Over the past few weeks I’ve been getting a lot of questions on bodyweight training and timed static contractions so in this Q&A I will cover a few of the most common.
Question: Why are you only doing bodyweight workouts now? Do you really think they’re as effective as training with barbells or machines?
Answer: My workouts are actually a combination of bodyweight exercises and timed static contractions using either a heavy nylon strap or my UXS bodyweight exercise station for resistance, rather than pure bodyweight workouts. I have a few reasons for switching, but the main one is to be better able to provide effective workout alternatives for clients and readers who travel frequently or are active military and do not always have access to equipment, or who prefer to train at home and either don’t want equipment or don’t have the space or budget for it.
Although I’ve been training people and have taught and performed bodyweight exercises like chin-ups, dips, and squats for over twenty years now, it is not enough to extrapolate from free weight and machine training principles and techniques when teaching other bodyweight exercises. There are significant differences between these modalities, most notably in scaling difficulty and resistance progression, and it is necessary to have sufficient experience performing bodyweight exercises to really understand the differences, constraints, and advantages and to be able to teach them effectively.
As for effectiveness, how you train is far more important than what equipment you use, or whether you use any at all. And, if you know how to perform them correctly, bodyweight exercises are just as effective for improving general functional ability, health, and physical appearance as free weight and machine exercises. I discussed this in more detail in Q&A: Maximizing Muscular Strength and Size with Bodyweight High Intensity Training and Bodyweight Versus Weight Training. As a bonus, bodyweight exercises and timed static contractions are far more space, time, and cost efficient. They can be done anywhere you have a little room to move. You can finish one exercise and start the next as quickly as your conditioning allows without having to set up or wait for equipment. They can be done with no equipment, or equipment which can be bought or built very inexpensively.
Question: How can I make bodyweight exercises I have difficulty with easier and make bodyweight exercises I find easy harder without using a counterweight or weight?
Answer: The difficulty of an exercise is related to the resistance the target muscles work against, which is mostly the product of weight and lever. When you perform an exercise using a barbell or a machine you adjust the resistance by changing the weight. When you perform a bodyweight exercise you adjust the resistance by changing the average lever, which can be accomplished by modulation of range of motion, timing, load distribution, or different combinations of them. I explain how to do this with dozens of exercises in the Project Kratos program handbook.
Another option is to use timed static contraction protocol. A timed static contraction is a type of isometric exercise which involves contracting the target muscles against an immovable object for a specific amount of time, usually in stages with gradually increasing effort. Because the resistance is always exactly equal to the force you are applying, regardless of how weak or strong you are the difficulty of a timed static contraction is never too high or low for you to perform it effectively. I frequently use timed static contraction pull-downs and shoulder presses on the UXS with new clients who can not perform a sufficient number of chin-ups or pike push-ups at the lowest difficulty level (these can also be done with straps) and timed static contraction belt squats with clients who are getting too strong for squats at the highest difficulty level as an alternative to performing them unilaterally.
Steve Maxwell, black belt senior world and pan american jiu jitsu champion, the first person certified to teach Gracie Jiu Jitsu in the USA, and the first American to earn a black belt from Relson Gracie has been using the Project Kratos program with some of his clients and athletes and recently shared the following with me, including his unique method of performing timed static contraction belt squats,
I have placed a number of guys on the program with some of my own variations. All of my clients have had great success. I’ve had several people relate to me that they can hardly believe how strong they feel and would have never believed such a thing possible without weights. The hip belt squat for example. It’s amazing how you can feel the strength and power in the legs from that. Walking up stairs, running or sprinting, one can feel the increased strength in the legs…
I came up with a variation that involves wrapping ones martial arts belt around the waist and standing on the ends. It’s a very effect way to do the TSC squats with no equipment. It’s particularly good for travel.
I’ve had a lot of Jiujitsu guys and submission wrestlers, on the program, tell me that their training partners tell them that they feel like “beasts” on the mat from practicing the TSC and body weight exercises.
After Steve shared this with me I bought a two-inch wide towing strap and tested this out, and found it to be just as intense as the set up I was using but far more comfortable since the strap does not dig into the thighs nearly as much as the chain on most dip belts. Also, a belt or nylon strap is much easier to take with you than a heavy platform and can be used for a variety of other timed static contraction exercises (also covered in Project Kratos).
