BUILD AN ANIMAL CHEST

What's better than an elite bodybuilder explaining his chest routine? How about two IFBB pros training together and discussing their pec-growth secrets! Join Evan Centopani and Frank McGrath as they push through the B.S. and talk about what works.

Which body part most separates world-class bodybuilders from the rest of us? If you encounter these giants only through their training videos, you might say legs or arms. But once you meet them in person, you'll see that it's really their chests. Whether they're shirtless onstage or filling out an iconic yellow T-shirt , there's nothing quite like a barrel-sized torso to make a man truly seem larger than life.

Two of the biggest out there belong to IFBB pros and Animal athletes Evan "Ox" Centopani and Frank "Wrath" McGrath. Both have been pros long enough to have tried every technique in the book and zeroed in on what works best for them. Recently, these two old friends met up at Ox's home turf, Powerhouse Gym in New Haven, to train together and compare notes about their go-to techniques and their fondness for the classics.

ANIMAL TAG TEAM CHEST TRAINING
WATCH THE VIDEO - 13:23

Q

HOW DO YOU WARM UP FOR A CHEST WORKOUT?

OX: We started this workout with some cable crossovers.

WRATH: I'd never done that before.

OX: Get outta here. You never warm up?

WRATH: Well, when I warm up, it's light. (They were using the whole stack). It was good, though. I liked it.

"I DON'T HAVE SOME GREAT METHODOLOGY BEHIND MY TRAINING. I JUST PICK UP SOME WEIGHT AND PUSH."

OX: Yeah, it's tough to warm up, because once you get going, you want to get a little more blood in there. I don't know about you, but as I've gotten older ... you know how it was when you were younger, you'd just go in and go put four plates on the bench and go "I'm ready, let's go!" It doesn't happen anymore. Even though the weight we used on the second movement, which was a pressing movement, was slightly decreased, I think it was a little safer, and we got more out of the [second] movement.

FLAT BENCH OR INCLINE?

WRATH: I like to do incline first. I think I have a good lower chest, but I'm really trying to work my upper chest. I used to get more injuries doing flat bench than incline. I never had a problem with incline.

OX: A lot of guys say that. I agree that incline is safer. The reason I shy away from the incline is because my shoulders have a tendency to take over. If I had to pick, I'd say incline is safer, but I feel I get a little bit more out of the flat bench. Either way, you can't lose.

"I USED TO GET MORE INJURIES DOING FLAT BENCH THAN INCLINE. I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH INCLINE."

WRATH: Just mix it up. You can't do the same thing every single time.

OX: Sometimes I do both. People say "Why would you do two barbell pressing movements in one workout?" I say, "Why not?"

WHAT'S YOUR OVERALL APPROACH TO CHEST TRAINING?

OX: I don't have some great methodology behind my training. I just pick up some weight and push.

WRATH: There are a lot of new ways to train, but everything is just the same to me. There's nothing better coming along than dropsets and supersets.

OX: Any way you can overload the muscle is what it's about. There are a lot of gimmicks. People ask "Why did you do this workout like this?" I don't know. I just worked my way up to a weight that's heavy for me, and I tried to do that weight as many times as I could. If I wanted to throw in something else, I'd have someone there for forced reps, dropsets, supersets, things like that. There are ways to beat it up more.

WRATH: It's pretty basic. Some days, when I can't go as heavy, I do more dropsets and stuff. I'll do incline on days when I don't feel so strong, and I'll do three plates, drop to two, get as many as I can get, drop down to one, and get as many as I can get.

HOW DO YOU STRUCTURE YOUR CHEST DAY?

OX: Today we started off with a fly-type movement. Then we did two pressing movements, and ended off with another fly. A lot of guys save flys for last.

WRATH: I save flys for last. I'll almost always do a press first. I thought that was the rule! Some days, I'll do a fly next. Some days, I'll do incline bench and then flat bench. But on days when I don't feel like doing flat bench, then I'll do a fly or machine press. I'll do that just to get a better squeeze.

"I SAVE FLYS FOR LAST. I'LL ALMOST ALWAYS DO A PRESS FIRST. I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE RULE!"

DO YOU USE A LOT OF MACHINES?

WRATH: I always do some, but not all. Even if something is hard to do, I'll still do it.

OX: You've had a couple injuries now.

WRATH: Yeah, even anything with dumbbells are pretty hard for me, but I try. I think that if I stay away from it too much, it's not going to make it any better. I try to do the most I can with dumbbells or anything that causes ... not pain, but that's harder than it used to be.

