Bodyweight Warrior Podcast: Recent Episodes
Tom Merrick
Exploring the depths of bodyweight movement, mobility and flexibility practice, nutrition and living life holistically.
failing to prepare...Is preparing to fail. This recipe has been my go-to weekly bulk cook for the past couple of years. Great for busy periods or if you’d rather not cook fresh meals every evening.
I want to start by stating that I am no expert on Italian cuisine and this is likely a butchering of spaghetti bolognese. But I don’t care. Combining beef and rosemary in a tomato sauce can’t go wrong, especially when a little cheese is involved.
This recipe is based on 1kg of ground beef so adjust ratios as needed. I usually cook 1-1.5kg of meat at one time, equating to 4-6 meals (50-60g protein per meal). This will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze for 3-6 months.
Servings: 2+Prep Time: 10 MinuteCook Time: 50 Minutes Ingredients (per 1kg meat):* 1kg ground beef (5-15% fat) * 75g streaky bacon / lardons * 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil * 2-4 garlic cloves * 2 red onions * 2 carrots * 1 celery stalk (optional) * 150g fresh tomatoes (cherry preferred) * 400g chopped tomatoes * 1 tbsp tomato pureé * 1 chicken stock pot
Herbs/Spices:* 2-4 sprigs fresh rosemary * 1-2 tsp oregano * 1 tsp paprika * Salt & pepper
Optional:* 1 chilli (if you like spice) * 10-20g dark chocolate
Method: Prepare all the fresh ingredients. Dice the onions, carrots and celery (if using) finely, along with the garlic and rosemary. If you’re feeling lazy, place all of these ingredients (minus rosemary) into a blender and pulse until diced but not pureed.
Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat then add the bacon, garlic, onions, carrots and celery (if using). Let the bacon crisp up and onions go slightly translucent, usually 5 mins.
Add the ground beef and salt to taste (you can always add more later). Brown the meat, breaking up any lumps and stirring occasionally. Whilst this is happening, dice the fresh tomatoes into chunks.
Add canned tomatoes, tomato pureé and stock cube to the pan and mix until even. Leave for a few minutes then add the fresh tomatoes, rosemary and dried spices to the pan. Stir and combine well. Other fresh vegetables can be added too depending on how much sacrilege you are prepared to commit. Bell peppers are great and even butternut squash if you dare.
Stir and ensure everything is combined and ready to stew. Leave on low to simmer for 15-20 minutes minimum, lid off if you prefer a thicker sauce. This can be left for 60-90 minutes or longer but place a lid on to avoid reducing too much. If you’re using dark chocolate or chilli, stir in 5 minutes before serving.
I personally serve this with white rice as it is my carb of choice (hypoallergenic, easy digestion etc). It is also very good with roasted potatoes or pasta of choice. Alternatively, if you’re adhering to a low-carb diet, enjoy it on its own. Top with grated parmesan and chopped basil for extra decadence.
I think of this recipe as a base. There are many modifications and combinations that it can be used with. Enjoy and experiment :)
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This routine has a slightly different focus to the other follow along routines I have created before as it is the longest one I have created. It is a full-body active flexibility routine that helps strengthen as well as stretch.
You can download a free PDF sheet summarising the routine if you need an offline reminder, just click the button below.
Download Now Donate & Support Tom or just watch the full follow along routine on YouTube.
Join me in this new season of training and follow the same program for the next 12 weeks. This program will be split into 3 phases, each last 4 weeks long, working on the basics on bodyweight strength and flexibility.
This program is based off the “ESSENTIALS” program available in my app. Whether you want to build strength, increase flexibility or learn to handstand there is a program for you.
Find out more The Program Download Phase 1 Download phase 2 DOWNLOAD PHASE 3 2-0-1-0 ExplainedTempo is the one point of the program that may require explanation. It is crucial for us to perform exercises with the right intent and quality to maximise progress. Watch this video for full details.
Emmet Louis is a renowned flexibility and movement coach, known for his Modern Methods of Mobility system. He integrates principles from various disciplines like gymnastics and martial arts to help people express their physical potential. Emmet is both a friend and mentor who I have learnt a lot from through the years and I am excited to share this conversation with you.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmetlouis/
Website: https://emmetlouis.com/
YouTube: @EmmetLouisM3
David McGettigan is a pain and movement specialist focused on restoring the bodies ability to move freely and overcome chronic issues. Drawing from his education of sports rehabilitation, anatomy in motion, PDTR and more, we discuss the response to pain, pain and injuries, the psychology of injury, lifestyle habits and more.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/painandmovementspecialist/
Website: https://davidmcgettiganclinic.com/
Rhys McClenaghan is an artistic gymnast competing internationally for both Northern Ireland and Ireland. He is a double world champion on pommel horse, having won gold in 2022 and 2023, the first Irish artistic gymnast ever to win world championship gold. We catch up with Rhys as he prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics to complete his collection of gold medals.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhysmcc1/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RhysMcclenaghanGymnast
"Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement." - james clearThis routine is about compounding in two ways. First, we’re stacking multiple methods together to get a great overall effect on our health and fitness. These include:
- Getting outdoors in nature
- Increasing daily acitivty and step count
- Training aerobic energy system
- Getting stronger and building muscle
- Improving range of motion
- Breath work and mindfullness
Second, we’re doing something to improve every day habits and these small efforts add up to big changes (compound) over time.
