Bodyweight exercises are simple, don’t require special machinery or extra equipment and can be performed virtually everywhere. You can effectively target any body part you want with bodyweight exercises and there are no limits to how strong and flexible you can get by using body resistance alone.
We’re not saying that you should abandon your regular training with additional weights altogether, but if you give the following bodyweight exercises a try, you can reap some great benefits that will improve your main lifts in many ways and help you put on more lean mass in the long run.
Keep in mind that these bad boys are pretty advanced and demanding, but mastering them will help you build killer strength and superb definition.
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Pistol squats
This squat variation is one of the most difficult ones and demands a ton of patience and practice to master. It’s essentially a one-legged bodyweight squat during which your opposite leg is held in front of you.
But before you dive in, make sure you can do at least 50 consecutive regular bodyweight squats with a full range of motion. Anyone interested in building serious leg strength and core stability should immediately start practicing pistol squats.
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One arm pull-ups
The one-arm pull-up is a very difficult skill to obtain, but a very beneficial one nonetheless. In general, you need to be able to do at least 20 consecutive regular pull-ups before you try the one-arm pull-up, since this exercise requires a decent level of strength in the upper back, lats and arms.
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Muscle-ups
The muscle-up is essentially a pull-up followed by a dip. While many bodybuilders can do a pull-up and a dip separately, only a few have mastered the smooth transitioning between these two, which requires a decent level of strength and coordination. This advanced exercises effectively targets the triceps, forearms, pecs and lats.
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Handstand push-ups
Take your handstands to the next level by transforming them into probably one of the most badass exercises of all time. Handstand push-ups are great for building amazing upper body strength, improving balance and stability and strengthening the core and glutes.
Start by doing them against a wall and progress gradually. With enough patience and practice, almost anyone can do decent handstand push-ups.
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Human flags
The human flag is arguably the most impressive bodyweight movement you could master for the ultimate strength and coordination gains. Although it’s considered to be a full body exercise, the main muscles worked are the delts, lats and obliques. Before you begin training the flag, make sure you have perfected your handstand push-ups.
It will take a ton of practice to teach your body to perform this extreme movement, even if your fitness level is relatively high, but it’s definitely worth a try. In the process of training, you’ll acquire greater core strength, stability and muscle coordination than with any other exercise known to man.
