THE BODYWEIGHT PROGRAM

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THE

BODYWEIGHT PROGRAM

BUILD STRENGTH WITH YOUR BODYWEIGHT JOSH LUJAN

&

SHANNON CONTRERAS

T H A N K YO U FOR INVESTING IN YOU The contents of this program are based on my own online research and personal experience

— I am simply an individual

intrigued by pushing the limits of my body and finding the most effective ways to do so. Please consult with a licensed professional

and

your

doctor

before

engaging in these exercises. In addition, your results will vary depending on the diligence,

consistency,

and

intensity

you utilize with these training methods.

The goal of this program is to build general capacity strength that we can take into any specific area of training. This means, by taking the time to master the fundamental compounds, we lay a solid foundation to launch us forward in our more specific training goals.

—

J O S H

L U J A N

CONTENTS

SHIFT YOUR IDENTITY

4

PHILOSOPHY

5

WA R M - U P

12

TRAINING

14

A NOTE ABOUT LIFESTYLE

21

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

25

LEARN MORE

28

33

S H I F T YO U R I D E N T I T Y The first step is to flip the mental switch, who are you ? Are you the type of person that prioritizes health and fitness? If not, it is time to look yourself in the mirror and make that choice, to make that commitment, and decide who you want to be. By following this program you are going to become the type of person that takes their health and fitness seriously.

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN

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PHILOSOPHY W H AT T O K N O W B E F O R E G E T T I N G S TA R T E D

P R O G R E S S I V E OV E R L O A D In order to achieve results using

Simply put, the body will not change unless

only one’s bodyweight, “progressive

it’s challenged through increased training

overload”

is absolutely essential.

stimulus — or the greater demands we

Progressive

overload

concept

present it with. This is because, if we begin to

your

grow complacent with our training, the body

musculoskeletal system to get stronger

is not forced to make further adaptations.

by progressively adding more repetitions,

“Plateaus” in training are often the result

weight,

or

of not making your muscles work harder. I

progressing to more advanced variations of

cannot stress enough that if no measures

an exercise. Each week, one should aim to

are

progress in one of these areas.

overload, no progress will be made.

of

incrementally

time

under

is

the

challenging

tension

(TUT),

taken

to

track

and

progressively

D O N O T M O V E T O M O R E D I F F I C U LT P R O G R E S S I O N S U N T I L Y O U C A N EXECUTE PROPER FORM AND SUFFICIENT REP RANGES IN YOUR CURRENT PROGRESSION.

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PHILOSOPHY THE MODEL

B O DY W E I G H T PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD One of the many advantages of bodyweight training is the ability to leverage more or less of our bodyweight to scale an exercise up or down as necessary. Here's how you can progress in bodyweight training:

Choose variations that can be performed in the desired rep range. Make sure to always challenge yourself,

In addition, increasing

while maintaining controlled and safe

tension

form. This means, if less than 5 reps are

isometrics, eccentrics, or when training

performed, regress to an easier variation,

without added weight) can be a useful

and if more than 12 reps are performed,

tool to simulate ‘increasing’ weight

it’s time to level up to a more difficult

without ever touching a weight belt. In

variation.

other words, slower reps = harder reps.

(especially

time

when

under utilizing

- P L AT E A U S If progress is halted in one area, I would recommend taking 4-6 weeks simply maintaining (or even taking a step back and regressing) and working on technique, then working back up. During this downtime, focus may shift to another compound for improvement. This has helped me personally break through many plateaus.

