torso strength and control. A weight vest can be added for overload. I think that’s its important to say that I have no affiliation with the Arko wheel company, I just love what you can do with these things.

Feet Elevated Push-Up w/Plate

If one arm push-ups aren’t your style then you might want to try this variation. This style push up can actually work to develop hypertrophy or strength depending on the weight, tempo, reps and rest used. Use a heavy enough plate and your abs will be talking to you as well.

Click here to see pictures and videos of each exercise listed above.

By: Nick Tumminello

About the Author:

The director of Performance University, Nick Tumminello is a highly sought after coach and educator in the field of human performance enhancement. He is the developer of the Core Bar™ and has authored numerous best selling DVD’s which can be purchased at www.PerformanceU.net .
Nick also serves as the Strength & Conditioning Coach for Team Ground Control MMA. Nick lives in Baltimore MD where he regularly trains his athletes.

Bodyweight Exercise

P90x Push Up Stands

thegang — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:20:51 +0000

The use of proper workout equipment for a P90X workout is a must. The equipment for a specific workout intensifies your daily workout routine as in the push up stands intensifying your P90X push-ups.

The push-up stands are available in two different stands—the Stand Push Up bars for professionals and the standard Push Up Stands for P90X workouts. These stands work in the same manner but their names sound very confusing so knowing which is which helps a lot. This article will just deal on the features of the second—the standard push-up stand.

The following are five notable features of the push up stands. Some of these features are also found in the push up bars.

1. The standard push up stand has a slide-free base. Its base is made in a circular form to facilitate proper weight distribution and balance. This base lies flat on the floor to prevent the stands from tweaking or falling. The stability of your stand greatly affects your performance. Using a stand that moves with the movement of your body may cause you to lose your balance and fall.

2 The construction of the stand is slightly angled to reduce wrist strains. Your body weight is concentrated on your wrist when doing a push up especially on a pair of stands. The slight angle of these stands will permit your optimum performance on your routine because of the lesser load on your wrist.

3 The grips of these stands are covered with foams to prevent hand strains. Holding any ordinary stand while doing a series of push-ups may cause blisters on your palms. You won’t experience any blister if you will use the P90X Push Up Stands on your next push up routines. The foam grip of this equipment permits easy grip and less strain on your hands.

4 The standard push up stand is much cheaper than the push up bars for professionals. A pair of the standard stands may just cost $25 compared to the 40-dollar worth push up bars.

5 The standard stand is portable and very durable. This equipment is made with a lightweight but durable metal material. The compact and small size of this stand makes it easy to carry around or anywhere you like. You can bring it on your office where you can do some of P90X push-ups during your break time.

The use of the push up stands is very important in doing the P90X workout. It does not only intensify your workout but it also ensures your safety and greater performance. So the next time you’ll do your push up, whether ordinary or extreme P90X, be sure to do it with the best push up stands.

By: Jesse Miller

About the Author:

Finding the perfect Workout Routines takes time and effort. The P90X Push Up Stands workout is a great place to start if a person is interested in flat abs. The P90X is also another workout that will help develop flat abs.

Body Weight Workout

Using the Push Up Exercise for Results

thegang — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 19:48:13 +0000

The push up exercise has been a favorite of the military, police, football and fitness crowd pretty much since time began. Most often when push ups are called for, someone did something wrong and push ups for some reason seem to be the answer. While it is quite fun as an instructor to dish out the push up like candies to a fat kid, push ups should also be used in your body conditioning workout because they flat out work wonders.

Used correctly the push up is an awesome exercise for conditioning as well as strength gains. The reason for this is the scalability of the exercise and the lack of equipment needed to get great results.

When we talk about scalability of the push ups exercise, we are talking about how to start of with an easy version and escalate into a more advanced version, as the body is able to cope. This is the basis of all training for results. Continually imposed increasing demands on the body.

