One of the biggest problems with body weight exercises is that its

difficult to make the exercise more challenging. When you use weights
you can simply grab a heavier weight. When you use your own body
weight most people just do more reps. Yet in order to get bigger
muscles we need to do low reps. So how do we stay in low rep ranges
without adding weight?

Answer: Do Harder Exercises

When you choose an exercise that is challenging youll automatically

stay in a low rep range. As you get stronger the number of reps
increase.

In order to build size and strength you must progressively overload the
muscle with more and more resistance. If you lift weights its easy,
right? Just grab heavier and heavier weights as your muscle gets
stronger.

Yet when you use body weight exercises this presents a problem. You
cant make a push up harder in the same way you can make a bench
press harder, ie- adding weight. However, you can make it harder in
other ways by doing more challenging exercises.

The below Body Weight Progression Guide is designed to help

you build mass and strength by progressing from one exercise to the
next.

How should you use the progression guide?

Step 1: Find out your exercise level (see levels below). Try the
exercises from each category and award yourself the corresponding
points of you can do that exercise 12 reps (30 seconds if its a static
hold). Dont award yourself points for exercises below that difficulty
just the exercise where you can complete 12 reps in good form. The
goal here is to simply find your level of ability.

For example, in the Chest Category I can do 12 reps of Uneven Push

Ups. That means I would award myself 7 points and move on to the
next category, NOT points for each exercise below the Uneven Push
Up.

Step 2: Once you have a point value for each category add them up
together. Locate your category below:

Bodyweight Grasshopper: 0-13

Bodyweight Ambassador: 14-27

Bodyweight Warrior: 28-38

Bodyweight Jedi: 38-51 (This is where I am at with a score

of 44.)

Bodyweight Sensei: 51-67

OTHER SOA ARTICLES:

Step 3: Make a list of the exercise from each category that are just
above the level of difficulty that you are currently at and start working
on it. There are a lot of tutorials that are designed to help you so follow
them and continue to build up strength and size by staying a low rep
range.

THE BODY WEIGHT PROGRESSION GUIDE

FOR EVERY MAJOR BODY PART
The progressions are laid out in order of easiest to hardest. Remember
that the goal is to work out in the rep range of 8-12. Once you can get
to 12 reps of a certain exercise its time to try the next exercise.

CHEST
 Incline Push Ups (1 Point) This is a beginner
chest exercise that works mostly the lower part of the chest muscle. If
you are just starting out on your fitness journey this is the perfect
option. You can use a wall or bench or whatever elevated surface you
can find. Whats upTommy Clifford (Hes the guy in the video one
of my childhood friends who now does Iron Man Tris).

Push Ups on Knees (2 Points) Ah, the traditional

girly push up. Although with some of the girls that follow SOA Id be
careful who you say this to. When you put your knees on the ground it
takes a lot of the strain off of your chest muscles. So if you are a
beginner than start here.

Standard Push Ups (3 Points) I think everyone

knows the classic push up. Make sure your back is straight and you go
through a full range of motion.
 Wide Push Ups (4 Points) This exercise is similar
to the standard push up but youll be positioning your arms out wider
at about 1 1/2 times the width of your shoulders.

Decline Push Ups (5 Points) Now we are really

starting to step up our game. Find something to put your feet on like a
chair or couch. Then crank out your push ups. The exercise shifts the
focus to the upper portion of your chest. If you are looking for that
extra lift in your pecs than this is the perfect exercise.

Dips w/Elbows Out (6 Points) Dips are one of my

favorite chest exercises. Find some parallel bars at the local park or get
some chairs and do them off of the back rests or the seat (if its high
enough). Make sure your elbows are pointed out. This will shift the
focus from your triceps to your chest.
 Uneven Push Up (7 Points) Get in the same
position as the normal push up but shift your weight over to one side.
You can either put your hand on an object like how you see in the
video or you can simply shift your weight to on side.

