Scaling Bodyweight Exercises in Workouts
Unlike lifting weights where we can easily change weights heavier or lighter, with bodyweight exercises, we weight what we weight. Without that variable to manipulate, it leaves us to rely more heavily on adjusting the number of reps we perform and using progressions of exercises to dial in the correct stimulus while ensuring we are progressing towards the full exercise. In this article, we will explain how we prescribe bodyweight exercises in workouts, how to scale them appropriately, and how to continue to make progress. Let’s look at a common way we will see bodyweight exercises prescribed in workouts:
16 Strict Pull-ups (67% of a Max)
16: This number of reps is simply for reference and to guide your rep selection. This is the number of reps the best in the gym are likely to perform when 67% of a Max is prescribed. It is expected that you choose a number of reps that best fits you (more info on how to do that below)
Strict Pull-ups: The hardest variation of the exercise the best in the gym are likely to perform in this workout. It is expected that you choose a variation of the exercise that best fits you and your goals (more info on that below).
(67% of a Max): Replace the reference number of reps (16) with 67% of the maximum number of reps you can perform of your selected exercise. In the above example, the best in the gym can perform around 24 reps of strict pull-ups as a max set, so the best in the gym would likely be performing around 16 reps (24 x 0.67). For someone who could do 12 strict pull-ups, they would do 8 reps (12 x 0.67 = 8).
As you gain experience, you will start to have an idea of what your max set is for a variety of exercises which makes these percentages work really well to optimize your workout. But, if you don't know the max number of reps you could perform of a given exercise, especially if we are scaling, here's how to start honing in on what scaling variation you should use and the appropriate number of reps:
Progressing Through Scaling Variations
Step 1: Test out variations (see below) of the exercise. For the above example, let's say that you think you are going to scale the Strict Pull-ups with Banded Pull-ups. A great way to test out your scaling choice is to perform a set of 3 reps as part of your warm-up. 3 reps should feel very easy, but not a complete joke. Let’s say you are using one thick band and 3 reps was hard. No problem, we’d just add another band and test that out. Let’s say with 2 bands, 3 reps feels easy.
Step 2: Until we have a better estimate of our max, we are simply going to go off of the referenced rep number, in the above example it was 16 reps. In your first workout with a new exercise, perform 50% of the suggested reps each round. In the example above, the 16 Strict Pull-ups would be modified to 8 Banded Pull-ups with 2 Bands.
Step 3: After the workout, review how it went. If you or the coach feel like you scaled too much, then, make note of it and for the next workout with strict pull-ups, you'll do 75% of the prescribed reps with the same scaling method. For the example above, that would be 12 Banded Pull-ups with 2 Bands.
Step 4: Keep repeating this process until you are doing 100% of the prescribed reps, so until you work towards 16 Banded Pull-ups with 2 Bands. Note: You will be doing workouts with many different prescribed number of reps, so your total number of reps used will be highly variable, but, relative to the prescribed number of reps, you’ll be using 50%, 75%, or 100% of the number listed.
Step 5: Once you are doing 100% of the prescribed reps and are ready for the next progression, choose the next hardest variation of the exercise, knock the reps back down to 50%, and start at Step 2 above again. So, using the same example, next you'll be doing 8 Banded Pull-ups with 1 Band. Keep repeating the process until you are doing the hardest variation of the exercise for which you will then have a good sense of the max number of reps you could perform, and would therefore start using the percentages, like (67% of a Max), listed.
Common Bodyweight Exercises and Scaling Progressions
Notes:
Higher levels within an exercise related to harder progressions.
The levels do not represent anything across exercises, so level 4 on Strict Pull-ups has nothing to do with Level 4 on Ring Dips.
Level 1: Ring Rows
As you position your feel to make your body position more and more horizontal with the ground, the harder the variation will become.
Level 2: Banded Pull-ups
2.1: 2 Thick Bands
2.2: 1 Thick and 1 Medium Band
2.3: 1 Thick Band
2.4: 1 Medium Band
Level 3: Jumping Pull-up with a Strict Pull-up Negative
Level 4: Strict Pull-ups
Level 5: If you're interested in learning Kipping Pull-ups, you'll now have the foundation.
Level 1: Push-ups with hands on a box
The lower the box, the harder the push-ups.
Level 2: Banded Push-up Negative + Banded Kipping Push-up
2.1: 1 Thick Band
2.2: 1 Medium Band
Level 2: Banded Push-ups
3.1: 1 Thick Band
3.2: 1 Medium Band
Level 3: Push-ups
Level 1: Banded Knee Push-ups
1.1: Thick Band
1.2: Medium Band
Level 2: Knee Push-ups
Level 3: Ring Dips with Your Feet on Box Slightly Behind the Rings
Level 4: Banded Ring Dips
4.1: Thick Band Pulled Tight
4.2: Thick Band Pulled Loose
4.3: Medium Band Pulled Tight
4.4: Medium Band Pulled Loose
Level 5: Jumping Ring Dip + Ring Dip Negative
Level 6: Ring Dips
Level 7: If you're interested in learning Kipping Ring Dips, you'll now have the foundation.
Level 1: Laying Leg Raises with Toe Taps on the Rig
Level 2: Hanging Knee Raises
Level 3: Toes-to-bars
Burpee + Jumping Pull-ups
Burpee + Jumping Chest-to-bar Pull-ups
Banded Ring Muscle-ups
Strict Ring Muscle-ups
If you're interested in learning Kipping Ring Muscle-up, you'll now have the foundation.
Burpee + Jumping Pull-ups
Burpee + Jumping Chest-to-bar Pull-ups
Banded Bar Muscle-ups
Bar Muscle-ups
How do you know which level to start on???
Go back up to the Progressing Through Scaling Variations section of this article and start with step 1.
Now that you have a plan for your bodyweight exercises, if you want to get a better feel for how we customize the other parts of your workouts from selecting barbell weights, dumbbell (DB) and kettlebell (KB) weights, what height box to use, and what we mean when we say easy, medium, or hard row, you can explore more through the buttons below: