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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Climbing and Swinging: Amp Up Your Pull-Up Strength!
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Flexed Roll: Roll Your Way to a Stronger Core!
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 […]
The 6-Point Pull-Up: Making Use of the Cable-System Pull-Up Bar
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 […]
The Walking Pistol Squat: For Even More Complexity and Balance!
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 […]
Advanced Pull-Up Variations From Simon Boulter
I’m psyched to bring you this guest article and video from Simon Boulter. Pull-Ups are the basis of our Horizontal Pulling Patterns in bodyweight training, and I bet you already incorporate some version into your own fitness routine. But did you know how many creative, challenging and incredibly effective variations there are? So I’m excited […]
The Hip Hinge Forearm Push Up: Bodyweight Leveraging at its Best!
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 […]
Shoulder Weaving: More Practice for Handstand Control
Perfecting a handstand is a fantastic goal for so many reasons – it’s a great skill, is central to overall hand balancing and gymnastics practice, and makes for an excellent exercise unto itself. “Shoulder Weaving” is an incredibly effective way to improve your balance, control and strength for your handstand practice. So, I’m psyched to […]
Parallel Bars: From L-Sits to Tucks and Presses and More!
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 […]
The Archer Push-Up: You’ll Love This Variation!
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 […]
Intro to Rope Climbing: The S-Hook
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: Strength With a Twist
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 […]
Static Frog with Back Extension: Turning a Classic Exercise Upside Down
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, […]
Band-Assisted Muscle-Up: Master Your Technique!
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 […]
