November 12, 2009
Make Body Weight Exercises Challenging Without Doing High Reps
The problem with many body weight exercises like push ups is that once you get strong, low reps stop challenging the muscle. I am a firm believer in including a decent amount of high-tension lifting to maximize muscle definition. Typically, high-tension is achieved by doing heavy weights for low reps. The problem with body weight exercise is that there isn't really a practical way to add weight to your body. What if I told you there was a way to achieve super-high tension in any body weight exercise, allowing you to build muscle density and increased definition over time? Well that is exactly the tip I would like to talk about today!
[I figured a nice autumn picture with a "Human Female Chameleon" would be appropriate for this article. Better than some guy doing push ups...yawn.]
Giving Credit to the Guys I Learned This From…
Adam Steer and Ryan Murdock are body weight Ninja-Masters. I have become friends with Adam over the past year and I am really impressed with his unorthodox training style. Anyway, in his BBFFL course, that I am currently following, he talks about this technique. In fact, the entire 2nd phase of his program revolves around doing nothing but this type of body weight training.
Body Weight Static Holds…Ouch!
I am not sure why I didn't think of this before. It is such a simple way to make easy exercises like push ups, tough and effective. I have only completed 2 workouts of doing nothing but body weight static holds, and have experienced a noticeable increase in muscle definition. Here is the basic explanation of a body weight static hold…holding your body in a position of resistance without moving, for a set period of time. So in the case of doing a push up, you would lower yourself about 1/2 way down and then hold that position for a set period of time (40 seconds, 30 seconds, etc).
Using Push Ups to Explain This In More Detail
Let's say you wanted to use body weight static holds to work your chest and triceps. You are going to perform 9 total sets of static holds. You will do 3 sets close to the bottom position of a push up (chest close to the floor). You will then move on and do 3 sets of static hold push ups close to mid-point of a push up. Finally, you will do 3 sets of static hold push ups closer to the lockout position. The goal is to do the toughest position of a movement first, then a position of less resistance, finishing with the easiest position.
Sets and Rest Periods of a Body Weight Static Holds
A set means that you are holding a position without moving for a set period of time. A good starting point is 40 seconds. You will rest for about 30-40 seconds (best if you time it) and then do another hold for 40 seconds, etc. As you get stronger, you can either increase the length of time you are doing the static hold -or- decrease the rest.
You Can Also Do These is Superset Fashion
With Adam's BBFFL routine, we are doing these as supersets…using opposing muscle groups. So each static hold push up is followed by a static hold horizontal pull. You can get really creative doing body weight exercises in this fashion. The additional benefit of doing these is lactic acid buildup throughout the workout. I explain in great detail why lactic acid helps in burning body fat in this post: How Interval Training Works – Lactic Acid, Oxygen Debt, and Recovery
Increasing Lactic Acid While Generating High Tension?
Here is why I think body weight static holds are outstanding—> You will generate powerful contractions to your target muscles, while simultaneously building up lactic acid. This will help you burn fat while building muscle density at the same time. In most workouts you are either doing one thing or the other…it is pretty darn cool to find a way to both at the same time!
Get Creative While Implementing These Into Your Routine
Feel free to mix these in to your free-weight workouts. For instance, after you do bench presses, maybe you follow with 3 sets of wide grip body weight static hold push ups. Possibly you end your tricep workout with 6 sets of dips (2 holds in each position). You could firm up your legs with 6 sets of body weight Bulgarian split squats after (or before) doing HIIT on the treadmill, etc.
Note: These are tougher than they sound on paper. To get a sample of how this feels, do that 9 set push up workout I outlined above. Try doing each set for 40 seconds, followed by 40 seconds of rest. You will feel lactic acid buildup…you will feel serious tension in the muscles!
