Anyone have any experience with the 40 day workout, using body weight exercises? Looking for examples of how to do the plan using only body weight, kettle bell, carries and abs. My thoughts were some type of push-up variation, pull-up variation, kettle bell (add weight or reps here?), squat (adding weight on it as needed for schedule) and then using objects for the carries, then abs. Was trying to find an example of similar. Thanks!
What’s your exact goal?
[quote=“relentlessconsistency, post:1, topic:228488”]
Looking for examples of how to do the plan using only body weight, kettle bell, carries and abs.[/quote]
This specific program isn’t really suited to bodyweight-only training because of how it’s designed. To keep it challenging, you’d either need to add load to the bodyweight exercises or progress to a more difficult variation (but using new exercises defeats the purpose of the plan).
However, basic high frequency/low volume training a.k.a. “grease the groove” is totally effective for bodyweight work. A small handful of exercises performed every day (for low volume and without hitting muscular failure in any set) is a great way to bump up your numbers on those exercises.
Chad Waterbury’s PLP challenge is another variation along the same lines.
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I did a routine of 4x25 pushups, bw squats, situps and 4x10 pullups every day for a few months and made really good progress. My upper traps and back improved tremendously. My entire physique took on a more “athletic” appearance. The only drawback I remember is the situps aggravated my lower back. If I did the program again I would choose a different movement, probably leg raises.
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You can get in great shape using only bodyweight movements. This is a good place to note that superstar Herschel Walker has never done weight train. He is something like 55 years old and still looks amazing.
“If you think Herschel Walker is some kind of weight room warrior you would be wrong, Herschel has never been into weightlifting, all of his exercises are body weight exercises. He started doing sit-ups and push-ups as a kid, as many as 5000 a day and still to this day he does 750-1500 pushups every day as well as 3000 sit ups. He also mixes in 1,500 pull-ups, 1000 dips, and 1000 squats every day. For cardio he will run up to 8 miles and do sprints as well. He also does a regimen of martial arts and MMA after he has completed this workout every morning.”
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Neat article. I am thinking he probably has about 4 hours or more a day to do that! 
Honestly I am trying to do the most basic of things, get in better shape and look better. I run OCR stuff about 8 times a year and I work full time and coach varsity bball, plus have a large family (not complaining about any of them, I am thankful for all of those things). So my time is really limited, the 40 day plan and the link that got me there was from a Tim Ferris guest who said he only does 30 minutes a day strength training using that method. The maximum affect in the least amount of time is my goal. I don’t want it to be easy, I am not trying to do get ripped quick or cheat the process. I do want to be the most effective as I can. I have to rely on what I can do at home, I do have some weights, but no bench (or spot for one). So I was trying to look at how to customize something like this to do. I have been frustrated kind of jumping around with different plans. Thanks for any thoughts you can share.