Here are the 100 hardest bodyweight exercises ever on the planet.
They are something to aspire to if you are following the 30-day calisthenics workout plan or have just learned about the pros and cons of bodyweight workouts.
(Please be patient as this page loads. There is a massive amount of information in this post).
I once heard this quote by Jack Lalanne:
“When you run, run as if someone’s chasing you.
When you swim, swim as if a shark is after you.”
This quote is awesome because it “levels up” your workouts.
I used to work out in the gym, lifting heavy weights, and would come home with joints that were throbbing.
Maybe I was lifting wrong.
Or maybe my body simply likes using its own weight to strengthen itself.
Many people believe that bodyweight exercises can only take you so far. They say,
“To get really strong, you have to incorporate weights into your routine.”
I disagree.
I scoured the internet in search of the hardest most amazing exercises using only the human body.
Below is what I found…
That was a complete eye-opener for me.
The Top 100 Hardest Body Weight Exercises Of All Time
100. Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are a great whole-body exercise to develop strength throughout the upper and lower regions. This great tutorial is courtesy of BodySpex.com which is a good tool to track your fitness progress and increase motivation.
99. Burpees
Burpees are the classic bodyweight exercise to level up your training. They incorporate great leg strength-building moves as well as upper body strength too. About 2 weeks ago I did 100 burpees after an intense run and total shredded my body. It was a great end to the workout.
98. Dragon Walk
Superfit strength & conditioning coach Steve Maxwell brings us this unique bodyweight exercise called Dragon Walk. It takes a bit of practice to get the coordination down at first but once you have it, it’s quite fun and challenging!
97. Jumping Lunges
Jumping lunges are a incredible plyometric exercise for the low body. While doing it make sure to not let your knees go over your toes. This will cause undo stress on them. Click on the video for a great tutorial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ExU8445rbU
96. Neck Bridges
For those of you with neck problems, stay away from this brutal body weight exercise. Its mostly known as a wresting exercise to strengthen neck muscles used for arching up.
Watch a Tutorial on Neck Bridges from my grade school best bud Tom Clifford:
95. Hanging Knee To Elbow
This is a superb abdominal exercise that also engages your arms. The key to this exercise is to bring your legs up as far as you can. You want the abs to engage through the curling motion.
94. Pike Roll Out
Pike Roll Outs are a wonderful full-body exercise. Your arms and upper body are being used to stabilize the movement while your feet roll on a stability ball. It seriously works every part of your body.
93. Frozen V Sit
Guess who this is? Yours truly! This is one of my favorite bodyweight ab exercises. The goal of this exercise is to keep your back extremely straight and your knees straight too. In the video, I don’t do the greatest job of this but try your best.
92. Spiderman Pushup
Spiderman Pushup is a great bodyweight exercise to engage your abs while also stimulating the upper body. Make sure to stay in good form while you are performing this exercise by keeping your back straight and raising your knee all the way to your forearm.
91. One Legged Burpees
This is a new one for me. The cool thing about bodyweight workouts is that you can adjust them in so many unique ways. Many people have heard of ordinary burpees. Yet by modifying it just a bit (removing a leg) you add a great amount of difficulty. Bodyweight master Funk Roberts brings us this exercise.
Click Here for a Tutorial On One Legged Burpees and make sure to check out Funk’s 4 Week Workout Challenge (looks intense!)
90. Power Pushups
Ok, this guy is insane. This is your first introduction to Fazio Enterprises. I have a bunch of videos from him. If you want to check out Fazio’s YouTube Channel I highly recommend it. This is a sweet plyometric unique way of doing pushups.
89. Hindu Pushups
Ah, the infamous Hindu Pushups. I learned these initially from bodyweight guru Matt Furey. Similar to Diver Bombers, this bodyweight exercise develops whole-body strength. Click the video to see a demo.
88. Knuckle Pushups
This pushup is just like the normal pushup except instead of doing them on your palms, you’ll put your hands into fists and do the normal pushup on your knuckles, hence the name. It’s not really developing that much more strength in your body (maybe grip strength) but definitely looks cool.
87. Fingertip Pushups
The infamous fingertip pushup is the sister to the knuckle pushup. Place your fingers on the ground and get in the normal pushup position, then lower yourself down and back up making sure your chest hits the ground. This exercise will definitely improve your grip and overall hand/forearm strength.
