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30 DAYS WITHOUT WEIGHTS FOR ULTIMATE

STRENGTH, CONDITIONING, AND FAT LOSS


By Matt Potak
Weight training over long periods of time can burn out athletes from all different
sports. Whether he or she is a world class MMA fighter or your average Joe who
wants to stay in shape, athletes can get bored with not only their current regimen
but with lifting weights period. Most will just take some time off from the gym and
come back ready to hit it hard again. However, others will take longer periods of
time off and become lazy. They lose a good portion of their strength and size and
lose sight of their overall goals.
The best thing that athletes can do when this type of situation happens is to change
up the entire training regimen to make it more exciting. Just to let everyone know, I
love weight training, but sometimes I get tired and banged up. Instead of taking a
few weeks off and doing nothing, I have other options.
Back to the basics
When I started to grow tired and bored of weight lifting, I thought back to when I
wrestled in high school. I remembered that my coaches were big believers in body
weight training. I had old school coaches who would make us do countless pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and squat thrusts. I should note that I wrestled in 2002, not
the 1980s. We had many different types of weight training equipment at my school,
but our coaches insisted that all we needed was running shoes and a pull-up bar. I
remember getting great results training with these types of body weight routines.
My conditioning and strength levels went through the roof. My body fat percentage
also went down. So I thought, if it worked for me, it can work for anyone.
You always see in shape military personnel who have never lifted weights in their
life. Most of them are in great shape and live off of pull-ups, push-ups, and running.
In the old days, boxers never touched weights, and look at the shape that they were
in.
Motions
While coaching wrestling this past season, we had many strong wrestlers on the
team. Many of them lifted all year long, and as the season approached, they got
bigger and stronger through the off-season. As the season started, most of them
were burned out on lifting weights. We had a two-day a week in-season program,
but the wrestlers just didnt seem to progress on it. Most of the guys were just going
through the motions, and I felt that going in the weight room was becoming a waste
of time. I preferred to just do more technique drilling. Thats when I decided to bring

back the old days of body weight training. I wanted to see what kind of shape these
kids could get into.
The program
I came up with this program to change things up for my athletes. I immediately had
them and myself performing the workouts. The results speak for themselves. As a
team, we increased our strength and endurance levels by performing this program
for one month.
Here is the program:

Day 1: Body weight strength day


(Do 23 sessions per week.)

Station #1 (perform in a circuit mode)

Push-ups, 20 reps

Crunches 40 reps

Wide grip push-ups, 20 reps

Crunches, 40 reps

Knuckle push-ups, 20 reps

Crunches, 40 reps

Diamond push-ups, 20 reps

Crunches, 40 reps

Note: Eventually, you should add more reps after a few sessions. For example, do 25
push-ups, 45 crunches, and then a few sessions later, do 30 push-ups and 45
crunches. You can also change the exercises. Just keep it upper body specific.

Station # 2 (circuit mode)

Split squat jumps, 30 seconds timed

Mountain climbers, 30 seconds timed

Repeat three more times for a total of four sets.


Note: Eventually, after a few sessions, you should add more seconds per set. For
example, go for 35 seconds instead of 30 seconds. You can also change the
exercises. Just keep it lower body specific.

Station # 3 (circuit mode)

Pull-ups, 20 seconds timed (if you cant keep pulling, just hold the bar but
always strive for another rep)

Leg lifts, 20 seconds timed (holding the bar, lift legs up)

Repeat three more times for a total of four sets.


Note: After a few sessions, add more seconds per set.

Station # 4 (circuit mode as fast as possible)

25 push-ups

50 body weight squats

510 pull-ups

25 sit-ups

Start with 12 sets. As your fitness level goes up, do more sets. Try to work your
way up to 68 sets.

Day 2: Body weight endurance day


(Do two sessions a week.)

Run at a fair pace. After every 100300 meters (you decide), drop and
perform 10 burpees. Keep doing this until you get 100 burpees. If your fitness
level isnt at that point yet, do five burpees and keep doing this until you get
to 50 burpees.