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Tags: Body Weight Training, adam steer, body weight exercises, body weight training, building muscle, burning body fat, HIIT, Interval Training, lactic acid, muscle definition, oxygen debt, push ups
Comments
November 12, 2009
Jason G said:
Interesting concept. Kind of like planks for other body parts. Another method that will work for many is doing body weight exercises very slow. Doing pushups that takes 30 seconds to lower and 30 seconds to raise will fatigue most people. Advanced athletes can do it so slowly that it could be considered a combination of my method and yours. Forexample instead of holding in place they move a inch every 15 to 30 seconds. One pushup could take a few minutes. Try that for tension.
Grok said:
With all the garbage hype out there these days, it's so easy to get overwhelmed with noise and forget the basics like this. Thanks for the reminder.
A perfect example of KISS
gus said:
good post rusty, this was actually a question i was gonna ask u, so good timing with this post=)
one question, right now im doing a bit more reps on my wight lifting( 6-8 reps) becaue i want do add a bit size, but could this still be a good way to build toned muscles if i to them at a slow pace while contracting my muscles hard ?
and isnt muscle tone really most about having low body fat?
thx rusty, ur the man:D
Donkey Lips said:
Rusty that picture is weirding me out big time…
Matthew said:
Totally agree about static holds – they can be as difficult as you want to make them – think an iron cross on the rings.
I remember a session with BMF (British Military Fitness in the UK), where the instructor made us do '10×10' pushups and situps. For the pushup we started in the 'down' position, pushed up a tenth of the way, held it for 10 seconds, then moved up another tenth, held it for 10 seconds, etc. It was much more difficult than I expected. Then we moved onto 10×10 situps…
At present I'm trying to add more gymnastic static hold progressions into my programme (slowly), and I'm finding them extremely challenging. (see Coach Sommer's article http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229 for some ideas)
Denmark said:
Can't wait to try This first thing in the morning.
Must admit, without our imagination, bodyweight workouts Can get boring fast :/
Rafi Bar-Lev at Passionate Fitness said:
Ha, I almost forgot about static holds even though I used to do them occasionally. Thanks for reminding me about them Rusty.
-Rafi
Aditya said:
I thought its something like the planks but in a more advanced fashion. I sometimes do this while doing pull ups but I dint really think about it much. Gotta try this out and I can already feel this is gonna be one hell of an exercise. Thanks Rusty, Great Post!
geert said:
Another version of the push up:move from starting position to halfway down,pause 3 sec,at bottom,pause 3 sec,move halfway up and pause 3 sec,back to starting position and pause 3 sec.Your abs will be burning.
Patrick said:
Jason G
Couldn't agree with you more on performing these movement very slow, you hit it right on, that 100% works for even the strongest individual. You try it that way and 5 pushups will be a challenge
Anna @ Pathtofatloss said:
Hi Rusty, great post! I'd love to try this tomorrow after my workout. When bodyweight exercises get easier, I actually have my clients do longer tempos. For instance, on the push ups, it would be 4 going down, hold for 2 seconds at the bottom, and push up for 1 second. I like doing this for the planks too where I would hold the plank for 5 seconds, go down for 1 second and up again. This techniques makes them more challenging.
Your post gives me an even better way to make these tougher.
Anna
Michael - Fat Loss Tips said:
Cool stuff…
This reminds of 21's in weight training situations except you would the top portion, followed by the bottom portion, and then the full movement for 7 reps each. Only makes sense to use a similar strategy with body weight exercises…
Mike
Matt said:
Hey Rusty,
As a guy who is participating with you in the 'BBFFL', I completely agree.
On paper, it looks like nothing. When you actually do it, WHOA, pa-in!!
I completely agree with your point on muscle definition.
I have also completed 2 circuits and I am noticing muscle definition that is very similar to that of a boxer (IE I can really see the contours of the muscles on my arms).
Def. gonna incorparate these circuits from now on.
Cheers Rusty.
Matt.
November 13, 2009
Greg said:
I've been trying to work up to 100 consecutive pushups. One of the hardest things about this is just blocking off enough time in the evenings, so I like these thoughts.