86. Diamond Pushup
If you’re looking for a wonderful tricep bodyweight exercise, look no further! This one is a doozy. You can simply keep your hands in the diamond and lower your body to the diamond or try to get your nose in the diamond (much harder).
85. Hanging Leg Lifts
Hanging leg lifts are a great bodyweight exercise for developing a six-pack. Grab a pull up or chin up bar (or essentially anything you can hang from – could even be a tree branch). With your legs straight, lift them up until they are parallel with the floor. To make the exercise harder try to lift your legs up higher.
84. Walking Pull Up
Found this video by the founder of Red Delta Project. It’s a great bodyweight exercise blog. The guy uses playground equipment to do some Walking Push Ups. This exercise is a great transition to develop strength for the one armed chin up because in the transition move you are holding yourself up with one arm.
Click Here for a Tutorial On Pull Ups
83. Lawnmower Extension
I love this exercise! This is a whole bodyweight exercise but especially targets the obliques. Definitely want to give it a try. If you don’t have rings try using a thick rope instead. The dude’s website is called MyMadMethods.com and it has a ton of great resources for bodyweight training.
Click Here for a Tutorial On Lawnmower Extensions
82. Archer Pushup
Just learned this exercise. It’s a great transition exercise to developing strength for the Crucifix Pushup. You’ll need some rings for this exercise. Make sure you’re keeping your back in good form. Don’t jet out your butt while you come down or slink your pelvis down to the floor. You’ll lose the effect.
Click Here for a Tutorial On Archer Pushups and Several Other Ring Pushups
81. Clap Pushups
Clap pushups engage the fast twitch muscle fibers of your chest. It’s a plyometric exercise and is especially good to do at the end of a workout to fatigue your chest that last little bit. Basically start in the normal pushup position. Then explode up into the air and clap your hands underneath you. Repeat.
Click Here for a Tutorial On Clap Pushups
80. Chest Slap Pushups
The Chest Slap Pushup is the sister to the Clap Pushup. Start off in the normal pushup position. Explode up into the air and while in the air hit your chest with your hands. It’s another plyometric exercise and develops your fast twitch muscle fibers in your chest.
79. Brock Jumps
This is definitely one of my favorite exercise. I learned this from Brock Lesnar in one of his training videos. Basically start off in a pushup position. Then hop over a medicine ball as you roll it back and forth. It incorporates plyometrics into your routine.
78. Fast Exploding Pushups
Fast exploding pushups are an extremely unique exercise. It engages the fast twitch muscle fibers of many of your muscle groups. I could explain how to do it with text but it’s easier to just watch the video :).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI3LFiBIeuY
77. Crucifix Pushup
This one is brutal. The key to doing this right is to stretch your arms out absolutely as far as they go. If you keep your arms in, you are doing what I call the Grand Canyon Pushup, which is quite a bit easier than the Crucifix Pushup.
76. Archer Pull Up
Archer Pull Up is a variation to the standard pull up. It’s going to work more of your bicep region as you stretch out your opposite arm. It’s also a great transition exercise to help develop your muscles and get them ready for the full Muscle Up.
75. L Pull Up
The L Pull Up is a variation of the normal pull up. Start off in the normal pull up position with your palms facing away from you. As you pull yourself up, raise your legs up into a straight line. This will engage your abs and hip flexors. Great exercise for strengthening the abs.
74. L Seat
I just did this exercise last night. It is a doozy. Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you. Place your hands on the ground beside you with your fingers fanning out. Push off the ground until your body is about 2 inches off the ground. Keep your knees straight. It builds great strength in the triceps and lower abs/hip flexors.
73. One Arm Hanging Leg Lifts
One arm hanging leg lifts are much harder than normal hanging leg lifts. Grab the bar with one arm. As you are hanging raise your legs up until they are parallel with the ground. It’s important to keep your knees straight. Focus on engaging the lat on the side that you’re hanging from. This will help stabilize the movement.
72. Advanced Harop Curl
If you thought squats were the only difficult bodyweight exercise that targeted the legs, think again! The Advanced Harop Curl is a killer. Try your best to keep your back completely straight so you keep the pressure on your hamstrings. If you don’t have a bench, ask your buddy to press down on your legs to keep you from flipping over.
71. Windshield Wipers
Find a pull up/chin up bar. Grab the bar and hang from it. Swing your legs from side to side. The Windshield Wiper exercise is wonderful for developing oblique strength and helping to tone up the area where uour love handles can start to form.
70. Parallel Bar Dip Hops
This exercise is really cool. You’ll need a park that has a set up similar to this guys’. Your going to start off on one side and swing up using your upper body strength over the middle bar onto the other side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPKCfbdYPvo
69. Pistol Squat
This Pistol Squat, also known as the one legged squat, requires tremendous balance. I have challenged a few bodybuilders to it and they haven’t been able to do it even though they were tremendously strong.
68. Single Leg Squat Jumps
This is a major plyometric exercise. It will work your legs a ton. In the video, the guy uses plyometric stands but feel free to use anything you can find that is elevated. You could do this on a chair or up some steps. Just be careful not to fall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7DO_YfDWjc
67. Sergej’s X-mens
This exercise is sweet. You’ll need a decline bench. Grab the top of it then roll your body up so just your upper back is touching the bench. Lift your lower legs up then scissor them out. This one will really work your abs as well as your obliques.
66. Hanging Sit Ups
Ok. I’ve tried this in many different forms. If you have a gym membership than you could do it like the guy in the video. If not, I’ve done them off the edge of a bleacher. It will dig into your shins but try to position your feet so the pressure is on your toes.
65. Ab Crunch Shredder Dips
I love this movie. It’s working your abdominal region a ton. You’ll need parallel bars that are elevated from the ground. Grip the bars, lift yourself up so your elbows are bent, then contract and extend your body outward.
64. 2 Thumb Full Body Suspension
So, I would not recommend doing the 2 Thumb Full Body Suspension exercise all that often. It does help develop strength in the lat muscle groups as well as the arms yet it will put tremendous strain on your thumbs. Make sure you are on the pads of your thumbs and not your tips.
63. Hanging Ab Kick Outs
This is a seriously cool exercise. Again, you’ll need to find some type of parallel bars. Grip the bars and lift yourself up. Do a front lever to get your body in the right position. Then you’ll simply be bringing your legs in and out. It’s a really sweet exercise to impress your friends with at the beach and develops great abdominal and bicep strength.
62. Elbow Lever
Although with the Elbow Lever you are balancing on your elbows it still requires a tremendous amount of strength in your arms, low back, and legs. This exercise is a great transition move for the planche push up.
61. Muay Thai Pushups
This is the “clap pushup” on steroids. It requires a ton of power in your chest muscles to leap of the ground. Essentially Muay Thai Pushups are plyometrics for the upper body.
60. Back Lever
This is a really cool exercise that will develop strength in your arms and back muscles. You will need a bar to properly perform the exercise. Also, the exercise will strengthen your lower back a ton yet if you have low back pain, you might want to steer clear of it.
59. Triple Clap Pushups
This exercise is extreme. You’ll be clapping once in front of you, once behind you, and then again in front of you all on a single rep. It’s extreme for sure and will help you develop amazing strength in your chest region.
58. Dragon Flag
The Dragon Flag was made popular by Stallone in Rocky. It is a killer on the abs. You don’t necessarily need a bench though for it. You could use the ground, just make sure you are gripping a pole or something behind you. I have used a stability ball (aka Pilates ball) to balance on as well.
57. Dragon Flag With Scissors
The Dragon Flag With Scissors is the same move as the regular Dragon Flag however your body is staying stationary and your are kicking your legs up and down. It’s like a Flutter Kick exercise but to the extreme.
56. Superman Pushups
Superman Pushups are a great way to develop strength in your whole body but especially your lats and low back. The goal with this exercise is to extend your arms absolutely as far as you can. This will position the angle differently and make it harder.
55. One Arm Pushup
Good ol mister Turbulence Training showing us how to do a one armed pushup. It’s really important when doing this move to keep your back straight and come down to at least parallel. Many people slump their pelvis forward and only come down a few inches. I don’t consider that a successful attempt at a One Arm Pushup.
54. One Arm One Leg Pushup
I love this movie. It’s the One Arm One Leg Pushup. It takes a ton of balance to be able to do this move and engages the glutes of the opposite leg to a higher degree.
53. Muscle Up
Muscle Ups are the infamous bodyweight exercise of the elite. Its crazy intense and you’ll need to do these at your local park. Find a bar that you can pull yourself up on. You’ll start off doing a normal pull up and then lift yourself up on the bar until you are fully extended upward.