Closing
This is a program designed for athletes and non-athletes. Remember, you can
change the exercises and make it more suitable for you. Make sure that you add
more reps, sets, and time as you progress. After completing this routine, you will
see that body weight training can help you with all of your goals. If youre bored
with your current program, give body weight training a chance to see if its for you.

30 DAYS WITHOUT WEIGHTS - PART 2


By Matt Potak
In my first article on bodyweight training titled 30 days without weights, I spoke
about the many benefits of using bodyweight training during a training phase. After
the article was published I started to get questions from many athletes regarding
this type of training. Most of the questions were asked about keeping your strength.
Many athletes feared that by not lifting weights they would get smaller and weaker,
in their current sport. My response to certain athletes varied. In the end I told all of
them that if they did difficult bodyweight exercises, with intensity, they would still
maintain or even improve their strength levels. Here is how.
The key is to do bodyweight exercises that are difficult.
Don't just do a bunch of pushups and sit-ups to failure. Doing this will get you
weaker. You have to try things that you can't or almost can't do. Instead of trying to
do a bunch of pushups try to do a one arm pushup or pushups with your feet
elevated. Or you can try to do a hand stand pushup. Below are some examples of
how to keep your upper body strong using difficult body weight movements.
UPPER BODY STRENGTH MOVEMENTS WITHOUT WEIGHTS
Beginner
Pushups
Pull-ups (assistance)
Dips (assistance)
Pushups
Chin-ups (assistance)
Pushups with Clap
Intermediate

Pushups ( Feet elevated)


Pull-ups (No Help)
Dips (No Help)
Hindu Pushups
Chin-ups (No help)
Pushups (Double Clap)
Advanced
Handstand Pushups
Pullups (One Arm)
Gironda Dips
Dive Bomber Pushups
One arm Chins
Pushups (Triple Clap)
LOWER BODY STRENGTH MOVEMENTS WITHOUT WEIGHTS
Beginner
B/W Squats (parallel)
Lunges
Hip Ext
Intermediate
B/W Squats ATG
Pistols
Split Squat Jumps
One Leg Hip Ext
Advanced
Squat Jumps (get depth)
One Legged Squat

Side Split Squat Jumps


Glute Ham Raise
Have you ever seen a guy who can do a one arm pullup or pushup that is weak? I
haven't I used a lot of these movements with my athletes and once they went back
to lifting weights they were stronger. I had a kid who was benching 215 for one rep.
When Wrestling started he got burnt out from lifting and bored. I had him start
doing smaller workouts focusing on bodyweight movements. He went from doing
pushups to hand stand pushups, and chinups to one arm chinups. Eventually after
the season he got back to lifting and on his first day back in the weight room he hit
225 for his new max. He also was at a lighter body weight than he was at the start
of the season. I have also had great results and carry over from these movements.
My bench and squat both went up after my last bodyweight phase.
If you ever look at a gymnasts, most of them can go into a powerlifting meet and
win their weight class in the bench press. I had a training partner in college who was
a former gymnasts and the first time he attempted a bench press he hit over 225
while he was in high school. Most of Gymnasts strength comes from years and years
of bodyweight and event training. Legendary Strength Coach Louie Simmons once
said
"Think about this. How much could you bench press the first time you tried? 200?
300 perhaps? Now how did you achieve that level of strength without ever having
benched before? You did it through simplified training such as pushups and pull-ups.
"
Louie Simmons is correct. His powerlifters use bodyweight movements to help
recovery, and increase GPP.
CLOSING
I'm not downing regular strength training. I think different strength routines are
great, and they work. I just think that sometimes athletes and regular gym rats
need a break from their regular weight training routine and try a new method.
Bodyweight training can help you get stronger. In my next article I will touch on how
bodyweight training can build muscle mass.