NEED A LIFT-OFF?

WRATH: I used to be stubborn before. I was like, "I'm strong; I can do it." And then I've had people who've pretty much lifted it out of my hands. It's like you're not even holding it anymore.

OX: Yeah, that's scary.

WRATH: I'd trust someone like you—I wouldn't even think about it. But if there was nobody there I trusted, I wouldn't do it.

OX: I liken it to a 2-1/2 hour car ride. I'll drive the whole way with no A/C, only because when I put the A/C on and I get out of the car, I hate that shock of the heat hitting me. If I drive the whole way and it's hot, then I don't feel it when I get out. It's the same thing with a liftoff. I hate when someone lifts it off, because all of a sudden I feel the weight. I'd rather feel it the whole way and know what I'm in for.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR FAVORITE EQUIPMENT ISN'T AN OPTION?

OX: Sometimes it's good to be at a gym away from home, where it doesn't have all your usual equipment. It forces you to do something else. Even if it's a piece where I'll look at it and go, "Uh, it's kinda cheesy. I'm not into that." I've had good workouts, even when I'm traveling and it's a real fluff gym. You never know—today being a prime example: There was no plate-loaded Hammer Strength press, so we just used the stack one. Honestly, it was deceivingly heavy.

"SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO BE AT A GYM AWAY FROM HOME, WHERE IT DOESN'T HAVE ALL YOUR USUAL EQUIPMENT. IT FORCES YOU TO DO SOMETHING ELSE."

WRATH: What was it, 90 pounds?

OX: Yeah, 90 pounds on each side and it was heavy. It was different. Would I use it every week? No. Is it a bread and butter movement? Definitely not.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE FINISHERS?

OX: The superset we ended with is one I really like: dumbbell flys superset with dips. I love dips. My first weight bench had the post you could take out and bring them in narrow. You did dips off the back of it. I used to go to town on those. To this day, I consider dips one of the best upper body movements. We were talking about it at the end of the workout. Frank was like, 'You like push-ups too, right?' I was like, "Yeah!" People make fun of me for doing them, but push-ups are a great movement. So are dips. All those bodyweight movements.

WRATH: I've had guys come up to me in the gym when I'm doing push-ups, and these guys have been around for a long time, and they're like, "What are you doing? You're going to get big doing push-ups?" At the end of a workout, dude, push-ups are like a flat bench.

OX: Absolutely. It's a perfect feel. One is a fly movement, the other a pressing movement. It finishes everything off.

SOURCE : HERE

BUILD A CALISTHENICS BODY !

There's no shortcut to advanced bodyweight movements, but they come with a reward anyone can see. Here are the telltale signs that you built your body the old-fashioned way!

Lately, there's been a lot written about calisthenic strength training—enough that, finally, we've come close to reclaiming the word "calisthenics" from the 1980s exercise videos that mostly people have associated with it. But whatever you call it, bodyweight training is hotter than ever.

This modality has existed since the dawn of time and it's being talked about like it's a brand new phenomenon, even though we all know the opposite is true. Before the invention of machines, barbells, and bench presses, mankind was getting strong and ripped using nothing more for resistance than bodyweight. Pressing, pulling, and squatting are hardwired into our DNA. So why is there all this hoopla about calisthenics? Why now?

Some claim it is part of a larger trend toward minimalism in training. Others say it's the feeling of empowerment you get from owning a body that's truly "self-made." Perhaps others are impressed by the unique feats of strength associated with extreme calisthenics. I actually think all of these answers are right, but there's something more, too.

Let's face it: Everybody who works out pays attention to aesthetics to some degree—even if they would never admit to training with that goal. No matter how "functional" or "sport-specific" their training may be, we all react to imagery, and I've found that advanced bodyweight strength training produces a uniquely impressive physique.

What has become known as the "calisthenics body" is easily identifiable by a rippled, muscular build, erect posture, balanced development, and no superfluous body fat. Say what you will, that's what really gets people talking!

THE CALISTHENIC BODY IS THE COHESIVE BODY

One of the beautiful things about calisthenics is that we celebrate movements that use the whole body cohesively, rather than attempting to isolate small body parts one at a time.

There's no doubt that different exercises emphasize certain muscles more than others, but let's be clear: 100 percent isolation in any modality is impossible. However, you can still try to isolate. We don't, and the reason is because we know that to do something as difficult as a one-arm pull-up, strong arms and lats aren't enough to get the job done. We need to utilize strength and tension from the entire body.