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PHILOSOPHY THE MODEL

WEIGHTED PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD Outlined is the linear progression model that I utilize for progressively challenging my body when utilizing added weight:

WEIGHTED TRAINING PROGRESSION EXAMPLE:

WEIGHTED DIPS:

WEEK 1:

45LB X5

25LB X8

10LB X10

WEEK 2:

45LB X6

25LB X8

10LB X10

WEEK 3:

50LB X4

25LB X8

10LB X10

WEEK 4:

50LB X5

25LB X8

10LB X10

WEEK 5:

50LB X6

30LB X7

15LB X9

WEEK 6:

50LB X6

30LB X8

15LB X10

To simplify, I will either add 5 lbs

Progressing in all lifts or movements

or increase by one rep each week

simultaneously

(the same principle applies if using

(especially as the athlete becomes more

resistance

or

advanced). Choosing a few lifts to focus

For

on, while aiming to maintain in other

advanced trainees, increasing by 2.5 lbs

areas, is often a more practical and viable

instead of 5 lbs can be beneficial.

approach.

bands,

bodyweight,

weighted bodyweight training).

is

not

realistic

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SET & REP SCHEMES In order to hit the desired total weekly volume for each movement, I primarily utilize the following rep schemes in my training (one set and rep scheme at minimum in 6 week cycles, ie. I do not swap between 5x5 and reverse pyramid weekly):

REP SCHEMES:

COMPOUND MOVEMENTS:

REVERSE PYRAMID: 6, 8, 10



5X5: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

ISOLATION MOVEMENTS: STRAIGHT SETS: 8, 8, 8 REST-PAUSE SUPERSETS

COMPOUND MOVEMENT TRAINING:

I S O L AT I O N M O V E M E N T T R A I N I N G :

REVERSE PYRAMID: 6, 8, 10

REST-PAUSE: ONE LARGE SET, FOLLOWED

I have found reverse pyramid training to be incredibly effective for building strength and muscle. After a warm-up set, perform the most advanced progression or weight one can handle for 6 reps, followed by an intermediary progression or weight that can be performed for 8 reps, and finish with a progression or weight that can be performed for 10 reps.

BY SUCCESSIVE MINI-SETS Rest pause training is often effective to ‘burn out’ the smaller muscle groups when the goal is hypertrophy (ie. biceps, triceps, or calves). Perform one larger set of 15+ reps, followed by 3-4 smaller sets of 8 reps with short rest periods between each set (8-10 seconds).

SUPERSETS: ONE SET IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER SET

5X5: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Super sets are generally recommended to be

5x5 training is primarily focused on building strength. After a warm-up set or two, perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions at an appropriate progression or weight.

performed with antagonistic muscle pairs (ie. bicep & tricep). Perform both sets of opposing muscle groups back to back and then rest 45 seconds.

STRAIGHT SETS: 8, 8, 8 I utilize straight sets (when all sets = same number of reps) for isolation movements or when aiming to maintain strength in a certain compound movement.

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PHILOSOPHY HOW TO ACHIEVE GOALS

TRACK YOUR TRAINING To track each compound movement, I simply use a notepad on my phone (feel free to use any app of your choice). Don’t underestimate the power of tracking repetitions and sets each week — this is how progress is made. If progress is not being made on a monthly basis, we need to reassess training protocol (time under tension, repetitions, range of motion, form, intensity, and recovery).

RECORD YOURSELF Filming our training (video recording) is a helpful tool, as we can be critical observers of our form and whether we are progressing each week towards our goals. If you would like feedback on form and progressions, feel free to post in the #fitness discord channel.

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SET GOALS W H AT I S T R A I N I N G A F T E R A L L I F W E D O N ’ T GET CLOSER TO OUR GOALS?

Set a specific, attainable goal focused around an action that can be achieved (ie. I want to do 5 repetitions of a chin up). The key here is to focus on one goal at a time - as the more goals we attempt to take on at once, the more our time and energy is dispersed, and the likelihood of achieving any of the goals we set out to achieve becomes overwhelming and out of reach. This means we may have to press pause on other goals for the time being in order to succeed in our top-priority goal.

DON’T

OVER-COMPLICATE

IT!

Setting small, track-able

(measureable) goals each week, will ensure we continue moving forward and actually “see” the evidence of our efforts week-to-week, and this is motivating!

1 010

W E A R E W H AT W E R E P E AT E D LY D O. EXCELLENCE, THEN, IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT.