Imerson said:
Great tips. The good thing about bodyweight exercises is that you can do it practically anywhere without any fitness equipment. With the tips these advanced tips, anyone can add variety to a workout.
Jake said:
Rusty,
It's nice to see that you are bringing these oft forgotten techniques into the mainstream. The high tension techniques you discuss are an integral part of gymnastic and combat athlete training. Strength is control. Being able to stop and hold a position anywhere in the path of movement (unless it's a quick lift) is a demonstration of mastering the resistance. Keep up the good work.
Yash said:
Personally, I like doing something similar yet a bit different. Instead of doing a static hold of 30 seconds, doing low reps that last very long works in a pretty similar fashion. So in a pushup, 10 seconds up/10 seconds down or something like that. Get's pretty hard after a few reps, and really emphasizes not cheating on form just get more reps.
Danny said:
Another brilliant informative post! I did an isometric workout just the other day and i must say my muscles were burning!
A variation of the pushup i used was this, 20 secs in the up position, 20 secs halfway down, 20 secs in the down position.
Keep up the good work rusty!!
Rick said:
awesome! Can't wait to try it. Thanks Rusty.
mickieb said:
Hi Rusty. These are great, as all your other articles. You put out some good stuff. I was trying to find out if you ever wrote about using resistance bands for working out. I didnt find it anywhere, but maybe I missed it. What do you think of using resistance bands, say for a middle aged woman. Would that increase strength and maintain flexibility and range of motion? Thanks!
November 14, 2009
Jeremy said:
Once I am done my six-month TT program, I think I will give this a try. I can just imagine how hard it will be, but it kinda makes sense.
Zlaja said:
Wow this seems like a good workout, but i had a question a little off topic.
I am 18 years old and I was reading about protein supplements, and from what i understood, protein supplements are anabolic also, just not steroids. I have not ever taken them out of principals and belief that i can get a good body naturally without taking them. But i have not achieved my goal, while my friends who do take it, have bulked up really fast. Do you think that protein supplements are necessary to achieve a "model body", or can i get it without them?
And just for clarification, when i said my friends bulked up, i meant that they have great definition and muscle mass, not like a bodybuilder but more like models. Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Thanks,
Zlaja
Jim Hart said:
I can't wait to try this technique for my ZOOMER BOOMER boot camp classes. I have a lot of remarkable guys in their 50's 60's who are incredibly fit and will welcome the challenge of turning an ordinary pushup into a strong man competition.
I just found your site and I love the great info and good content you provide. I adapt many of the ideas in training my older cleints
JIM HART fiftyplusfitness
November 15, 2009
sifter said:
Excuse me, but it seems to me you'd be feeling fatigue.. not tension. Yes, tension builds strength, but fatigue builds local endurance, not strength. Two different things, no?
Rafi Bar-Lev at Passionate Fitness said:
Zlaja,
When you say "protein supplements", do you mean whey protein and cliff bars or are you referring to something else?
-Rafi
K said:
Hi Rusty,
I am 5, 7" in height and weigh 136 pounds at 10% – 11% bf. I don't particularly look skinny since I am short. Do you think the isometric exercise you mentioned in this blog would be good for me or I need to put on some weight before doing them? And my biceps is just 12.5" at peak, do you think I need to increase the size to look better?
Thanks.
Chris said:
I will give it a try and send some feedback.Thanks for the nice info!
Jeff Todd said:
Hi Rusty – as I am not trying to build muscle I don't want to breakdown muscle tissue. If I do static holds for bouts of 40 seconds a set won't I be doing this?
Thanks and keep it up
Jeff
Tristan said:
Slightly off topic but related to body weight exercise.. I have broken/bruised a rib (damn painful) but want to minimise muscle loss whilst I heal. Any recommendations for exercises to do? I can def do some HIIT on the stationery bike. I have dropped from 23% BF to 14% and really don't want to stall progress on my way to 10%!! Everyone, please feel free to post
November 16, 2009
mindbodygoal said:
As ever, good post Rusty and yep, static holds = a tough challenge and a good way to mix things up.
