CHAPTER 2
Constructing Bodyweight
Workouts
Any workout can get you tired, but not every workout will get you
closer to your health and fitness goals, and that’s what you want
from your workouts: results, whether as increased strength, positive
body-composition changes, better performance, or improved
cardiovascular fitness. Once you have a goal, it’s time to formulate a
plan to get there. Later chapters will cover essential elements of
constructing bodyweight workouts for the best results. This chapter
will peek behind the curtain to discuss the factors involved.
CONSTRUCTING STRENGTH
WORKOUTS
There are various methods for getting stronger, and the aim of this
book is not to debate that. Instead, it focuses on a high-level
overview of the key factors that contribute to effective strength
training. By understanding these foundational elements, you can
create a well-rounded program that maximizes your results and
minimizes your injury risk. This chapter takes the 10,000-foot view to
discuss program factors that go into training for strength.
Exercise Selection
You can get stronger from any exercise simply by doing it more often
and using progressive overload. However, for full-body strength, you
must focus on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups
in unison. Compound exercises, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and
squats, give you more bang for your buck, because they engage
several muscle groups simultaneously, leading to greater overall
strength gains. These exercises not only build muscle but also
improve coordination, balance, and functional strength, making them
more efficient and effective for developing overall muscle mass and
strength compared to isolation exercises (exercises that train only
one muscle group, such as calf raises). Isolation exercises have their
place in a balanced program, but when the focus is on strength,
compound exercises are crucial.
Set and Repetition Ranges
Performing fewer repetitions of an exercise in more sets is usually
how absolute strength is built. However, building strength using just
body weight is different, because you can’t easily adjust the weight
you’re lifting, as you would with free weights. Instead, you must rely
on varying the set and repetition ranges to increase muscular time
under tension, which is the amount of time your muscles are actively
working during an exercise. Increasing time under tension helps to
promote strength gains by creating more muscle fatigue and
stimulating muscle growth. This approach can be challenging to
maintain over time due to the strain it places on your nervous
system, potentially decreasing performance. Therefore, it pays to
vary your set and repetition ranges to keep your body fresher, get
stronger in more than one repetition range, and avoid fatigue and
injury.
Recovery
When training for strength, adequate rest between sets and
workouts is needed to maintain performance and reduce your injury
risk. To get bigger and stronger, your muscles need to recover from
the stress placed upon them, which only happens with adequate
recovery. Resting for 1 to 2 minutes after finishing a compound
exercise or for 30 to 60 seconds after an isolation exercise works
well. Because bodyweight workouts do not involve lifting heavy
weights, they are not as taxing on the nervous system. This means
they cause less central fatigue and require less recovery time.
Therefore, 24 hours of rest between bodyweight workouts is typically
sufficient for recovery.
Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is the key to getting stronger, which can be
achieved in a few ways. The first is training intensity. Using the
intensification methods in this book, performing more repetitions or
increasing the time under tension for the same amount of repetitions
used previously are two great ways to encourage progressive
overload (you’ll learn more about this in the next chapter). Increasing
your training volume and working out more frequently are other
popular ways to overload your workouts so that you get
progressively stronger.
Session Organization
Traditional strength training with free weights uses straight sets with
2- to 5-minute rest periods for recovery between sets. With
bodyweight training, you don’t need that much rest between sets, but
you do need some. Using methods such as circuits, you’ll instead
rest before doing the same exercise again, while achieving a training
effect with the other exercises in the program.
CONSTRUCTING PERFORMANCE
WORKOUTS
When watching your favorite sport on television, you are hopeful for
an excellent performance from your team or favorite player. Not only
do you experience joy when your team does well, but it is
entertaining, too. However, this is a limited view of performance.
What about achieving your first chin-up, or getting up from the
ground without pain? These and other activities are minor
performances that you do daily, because performance is not limited
to the athletic realm but is accomplished in the everyday domain,
too.
Performance Explained
You and NBA star LeBron James probably have different
views of performance. LeBron dribbles, passes, shoots, and
leaps better than many basketball players before him. If he
scores fewer than 20 points, he and his fans view this as an
average performance. In contrast, most of us would be
ecstatic to be anywhere near an NBA basketball court. While
you may be happy to achieve your first chin-up or
bodyweight bench press or even to get out of bed pain-free,
LeBron James is operating at an entirely different level.