Use this as your main training if you want to build general health and fitness or as active recovery to complement your main training program.
***FULL BODY***As a beginner, full body is the best way to go. Tempo intervals are used to build fitness and work towards continuous cardiac output. Strength focuses on the basics push, pull and legs. Flexibility targets overhead, squat and hamstrings.
FREQUENCY4-6x per week is a great option and can be performed in an alternating ABA method.
GOALS10-12 bodyweight rows and push-ups with a slow, controlled tempo
This can equally work for more advanced athletes as a “greasing the groove” to increase total volume at low intensity and aid in recovery.
Upper + lowerIf you have a higher level of strength and fitness, upper lower might be preferred but fully body is still very effective. Cardiac output is used as fitness levels should be able to manage 10-20 minutes of continuous effort. Strength training can be progressed more intensly but still on basics like chin-ups. Flexibility is now specific to the day of training.
FREQUENCY4-6x per week is a great option and can be performed in an alternating ABA method.
GOALS10-12 chin-ups and pike pushiups with a slow, controlled tempo
***Summary***This workout is a fantastic option to build fitness when you have minimal time and equipment, working it into existing daily habits such as walking.
I would argue that this is a great general health and fitness approach if you just want to feel strong and move better regardless of time and equipment.
I regularly use this workout as a grease the groove in addition to my normal training. It helps me maintain fitness and volume at a low intensity to improve recovery and complement my main training.
If you want to take your strength and flexibility training up a notch then access all my programs in app! Members additionally get support and advice via the forum to help your training stay the course.
Learn more Get The App
You can download a free PDF sheet summarising the routine if you need an offline reminder, just click the button below.
Download PDF Now Donate & Support Tom or watch the full follow along routine on YouTube.
Morgan Rose Moroney is an Australian National gymnast turned fitness model. She shares her acrobatics, handstands and training to inspire people to move, learn new skills, and have fun training.
Instagram: https://instagram.com/morganrosemoroney/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MorganRoseMoroney
Erdi Babili aka Learning To Human is a coach helping people across the world working on handstands, bodyweight strength, and flexibility. With over a decade of experience training people, Erdi focuses on practical advice that is tried and tested to give results to all abilities.
“If you don't have a consistent goal in life, you can't live it in a consistent way.” - Marcus AureliusDeveloping strength and flexibility is in my opinion an essential component to anyone’s physical practice. It will improve your health, both mentally and physically, allowing you to keep moving freely into old age. It can appear online if you’re not committing 4,5,6 days a week then you’re not doing enough to reap the benefits but this is the furthest from the truth; something is absolutely better than nothing. Whilst we can delve deeper into the rabbit hole and explore the different goals our body is capable of, it is important not to lose sight of the bigger picture; we do it consistently.
GeneralAs a beginner or starting training following a break, improving a broad base of strength and conditioning should be the primary focus. In the context of bodyweight training, getting flexible or just feeling strong and healthy for everyday life; this is where I’d start.
FREQUENCY1-3x per week is plenty for the type of workouts provided. Less is always more when starting, this is about long-term consistency. You can always add more training when fitness and recovery improves.
GOALS6 chin ups, 6 dips, deep squat, wall angel, fingers to floor pike
These goals are a good level of strength and flexibility, not basic. Unless you have more advanced goals, this ability will be more than enough to have you covered for most of life’s activities.
“IF A MAN KNOWS NOT TO WHICH PORT HE SAILS, NO WIND IS FAVORABLE.” - SENECA SPECIFICOnce we have a broad base of strength and conditioning, it is natural to apply specificity and work on loftier goals. For bodyweight training, these are Planche, Front Lever, Handstand Push Up, and One Arm Chin Up. For flexibility, these are Pike, Bridge, Front Split, Pancake, and Middle Split.
All of these moves are impressive in their own right and will likely take years to complete. It is important to pay attention to progress and celebrate the small wins so you stay on track towards those goals.