I think the thing to remember with any isometric work is the importance of balancing static movements with some full ROM stuff to maintain a good balance.
Jason G said:
Whey protein is healthy-it has a powerful antioxidant. Anabolism is a state that occurs naturally just like catabolism. Trying to avoid either would be like trying to avoid air. Your body juggles these two processes even when dieting. Catabolism is just the dominant process when dieting.
Zlaja said:
Rafi, Yes, I mean whey protein, muscle milk, NO, and other similar products.
Helder said:
No doubt this is a tough method, but it works, i've done it before in the past, and it was a forgoten method, it's a good thing that you brought this up, because for someone like me who's been training at home or park, all variety is well received and needed.
Gymnasts do a lot of static holds, it helps them being really strong, and have that look that we all aim, ripped and dense.
Studio Element Personal Training said:
Myself and my entire staff of personal trainers in Saint Louis believe that lifting your body weight in some form or another is so important. There are several other tools to do so including the TRX System.
DangeRuss said:
Static holds are really good. I love to do elbow levers, L-sits, headstands, and handstands. Amazing stuff. You could also try adding low reps of harder variants like handstand pushups, one arm pushups, one arm-one leg pushups, pullups, jump squats, etc…
DangeRuss said:
Pushing from a headstand to a handstand is amazing as well. I've only been able to accomplish that twice. One legged squats are great too.
November 17, 2009
admin said:
Hey guys..I have to zip through the comments today. Thanks for all the great additional tips. I only have about 20 minutes free, so I am just going to address the questions. I hate it that I can't answer every comment anymore…I kind of miss those days. Anyway, on to the questions!
gus,
Low body fat is a huge part of the equation. Focusing largely on strength with low reps just makes your muscles appear a bit more dense and harder to the touch while taking up a little less space…but you won't be able to see that unless body fat is low. You can do higher reps to build mass and it works well, what I would recommend is to back down on the reps and volume once you get the size you desire. Then you can devote your energy to staying lean while getting a detailed etched physique from years of strength training.
mickieb,
I use to not think resistance bands were a good way to workout until I met several people with great physiques using them to train. The best part of resistance bands is that it is an easy way to work your "pulling muscles"…back and biceps…at home. There are a ton of ways to work chest and triceps without equipment, but harder to work back and biceps. These come in handy…and they also are extremely portable. Great for traveling. I plan on mastering this type of workout after finishing with the BBFFL program.
Zlaja,
If you are 18 and haven't trained much you have a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain muscle quickly without adding much fat. Honestly, just eat a decent amount of food and train like a mad man. I know that it is very general advice, but gaining muscle will come easy to you once you start gaining strength. What you will find is that different people will gain muscle at different rates doing the same program and eating the same amount of food. Most of the time I don't think it is smart to eat a ton of food, but as long as you monitor your body fat week-to-week…just eat a bit more. Nothing magical about Protein Shakes…other than that they are an easy way to get a bit more protein. Want to take a supplement that WILL make a difference…buy some creatine. Hope that helps.
sifter,
You do make a good point. There is a bit of fatigue building here, but the tension generated is pretty insane as well. What you will find doing this type of training is once you are done the muscles don't feel tired at all like typical fatigue training, they feel like they do after a low volume strength training routine.
K,
You can do these, but maybe mix them in with more traditional lifting to add a bit more size. Hard to say if you need any without seeing a photo.
Jeff,
I think a completely untrained person would add a bit of muscle by doing these, but not anyone who has been lifting for any period of time. You will find that the muscles don't feel broken down like high volume mass lifting…they feel energized like after a low volume strength training session. If you are worried than simply maybe do just 1-3 holds instead of 9.
Tristan,
Injuries are tough…I simply don't know enough about your injury to make a recommendation. Just keep the diet tight, so when you are 100% you won't have to worry about burning off excess body fat.
Great comments and questions!