Many people compare themselves to athletes on a
television screen and downplay their own performance, not
realizing that performance is relative. Look at your daily
movements, like running, carrying stuff, walking, and playing
with your children or animals. Now imagine not getting as
tired, having more energy to do these tasks, and
accomplishing them more effectively and effortlessly. This is
also performance improvement, because performance is not
all about when the light shines on game day. It’s also about
improving your performance with what you do every day.
That said, if you do have athletic goals, performance and
high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts using high-
intensity movements, such as plyometric and ballistic
exercises, will improve your sport performance by increasing
your power potential.
The performance workouts in this book are built around power
movements: jumps, plyometrics, and ballistic exercises. The
exercises include squats, jumps, plyo push-ups, broad jumps, and
others. Power movements like these train the fast-twitch muscle
fibers, which have the most significant potential for increasing
strength and muscle mass. The desired outcomes of the
performance workouts are to retain and improve your overall
strength for your activities of daily living while keeping the workouts
fun and fresh. If you wish to improve your performance in a chosen
sport, the exercises in the performance workouts will strengthen your
upper and lower body while preparing you for the rigors of your
sport. They will also improve your proprioception, which is the ability
to control and be aware of your body in space. For instance, during a
clapping push-up, you need to know where your hands are and get
them back to the start position as quickly as possible to do another
repetition, or else. When you practice keeping your muscles moving
quickly and powerfully, you’ll notice the improved ability of your
muscles to generate power, like a car going from 0 to 60 miles per
hour in a few seconds flat. You might find yourself jumping higher or
running faster, which will improve your athleticism and daily
movement.
Ballistic and power exercises require a lot of energy to perform,
and some have a high level of impact and intensity. Therefore, it’s
essential to program them correctly. The following are a few things to
consider when programming for performance.
Train Performance Exercises Early
Due to their high intensity and high-impact nature, it is best to plan
performance workouts for when you have the most energy and your
nervous system is fresh just after you’ve finished your warm-up.
When you’re exclusively training power and ballistic exercises, follow
the above advice and ensure you get enough rest after each set to
reap the performance benefits. Typically, you need 2 to 5 minutes of
rest between sets to recover and maintain a high performance for
each set.
Use an Appropriate Repetition Range
When you’re training for performance, the goal is to be as quick and
powerful as possible. When you get tired and you’re not as explosive
during a set, such as when you feel a muscle burn and your jumps
are not as high as at the start of the set, you’re not improving power
and strength anymore—you’re training muscular endurance. If this
happens, it is best to cut your set short and either stop that particular
exercise or take a longer rest between sets. This point lies between
4 and 12 repetitions for many people, but let fatigue and your
performance guide you.
Increase Foot Contacts
With lower-body plyometric and ballistic exercises, tracking how
often your feet hit the ground is essential. Foot contacts refer to the
number of times your feet touch the ground during a workout
session. Monitoring foot contacts is important for managing training
volume, intensity, and injury risk. Each time both feet hit the ground
(or a box), it is called a two-foot contact. Each time one foot hits the
ground, it is called a one-foot contact. Whether one foot hits the
ground or box or two feet hit at the same time, it counts as a single
foot contact. If you are a beginner, 80 to 100 contacts per session
may work best. For intermediate or advanced exercisers, 100 to 140
foot contacts per session are usually a great starting point
(Chmielewski et al. 2006).
Rest Between Sets
When you are training for power and performance, a rest period of 2
to 5 minutes between sets is usually needed to fully recover and get
the best out of your next set. Some more advanced methods use
only 45 to 60 seconds between sets. You need to strike a balance
between pushing yourself and resting long enough to maintain safety
and good form.
CONSTRUCTING CARDIO
ENDURANCE WORKOUTS WITH HITT
When HIIT gained popularity, it seemed almost too good to be true.
All the fat loss and cardiovascular improvements without endless
treadmill runs? The answer is yes, but with a caveat. HIIT, like other
fast-result exercise methods, follows the principle that if a little is
good, more must be better. However, it’s not that simple. HIIT
requires more recovery, and the high-impact nature of some
methods can lead to soreness and overtraining. However, for people
with time constraints and a willingness to sweat and recover
adequately, HIIT is an efficient and effective training method to
improve cardiovascular fitness.
HIIT involves short, intense bouts of cardiovascular exercise
followed by a less intense recovery interval, repeated for a certain
number of repetitions. Generally, intervals last from 10 seconds to 3
minutes, with the same amount of recovery (or more) before doing
the interval again. Judging your intensity between 1 (easy) and 10
(you are close to falling down in a heap), your HIIT interval should
feel between 7 and 9, depending on the length of your interval.