The principles of calisthenic strength training have a direct physical manifestation, because the strength-to-weight ratio required to perform advanced movements has specific demands. Practitioners of calisthenics develop an ideal balance of muscle mass and body fat that allows for dominance of their own realm. They've got everything they need and nothing more.

The body that results doesn't lie. There are telltale signs. Here's what they are, and how to build them.

CALISTHENICS ABS

The calisthenics body starts in the middle, because when you train with bodyweight, you use your abs for every single exercise—and it shows! But if we want to get specific, bar-work is where the tell-tale calisthenics abs are built, utilizing movements like full-ROM hanging leg raises and windshield wipers.

"A SERRATUS WITH A STEAK-KNIFE EDGE, AND THE BULGING SIX-PACK ABS CONTAINED WITHIN, ARE THE MARKING OF THE CALISTHENICS BODY."

These movements have a direct effect on the trunk's overall appearance, since they rely heavily on the serratus anterior in addition to the muscles you usually think of when you hear the word "abdominals." This has a huge effect by shaping and framing the entire abdominal region. A serratus with a steak-knife edge, and the bulging six-pack abs contained within, are the marking of the calisthenics body.

CALISTHENICS ARMS

Just as with abs, bar work is your best friend when it comes to arms, particularly biceps, which get a better workout from chin-ups than from all the curls in the world. Because you're pulling far more weight than you would typically curl, the gains are astronomical, and the choices are infinite.

Do them all—overhand pull-ups and underhand chins, wide-grip and narrow, thick bar, switch grip, and hanging from irregular objects—and you'll create amazing tensile strength and powerful connective tissue. Combine the grip training you get from bar work with advanced push-up variations—fingertips, knuckles, back-of-hands—for forearms that would make Popeye jealous.

It can take any number of machine-based isolation-style exercises to hit the arms (and chest and shoulders) from as many angles as good old-fashioned dips. Performed deep, with full range of motion, the results are undeniable. Try as many different hand widths as possible for maximum results. They can also be done on a bench or straight bar. Have some fun!

CALISTHENICS BACK, SHOULDERS, AND CHEST

Exceptionally wide lats are a trademark of the calisthenics body. Because we don't attempt to isolate the arms, we have a greater chance of unlocking the genetic potential of our lats through pull-ups, muscle-ups, bar levers, and the human flag. The lats play a huge role in these movements and plenty of others, and their development is a direct result of a varied bodyweight pulling program.

"THE LATS PLAY A HUGE ROLE IN THESE MOVEMENTS AND PLENTY OF OTHERS, AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF A VARIED BODYWEIGHT PULLING PROGRAM."

The shoulders are used in all upper body calisthenics strength training and get a substantial workout from every exercise mentioned thus far. The "V" formed by the lats gets even wider when we train handstand push-ups. Even guys who think they can military press massive poundage are often humbled when they attempt this exercise, but if they stick with it, they'll discover that handstand push-ups lead to astronomical gains in the shoulders. Take 'em slow and controlled, and touch your nose to the ground.

Of course, the push-up is the granddaddy of all chest exercises. It can be progressed to deliver a far greater punch than the classic version we all learned in gym class—and which is a spectacular exercise in its own right. But it's tragic to stop there when we can play with inclines, limit points of contact, or increase range of motion. All of these methods employ progressive techniques to build a thick, hard, powerful chest. That chest will be your prize once you master the one-arm push-up, which combines balance, stability, increased range of motion, and muscular overload in one exercise.

CALISTHENICS LEGS

Critics of calisthenics love to perpetuate the falsehood that bodyweight athletes have underdeveloped legs. Ironically, these are the same unfounded jabs that have rocked the weightlifting community at large for years. There are many ways to skin a cat, and we all have more in common than apart. No matter how you choose to work out, everybody's legs need training!

Take it from me: When you train your legs using only bodyweight, they get strong! And it's not from external resistance, but rather from manipulating gravity and doing complete movement patterns. Bodyweight squats go all the way to the ground—ass to ankles. I'm more concerned with building strength through the full expression of a movement than from overloaded half-reps where the hamstring never touches the calf.

"CRITICS OF CALISTHENICS LOVE TO PERPETUATE THE FALSEHOOD THAT BODYWEIGHT ATHLETES HAVE UNDERDEVELOPED LEGS."