Rusty
November 18, 2009
CR said:
Rusty,
I am a strong advocate of Isometric/Isotonic and Bodyweight training. I have used a Bullworker (1970' era) for over 35 years now with phenomenol results. The Bully Extreme system by Frank Sherrill is the next level and a valuable workout equipment component that last a lifetime.
What is really interesting is the new Myostatin inhibitor "MYOT12" which I am having great success with. By taking this supplement I am getting ripped at a level not experienced before and with incredible strength and minimal bulk.
I will be writing a post on it soon, but right now, I am on the Food Inc. band wagon. I hope everyone gets the word out and learns to vote with their wallet.
November 20, 2009
Tristan said:
Thanks Rusty, quick update: I've done 2 full body workouts since and just dropped the weight down to 75% or so of what I was previously lifting. I'll gradually increase the weight as I feel my body is capable of handling it, I think this is a good approach.. just listening to my body. Mostly compound exercises (bo rows, military presses, medicine ball push ups etc) I'm holding off on the db floor presses as that's how i hurt myself! Cheers!
Sup said:
I love doing bodyweight exercises n usually do em as circuits.gona apply this technique in ma workout.
December 7, 2009
Susan said:
So you can add weight to your body when you do push ups and pull ups with strapping dumbbells to your body. When I was at the gym the other day I saw this guy doing pull ups with a 25 lb dumbbell strapped to his waist, this makes everything so much clearer. Thanks for the post.
Susan
December 9, 2009
Denzel - Genf20 said:
Thanks for this tip. I always wondered how to increase the intensity of non weight workouts, but looks like you can hold the position and that sure sounds tough.
December 20, 2009
Aaron Curl said:
Great read. This is exactly what I needed. I don't know how I didn't know this. I have lifted weights and been around fitness for almost 20 years. I have in the past done static hold workout on the bench press ect. I will be doing this in the future for all my bodyweight movements!Thanks.
December 31, 2009
Michael H said:
Rusty,
Seeing as this is the only Bodyweight exercise post that you have, I decided to comment on this one.
I do not know if you have heard of John Sifferman, but he is a bodyweight exercise kinda guy for the most part along with Nutrition and some other cool stuff. Anyway I thought I would mention him because he's a pretty cool guy. You can check out his site at Physicalliving.com
January 10, 2010
Imerson said:
For bodywieight exercises, the rule of thumb is, the narrower the harder. pushups get harder if you put your hands closer together. Squats get easier if you place your legs farther apart.
January 31, 2010
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February 19, 2010
Non-Military Bootcamp said:
Certainly an interesting concept. I will have to give these Static holds a go over the weekend and see what i feel about them. I definitely like the sound of how effective they are.
Great post. Thanks
April 4, 2010
Janalyne said:
Thanks for the info on static holds…most of my clients are women and in general, the bodyweight exercises are hard enough by themselves that women get a great workout..but this is great to try with some of my male clientele who need a challenge with the bodyweight workouts. People are always surprised at how great of a workout just bodyweight can be!
May 12, 2010
Sandra said:
I couldn't agree more with you. One you max out your pushups or other exercise you aren't doing much for your muscles besides maintaining their current state of "muscle".
May 21, 2010
Hid Kit said:
For bodywieight exercises, the rule of thumb is, the narrower the harder. pushups get harder if you put yours hands closer together. Squats get easier if you place your legs farther apart.
June 10, 2010
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For bodywieight exercises, the rule of thumb is, the narrower the harder. pushups get harder if you put your hands closer together. Squats get easier if you place your legs farther apart.
June 15, 2010
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I use static holds at various portions of my training regimen. I do however, like to use much more than what I'm capable of handling for a very limited range of motion. To me, it really fires the CNS to move weights under these conditions. Further, it keeps me firing when I do my next workout.
For me the static holds vary from lockout deadlifts, to lockout squats, to lockout push press on a power rack with more than 315. The stress alone of holding the weight gets me firing. The limited range of motion keeps me from injury.