Keeping an intensity level of 9 is easier when your interval is 20
seconds versus 2 minutes. Adjusting your intensity level based on
the length of the HIIT interval works best.
If you’ve performed a HIIT cardio workout before, you know its
muscle- and lung-burning effects. If you haven’t, well, you’ll soon
experience it. But for all the discomfort of HIIT, it can improve your
aerobic and anaerobic fitness, because your aerobic system works
hard to get oxygen to your working muscles after finishing your
training. The oxygen deficit that HIIT creates will enhance your fat-
burning capabilities due to excess postexercise oxygen consumption
(EPOC). An oxygen deficit happens when the body needs more
oxygen than is immediately available to produce energy for your HIIT
interval. The accumulation of lactic acid is one way your body makes
up for its lack of oxygen. The accumulation of lactic acid and your
ability to withstand and use it as energy improves your anaerobic
fitness. This is handy during high-intensity activities, such as
sprinting down a basketball court. Recovering from the HIIT interval
will also improve your aerobic fitness, because your
cardiorespiratory system becomes more efficient at using oxygen to
get you back to baseline.
HIIT also has excellent potential antiaging benefits at the cellular
level, specifically in the skeletal muscle. HIIT causes cells to make
more proteins for their energy-producing mitochondria, a cell’s
powerhouses. One study found that when older adults engaged in
HIIT training, their mitochondrial function and muscle protein balance
improved compared to their peers who did just resistance training
(Robinson et al. 2017). HIIT, when used in conjunction with
resistance training, can help people retain and improve their muscle
quality while reaping the aerobic and anaerobic fitness benefits of
HIIT, getting the best of both worlds. Retaining and building muscle
is the original fountain of youth.
When programming HIIT, the technique or method you choose is
the main thing to consider. Selecting exercises that can be
performed safely at high intensities and suit your fitness level and
goals is essential. For instance, if your knees hurt or you haven’t run
recently, then choosing sprinting as your method is not the best idea.
Whether you decide on sprinting, cycling, or bodyweight circuits,
ensure proper form to maximize benefits and minimize injury risk.
Tailoring the HIIT routine to your needs will help you achieve the
best results while maintaining safety and effectiveness. Now that
you’ve selected a safe and effective exercise method, the next
critical aspect of HIIT is determining the best method for timing your
work. The structure of these intervals will dictate the intensity,
challenge, and effectiveness of your routine, helping you push your
limits while maintaining safety.
Time the Work and Rest Intervals
One method is timed work and rest intervals, where you work for a
specific time, recover for a particular time, and go again after the
recovery period. These timed intervals are typically 30 or 60 seconds
total. For instance, a practical and well-known HIIT training method
is the tabata interval, where you work at an all-out effort for 20
seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat for eight rounds. This is
called a 2:1 interval, where the work period is twice the recovery
period. A 30-second interval might be used when someone is looking
to balance intensity and endurance, allowing for a slightly longer
work period that still maintains high intensity but provides adequate
recovery. This can help improve cardiovascular and muscular
endurance, making it suitable for people looking to enhance their
overall fitness without the extreme intensity of shorter intervals. The
following are other popular 30-second intervals:
1:1—15 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest
1:2—10 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest
On the other hand, a 60-second interval might be used to develop
endurance further and improve the ability to sustain higher intensities
for longer periods. The choice is not just a matter of preference; it
depends on the specific fitness goals and the desired training
outcomes, such as improving stamina and fat loss capabilities. Some
popular 60-second intervals are the following:
1:5—10 seconds of work and 50 seconds of rest
1:4—15 seconds of work and 60 seconds of rest
1:3—15 seconds of work and 45 seconds of rest
1:2—20 seconds of work and 40 seconds of rest
1:1—30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest
When programming HIIT, consider factors such as your current
fitness level, your specific goals, and the types of exercises you
enjoy. Shorter intervals (e.g., 20-30 seconds) are ideal for beginners
or those focusing on maximum power and speed, whereas longer
intervals (e.g., 60 seconds) are better for those aiming to build
endurance and sustain high-intensity efforts. Also, consider the
recovery needs between sessions, because high-intensity training
requires adequate rest to prevent overtraining and injury. When
you’re building cardiovascular endurance with HIIT, keep in mind that
anything above three sessions per week is difficult to sustain for long
periods.