FREQUENCY1-2x per week is sufficient for focused strength work. It is common to think more is better but unless the goal is skill oriented, such as the handstand, then there will be fatigue and required recovery from these sessions. These workouts may benefit from additional “grease the groove” style work done on rest days at a low intensity but working the movements or positions that are the goals.
SummaryThis advice, and workouts, are intended as a middle path. They will have you covered at the basics but leave room to venture off on whatever practice peaks your interest on the way. Physical practice is essential but we’re not athletes, there will be peaks and troughs throughout our life. When there is less capacity, focus on staying healthy and doing the basics. When there is more, see what your body is capable of!
If you’re still feeling stuck and need extra guidance towards your strength and flexibility goals then access all my programs in the app! Members additionally get support and advice via the forum to help your training stay the course.
Learn more
Get The App
Adam Sinicki aka The Bioneer is dedicated to human performance: going beyond fitness and functionality to become super functional. He creates video essays focusing on functional training, brain training, productivity, the human body, and more. Adam's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBioneer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebioneer/ Website: https://www.thebioneer.com/
From simply being able to touch your toes to mastering the pike and the pancake, great hamstring flexibility is the goal of many trainees but most don’t make progress or end up injured.This guide will take you through the steps needed to make progress in these positions. I’ll also share a link at the bottom that will take you through these steps in a handy YouTube video if you prefer to learn and follow-on that way.
**STEP 1: THE PIKE AND PANCAKE BASICS****To address the pike and pancake positions, I first need to touch on the topic of hamstring flexibility, and the potential reasons why you aren't making the best of gains in that range of motion**.
Let’s start by going through some common mistakes.
Use stretches that work!
STEP 2: COMMON MISTAKESBefore getting into some targeted stretches, I want to delve into the function of the hamstring.
The hamstring is primarily used to extend the hips, so think about lifting your leg out straight behind you. However, it's also used to flex the knee (think about picking your foot off the ground behind you), and finally to posteriorly tilt the pelvis (among other things). This posterior tilting is the function that we are most interested in here.
When it comes to stretching the hamstring, I often see people trying to stretch the hamstrings at the end of a session. They bend over, straining to touch their toes and all you see is this neutral pelvis and a massive curve in the spine!
This same pattern is common in those that train the pancake. They'll load up some weight on their backs and get into a loaded pancake position on the floor. All they achieve is flexing their spine...
*A key to developing the pike and pancake is to avoid excessive flexion in the lower back.*
STEP 3: KEEP YOUR SPINE IN-LINESo the key question is this: how do we make sure we have a neutral spine in the pike and pancake?
The first thing that you can do would be to make sure that you are stretching with a neutral spine. By focusing on keeping that spine neutral, you're going to focus the movement on the hitch which is where we want it to happen.
We can stretch the hamstring later on when you get a little bit more mobile and possibly start introducing something like the Jefferson Curl (which is a flexed back position) but for the moment for the sake of this simplicity, make sure to focus on having a neutral spine when executing the following stretches. Next, let’s look at some stretches that build a range of motion that is transferable to the pike and pancake.
*Learn what a neutral spine feels like!*
STRETCH 1: ASSISTED GOOD MORNING (ONE LEG)The assisted single-leg good morning is a really easy accessible exercise for pretty much anyone.
In this stretch, you're going to have your feet in a staggered front-split stance (see the GIF to the right). Keep that front leg straight, with maybe a tiny bit of flex in the knee. Your other leg will be slightly bent and you're simply going to keep that neutral spine and hinge forward from the hips as far as you can go.
Ideally, you want to do this in front of a mirror or a window so you can see your body position and you can see when your hips stop turning and your back starts to take over.
For those who have struggled to get a good hamstring stretch in the past, you're really gonna feel this in that hamstring. A nice thing about this exercise is very progressive - you can move ten degrees at the top and probably feel a stretch on the hamstrings.
I recommend advancing and working towards a 90˚ angle at the hip (between the lower back and the leg) before incorporating flexed spine stretches for the hamstrings.
*The one leg assisted good morning.*
STRETCH 2: STANDING STRADDLE GOOD MORNINGThe same principles carry across to the next stretch; the standing straddle good morning. In this stretch, keep a neutral spine and make sure that all of your flexion is coming from the hips. As soon as you start to flex the spine - that is your max range of motion you're gonna stop.
For both of these exercises you could perform them for about 10 slow reps, and then try to pause for 10 seconds on that last rep in the max range of motion. Get comfortable!
*The standing straddle good morning.*
STRETCH 3: BAND-ASSISTED STRETCHThe last exercise to work through a band-assisted stretch is inspired by Yuri Marmerstein. This is a stretch where you will be using the floor to assist you. It will make sure that your spine stays neutral and that the movement is coming from the hips.