Question: How can I effectively train my grip with just bodyweight?
Answer: Chin-ups, pull-ups, rows, and other hanging exercises performed for sufficient duration will improve your grip strength considerably, but if you want to focus specifically on forearm and grip strength you can perform timed hangs holding the bar with just the ends of your fingers and thumb, or holding onto a strap or rolled up bath towel hung over the bar. You can also perform timed static contraction gripping and wrist extension and flexion with a bath towel by rolling it tightly then either crushing it or twisting it in opposite directions with each hand, then repeating for equal time with the directions reversed.
This could be done with a length of pipe (I use the dipping bars on the UXS for timed static contraction grip and forearm exercises) but a towel is more versatile and portable. Unlike a pipe, a towel can be rolled into a pad for timed static contraction neck flexion and extension, hung over a branch or bar for pull-ups and rows, and used for a variety of other exercises like timed static contraction rows and infimetric lateral raises and rear-delt flys.
Grip and forearm exercises should be performed at the end of your workout so they do not interfere with your ability to maintain your grip during hanging exercises like chin-ups, rows, and leg raises.
Comments on this entry are closed.
Hello Drew! Thank you very much for all the information you share.
Can’t remember where, but I do remember reading some article about isometrics where author said that this type of exercise will eventually lead to decreasing in number of contractile proteins (actin and myosin). Apparently, mechanical damage caused by “normal” repetitions (and especially from eccentric portion of it) is essential for inflammatory response that will stimulate growth of those structures, and muscle mass in general.
If I remember correctly you wrote somewhere that you gonna make interview with Ryan Hall to discuss this subject in more detail?
Is there any substance to this claim about mechanical damage, what is your current understanding?
Thanks!
Hey James,
There is no reason why isometrics would reduce the number of contractile proteins. Microtrauma can contribute to growth stimulation but isn’t necessary for it as long as you have sufficient tension and fatigue, both of which can be maximized with timed static contractions. When I worked with Ken Hutchins we trained a large number of people using the timed static contraction protocol on RenEx equipment which measured and displayed force input, and people made consistent strength increases on the protocol. They wouldn’t be increasing strength if they were losing contractile proteins.
Just wanted to thank you for the excellent quality of your material & clarity of your presentations.Very much appreciated Drew. My very best wishes to you & yours
Hey Jeremy,
You’re very welcome, and I appreciate the comment. Best wishes to you and yours as well.
Drew,
Thank you so much for the work you are doing to share safe, effective bodyweight training information. I learn something with every new post, including this one. Those belt TSC squats look brutal, and grip training with just a towel…who knew?!
I used to think that bodyweight exercise as something like “how many pushups/pullups can you do in ___ minutes?” a la military standards, which only encourages sloppy form.
With Kratos, you taught me that resistance is resistance, no matter what the source, and more importantly, HOW I perform an exercise is far, far more important than how many repetitions.
With the information in Kratos and this blog, I’ve been able to safely and efficiently build muscle and improve my functional abilities. I cannot begin to measure the positive impact of this on the quality of my life. I’m in better shape than most guys half my age, and three nights ago my wife referred to me as “chiseled.” Not too bad for a guy who just turned 40.
You could choose to be one of those cash chasing hucksters promoting each new fad, but you’re not. You continually return your readers to what science says exercise and nutrition are, which simply points to hard work and dedication. Yet you never waiver.
You’re the real deal. Thank you.
Hey Ops,
You’re welcome, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the results of your program and hope you keep it up!
“Then you will see, it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.”
I do TSC wall sits but the belt squat looks like it’s work the glutes better. Do you have problems with the strap/belt slipping from under your feet?
Wall sits are a different type of isometric exercise called a static hold. I cover the difference between static holds and timed static contractions in Q&A: Timed Static Contractions, Static Holds, and Full-Range Strength Gains. When using bodyweight timed static contractions allow for more tension in many exercises than static holds.
Whether the belt will slip depends on your weight, the friction between your feet and the belt and between the belt and the floor, and the amount of force you are applying during the exercise. If you’re wearing shoes with rubber soles most belts should not slip if the exercise is performed correctly. The belt Steve is using in the picture is a cotton gi belt and would probably work better barefoot than the nylon webbing I use. When performing timed static contractions I recommend starting with a moderate effort and gradually building up to max effort over a period of about ninety seconds. Use a moderate effort for the first 45, a very hard effort for the next 30, and the maximum effort you feel you can safely exert for the last 15 seconds.