Time the Sets
Two other HIIT methods use timed sets. One is every minute on the
minute (EMOM), in which you complete the desired number of
repetitions and rest for the remainder of the minute. For instance,
you complete eight repetitions, rest for the rest of the minute, and go
again. This method keeps you accountable and maintains high
intensity. EMOM is particularly useful when focusing on building
strength and endurance while ensuring a consistent work-to-rest
ratio.
The second method is to group two or more exercises together in
a superset or circuit and do as many rounds as possible (AMRAP)
within a specified time frame, resting when needed. This approach
accumulates high amounts of muscle fatigue as you compete
against the clock. AMRAP is beneficial when aiming to improve
overall conditioning and muscular endurance in a shorter period.
When programming HIIT, consider your fitness level, goals, and
available time. EMOM is ideal for structured workouts with clear rest
intervals, making it suitable for those who prefer a regimented
approach and are looking to balance strength and cardio. In contrast,
AMRAP sessions are great for those seeking variety and a more
flexible structure and focusing on pushing their limits and improving
endurance. All methods work well; the best choice is a matter of
time, preference, and specific fitness goals. Choose the method that
aligns with your current conditioning, desired outcomes, and
enjoyment of working out.
CONSTRUCTING CARDIO
ENDURANCE WORKOUTS WITH
CONVENTIONAL CARDIO
Conventional cardio, also known as steady-state cardio, takes on
many forms, including walking, jogging, running, biking, and
swimming, to name a few. This cardiovascular method is sustained
over an extended period, because enough oxygen gets to the
working muscles to maintain the cardio mode of choice. Unlike HIIT,
steady-state or conventional cardio is powered by the aerobic
system. Conventional cardio is a method of exercise where you exert
yourself at a steady-state pace, never getting out of breath and using
only oxygen for an extended period. You perform at a manageable
pace for 20 to 60 minutes or more between 50 and 70 percent of
your maximum heart rate. Steady-state (conventional) cardio training
is a lower-intensity, continuous training protocol where you (should)
never really struggle for breath. During steady-state cardio, you’re
using fats and glucose with the help of oxygen to fuel the body.
Because of the intensity, oxygen is available, and there is no excess
of lactic acid in the body.
Steady-state cardio helps you increase the size of your heart’s left
ventricle, allowing you to pump more blood per heartbeat. This
improvement enables you to improve your aerobic endurance and
lower your resting heart rate. HIIT is often thought to burn more
calories and fat than conventional cardio training, but according to
the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, the health and
performance benefits of HIIT and steady-state cardio are similar
(Foster et al. 2015). Doing both is great, but whether you do one or
the other should be a matter of time and preference, not the calories
you want to burn. While both HIIT and steady-state cardio offer great
benefits, combining elements of both through strategic exercise
programming can maximize your results. One effective way to do
this is by incorporating circuits into your routine. Let’s explore how
circuit training can elevate your workouts.
Use Circuits
We’ve established that a steady-state, or conventional, cardio
workout is between 20 and 60 minutes in duration and performed at
50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. So how do you
improve your aerobic endurance using only bodyweight exercises
such as squats, lunges, and box jumps? The trick is bodyweight
circuits (five or more exercises) using intervals of either 30 seconds
of work followed by 30 seconds of rest or 20 seconds of work
followed by 40 seconds of rest. Rest periods that are either equal to
or longer than the work periods allow you to exercise longer while
reducing the heart rate between work intervals.
Schedule for Consistency
Consistency is key with steady-state cardio, so schedule sessions
regularly to build a sustainable habit. Incorporate variety within your
steady-state routines to keep them engaging and prevent boredom.
For example, vary the terrain by choosing different walking or cycling
routes, or alternate between indoor and outdoor workouts. Pay
attention to your body’s signals and adjust the duration and intensity
as needed to prevent overuse injuries and boredom while ensuring
continued progress.
Plan for Duration and Frequency
Decide how often and for how long you will perform cardio sessions.
Beginners might start with shorter, less frequent sessions, while
advanced individuals may require longer and more frequent
workouts. Balance is key to prevent overtraining and ensure
adequate recovery.
Adjust the Intensity Level
Determine the appropriate intensity for your workouts. This can
range from low-intensity steady state (LISS) training to HIIT. The
intensity should align with your fitness level and goals. For instance,
HIIT is great for improving cardiovascular fitness and burning fat,
while LISS training benefits recovery and long-duration endurance.
