Top 5 STRICT Bodyweight Exercises Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Top 5 STRICT Bodyweight Exercises Build Your Relative Strength by Tanner Shuck June 13, 2021August 18, 2021 Relative strength is how strong you are for your size. But it's also your ability to move your body through space. The most simple way to think about? It's how well you can lift your own body weight. Want to improve your relative strength? Start with mastering these basic bodyweight movements. No flopping around allowed! 1 The Strict Pull-Up It strengthens the entire upper body and offers the most carryover into everyday life. (Just master the basic ring row first.) If you can competently rep out at least 5 unbroken, perfect pull-ups, you've developed a good baseline of relative strength. Pull-ups are easily one of the most "value for time" exercises. 2 The Strict Dip The strict dip is to pushing what the strict pull-up is to pulling. Having the ability to perform at least 5 unbroken bodyweight dips should be a baseline of strength for all lifters. The strict dip builds foundational pushing strength and does a tremendous job of developing the pecs, triceps, and anterior delts. However, you must master strict push-ups first. Once you can competently perform 5 sets of 15 perfect push-ups, you're ready to start training the strict dip. 3 Strict Toes-to-Bar or L-Sit Having the ability to touch your toes to the bar while hanging means you have a solid baseline of abdominal strength. Having the ability to compress your body to lift and hold your legs up means you have tremendously strong abs and hip flexors. While it may seem counterintuitive, if you want to improve your strict toes-to-bar, improve your strict pull-ups. There's a lot of lat strength required as well. 4 Single-Leg Pistol Squat It's the most advanced single-leg exercise, requiring balance, skill, mobility, flexibility, and strength. If you have the ability to competently rep out quality pistol squats, then you possess exceptional single-leg strength. Make sure to master step-ups, lunges, rear-foot elevated split squats, and pistol squats from an elevated surface before you focus on pistol squats from the ground. 5 Strict Muscle-Up The strict muscle-up is the single greatest upper-body exercise... ever. By combining the pull-up and dip, you train virtually every muscle in the upper body. The major issue? It requires a high level of requisite strength. You have to earn it. The only way to earn it is to first master the strict pull-up, strict dip, and strict toes-to-bar. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Suspension Straps W Row Bad posture? Try this if you're chronically internally rotated at the shoulders. Good for rear delts and upper back too. Exercise Coaching, Mobility, Tips Calvin Huynh August 4 Training Powerbuilding 4 Ways to Get Big and Strong Mix heavy lifts with moderate lifts and blend powerlifter strength with bodybuilder size. Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Strength, Training John Paul Catanzaro June 5 Training Tip Hip Mobility & Strength for Hardcore Lifters You need more than mobility. You need 3D mobility. Try these drills. It Hurts Fix It, Mobility, Tips, Training Kyle Norman April 15 Training Tip How to Foam Roll Your Calves Foam rolling hurts so good. Problem is, most people aren't using the right methods. Here's how to correctly target the calves. It Hurts Fix It, Tips, Training Dr John Rusin April 4