Own bodyweight training program ideas

I like your idea of redirecting your energy into working out.
I've written down some main types of calisthenics (body weight workouts) for a friend that I was helping coach for a U.S. Navy PT test.

The main thing here is to figure out how many reps it takes you to max out and do a work set that's a certain percentage of your max reps in that particular work out.

I'll post the workouts in a separate post below.

 

This is based off of a U.S. Navy Candidate fitness test that goes something like this:


.................................My Starting Score................Best Possible Score

1. Basketball Throw.......50 ft.................................102 ft.
2. Pull Ups.....................10.....................................18
3. Shuttle Run...............20 sec...............................7.8
4. Crunches...................50.....................................95
5. Push Ups...................30.....................................75
6. 1 Mile Run.................7:05..................................5:20

So with these sorts of work sets in mind, I added a few variations that work similar muscle groups.
The first 4 days are simply maxing out on specific work sets so you have an understanding of how strong you are at the very beginning.
The 5th day is where you take 4 or 5 or 6 of the workouts from the last few days and mix them up however you like.

Day 2​

.......................................Max Out......Mile Marker

1. Army Push Ups.........33...................34
2. Inverse Pull Ups........11...................12
3. Wall Sits....................1:47................1:50
4. Planks........................1:39................1:40
5. Diamond Push Ups...16...................17

My buddy started this with an already injured knee, so I didn't add much running to the workout at the time.
It's important to write out and log your workout before every session so that you don't waste any time during the actual workout.
Also, can refer back to everything that you've accomplished.

Day 3​

......................................................Max Out.......Mile Marker

1. Weighted Rugby Ball Throw...16m.............17m.
2. Hanging Knee Raises..............14.................15
3. Hindu Push Ups......................19.................20
4. Hindu Squats..........................115................117
5. Wall Stands.............................30 sec...........32 sec.

I had my buddy do Weighted Rugby Ball Throws to make his throwing arm stronger, but you can ditch it, as it's a pretty unusual workout.
Try replacing it with Chin Ups or 90° Bar Hang. Whatever you want, really. Same goes with the Basketball Throw.

Day 4
​

..................................Max Out.......Mile Marker

1. Tandem Pull Ups...4..................5
2. High Knees............30 sec..........32 sec.
3. Leg Raises..............51 sec..........53 sec.
4. Burpees..................21................23
5. Calf Raises.............39................40

I try to mix up workouts for arms, chest, shoulders, core, and legs so that I don't work the same muscle group twice in a row. It makes for fresher workouts.
On Day 5, you start doing a certain percentage of you max reps and max time. 50%, 60%, 75%, 90%, these all work.
Start out easy the first few weeks to prevent burnout though.

Day 5​

........................................75%......Mile Marker

1. Arms, shoulders...
2. Legs: Quads..........
3. Arms, Chest..........
4. Legs: Calves.........
5. Core.....................
6. Run.....................

I make 75% a standard for these workouts, but I might change it higher or lower depending on my energy levels.
Every week or 2 weeks, you might want to test your max reps or time to see how you've improved on certain workouts.

So there you go . . . I need to start doing this haha!

 

I have experience with Freeletics Bodyweight app. I paid the coach, I am at week 5 and I am very satisfied. It is so exhausting that I am not in the sex mood at all, haha

Basically it is a kind of training with your body only - pus ups, burpees, sit up etc.

 

Great! Are there also Apps for windows phone?

 

I use trees to do pull ups. They do hurt your hands, especially if the branch is not smooth.

There's no real replacement for pull ups, no other exercise beats it's effectiveness for the muscle group it targets.

An easier option are inverted rows, you can do them by placing a broom across two chairs. There's a good videos on YouTube of setting it up. It doesn't beat pull ups though.

The other downside of inverted rows, are that they become REALLY easy. You can add additional resistance by putting a heavy plate on your chest when you do them.

I can also suggest building your own pull up bar... if you're a hands-on person or enjoy DIY projects.

 

What you can use for pull-ups is something like this - I cant paste URL so google for pullup-dip. I have very very similar bar too. You can easily hang it on the tree and at home too. Just be aware of you need at least 20 cm thick walls haha

 

Hey @Ddoc13 !

I urge you to have a look at Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade. He offers a comprehensive program which is perfect for beginners. People from any strength level can practice it with as much time as they decide to devote to it.

There are articles and videos about CC on the Internet, so you can actually see the progression he advises to follow and decide whether to give it a try.

Let me know if you have any questions

Good luck!

 

Walmart sells an inexpensive Pure Fitness pull up bar that you set up on a door frame. Amazon sells a cheap Iron Gym fitness bar that sets up in the same way. You might want to give one of them a try, it's definitely worth the buy. Just type in pull up bar' on the Walmart or Amazon site.

 

@Den24 Good suggestion! Paul Wade has some great stuff! I read quite a bit of Convict Conditioning and it's got all the essential beginners and intermediate level strength progressions. I also love the convict format of his books, it gives a tried-and-true vibe. Very articulate and down to earth style. Those body weight progressions are really a game changer too.

 

I started out by buying a bench, two dumbbells and a barbell and weight plates.
There is few body weight exercises I do, but I can tell there are some very challenging own body weight exercises. Like the handstand pushup or the pistol squat. I can barely do a pistol squat and I have been training for a while now.

You also have isometric exercises. Again I have no experience with them.

 

Convict Conditioning. Also, the same author has this workout program: https://pccblog.dragondoor.com/absolute-beginners-4-new-year-goals-total-noobs/ if you are a total n00b.

All I do is bodyweight stuff. I will never touch a weight again.

 

I'm currently re-doing a 30 Days-Out by a bodybuilder called Craig Carpuso. His programm is so well designed and very simple, that you can track it by 30 days. The funny thing is that you can achieve a good physique in order to improve your self-steem and have a good physical condition in just a month. And not everything has to do with the gym. Nutrition is also the key. So, you can entertain in the gym but you are goint to be busy cooking, so then you have a 2x1 to-do stuff.

Weightlifting has already help me to control my urges in the past, and also I think that focusing your sexual drive into a hard yet the reward for having a good looking, athletic aesthetic physique seems a good way to refocus meanwhile you're trying to abstain.

Check it. Is very simple, yet it's challenging though.

 

Awesome! I am happy you found this program useful! Doing it slowly and steadily will bring gradual and firm increase of your strength

Let me know if you have any questions regarding the program