52. Lalanne Pushups
Jack Lalanne has been a huge inspiration for me over the years. It was so sad when he died. Here he is showing his strength in all it’s glory with the Lalanne Pushup. Extend your body as far as you can. You’ll be working practically every inch of your body.
51. Front Lever
I’ve been working on this move for a while. The key is to develop enough strength in your ab muscles to hold your legs out straight. As a transition move, you can get into the position but keep your legs crouched in. Over time, slowly extend them out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhBgQIQ6dDQ
50. Hannibal For King’s Leg Flutters For Men
If you haven’t heard of Hannibal For King, then you are missing out on possibly the Michael Jordan of body weight calisthenics. He’s the man. Here he shows us how to do what he calls “Leg Flutters For Men”.
49. Standing Ab Wheel Roll Outs
Ah, the old ab wheel. I used to do this exercise on my knees and it would kill my abs. The Standing Ab Wheel Roll Outs takes it to a whole new level by having you start from your feet. Try it. They are intense.
48. Flying Superman Pushups
Flying Superman Pushups are really impressive. They are a type of, again, plyometric pushup. Start off in the normal pushup and then explode upward. While in the air extend your arms out like you were Superman. Very intense.
47. Thigh Slap Pushups
Thigh Slap Pushups are exactly what they sound like. You’ll be doing a plyometric pushup and exploding up into the air. While you are in the air, you’ll slap your hands and thighs together. The goal is to get as high in the air as you can so you have enough time and clearance to do it.
46. One Handed Clap Pushups
This is raising the bar of even the one handed pushup. Basically get in the same position as if you were doing a one handed pushup but explode up into the air so you can bring your other hand up and clap the forward hand.
45. Front Lever Pull Ups
These are wicked cool. It’s the same move as the normal Front Lever yet you are staying stationary and doing a normal pull up. The pull up normally engages the abs a little bit but by doing them in a front lever you are engaging the abs a ton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA8DMGsBV8Q
44. Clap Pull Ups
I love this video. This guy does 20 or so clap pull ups. It takes tremendous strength to be able to lift your body up enough to be able to clap in mid air and then go down and keep doing them. It’s freakin awesome.
43. Back Clap Muscle Up
I love watching this video. He only does one of them but it is really cool to see him do it. Basically do a Muscle Up and explode up into the air. While in the air clap your hands behind your back and grab the bar. I’d love to see someone do a bunch of these in a row.
42. Burpee Back Tuck
I put this move this high on the list because I’ve always wanted to do a flip. The burpee is a standard body weight move that can get very intense. This guy however adds a back flip to the rep and calls it the Burpee Back Tuck. Really impressive to watch.
41. Double Hand Clap Dips
I don’t even know how to describe this. You’ll simply have to watch the video. He does two hand claps while in the air after doing a dip on a parallel bar with his legs in front of him. As you can see the move is astounding.
40. 360 Pushup
Ok. I’ll have to admit something here. I thought of this before I watched the video and made it my goal to be able to do it. Yet, after much practice couldn’t seem to quite get it. This guy makes it look almost easy. The 360 Pushup is an extreme plyometric exercise that takes great strength.
39. One Arm Diver Bombers
I first learned the Diver Bomber from a Navy Seal book I had. It was intense. Though this guy does a One Arm Diver Bomber and adds a whole new definition to Seal Tough. It takes great balance and coordination on top of strength.
38. 2 Fingers Pushup
The 2 Fingers Pushup was first made popular by Bruce Lee. Get in a normal pushup position, then bring one hand behind your back. Then position your hands so you are balanced on just two fingers. Lower yourself down. It’s a doozy.
37. One Arm Chin ups
For the life of me, I haven’t been able to do this one yet. Though I am working on it. It is the One Arm Chin up. The best way to train for this is to use the opposite arm as a stabilizer until your other arms gets strong enough to hold and lift your entire body weight.
36. One Handed Rope Climb
I basically stumbled upon this video and was blown away. This requires tremendous strength in your arms and hands. You can see half way that he has to switch hands. He’s probably got a grip like a vice. Love watching this video.
35. Aztec Pushups
This is one of the best “pushups” that I know, and most impressive to watch. Start off in a normal pushup position. Explode up into the air and touch your fingers to your toes. Try to do as many as you can. It again requires a ton of coordination as well as strength.
34. Reverse Planche
Some people have reached a level of astounding strength and flexibility. This guy is one of them. He does a Reverse Planche. He starts off in a handstand and then slowly brings his legs behind him until he gets in the position. Flexibility, balance and strength are all part of this move.
33. One Arm Handstand
To do a one arm handstand, it requires a ton of strength and balance. You’ll want to get good with your handstands first before you try to transition to a one armed handstand. I’ve got the two handed handstand down for about 30 seconds but haven’t been able to do the One Arm yet. Definitely on my list.
32. Hand Hops (Break Dancing Move)
I am a huge fan of break dancing. I have two left feet and am terrible at dancing so that is why I think I have been especially impressed with people that can perform amazing moves while dancing. The Hand Hops incorporates great strength with cool dancing.
31. Human Flag
Here this dude breaks the world record for the longest Human Flag exercise. I love this video so much because he holds the form so well. You can usually tell when someone is having difficulty when their form starts to go.
30. Human Flag Bicycles
The Human Flag Bicycles takes up the game a few notches from the ordinary Human Flag. Basically you’ll get in a Human Flag posture and then move your legs as if you were riding a bicycle.
https://youtu.be/MJuVo4bmI54?t=29s
29. Flying Human Flag Oblique Crunches
I love this move. You’ll need some type of post to grip onto but if you can succeed at doing this move, you’ll impress most anyone that watches. Grip the bottom and top portions of the post. Lift your lower body up until you are in a normal “flag” position. Then raise and lower your legs in a crunch like motion.
28. Human Flag Pushup
I have a caveat with this one. This guys’ form is not that great but the idea of a Human Flag Pushup is astounding. Again, it’s the transition moves that most often make an exercise so difficult.
27. Straddle Press To Handstand
This body weight exercise is especially difficult because of the transition from the L Seat to the Handstand. Sometimes the transitions can be the most difficult to perform.
26. Iron Cross
The Iron Cross takes great shoulder strength to perform. I haven’t been able to think of a way to practice this without rings (which I don’t have) but I still put this high up on the list because of the tremendous strength it takes.
25. L Sit Iron Cross To Muscle Up
Like I said before, many times it’s the transitions that are the most difficult. This guy starts in a L Seat and then pulls himself up past the Iron Cross and into a full Muscle Up. This takes whole body strength to the fullest.
24. Nakayama Planche
I mentioned that the L Seat before was hard. This Nakayama Planche is quite a bit more difficult. It engages the abs a ton. Work on building up your upper and lower abdominals in order to transition your L Seats to the full Nakayama Planche.
23. Manna
Just above is the Nakayama Planche, which is very difficult. The Manna is even harder! It puts tremendous pressure on the shoulder region and requires tremendous flexibility.
22. One Arm Lever
If you are looking for an extreme exercise to help develop your obliques, look no further. Start off by gripping a bar with only one hand. Lift your body up in one coordinated movement until your legs come to at least parallel. Lower yourself back down.
21. HSPU On Rings
There are some moves that impress me beyond belief. This guy does a Hand Stand Push Ups on the rings. This requires an insane amount of strength in your shoulders and also requires coordination and balance.
20. Full Planche
Here we have one of my favorite moves the Full Planche. I am working on developing the strength and balance to do it. Click the video to view exactly what it looks like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6_n2a59x3E
19. Planche On 4 Fingers
So this kid totally inspires me. He does a full planche on just four fingers. He looks lighter so that probably helps, but still! His finger strength must be incredible.
18. Planche Pushups
Planche Pushups are the next transition up from the Full Planche. It requires not only strength and balance to do the Planche but since adding a push up to it as well, the move requires a ton of extra strength in your pecs and shoulders.
17. Advanced Tricep Presses
Again, this guy totally inspires me with his ability. This Advanced Tricep Press is unlike anything you will ever see. Definitely want to click on the video to check it out.
16. Tiger Bend Pushups
Here’s another extreme body weight exercise that’s on my bucket list. It takes tremendous strength in the shoulders and triceps. I’ve been able to do a half Tiger Bend but am not even close to the full.
15. One Arm Evil Wheel
This was on my list for the 25 Hardest Ab Exercises. We brought you above the ab wheeler from the standing position. This is essentially the same thing but with only one arm. It’s really extreme.
14. 2 Finger Handstand Pushup (wall assisted)
I love this video. It shows body weight exercises at their finest because it is something most people didn’t think possible. The dude does a handstand but on only two fingers. Its a must see.
