By Emmett Shaul, MTI Coach
Don’t be fooled by “bodyweight.” The Bodyweight Pipeline is 37 weeks of intense, high-level, multi-modal training built for serious athletes. It consists of six distinct plans, beginning with Bodyweight Beginner, which serves as an on-ramp to raise an athlete’s base fitness to the level required to complete the rest of the pipeline. Each plan concurrently trains bodyweight strength, work capacity, chassis integrity (functional core), and endurance. The final week of each plan is an unload week, allowing the plans to be run back-to-back for a continuous 9-month training block.
The programming problem with a long-term bodyweight pipeline is straightforward: many of the exercises repeat across the plans—push ups, squats, lunges, pull ups. If the solution is simply “more reps for 37 weeks,” training volume gets out of control and progress stalls. The Bodyweight Pipeline avoids that by changing the progression model from plan to plan. The exercises overlap. The training method changes.
The pipeline opens with Bodyweight Beginner (Weeks 1–6). This plan is the on-ramp, built to raise an athletes base fitness to a level that they can complete the rest of the pipeline. Strength begins with Density Bodyweight Strength via an assessment; the follow on work is prescribed directly from those results, so the plan automatically scales to the incoming athlete. Early training uses bodyweight exercises including: Push Ups, Squats, Sit Ups, Negative Pull Ups. In the second half of the plan, Bodyweight Flow is introduced along with continued density strength work. Endurance begins with athlete’s choice moderate paced efforts progressing from 30–50 minutes. Work capacity begins as “Grind” efforts rather than super intense maximum efforts. Chassis Integrity is trained via simple, longer grind style circuits.
From there, Bodyweight Foundation (Weeks 7–12) keeps the assessment based scaling but expands the exercise selection and changes how density work is applied. The plan increases the complexity of the exercises (Pull Up Bar Heel Taps, EOs, Horizontal Pull Ups, Dips) and shifts away from the single exercise interval density style used in Beginner. Instead, the bodyweight strength training is organized as grind paced rounds using multiple exercises per round, prescribed based on the athlete’s assessment performance. Endurance progresses to Speed Over Ground training, introducing a 1.5 mile run assessment and follow on intervals, plus longer easy runs on Saturdays. Chassis Integrity in this plan focuses on low back strength through specific Low Back Chassis Integrity complexes.
Bodyweight Build (Weeks 13–18) introduces two primary strength tools in this series: MTI’s Leg Blaster progression and Bodyweight Flow. Leg Blasters are an intense complex of squats, lunges, and jump lunges designed to build eccentric leg strength. In a past Mini Study, we found this progression resulted in strength gains equal to a heavy Front Squat cycle. Bodyweight Flow deploys 2–8 bodyweight exercises in a circuit the athlete works through at a steady pace for 20–30 minutes. Endurance in Build shifts away from speed over ground intervals to volume, moving to 3–6 mile moderate paced runs twice per week. Work capacity becomes short (6–11 minutes), intense, and multi-modal—pairing bodyweight exercises with running, sprinting, or shuttle sprint work. Chassis Integrity is bridge focused and progresses via a density plank progression plus 15–19 minute grind efforts.
Bodyweight Peak (Weeks 19–25) layers multiple MTI bodyweight strength methods inside the same cycle: a Leg Blaster progression, density based progressions, and Bodyweight Flow. Work Capacity is trained via Burpee and Shuttle Sprint assessments and follow on progressions. Chassis Integrity is trained via Plank and Lying Side Raise assessments. Endurance is trained in two phases: the first three weeks use a 45-minute recovery run, and the last four weeks use a 3 mile run assessment and 1 mile intervals. For the first time in the pipeline, external load is introduced; Rucking is trained all seven weeks deploying a 30–60 minute ruck on Saturdays (45#).
After Peak, Bodyweight Flow (Weeks 26–31) emphasizes strength and strength endurance through extended bodyweight exercise circuits that progress from 20 minutes to 32 minutes over the cycle. Endurance is built around a 3 mile run assessment and follow on threshold intervals. Work Capacity is trained on Fridays via a 10 minute, sprint based event. Core strength and Chassis Integrity is trained via bodyweight core strength assessments (Sit Ups, Face Down Back Extensions, Side Plank Raises, Pull Up Bar Heel Taps) and follow on progressions via 4 Round “Grinds”.
The pipeline finishes with Bodyweight Suspension (Weeks 32–37). The limitation with bodyweight only training is moving beyond high rep strength endurance to train true strength without deploying exotic, gymnastic inspired exercises. This plan uses suspension equipment (Rings/TRX) and a deliberate strength emphasis progression: Weeks 1–2 Concentric Strength, Weeks 3–4 Eccentric Strength, and Weeks 5–6 Explosive Strength. Hybrid sessions begin with focused strength, followed by a 5, 10, or 15-minute work capacity effort, and finish with a core/mobility circuit. Endurance is split between Ruck Running and Running. For Ruck Running, the focus is Speed Over Ground, starting with a 3 mile ruck run assessment and follow on 1-mile intervals. For running, the plan includes long, easy-paced runs in the 8–10 mile range on Saturdays.
The 6 plans, in the order they are to be completed are listed below:
Weeks Plan
1 – 6 Bodyweight Beginner
7 – 12 Bodyweight Foundation
13 – 18 Bodyweight Build
19 – 25 Bodyweight Peak
26 – 31 Bodyweight Flow
32 – 37 Bodyweight Suspension
Required Equipment:
- Pull Up Bar
- 12-16″ Bench or box for step ups
- Foam Roller
- Stopwatch with interval timer (Timex is best) – Smartphone will work
- GPS Watch (recommended – will make measuring running distances and pacing much easier)
- Ruck for Ruck Running and 45# of filler(Bodyweight Peak and Bodyweight Suspension Plan)
- Set of Rings or a Suspension Training System (TRX, etc.) (Bodyweight Suspension Plan)
Questions?
Email emmett@mtntactical.com
The price for this pipeline represents about a 20% savings over purchasing the plans individually. You can purchase the pipeline HERE.