For this movement, you are going to lie on your back and loop a resistance band around the leg that you're stretching, with your other leg just lying flat on the floor. Grab the resistance band and then pull your leg into its end range of motion. Lying on the floor is useful here because it basically keeps your back in that neutral position. It keeps you honest!
Next, you can simply hold that position if you want to or you can perform some reps. To do this, bend the knee to drop a little bit deeper into that range of motion and then extend the knee again. You can use some PNF contractions against the resistance of the band (try and push your foot away against the band) resisting for 10 seconds and then relaxing.
For a progression on this stretch, you can drop your leg out to the side and perform the same stretch but in a position that will be more targeted towards the pancake position.
Depending on what type of exercise you're doing, you can either hold it for 30 to 60 seconds, or you can perform around 10 reps - and then a 10-second hold on the last rep - experiment to see what feels good.
**SUMMARY***That is basically it guys!* If you're struggling to gain range of motion in your hamstrings or your pancake then routinely applying these exercises (with the variations that I discussed) should help you make some solid progress.
Make sure to keep focusing on the form cues (keeping that neutral spine or using the floor) and work up to practising the movements three times a week for a few sets in each position. This frequency (also known as greasing the groove) will help you break through some flexibility plateaus; especially if you're new to this!
If you have any questions just leave a comment down below and I'll do my best to reply. Alternatively, you can join my Facebook group and ask the community.
Have a strong and supple week and let me know how you get on :)
FOLLOW ALONG ON YOUTUBE? Alternatively, scan this QR code if you are heading off to the gym and want to watch along on your phone as you train.
Still Lost? Join the Trybe.If you’re still struggling to find a plan, why not try my app Trybe? There are 8 different handstand levels to work through beginner to intermediate alongside a variety of others working on strength, skills and flexibility.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY TRYBE APP
Here are my general guidelines that will provide you with some flexibility parameters to aim for, as well as pointers to help you work towards more advanced positions. There are plenty of occasions where these may not apply and I will always encourage you to find your own path!Being stiff and inflexible sucks. It can impact our daily activities and also our progress to more specific advanced movements such as the press to handstand. Whether it’s being able to touch your toes or to be able to perform a full split, being able to express your range of motion fully can help you move more freely and unlock the potential to unlock more progress in the gym.
It’s hard to know where to start and what to work on so that you can move better and achieve advanced flexibility positions. In this blog, I’d like to outline the key flexibility levels.
Note: this blog is the sister blog to the bodyweight strength levels blog (and video) - if you want to achieve bodyweight strength then that’s a great place to start. Let’s get into it!
THE BIG 5 POSITIONSWe are going to focus on the bendy big 5, that is the pike, the pancake, the front split, the middle splits and the bridge.
*The bendy big 5 of flexibility!*
We are going to go from basic to advance because like many things - these positions take years to develop fully. Like strength training, there are a lot of factors that go into developing flexibility and some people just simply develop it easier than others. There are also anatomical factors such as the depth of your hip socket that can affect these positions. However, we can all dramatically improve our movement ability and access to movements like the press to handstand.
BASICSLet’s start at the beginning with the basics. When I say basics I don’t mean beginner; I mean the minimum level that I would try to get everyone to because it is going to allow you to move more freely and form the foundation for more advanced positions. The basics involve a resting squat, a palms-to-floor pike position and a wall angel.
If you can perform these three movements then you have a good level of flexibility in the hips, the hamstrings and the shoulders. You can generally perform anything in life outside training and also in the gym. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these movements as for some people - these can be hard enough to achieve by themselves and require a reasonable level of flexibility.
*The basics of flexibility (no dogs are needed).*
1) THE RESTING SQUATThe resting squat needs to be relaxed and we want the feet flat on the floor.
*A resting squat.*
2) THE PIKE With the pike, we want to have straight locked legs but the back can round as much as needed.
*The pike.*
3) WALL ANGELFinally, with the wall angel, we want to maintain contact with the lower back, and the hands on the wall during the movement.
*The wall angel.*
When it comes to training at this stage, there are different ways of approaching it but I personally like to incorporate these movements into my normal training with a focus on getting strong. This will include a squat pattern, a hip thing pattern, a lunging pattern and some form of overhead strengthening.
For most people this will be enough - alongside some specific stretching after sessions at a 2 to 3 frequency per week. Prior to working on more advanced positions, I’d like to see people develop their shoulder rotation alongside and also work on internal and external hip rotation. I subsequently recommend movements such as the Jefferson curls, good mornings, and horse stance squats.
