6 weeks to more muscle – using your own bodyweight only…
Bodyweight back exercises are hard to come by if you don’t have access to a pullup bar. That is, unless you know how to put the science back in your training and get the most out of versatile bodyweight exercises like the one shown in this video. In fact, this no equipment back exercise not only helps you to build bigger lats, but it also doubles as an awesome upper chest exercise if you know how to perform it.
The pullover is one of the absolute best dumbbell exercises that you can do. When you have access to dumbbells or a gym, incorporating the movement into your back or chest training is a no brainer. That said, many don’t realize that this powerful mass builder can actually be accomplished without needing access to a bench or a dumbbell.
In order to do the bodyweight version of this home back and chest exercise you just need a hard wood floor or carpet that you can slide your knees on. From here, whether you use this as a home back exercise or a no equipment chest exercise is up to you. It depends on how you perform the move when you initiate the pullover or pulldown portion of the move.
To hit your back and lats with this sliding floor pullover you want to be sure to initiate the pulldown with your elbows. Just as you would with a dumbbell, you want to pull down with your elbows while keeping your arms straight. This will activate the lats as you adduct the arm to your side. Keep the tension on the lats as you pull your body all the way up and to a point where your chest is positioned over your hands. Slowly let your body slide back down as you allow your knees to slide you back into the starting position for the next rep.
To hit your upper chest more is going to take a little more work and awareness of the type of contraction that you are trying to accomplish. Watch as I show you how to engage the upper chest fibers by squeezing your hands together as you pull your body up. Obviously, the hands won’t move closer to each other since they are fixed into the floor. That doesn’t matter however. You can initiate the pulldown by contracting your upper chest or clavicular fibers. Try and stick your chest out the entire time to make sure that you activate your pecs as much as possible.
Regardless of which version of the exercise you perform, the key is that it will help you to build a bigger back without equipment or a bigger chest at home. You can get your entire 6 week bodyweight workout program to build muscle at when you get started training with the ATHLEAN XERO program. No bands, bars, benches or bull required to get you to build muscle fast without equipment.
For more bodyweight back workouts and exercises for chest without equipment, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube at 4
