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Other/Mixed Bodyweight for Health/Flexibility

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
JimmyK

JimmyK

Level 2 Valued Member
Good morning!

I am a 24 y/o male, 5’10, 210 lbs, and am looking for a bodyweight only program to address the following (very) modest needs:

-general strength, nothing crazy, I don’t even really care about being able to lift heavy, just my own body weight is enough
-flexibility, to aid in moving well and avoiding injury. Chronically tight hamstrings and lower back aches :/
-enough endurance to keep up with my grandma on hikes. I like the outdoors, so maybe something like running or hiking? Again, I don’t need to be superman here.
-body composition, just trying to trim down a bit if I can.

I have looked at Pavel’s Strongfirst Roadwork as maybe a potential solution as I don’t put much of an emphasis on max strength. Or maybe Yoga can address all of my needs if I do something like Ashtanga? Just looking for some suggestions. I have about 45 min-1 hr a day to dedicate to a fitness/health type routine. The bodyweight only restriction is because I travel a lot, and I like the feeling of being able to just knock out my workout in a hotel room/go right outdoors to run or something. Thank you all for your help!
 
Given your goals, I would recommend Original Strength as a warm-up / body fixer / mobility builder. You can search the OS youtube channel for reset variations that target your areas of concern (i.e. hamstrings). It'll build strength / endurance and let you feel great. You might want to look into Aleks Salkin's 9 Minute Challenge -- it's a fantastic free program based on OS.

For the other half of your workout I'd recommend SimpleFit:

Basic Workout – Simplefit

www.simplefit.org www.simplefit.org
 
JimmyK said:
-enough endurance to keep up with my grandma on hikes.
Click to expand...
I like your goal, there :)

I think loaded resistance training would serve all of your goals, so it's worth a consideration! (kettlebell, barbell, dumbell, sandbag, etc.) But I respect your restriction for travel. Bodyweight strength training is super convenient.

You mentioned yoga - are you familiar with it already? It can be a great routine, but it takes a while to see results or really build strength. That said, it can build a great, functional body. I got my first real push-up just by doing sun salutations consistently, and I used to love this "power yoga" routine.

Pavel's "The Naked Warrior" is a great approach to bodyweight strength, and there are many StrongFirst blog articles on bodyweight strength movements and programs. This is very different from calisthenics. It teaches you to use your body and leverage and tension to really work on max strength using just your bodyweight.

JimmyK said:
I like the outdoors, so maybe something like running or hiking?
Click to expand...
Hiking, or rucking (hiking with a loaded pack) are great options! You can make a hobby out of finding great hikes as you travel. It really brings places to life. Running is great too, if it suits you.

Just some thoughts, hope that helps!
 
I also suggest to consider Naked Warrior. In my opinion, this is the best minimalistic and effective program. And yes, crawling and sprints are a good addition to fully cover all modalities
 
The other year I had an issue with my right hand which stopped me using kettlebells. I found this from Louka



Such a simple idea, worked great for me. Don’t underestimate jumping and crawling.
Yoga is good (I practice weekly). But for me I would look at yoga as something to do on rest days. Also if you are new to yoga I would recommend taking classes to learn the basics with a teacher. Ashtanga is seen as a strong form of yoga, and follows a set pattern of movements repeated at each session. The good thing is that Ashtanga classes should be almost the same wherever in the world you are.
As for trimming weight, that’s more to do with diet. Calorie deficit is your friend.
 
I like GMB Elements.

Bodyweight-based. Emphasis on locomotion for strength and mobility. Some sessions have you emphasize the strength aspect by moving as slow as possible or attempting stalls. Some endurance work as well.
 
Don't get locked into the idea of a forever program or a one stop shop. You can cycle through different things at different times, circle back, etc.

For example - let's say you really go in on BW strength training. You focus on Naked warrior. But on your off days, or as supplements - you cycle through some yoga videos.

Or you find a yoga program you really like and supplement that with some original strength for awhile, then cycle through some yoga and some relax into stretch drills.

The key here is going to be not getting caught with paralysis by analysis and really diving into somethings and seeing what resonates.
 
Don't try and do too many new things at once.
Ensure that you allow for adequate recovery - improvement happens when you are recovering not when you are training.
Some strength work, some flexibility work, some endurance work goes a long way. Tom Furman "Armor of war" is one approach. Pavel T's simple and sinister 2-3 days/week combined with LISS 2-3 days a week or similar is another. S&S does require kettlebells though.
Several of the options mentioned above might also be worth considering but do make sure that what you end up doing is something that you enjoy even if it can be done hard sometimes.
Remember that you will need to vary your training a bit for progress to occur. This variety can be less drastic than might seem needed. For example, varying the type of pushup and\or structure of reps\sets.
 
You could look into the one good rep series of articles from Karen Smith.

www.strongfirst.com

One Good Rep: How to Perform the Perfect Pushup | StrongFirst

Done well, the push-up will give great strength gains and can be done anywhere at any time. But first, we need to make sure you can do one great repetition.
www.strongfirst.com
www.strongfirst.com

One Good Rep: How to Perform the Perfect Pistol | StrongFirst

The bodyweight pistol is great for grease the groove training as it can be done anywhere, any time. But, you do need to be able to perform a perfect pistol.
www.strongfirst.com
www.strongfirst.com

One Good Rep: How to Perform the Perfect Pull-up | StrongFirst

Before we can achieve a heavy weighted pull-up, we need to be able to do one perfect pull-up — and that’s what I’m going to teach you how to do today.
www.strongfirst.com

I've also enjoyed Get Strong book from the Kavadlo brothers if you like something more structured in the classic calisthenics style. Danny was giving the ebook away for free in the related FB group. I'm sure the link still works if you join the group and search for it.

Paired with OS any of these suggestions should get you moving towards your goals.
 
Hello,

In addition to the above, below are other possibilities:
www.strongfirst.com

The Anytime, Anywhere Bodyweight-Only Strength Program | StrongFirst

Just because you don't have a kettlebell or barbell, doesn't mean you have to lose strength. This bodyweight-only strength program can go with you anywhere.
www.strongfirst.com
www.strongfirst.com

Strength Aerobics: A Powerful Alternative to HIIT | StrongFirst

Hard-living types love killing themselves in the glycolytic pathway. But this is far from the only way to achieve good conditioning.
www.strongfirst.com

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
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