13. One Finger Pull Ups
This guy makes the one finger pull up look easy. It takes tremendous strength to be able to perform it and I highly recommend not just going out and trying it. You’ll probably break your finger off. 😉
12. Windmill Planche Pushups
My jaw dropped when I saw this move for the first time. It may not be the hardest type of planche but it might easily be the coolest looking. He basically spins his body around in a break dancing move called The Windmill and spins up into a full planche.
11. Walking Planches/h3>
It took some digging to find this exercise. It’s a Walking Planche and the reason I have it so high on the list is because of all the stabilizer muscles that are engaged while he’s transitioning form one side to the other as he’s walking.
10. 90 Degree Pushups
I have it as my life long goal to be able to do this move. Again, like many of these extreme athletes, this guy makes it look easy. This is a must see exercise for every exercise extremist.
9. Straddle Planche Clap Pushups
And here we come to the Straddle Planche Clap Pushup! Might easily be my favorite. Start off in a normal Planche and with every fast twitch muscle fiber that you can recruit pop up high in the air so you can clap your hands together.
8. Handstand Clap Pushups (& up stairs!)
The quality of the video isn’t the greatest but watching this dude do handstand clap pushups up stairs will make your mind blow. It takes tremendous strength, coordination and balance to be able to perform this.
7. Inverted Iron Cross
The infamous, crazy and astound Inverted Iron Cross. I put this super high on the list because of the great amount of strength that’s required on the shoulder capsule. The video is incredible.
6. One Arm Handstand On Cane
I can’t believe that this video has so few views. This guy does a one handed handstand on a cane! I didn’t think this was possible and the first time I saw this, I think I watched the video over and over again at least 4 or 5 times.
5. One Handed Planche
Of course, leave it to the super strength of a break dancer to be able to perform the One Handed Planche. It’s basically the same thing as a normal Planche (super difficult) but adds extreme difficulty by removing one arm. Wow!
4. One Arm Handstand Pushup
This guy is so cool. Never though I would ever see someone do a one arm handstand pushup. I do have to say that the guy uses momentum to get up but still! Totally blown away by this.
3. One Arm Pull Up To Handstand
So just one level up higher and we come to a one arm pull up to a handstand. You can tell in the video how he transitions from the pull up to the handstand. I could watch this video over and over again.
2. One Finger Handstand
Leave it to a monk to be able to perform a move that seems to defy gravity. This guy uses a wall to assist his one finger handstand. I just feel bad for that poor little finger. I imagine he is using some chi kung energy technique to perform this along with his master over his one body strength.
1. Balancing On Two Fingers
Totally blown away by this number 1! The monk does a handstand on two fingers. As the video says, only a few people in the world can perform this exercise which is why I have elevated it to the number one status!
https://youtu.be/7LkhVeW7VV0?t=16s
Well, I hope you enjoyed my tribute to 100 Hardest Bodyweight Exercises Of All Time. If you know of someone that loves working out using bodyweight exercises, send them here!
Feel free to post your comments, questions or rebuttals below!
To your health,
Check out the 20 Hardest Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises of all time here.
Thank you for this awesome exercise videos.
Leg exercises is the most difficult for me. After leg day i feel like i cant stand.
Great list of workouts. Some are easy and other are more difficult for me, but they deserve to try.
Very nice! this has to be one of the most complete bodyweight workout list out there! Some I didn’t even know existed!
I found Ab exercise is the most difficult one.
Sometimes our body allow us to continue more repetitions. Muscles will be tightened and you feel lot of pain..
Am i right?
magnificent points altogether, you just gained a new reader.
What might you recommend about your put up that you just made
a few days in the past? Any sure?
Great list, these are the real deal. I’ve tried many myself, but a lot of the are new to me. I’ll get a routine going in the gym tonight and incorporate several of these into it. Thanks!
Let me know how it goes!
– Todd
of course like your web site however you need to test the spelling on several
of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling issues and
I to find it very troublesome to tell the reality nevertheless I will surely come back
again.
Article writing is also a excitement, if you be familiar with afterward you can write or
else it is difficult to write.
Hi, i feel that i noticed you visited my website thus i came to return the want?.I’m trying to to find things to enhance my web site!I guess its ok to use some of your
ideas!!
