At present I’m doing little more than pushups, dips, horse stance, pullups (usually neutral grip), incline board situps, and the wrestlers bridge.
I pulled out my dip belt once, and was quite surprised how much weight I could add (I hit PRs) simply having done high reps.
The same principle was at play when i attempted a pushup with a 170lb coworker sitting on my upper back. I nearly got it. Just from high reps.
People get sucked into the propaganda that takes their money, never attempting or even realizing how much progress they’d make with effort and simplicity using as little as their body alone.
I’m not against weights. I enjoy them. They, however, ain’t necessary.
The body between high rep calisthenics, flexing, dynamics, static holds, and isometrics in every variation is more than enough.
I find when I’m forced to shift to more use of my body vs external equipment that I :
1. Not only progress more, but…
2. Improve more on the weights than when I am using the weights as the primary training stimuli.
Use whatever you’ve got. Improvise. I’ll never say go equipment free when you have access to some equipment, and can use it to accentuate your bodyweight work.
I’m starting to focus on wrestlers bridge presses. Why? Because I like how it feels.
Use what’s there with your body as the base and everything else as extra.
But know that the body alone will take you as far as you choose to go.
-J
Persistence & Tenacity