“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today” –Malcolm X

Body weight training is what initially introduced me to the fitness life. It acted as a real eye-opener. I began to realize how heavy and weak I was. Barely managing 3 push-ups on my first day, I came to terms with the situation at hand which was - My muscles weren’t strong enough to fully support my body.

The Routine

My body weight routines consisted mainly of heavy cardio followed by various other cardiovascular movements like squats, jumping jacks, push-ups etc. and then finally an abs routine that would wrap things up for the day. This daily routine greatly aided in my fat loss journey and eventually lead to an astounding increase in my stamina.
Thanks to this increase in stamina my performance in sports sky rocketed. I found myself in a position that was quite alien; I was able to do a tremendous number of tasks without really getting too tired. A truly fascinating first-hand experience.

Flexibility

There pertained no real need for a training partner as all the movements were quite arbitrary. This meant that I didn’t need anyone to “spot” me and hence the level of dependency on a training partner was practically non-existent. On top of that there was no need for equipment which made things so much easier. Workouts could be done at any time of the day anywhere. It doesn’t get more flexible than that!

The Effects

As the workouts were lower body dependent evident changes began on my lower body ranging from an increase in mass to the development of cuts. The movements were quite simple and straightforward. This thereby greatly reduced the chances of injury and hence the dilemma of “not growing due to exercising” vanished as the danger of stunting growth due to surreal, imbalanced pressure being applied onto parts of the body (especially the spine) were not of consequence.
Most importantly body weight training acted as a solid platform that launched me into the world of weights. My body had become so well attuned to physical stress that I was able to begin lifting heavy even during my initial days of weight training. This adjustment meant that I would be less prone to injury, possess the ability to advocate a change in routines quicker and begin with a symmetrical undamaged structure.

The Drawbacks

Though unfortunately, with all great things there do pertain a certain number of fall backs. The magnitude of my results began to plateau. This was mainly due to the fact that my body had gotten used to the routines. Even though I changed the volume of repetitions, the distance I ran or the exercises themselves I began to experience slower improvements in my physique and athletic abilities.

Keep in mind though, my body weight training journey lasted for a whole 2 years which could have likely been the reason for that situation. Secondly, I was unable to produce significant muscular gains on my upper body. Though I began cutting down on my cardio and increasing my variety of upper body movements the improvements in my upper body were practically insignificant when compare to the improvement I mustered from lifting weights. Finally, the boredom of performing cardio every day slowly crept up to me to the point where I began to despise it. Once I reached this stage I was certain that a healthy change was due because what’s the point of doing something that you don’t love to do?

Verdict

Body weight training acts as a superb platform to those who are just beginning their fitness journey and I would especially recommend it to teenagers aged between 13 -16 years. The results that I have experienced definitely aid to this belief. Personally, I feel that everyone should begin with body weight training and then move up to weight training. Though upper body improvements may be limited, lower body gains tied up with an increase in stamina (hence advancements in one’s overall cardiovascular performance) result into the creation of one nifty package. Though, the choice at the end of the day is yours to make. All you’ve got to do is identify your objectives, time frames and then come down to a careful and calculated decision. Keep this mind: If you don’t change then others around you will!