Bodyweight Training

    There has been much debate as to the importance of weightlifting.  Again, your individual goals will determine the importance.  The advantage pushing iron has over calisthenics basically comes down to the amount of resistance (you can theoretically continue to add weight infinitely) and control over incremental addition of resistance(you can gradually add tiny amounts of weight to progressively get stronger) that you can apply.  Of course, the debate is over functionality and safety.  The injuries from weight lifting tend to be from improper techniques and over training.  It also tends to place too much focus on individual muscle groups rather than incorporating the body as a whole.  It does not address strengthening the joints, ligaments, tendons, or supporting muscles directly at all.  This may suit your needs for physical appearance, just don't expect to be much of an athlete with a torn rotator cuff or ACL/MCL tears.  When done right, incorporating a combination of both weight training and calisthenics works toward creating a whole greater than the some of it's parts.
   This post is going to deal with calisthenics and a recent debate I was involved in over a few programs.  I actually like all of them.

   Never Gymless by Ross Enamait

 











Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade

You Are Your Own Gym by Mark Lauren

The Naked Warrior by Pavel

 Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey

  Let me start by saying that all roads lead to the mountaintop.  You really can't go wrong with any of these publications.  They all have great insight on the various body movements used to strengthen and condition the body.  Since I am not being paid by any of these people, I won't even bother ranking them.  There are only so many bodyweight exercises, and they all pretty much cover them all.  That being said, my two personal favorites are...drum roll please... the first two I listed.
   Ross Enamait probably covers just about every exercise you will ever need in this book...then covers more.  If you have any kind of experience with working out and know your body well, you won't need anything more than this book.
   Paul Wade's book is designed a bit differently...in a good way.  He's broken it down to 6 exercises:  pushup, squat, pullup, leg raise, bridge, and handstand pushup.  Each of these six exercises has its own progression.  For example, with the squat, your are working up to the pistol squat (single leg squat).  He outlines a routine to where you perform a certain exercise until you can do it x number of times.  At that point, you move on to the next one.  It's pretty straight forward and effective.
    New pills and machines are created almost every month for one reason.  Think about it, if any of it ever worked, there would be no reason to keep inventing them.  If you cure a disease, you can't sale the medicine.  It is kinda sad that your well being and health is less important to the FDA and medical establishment than their paycheck.  They'd rather sell you death than give you life.  Anyway, yeah...go ahead and check those books out.