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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 …
Continue reading “Kipping vs Strict Muscle Up: It’s All About the Transition”
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 …
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 …
Continue reading “Floor Pike Push-Up: A Starting Point for the Handstand Push-Up”
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 …
Continue reading “Review: Using GMB Fitness’ Elements Program as Animal Flow Prep”
I’m excited to bring you our first post from our Animal Flow Master Instructor Clifton Harski. Clifton has a long history as a student of human movement, including as a lifelong athlete and collegiate basketball player who also holds a degree in Kinesiology His current position as Director of Programming for Fitwall, plus his previous …
Continue reading “Climbing and Swinging: Amp Up Your Pull-Up Strength!”
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 …
Continue reading “Reverse Lunge Shrimp Squat: Get a Leg Up on Your Squat Training!”
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 …
Continue reading “Floor Conditioning for Front and Back Levers: Training Without Bars”
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 …
Continue reading “The Reverse Hyperextension Elbow Lever: Strength with Full Range of Motion”
The Flexed Roll is a great way to build a foundation for performing a solid roll, an incredibly useful maneuver that crosses many bodyweight disciplines. While creating the GBT and Animal Flow systems, I was inspired by many different disciplines like Parkour, Gymnastics and Break Dancing. As a student of these different avenues of self …
Continue reading “The Flexed Roll: Roll Your Way to a Stronger Core!”
The 6-Point Pull-Up Variation is a great sequence of pull and chin ups that I put together to make use of the typical Pull-Up bar set up you find on most cross-over cable columns. I began doing this while trying to make the most of spotty access to good pull-up bars when traveling so much …
Continue reading “The 6-Point Pull-Up: Making Use of the Cable-System Pull-Up Bar”
The pistol squat is the essential leg exercise for the Bodyweight Athlete. For strength and stability there’s no other movement that compares. The Walking Pistol Squat takes your pistol training to a whole other level. The mechanics of this movement create a serious balance challenge as well as some hip and ankle mobility. Check out …
Continue reading “The Walking Pistol Squat: For Even More Complexity and Balance!”
The Hip Hinge Forearm Push-Up is another great bodyweight conditioning movement that serves as an awesome exercise by itself, while also preparing your body for more advanced progressions. The human body is an incredible network of levers that act together to create movement in all directions. We can change the leverage at a joint to …
Continue reading “The Hip Hinge Forearm Push Up: Bodyweight Leveraging at its Best!”
Parallel bars are an awesome bodyweight training tool for practicing your hand balancing, and this week we’ve got two incredible exercises for you to try out: the L-Sit to High Hip Tuck; and the L-Sit to Straddle Press-Up Handstand. Whether you are a gymnast, bar athlete or general bodyweight enthusiast, Parallels are an excellent place …
Continue reading “Parallel Bars: From L-Sits to Tucks and Presses and More!”
This week’s exercise brings us back to a Horizontal “Pushing†Pattern (ie Push-Up category): The Archer Push-Up, which is a great total body exercise that is also helpful for training for a Single-Arm Push-Up. In most cases if I asked someone to get down and perform a Single-Arm Push-Up (SAPU), what I usually see is …
Continue reading “The Archer Push-Up: You’ll Love This Variation!”
Rope climbing is one of my favorite alternatives for your vertical pulling patterns (after all, you can’t do pull-ups all the time!). It can be extremely challenging to work your way up to climbing using only your arms, so today we’re going to start at the beginning, with the S-Hook. I love rope climbing because …
The Tornado Pull-Up is a great variation on the timeless pull-up exercise. It’s no secret that Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups are one of the best exercises around. Sure, it might be impressive to see someone grunt out a ton of weight on a lat pull down machine, but the simple Pull-Up will always be a display …
Continue reading “The Tornado Pull-Up: Strength With a Twist”
Hand balancing is an incredible practice and a huge part of bodyweight training. Not only is the work great for increasing your shoulder girdle stabilization, but it can also be a killer way to challenge your entire body and improve your neuromuscular connectivity. And, way beyond your basic handstands, the opportunities to challenge your strength, …
Continue reading “Static Frog with Back Extension: Turning a Classic Exercise Upside Down”
The Band-Assisted Muscle-Up is the next step in our Muscle-Up tutorial series, where we’re working toward achieving the incredibly challenging and super-impressive Slow Muscle-Up. Our ultimate goal with the traditional Muscle-Up is to get to the point where you can perform the exercise slowly, without requiring any momentum. Practicing with the Assistance Bands can get …
Continue reading “Band-Assisted Muscle-Up: Master Your Technique!”
The Plyometric Body Row (also known as an Australian Pull-Up) is a great way to build speed and power in your horizontal pulling pattern. The Body Row overall is an extremely versatile exercise that can be used to develop strength, endurance and muscle mass. The specific effects you achieve from the exercise depend on the …
The 90 degree Pike Push Up plays a major role in our journey towards the Handstand Push-Up. Not only is this exercise great for building shoulder stability and strength, but it puts us in a position that closely mimicks a complete “Vertical Pressing†pattern. As I describe below, Vertical Press exercises are central moves in …
Continue reading “90-degree Pike Push-Up: More Stability, More Strength”
