Bodyweight Workout

Hi im currently in college and eat relatively clean. Anyways I cannot go to the gym so i am “working out” in the confines of my dorm. So basically limited to pushups, situps,dips and i have an EZ curl bar with plenty of weight.

Anyways im thinking im just going to do like 100 pushups/situps/curls/dips every other day or something to that effect but mix it up obviously.

However after reading about the U.S military training and how recruits do 100’s of pushups EVERY DAY and now Waterbury having a “work out everyday” type program im thinking of maybe doing these excercises every day. Good idea, bad idea? also im concerned about not training my back. Any input is appreciated.

bump :S

[quote]Split wrote:
also im concerned about not training my back. Any input is appreciated.[/quote]

Find a tree or something to do pull-ups from. Otherwise, use a strong door. Bent over rows with that ez-curl bar. And there’s your back workout.

You can workout your entire body with just a barbell and some plates. Search this site for CT’s “MacGuyver Workout” and for the old “Exercises You’ve Never Tried” for some more bodyweight suggestions beyond push-up/dip/pistols/etc.

yea bent over rows i forgot about that thanks, but i dont understand the pullups from the door idea

Progress to harder variations if you can do over 10-12 of each exercise. There’s tons of free online resources to find these progressions too.

For example, “pistols” (one legged bodyweight squat essentially) or sissy squats for legs, which are harder than just normal bodyweight squats. For pushups, progress to one arm pushups or use some of the plate weights you have, and put those suckers on your back (have someone hold it between the shoulder blades or put some in a tighter fitting back pack). Add weight to the dips, definitely do rows with your EZ curl bar if you have enough weight, and do door pullups or find a tree (like suggested). There’s tons of variants out there, some of which are balls to the walls hard.

Anyways, you could probably do a lot of those every day, or every other day, or gradually build up to a very high frequency. It’s all in how you go about it.

Excellent idea. I’m bias for bodyweight movements anyway but let me give you a few ideas if your stuck without alot of equipment.

Try filling your backpack full of weights with some towells in there to keep the weights from moving around. This is how i started while going to Florida State.

Pistols/single leg dip squats- one leg behind you up on your bed/chair and dip or squat down.

Bicep Push-Ups- legs up on bed, wide hand placement, hands turned outward with the thumbs in a straight line with one another.

Hamstring stiff leg deads- lock legs stiff, bend at hips, push glutes back, use the barbell for resistance.

explosive clap push ups- simply push up and clap your hands between reps

tricep push ups- use a close diamond grip by placing your thumbs and index fingers together

Hamstring push ups/ reverse hypers- lie down in push up position with your feet pinned under something, raise hips off the floor, pivot on knees, pull with hamstrings, push up to force reps

Calve raises- simply do a single leg raise in a stairway or double leg raise and rep to 100 reps(daily or every other day to start out)…this will work just as effective as doing a toe press on the leg press machine with 1000 lbs on it.(i know if done both)

Abdominal sit ups(not regular sit ups)- place a rolled up towell under your lower back, feet flat on the floor,hands across chest, tighteen abs by lifting your chest/shoulders up off the floor and lifting up, don’t crunch in…this takes your lower-back out of the movement as in a regular sit up…remember to lift up towards the ceiling

delt/forearm push ups- elevate feet up on a wall or table or in the air, use your fingertips for gripping to work the forearms

Dips/pullups/lunges- all self explanitory

Tips:
1 biceps- isolations, (if you can buy a dumbbell that would be great)- 1 arm preacher curls sitting with your arm across both knees and your working elbow planted inside your wrist, turn wrist down, use light weight, 20-40 reps is key, 3-4 sets a day/every other day
2 triceps- reverse push ups/bench dips, use your bed and a chair…can always add weight
3 chest- use a weighted back pack, feet elevated, push up between chairs…with enough weight you will be working the chest more than a flat bench press…Trust me(i do both, the bench press doesnt involve stabilization and the bodyweights arc is different from the leverge positions)…range of motion is deeper too as you sink your chest past your hands. much harder movement as to lying on your back just pushing a barbell straight up

There isn’t one muscle you shouldnt be able to work by using your bodyweight. It’s also more beneficial for stability, ballance, natural body movement and arcs, Central Nervous System fatigue, and a better overall athletic movement.

