Bodyweight exercises are strength training exercises that do not require weights for resistance. Your own body weight is enough resistance to build an amazing level of muscle, and bodyweight exercises are definitely challenging enough to chisel away any extra fat. If you want to build more muscle and burn more fat, then this bodyweight exercise workout program is for you.
The 4 Basic Bodyweight Exercises
- Pull-ups
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Sit-ups
How This Bodyweight Exercise Program Works
You will perform these four exercises as a circuit using a “pyramid” format. That means you will start on the bottom “level” of the pyramid and “climb” your way up it. Then when you hit the top, you’ll “climb” back down. Because four exercises are done consecutively on each level, you are getting a sufficient rest period for each exercise. Additionally, when you get to your top level on the pyramid and start to get fatigued, you start going down it, doing fewer repetitions per level (set). That means you can still keep good form and concentrate on doing the repetitions perfectly.
Bodyweight Exercise Pyramid
Level | Pull-ups | Squats | Push-ups | Sit-ups |
1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 10 |
3 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 15 |
4 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 20 |
5 | 5 | 25 | 15 | 25 |
6 | 6 | 30 | 18 | 30 |
7 | 7 | 35 | 21 | 35 |
8 | 8 | 40 | 24 | 40 |
9 | 9 | 45 | 27 | 45 |
10 | 10 | 50 | 30 | 50 |
How to Do the Bodyweight Exercise Workout Program
Go to the column labeled "Levels." Think of each exercise at each level as a set. So, you start on level 1 and do 1 pull-up, then 5 squats, 3 push-ups, and 5 sit-up with no rest between the exercises. Then you go to level 2 and go across, then level 3, and so on until you get to level 10, or until you start to fatigue, and you feel like you won’t complete the next level of the pyramid. When this happens, you’re going to start going down the pyramid.
For example, if you get to level 7 and feel like you just barely completed it, then you start going down the pyramid again, by going to level 6, then 5, 4, 3, etc. When you reach level 10, you will be doing 100 pull-ups, 500 squats, 300 push-ups, and 500 sit-ups, which should be completed in about 60 minutes.
How to Determine Your Starting Level
The simplest way to determine your starting level on this bodyweight exercise workout program is to just begin with level 1 and go up each level until you start to fatigue, and you feel that you won't complete the next level of the pyramid on any one of the four exercises. Then start going back down the pyramid. If you make all the repetitions, then that's your starting level.
How to Progress on this Bodyweight Exercise Workout Program
You are ready to progress on this bodyweight exercise workout program when you can complete all the repetitions at a particular level or half-level with perfect form without needing to pause or rest to complete any set. When you can do that, move to the next half-level, which only adds one set per exercise. If you went straight to level 6, you would be adding two sets, which is too much.
For example, if you started at level 5, your maximum repetitions would be 5 pull-ups, 25 squats, 15 push-ups, and 25 sit-ups. Your next level is not level 6. It's doing level 5 twice. When you can complete all those sets, then you move to level 6.
Moving up a half-level every 2-4 weeks would be excellent progress if you do the program three times a week. Reaching level 7, which is just about one-half the maximum repetitions at level 10, would be a challenging goal to begin with.
If you can follow simple instructions, then you can build a HEALTHY, HIGH-PERFORMANCE, ATTRACTIVE body in the comfort of your own home using ONLY bodyweight exercises. To discover the REAL reason you've failed to reach your fitness, fat loss and physique-building goals (and what you can do about it), click here!
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