I used to think bodyweight exercises were for conditioning, getting my heart rate up, getting into cardio shape.

This is how we always used them in my football days.

We would do push ups and sit ups and jumping jacks and “down ups” (kind of like a burpee, but where you chop your feet while you wait for the whistle, then slam your body on the ground and pop back up as fast as you can) – and those workouts were hard, no doubt about it!

But when it came to building strength, we’d lift.

And that’s how I did it for probably the first 10 or 12 years of my strength training career.

But eventually, the years of hard and heavy lifting started to catch up with me.

My joints and body started hurting more and more.

That’s when I started incorporating bodyweight exercise for not only conditioning work, but STRENGTH, into my routine … and I haven’t looked back since!

Turns out you CAN use bodyweight training for strength (if you set it up properly), and you can change things up, and take it easy on your body at the same time.

Take today’s sample workout, for example:

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21 Minute Bodyweight Workout for Strength
(from Bodyweight Beast Building)

1 – Pull up ladder

– 1 rep; rest approx 30 sec …
– 2 reps; rest approx 45 sec …
– 3 reps; rest approx 60 sec …

Repeat 3x total

If this is too easy, you can DOUBLE the reps and go 2/4/6 instead

2 – Bodyweight upper body “complex” – complete all exercises consecutively without resting; rest as needed and complete three rounds
total

– 25 mountain climbers (per side)
– 15 push ups
– 8 spiderman climbs (per side)
– 5 burpees

3 – Bodyweight lower body “complex” – complete all exercises consecutively without resting; rest as needed and complete three routines
total

– 8 squat jumps
– 8 reverse lunges / leg
– 8 step ups / leg
– 15 bodyweight squats

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This workout is a sample from my Bodyweight Beast Building program.

I will turn you into a BEAST in the next six weeks, using just your own bodyweight, and hard work.

Use the link below for a special discount on the program.:

Bodyweight Beast Building (special discount link – save 67%)

And here’s to your success! –

– Forest Vance, MS
Certified Personal Trainer
ForestVance.com