I go to see every day a few websites and information sites to read posts,
however this web site provides feature based posts.
I’ve been browsin online morre than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting
article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if alll web owners
and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will
be much more useful than ever before.
Hi Antonetta,
I put a lot of love into this and it’s really nice when people appreciate it, so thank you.
Thanks for another excellent article. Where else may just anybody
get that kind of information in such a perfect manner of
writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I am at the
search for such information.
Very nice! this has to be one of the most complete bodyweight workout list out there! Some I didn’t even know existed!
One arm reverse muscle up on gymnastic rings would be pretty difficult.
Basically this movement, but with one arm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVsS7j2exx4
I don’t think anyone could do it though 😀
Another very diffcult one would be one arm plance on a pullup/gymnastic bar.
Currently, the hardest one is the Victorian performed on gymnastic rings. Only Danny Rodrigues (French Olympic gymnast) is able to do it with reasonably good form. He’s himself doesn’t even have perfect form yet. However, this move has been named after him as the Danny Rodrigues because he’s the first one to ever use it in competition.
Great links !
I had one question, I couldnt pick a post to add this in so I decided on this one.
When I stand up, I have a flat tummy, with clear visible ab definition. However, when I sit, or lean over, I get a fat tummy.
Its been driving me crazy, is this normal ? How can I get rid of this ? It just seems odd.
– P
i tryed the human flag bicycles today, and i felt quite the burn on the core!!!
Left out one of my favorites, the elevator. Not that I will ever be able to do one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qyRqSbfCNM
Todd you are the freaking man……..Thanks for sending this link on the hardest exercises. Man I gave up weights due to injuries, but seriously body weight training is much harder. Kudos to you my brother for thinking of others as well. You give more than most trainers.
Peace brother
This was GREAT! Thanks for taking the time to put this together and sending it out! Gives us many skill and strength moves to strive for. This should keep me busy for the rest of my life! Thanks again.
Great compilation.
Quite a bit of push-ups/pull-ups, BUT, well, no doubt, bast, basic stuff is… best 🙂
Makes me want to look for other movements… I’ll try… and share if I find something worth sharing.
Thank you for your 100!
B.
Just received the list of 100 hardest bodyweight exercises. All I can say is “Awesome”!!!!
Thanks for sharing it.
I got so inspired with your list. You have good reason for making this list. I am dreaming of doing this but i can’t.
You forgot the one arm planche done by professor paulinetti that is the best body weight move, I saw a bboy doing that on YouTube https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d3cfds3iPEQ but not like the prof. Then there is the x flag a variant of human flag that needs to put there. This is a great list but needs to be rearranged.
i got my human flag today.!! the last exercises on the list are INSANE!!! i can barely stabilize myself on the top ring position, and then seeing an inverted cross…. pretty good stuff. and plzz check out this vid… this guys crazy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFNpxzwng0Q
Hey 🙂
Love the list. Nice to see a good bodyweight exercise compilation.
I recently saw this video you might want to check out. Theres at least 2 new exercises which are not on your list.
1: One arm muscle up (!!!???)
2: Back full planche
Both after after about 35 secs in this video. Enjoy .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfug6Y7MKE0
Also see the same video after 4:55.. Holy crap!
WHATTT!!! My jaw dropped when I saw that dude doing clap planche push ups and behind the back planche push ups. Blown away!!
The video is unavailable…
Also you should add CTI(close to impossible) and Impossible. It’s funny that close to impossible is harder than impossible :D. You can find them on youtube. They are both very hard.
Ah yes, I totally forgot about those.
I can do a one arm ab crunch shreddah dip
Not familiar with this one. Do you have a video?
I do not know how to poswt on youtube
Fantastic list and the quotes from Lalanne! Always looking for the hardest exercises i can do to improve myself, great list thanks Todd your the man! 🙂
I appreciate that Nick! No, you da man!
pullup burpee! so do a burpee, except, juump up to the pull up bar when you jump, do a pullup and repeat.Try it with one leg.Still working up to one leg but i do both legs all the time
That’s a great body weight exercise Devon! Nice tip!
I do think you should put a reverse muscle up on there to!
They are hard
There is a picture on my website of me doing this particular push-up which is a more difficult version of the 1 arm 1 leg pushup, which I think is one of the most difficult to do…The arm and leg that are off the ground are both extended out at symmetrical angles to the body and your spine stays straight throughout the whole push-up. This uses max core strength to do. Great list though, so many incredible exercises!