On the easy end of the spectrum of push up exercises we have the standard military pushup. If this is not attainable, you can always do them on your knees first. Once the standard push up exercise can be performed easily, it is only a matter of elevating the feet bit by bit to increase the resistance.

Before you move on to the more advanced versions, make sure that your standard push ups are perfect. This means touching the floor with the body as a solid straight line. Full depth and full extension in a controlled manner. No chopped reps here!

The biggest mistakes made when doing the push up exercise are:

Reaching for the floor with the head before body.

Letting the belly hit first. Having the elbows out very wide and high by the head.

Jacking the bum up like in the yoga downward dog at the top.

Not touching at the bottom.

Chopping your reps short from full extension.

Dive bombing – Coming down and forward on an angle.

Once you can do 50 honest, strict and controlled push ups, it’s time to move on.

On the other end of difficulty scale there is the handstand push up. This particular version of the push up has varying degrees of difficulty also. The holy grail of push up exercises is the handstand push up unsupported. No wall, no spotter, just you, the air and a whole lot of athletic ability.

For those that state a lack of equipment as a barrier to getting stronger, bigger and more athletic, the handstand push up exercise is a clean crisp slap in the back of the head. It’s gymnastics answer to the expensive, less functional and less effective midnight infomercials about the “wonder-whatever”. Here is a simple workout that will get you puffing and pumping based around the standard push up exercise.

Do eight sets of as many push ups as you can in 20 seconds. Rest only 10 seconds between each of the eight sets. Keep it strict and enjoy!

By: Raymond Burton

About the Author:

Discover How to Turbo-Charge Your Metabolism, Sculpt Your Body, Burn Off Body Fat and Develop Unstoppable Motivation … Guaranteed! Free Details==> The Complete Body Transformation

Body Weight Fitness

P90x Powerstands Push Up Bars

thegang — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:28:11 +0000

The safety and added intensity on your push up routines can be achieved by the use of push up stands. This is the main reason why the PowerStands™ equipments are widely used in the P90X workout programs.

Another PowerStands™ product comes after the standard P90X Push Up Stands. With slight modifications and additional features, Tony Horton come out with the design of the P90X PowerStands Push Up Bars. This push up bar is designed for use in professional and more extreme P90X workouts. It looks almost the same as the standard push up stand and it has the following features. Some of these features are also offered by the standard stands.

1. The design of these push up bars is a brainchild of Tony Horton.

When we say Tony Horton we are assured that we are using reliable and well-tested equipments. Horton is responsible for the design of the P90X program and the main equipments used in it.

2. The heavy-duty construction of this equipment can withstand rigid and extreme workouts.

This is made of a premium grade material to sustain prolonged usage. Repeated using of these bars is not a problem. You and your friends can share in one pair of these push up bars with one using it after the other.

3. This equipment has a non-skid base like the one in the standard stands.

The circular base gives a flat and wider base to support the weight of its user. The wider base makes the equipment more stable thus giving you a perfect balance. Its slide free feature ensures your safety and stability of the stands.

4. Like the standard P90X push up stands, the handle of this push up bar is also angled.

The slight angle greatly helps in reducing wrist strains that usually cuts our ability to do more push ups. Your wrist is slightly slanted when holding the bars and this position gives more strength on your arms so you endure more push-ups.

5. It has comfortable foam grips.

The foam grips give a more comfortable hold of the push up bar and less strains on your hand.

6. This equipment has an easy carry and storage feature.

Carrying and storing this equipment is very easy because of its handy size. You can carry it anywhere you like. You may just slide it under your bed for storage and you can just get it if you want to do another set of push-ups.

These are just some of the features boasted by the push up bars. So if you are serious with your body sculpting workouts, you may consider using these push up bars. You can use this equipment if you want an additional intensity and safety on your workout.

By: Jesse Miller

About the Author:

Finding the perfect P90X Power
Stands takes time and effort. The P90X Plus workout is a great place to start if a person is interested in flat abs. The P90X is also another workout that will help develop flat abs.

Body Weight Training