ARISTOTLE

11 1 1

GENERAL WARM-UP COMPRESSION & DECOMPRESSION THIS

IS

A

GENERAL

WA R M - U P

I

PERFORM

T R A I N I N G S E S S I O N . R E P E AT E A C H E X E R C I S E TO

MOVE

DY N A M I C A L LY

AND

GIVE

THE

BEFORE

3 TIMES. B O DY

W H AT

EVERY

FEEL FREE IT

NEEDS.

CLICK ON EACH EXERCISE FOR HOW TO PERFORM

DEAD HANG

DEEP SQUAT

1 MIN. INTERVALS

1 MIN. INTERVALS

LEG SWINGS

ARM SWINGS

10 SWINGS EACH LEG

10 SWINGS EACH ARM

( L AT E R A L & M E D I A L )

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SPECIFIC WARM-UP PRIME THE BODY

BEFORE

EACH

EXERCISE,

UP

OF

FEW

SET

BODYWEIGHT PUSH-UPS

A

REPS.

PUSH-UPS

BEFORE

PERFORM FOR

BEFORE

REGULAR

A

LOW

EXAMPLE, WEIGHTED

PUSH-UPS.

INTENSITY

PERFORM PUSH-UPS,

WE’RE

A

WARMSET

OF

OR

KNEE

PRIMING

OUR

BODIES HERE FOR HIGH INTENSITY IN THE UPCOMING SETS.

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UPPER I MONDAY CLICK THE LINK ON EACH EXERCISE! FORM AND PROGRESSIONS FOR ANY LEVEL

PULL-UPS 5X5 OR REVERSE PYRAMID FULL REST PERIODS VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

PUSH-UPS 5X5 OR REVERSE PYRAMID FULL REST PERIODS VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

B O DY W E I G H T R O W S 3 SETS OF 8-12 REPS 60-90 SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

R I N G C H E S T F LY

R I N G B A C K F LY

3 SETS OF 8-12 REPS

3 SETS OF 8-12 REPS

45 SEC REST

45 SEC REST

VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

* O P T I O N A L : S U P E R S E T C H E S T F LY S & B A C K F LY S T O S A V E T I M E .

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MOBILITY TUESDAY UTILIZE ACTIVE REST DAYS FOR I NT E NT I O NAL F O C US ON BODY A WA R E N E S S A N D M O B I L I T Y T R A I N I N G . M O B I L I T Y S E S S I O N S E N H A N C E OUR TRAINING BY INCREASING ROM, REDUCING RISK OF INJURY, AND DEVELOPING OPTIMAL TECHNIQUE. TRAINING SESSIONS ON THESE D A Y S M A Y S PA N F R O M 3 0 M I N . - 1 . 5 H O U R S E S S I O N S W I T H E N E R G Y D E V O T E D P R I M A R I LY T O A C T I V E S T R E T C H I N G , D Y N A M I C S T R E T C H I N G , AND INTUITIVE MOVEMENT.

FOLLOW ALONG MOBILITY ROUTINES AND FLOWS

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LOWER WEDNESDAY CLICK THE LINK ON EACH EXERCISE! FORM AND PROGRESSIONS FOR ANY LEVEL

P I S T O L S Q U AT S 4 SETS OF 5-12 REPS FULL REST PERIODS VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

(SINGLE LEG)

OR NORDIC CURL 3 SETS OF 5-12 REPS 2 MIN REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

SISSY SQUAT OR BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT 3 S E T S O F 5 - 1 2 R E P S T O TA L 45-60 SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

SINGLE LEG HIP THRUST 4 SETS OF 8-12 REPS 45-60 SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

*OPTIONAL: SUPERSET TOE RAISES & CALF RAISES TO SAVE TIME.

