Bodyweight Bedrock: Bodyweight Strength and Muscle Building
I wrote this program and guide to answer a very persistent series of questions
“Do you have a strength & mass program with only bodyweight?”
“Do you have a bodyweight Program to prepare for a military/law enforcement Fitness test?”
"How would you setup a bodyweight only program for someone that wants to gain size?
The Bodyweight Bedrock Program is that Program
This Program is for Anyone Who Wants to Get Stronger, Build Muscle Mass, and Improve their Functional Strength and Athleticism
- Increase Your Relative bodyweight Strength
- Improve your kinesthetic awareness
- Boost your overall athleticism
- Upgrade your cardiovascular conditioning
- Build muscle and burn body fat for improved bodycomposition
The program lasts 12 weeks, and you will be training 4 days weekly, for 45-60 minutes at a time
Over those 12 weeks you will consistently increase your strength at pullups, chinups, inverted rows, pushups, dips, bodyweight squats and lunges.
It also includes a cardiovascular conditioning component, to prepare you for any cardiovascular fitness tests you may need to do.
Diet is thoroughly covered as well. Follow the instructions, and lean mass gain should readily occur
This program will thoroughly prepare for any physical fitness test that tests these bodyweight movements, and the principles you use in this program can be applied to all types of training that you do for the rest of your life
This program does NOT cover more advanced gymnastic movements like planches, skin-the-cats, handstand pushups, etc.
You do not need to be "advanced" at bodyweight exercises to do this program
It is a SIMPLE program, using the most basic of exercises, with the priority of increasing strength and adding muscle mass in the most foundational movements
- Squat
- Lunge
- Dip
- Pushup
- Row
- Pullups
The muscle building effects from the fact that you are doing both high rep bodyweight work AND heavy weighted work every week. The goal is to improve ALL of your weighted body weight movements, with the adaptation being increased muscle as well as strength.
The Bodyweight Bedrock Program is a Strength and Mass Program.
Bodyweight training is often haphazard, with recommendations to simply do a lot of reps of a few exercises, and do that often.
While this can work, it overlooks the fact that bodyweight training can be PROGRAMMED and PLANNED, just as you would do with conventional training that uses free weights.
Bodyweight follows progressive overload like any other form of training, the Bedrock program applies that principle.
Each workout is designed to progress you to the next one, and over all the 12 week period, you will make serious gains in strength and in muscle
Diet is COVERED
The program includes both the AJAC Diet Principles, and the AJAC Guide to Lean Mass Gain. You will have everything you need to add muscle, maximize recovery, and improve your bodycomp over the 12 weeks.
A pullup barDip Bars A Suspension trainer like a TRX or Gymnastic Rings (both work equally well) A weighted vest, or a sturdy back you can add weight to and wearMini resistance bands Some weight plates, no more than 50lbs worth. I suggest getting -two 10lb plates-two 25lb plates-two 5lb platesA weight belt for dips and chinups
Equipment you will NEED for this program:
No, this is NOT zero equipment of any kind program. To maximize your results from bodyweight training, you do need some training equipment to use. Here is what you will need. (FYI, these are NOT affiliate links. Most of this can be purchased at any local sporting goods store)
That is ALL you will need. The program uses a variety of WEIGHTED bodyweight movements, and the ability to add external loading is mandatory.
Enjoy the Simplicity of an Easy to Execute Program, and Reap the Benefits
Bodyweight training is the easiest and most simple way to get strong, lean and athletic. It builds foundational motor skills, it teaches you how to train yourself and have body awareness, and it builds strength and muscle that transfers over to ANY kind of physical activity that you do.
Relative bodyweight strength (how strong you are at basic BW exercises) is the most direct indicator that you’ve built muscle, strength, and improved bodycomposition.