Ok, guys. I am almost two weeks deep into my current 3 week workout program and my team and I are having a BLAST and we already seeing results. After just 12 days! You may be asking how that is possible. Well, I'll tell you!
1. We are committed to getting this done as a community and are showing up every single day.
2. The movements within this programming are NO JOKE! And that brings me to talk to you today about what I believe is one of the most beneficial ways of exercising in general; using your own Bodyweight.
I can already hear the screams of degradation and doubt! Of course, I understand the limiting factors of training in this way when it comes to building substantial amounts of muscle mass or if you are training for performance where strength prowess is the win/lose scenario. BUT, I urge you to consider all of the amazing effects that moving with no external resistance (except that which is offered by gravity) can have on your agility, speed, balance, strength and development of power.
Agility – defined as the ability to change direction in a quick but stable fashion. This not only plays a role in your training but also has practical applications for how we live our lives and interact with others, particularly if you have young children that you want to be physically active with. Agility drills rarely require the use of added weight as the forces placed on the body during these kinds of movements are adequate for adaptations to occur.
Speed – the ability to get from one place to another as fast as you can. This is going to have obvious benefits for overall health and also has a practical application when you think about how quickly you can move when confronted with a potentially dangerous situation. I have female clients who love to work on their speed training because they see it as a way in which they can feel empowered in the ability to remove themselves from a threat without much thought. When working on developing speed, there is a lot of anaerobic training (quick bouts of maximal output followed by longer rest periods) so the resistance that is naturally there in having to move your own body weight is adequate stress for the heart and respiratory organs, cultivating a stronger and more efficient internal system.
Balance – it would shock you how limited our ‘natural’ sense of balance is! In fact, I challenge you to stand on one leg right now and reach down and touch your toes. Do that 10 times on each leg and you will see that, unless we train for balance adaptations, the body is a very unstable place when confronted with proprioceptive demands. This is a significant consideration for our lives in general but especially when we start wanting to strength train by throwing weight around. If the foundation is unstable, the body will not be able to take that kind of stress without some kind of breakdown. FACT.
I know, I know – “but Sabrina, I’m not lifting the weight of a person while standing on one leg” - that would be ill advised – the principle still applies. If the body does not have the strength and alignment capacity to maintain a stable structure standing on one leg, how can you reasonably expect it to perform such demanding feats even with both feet on the ground?! Think about the strength and stability needed to adequately protect the spine and you may appreciate this more.
Of course, balance training can be done with external resistance, in fact I encourage it once the foundation is built, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to train in order to develop a high level of balance and stability in the body.
Power – defined as the force which the body can exert. Power training is fun! But, again, only once the foundation has been built. Here is when training with bodyweight only becomes a ‘the possibilities are endless’ situation. Jumping, leaping, throwing, catching, powerfully pushing/pulling etc. During power training the body not only bears it’s own weight but also the force that is generated through the interaction of gravity and weight bearing down on the structure. This all makes for a very effective way of training the muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body.
So, this is just a brief overview of some of the benefits of bodyweight training. In our current program, we are doing all of the above as well as some resistance training thrown into the mix to make things a little spicy ;o)
Contact me to join the team! We would love to have you on this journey with us - 21 days to a fitter and healthier you!
Watch this space for a post in the future about Resistance Training and all the amazing benefits of picking heavy things up and putting them down again! Peace out x
P.s. Here is Bodyweight only workout for you to try.
4 parts for TIME: Complete 2 sets of each part (record your time) before moving on to the next part.
Remember; form over speed. Stay safe people!
Part 1:
1. Box Jumps x15
2. Burpees x10
3. Backwards Lunge w/ Front Kick (alternating legs) x20
4. Mountain Climbers x50
Part 2:
1. Jump Squats x20
2. Push ups x20
3. Jump Lunges (alternating legs) x20
Part 3:
1. Hurdle Jumps x30
2. Pike Push Ups x15
3. High Knees x50
Part 4:
1. Step Ups x15 (each leg)
2. Spiderman Push ups x10 (alternating legs)
3. Single Leg Toe Touch x12 (each leg)
4. Lateral Plank Walks x15 (each direction)