I guess I may be confused about TSC if wall sits don’t count. I use graded effort and push against the wall with all out effort at the end, but it feels like a very quad dominant exercise. I’ll probably try the tow strap next workout.
Great article, Drew, as usual. How would you approach the TSC leg press or TSC squat with clients with knee or low back issues? I keep going all around the place searching for the most acceptable effort percentages and varying positioning – 60 degrees, 70 degrees – with a band around the thighs – with no band, etc. There is more control on the leg press because we are not contending with bodyweight and are relying strictly on voluntary contraction. But then the postural position of a seated leg press is entirely different than a squat which fixes the spine into a functionally neutral position. Is there considered to be a most benign position for the lumbar and hip regions? Or in very troublesome cases to forget both and move to seated TSC adduction, abduction, knee flexion & extension? I realize this can be complicated and depends on very specific individual orthopedic issues and responses. But do you have any guiding principles to impart? Your comments would be invaluable, thanks.
Hey Trace,
This all depends on the type and severity of the knee and/or back problem, the overall condition of the subject, and the specific leg press machine available. TSC in the mid-range position on a seated leg press machine starting with only a moderate effort has worked well for most people I’ve trained, though.
Hi Drew,
Two questions about forearm training. The first question is not directly related to body weight. When performing wrist extensions with a thick handled barbell, what is the proper starting position? Should my wrists start at neutral and then curl my knuckles toward my body or should I use as full a ROM as possible and have my wrist be as far below neutral as is comfortable? My second question is doing finger extensions on the workouts that I train grip (using a Ivanko gripper) to train the antagonist. I figure that if you do wrist extensions on the days you do wrist curls why wouldn’t you also do finger extensions on the days you train grip. I have been doing them by place my fingers inside a wide cup and pressing outward using a 90sec TSC protocol. Any thoughts? Thanks for the great article Drew. All the best
Hey William,
I covered wrist curls and extensions in How To Build Bigger Arms. To perform isometric finger extension you can just resist the fingers of one hand with the other, then switch. No equipment is necessary.
I have a question related to this topic. For reasons too detailed to go into here, I am no longer able to use weights in my residence, and gym use is inconvenient; so what I am desirous of doing is setting up a system that will allow me to use resistance from bands and such to do basic movements like squats, deadlifts, rows, chest presses and overhead presses. Is this possible? I see the bands for sale in stores and on the web, but need some sort of outline of how to start.
Hey Michael,
I’m not a fan of elastic bands but they can be effective if used correctly. Watch out for cheap ones though, and make sure they are securely fastened before use. I recommend getting a chin-up bar and making yourself a suspension trainer and performing bodyweight exercises instead.
I’ve already gotten the chin bar, but the suspension training might be difficult – I absolutely plan to get quality bands, though.
Hey Michael,
You can make a suspension trainer for a small fraction of the cost of the commercial ones that works just as well and is safer and more efficient than using bands and can be attached to your chin-up bar. While almost any training tool can be effective when used correctly, bands are very far down the list of equipment I would recommend. You would be better off training isometrically with a piece of thick rope or a wide nylon strap or doing bodyweight training with no equipment at all than using bands.
Hi Drew,
I do piston squats and one arm pushups to failure as part of my HIT routine. However my right side is stronger than my left. So I end up with more reps on my right side. I am worried that should I continue training to failure, the strength difference between the two sides will continue to widen.
I experimented with closing the strength gap by only doing the left side to failure while my right side simply matches the reps. Recently I noticed a small difference in size with my left side being slightly bigger. Since I am not a bodybuilder, I am not too concerned. However I am curious if this is because my left side is being trained harder.
In my case, should I continue to train both sides to failure or try something to else to let my left side catch up? Also do you think my left side being slightly bigger is because of my experiment? As an aside, if this is the reason, then this is perhaps another validation of the HIT principle of training to failure.
Thank you.
Hey Dave,
When doing exercises unilaterally if there is a significant difference in strength I recommend working the strong side first, then using post-failure rest-pause repetitions to match the reps on the other side if necessary.
That being said, I’ve found that with some form modifications it is possible to make regular squats and push ups more than challenging enough for people who do these exercises unilaterally using conventional repetition methods. The basics of this are covered in Project Kratos.