TOE RAISES

STANDING CALF RAISE

4 SETS OF 12-15 REPS

4 SETS OF 8-15 REPS

45-60 SEC REST

45-SEC REST

VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

(SINGLE LEG)

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CORE THURSDAY CLICK THE LINK ON EACH EXERCISE! FORM AND PROGRESSIONS FOR ANY LEVEL

HANGING LEG RAISE 3 SETS OF 8-15 REPS 45-60 SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

HOLLOW BODY HOLDS 3 S E T S TO FA I LU R E 45-60 SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

L-SIT 3 S E T S TO FA I LU R E 45-SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

OBLIQUE HANGING LEG RAISE

(EACH SIDE)

3 SETS OF 8-15 REPS 45-60 SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

C L I C K F O R A D D I T I O N A L C O R E E X E17R C I S E S

17

UPPER II FRIDAY CLICK THE LINK ON EACH EXERCISE! FORM AND PROGRESSIONS FOR ANY LEVEL

PIKE PUSH-UPS / HSPU 5X5 OR REVERSE PYRAMID FULL REST PERIODS VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

DIPS 5X5 OR REVERSE PYRAMID FULL REST PERIODS VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

FACE PULLS 3 SETS OF 8-15 REPS 45 SEC REST VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

* O P T I O N A L : SUPERSET BICEP CURL & TRICEP EXTENSION TO SAVE TIME OR UTILIZE R E S T PA U S E T R A I N I N G .

BICEP CURL OR

TRICEP EXTENSION

PELICAN CURL

3 SETS OF 8-12 REPS

3 SETS OF 8-12 REPS

45 SEC REST

45 SEC REST

VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

VIDEO PROGRESSIONS

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MODULAR S AT U R D A Y F O R D E TA I L E D B R E A K D O W N S

CLICK THE LINK ON EACH OPTION

USE

THIS

MODULAR

DAY

TO

S TAY

ACTIVE

AND EXPLORE NEW WAYS OF MOVEMENT IN AN UNSTRUCTURED MANNER. IN OTHER WORDS, J U S T P L AY .

POTENTIALS: 432 MOBILITY CIRCUIT GET OUTSIDE: HIKE, WALK, RUN, SPORTS SKILLS TRAINING MOBILITY TRAINING CORE TRAINING

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ACTIVE REST DE-STRESS

S U N DAY If you’ve truly pushed it hard throughout the week (and you're clearly feelin' it!), take this day to fully rest and recover (only engage in physical activity that doesn’t demand too much of the body). Recovery is important to come back stronger each week. This includes de-stressing and taking time to relax from the week’s stressors and efforts. However, Sunday is also a great day to “actively” rest by doing some light' yin' yoga or mild mobility flows, get outside for a 30 min walk in nature or go on that hike you've always wanted to climb! And get ready to push hard for the week ahead!

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A NOTE ABOUT

LIFESTYLE

Training effectively throughout the week is just one piece of the puzzle. It is equally important to audit our lifestyle and how this is influencing our goals. Am I adopting healthy habits? Am I nourishing my body in a way that is supporting my training? Am I training 1 hour each day then sitting the remainder of the day? Making lifestyle changes such as implementing a standing desk at work (or gaming), or scheduling more frequent breaks, stretching periodically, integrating a daily walk in our regimen, etc. can greatly enhance our training results.

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RECOVERY In addition to our lifestyle habits, we can not dismiss the importance of recovery and its influence on our progress. If we are not coming back stronger week-to-week, we need to assess the possible factors influencing our barrier to progress. Assuming the training protocol is properly met, we must assess if we are supporting the efforts we’ve put into training with proper recovery protocols.

I F W E A R E N O T R E C O V E R I N G P R O P E R LY, F O C U S O N T H E P I L L A R S O F G O O D H E A LT H . H E R E A R E S O M E B A S I C R E C O V E R Y F A C T O R S T O C O N S I D E R F I R S T:

SLEEP: 7-9 HOURS NIGHTLY SUNLIGHT: 20+ MINS OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT WATER: ~1 GALLON DAILY PROTEIN REQUIREMENTS: .8G / LB OF BW DAILY MICRONUTRIENTS: FRUITS & VEGGIES

CHECK OUT THE COOKBOOK FOR MEALS TO FUEL THE BODY!

N O T E : If I’m not recovering fully and progress begins to stagnate, I will intuitively add in periods of maintenance (or even periods of regression) to allow myself to come back stronger in the long term. However, I do not plan these ‘deload weeks’ on a regular basis, as I find the minimalistic nature of this program (3 strength training days per week), almost always allows for enough time to fully recover.

