BODYWEIGHT BASICS - Bodyweight Training - Functional Fitness Without Weights

If you have seen the movie "Vision Quest" you know exactly what a pegboard is and what its for. A lot of people haven't though, which is why I'm providing some more information right here.

There are many different styles and shapes of pegboards although the most common is roughly a foot wide and four or five feet tall.

Now imagine holes, about an inch in diameter drilled into this Peg board in the following pattern

O O

O O

O O

O O

O O

Needless to say, the pegs are there to fit into the holes. The peg board is set up so that the first row of holes is roughly at eye level.

Now put the pair of pegs into first row the holes and do a pull-up.

You are suspended in mid-air. - Take one peg out of its hole and attempt to place it in the hole above it. Then do the same with the peg in the other hand etc etc going hole by hole until you reach the top.

As far as the kind of development you can expect, peg board training is a bit like rope climbing in so far as the quick bursts of pulling strength (which makes it very popular with wrestlers and other combat athletes)

This is tremendous for the grip as well as abdominals as building abdominal strength.

Of course, there is a fair bit of coordination needed (and developed)by peg board training.

Then there is the personal challenge of just making it one hole farther than you ever had before...

You can get started with peg board training right here Old School Peg Boards

I am also pleased to announce that we now have a mounting kit
for peg boards which contains all the hardware you would need
to attach it to your wall. (which, by the way, must be stone or
concrete for peg board training)

Labels: Ab Training, Bodyweight Training, Grip Training, Pegboard

One of the reasons I created my new bodyweight training site was because there are so many different and interesting ways to apply bodyweight training into a workout program.

I think that everyone will benefit in knowing about them and then applying any techniques which many prove valuable.

The style that most people are familiar with is bodyweight calisthenics which include various kinds of pushups, pull-ups, situps squats and more.

Bodyweight calisthenics can supplement a workout or, if you do them right, can be a workout all by themselves. I personally like to combine bodyweight calisthenics with weight training as I find that the two compliment each other very well.

And yes, in case you're wondering, most of the same workout 'rules' as far as how to get stronger apply to bodyweight training which should ideally eliminate a lot of confusion.

Now, beyond the calisthenics, 'bodyweight training' can also refer to:

1. Flexibility work
2. Breathing Exercises
3. Yoga
4. Muscle Control
5. Tai Chi
6. Metabolic conditioning workouts
7. Isometrics
8. dynamic self resistance
9. Partner Workouts
10. Gymnastics
11. 'Internal' power (Chi) development
12. Wrestling
13. Ribcage expansion and chest development
14. Military Training
15. Balance and Footwork

And that's off the top of my head. Im sure we will think of many more as time goes on and each one of them will be covered in detail.

Now, one thing that I think also should be cleared up is that you can get a tremendous workout with nothing more than your own bodyweight by there can be certain bodyweight oriented apparati that will enable certain advantages that cant be had any other way.

Im talking about things like climbing ropes, climbing ladders, pullup and/or
dip bars, pushup handles, parallettes, jump ropes, the peg board and more. You can certainly be able to train without any of this, but these pieces of equipment can not only keep your workouts fresh but provide an incredible personal challenge to see just how far you can take it. We have more on the way yet so keep an eye out for those.

In addition to the exercises and training methods we are also going to be looking at some of the ways that these ideas were actually implemented.

For example, did you know that many of the medical practitioners of Ancient Greece wrote extensively of the benefits of wrestling and rope climbing?

Or that the Roman emperor Constantine the Great is thought to have 'invented' pushups as a means for his legionaires to build strength for battle?

Then of course there is the long and facinating history of Indian Physical culture which we have not even scratched the surface of.

All of these topics and more will be covered and it is going to be an exciting ride for anyone with an interest in physical training.

Train hard,
John Wood

P.S. The biggest surprise of the new website has been the incredible interest in
Brad Johnsons outstanding new training book. See it for yourself right here.

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Labels: Bodyweight Training, Pegboard, Training History, Training Ideas