*A sample guide to how I’d go about training these flexibility Basics - during and after strength sessions.*
BASIC +Basic plus is where we would like to get to before we start working on things like the splits, pancake, middle split etc.
Basic plus involves full shoulder rotation, a seated bench good morning, Jefferson curls with 20% BW load and a parallel long lunge, a parallel horse stance squat, and a pigeon pose position.
*Full shoulder rotation, a seated bench good morning.*
*Jefferson curls with 20% BW load and a parallel long lunge.*
*A parallel horse stance squat and a pigeon pose position.*
1) FULL SHOULDER ROTATIONFor shoulder rotation we are looking for around 180 degrees of movement, keeping the shoulders back and down.
*180 degrees of motion in the shoulder.*
2) SEATED GOOD MORNINGFor the seated good morning, we want to see the hips properly rotate which will help us prepare for the pancake. We are looking for the hips to move and the back to remain neutral whilst we get the chest down towards the bench. The knees need to be bent to no less than 90 degrees, although a little more open is ideal. Weight isn’t necessarily important here but you should be able to manage some load in this position.
*The seated good morning.*
3) JEFFERSON CURLThe Jefferson curl really ensures that we have lengthened and strengthened our hamstrings and posterior chain. 20% BW is a good level of strength to get to although you can push this further. Work up to this slowly!
*The Jefferson curl.*
4) LONG LUNGEFor the long lunge you are looking to get your femurs parallel to the floor which involves us getting into a front split position - but with that front leg bent.
*The long lunge with Coach Molly.*
5) HORSE STANCE SQUATThe horse stance squat is the same position as the middle split position but we are going to have the legs in a bent & less intense position. This movement will strengthen and prepare us for future movements.
*The horse stance squat.*
6) PIGEON POSEThe pigeon pose is added as a nice to have as I think hip rotation really does help unlock the lower body. The pose is certainly going to be a net positive for your lower leg flexibility. However, you don’t need to have a full pigeon position, it’s just something to note and keep working on if you feel restrictions!
*The pigeon pose stretch.*
Training at this stage requires a little bit more focus than the basic positions but can be done in a similar way.
Incorporating movements that develop these positions such as split squats, good mornings, and horse-stance squats is going to help you continue to develop your range of motion. Post-training stretches that complement the major movements in the session will really help to improve your flexibility.
For frequency, 2 to 3 times a week works great for most people.
In terms of enabling your progress to the next levels, I would work on strengthening the shoulders, the head, and some bridge positions (if you can handle it). You shouldn’t need to push your hamstring flexibility much more than you have currently unless you want access to head-to-toe. More hamstring flexibility will be gained from training for the front split with minimal extra work. I would encourage you to begin to training the pancake in a straight leg position - usually with isometric holds. *This leads us to the intermediate!*
INTERMEDIATEAt this stage, you should have a reasonable level of flexibility and be able to get into some positions that mimic the end goals that we planning to achieve. We will be working on a full shoulder flexion lift, a seated neutral back pancake position, a parallel front leg lift and active split-holds.
*Full shoulder flexion lift.*
A seated neutral back pancake position and a parallel front leg lift.
Active split-holds.
1) SHOULDER FLEXION LIFTThe shoulder flexion lift is more of an assessment to see if you have strength through the range. At this point, you should be working on something like a feet-elevated bridge position or training shoulder flexion lifts with weight. We want to be working on increasing our thoracic extension so the shoulder flexion lift is a good one to hit!
*An example of a good shoulder full flexion lift is a feet elevated bridge.*
2) SEATED PANCAKEFor the seated pancake we are looking to achieve a 45-degree angle with a neutral spine. This will mean that we have good hip rotation and can then start working on closing out the pancake into a full position.
*The seated pancake. Focus on reaching a 45 degree angle.*
3) ACTIVE LEG LIFTThe active leg lift is great for displaying our hamstring range of motion actively which will ensure that the hip flexor has sufficient strength. If we cannot lift into these active ranges, then you may find that then you may make really good flexibility progress by simply just getting stronger in that closing side.
*The active leg left. Try to keep legs as straight as possible to maximise the stretch.*
4) MIDDLE SPLITWith middle splits, we want to gradually get lower down to the ground. Active holds are a great tool to improve this and offer us a way to measure our progress (which can be difficult to do with flexibility training). Use targets - such as a yoga block to assess how close we are to the ground and what is and isn’t working for you.
If we want to progress to more advanced positions, we need to work more intensely (like in strength training) and specifically for each movement. This means multiple sets, multiple times a week. Two times a week with intensity is a good start, with some more passive work included on other days/ in-between.