CONSTRUCTING MOBILITY AND
FLEXIBILITY WORKOUTS
Much attention is paid to getting stronger, moving more, and getting
your heart rate up to improve your health. Being mobile and flexible
gets neglected, but did you know this is the driving force behind
those other goals? In the age of moving less and sitting more,
increased attention needs to be paid to the mobility of your joints and
the flexibility of your muscles. If you don’t use it, you will lose it—and
losing it means you must fight hard to get it back.
Mobility is a person’s ability to actively move an articulation
(where two bones meet) before being restricted by surrounding
tissues, such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Examples of
mobile joints are ankles, hips, and shoulders. Flexibility is the ability
of muscles, joints, and connective tissues to move through an
unrestricted, pain-free range of motion (ROM). Flexible muscles,
joints, and connective tissues stretch, lengthen, and contract without
limitations, allowing efficient movement. Mobility and flexibility seem
similar, so what’s the difference between the two? Mobility is an
active process, whereas flexibility is passive. For instance, suppose
you can pull your thumb back with your opposite hand so it touches
your wrist; this is an example of flexibility. On the other hand, mobility
means you can get your thumb to the same place without using the
other hand—a significant but subtle difference. One is active, one is
passive, and both are important.
Mobility and flexibility are essential for many reasons, but if you
remember nothing else, remember this: Having decent mobility and
flexibility is the original fountain of youth. You’ll be able to run, jump,
squat, throw, and get up and down off the ground without
restrictions. Getting older is unavoidable, but that doesn’t mean
movement should be painful or restrictive. By moving more and
engaging in mobility and flexibility training, you will look and feel
young, and you may even be able to surprise your kids occasionally.
Mobility and flexibility are similar to the porridge temperature in
the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The porridge (mobility)
can be too hot, too cold, or just right. Similarly, you can have too little
mobility and flexibility, overdo them, or they can be just right. You
may have seen incredible feats of mobility or flexibility, but you don’t
need this extreme end ROM. All you need is to take your mobile
joints through a comfortable ROM, and if any pain or stiffness exists,
then you know there may be something to improve or work on. To
ensure you’re doing the right amount of mobility and flexibility work,
it’s crucial to program it properly. Consider factors such as the
specific joints and muscles that need attention, the frequency and
duration of your sessions, and your individual needs based on age,
activity level, and any existing injuries or limitations. Once you’ve
addressed the right mix of mobility and flexibility for your body, it’s
time to focus on how to structure your sessions for maximum
effectiveness. A key element to consider is how you plan your sets
and reps to ensure steady progress without overdoing it.
Plan Sets and Repetitions Wisely
Unlike muscle training, mobility and flexibility work should not be
done to exhaustion. A little goes a long way. Programming specific
sets and repetitions is important, because it ensures you provide just
the right amount of stimulus to improve mobility and flexibility without
causing excessive fatigue or injury. For mobility, anywhere from five
to eight reps of one to three sets works well, because this range
promotes joint health and function without overloading the tissues.
Flexibility training, on the other hand, depends on your age and
whether it is done before or after a workout. The amount of work
done is important, and it should be tailored based on the results of
your mobility testing. If the tests indicate significant mobility deficits,
you might need to increase the volume slightly to see improvements.
Conversely, if your mobility is already good, maintaining it with a
lower work volume is sufficient.
Also, it is important to mention that the older you get, the more
dehydrated and stronger your connective tissue becomes; this is one
of the reasons you feel muscle stiffness once you get older. If this is
the case, a few more repetitions or sets might be needed for mobility
purposes, and on the flexibility side, you will need to hold your
stretches for longer to reap the same flexibility benefits as when you
were younger.
Improve ROM
Improvements in mobility and flexibility can be short-lived if not
matched by the issue of control. What good is improvement in
flexibility and mobility if you cannot control it? Once you have
improved your ROM, the brain and your nervous system need to
maintain this new end ROM. For instance, once you have performed
a half-kneeling hip flexor stretch to improve your hip mobility,
strengthen this new ROM by doing a slow eccentric hip extension of
a squat to cement it somewhere in your workout routine.
In this chapter, you have peeked behind the curtain at the
program factors it takes to improve strength, cardiovascular
endurance using either HIIT or conventional cardio, and mobility and
flexibility. You can follow the workouts in The Bodyweight Blueprint
and get results, but knowing the why behind the process and the
benefits of improving each of the factors helps you buy into the
program more. Knowledge is powerful when it comes to your health
and fitness.
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