Pumping Minimal Iron: Bodyweight Edition

Written By El Bandido

Dear Arnold…

I wrote you, but you still ain’t calling…

Wrong post.

Back to the topic now.

So you decided to go the minimal route? You have all the ideas… and all the exercises in mind…

But you don’t have equipment or the salary to be able to afford them. Better yet, you don’t have the sufficient time to set up and put away the equipment. You don’t even have a pullup bar!

The right mindset can make all the difference. Especially with working out. You got to be creative, even when you have only a jail-cell amount of space to work out in.

Here is the list of exercises for those that need a list:

UPPER

  • Pushups (Chest)

  • Handstand Pushups (Deltoids)

  • Pike Pushups (Deltoids)

  • Hand-Release Pushup - Arm Extension (Rear Deltoids)

  • Prone Snow Angel (Upper Back)

  • Lying Back Press (Upper Back)

Lower

  • Squat (Quads)

  • Lunge (Quads)

  • Reverse Nordic (Quads)

  • Nordic Curl (Hamstrings)

  • Romanian Deadlift (Hamstrings)

  • Glute Bridge (Glutes)

  • Step Up (Quads & Hamstrings)

  • Side Lunge (Quads & Glutes)

  • Calf Raise (Lower)

  • Clamshell (Glute Med)

  • Fire Hydrant (Glute Max)

Core

So you have all the exercises compiled up now. There are many more exercises but this a good list of some movements needed to get a good workout in. Now all you need is a way to do all of them.

Here are a few methods to get some good workouts in:

Greasing the Groove - Do the same exercise frequently throughout the day, with every set performed without going to muscle fatigue.

Down Workout - Reverse Pyramid starting from a number and going down in reps. 20, 19, 18, 17… 1

Pyramid - Build up to a certain number and then go back down. 1, 2, 3… 20, 19, 18… 1

Deck of Pain - Use a deck of cards for a random order of rep counts. To perform, simply shuffle the deck, flip a card, and perform the number of reps on the card

Tyson Squat Prison Method - Follow a pattern of low reps to build up to 100 or more reps

Explosive Interval Training - Perform as many circuits as possible in an increasingly longer time span over the course of weeks

Total Repetition Method - Perform a goal set of 100 reps, or 200 reps, or even 500 reps of an exercise in as few sets as possible

As Many Reps as Possible - Perform as many reps as possible in a select timeframe

Lower Body Isometrics Workout - Combine isometrics with functional movements by alternating squats and wall sits for endurance work. (EX: 20 squats, 20 sec wall sit, 10 squats)

Every Minute on the Minute - Perform a certain number of reps of an exercise(s) each minute

Antagonistic Super Sets - Perform a movement and then perform an exact opposite of the movement each set. (EX - 8 squats followed by 8 RDLs)

Giant Set - Perform 4 exercises all together for one set

Now that you have some methods for bodyweight training, what do you plan on for the reps?

Do you want to change the eccentric, concentric, or make it isometric? Here are the differences.

What kind of workout split do you intend on using?

Full body on Monday, Wednesday, Friday?

Upper Lower split? Upper on Monday, Wednesday, Friday with Lower on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday?

Anterior Posterior Split? Anterior on Monday, Wednesday, Friday with Posterior on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday?

Push Pull Legs split?

Intensive Extensive Split? A heavy/explosive day followed by a metabolic/higher volume day.

With all of these in mind, it’s time to create a workout. I will give an example to help you out. Here is a 1 week full body workout routine to get the body warmed up and started.

Monday:

  • Down Workout [Starting from 10]. Pushups, Pike Pushups, Prone Snow Angel

  • Isometrics Workout [2 sets, 1 minute rest between sets]. 20 squats, 20 sec wall sit, 10 squats

  • Total Repetition Method [30 reps]. Nordic Curls

Tuesday:

  • Deck of Pain. Bird Dog, Mountain Climber, Dead Bug, Side Plank Dips

Wednesday:

  • Down Workout [Starting from 10]. Lunge (each side), Nordic Curl, Glute Bridge

  • Pyramid [Go to 10 and back down]. Pushup, Prone Snow Angel

  • Total Repetition Method [30 reps]. Hand Release Pushup - Arm Extension

Thursday:

  • Deck of Pain. Bird Dog, Mountain Climber, Dead Bug, Side Plank Dips

Friday:

  • Down Workout [Starting from 10]. Pushups, Pike Pushups, Prone Snow Angel

  • Isometrics Workout [2 sets, 1 minute rest between sets]. 20 squats, 20 sec wall sit, 10 squats

  • Total Repetition Method [30 reps]. Nordic Curls

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Rest

Remember. Keep it minimal. Keep it simple. Keep the pump going.

El Bandido https://www.castlemend.net/
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