*Make sure that you are applying the rules of progressive overload!*
ADVANCEDThese advanced stretches are the full expression of the regressed patterns we’ve been discussing in this article. The advanced stretches are the full pike, the full pancake, the bridge, the front split and the middle split.
For most people - with enough work - the pike and pancake will be pretty simple to achieve. Front split and bridge can take longer due to the time required to increase flexibility in the spine and hip flexors. Middle split takes the longest the achieve - simply because it’s an extreme position that isn’t used in normal life! For these more advanced movements, I recommend looking into my specialised YouTube guide videos (shared below).
1) PIKEFor the pike, I’d recommend watching my Hamstring - Do it Right video on YouTube where I share a breakdown of the hamstring stretch positions and how to get better progress.
*The pike is often one of the first advanced positions to be unlocked.*
2) PANCAKEFor the pancake, I’d recommend watching my Pancake Stretch - Do it Right video on YouTube where I share a breakdown of the pancake stretch position and everything you should be thinking about to make progress week-on-week.
*The pancake.*
3) BRIDGEFor the bridge, I’d recommend watching my Bridge Tutorial video on YouTube where I will talk you through the importance of improving your bridge mobility and how to go about doing it.
*The somewhat unassuming bridge.*
4) FRONT SPLITFor the front split, I’d recommend watching my Front Splits - Do it Right video on YouTube where I share a breakdown of the front splits stretch position and tips for improving the range of motion that you can access in it.
*The front split.*
5) SIDE SPLITFor the side split (or middle split), I’d recommend watching my Middle Splits - Do it Right video on YouTube where I share a breakdown of the side split stretch position and how to progress!
*The side splits.*
SUMMARYWell, that’s it for this blog! It’s always good to remember that there is probably a 12-year-old out there that can achieve all of these positions easily so try not to compare yourself to others. Working towards increasing your flexibility will absolutely provide you with plenty of benefits along the way - no matter how far you get to!
FOLLOW ALONG ON YOUTUBE?Still Lost? Join the Trybe.If you’re still struggling to find a plan, why not try my app Trybe? There are 8 different handstand levels to work through beginner to intermediate alongside a variety of others working on strength, skills and flexibility.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY TRYBE APP
The bodyweight planche is an advanced level movement.
Achieving a planche, front lever, handstand pushup, dip and a one-arm chin-up are certainly top of most people’s lists when it comes to bodyweight strength movements - and for good reason! They are impressive demonstrations of strength and skill, ultimately mastery of your body! These make up my big 5 when it comes to bodyweight strength movements. This is because they give you the best results when it comes to your training. Getting there isn't always straightforward so I thought I’d outline some clear strength levels so you can see a route through to the more advanced movements - each step of the way.An important point to start with is that strength is highly individual. Genetic and anatomical factors such as body proportion, muscle fibre, neural drive and muscle attachments are all going to affect each of our individual abilities to gain and develop strength. For myself, being 6 foot 3 and 90kg with long arms, it’s probably not the best setup when compared to your average Olympic gymnastic that is about 5 foot 6 and weighs only 60kg.
Excuses aside, I’ve seen people knock out 8 pull-ups without ever training for it and I’ve also seen individuals struggle to get 1 pull-up after 6+ months of training. It’s important to understand yourself if you want to make the best progress going forwards.
Note: this blog is the sister blog to the bodyweight flexibility levels blog (and video). If you want to achieve greater flexibility then that’s a great place to start. Let’s get into it!*
*My big 5 of calisthenic strength movements!*
STRENGTH BASICSThe first strength level is Basic and when I say this I don’t mean beginner. I mean the basic level of strength needed that everyone should be working to get towards. Basics include completing 6 parallel bar dips, 6 chin-ups as well as external rotation (such as Cuban rotations) x 8 @ 7% bodyweight.
*The key Basics strength movements.*
The dip and the chin-up are the bread and butter of basic calisthenics and will equip you with general strength that will place you well for moving on to more difficult moves, and also other sports. The external rotation is added as a measure of structural balance but also a protective measure as we move further into skills.
If you are a female athlete you could drop the number of chin-ups to 4 if you are not so fussed about developing absolute strength but 6 is very achievable in the longer term. These are important numbers to hit!
1) 6 X PARALLEL BAR DIPSTo learn how to execute a solid dip, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*The bodyweight dip.*
2) 6 X CHIN-UPSTo learn how to develop your chin up, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*The bodyweight chin up.*
3) EXTERNAL ROTATION X 8 @ 7% OF BODYWEIGHTTo learn how to develop your rotator cuffs and external rotation, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*External rotation in the form of the Cuban rotation.*
TRAINING STRUCTUREIn terms of Basics training, I recommend training full body at a frequency of 2-3 times a week with the intention of building up the total amount of reps completed.
