Burpees

The Benefits of Burpees

The burpee is the ultimate full body exercise. There’s a reason why football teams, CrossFit practitioners, and elite military forces use the burpee in their workouts. Just one simple movement tests both your strength and aerobic capacities. Below we go into a few more details on the benefits of the burpee:
Strength. The burpee is a full body, strength training exercise. With each repetition, you’ll work your chest, arms, front deltoids, thighs, hamstrings, and abs. Trust me. Your legs will feel like they’re pumping battery acid after you complete a set of burpees.
Fat burning. Because you’re using your full body when doing burpees and because they’re such an intense workout, the burpee is one of the best exercises to burn fat. Studies have shown that high intensity exercises, like burpees, burn up to 50% more fat than conventional strength training exercises. They’ve also been shown to speed up your metabolism which helps you burn more calories throughout the day. If you’re looking to get rid of that spare tire, step off the elliptical machine and start doing burpees.
Conditioning. Many men today spend hours a week in the gym sculpting washboard abs and bowling ball biceps. While those muscles look nice, they don’t do much for you when you have to split a giant pile of wood or even save your own life. Burpees are an effective exercise for developing the conditioning and endurance, the manly vim and vigor to tackle any challenge. They’re also a great exercise to include in football conditioning drills.
Free. There are no fancy gizmos, classes or gym memberships required to perform a burpee. All you need is your body, a floor, and an iron will.
Portable. You can do this exercise anywhere. On the road? Bust some out in the hotel room. Don’t have a gym membership? Get your burpee on at the park. In prison? Do them in your cell.
Burpees are how Mike Rowe keeps in shape to work his dirty jobs:
How to Perform a Burpee

The burpee is a ridiculously simple, full body exercise that will leave you gassed after doing only a few.
To perform a basic burpee, just follow these instructions:
• Begin in a squat position with hands on the floor in front of you.
• Kick your feet back to a pushup position.
• Immediately return your feet to the squat position.
• Leap up as high as possible from the squat position.
When performing burpees, the key is to perform them in quick succession in order to get the conditioning benefits this exercise is famous for.
Some of you might be thinking, “Hey, this is a squat thrust.” While the squat thrust and burpee are indeed similar, the crucial difference between the two is the leap at the end. That leap is what separates the men from the boys.
Besides the basic burpee, you also have your choice of a few burpee variations that will not only kill your body, but also your soul.
Burpee with push-up. Perform the burpee normally, but after you kick out your feet to a push-up position, go ahead and do a full push-up.
Burpee with divebomber push-up. Instead of just doing a full push-up, make it a dive bomber push-up.
Burpee+Pull-up. Stand underneath a pull-up bar or tree branch that is high enough that you have to leap to reach it. Perform a burpee normally, but when you leap up grab the bar and perform a pull-up. Repeat. Did you hear that? That was the sound of your soul dying.
The Coach Chamlee Burpee. I hated these. As mentioned above, my offensive line coach would use the specter of burpee punishment as motivation to keep us from slacking off. When Coach Chamlee said to get our feet moving, we had to “chop” our feet in place as fast as we could. When he said “hit,” we’d hit the ground and perform a burpee. Between each rep, we continued rapidly chopping our feet. I’m tired just thinking about it.
Burpee Workouts
Because they’re such an intense exercise, you can make a quick and effective workout using just burpees. Below are a few suggested burpee workouts that will whip your flabby butt into shape.
Descending Burpee Ladder. Start with a set of 10 burpees. Rest one minutes. Then do a set of 9. Rest one minute. Continue lowering your reps by one on each set until you reach just one rep.
100 Burpee Challenge. Pretty simple. Just do one set of 100 burpees as fast as you can. I can usually do the first 20 in a minute or so. After that I hit a wall, and it takes me about 15 minutes to finish the rest as I lay on the ground to rest between reps. Take as long as you need until you hit the 100 burpee mark.
2 Minute Drill. Set your stop watch and crank out as many burpees as you can in two minutes.
Burpee Ladder with Sprints. So you’ve been doing burpees for a bit and feel like you’re in good shape. Try this little ditty to take your burpetitude to the next level. Perform the burpee ladder as described above, except instead of resting a minute between sets, perform a 50 yard sprint. I tried this a few months ago thinking I was in good shape only to barf after the second set. You know a workout is good when it’s barf good.

