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Bodyweight Al Kavadlo- Get strong

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I am a huge fan of bodyweight training - but...

- big pull is missing. Adding swings, snatches, or deadlifts is a wise thing to do. Training a muscle (e.g. glue ham raises, or back bridges) is not the same thing as training the movement (pulling from the floor).
- pressing something up and pressing yourself up are to very different things. Both are great, and the best results can be accomplished by using both, e.g. handstand pushups and military presses if combined wisely.
- the practitioner will need to add external weight for some exercises to work on strength (and not just strength endurance) - e.g. for squats, pistols included, otherwise the only way is just to add reps/sets.

Summary: 100% bodyweight training for some time? Why not. Best results will be reached combining the bodyweight strength training with other modalities, such as kettlebells, barbells, or dumbbells - applies for strength, strength endurance, hypertrophy, you name it. Justice League or Avengers are stronger than individual superheroes.
 
Pavel Macek said:
I am a huge fan of bodyweight training - but...

- big pull is missing. Adding swings, snatches, or deadlifts is a wise thing to do. Training a muscle (e.g. glue ham raises, or back bridges) is not the same thing as training the movement (pulling from the floor).
- pressing something up and pressing yourself up are to very different things. Both are great, and the best results can be accomplished by using both, e.g. handstand pushups and military presses if combined wisely.
- the practitioner will need to add external weight for some exercises to work on strength (and not just strength endurance) - e.g. for squats, pistols included, otherwise the only way is just to add reps/sets.

Summary: 100% bodyweight training for some time? Why not. Best results will be reached combining the bodyweight strength training with other modalities, such as kettlebells, barbells, or dumbbells - applies for strength, strength endurance, hypertrophy, you name it. Justice League or Avengers are stronger than individual superheroes.
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That's exactly what I think. Also, because the bodyweight movements are indeed different from weight lifting ones, it is possible to do them alongside weighted moves (at another time of day though) without overtiring the same muscles. To me the simplified way of looking at it is that bodyweight exercises are perfectly balanced with you in control whereas weighted exercises constantly challenge your balance and the weight is in control, not you, so you have to adapt yourself to the weight. Thus, comparing two similar movements, like a handstand pushup versus an overhead press equivalent to your own bodyweight, of course the handstand pushup is easier because you start having kicked yourself up onto the wall in a balanced way and then bend your arms, keeping your balance on the wall. With an overhead press, there is no wall to keep you balanced!

I'm still so tempted to get a barbell and start with about 75% of my bodyweight on it, doing clean and press movements and squats and work up to 100% of my bodyweight over time. But, with two 32kg racked kettlebells, I'd be getting probably a harder workout, so maybe no point in the barbell! Anyway, it's time to go do S&S!!! :)

As always, Pavel M., I greatly appreciate your professional wisdom and insight. What you wrote above is very helpful!!!
 
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Interesting thread!

Just to give it another twist... Pavel focuses on raw strength and that is his USP. But in works like beyond bodybuilding he plays around with routines where you integrate easier weigths, sometimes for higher reps!

So I am sure Pavel would agree that keeping easier bodyweight moves in your routine has a lot of value - for example for the joints and ligaments.

For example Super Joints includes high rep hindu squats and also pushups, if I remember right.

Get strong first... and add the rest if you like, for health and fun :)
 
@Bauer Yes! Applies to other tools as well - on variety days, I always take light bell and practice lot of moves and variations. Weighted mobility.
 
I think "Get Strong" is great. I am working through it now, although a shoulder injury may put me on hold for a bit. I like the fact that there is a test at the end of each phase, and if you can't pass it you don't move on. I also think the progressions are very good and overall a great book for beginner/intermediate level trainees.
 
I know this is a StrongFirst forum but the Kavadlos are legit and anything they put out is quality material.

Bodyweight only can absolutely make you strong (whatever your definition of that is) -the history books prove it.

That said, no need to drop the iron if you like lifting.

Many ways work.
 
Pavel Macek said:
I am a huge fan of bodyweight training - but...

- big pull is missing. Adding swings, snatches, or deadlifts is a wise thing to do. Training a muscle (e.g. glue ham raises, or back bridges) is not the same thing as training the movement (pulling from the floor).
- pressing something up and pressing yourself up are to very different things. Both are great, and the best results can be accomplished by using both, e.g. handstand pushups and military presses if combined wisely.
- the practitioner will need to add external weight for some exercises to work on strength (and not just strength endurance) - e.g. for squats, pistols included, otherwise the only way is just to add reps/sets.

Summary: 100% bodyweight training for some time? Why not. Best results will be reached combining the bodyweight strength training with other modalities, such as kettlebells, barbells, or dumbbells - applies for strength, strength endurance, hypertrophy, you name it. Justice League or Avengers are stronger than individual superheroes.
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What would you suggest to someone who wants to combine KBs and bodyweight training? What program?
 
@Shawn
2-3 days of S&S plus any kind of bodyweight routine.
I know S&S gets recommended a lot of time around here, but it's that good for a variety of reasons.
For a bodyweight routine you're missing a big pull/posterior chain movement and power movements (as long as you're not doing something like plyo pushups and jumping squats, both not common in the bodyweight routines I know).
The swings in S&S fill that gap perfectly.
TGUs with their need for tension while moving your body through various planes and the strenght and mobility they require and build are a good addition to any routine.
 
