I love it when gym goers get their butt kicked doing bodyweight only workouts. They use the machines. They do the circuits. They do their aerobic cardio after the resistance workout. “How could something as “simple” as a bodyweight workout test them?”, they say.

The fact is, the vast majority of commercial gym workouts don’t prepare you for the demands of a bodyweight workout. And when a gym member gets their butt kicked by one, they usually go back in the gym to hit the machines HARDER and do LONGER aerobic workouts!

WRONG! BUZZZZ! NO PRIZE!

The only thing that prepares you for the demands of a challenging bodyweight workout (and they can be VERY challenging), is bodyweight training. So, break out of the gym mentality, and wrap your brains around the power of bodyweight workouts. (As a matter of fact, you might consider quitting the gym all together: Read How To Quit The Gym And Get Fit, Burn Fat & Build An Attractive Body).

Still don’t believe me? Take a look at this video. Or better yet, skip the gym (you know you were going to anyway), and give it a try for yourself!

“No Excuses”

I really like this workout. And if you actually tried it, you’re probably hating me for bringing it to your attention. It has some of the greatest bodyweight only exercises:

• Burpees
• Pull Ups
• Bodyweight Squats
• Push Ups

And it uses TIME, not reps! (I use this concept extensively in the Rounds Of Fury workouts in Ultimate Gymless Workout). All in all, a great bodyweight workout guaranteed to make your average gym goer BEGGING to get back in their seated gym machines and biking while reading a magazine and watching CNN on TV.

By now, some of your reading this might be offended. You might go on the defensive and come up with all kinds of arguments to show that gym workouts are better than bodyweight workouts. But I would like to challenge you to keep an open mind. You just might learn something that takes your fitness, fat loss and physique to a whole new level. And it just may be the piece of the puzzle you’ve been missing.

Exercise Is About Movement

Stop all the talk about glutes, abs, tris, lats and all the other muscle groups you think about when preparing to exercise. Start thinking about movements. Specifically, these two movement types:

• Moving your own body
• Moving weighted objects

Now answer this, “Which type of movement is your typical gym machine workout training?” Moving weighted objects, right? Don’t you see how you are neglecting the movement of your own bodyweight around, which also needs to be trained to be improved? This is a big mistake, and the reason gym goers get their butt kicked when challenged with a bodyweight workout.

But Hold On…

If you agree that bodyweight exercises need to be trained, you might be fired up to start doing the above workout. But now that you know that bodyweight exercise deserves your attention, you need to give it the respect it deserves. You wouldn’t jump on one of those gym machines you are so fond of and set it to the HIGHEST weight, would you? No, you’d improve PROGRESSIVELY! You wouldn’t learn to drive by jumping in a car and going full speed… you’d go slow at first. And that is exactly how you should approach your bodyweight training… PROGRESSIVELY!

In order to be able to complete and get the most out of a workout like the one in the video, you need to first build up your muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory endurance. And the best way to do that is to follow a step-by-step bodyweight only workout program designed to systematically improve fitness, burn fat and build an athletic body. Then, when you are stronger, lighter and better conditioned, you can do a workout like the one above and get the most out of it.

If you’ve been neglecting your bodyweight training, don’t think you can start out at an advanced level. (You’ll get your butt kicked and it won’t be pretty!) Even if you’ve been doing your gym workouts, you are not going to be prepared. So, prepare yourself first by following a more structured workout program. Then when you are ready, challenge yourself with more advanced workouts!

Eddie Lomax is the Founder & President of Optimum Fitness Network LLC. and author of Ultimate Gymless Workout. This bodyweight only program is really 2 workout systems: the Optimum Fitness & Physique System and the Above and Beyond Package.All bodyweight workouts are not created equal! Click here to see a video of what is included.