One Arm Push Ups (8 Points) If you have

successfully made it through the 70/30 90/10 splits than its time to
work on the one arm push up. If you still cant quite do a single rep of
the one arm push ups try holding it in certain positions as a static
exercise. For example, hold the top position as long as you can. This
isometric will engage the same muscles as the normal one arm push up
and get you prepared for the full exercise.

Tuck Planche (9 Points) I love this exercise. Its

more of a strength exercise and less of a muscle mass exercise but I
had to throw it in because it is still challenging. You can either do these
on the p bars or on the ground. Make sure that you lean far enough
forward for your weight to be balanced. Also make sure to keep your
arms straight.
 Tuck Planche Push Ups (10 Points) This exercise
is just like the Tuck Planche but youll be doing Push Ups. Try to not
let your body swing forward too much otherwise youll just be doing
the standard dip exercise.

Planche (11 Points) This is a super hard exercise

that relies on whole body strength as well as the chest muscles. There
are moves that seem to defy the laws of gravity and this is certainly one
of them.

Planche Push Ups (12 Points) If you get to the

point where the planche starts to get easy go for planche push ups. It
will take it up several notches.
 Planche on Rings (Maltese) (13 Points) And the
kingpin of all chest body weight exercises? The Maltese. Few people
on the planet have the patience and determination to master this
move. It is very much a gymnastic move but if you have a set of
rings youll be to practice this move too.

Your Score For Chest: ___

SHOULDERS

Plank with Knees On Ground (1 Point) When

you are first starting to strengthen your shoulders this is a great
exercise to start you off. Hold it for as long as you can. Once you can
hold it for 30 seconds try the standard plank.

Plank (2 Points) The plank is a great exercise for

strengthening not just your shoulders but your entire body. Make sure
you keep your back straight so you dont put undue strain on your low
back.

Frog Push Up (3 Points)-Were going to quickly

ramp up here. Frog Push Ups are no easy body weight move.
Youll feel it quickly in your shoulders.

Supported Handstands Holds (4 Points) Doing

handstands against a wall is a great method of learning the
unsupported handstand. Prop yourself up against a wall and hold the
position as long as you can.

Supported Handstand Push Ups (5 Points) If

you have shoulder problems than I would stop with the Supported
Handstand Holds. This exercise will really challenge the strength of
your shoulders. Try to go as low as you can.

Handstand Holds (6 Points) The exercise is as

much about balance as it is about strength. It may take several months
before you can hold yourself without the wall. But dont worry. The
time will pass quickly if you focus on your goal.

Handstand Push Ups (7 Points) This exercise

will take your game even higher. As you lower yourself down to the
ground youll notice that it becomes even harder to stay upright.

Handstand Push Ups on Parallettes (8 Points)

Most people see this type of handstand push up as harder than
handstand push ups on the ground. Yet I actually find them easier.
However, I put them here because most people find them more
difficult.

One Arm Handstand (9 Points) This is the

ultimate shoulder exercise. Just like the handstand it also requires
extreme balance.

Iron Cross (10 Points) The Iron Cross is not only a

brutally hard exercise but also an aesthetically pleasing move. I cant
do it yet but some day I will!

Your Score For Shoulders: ___

BICEPS
 Supported Chin Ups (1 Point) If you cant do an
unsupported chin up than this is a great option for you. Place your feet
on a stool or chair as you do your chin ups. Some of your weight will
transfer to the chair which will make the exercise easier.

Chin Ups (2 Points) Once you can do 12 supported

chin ups its time to work on the normal chin up. Make sure you go
through a full range of motion with this one.

Wide Grip Chin Ups (3 Points) This chin up will

be a little harder than the normal chin up. Try to keep your hands out
at least 1 1/2 times shoulder width. (Note: Ideally the hands in the
video should be a full underhand grip.)
 Uneven Chin Ups (4 Points) This is my favorite
way of making sure that you fatigue your muscle group within a low
rep range. Adjust the amount of weight in your arms so that they are
uneven and more difficult for the arm that has more weight in it.