Good Luck. Remember Hershall Walker built his body without ever toughing a weight. It can be done. Just add some resistance to the bodyweight movements to make them tougher.

Squats…all they are, are natural bodyweight movements with added resistance…thats why they are so effective in producing tremendous mass.

A dip is considered the upperbody squat.

there is no difference in the bodyweight movements like push ups, dips, squats…all are superior to now bodyweight movements when you add the resistance

Most people think of bench presses and squats as the same type of exercises because they are heavy barbell movements…WRONG!..one is a bodyweight movement and the best developer for the legs and the other is a non-bodyweight movement and a strength producer for the upperbody. The bench press is an excellent strength and mass developer but it is still inferior to its counterpart, weighted push ups.

Try some of these and you shall look as good as you want in no time.

Good Luck!

thanks that helps alot, i have a straight dumbell, various plates and an easy curl bar

im curious about these door pullups and still i need more back excercises especially for lats

[quote]Mr. Push Ups wrote:

Bicep Push-Ups- legs up on bed, wide hand placement, hands turned outward with the thumbs in a straight line with one another.

[/quote]

I’ve given you “flack” in the past, but please explain this one to me.
Why do you call it a “bicep pushup”?

The action of the biceps is in no way related to this. The position of your hands though sounds like it puts the biceps on stretch, which might explain why you give it this name.

[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
Mr. Push Ups wrote:

Bicep Push-Ups- legs up on bed, wide hand placement, hands turned outward with the thumbs in a straight line with one another.

I’ve given you “flack” in the past, but please explain this one to me.
Why do you call it a “bicep pushup”?

The action of the biceps is in no way related to this. The position of your hands though sounds like it puts the biceps on stretch, which might explain why you give it this name.

[/quote]

Ok, i see your point.

your right, its almost impossible to work a bicep in a pushing motion. (especially when the bicep is a pulling muscle.)

i thought the same thing. but you can actually get the negative as you stated , the stretch. its a horrible bicep exercise in itself. thats why i gave a little 1-arm preacher exercise to do.
but if your gonna be doing push ups, and you wanna at least hit the biceps a little. this will work it. rotating that wrist pulls the bicep in. its still a pushing movement and the triceps and chest are still working, delts too…all i know is i get a nice pump from doing them.

i’m not recommending this as a great builder in no way. just a way to hit it from a push up position…i’m not even sure if its acting as a stabilizer or counter movement or what.
but the calves are supposed to flex the ankle. well they do. but i can also flex them with my feet planted flat on the ground better than the contracted position. im not sure if thats whats going on here, but that bicep is being flexed and working.

good point.

ok, sounds good but what about these door pullups

[quote]Split wrote:
ok, sounds good but what about these door pullups[/quote]

Grab the top of the door, and pull yourself up. Just make sure you have a strong door.

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
Split wrote:
ok, sounds good but what about these door pullups

Grab the top of the door, and pull yourself up. Just make sure you have a strong door.[/quote]

exactly

or a bentover barbell row is an excellent overall back exercise
Bbentover rows were one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s favorite exercises.
Ever see Arnolds back?

About the “bicep pushups”, when you use a wider grip, I believe that the biceps become more activated as synergists or something; basically, the load (your body) needs to be stabilized, so the biceps are probably recruited more.

From experience, I find it’s more in the eccentric phase than the concentric (as in, the “more growth promoting phase” for lack of a better term). I could be totally off base though.

Weighted pushups are good mass developers, and great if you have no one to spot you in a heavy bench press too. Just be sure to keep your back straight and not let your low back slouch down. Squats are also a biggie.

If you can somehow load your body up with a lot of weight, and do squats, or single leg squats as described by mr. push ups, then your legs won’t be neglected in the least bit.

all sounds great, now what about the question of frequency or program with these excercises

find something with Chad Waterbury’s name attached to it. If your looking for an answer on frequency, I’m sure he has it.

My guess is.

try a fullbody 3 times a week, can always do more or less.

pick 6-8 exercises
3-4 sets each one

pretty simple really

how about the frequency of these workouts? everyday or?

[quote]Split wrote:
how about the frequency of these workouts? everyday or?[/quote]

strt 2-4 work up to 6

i do fullbodies 2 every 5 days

u mean 2-4 times a week work up to 6?

yep

if you want results