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STRESS & RECOVERY Do not disregard how stress can impact our bodies’ ability to recover. Stressors can come in many forms. It is important to take note of the “stressors” in our lives, both physically and mentally (ie. excess screen time, not taking time to pause and breathe, etc).

Listen to your body. We do not want to overload our central nervous system, as this will inhibit our bodies' ability to adequately recover. Assessing the potential factors inhibiting progress is critical in order to continue moving forward. Although periods of stagnation are normal and expected, understanding why stagnation is occurring will allow us to adjust these limiting factors and break through a plateau.

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W H EN TO T R A I N T H E B E S T T I M E T O T R A I N I S T H E T I M E T H AT Y O U C A N C O N S I S T E N T LY S H O W U P A N D T R A I N .

Be realistic about your schedule, and when you can honestly show up each day to follow through with your training, whether this is morning, afternoon, or evening. It’s best to be specific and decisive in implementing our training regimen in our day, as we are more likely to be consistent when we’ve scheduled it and established a deliberate routine. For example, "I will train each day at 7am, on my lunch break, before I pick my kids up from school, after my morning coffee, or before my dinner", etc.

365

(1.00) = 1.00

DOING THE SAME THING

(1.01)

SMALL PROGRESS EVERYDAY

= 37.7

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SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT CLICK HERE FOR THE EQUIPMENT WE USE

BE R E S O U R C E F U L Although you don’t need fancy equipment

If you do not have access to equipment,

to achieve results, progressive overload

allow your environment to facilitate

in

require

your success, not hinder your progress!

some creativity. In other words, use your

Knowing you can hit a bodyweight

surroundings

workout anywhere

bodyweight

to

training

your

may

advantage!

For

simply using your

example, you can add weight to your

surroundings

exercises with household items such as

freeing, as you do not need to rely on

bags of rice or a backpack full of books.

the perfect conditions to align in order

Two chairs can be positioned for dips and a

to follow through with your training!

is

empowering

and

stable desk can be used for rows.

25 25

To maximize training efficiency and recovery, don't forget to do your dailies. 26

S H A R E YO U R P R O G R E S S Plug in with the #fitness channel in our discord group to share your results and progress with others! This is surprisingly motivating! Do not underestimate the incredible power of community when it comes to achieving our goals and transforming our identity. Success in our health journey has a lot to do with the type of influences and environment we surround around ourselves with.

A community that supports one another can motivate us to not only continue making strides towards our goals, but aids in shifting our identity into the “type of person that TRAINS”. As soon as we begin to think of ourselves as the TYPE OF PERSON THAT TRAINS, we begin to be that person with each choice we make. This takes an identity shift, how we view ourselves has to change!

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LEARN MORE UNDERSTAND WHY WE TRAIN THIS WAY

28

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LEARN MORE REP RANGES

A NOTE ABOUT REP RANGES Your rep range should align with your goal, ie. if your goal is endurance, aim for higher rep ranges. Personally, I aim to train in the 5-12 rep range to primarily focus on strength, while maintaining a general emphasis on hypertrophy. These goals can shift over time.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATION FOR REP RANGES:

< 6 R E P S :

STRENGTH

6-12 REPS:

BALANCE BETWEEN STRENGTH & HYPERTROPHY

12-20 REPS:

A BALANCE HYPERTROPHY & MUSCLE ENDURANCE

2 0 + R E P S :

MUSCLE ENDURANCE

Although there is crossover between all of these rep ranges, if the goal is strength and hypertrophy and you are performing a chin-up for 14 repetitions, it is time to add enough weight where you can properly execute 5-12 reps. Correspondingly, if your goal is strength and hypertrophy and you are performing a weighted chin-up for 3 repetitions, it is time to reduce weight (or regress to an easier variation) to a level you can perform 5-12 reps.