Front Lever Chin Ups (5 Points) This exercise is

going to be engaging your core and lats way more than any other chin
up. (Note: In the video he shows a modified version of what I am
talking about. My definition of front lever chin ups is where you
actually hold the front lever continuously and still do chin ups.)

One Arm Chin Ups (6 Points) These chin ups are

very difficult. I have yet to master them.

Your Score For Biceps: ___

TRICEPS

Tricep Dips (1 Point) -This is the classic tricep

exercise. Make sure you keep your elbows in tight to your body.

Side Tricep Raises (2 Points) I first learned this

exercise from Tony Horton of P90X. Its a great bodyweight isolation
exercise for the triceps that isnt too hard. Lay on your left side. Place
your right hand on the ground by your left chest muscle. Keep your
elbow tight to your body and push your upper body upwards. Repeat
on the other side.

Close Grip Push Ups (3 Points) This is basically a

normal push up but your hands will be close in. Make sure your elbows
are brushing your sides as you go up and down. Thats the key to
making it a tricep exercise and not as much a chest exercise.
 Dips w/ Elbows Tucked In (4 Points) Most
people know the dip but few remember to keep their elbows tucked in.
This is so important to make sure that this exercise is kept as a tricep
exercise instead of shifting the focus to your chest.

Uneven Dips (5 Points) You know that I am a

huge fan of body weight distribution, right? Well I am. Almost any
exercise can be adapted to make it harder by shifting your weight. And
Uneven Dips are a perfect example. Start off in the normal dip position
(shown in the picture) but shift your weight over to one side. This will
put more of the strain on that tricep muscle. (Note: the video does not
show what I am talking about but shows a normal dip.)

Tiger Bend (6 Points) The King Pumba of all

tricep exercises. I cant do this one but my buddy Hit Richards can.
Check out the video to learn how to do it.

Your Score For Triceps: ___

BACK

Incline Pull Up (1 Point) Get in the normal pull up

position but instead of dangling your legs, place them on a chair or
stool. Some of your weight will be distributed to the chair and make
the exercise easier.

Kipping Pull Up (2 Points) Youre using

momentum! Your cheating! Not with Kipping Pull Ups. Youre

supposed to use momentum with this exercise. This is a fun

pull up exercise that requires your to swing up the bar.

Pull Up (3 Points) Yep, the classic. Need I say

more? Yes, I must. The only thing I want to say hear is that you should
be focusing on your lats as you pull up. Visualize bringing your elbows
down into your back. This will help you take the focus off of your
biceps and put it into your back.
 Eccentric Pull Up (4 Points) Eccentrics are the
Ace-Up-The-Sleeve exercise for building hypertrophy. Use this
exercise to develop a nice wide v shape in your back.

Around the World Pull Up (5 Points) These are

a super fun way of spicing up your pull ups. Make sure that you get as
high and as low as you can. This increased ROM will help tear more
muscle tissue.

Archer Pull Up (6 Points) The Archer Pull Up is a

challenging pull up because you are essentially staying in the up
position. Try your best to do as many reps as you can.
 Uneven Pull Up (7 Points) If you have read up to
this point you should not be surprised at all that this exercise is in the
mix.

Assisted One Arm Pull Up (8 Points) With this

pull up you are using mostly one arm to get up. You grab the bar with
one hand than grab your wrist/forearm with the other. You then pull
yourself all the way up.

One Arm Pull Up (9 Points) This is just like the

one arm chin up except you will have an overhand grip and not an
underhand grip.

Your Score For Back: ___

CORE

Crunches (1 Point) I think most people know the

crunch. Make sure your shoulders dont touch the ground and try to
curl just your abs. Dont engage your hip flexors by coming all the way
up like a sit up.

Sit Ups (2 Points) Sit Ups are only slightly harder

than a crunch because you are coming all the way up. Make sure to not
let your shoulders touch the ground.