30 DAYS WITHOUT WEIGHTS - PART 3


By Matt Potak
The final Chapter
In the last segment of 30 days without weights part two I spoke about how your
strength levels would stay the same or go up with the use of intermediate to
advanced bodyweight movements. Since that time many bodybuilders and
physique specialists have wanted to know more about how you can put on muscle
mass with the use of basic bodyweight excercises. In the final segment of the 30
days without weights I will detail a plan that are for those individuals that are
interested in building muscle.
Tempo
Slow and controlled or fast as hell? What is better for building mass...how about
both. When you look at a Gymnasts on the rings for example. Most gymnasts go up
fast and lower slow, not to mention they use a lot of pauses. So in your bodyweight
routine you must use a combination of slow and fast movements to trick your
muscles.
An Example:
Pushups: The first 10 reps are slow and controlled, 2 seconds going up and 2
seconds lowering. Following the 10 reps perform 5 reps as fast as possible. After the
5 " speed reps" do another 5-10 slow and controlled reps.
Pullups: The first 5 reps are slow and controlled, the next 5 should be as fast as
possible.
BW Squats: The first 10 reps are slow and controlled, 2 seconds going up and 2
seconds lowering. Following the 10 reps perform 5 reps as fast as possible. After the
5 " speed reps" do another 5-10 slow and controlled reps

Pauses/Isometrics
Another tool for bodyweight muscle building is the use of isometrics or pauses to
your routine. The more you can control the muscle the more growth will occur.
Always keep a good amount of tension and stretch on the muscles to keep the blood
flow.
An Example:
Pushups: While performing your pushups do 10 controlled reps and then stop and
hold your position at the bottom for 10 seconds. Following the ten seconds
complete 5 more reps.
Pullups: While performing your pullups do 5 controlled reps and then pause and hold
your position at the top for 10 seconds. Following the 10 seconds complete as many
reps as possible to failure.
BW Squats: While performing your Squats do 10 controlled reps and then stop and
hold your position at the bottom for 10 seconds. Following the ten seconds
complete 5 more reps.
Difficulty
Make sure you are progressing. Continue to try more difficult movements. Instead of
doing just pushups, do Divebomber pushups, or handstand pushups. Instead of
doing regular bodyweight squats do step ups or pistols. If you don't try to progress
in these exercises you will never stimulate muscle growth.
Sample Program
Level One Upper Body Routine
-Pushups 3 sets of 15 ( First five reps slow and controlled the next five as fast as
possible, and the last 5 slow and controlled)
-Pull-ups 3 sets of 10 ( First five reps slow and controlled the next five as fast as
possible)
-Diamond Pushups or dips 3 sets of 10 ( First five reps as fast as possible pause for
5-10 seconds and then complete the next five as fast as possible)
-Chin-ups 3 sets of 5 ( First five controlled, then hold for 5-10 seconds)
-Shoulder Pushups 3 sets of 15 ( First five reps slow and controlled the next five as
fast as possible, and the last 5 slow and controlled)
Level two is similar, but more sets are used with more difficult exercises, like
Handstand pushups, L-Pullups, and feet elevated diamonds.

Level One Lower Body/Abs

-Squats 4 sets of 15 ( First five reps slow and controlled the next five as fast as
possible, and the last 5 slow and controlled)
-Leg Lifts 4 sets of 15 ( First five reps slow and controlled the next five as fast as
possible, and the last 5 slow and controlled)
-One Leg SLDL 3 sets of 15 ( First five controlled, then hold for 5-10 seconds, then
complete the rest of the noted reps)
-Lunges 3 sets of 10 ( First five controlled, then hold for 5-10 seconds on each leg,
then complete the rest of the noted reps)
- Supermans 4 sets of 15 ( First five reps slow and controlled the next five as fast as
possible, and the last 5 slow and controlled)
Level two is similar, but more sets are used with more difficult exercises like Pistols,
step ups, and more ab work.
With this program you should be able to get in a great workout, and continue to put
muscle on your body in the process. The isometrics and pauses will also help you
get stronger using your own bodyweight, just make sure you are always
progressing.

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