Try doing 40 bodyweight squats all the way down. If that sounds easy, do it anyway just to make sure. And if it is easy, then try doing five more... on just one leg! Exercises like pistol squats exploit our inborn sense of balance, which many of us have lost track of over the years. To own this movement, you must push, pull, and stabilize using all your leg muscles, in a perfect marriage of strength and mobility.

Back bridging, another calisthenics staple, requires further recruitment of hamstrings, glutes, and spine erectors. Raw strength and supreme flexibility combine to define the backside of a bodyweight warrior.

CONFIDENCE

This one is harder to quantify than the others, but I know it when I see it. Any red-blooded man or woman who is sure that they could pull their body up—or press it through the floor, or hold it strong at any angle—conducts themselves with a certain quiet cool that cannot be explained. You can call it "relative strength," but there's something objectively inspiring about it.

The posture and physique is unmistakable. When you know your own pound-for-pound power and truly own the calisthenics body, you stand tall!

best of the best motivation video

ULTIMATE SUMMER STRENGTH CIRCUIT

  ULTIMATE SUMMER STRENGTH CIRCUIT

Outdoor workouts don't have to be limited to running or biking. Add a strength session to your summer workout with this routine.

When I was kid, I idolized Herschel Walker. Remember him? Aside from being a great running back, one who arguably should be in the NFL Hall of Fame, he also competed in mixed martial arts. In short, he was a great all-around athlete.
When I was kid, I idolized Herschel Walker. Remember him? Aside from being a great running back, one who arguably should be in the NFL Hall of Fame, he also competed in mixed martial arts. In short, he was a great all-around athlete.
But, guess what? He didn't lift weights.
So, why am I mentioning him in a workout article?
Because he's a perfect example of how not lifting weights doesn't mean you're not working out. Herschel trained like a beast, but he focused on building a strong foundation with bodyweight exercises. Everyday he'd bang out 1,000 push-ups, 3,000 sit-ups, 1,000 bar dips, and 1,000 squats.
No wonder that today, at 52 years old, he still looks better than most 20-somethings.
Channel your inner Herschel Walker with this outdoor workout that proves you don't need iron to carve a killer physique. You'll start with a cardio warm-up, dive into a strength workout, get your heart rate back up with sprints, and keep it moving to the finish line with a barrage of exercises. You finish with one final sprint session.
This whole-body workout is one complete circuit that will help you build strength, lose fat, and improve conditioning. You should be able to complete both strength and HIIT components in less than 45 minutes.
While it's designed to be a stand-alone program, it can be done several ways:

If you're on vacation for a week, you can use this workout to help maintain your conditioning.
If you're already on a pretty strict lifting schedule, you can squeeze it in on the weekends to torch extra fat and increase lean-mass gains. When I'm trying to tighten up and drop a bit of stubborn body fat, I add this program on both Saturday and Sunday as a weekend complement to my Monday through Friday training regimen.
It can be done as little as three times per week or often as every day.
This circuit not only works all the major muscle groups in your body, but it also burns calories and torches fat. If this doesn't kick your ass, then you're a stud and it's time for you to step up to 1,000 push-ups, Herschel Walker style.
SUMMER STRENGTH CIRCUIT
CARDIO HIIT 1: I don't enjoy running long distances. It's just not my thing. I've always preferred going all out and pushing myself. Sprint intervals are a perfect way to incorporate that on-the-go mentality outdoors. For this workout, sprint as hard as you can for 100 yards, jog back, and then sprint for 100 yards and walk back. Repeat the sprint-jog-sprint-walk cycle five times.
STRENGTH CIRCUIT 1: No rest between these exercises. Keep it moving.

1

 WIDE-GRIP PULL-UPS
HOW TO: Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your elbows back, pull your chest to the bar. As you tire, keep going—even if you can only get partial reps. Aim for a minimum of 15 reps, and go to failure.
BODY PARTS TARGETED: Wide-grip pull-ups target your lats and engage the biceps as secondary muscles. You also strengthen your core and work on grip strength. Hello fuller forearms!

2

 PUSH-UPS
HOW TO: With your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, and your back straight, lower youround. Make sure your stomach is not the first thing to touch the floor. If it is, your posture is sagging. Check your form before continuing. Keep a nice smooth tempo—this isn't a race to do reps; you want to do them slower and under control. Continue until you reach failure. Shoot for 40-50 reps for the first few weeks.
BODY PARTS TARGETED: Hit your chest and triceps with this bodyweight exercise. Strengthening the pectoral muscles doesn't only spell increased overall strength, but also means shoulder stability for more momentum in sports.
 body down until your chest touches the gr

source : http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ultimate-summer-strength-circuit.html 

New Workout Motivation!