Push ups Databasae

The Ultimate Push-up Exercise List
Hands Elevated Push-up

If you struggle to perform a standard push-up and knee push-ups are too easy, try this one as a segue between the two. Elevating your hands makes the push-up easier. Place your hands on an elevated surface like a park bench or even a counter top. Place feet on the ground. Perform push-up.
Standard Push-up

It’s the one you’ve been doing since your days in middle school. The standard push-up works your chest and shoulder muscles. Lie down on the floor face down with your feet close together. Place your hands shoulder width apart. While maintaining a straight body, lower yourself down until your chest touches the ground. Push yourself up. That’s one rep. Once you mastered this one, it’s time to expand your push-up horizons.
Wide Grip Push-up

The wide grip push-up puts more emphasis on your chest. Place your hands wider than shoulder width apart and perform a push-up.
Diamond Push-up

The diamond push-up is a triceps killer. Place your hands together so they form a diamond. You can either put your hands underneath your chest or your head to hit different muscles. Once your hands are in place, perform a push-up.
Feet Elevated Push-up

Elevating your feet from the ground will work your shoulders more when you perform a push-up. Put your feet on an elevated surface. A bed or a park bench works well. Place your hands on the ground. Perform a push-up.

Hindu Push-up

The Hindu push-up has been used by Indian wrestlers and physical culture enthusiasts for centuries. It consists of a dynamic full body movement that will build strength and flexibility in your chest, shoulders, back, hips, and triceps.
Get in position by standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Bend down and place your hands on the floor while keeping your arms and legs straight. You should look like an upside down human “v” with your butt being the point of the “v” and your head pointing down to the ground.
To perform the Hindu push-up, you’re going to make sort of a swooping motion with your body. Bring your head down and forward by bending your elbows. When your head gets close to the ground, continue moving your torso forward by arching your back and lowering your hips. Your hips will now be near your hands. Make sure to get a good stretch in your back. The first time you perform a Hindu Push-up you might find yourself falling on your face during the initial descent. Keep at it though.
Return to the starting position and repeat. The Hindu push-up is difficult to explain in words; you really have to see it to understand it. So make sure to watch the video.
Dive Bomber Push-up

The dive bomber push-up is performed exactly like the Hindu Push-up, except when you return to the starting position, you follow the same swooping motion you make on the descent in reverse. It gives those muscles a bit more of a workout than Hindu Push-ups.
Close Grip Hindu Push-up

If you want to focus more on your triceps while doing the Hindu push-up, just place your hands in the diamond position. This one is a killer!
Close Grip Dive Bomber Push-up

Same as the dive bomber except hands are in the diamond position.
Elbows to Floor Hindu Push-up

During the descent part of the push-up, lower your elbows to the floor. When you arch your back, lift your elbows off the floor and place all the weight on your hands. Return to the beginning position. By bringing your elbows off the floor, you’ll put more emphasis on your triceps and shoulders.
Feet on the Wall Hindu Push-ups

If you’re wanting to get a solid deltoids workout, try this variation of the Hindu push-up. But be warned- this one is super hard. Stand in front of a wall facing away from it. Lower your hands to floor and bring your feet up the wall. You want to bring your feet high enough up the wall that your legs are perpendicular to the wall and your torso is parallel with it. Perform a Hindu push-up and return to starting position. You can also bring your hands close together for an even tougher exercise.
Feet on the Wall Dive Bomber Push-up

Same as above, except return to the starting position by following your descent movement in reverse.
Tiger Push-up

The Tiger push-up focuses on your triceps. Assume a Hindu/Dive Bomber push-up position. You should look like an upside down V. Place your hands close together in a diamond position. Now, lower your head to the ground by bending your elbows, but keep your butt up in the air. Push yourself back up.
One Handed Push-up

The one handed push-up is a feat of strength that separates the men from the boys. Not only do you need brute arm, shoulder, and chest strength, but you also have to call on several smaller muscles to stabilize yourself as you lift your bodyweight with one arm.
Assume the normal push-up position, but spread your feet wider than shoulder width apart. Place one hand behind your thigh. Lower yourself slowly to the ground and press up. Repeat until you can’t do anymore and then switch to the other hand. The more square and level you keep your body, the more difficult the push-up will be. To make it easier, turn your torso and legs away from the pressing hand.
The Rocky Push-up

The Rocky push-up is a one handed push-up except you alternate hands on each rep. This is a must when you’re training to fight Apollo Creed.
Handstand Push-up

Forget shoulder presses. If you want a killer shoulder workout, look no further than the handstand push-up. To do a true handstand push-up, you’ll first need to master the handstand, a feat of athleticism in itself. To perform the handstand push-up, assume a handstand position. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your inverted body towards the ground. In order to maintain balance, you’re going to have to call on your core and other smaller stabilizing muscles. Because you’re pressing yourself off of the ground, the handstand push-up is great for your delts.
Wall Assisted Handstand Push-up

If you can’t do a handstand yet, you can still reap the shoulder working benefits of the handstand push-up with the assistance of a wall. Stand near a wall facing away from it. Place your feet against the wall and slowly climb them up the wall until you’re straight up on your hands. Bend your elbows and lower your head towards the ground. Press up.
Plyometric Push-up