Justin, that’s incredible. Good for you that’s not an easy push up to do!
Hey, how about a fingertip clap, chest slap, etc. Pushup?
what about (im not sure there are many who attempted this) a planche burpee? kick from a tuck planche and do a planche pushup, kick them back to tuck after the pushup and do a clap handstand pushup and then return to tuck and repeat? ( i personally cant do a planche or handstand yet, but this is just an idea. i would try it if i could)
Hi ???, 😉
That would be wicked to see! Haven’t found it but if you find a video of someone doing that I would love to see it!
Todd
oh yeah, and there is a video on a one finger handstand with no wall support https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5cqwndITFA not the best quality though,, but this guy does elimination to the index
Wow, wickedly cool! thanks for sharing!
You inspired me with this list! I’m going to perform as many of these as I can and post to youtube for all to see. Thanks for putting together such an awesome list and thanks for what you do! Check my attempts out here…https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwBvfBuTasmy66jz-FeFG7N9hyhLt4qzB
Awesome Tee! Just sent you an email. Way to go!!
Firstly, this is a really diverse list and I think it is a good exhibition of advanced bodyweight exercises. How did you decide to rank these? Many of these seem out of place in terms of strength requirement. For example, everyone I’ve spoken to finds the front lever to be harder than the human flag. Also, many of these “exercises” are I would consider to be more skill and less practical exercise. Compare the one arm handstand to the one arm chin up. The one arm chin up is a better exercise because it requires, and builds, much more strength. I would consider one arm handstand training to be skill training because it is all about balance. If you are training the balance, you won’t really be getting much strength training in because you won’t be spending that much time in the position, otherwise you would already have the balance. Even if you did, the one arm chin up still builds far more strength.
As a side note, it would have been cool if you put the maltese in here somewhere.
Hi Robby,
In terms of ranking the body weight exercises it wasn’t an exact science. The difficulty is often dependent upon how developed a person’s muscles are in that area. For example, Front Levers may be much harder for some people than the Planche because they have been working at the planche for awhile. The list was really designed to be a fun way to look at hard body weight exercises.
Love the point about strength training vs skill training. I totally agree that this is one of the variables in the equation. Right on brother. I think there are so many ways this list could have been put together. And yes, should definitely add the Maltese in here.
Thanks for the comment!
Todd
Fun list! I, however, agree with Robby. For instance, 90 degree pushups are A LOT easier than a full planche, for anyone to learn. But it’s a great list of cool exercises! Gives me something to work for 🙂
You could also add alot harder exercises, for instance, the maltese or The Victorian (hardest bodyweight exercise I’ve ever seen anyone do (only one guy in the world competes with that move, on olympic level, in gymnastics))
noticed now about the maltese..
Cool. 🙂
Hey Chris
Thanks for the comment. Yeah, I could have put them in a slightly different order now that I look back at it. It was mostly for the fun of it. I thought of adding the Victorian but couldn’t find a video on it so left it out but I totally agree with you that it should have made the list.
Todd
hey… is this the victorian?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqh3gSwo4Wk
It is nice that you included a lot of exercises, but it’s not so good that you rank stuff just by your opinion.. You should at least find out more about exercises you can’t perform before ranking them. I was working and was able to hold it for 2-3 seconds and i tried a human flag After my workout for the first time and held it 5+ seconds. And it’s not just me. I’ve seen a video where people hold the human flag more than a minute in perfect form. And the max i’ve seen somenoe hold a front lever is ~35 seconds, and that dude also has the World record for muscle ups.Also it’s not just abs that you need to work with. It needs much more lower back and shoulder strenght than ab strenght.You also say this. “For example, Front Levers may be much harder for some people than the Planche because they have been working at the planche for awhile.” If someone was working on planche for a while they will find the front lever even easier and not harder, because planche is much harder and it works out similar muscles.
Hi Gytis,
Thanks for the comment. You are touching on the point that doing one type of exercise will also cross train you to do another type making it less hard. I certainly agree with that. However, I hold to the opinion that you can’t simply rank exercises and say it is true for all people. There is a “relative” truth associated with the difficulty level of exercises that makes this list and ANY other list personal opinion and not fact.
Thanks for the comment!
Todd
you forgot the one hand muscle up and the CTI (close to impossible).
but still, awesome list!