5 BENEFITS OF BODYWEIGHT BUILT TRAINING
WHY YOU DON’T NEED A GYM TO GET YOUR IDEAL BODY
Like most people, but especially young men I was under the belief that I need to hit the gym hard, lift weights and be in there for at least an hour at a time. Its pushed on us from a young age that fitness=gym time and big muscles = weight lifting. After living with this belief all my life, and finally getting sick of being unable to break a plateau in my appearance, I quit the gym and quit weight lifting.
I already had a strong knowledge base of workouts and exercises to do without weights, but I spent a bit of time studying and learning more so I never got bored and off I went. Fast forward to know, and I haven’t done a regular “gym” session in a tad over 3 years.
- FREEDOM
The freedom to workout anywhere, on my terms, whenever, wherever I pleased. It was life-changing! No longer did I have to fight rush hour traffic after work to get to the gym, or rush hour at the gym for that matter. I worked out on my lunch break at a local oval, or when I got home from work in the backyard, or even down at the beach- there were no restrictions! As I traveled a bit too, this took the pressure off from always finding a gym, I sued to feel stressed whenever I travelled about finding a local gym- not anymore!
2. Results
It wasn’t just the enjoyment of training outside in the fresh air, under the sun that kept me going. But 4 months after going solely bodyweight training, my body had completely changed. More muscle, a leaner physique and I just felt generally stronger! Unlike traditional weight lifting bodyweight training often involves lots of compound movements or movements that require multiple muscles to work together at the same time. Which unless you’re a bodybuilder competing and need even bicep fiber to be bulging, this is perfect and it will get you to result’s- fast!
3. Functionality
Bodyweight training is functional, it relates to everyday life movements. Rather than be locked in position in a one size fits all machine, you work with your body, in movements your body is meant to travel in.
4. INJURY PREVENTION
For over 10 years I suffered flare-ups from a lower back injury I got in my late teens. Since stopping the gym and focusing on bodyweight training, I have not had a single flare-up in 3 years. I believe this is due to bodyweight training really helping to improve mobility, flexibility and also core strength. So many bodyweight moves require core activation, even when the core isn’t the focus. Pull-ups for example, while mainly targeting your back, biceps, and shoulders, will if done correctly and with strict form- bring your core into play big time (non-kipping/swinging pull-ups)
5. PROGRESSIONS
You can most definitely build muscle with bodyweight training. As I have discovered, there is always a progression once an exercise becomes to “easy”. Rather than keep loading up the weights (more often than not with poor technique) something as simple as hand placement can prove to add another level of effort. See regular push-ups, progressing to “archer” push-ups for example.
If you would like to know how to transform your health and fitness without needing a gym, check out my online coaching packages at BODYWEIGHT BUILT . Where you will learn the benefits of bodyweight training and see the changes that come with it!
This article was originally written by me, MATT FOX for Men’s Health Australia Online