Plyometric exercises can help increase speed and explosiveness by loading and contracting a muscle as fast as possible. Plyometric exercises are particularly useful for athletes. You’ve probably seen plyometric exercises for the lower body. Squat jumps are a good example. But you can get the explosive benefit of plyos in your upper body workout as well with a Plyometric Push-up.
To perform the Plyometric Push-up, assume a normal push-up position. Lower yourself to the floor. With explosive force, push off the floor with enough force that your hands leave the floor. Repeat.
Clapping Push-up

The clapping push-up is the same thing as a plyometric push-up. The only difference is that when you explode off the ground, you clap your hands while you’re in the air. In addition to the benefits of the plyometric movement, I’ve found that adding a clap in the middle can help increase hand speed. And it just makes you feel cool.
Triple Clap Push-up

The triple clap push-up requires super agility and hand speed. Perform a plyometric push-up. As your body is coming up, clap once, when your body reaches its peak, clap behind your back, and before your hands hit the ground, clap one more time.
Planche Push-up

This is the ultimate push-up. Only the most athletic and strong will be able to perform this monster. The planche is gymnastic movement used during floor routines. It’s also done by break dancers. Simply put, this is a push-up without the feet touching the ground and just balancing on your hands.
To perform the planche, move your hands back towards your hips. Instead of your hands facing forward, have them face back towards your feet. This makes it easier on your wrists. Lower yourself down and then push up.
Pseudo Planche Push-up

If you’re not quite ready to do a full on planche push-up, start off with a pseudo planche push-up. Assume the planche push-up position by placing your hands back towards your hips, hands facing back towards your feet. Your feet remain on the ground, hence the name “pseudo planche push-up.” Lower and push yourself up. Repeat.
Rotational Push-up

This push-up variation works your core. Assume the standard push-up position. Lower yourself to the ground and push up. As you come up, rotate your body so that your right hand comes off the floor and your right arm extends overhead. You should look like a giant “T” tilted on its side. Return to the starting position, lower yourself, push up, and rotate until your left hand points up.
Spiderman Push-up

Assume the standard push-up position. As you lower your body, bend your right knee and rotate it outwards. Touch your right elbow with your right knee. As you push your body back up, return your leg to the starting position. Alternate the movement between your right and left sides.
Superman Push-up

The Superman Push-up will work your abs more than doing 100 crunches. It’s also an amazing back exercise. Lie on the floor face down. Instead of placing your hands by your chest, place them further out in front of you head. Lift up. I thought this would be a cinch, but the first time I did it, I was struggling to do even one.
Grasshopper Push-up

Assume the standard push-up position. As you lower your body to the floor, step your right leg through the space between your left hand and foot, and cross it all the way over to the left side, resting on the outer edge of your foot. As you lift your body back up, step your right foot back so you’re in the standard push-up position again. Repeat with your left foot. This counts as one rep.
Aztec Push-up

These are insane. Do not attempt unless you are supremely fit. Start off in a standard push-up position. Lower yourself to the ground. Explode your entire body off the ground and perform a jack knife by touching your fingers to your toes in mid air. Return to starting position. Repeat if you haven’t killed yourself.
Fingertips Push-up

If you want to work on your forearm strength for your golf or tennis game, look no further than the fingertips push-up. This is definitely advanced, so proceed with caution. Instead of resting on your hands, rest your weight on your fingertips.
Jack Lalanne Fingertip Push-ups

The Jack Lalanne Fingertip Push-up is essentially the Superman Push-up on your finger tips. What’s amazing is that even though Jack Lalanne is almost 100, he can still bust this bad boy out. If that doesn’t inspire you to drop to the floor and start cranking push-ups out like a mad man, I don’t know what will.
Bruce Lee One Handed Two Fingertips Push-up

Bruce Lee was an amazing physical specimen. Despite being a small guy, he had the strength of 100 men. His Herculean strength is evidenced by his ability to do multiple push-ups with only two fingers of one hand. That’s just crazy.
And who are we kidding? 98.7% of all men will probably never be able to do a one handed, two-fingertip push-up. It’s just cool to know that it’s humanly possible.
Charles Atlas Push-up

Are you tired of being the 95 pound weakling who gets sand kicked in their face? Then crank out some Charles Atlas push-ups. To perform this push-up, you’ll need three chairs. Place one chair where your feet go and the other two chairs where your hands go. Assume the push-up position on these chairs. Lower yourself to the floor. Because you’re elevated off the floor by the chairs, you can go down further and get a deep stretch in your chest and shoulders. It also makes the going back up more difficult.
One Legged Push-up

The one-legged push-up exercises your core and glutes in addition to your arms.
Assume the standard push-up position and simply raise your right leg straight up, so that now you are only balancing your weight on your left foot. Do push-ups in this position and make sure to keep that right leg straight and in the air.
Isometric Push-up

Isometric push-ups create constant tension on muscles and are great for developing muscle endurance.
Assume a standard push-up position. Lower yourself to the ground, and hold the position there instead of pushing yourself back up. Hold for 10 seconds, or longer if you want. Flex and unflex your muscles while you’re holding it for an even deeper burn. Push back up and repeat.
Knuckle Push-up

