Bodyweight Program

The Bodyweight Program builds serious strength using only your bodyweight and a pull-up bar. It is not a fallback for athletes without gym access — it is a complete strength system that develops relative strength, control, and durability.

Overview

The Bodyweight Program is a 3-day-per-week template organized around the six fundamental movement patterns: push, pull, squat, hinge, core, and carry. Progression happens through harder variations, more reps, and slower tempos — not by adding external load.

Who It Is For

The Bodyweight Program is for athletes who want to build strength without equipment, or who want to develop relative strength as a foundation before moving to barbell work. It is also an excellent maintenance program for advanced lifters during travel, injury recovery, or deload phases.

Prerequisites

1. Complete all foundational concepts.
2. Master basic Push-up, Pull-up (or assisted Pull-up), and Bodyweight Squat.
3. Have access to a pull-up bar and open floor space.

Weekly Structure

Day	Focus	Example
Monday	Push + Core	Push-up variations, dips, plank holds
Tuesday	Mobility + Easy Cardio	Deep Squat, Pass-Throughs, 20-30 min walk
Wednesday	Pull + Hinge	Pull-up variations, bridges, hanging work
Thursday	Recovery	SMR, mobility flow, walk
Friday	Legs + Full Body	Bodyweight squats, lunges, jumps
Saturday	Optional	Sport, play, or off
Sunday	Full Rest	Eat, sleep, recover

Progression Rules

Bodyweight training progresses through four variables:

1. Reps — Same movement, more reps.
2. Tempo — Same movement, slower eccentric (3-5 seconds down).
3. Range of Motion — Same movement, deeper or fuller position.
4. Variation — Harder version of the movement (e.g., knee push-up to full push-up).

Adding difficulty: When you can complete all prescribed reps at RPE 7 on every set, progress to the next step in the movement progression.

Deloading: Every 6-8 weeks, reduce volume by 50% and stay at RPE 5-6 for one week.

Movement Progressions

Push

Knee push-up → Incline push-up → Standard push-up → Deficit push-up → Archer push-up → One-arm push-up (assisted → full)

Pull

Assisted pull-up → Negative pull-up → Standard pull-up → Weighted pull-up → Archer pull-up → One-arm pull-up (progressions)

Squat

Box squat → Bodyweight squat → Deep squat hold → Pistol squat (assisted → full) → Jump squat

Hinge

Glute bridge → Single-leg glute bridge → Nordic curl (assisted → full) → Single-leg deadlift (bodyweight)

Core

Plank → Side plank → Hollow body hold → Hanging knee tuck → Hanging wipers → L-sit

Autoregulation in Practice

The Bodyweight Program uses RPE 7-8. If a movement feels harder than usual, reduce reps rather than sacrificing form. If it feels easier, add a rep or progress to a harder variation.

Sample 6-Week Cycle

Week 1: Establish baseline reps at RPE 7. Week 2: Add 1-2 reps per set. Week 3: Add 1-2 reps per set, or progress a variation. Week 4: Hold reps, slow tempo. Week 5: Add 1-2 reps per set, or progress a variation. Week 6: Deload. Reduce volume 50%. RPE 5-6.

When to Switch Programs

Move to a specialized program when:

1. You can complete a full cycle without missing sessions.
2. Your progression has slowed.
3. You have access to a barbell and want to develop maximal strength (Starting Strength, StrongLifts, Wendler).
4. You have a specific goal.

Common Pitfalls

• Chasing reps with sloppy form.
• Skipping the pull work. Most athletes neglect pulling.
• Ignoring the hinge pattern.
• Not progressing variations when reps become easy.

Related Programs

• General Program — barbell-based full-body strength.
• Starting Strength — classic barbell linear progression.
• StrongLifts 5x5 — simpler barbell linear progression.

Journal

Uses the Training Log — Bodyweight template.