8 Powerful Examples of Advanced Bodyweight Workout Routines for Strength

Let’s start with one of the most useful examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength: a push–pull upper body day that actually feels heavy, even without a single dumbbell.

On this day, you’re pairing harder push variations with serious pulling. Think of it like a barbell bench and row day, but using your body as the bar.

You might structure it like this in practice:

• Begin with a general warmup (5–10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic arm circles, band pull-aparts if you have a band).
• Move into activation work: scapular pullups, wall slides, and slow incline pushups.
• Then hit your main strength moves.

A real example of an advanced upper-body strength session could include:

• Archer pushups or pseudo planche pushups for heavy pushing
• Wide-grip pullups or towel pullups for serious pulling
• Ring or bar dips for added triceps and chest strength
• Slow tempo pushups (3–4 seconds down) as a finisher

Keep the reps low to moderate (around 4–8 per set) and rest 90–150 seconds between sets. This keeps the focus on strength, not just conditioning.

2. Lower-Body Strength: Single-Leg Squat and Hip Hinge Routine

When people ask for examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength, this is usually what they’re missing: heavy-feeling leg work without a barbell.

The trick is simple: single-leg and hip-dominant patterns.

A real-world lower-body strength routine might look like this:

• Warmup with leg swings, hip circles, and a few sets of easy bodyweight squats and reverse lunges.
• Move into your single-leg strength block.

Your main exercises might be:

• Pistol squats to a box or bench (or assisted with a band or doorframe)
• Bulgarian split squats with a slow tempo
• Single-leg hip thrusts or feet-elevated glute bridges
• Nordic hamstring curls (feet anchored under a couch or rail)

This is one of the best examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength for the lower body because it checks all the big boxes: quad strength, hip hinge strength, and hamstring resilience. Nordic curls, in particular, have good research behind them for hamstring strength and injury reduction in athletes.

For more on hamstring injury prevention and training, you can skim resources from the National Institutes of Health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

3. Full-Body Push–Pull–Squat Circuit for Experienced Athletes

If you like to feel absolutely worked in under 45 minutes, this example of an advanced full-body routine hits everything: push, pull, squat, and core.

Here’s how you might set it up:

Rotate through a push, a pull, a squat, and a core move, resting only briefly between exercises and taking a slightly longer break after each round.

For instance, your circuit could be:

• Explosive decline pushups (feet elevated)
• Chest-to-bar pullups (or close-grip chinups if your elbows prefer it)
• Shrimp squats or deep step-downs from a sturdy box or step
• Hanging leg raises or toes-to-bar

This is not just cardio with pushups sprinkled in. The exercise selection and higher difficulty keep the strength demand high. You’re still working in that 4–8 rep range for the main moves, but the density of the workout ramps up the challenge.

Because this routine is intense, most lifters do best running it only once or twice a week, paired with easier technique or mobility days in between.

4. Advanced Core & Grip Strength: Hanging and Anti-Rotation Day

A lot of people think “core” means endless crunches. Advanced bodyweight strength athletes know better: core strength is about resisting movement, not just creating it.

Here’s an example of a core and grip-focused routine that supports your other advanced bodyweight workouts:

You might start with 5–10 minutes of light cardio, then some cat–cow, bird dog, and dead bug drills to wake up your spine and deep core.

Then, your main work could center around:

• Long-duration dead hangs from a bar (30–60 seconds)
• Hanging leg raises with strict form
• Side plank variations with leg lifts
• Hollow body holds and arch holds

This routine is a good example of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength because it trains the muscles that stabilize your spine and shoulders while also building grip strength. Strong grip and a stable midsection pay off everywhere: pullups, pushups, handstands, and even running.

For background on why core strength matters for back health and daily function, the Mayo Clinic has a helpful overview: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle

5. Handstand & Overhead Strength Routine (No Weights Needed)

Overhead pressing is tough to mimic without weights, but handstand work comes close. When people look for examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength that hit the shoulders, this is where we go.

A focused handstand day could look like:

You warm up wrists, shoulders, and upper back with wrist circles, wall slides, and scapular pushups.

Then you move into:

• Wall-facing handstand holds (nose and toes to wall)
• Handstand shoulder taps (if stable enough)
• Pike pushups with feet elevated on a box or bench
• Wall walks (from plank up into a wall handstand and back down)

This routine builds pressing strength, shoulder stability, and body awareness. Over time, it can serve as a stepping stone toward freestanding handstands and even handstand pushups.

For safety, progress gradually and listen to your wrists and shoulders. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has general guidance on progressing bodyweight moves wisely: https://www.acefitness.org

6. Power & Athleticism: Plyometric Bodyweight Strength Session

Not all strength is slow and grinding. Some of the best examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength also target power: your ability to produce force quickly.

A power-focused day might begin with a very thorough warmup: light jogging or jump rope, dynamic stretches, and a few easy practice jumps.

Then you might build the session around:

• Jump squats with a soft landing and full control
• Bounding or broad jumps for distance
• Clap pushups or other explosive pushup variations
• Lateral skater jumps to train side-to-side power

This kind of training improves your ability to accelerate, decelerate, and change direction, which is gold if you also play sports or just want to feel more athletic in daily life.