Knuckle push-ups are often used by martial artists to toughen their knuckles and strengthen their wrists and forearms in order to deliver more punishing blows.
To perform a a knuckle push-up, simply perform standard push-ups while resting on your knuckles instead of your hands.
Staggered Push-up

Staggered push-ups allow you to isolate one side of your chest. They also require you to call on your core for stabilization. Staggered push-ups work your chest, triceps, shoulders, and abs.
Assume a standard push-up position. Bring your right arm back towards your abdomen. This creates the staggered position. Start cranking out a set of push-ups. When done, move your left hand back towards your stomach, and perform another set of push-ups.
Side to Side Push-up

Side-to-side push-ups allow you to focus on one side of your body. They’re a great push-up to do to segue into one armed push-ups.
Assume a standard push-up position. When you lower yourself to the ground, lean to your left. When you push back up, it should feel like your left arm is doing most of the work and your right arm is there only for stabilization. Return to the starting position. Lower yourself again, but this time lean right.

Diet Programs

Top Fat Loss Programs

Fat loss has been a hot topic for many years now. People love to
have shapely, sexy, healthy bodies which makes them look and feel
good. With the U.S. spending billions of dollars on weight loss
products and services, no wonder so many weight loss plans have
flooded the market. This makes the your choose even harder,
especially with seemingly every plan promising to melt pounds in
matter of days (if
not hours!).

Fad diets, as they are commonly called, promise you very quick
results. You need to be very careful while choosing the right plan
for you so as to avoid any unnecessary damage to your body (or you
self-esteem when the pounds come flooding back on). To make your
choice easier, here is the list of top fat loss programs:

Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet emphasizes high fat, high protein and low carbs.
The diet has been revised several times and the current plan
distinguishes between fats (good and bad) and promotes having
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The intake of
carbohydrates is also now relaxed, giving it a more balanced
nutritional approach. The high protein keeps you feeling full in
between the meals. This helps you eat less during the day.

Zone Diet
The Zone diet doesn't restrict the calories severely. Instead it
stresses on having a balanced blend of nutrients. It is a high
protein, controlled fat and low carb diet plan. You can eat healthy
fats and there is a guide to make the process easier. Since calorie
intake is controlled chances of weight loss are higher.

Ornish Diet
The Ornish diet is often called the "eat more, weigh less" plan. It
is a high fiber, low fat diet for vegetarians. Dairy products are
limited in this fat loss plan. This diet was originally for heart
patients but showed good results for shedding fat. This program can
be hard to follow; therefore you need to have great focus and
determination to stick to the plan.

Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig's diets are also popular fat loss
plans.

To follow any diet plan, you should become an educated consumer and
should rely on the facts supporting a particular diet. Use small,
sustainable, an stackable changes and choosing a plan that fits
your lifestyle can work wonders for you.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but there are many interesting
choices for you, and when you add Middle Management to the mix,
each one only get's better!

Be on the look out for the next email with the subject: the Diet
Solution.

Your Body IS Your Business!

Awesome Foods

Weight loss is a battle fought in almost every 
household of America. Losing weight does not 
mean going on crash diets and keeping yourself 
away from your favorite food. You can lose weight 
even when you are eating properly, just be sensibly 
choosing your foods. There are certain foods that 
help you control the cravings and burn up higher 
calories to actually help you shed pounds.
These super foods, when included in daily diets, 
help shrink your waistline and provide plenty of 
health benefits. Here is the list of best foods for 
fat loss...
Eggs
Eggs are high in protein so they give a very 
satisfying and full feeling. This results in less snacking 
throughout the day. This is a staple diet item and is 
found on many breakfast tables. Try boiled eggs, 
an omelet, or scrambled eggs.
Green Tea
Green tea has many health benefits. It raises the
metabolic rate leading to faster burning of 
calories. Its high antioxidants help you stay young and 
take care of the heart. A major ingredient in green 
tea, theanine is also a great stress reliever. 
 
Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit increases the fiber intake and keeps the 
calories in check. Fruits like apples and pomegranates 
are very helpful in maintaining blood sugar levels 
and good digestion, thereby contributing to weight 
loss.
Lentils
These are full of protein and high fiber, and are superb for 
weight loss as it prevents the rise of insulin that 
causes fat storage (especially around the 
belly). You can put lentils in pastas, soups, and can 
toss them in salads.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the best super foods for weight loss. 
Oatmeal is very healthy and digests slowly. This maintains 
the blood sugar levels and, as a result, fends off sudden 
food cravings.
Yogurt
A perfect food that keeps a tab on the blood sugar 
levels. This food for fat loss is (generally) low calorie. 
A study at the University of Tennessee has proved that 
people lost 61 percent overall fat when they 
included yoghurt in their diet.
Fat loss is easier when you have the 
determination and the willingness to make changes in 
your lifestyle. By including these foods for fat 
loss in your daily diet, you will soon se

"The Great Pyramid." 2

Here is the crazy complex I came up with,
called it "The Great Pyramid."

