By now you have probably read my blogs about certain bodyweight exercises. If you have not, the links are provided below.
I will get right to the point. If you want to get in any kind of shape you need to be doing the Big Four:
There you have it folks!
These Big Four exercises are essential in attaining any kind of strength and conditioning. Mastering these bodyweight exercises will allow you to coordinate muscles all over the body simultaneously. It’s what makes them functional. Plus, they will put some meat on your bones!
You should always be able to handle your own body weight with good form FIRST before you decide to add some extra weight, if not, you will only be feeding into some of your weak links (that means injury further down the line; back, hip, shoulder, knee).
*Weight loss and bodyweight exercises (i.e. CALISTHENICS) have an inverse relationship because weighing less will allow you to accomplish more reps, which in turn, will allow you to become stronger AND lose more weight.
Orange=Body Weight, Green=Calisthenic Strength
If you are not doing the Big Four in your exercise routines, or at all for that matter, then get to it!
They will guarantee great results.
Check out the following video I created with two friends of mine. I put them through the “Big Four Pyramid”. It’s purpose is to challenge bodyweight strength and muscular endurance. They performed the four exercises in sequence for 10 repetitions each the first round, then 9 reps each the second round, and so on until they got to do 1 rep each on the last round. The reps for the lunges were doubled because you are using one leg a time. So 10 squats means 20 lunges.
*Fatigue will accumulate with each round, but it is tolerable by doing 1 less repetition each round.
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. Try it for yourself.
Please review the first comment that was written by Mr. Workout.
Til’ next time!
(Copyright 2011 by Javier Fleites/Mr. Workout. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcasted, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)
Before my final decision for choosing the lunge exercise of the “big four”, I originally had planned on writing about the Deadlift (the so-called “king” of all exercises according to some sources).
My reasons for choosing the lunge over the deadlift are:
-the deadlift can be considered a type of squat which requires two legs to work simultaneously with a wide stance, or wide base of support
-the deadlift can also be considered a full body exercise engaging every muscle fiber in the body at once, while the lunge will mainly emphasize the legs and hips.
-the lunge requires strength, flexibility and balance in each leg individually, and it’s easier on the back and spine than the deadlift
-I believe the lunge is more functional in terms of frequency compared to the deadlift. We use one leg at a time more often than we pick up things from the ground.
*The deadlift will be discussed in a later blog about full body exercises
I would have to personally say that out of those big four squats would have to be number one. This is my opinion and i think that there are others that share it with me. The benefits of having and effective squatting workout in your routine are vast. Anyone looking to become faster needs to squat if they want results.