Leg Lifts (3 Points) Our old grade school football

coach made us do these until we were blue in the face. Try to get at
least 5 and move on.
 Flutter Kicks (4 Points) This exercise will work
both your abdominal region and hip flexors.

V Ups (5 Points) Start off by laying on the ground

with your arms extended above you. Lift your arms and legs
simultaneously. Then come back down.

Hanging Sit Ups (6 Points) It will probably be

hard to find a non-gym place to do these. Yet my friend and I used to
do them off the back of bleachers.
 Windshield Wipers (7 Points) This exercise is
just like hanging leg raise however you will be bringing them down on
each side like the windshield wipers of your car.

Hanging Leg Raises (8 Points) Hang from a bar

and lift your legs up as high as you can. My buddy Pavil will show you
how in the video.

L Sit (9 Points) I do these on the p bars all the time.

You can do them on the ground though too. Make sure your arms are
locked and your legs are as straight as you can get them.
 Dragon Flag (10 Points) Remember Rocky
cranking out dragon flags? This move is a KILLER for the abs! Gotta
try these.

Front Lever (11 Points) Im still working on

holding my front lever but can do about 10 reps of moving in and out
of them. This exercise works the core a ton but also works the lats.

Ab Flutters for Men (12 Points) Our good

oldHannibal for King brings us this exercise. It sure isnt easy.

Human Flag (13 Points) The Human Flag works

the core and shoulders a ton. I cant do them yet but it is certainly on
my list! Honestly, I could have just as easily added this exercise to the
shoulder section but decided to put them here.

Your Score For Core: ___

LEGS

Hindu Squats (1 Point) I learned this exercise

originally from Matt Furey. He had his Core 3 which are Hindu
Squats, Hindu Push Ups and the Bridge.

Bear Squats (2 Points) I made this exercise up

awhile ago. It will really start to burn your legs quickly if you do them
right.
 Wall Sit (3 Points) Do you remember your gym
teacher telling you to do these? I remember being tortured by ours
because he would make us do wall sits for what seemed like forever.

Karate Lunges (4 Points) This exercise is part of

my 3 Month Program and is a killer. Make sure that you totally
fatigue on one leg before you move to the next.

Falling Tower (5 Points) Some people say you

cant isolate certain leg muscles using just body weight exercises.
Well, this exercise isolates the quads and is brutal. Make sure that you
do NOT hinge at your hips, only your knees. Also, try to get backwards
as far as you can.
 Single Leg Wall Sit (6 Points) If your gym teacher
was really a jerk he would make you lift one leg up in the air. Oh the
pain!!

Harop Curl (7 Points) Most people dont know

this one. If you can do it even for 5 reps going all the way down I am

very impressed.

Duck Walks (8 Points) My buddy and I used to do

these around the track. I would start off doing duck walks for 100
yards and then he would take over and do duck walks for 100 yards.
We would keep alternating until we fell to the ground. It really is a
blaster.
 Shrimp Squat (9 Points) Al Kavadlo made this one
famous. Its similar to the pistol squat but your leg is behind you.

Pistol Squat (10 Points) My absolute FAVORITE

leg exercise of all time. It takes balance, flexibility and strength. The
ultimate combination.

Your Score For Legs: ___

Now add up your total score from each category (Chest Score +
Shoulder Score + Bicep Score + Tricep Score + Back Score + Core
Score + Leg Score = Total Score) and check your level!

Here are the levels again

Bodyweight Grasshopper: 0-13

Bodyweight Ambassador: 14-27

Bodyweight Warrior: 28-38

Bodyweight Jedi: 38-51

Bodyweight Sensei: 51-67

So how did you do? Once you find out your level share it in
the comments below

Remember that the cool thing about body weight exercises is that there
are so many ways of positioning the body to make things harder. Just
try to put your body in different positions and youll soon find your
own unique ways of making the exercises harder.

-Todd