Power Clean 135 x 6
Front Squat 135 x 6
Push Press 135 x 6
Back Squat 135 x 6

30 seconds rest

Power Clean 185 x 6
Front Squat 185 x 6
Push Press 185 x 6
Back Squat 185 x 6

30 seconds rest

Power Clean 225 x 6
Front Squat 225 x 6
Push Press 225 x 6
Back Squat 225 x 6

30 seconds rest

Power Clean 185 x 6
Front Squat 185 x 6
Push Press 185 x 6
Back Squat 185 x 6

30 seconds rest

Power Clean 135 x 6
Front Squat 135 x 6
Push Press 135 x 6
Back Squat 135 x 6

Sounds brutal, right? I'll certainly be
doing it this weekend. You can too,
just adjust the weights.

Why you want Muscles?

But beyond that, there are clear benefits associated with muscle
mass that are applicable to EVERYONE.

1. Muscle equals strength. And functional strength will enhance
every aspect of your life. Not only will you be able to perform
your daily tasks -- personal, occupational and leisure -- more
efficiently, you'll even have better posture and more energy.

2. Muscle mass helps burn fat. More mass gives you a bigger engine
to rev up, burning more fuel. If you want to live lean, you need
adequate muscle.

3. You might even live longer if you have more muscle. In fact,
it's one of the most important predictors of longevity!

4. More muscle means better insulin sensitivity. What's that? It
means you'll be less likely to store calories as fat and that
you'll have more protection from metabolic diseases like diabetes.

5. You'll look better. For millions of years, sleek muscularity
meant a better chance of success, survival and passing on your
genetic code. As a result -- whether male or female -- we're
naturally drawn to people who are fit and strong.

So if you want to be more confident, healthier and more attractive
you need to have a certain amount of muscle mass. As you get older,
muscle gets harder to maintain or to put on. You need all the
tricks you can get.

Progressions

Progressions

Disclaimer: Some people prefer doing these in a different order, but the following list has been very successful for us during the GPP Program.
Bench Press Progression
1. Kneeling push ups x 20
2. Regular push ups x 15 QUALITY
3. Resisted push ups x 15
4. Dumbbell bench x over 30’s x 8
5. Straight bar bench press.
Squat Progression
1. Body weight box squat x 15 deep
2. Body weight squat x 15 deep
3. Wall squat x 15 deep
4. Bar Squat x 15 deep
5. Back Squat.
Deadlift Progression
1. Light DB Romanian Deadlifts. 30 lbs x 12
2. 135 lb Rack Pulls x 12
3. One Arm DB Sumo Deadlifts. 50 lbs x 8 each arm
4. Deadlifts
Pull Up Progression
1. Band or Cable Pull Downs
2. Supine Rows (yes not the exact muscle groups, but prepares their back and hands) x 12
3. Assisted Pull Ups
4. Pull Ups
Can you do it other ways with different exercise variations, sure, but this is what we do, and it has worked wonders.
Adaptation happens so fast in beginners that they can breeze through many of these in a matter of weeks, however learning that motor control is essential to performing the primary lifts safely and effectively

Main Strongman exercises!

Main Strongman Exercises:

As you can probably guess, based on the description of strongman training, there are potentially endless variations of these types of movements. For the sake of discussion and ease of demonstration, this article will focus on the most common primary strongman exercises. These include (but are not limited to):
• The Tire Flip
• Farmers Walk
• The Log Press
• Atlas Stone Lift
• Harness Vehicle Pull OR Sled Pull
Tire Flip:
For this exercise you will need a large, industrial tire, preferably weighing somewhere between 400 lbs and 800 lbs, depending on your strength and experience level. If there is an industrial tire yard in your area, they often have scrap tires in stock that they are more than happy to get rid of at no cost… all you need to do is get a truck to pick it up.
The tire flip can be considered a full body exercise, placing a greater demand on your lower body, posterior chain and core. Performed correctly, this exercise can help you develop explosive power and strength!
Performing the Tire Flip:
Squat down in front of the tire and place both hands underneath the edge of the tire about shoulder width apart. Your grip placement will be determined in part by the shape of the treads on the tire, but aim for about shoulder width or slightly wider. Press your chest, arms, and shoulders against the tire and set your feet back slightly so that your body weight is leaning forward into the tire.

