Kipping vs Strict Muscle Up: It’s All About the Transition

The Kipping Muscle Up versus the Strict Muscle Up: Which is better?  Well, they’re different.  Not better, not worse, just different.  I honestly don’t care which one you choose to perform, but I do have a strong opinion on which one you should focus on learning first.  But no matter which one you choose as …

Hand Maintenance for the Bodyweight Athlete

If you’re into bodyweight training, you’re no doubt spending a lot of time on your hands. And while we might not normally pay them a lot of attention, your hands are kind of a big deal.  In fact, a quarter of the motor cortex in the human brain (the part of the brain that controls …

Mastering the Single-Arm Push-Up

The Single-Arm Push-Up is frequently cited as a prime example of bodyweight strength and prowess. But if you’ve begun the road to mastering this skill you know that it is a lot more than just strength: it requires an amazing amount of coordination and stability. And when done properly, it is the result of dedication …

Review: GMB’s Integral Strength Program

Our friends at GMB have done it again with another great program: Integral Strength gives you a comprehensive program for improving your strength for bodyweight training. And in the usual GMB style, they’ve put together a product that is detailed, easy-to-follow, and fun. I’m excited about this program for a couple reasons. First, one of …

Floor Pike Push-Up: A Starting Point for the Handstand Push-Up

The Floor Pike Push-Up is one of the first lead up exercises that is absolutely essential to master if you ever want to perform a free standing, flat back Handstand Push-Up. Watching a video of a super clean, free-standing Handstand Push-Up is what closed the deal on my transition to bodyweight training years ago. I …

Review: Using GMB Fitness’ Elements Program as Animal Flow Prep

GMB Fitness has created a new introductory level bodyweight training program, Elements, that we like so much that we’re recommending it as the perfect lead-up to Animal Flow. Requiring no equipment, and letting you work at your own pace, Elements is designed to help people of all fitness levels establish an incredibly strong base that …

Reverse Lunge Shrimp Squat: Get a Leg Up on Your Squat Training!

The Reverse Lunge Shrimp Squat is a great progression for one of my favorite bodyweight training subjects, single leg squat training. This is a fairly advanced exercise that will help you in your training for the Shrimp Squat, which is in itself an impressive variation of the Pistol Squat. In the GBT System, both the …

Floor Conditioning for Front and Back Levers: Training Without Bars

The “Pinnacle Exercises” are what we call the most advanced, staple exercises of the Bodyweight Athlete. But just as their name implies, the Pinnacles represent the higher level achievements in bodyweight training- nobody starts there. An entire continuum of regressions, progressions, and conditioning exercises need to be mastered along the way. In this tutorial, I’ll …

Travis Brewer: Professional Bodyweight Athlete

Here at GBT we like to think of ourselves as a “Home of the Bodyweight Athlete,” bringing together multiple bodyweight disciplines, including hand balancing, progressive calisthenics, skills-based training, gymnastics, parkour, breakdancing, bar work, and other practices that use your body and gravity. In my travels for GBT I now get to meet so many awesome …

What’s Up With That Hand Balancing DVD?

UPDATE as of Jan 24,2014:: The Hand Balancing video has now been released! Find details and buy it here: Hand Balancing for the Bodwyeight Athlete Hand Balancing for the Bodyweight Athlete will be released in January 2014![/caption]Yeah, we know the release date on our long awaited Hand Balancing for the Bodyweight Athlete instructional video keeps …

Exciting Movement Seminar with Gold Medal Bodies!

If you follow a lot about bodyweight training, and gymnastics and hand balancing in particular, then you probably know how awesome the guys over at Gold Medal Bodies (GMB) are. I recently had the pleasure of spending some time in Japan, and got to put in some great workouts and all around fun time exploring …

The Reverse Hyperextension Elbow Lever: Strength with Full Range of Motion

The Reverse Hyperextension Elbow Lever is another great bodyweight training exercise that can be performed anywhere without any equipment, which is why I chose it for this week’s tutorial to post while I’m traveling. The exercise itself is a great combination move that increases the intensity and complexity of each individual component when they are …