Ever since we were in 5th grade gym class it has been pounded into our skulls about how important pushups are for fitness. It is a timeless exercise that serves both the experienced bodybuilder and beginner at the same time. It is still proven that the pushup is one of the finest exercises one can do to improve strength and stamina. Even the U.S. Military still uses pushups as a principle exercise for building upper-body strength. Also, there are so many different ways to exercise using your own bodyweight! There are levels for the beginner, the intermediate, and even for the advanced. (Or so you may think). As you gain more strength, you can add more difficult routines, including weighted pull-ups, handstand pushups, and finger pushups. These are just a few of what can be achieved. The possibilities are literally endless as to what you can accomplish when you master your own body.
Bodyweight exercises are also the core of many martial arts and Asian-influenced fitness programs. You don’t have to watch too many Bruce Lee movies to be astounded by his extraordinary level of fitness. His signature one-fingered pushups and one-inch punches are amazing to this day. He was a master of manipulating his own body through remarkable strength. For many he represents the gold standard of fitness.
Using a variety of bodyweight exercises is also a great way to develop a well and correctly-proportioned body. The human body is an amazing machine, and it has a lot of different muscles. And they are all designed to be used. How many times have we seen that guy in the gym with big bloated arms and a scrawny, underdeveloped chest? Sadly, too often. A lot of people overanalyze working out by targeting specific muscles too much. I believe the best way to build muscle and achieve a high level of fitness is by using a lot of bodyweight exercises (especially at the beginning) and then mixing in a workout involving heavy weights and low reps using big multi-jointed movements around once a week.
I highly recommend Pete Sisco’s Maximum Strength Workout for this purpose. I also do basic yoga every morning to stretch, relax, and help prevent injury. Besides, it is a great way to start the day. The combination of these three will help you achieve a well proportioned and very fit body, while also achieving strength and power gains in the most efficient way possible. Using bodyweight exercises in your exercise program can help you cover all the fitness bases; strength, power, endurance, and a fit, healthy body. Bodyweight exercises are the purest way to build and measure true strength and fitness.
Pushups and pull-ups are not just for beginners. When done correctly, bodyweight exercises are a very challenging and highly effective way to maximize your potential as a human being. I challenge you to tap into your true potential. For your first bodyweight workout, do 50 pull-ups, 75 pushups, and 100 crunches as fast as you can, in as few sets as you can. This is a great start. You may be surprised, especially if you thought you were in shape.
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