Because plyometrics are demanding on joints and tendons, keep the total jump volume moderate and leave a couple of reps “in the tank” on each set. The CDC and ACSM both emphasize gradual progression in activity to reduce injury risk: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics

7. Hybrid Strength & Conditioning: EMOM-Style Bodyweight Session

EMOM stands for “Every Minute On the Minute.” It’s a popular format in 2024–2025 because it blends structure with intensity. This is one of the best examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength if you’re short on time but want a serious challenge.

Here’s how it works in plain English:

You set a timer for, say, 20 minutes. At the start of each minute, you perform a small set of a demanding exercise, then rest for whatever time is left in that minute. At the next minute, you switch to a different move, and so on.

A simple advanced EMOM might alternate:

• Minute 1: 5–6 strict pullups
• Minute 2: 8–10 decline pushups
• Minute 3: 6–8 Bulgarian split squats per leg
• Minute 4: 10–12 hanging knee raises

Repeat that 4-minute block for 4–5 rounds.

This format keeps you honest. If you pick advanced variations, the strength demand stays high, but the clock forces you to maintain pace and focus. It’s a nice way to apply structure to several of the examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength we’ve already talked about.

8. Putting It Together: Weekly Template Using These Examples

So how do you turn all these individual ideas into a real training week?

Here’s one way to organize the examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength into a weekly flow that fits a busy life:

• Day 1: Upper-Body Push–Pull Strength (Routine #1)
• Day 2: Lower-Body Strength (Routine #2) + light core
• Day 3: Rest or easy movement (walking, mobility)
• Day 4: Handstand & Overhead Strength (Routine #5)
• Day 5: Power & Plyometrics (Routine #6)
• Day 6: Hybrid EMOM Session (Routine #7) or Full-Body Circuit (Routine #3)
• Day 7: Rest or gentle recovery work

You don’t have to follow this exact layout, but it shows how these real examples of advanced routines can be stitched together into a logical plan: heavy upper, heavy lower, overhead work, power, and a hybrid day.

If you’re newer to advanced training, you might only pick two or three of these routines per week and fill the rest with easier technique and mobility days.

Progression Tips for Advanced Bodyweight Strength

Even advanced athletes need a plan to keep moving forward instead of just repeating the same “hard” workout forever.

Here are a few simple progression levers you can pull:

• Increase difficulty of the movement: move from regular pushups to decline, then to archer or pseudo planche pushups.
• Adjust leverage: move your body farther from the support (for example, pike pushups to feet-elevated pike pushups).
• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase: 3–5 seconds down makes almost any move harder.
• Add pauses: pause at the bottom of a squat or halfway down in a pullup.
• Add volume cautiously: a few more sets or reps per week, not a random jump.

Mayo Clinic and other major health organizations consistently remind people to progress gradually and to watch for pain that feels sharp or joint-based rather than simple muscle fatigue. When in doubt, back off and recover.

Safety, Recovery, and When to Back Off

Advanced doesn’t mean reckless. If you’re stacking several of these examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength in one week, recovery matters.

A few simple guardrails:

• Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours per night when training hard.
• Joints: Persistent pain in wrists, shoulders, or knees is a signal to modify or regress the movement.
• Frequency: Most people progress well with 3–5 advanced sessions per week, not 7.
• Warmup: Always spend at least 5–10 minutes getting warm before explosive or heavy-feeling work.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers physical activity guidelines that line up well with this approach: https://health.gov/paguidelines

If you have a medical condition, joint issues, or a history of injury, it’s smart to run your plan by a healthcare provider or qualified coach before jumping into the deepest end.

FAQ: Advanced Bodyweight Strength Routines

What are some real examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength I can start with?
A simple starting point is to combine an upper-body push–pull day (advanced pushups, pullups, dips) with a lower-body day (pistol or Bulgarian split squats, single-leg hip thrusts, Nordic curls). Add one day focused on handstands and core (wall handstands, pike pushups, hanging leg raises), and you already have three solid, realistic examples of advanced bodyweight workout routines for strength.

How many days per week should I do advanced bodyweight strength training?
Most experienced trainees do well with 3–5 days per week. For example, you might use two upper-body focused days, two lower-body or power days, and one hybrid EMOM or full-body circuit day. If you’re feeling worn down, cut back to three days and focus on quality reps.

Can these examples of routines build muscle, or are they only for strength?
They can absolutely build muscle, especially if you train close to technical failure, eat enough protein, and recover well. Advanced variations like archer pushups, Bulgarian split squats, and Nordic curls provide plenty of tension. Think of them as your “bodyweight barbell” options.

What is one example of an advanced bodyweight workout I can do in 30 minutes?
Try a 20-minute EMOM with strict pullups, decline pushups, Bulgarian split squats, and hanging knee raises, plus a 5–10 minute warmup. That single workout is an efficient example of an advanced bodyweight routine that hits strength, core, and conditioning in a short window.

Do I need equipment for these advanced routines?
You can do a lot with just a sturdy pullup bar and something to elevate your feet (like a bench or step). Rings or a suspension trainer expand your options even more, but most of the examples in this article can be done with minimal gear at home or in a park.