7 Reasons to Choose Body Weight Training for Functional Fitness

In this article, I’m going to talk about the importance of doing movements that require you to move your body as resistance, not just lifting a weight.

While a pushup looks like it works the same muscles as a bench press, they provide a different type of resistance.

Also, running in place on a treadmill is different than propelling your body over the ground.

1. Using Your Own Body Weight is Logical, Captain

Okay, I’ll do my best to not geek out and use “sci-fi” talk this entire post.

The reason for this post is that too many of us (including myself) have grown accustomed to lifting things instead of moving our body.

When you go into a gym 95% of what you see is people pushing things away from or towards their body.

Same with the cardio equipment the machine is moving but the body stays in the same “space”.

2. Most Workouts Are Unbalanced Toward Lifting Weights

You can get an outstanding level of strength and muscle definition by lifting weights, but that strength doesn’t always translate into “real world” strength and athleticism.

Most of the activities outside of the gym are largely based on moving your body, but the gym is more about moving objects.

3. A “Painful” Lesson About Cardio Machines

I love cardio equipment as a way to lose body fat, but they aren’t the best when it comes to conditioning the body for sports.

In the spring and summer, I like to play basketball with a few of my friends. The first few times we play, my entire body is sore for 3-4 days after.

The big problem is that although I am cardio conditioned, moving my body and jumping over the pavement is an entirely different type of resistance.

4. Body Weight Training Prepares You for Real World Activity

This past winter I was limited in time and did nothing but body weight circuits as a way to maintain muscle mass while staying lean.

I did this for 10 weeks and it worked wonders!

Anyway, I switched back to weights these past two months but wanted to reintroduce these circuits back into my routine.

I paid the price in a big way.

My Legs Were Smoked For Days After This 15 Minute Routine

I decided last week that I would replace my Wednesday HIIT with body weight circuits right after my strength training.

I did a 30-minute lifting session with Back and Chest, then spent 15 minutes doing the Body Weight Circuit.

I replaced the burpees with explosive jumps. I would bend down to touch the ground and then jump as high as possible.

As always, I was gasping for air by the end of the third circuit.

5. Just Lifting Weights and Doing Cardio is Partial Conditioning

I have been lacking when it comes to a lot of real world conditioning.

Whenever spring hits and the weather gets better I know that it will take a few weeks to adapt to running on the pavement, running up hills, jumping to spike a volleyball, etc.

Starting this month, I plan on developing overall conditioning by including more bodyweight movements along with lifting weights.

Along with that, I plan on replacing half of the HIIT I’m doing with bodyweight circuits.

6. Feel “Lighter on Your Feet” With Body Weight Exercises

When I was doing nothing but bodyweight circuits this past winter, I quickly felt more athletic.

In fact, I would define athleticism as a strong “strength-to-weight” ratio or at least it is one of the more important factors.

Even just walking or standing felt better. I was a skeptic of this type of exercise until I felt these effects.

7. It’s Simple to Incorporate Body Movement Exercises

I would start by replacing lat pulldowns with chin-ups. For chest, you could do pushups along with bench presses.

For triceps, you could do dips in between benches or on dip bars.

You could go outside from time to time and run hills instead of the stair stepper. You could alternate doing HIIT cardio with bodyweight circuits (like I’m doing).

Note: I still enjoy cardio machines and lifting weights. I am just recommending that you supplement this stuff with more body weight movements. It will make a difference in the way you look and feel.