BASICS +Next up with have basics + which is an extension of basics and an improvement on general strength. At this level, I’d expect to see 12+ parallel bar dips with a good range of motion, 12 chin-ups, 10 pike pushups with feet on the floor, and 11% of BW on the side external rotation.
These are great numbers to hit and the level I’d suggest achieving before moving on to specific skill movements such as the planche and one-arm chin-up. Understand that it’s really important to build a base!
*The first two Basics + movements.*
*The third & fourth Basics + strength movements.*
1) 12 X FULL ROM PARALLEL BAR DIPSTo learn how to execute a solid dip, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
**2) 12 X CHIN-UPS** To learn how to develop your chin up, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*12 reps of the chin up demonstrates a great level of strength.*
3) 10 X PIKE PUSHUPSTo learn how to develop your pike pushup, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
Pike pushups help to develop overhead strength.
4) EXTERNAL ROTATION WITH 11% OF BWTo increase your external rotation strength, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*Focus on the rotation and control, not just increasing the weight.*
TRAINING STRUCTUREAt this stage, I recommend switching from full-body routines and adopting an upper/ lower split which could run from Monday to Friday. Not training full body helps us train at a higher intensity, which is needed for growth.
A suggested Basics + training split.
Before moving onto intermediate (which is significantly more difficult) I’d recommend that you work on a chest-to-wall handstand pushup with partial reps, adding weight to the chin-up, and beginning to work on some straight-arm skills such as the tuck planche and tuck front lever.
INTERMEDIATEAt the intermediate stage, I’d look for 5 x reps with a chest-to-wall handstand pushup, Pullups of 5 reps with an additional 40% of bodyweight, a tuck planche negative, and a straddle front lever negative.
These skills are difficult (it’s quite a jump from Basics +) so do take progress at your own pace and understand that you will be better/ worse at different things. Generally speaking, most people hit the handstand and chin-up standards before they hit the straight-arm movements but this is not the rule for everyone. I feel that it’s advantageous to develop bent arm strength before straight arm strength but you can certainly do both at the same time.
*The first & second strength standard movements.*
*The third & fourth Intermediate strength standards.*
1) 5 X CHEST-TO-WALL HANDSTAND PUSHUPSTo learn how to develop your chest-to-wall handstand, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*The chest-to-wall handstand pushup.*
2) PULLUPS WITH 40% OF BW X 5 REPSSee me work on my heavy-loaded pull-up strength in this YouTube video.
*The weighted pull-up is one of the best overall strength development movements going.*
3) PLANCHE TUCK NEGATIVE To learn how to develop your planche tuck negative, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*The tuck planche.*
4) STRADDLE FRONT LEVER NEGATIVE To learn how to develop your straddle front lever, please see my YouTube tutorial here.
*The straddle front lever.*
At this level, I’d continue to work on the handstand pushup, gradually introducing more range of motion by elevating the hands from the floor as well as introducing some freestanding work so that you can learn how to produce strength while balancing. I’d also shift the pulling work to more one-arm work if you are after the one-arm chin-up. This could include one-arm chin-up negatives, archer rows, and archer pull-ups. That being said, go slow with one arm work as it can lead to tendonitis if overdone! Continue to develop straight arm strength, ideally, dynamic movements are your best friend so working on the tuck planche press, stalder press and front lever pulls.
TRAINING STRUCTUREFor intermediate strength levels, I recommend splitting your workouts into BAS (bent arm strength) and SAS (straight arm strength). Legs can be trained separately.
*A suggested Intermediate split.*
ADVANCEDFor an advanced level of strength, I like to see a 90-degree handstand pushup, one arm chin-up, straddle planche and full front level. If you can perform one of these movements then you have a high level of strength - but if you can perform all four at the same time then that’s pretty damn impressive! Really though, these movements are now another stepping stone as the bar keeps being increased over time with some incredible athletes out there.
Please recognise that these extreme feats of strength that you see on social media are the 1% and you do not need to compare yourselves to them - we are all on our own journeys! I’ve been training for close to a decade and I’m somewhere in between the intermediate and advanced spectrum with which I’ve achieved all of the advanced movements at some point but currently, I do not have all four.
1) 90-DEGREE HANDSTAND PUSHUPSee my guide to handstand pushup training in my YouTube tutorial here.
2) ONE ARM CHIN-UPSee my guide to one-arm chin-up training in my YouTube tutorial here.
The one arm chin up.
3) STRADDLE PLANCHESee my guide to straddle planche training in my YouTube tutorial here.
*Testing the straddle planche.*
4) FRONT LEVERSee my guide to working on your front lever here.