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LEARN MORE OPEN VS CLOSED CHAIN

W H Y I T R A I N T H I S WAY The power of closed kinetic chain exercises

This program primarily utilizes closed chain exercises (exercises where the hands/feet remain fixed while the body is in motion) due to their strong crossover to advanced bodyweight skills and ‘functional strength.' And personally, I simply love the way closed chain exercises demand total body engagement. These exercises build more than strength, they build body control and awareness. Examples include: dips, pull-ups, squats, push-ups.

As opposed to, open chain exercises (exercises where the hands/feet move and the body remains stationary) that are preferred for isolation when hypertrophy is the primary goal (ie. bench press, bicep curl).

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LEARN MORE FREQUENCY & INTENSITY

FREQUENCY & INTENSITY There are many ways to obtain results by

And finally, I tend to suggest avoiding high

tweaking frequency (how often one trains)

frequency and high intensity — as it may result

and intensity (how close to full effort one is

in injuries, and minimizing injuries is critical to

training). For me, the approach that has worked

obtain long term progress.

to build strength is: low frequency and high intensity.

However, if your goal is skill-based (such as handstand), lower intensity coupled with higher

Although

higher

frequency

and

moderate

intensity can also prove to be highly effective, In most cases, I perform

with

low

recommend frequency

beginners and

high

intensity as opposed to higher frequency and moderate intensity, as it can be challenging to appropriately monitor moderate intensities

frequency is recommended. The goal here isn’t to build strength, but rather, to improve at a skill. Similarly, if we are learning a new movement pattern, a lower intensity and higher frequency can also be utilized to simply learn this movement pattern effectively.

levels with a new trainee.

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LEARN MORE VOLUME & INTENSITY

VO L U M E & I N T E N S I T Y Volume, or the total amount of work performed (sets, reps, and weight), can also be tweaked. High volume and lower intensity, medium volume and medium intensity, and low volume and high intensity have all been shown to work for improving strength and size (muscle mass/ hypertrophy). I personally prefer (and have seen the best results) with a low volume, high intensity approach.

A NO TE O N I N T E N S I T Y

This means, I aim for 25-30 total repetitions

Intensity can often be understated. If we

for each movement weekly with high intensity.

are looking to train with high intensity,

These are quality repetitions, full effort,

do not just go through the motions. How

mindful, demanding complete presence — in

do you know if you're truly reaching your

other words, no ‘fluff’ reps.

intensity threshold? If someone were to give you a million dollars at the end of

While

learning

the

proper

biomechanics

(the ‘ins and outs’ of the movement), lower

your set to just hit a few more reps, you should not be able to perform them.

intensity and higher volume is advised until a solid foundation in form is developed.

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LEARN MORE REST PERIODS

R E S T PE R I O D S If the goal is strength, rest periods of 3 to 5 mins (or longer) between compound sets are preferred. A suitable rest period for strengthfocused lifts should leave you feeling physically and mentally recovered to tackle the next set. If the goal is hypertrophy (growing the muscle), aim for rest periods of 45 second to 3 minutes between sets. If the goal is endurance, aim for shorter rest periods. Strive for no more than 45 seconds for rest periods between sets. To increase heart rate and keep the blood flowing, utilize supersets for isolation movements. I aim to train with full rest periods (the amount of time needed to be fully ready for the next set) for compound movements (multijoint movements), and around 45 second rest periods for isolation movements (single-joint movements) for a balance of strength and hypertrophy goals.

REST PERIODS:

STRENGTH: 3-5 MIN HYPERTROPHY: 45 SEC - 3 MIN ENDURANCE: 45 SECONDS OR LESS

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LEARN MORE RANGE OF MOTION

RANGE OF MOTION Range of motion is often a topic of discussion — to train with full range of motion, or not to? Which is better?

The answer is: it depends on our goals.

If hypertrophy (growing the muscle) is the primary

goal,

then

maintaining

constant

tension (stopping short of full ROM) is generally preferred. However, if mobility and calisthenic crossover is desired (my personal preference, and the focus of this program), then training with full range of motion is the way to go.

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FOR MORE FITNESS & NUTRITION CONTENT:

INSTAGRAM: @JOSHLUJAN

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TWITTER: @XARYU

DISCORD

COOKBOOK

FUNDAMENTALS

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