                            New Workout Motivation!

            

8 WAYS TO A PERFECT WORKOUT

Have you ever gotten home after a workout feeling like you didn't even do anything at the gym? Well, that's probably because you didn't. Sure, you lifted some weights for about an hour and a half and tried all the new exercises from your favorite fitness magazines. But the question is, how much of that hour and a half did you actually spend being efficient and doing things that give you results?

The short list below will be golden to most and might just act as a reminder to some. You may be familiar with some of these. Either way, you should read it, absorb it, and apply it. Follow these simple tips and you'll get more out of your workouts than ever before.

1

 RAMP UP THE INTENSITY

Whatever their goal might be, people always ask me which workout routine is best. My response every single time: It doesn't exist.

There's no one "best routine." No matter how they look on paper, you can make any workout either really good or really bad depending on the intensity you apply.

Some tips: lift heavy, shorten rest periods, keep your workouts to an hour or less, cut back on socialization or eliminate it altogether, and strive to break new personal records every week. If you don't look like you're in any discomfort (keyword "discomfort," not "pain"), then you're not working out at all.

2

 PERFORM HEAVY COMPOUND EXERCISES

The majority of your workouts should include compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, chin-ups, and pull-ups. There's nothing wrong with isolation exercises like dumbbell curls, but they're an accent to bigger moves. Build a good foundation with your strength and physique first, and then incorporate isolation exercises.

In addition to performing compound exercises, lift with relatively heavy weights to stimulate muscle growth. Focus on heavy compound exercises will allow you to see better results in less time.

"FOCUS ON HEAVY COMPOUND EXERCISES WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE BETTER RESULTS IN LESS TIME."

3

 PRACTICE PROPER FORM INSTEAD OF HEAVY WEIGHT

Remember, lifting heavy isn't everything. Whether your goal is fat loss or muscle gain, proper form is essential for success. Not only does it help to stimulate muscle growth, but performing exercises with proper form also ensures that your body stays healthy. The last thing you want is an injury. Take the time to learn proper form and technique for all the exercises you want to do in the gym.

Always be aware of the mind-muscle connection when doing a movement. Although lifting heavy weights stimulates muscle growth, it only does so if the muscles are under constant tension. Control the weight—don't let it control you.

4

 COMMIT TO MENTAL STRENGTH

Mental toughness is just as important as physical toughness. Your strength isn't defined by how much muscle you have or how much weight you can lift. It's defined by how well you can manage your emotions.

Imagine getting ready to do your last set of deadlifts. You're attempting a new one-rep max. You step toward the bar, but your mind starts messing with you, telling you that you won't be able to complete the lift because the weight is too heavy. The moment this thought starts to take over, the game is over. Even before you try, you've failed.

Always have the right mindset. Always stay focused. Visualize what you want out of every set, and don't let self-doubt get the best of you.

"ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET. ALWAYS STAY FOCUSED. VISUALIZE WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF EVERY SET."

5

 INCORPORATE BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES

Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, and dips belong in your training routine. Yep, it's that simple.

These exercises aren't just for beginners. If they're too easy for you, do other variations that give you more of a challenge. If you can do push-ups with ease, then try doing decline push-ups. If you can do pull-ups for reps, then try doing archer pull-ups . These compound movements help build strength and size like no other.

6

 AVOID WORKING OUT IN GROUPS

If you don't like training by yourself, it's perfectly fine to have a workout buddy. Some people train better with someone else because it allows them a challenge throughout the workout. Training with a group, however, can be a different story. There's a higher chance that you'll be socializing more than you're lifting. Group training sometimes backfires.

Train with only one other person, if needed.

"SOME PEOPLE TRAIN BETTER WITH SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THEM A CHALLENGE THROUGHOUT THE WORKOUT."

7

 LISTEN TO MUSIC

Listening to music will help you stay focused during your workouts. Research has suggested that listening to music while working out can make physical exertion less exhausting while helping you set a better pace.

Just make sure that you make your workout playlist at home so you don't waste any time looking for songs to listen to during your lifting session. As an added bonus, wearing headphones will deter people from talking to you—at least 90 percent of the time.