*Testing the front lever.*
TRAINING STRUCTUREDue to the difficulty and complexity of these advanced movements, dedicated sessions will likely be needed to achieve them safely and competently.
SUMMARYAnd that’s it for calisthenic strength training levels! Hopefully, this guide helps give you a sense of where you are currently, as well as a taster for what lies just around the corner. Happy training!
WHY NOT FOLLOW ALONG ON YOUTUBE?Still Lost? Join the Trybe.If you’re still struggling to find a plan, why not try my app Trybe? There are 8 different handstand levels to work through beginner to intermediate alongside a variety of others working on strength, skills and flexibility.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY TRYBE APP
Here is a 22-minute hip mobility routine for improving internal and external rotation of the hip as well as squat flexibility. This routine is a good warm-up or cool-down for a squat session.
Alternatively, find the perfect follow along routines for you.
You can download a free PDF sheet summarising the routine if you need an offline reminder, just click the button below.
Download PDF Now Donate & Support Tom or watch the full follow along routine on YouTube.
Here is an 18-minute long passive and active flexibility routine for hip range of motion
Here is a 30-minute long passive and active flexibility routine for the upper-body looking at stretching and flexibility.
Here is a 60-minute long passive flexibility routine for the full-body looking at stretching and flexibility.
Here is a mobility routine that covers the entire body. The stretches are active and utilise loaded, end range and PNF contractions to improve flexibility.
Here is a 25-minute full-body flexibility routine for beginners that will help you get moving and increase basic range of motion.
Here is a 20-minute hip flexor flexibility routine using a mixture of soft tissue work, active flexibility, passive stretching and loaded mobility to open the hips up.
A short hip mobility routine for improving internal and external rotation of the hip as well as squat flexibility. This routine is a good warm-up or cool down for a squat session.
A short flexibility routine for runners with stretches and exercise to improve quad, hip flexor, calve and hamstring mobility.
A short warm up routine for the full body to prepare you for a calisthenics or bodyweight workout.
Daniel is a physiotherapist, calisthenics specialist, and OG in the YouTube fitness space. He's known for his no-nonsense, common sense approach to developing bodyweight strength, skills, flexibility and more. It was a real pleasure to sit down with Dan for this casual chat and I hope you enjoy the conversation.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/fitnessfaqs
Website: https://fitnessfaqs.com/
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Adam Meakins is a physiotherapist, a strength and conditioning specialist, and an extended scope practitioner with an interest in the management of the shoulder and upper limb working in the NHS and private practice in Hertfordshire, England. He's known for his no-nonsense, common sense approach to injury rehabilitation sharing it around the world through podcasts and workshops.
ADAM MEAKINS: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdamMeakins Website: https://thesports.physio/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adammeakins/
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Ever since I stumbled across Jen on Instagram a while back I’ve been dying to have a proper conversation. Jen is a physical therapist, athletic trainer, board-certified orthopaedic specialist and published author. She has worked with many different athletes but most recently she worked with the Chinese Olympic teams in preparation for Rio 2016, so kind of a badass. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to mobility, flexibility, injury prevention and training for performing artists.
DR JEN CRANE: Buy Jen's Flexibility Programs: https://goo.gl/nQHaQF Website: http://www.cirquephysio.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cirque_physio/
LACHLAN WALKER: YouTube: www.YouTube.com/c/LachFlex Instagram: @LachFlex https://www.instagram.com/lachflex/
TYSON EDWARDS: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thetysonedwards Instagram: @TheTysonEdwards https://www.instagram.com/thetysonedwards/
TIME STAMPS:
Intro: 1:18 Biggest obstacle with training: 7:31 Favourite exercise: 12:44 Least favourite exercise: 13:03 Proudest training achievement: 14:20 Biggest training inspiration: 17:00 Favourite fitness YouTuber: 21:20 Why do you create videos: 26:56 Importance of enjoying training: 35:25 What motivates you now: 40:04 Facing fears: 46:30 You can’t fake it: 48:30 Instagram question #1: 52:10 Instagram question #2: 56:55 Instagram question #3: 58:42 1 piece of actionable advice: 1:04:00 Where to find them: 1:09:10 Lachlan’s question: 1:12:20 Tyson’s question: 1:15:20
Ryan is a Co-Founder and the Head Coach at GMB Fitness. After a training accident ended his competitive gymnastics career, Ryan moved to Japan and competed in various martial arts until another injury made him reevaluate his priorities in life. As Head Coach at GMB Fitness, his mission is to show everyone that you can define your own fitness as a sustainable and enjoyable part of your life.
Website: https://gmb.io Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GMBfitness/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gmbfitness/ Ryan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryhurst/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GoldMedalBodiesVids