Keep your chest and arms pressed into the tire as you extend your body, driving up and forward through your hips and legs. Do not attempt to “curl” the tire up using only your arms! As soon as your body is completely extended, shoot one knee under the tire all the way up to your hip, so that the tire stays close to your body. From here you will need to propel the tire up with an explosive effort from your legs and arms, similar to a power clean.
As the tire is being “thrown” up, walk toward it bringing your knee up to assist in the flip. To complete the flip you have to transition your hands to an overhand grip on the tire so you can push it over. Once you develop greater power and become more familiar with the exercise (or if you are using a lighter tire) you may be able to flip the tire in one explosive movement, without supporting it on your knee.
Farmers Walk:
The farmers walk involves walking while carrying two weighted implements, one in each hand. These implements can include loadable bars, cylinders, or metal “suitcases” with handles on top. If you want an iron grip, thick traps, and strong legs, try the farmers walk. This exercise challenges most of the muscle groups from your neck to your feet!
Performing the Farmers Walk:
The starting position for the farmers walk is similar to a deadlift… more specifically a hex bar deadlift. Stand between the implements and squat into position, sitting your hips back, keeping your chest open, and maintaining extension of your back. Grip directly in the center of the handles; (gripping too far forward or back can cause tilting of the implements which can fatigue your grip prematurely).
Try to “over-grip” the handles by flexing your wrists slightly when you grab them so that you have the handles firmly in your grip, rather than just resting in your fingers. I also suggest using chalk. Always use a closed “full” grip (thumbs opposite your fingers), not a false “open” grip! Lifting straps are not permitted in competition and not recommended in training.

Once your grip is locked on, squeeze hard and imagine driving your feet into the ground as you stand up with the weight. Start walking with the implements slowly at first and gradually increase your pace as you find your groove. Lean slightly forward and take short, controlled, quick steps as opposed to long strides.
Keep your core tight and breathe in short spurts. If you are including a “turn” or change of direction in your training, slow down as you turn around and be careful not to over-rotate, as the momentum of the implements will cause them to continue turning after you stop. Make a slightly wider turn for better control.
Note: As you become comfortable with this exercise you can begin taking your first step just as you are finishing the initial lift of the implements. Don’t wait until you are locked out before you start moving. This will give you a faster start time.
The Log Press:
The log press is a unique exercise which requires a custom made implement. A strongman “log” was traditionally made from an actual wooden log with handles cut into it about two feet apart. Although there are still authentic wooden logs out there, most of the logs you will see in competition and for use in training today are welded steel logs. A log press implement is typically a 4 to 6 foot long cylinder with parallel handles centered in it 2 feet apart from each other. The log is usually between 10 and 14 inches in diameter and has loading posts attached at either end for adding resistance in the form of weight plates.
Performing the Log Press:
A number of different exercises can be performed using a strongman log, including chest pressing, military pressing, cleans, and push presses. However, the most common exercise variation is the log clean and press.
Because of the unique shape of this implement, the log clean and press differs significantly from a barbell clean and press. Because of the neutral grip and the thickness of the log, it will be in contact with your body during most of the “power clean” motion.

Start by standing in front of the log and lean forward to grip the handles, pushing your hips back and keeping your back flat. Lift the log onto your knees using a powerful pull that will resemble something like a cross between a deadlift and a barbell row. Your elbow should be pointing straight up so that the handles in the log are on top (not facing your body). Now lean forward pressing your chest onto the log and sitting your hips back even further to prepare for the clean.
To initiate the clean, drive your hips forward and extend your body while explosively “rolling” the log up your body. Your hips and back should be doing most of the work here… it shouldn’t feel like a bicep cheat curl. If you had the log positioned correctly before the clean, it should end up nice and high on your chest, right under your chin. This sets you up nicely for the press.
Watch my video tutorial of the Log Press:

Because of the girth of the implement, you will need to arch back slightly so that the center of gravity of the log lines up over your feet (your base of support). From this position you will press or push press (using leg drive) the weight directly overhead. Be sure to follow through by locking the elbows and bringing your head forward so that the log finishes straight above your head.
Atlas Stones:
Atlas Stones are spherical concrete stones designed to be lifted and loaded or carried. In competition, this event usually requires that the strength athlete picks up 5 stones, each heavier than the last, and loads them onto 5 platforms which are set progressively lower for each stone in the series.
These stones vary in weight depending on their diameter, but usually range from 200 lbs up to around 400 lbs. They can be produced using home-made plaster molds or using prefabricated re-usable molds such as the ones produced by Slaters. Check them out at http://www.slatershardware.com/stonemolds.html .
Performing the Atlas Stone Lift:
Start by “straddling” the stone, standing directly over top of it with one foot on either side. Lean over the stone and reach one hand deep under each side of it, pressing your forearms into the stone at the same time. You will not be able to maintain a neutral spine in this position, so you must focus on engaging your core muscles during the lift.

