Anybody ever just get into fantastic ripped condition using body weight exercises? A teenager was talking how he liked to get into an elite unit in the military like the Seals, recon, and rangers. He was talking about what type of weight work out to do. I told him they don't lift weights when training elite soldiers. They turn them into incoherent exhausted boots using basically body weight exercises.
It also made me think of an abandoned play ground in poor black neighborhood where men were working out on a playground. They were doing dips, push ups, chins, various jumps, leg lifts and other exercises. They were ripped and in fantastic condition. In the neighboring rich white neighborhood gym that had everything had so many out of shape guys. This really brought me to reality that you really don't need to much equipment to be in fantastic shape. How many bodybuilders could even run around a block?
This is really a short list of what you could do to get into really functional condition and yes have a good build.
1. Various jumps like lunge jumps, tuck jumps, just jumps for height and broad jumps.
2. Running for distance and sprint work.
3. Single and double leg free hand squats. I believe it was 1975 when in the light weight division a guy won the Mr. Universe using 400 free hand squats with leg extensions and curls for his leg program.
4. Various pull ups.
5. body weight rows. Put your heels on a bench and reach up to a bar with you body facing the ceiling. These are really effective.
6. dips
7. up side down body presses. These are really tough. Start by just elevating your feet on something and do push ups. Just get higher and higher.
8. Various ab stuff like crunches, sit ups,planks and leg raises.
9. calf raises off a stair case step. One leg at a time then finish with both.
10. Conditioning exercises like burpees , mountain climbers, even jumping jacks for time will separate the men from the pretenders to be in shape.
11. Ground fighting like submission wrestling is top shelf for getting into fantastic shape. If you have never boxed you are in for one big surprise when you have an actual game opponent in front of you for a 3 minute round. Most who are new to it have said I had trouble keeping my hands up from exhaustion after throwing punches for just one minute.
There are so much more but I just wanted to list a few. I know some guys will say this isn't men's fitness but truth be told body weight exercise can be the hardest work out you could ever do.
Here's good book on bodyweight exercise.
http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html