I have always been a huge advocate of bodyweight training for athletes. Basic bodyweight movements are useful for young beginner athletes to learn correct positioning and are still beneficial to even the most advanced athlete to build strength endurance.

But like anything, there are levels to this.

Advanced bodyweight movements can be used to build power, speed, stability and incredible strength. Here are five of my toughest bodyweight exercises that I use regularly in my own training and have utilized with my advanced athletes such as Reece Humphrey and Nathan Tomasello.

Are you tough enough to conquer all five?

Muscle-Ups

This, my friends, is the ultimate test of upper body power and strength: the muscle-up. A muscle-up is essentially starting in a dead hang, performing an explosive radial pull-up then transitioning into a dip position, and pressing your body up. In “wrestling strength” terms, think of the muscle-up as a plyometric movement for your back — perfect for speed and power development in the lats.

Completing a muscle-up on a straight pull-up bar is typically a prerequisite for the ring version, so let’s work on mastering the bar movement. The first, and most crucial, component to the muscle-up is what is known as a “false grip.” The transition from pull-up to dip is near impossible with a normal grip as you will find yourself “stuck” at the top of your pull. Grab the bar and flex your wrist, rolling your hand over until the pinky side of your wrist is sitting on top of the bar. This will allow you to pull with greater power and will help you roll over into the bottom dip position. 

The second thing is you just pay attention to the angle of your pull. While a normal pull-up follows a similar pulling angle as a lat pull-down, to complete the muscle-up you must lean back and pull towards your hips. The faster you pull and the closer your hips get to the bar, the easier the transition will be.

Starter: Begin by using a low set of rings and starting a similar position as a ring row. While not a true muscle-up, keeping your feet in contact with the ground will allow you to master the false grip and the feeling of transitioning from a pull into a dip.

Advanced: Slow, with no kip. Doing the muscle-up slowly kind of takes the power development element out of it, but requires tremendous upper body strength and stability.

Accessories: As stated above, a bar muscle up is usually a prerequisite to the ring version because you can get away with a little more form-wise, and it requires less stability. As far as accessory exercise to develop the strength, try this superset:

• Weighted pull-ups (neutral grip) — 3
• Weighted Dips — 5 (5-second pause at the bottom)

Pistols 

The pistols squat is a great unilateral leg movement, but unlike a lunge or split squat, you cannot use your “back leg” for balance. Not only can this movement really help improve balance, it will also expose and (over time) eliminate strength imbalances. The most typical one is knee valgus (when the knee caves inward) and is a sign of weak glutes. Concentrate on the position of your knee, “forcing” it out to stay over your foot.

Starter: Assisted. When first attempting a pistol squat, you may want to hold on to a rack or bar for balance. Stand with one foot planted in front of a rack and your other leg out in front of you. Hold onto the bar at a low point and keep your back straight as you perform a slow, controlled single leg squat.

This is also a great variation to use weighted, either with a weight vest or by holding a DB in your opposite hand.

Intermediate: Once you have mastered the assisted version, try standing on a box or bench with your toe pointed up on your non-support leg. Go with your hands out to your side or straight out in front of you. Squat down slowly until your heel touches. This is my preferred version.

Advanced: Leg extended out in front. Unless you’re a pro I’m not a huge fan of this one (and not just because it's really tough for me). Keeping your foot out in front requires tremendous hip mobility and although it looks cool, I prefer the intermediate version. Wrestlers — leave this one to the gymnasts.

Accessories: The best way to build up is by doing the starter version. This superset will also help:

• Split Squats — 5/5 [5-second eccentric (lowering)]
• Single Leg Glute Bridge — 5/5 (5-second isometric pause at the top)

Planche Dips

This position is very much a lat and tricep exercise, but without the core strength to hold the position it’s a no-go. Start on a pair of dip or parallel bars and slowly draw your knees up towards your chest. Push into the bars with your lats and raise your hips as you continue to tuck your knees until your shins are parallel to the floor. Hold this position as you perform a push-up/dip hybrid. Do not let your hips or shins drop during the movement.

Starter: First try pulling up into this position for a static hold of 3-5 seconds. If that is unattainable, try the planche in a push-up position first.

Advanced: Unless you are a gymnast that can do this on the rings, as prescribed, it's as advanced as it gets.

Accessories: Mastering the Starter versions is key. The three main traditional exercises that will help you develop the necessary strength would be:

• Close grip bench — sets of 3
• Straight arm lat pull-downs — sets of 5, pausing at the bottom
• Ab wheel — sets of 20, or sets of 3-5 with a 25-45lb plate on your back

Chinese Push-Ups

Lay face down with your hands above your head in a “diamond” position. Keep your abs flexed and pelvic tilt as you flex the triceps, raising your hips off of the ground. Do not bend at the waist.

Starter: Start with your hands under you and slowly move them out as you get stronger. If you can’t hold pelvic tilt and your position breaks down, move your hands back closer to your chest until you develop the necessary strength.

Advanced: Elevated in between two benches or plyo boxes. This takes the security of the floor away and doesn’t allow any type of bounce or rebound.

Accessories: This superset will hit all the necessary areas to master this one.

• BW skullcrusher — sets of 10-15
• Med ball rollout or ab wheel — sets of 10
• Hyper extension — sets of 25, or sets of 8-10 weighted

Neck Plank

Start by sitting on a swiss ball or bench and walk out until only your head is touching as you lay back. Bridge your hips up so your spine is flat and your knees are bent at 90 degrees. Start with 10-second holds and work up to 30 seconds. 

Starter: Use a bench rather than a Swiss ball, and at first try just walking out into position without bridging all the way up.

Advanced: Once you can easily hold the position for 30 seconds, start adding weight by holding a plate or med ball on your hips.

Accessories:

• Static neck holds done either against a Swiss ball or even using your hand or a partner for resistance
• Glute bridge — sets of 25 with no weight or sets of 10 using weight

Coach Myers is the strength coach for the Ohio Regional Training Center at The Ohio State University. With the Ohio RTC since 2012, he served as Ohio State Wrestling’s primary strength coach from 2014-18, helping the Buckeyes win three Big Ten titles, their first-ever team NCAA championship, and two runner-up finishes.

A certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS), Coach Myers owns the Old School Gym in Pataskala, OH, and is a founding partner of top supplement company Max Effort Muscle. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook, and learn more about his strength and conditioning programs for wrestlers of all ages here.