Lift the stone straight up by extending your legs, hips, and back. Do not attempt to “scoop” the stone using only arm strength. Once you get the stone past your knees, squat down and bring your knees together under the stone so you are resting it on your thighs. At this point you must re-grip the stone, reaching your arms around it at a higher position so that you are squeezing the stone into your chest and abdomen.
Now you need to extend your entire posterior chain (spine and hips) to raise the stone up as high as you can on your body. It helps to think about “crushing” the stone by squeezing it hard with your arms as you lift it. You can train this movement by loading and unloading the stone onto a platform of some kind, or simply perform repetitions lifting it from the ground up to full extension as high as you can. (Watch the VIDEO).

The BIG 5

What movement should I do?

This luckily is pretty easy and the combinations are almost endless. The basics are always in place, but you can branch off to variations as the basics become too easy or you are looking for variety. For the purpose of this article, I will discuss the 5 basic exercises in detail (squat, push-up, chin-up, sit-up, and dip). Then you can take a look at the variations that can be utilized after you’ve conquered these basic movements first.
Bodyweight Training Basics:

The “BIG 5”
1. Squat- I always start off teaching how to squat properly first. You’d be amazed and shocked on how poor most people’s form is on such a basic movement- but I don’t blame them. Constant sitting all day at a desk job is becoming the norm; add this to the lack of movement and chronic muscle tightness, you get weak glutes, tight hips and hamstrings, muscle atrophy in the legs, and increased chance of joint pain and injury.

To squat properly
• Assume a shoulder-width stance with your feet turned slightly outward.
• Initiate the movement by pushing your hips BACK.
• The eyes should be looking forward, chest up and out, and abs tight (brace them like someone was about to punch you in the stomach).
• The spine should remain in a neutral position. No rounding of the spine!
• As your hips are pushed back, you will then break at the knees and begin to descend slowly and in control until your hips are directly in line with your knee. This is considered “proper” depth but do what your current flexibility and strength permits! If you have trouble “sitting back” or finding a constant depth, simply find a box that allows you to squat properly back and on to it with good form. As you get better, lower the box height. Once this is easy and proficient, remove the box from under you. This could take anywhere from a couple days to weeks. Be patient!
• As you reach the level of depth that is applicable to your ability and fitness level, stand back up! Breathe normally- inhale as you sit down, exhale as you stand up.
• CUES: HIPS BACK, EYES UP, BIG CHEST, KNESS OUT, WEIGHT ON THE HEELS/MIDDLE OF FOOT, FLAT/NEUTRAL SPINE.
2. Push-Up – It amazes me how crappy most people’s push-ups are. Either they are half-ass and don’t go through full range of motion, the elbows flare out wide, or the abs are not strong/conditioned and the hips start to sag. Here are some good tips to improve your push-ups now!

• Your hands should be placed about shoulder width apart, hand are directly under the shoulders.
• The eyes should be looking down in order to maintain proper neutral spine position. Abs are kept tight and braced, and the glutes should be squeezed together to prevent the hips from sagging. Turn this into a full-body exercise!!
• The elbows should stay close to the body to keep undue stress off of the shoulder joint.
• If you have wrist problems, you can perform this with dumbbells in the neutral position (palms facing each other).
• Your chest should touch the floor! If you can’t do this without falling over, either do them on your knees or perform them on a surface the inclines your upper body, i.e. barbell push-ups in the power rack.
• CUES: HANDS SHOULDER WIDTH, HANDS UNDER THE SHOULDERS, EYES DOWN, ABS TIGHT, SQUEEZE YOUR GLUTES, CHEST TO FLOOR.
3. Sit-Up – This is a fairly straight-forward and well known exercise. I know I might get a lot of slack for this, but sit-ups can be a beneficial exercise if they’re done right and correctly.

• You can use a partner for these to hold your feet in place. Your knees should be bent at about 45 degrees.
• Hands are placed across your chest. Putting them on the back of your head may increase the tendency to “wrench” the neck and use momentum, not muscle.
• Firmly place your feet on the ground. Tighten the muscles of your stomach and begin to draw your chest towards your knees.
• Come up all the way- this is a sit-up, not a crunch.
• Lower yourself in control; the shoulder blades should touch the floor before you begin your next rep.
Top: Notice the head/neck is not in flexion!
4. Chin-Up/Pull-Up – One of the greatest exercises out there, but simply are not done enough. If you cannot perform 1 pull-up, you’ve got work to do. If you are an athlete and cannot perform 10 strict pull ups (20 for the lighter dudes less than 200 lbs.), you’ve got LOTS of work to do. Females should shoot for 5 strict pull ups. If you cannot do them properly or lack the proper strength, you may utilize assistance in the form of a partner, jump-stretch band, or jumping. You can also work on holding your chin over the bar for a given time-frame (flexed arm hang), as well as utilizing eccentrics (lowering yourself slowly as possible). This will carry over to your pull-up strength if you are consistent and diligent with this!
• A pull-up is done with palms facing away from you. A chin-up is done with palms facing towards you. Neither is “better” than the other, but a chin-up will be a bit easier because of the larger involvement of the biceps. It amazes me how many people want big arms but cannot perform 20 chin ups! This is one of the greatest arm builders there are!
• Hand placement can vary, but beginners should start with hands placed just about shoulder width.
• The arms must be completely straight prior to beginning. This is considered strict and proper technique.
• To complete the rep, pull your body until your chin is over the pull up bar. Lower yourself until your arms are straight again. That’s one rep!
• This is one of the more challenging bodyweight movements, so be patient and just keep working at them! Always try to do better the next time around, even if it’s one more rep, another set, shorter rest periods, or lowering yourself a second slower than last time. Progress is progress!

5. Parallel Bar Dips – This is probably the most challenging along with the chin-up/pull-up. It takes a great deal of relative strength and stability to perform dips PROPERLY with full range of motion. This is one of the best exercises you can do for strong and powerful triceps, shoulders, and chest. If you have shoulder problems, I wouldn’t recommend doing these until the problems clear up as it can aggravate them further. If you don’t have access to a dip station, you can do these between two chairs, or place two bars in a power rack. Again, if you aren’t strong enough to do multiple reps, use a partner and place your feet in their hands- push off as much as you need for assistance and gradually lower yourself until you can reach full range of motion. Full range of motion for most is when the upper arm breaks 90 degrees. I personally go until the biceps nearly touch the wrists, but that’s only because my strength and flexibility allow that.

• Place your hands on the bars/chairs/handles.
• Begin from the “up” position where the arms are straight and feet are off the floor.
• Lower yourself in control until you’ve reached a proper depth. Inhale as you descend.
• Push against the handles as you come up. It will take a bit of strength from the triceps, chest, and shoulders to finish this exercise.
• Again, there is a machine that assists this movement if you aren’t strong enough. If you don’t have access to this, use a jump-stretch band to assist the concentric portion of the exercise, or a partner. Use a similar strategy of eccentrics with this if you lack the strength to do a complete rep; you can also perform partials and gradually increase the range of motion over time.
Top: A properly performed dip; one of the best upper body exercises!

Bodyweight Bootcamp 4

Bodyweight Training- Exercise Variation

There are lots of variations for the above exercises. Once they get too easy, experiment and figure out some new ways to incorporate these movements into your training. If you aren’t sure what these are, go to YouTube and give these a search. You can probably find a demo on there in less than 10 seconds.
Squat Variations: Box Squats, jump squats, walking lunges, forward lunges, lateral lunges, pistols, step-ups, Hindu squats, reverse lunges, split squats, Bulgarian Split Squats, jumping variations (broad jump, box jump, vertical jump, bounding, lunge jumps).
Push Up Variations: Decline push-ups, weighted push-ups, hand-walking, handstand push-ups, hand-walking with push-ups, push-ups with added range of motion, plyometric push-ups, barbell push-up, neutral grip push up, chain/banded push-ups, medicine ball push-ups, one-arm push-up, blast-strap/ring push-ups, diamond push-ups, wide grip push-ups, close grip push-ups, “tripod” push-ups.
Band Push Up Progression

Hindu Push Ups

Sit-Up Variations: Front plank, side plank, weighted sit up, roman chair sit up, ISO-hold sit ups at midpoint, Glute-Ham raise sit up, decline sit-ups, banded sit ups, hanging leg raise, oblique side raise, knees to elbows (basically any abdominal or lower back exercise that can be performed with bodyweight and lots of repetitions).
Straight Bar Sit-ups

Chin-Up Variations:Wide grip pull-up, close grip pull-up, mixed grip pull-up, kipping pull-up, jumping pull-up, muscle-up (pull-up/dip hybrid), ring/blast strap chin-ups, weighted chin/pull-up, neutral grip pull-chin up, eccentric weighted pull/chin up, explosive/plyo chin ups, towel pull/chin-ups, rope climbing, rope pull/chin-ups, recline rows, inverted rows, supine ring rows, 45-degree ring row.


Dip Variations: Upright dips, lean forward dips, weighted dips, close grip dips, band-resisted dips, muscle-up (dip/pull up hybrid), ring/blast strap dips, L-Seat dips, dips with knee raise, 1 ¼ dips.

I probably left some out, so feel free to add to the list if you don’t see something on here! If you simply implement these into your training and are constantly rotating, you can supply endless amount of variation to your current training?
Putting it all together
Again, assess where you are NOW, and where you’d like to be 4, 8, and 12 weeks from now. Be very specific. Write down your goals. Don’t get frustrated! If you suck at these, do them A LOT. The more often you practice a skill, the better you get! Don’t be afraid to do something you aren’t very good at 3, 4, or 5 times a week!
Herschel Walker, one of the greatest running backs ever to play football grew up without access to weights, yet he was able to perform TONS of push-ups, sit-ups, dips, chin-ups, and squats (and I’m sure he threw in lots of these variations as well!)