Shawn said:
What would you suggest to someone who wants to combine KBs and bodyweight training? What program?
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Dan John says in this piece (Pull Ups) if all you did was pull ups and swings or goblet squats you would be doing pretty well.

For me, bodyweight is the main focus and interest with exactly those two moves added (and some farmers walks) for some weighted work on rotation.

Simple it is, easy it is not! ;)
 
I like Kavadlo's "Archer" moves. These are done with squats, pushups and pullups. Also, the elevated regular pushup is extremely good as is the hover squat. For callisthenics the Kavadlos know what they're doing. The proof is in the pudding. Their method does use equipment, which makes it different from our Naked Warrior programme which relies on nothing except our own bodies. There is SF bodyweight, which I'm very interested in, but there is no book for, unfortunately.

I still think SF should publish a kind of "bible of SF" with all the programmes, moves and theories in it.
 
Kozushi said:
Their method does use equipment, which makes it different from our Naked Warrior programme which relies on nothing except our own bodies.
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How so? Pushing the Limits requires no equipment (parallel bars are a plus for dips, but not required). Raising the Bar just requires a pull-up bar (or rings, which can be hung anywhere).

So think of it this way: Pushing the Limits is comparable to TNW. One covers more (bridging, HS work, etc), but the other goes more in-depth on tension. Both are zero equipment (well, TNW requires differently sized boxes for both exercises while PtLs uses archer work as regressions, so really, PtLs is less equipment IMO).

And then in addition to that, you have Raising the Bar. If you have a pull-up bar, RtB makes an excellent supplement to PtLs. If you don't, no biggie. Just do PtL.

So a more fair assessment is that both programs cover training with minimal equipment. But, Al's work can be enhanced through a bar. TNW can be enhanced that way also (Pavel tells you to add a big pull) but doesn't cover it.

Again, if you like your KBs and want some exposure to calisthenics, TNW seems like a good introductory level. If you want an actual calisthenics program, Al's work is a better pick. His progressions go from even more beginner than TNW, to more advanced. So it can be worked on for years.
 
305pelusa said:
How so? Pushing the Limits requires no equipment (parallel bars are a plus for dips, but not required). Raising the Bar just requires a pull-up bar (or rings, which can be hung anywhere).

So think of it this way: Pushing the Limits is comparable to TNW. One covers more (bridging, HS work, etc), but the other goes more in-depth on tension. Both are zero equipment (well, TNW requires differently sized boxes for both exercises while PtLs uses archer work as regressions, so really, PtLs is less equipment IMO).

And then in addition to that, you have Raising the Bar. If you have a pull-up bar, RtB makes an excellent supplement to PtLs. If you don't, no biggie. Just do PtL.

So a more fair assessment is that both programs cover training with minimal equipment. But, Al's work can be enhanced through a bar. TNW can be enhanced that way also (Pavel tells you to add a big pull) but doesn't cover it.

Again, if you like your KBs and want some exposure to calisthenics, TNW seems like a good introductory level. If you want an actual calisthenics program, Al's work is a better pick. His progressions go from even more beginner than TNW, to more advanced. So it can be worked on for years.
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Yes, I own all those books mentioned and have tried out the moves, and I agree with everything in your post.

The Kavadlos recently put together a full callisthenics programme in "Get Strong" which comes to some very different conclusions about body weight training from those come to in The Naked Warrior. For instance, the pistol is discarded in favour of the hover and box single leg squat. The single arm pushup is discarded in favour of elevated feet pushups and archer pushups.

Yes, I agree with you that The Naked Warrior is ideal regarding generating tension, which I happen to find very useful for my martial arts fighting.

For a more full programme for callisthenics, I can't imagine having to look anywhere beyond the major Kavadlo books for that. I don't think The Naked Warrior's lessons are to be overlooked though, but gosh those pistols are HARD! Al calls them mobility moves over strength moves and therefore doesn't include them in his own progamme maximum of sorts.

"Street Workout" is a super good book by the Kavadlos. It is a kind of encyclopedia of callisthenics moves you can do.

Archer pullups are still a bit beyond my ability. Regular pullups are amazing enough. Dips are fantastic, and I luckily had made a dipping station long ago!

I love Pushing the Limits and Raising the Bar. Superb work!!!
 
This thread need a bump!

Anyone who did the program? I bought it earlier today and looking forward to go though it. Also bought Al´s app We´re working out just to support the guy and it happens to be better than I thought!
 
Stefan Olsson said:
This thread need a bump!

Anyone who did the program? I bought it earlier today and looking forward to go though it. Also bought Al´s app We´re working out just to support the guy and it happens to be better than I thought!
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I did it for a month and a half. Overall it was a really enjoyable experience but I got distracted:(. The leaps in difficulties and potential for injury can be allot for some people going from phase to phase. Especially for people who aren't doing more mobility work and movement on the side. I was debating following it again recently but instead I decided to cook my own plan from the Convict Conditioning trilogy. Something to keep in mind is that it is called "A Transformation Challenge." So it gets pretty intense in the later stages.

I love Al/Danny's work and this is the first time we get a set in stone program from them. I think if you want to get better at a wide variety of calisthenics exercises and you have the rest of a healthy lifestyle in check, you'd be hard pressed to find a better foolproof program.

There is a Facebook community page dedicated to the program where Al and Danny both respond to questions/concerns. It's great to have authors that are present, available and active in their community.
 
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