8

 LOG YOUR WORKOUTS

Writing down your numbers allows to know (and remember) where you stand so you know what you have to aim for next time. Always try to improve on your lifts—whether that means adding more weight or increasing the number of reps. That's what "progressive overload" means. You increase the demands on your musculoskeletal system enough that you continually make gains in muscle size, strength, and endurance.

Morning Motivation...fight fight !!

                       

                                                       Morning Motivation...fight fight !!

                              

       Bodybuilding Motivation - One More Step Forward

          

5-MOVE FULL-BODY WORKOUT

The playground isn't just for kids and dogs. Ignore the funny looks and use this great public training space to your advantage with guidance from Al Kavadlo!It's no secret that i like bodyweight strength training: It's easy, effective and fun! And since workout workouts need very little instrumentality, they are straightforward to try to to outdoors at an area park or playground. Sure, you would possibly get a couple of strange appearance, however you may conjointly get an excellent full-body elbow grease while not having to give for a athletic facility membership. That appears like a good trade to me! Besides, a number of those strange appearance can really be from people United Nations agency square measure 'mirin your cool, artistic elbow grease. Here square measure 5 moves you'll do victimisation nothing quite monkey bars, a swing, and somewhat imagination.

1

 MONKEY BAR CLIMB

Most of us have done this one as kids, but you might be surprised how challenging it can be to swing and climb your way across a monkey bar ladder now that you're a full-sized adult. The amount of core and grip strength required to fluidly make your way across those bars might elude you if you haven't tried it since childhood.

You may need to use some momentum at first; this is fine. With practice, you'll get better at going across, gain more control, and get stricter about swaying. Once you get the feel for moving forward, work on moving backward across the monkey bars.

When you were a child most monkey bars were regarding a similar, however today's playgrounds have totally different setups to cause distinctive challenges. one in all my favorites ar the arched bars seen higher than, that add an additional degree of problem. Monkey bars that include rings instead of bars also are increasingly common.

2

 PARALLEL AND STRAIGHT BAR DIP

If your park has a pair of parallel bars, you can use them to do dips, one of the best exercises for your chest, shoulders, and triceps. A full range of motion will give you the most benefits so make sure you go all the way up and down on each rep. Remember to brace your trunk and lean forward slightly on the way down in order to keep your torso stable.

PARALLEL AND STRAIGHT BAR DIP

If you don't have access to parallel bars, you can do dips on top of a straight bar. This tends to require a bit more strength, so you can also use it as a progression if you've plateaued on parallel bar dips.

If you have dreams of doing a straight bar muscle-up, getting familiar with these is a must.

3

 PULL-UPS ON EVERYTHING

It's no secret that the basic pull-up is one of the best upper-body exercises out there. But playgrounds also offer a wealth of ways to progress that basic pull-up with a range of grips, surfaces, and heights.

Almost any playground will have at least one high bar to practice pull-ups on. You can also use lower bars or kiddie-sized gymnastic rings to practice bodyweight rows, a.k.a. Australian pull-ups.

PULL-UPS

If you can't find a bar that's the right height, you might be able to find some other object for practicing pull-ups. Any surface you can get a good grip on is fair game: the chains of a swing, a ledge, a tree branch, or the horizontal bar on a swing set for commando pull-ups.

4

 SWING SET KNEE-TUCK

Suspension training is all the rage these days, and for good reason. Knee-tucks performed on a suspension trainer require a unique type of balance and stability, making them more challenging than many of the standard floor exercises frequently used to target the abdominals. What most people don't realize is that many of the moves you can do with high-priced suspension training straps can also be done for free on a simple swing set.

SWING SET KNEE-TUCK

To perform a swing set knee-tuck, place your toes or the tops of your feet on the seat of the swing with your hands on the ground in front of you. From there, lift your hips and carefully pull your knees toward your chest, bringing the swing forward with you. Focus on keeping your entire body engaged as you slowly return to the start position.

5

 SWING SET SPLIT SQUAT

This move applies the same concept of using a swing in the place of a stability trainer in order to work your legs and glutes. Stand with your back facing the swing and place your foot on top of it. Like the swing set knee-tuck, you can be on the tips of your toes or the top of your foot.

SWING SET SPLIT SQUAT

Once you've found your footing, place your hands on your hips and lower yourself down into a split squat position, allowing your back leg to drift back slightly. Next, return to the start position and repeat.

Switch legs on alternating sets, making sure to hit both sides evenly. Make sure your front foot stays totally flat through the whole range of motion.