Bodyweight 500 Challenge
The Bodyweight 500 Challenge is a training routine developed by Trainer Craig Ballantyne. The challenge involves performing a series of bodyweight exercises where the repetitions all add up to 500.
The challenge actually is not a stand-alone workout. The challenge is what you would do after your regular weight routine. Hence, this is not a bodyweight-only program.
However, the challenge has been used by many individuals as a way to replace their boring cardio workouts, or even as a stand along program. I personally use the program sporadically to supplement my regular training.
Bodyweight 500 Challenge – The Breakdown
The challenge is actually broken down into 4 parts – bodyweight 100, bodyweight 200, bodyweight 350, and bodyweight 500:
Bodyweight 100 Workout (Time Limit: 9 minutes)
- 20 Prisoner Squats
- 20 Pushups
- 10 Jumps
- 10 Inverted Rows
- 20 Forward Lunges (10 reps per side)
- 15 Close Grip Pushups
- 5 Chin-ups or Inverted Rows
Bodyweight 200 Workout (Time Limit: 15 minutes)
- 30 Prisoner Squats
- 30 Pushups
- 10 Jumps
- 10 Stability Ball Leg Curls
- 10 Stability Ball Jackknifes
- 20 Step-ups
- 5 Pull-ups or Inverted Rows
- 30 Forward Lunges (15 reps per side)
- 20 Close-Grip Pushups
- 15 Inverted Rows
- 15 Squats
- 5 Chin-ups or Inverted Rows
Bodyweight 350 Workout (Time Limit: 30 minutes)
- 45 Prisoner Squats
- 40 Pushups
- 20 Jumps
- 20 Stability Ball Leg Curls
- 20 Stability Ball Jackknifes
- 40 Step-ups (20 reps per side)
- 10 Pullups (No Substitutions)
- 40 Forward Lunges (20 Reps per side)
- 40 Close Grip Pushups
- 20 Inverted Rows
- 40 Squats
- 15 Chinups (No Substitutions)
Bodyweight 500 Workout
- 50 Prisoner Squats
- 50 Pushups
- 25 Jumps
- 25 Stability Ball Leg Curls
- 25 Stability Ball Jackknifes
- 50 Step-ups (25 reps per side)
- 25 Pull-ups (NO Substitutions)
- 50 Forward Lunges (25 reps per side)
- 50 Close-Grip Pushups
- 50 Inverted Rows
- 50 Squats
- 25 Chin-ups (NO Substitutions)
Make sure to time each workout, and do not move to the next challenge until you’ve completed the workout in the recommended time frame. However, if you surpass the time limit, keep going.
The key is to get a good workout and build yourself up. If the Bodyweight 100 took you 12 minutes, instead of 9 minutes. Don’t worry. Your body will get stronger, and you’ll be able to do the workout in under 9 minutes soon.
For the Bodyweight 500 Workout, the idea is to do the best that you can. Once you get up to this level of fitness, strive to consistently beat your own PR.
Craig’s best time is 27 minutes.
Bodyweight 500 Technicalities
Technically, you’re only supposed to do the bodyweight challenge once per week after you regular dumbbell workouts. However, you can turn this into a 3-day per week routine.
Or, you can just add this challenge to any Turbulence Training program you may be currently doing. Here is what a sample schedule would look like:
- Monday – Dumbbell Workout A
- Tuesday – Interval Training
- Wednesday – Dumbbell Workout B
- Thursday – Interval Training
- Friday – Dumbbell Workout C
- Saturday – Bodyweight Challenge
- Sunday – Rest
Here are some modified versions of the schedule based on how many days you wish to train:
- Day 1 – Dumbbell Workout A
- Day 2 – Bodyweight Challenge, Interval Training
- Day 3 – Dumbbell Workout B
- Day 4 – Interval Training
- Day 5 – Dumbbell Workout C
- Day 1 – Dumbbell Workout A
- Day 2 – Bodyweight Challenge, Interval Training
- Day 3 – Dumbbell Workout B
- Day 4 – Dumbbell Workout C, Interval Training
Week 1
- Day 1 – Dumbbell Workout A, Interval Training
- Day 2 – Bodyweight Challenge
- Day 3 – Dumbbell Workout B, Interval Training
- Day 1 – Dumbbell Workout C, Interval Training
- Day 2 – Bodyweight Challenge
- Day 3 – Dumbbell Workout A, Interval Training
* Follow this pattern
Craig Ballantyne’s Recommended Bodyweight 500 Strength Routine
Lets go over one of Craig Ballantyne’s sample Dumbbell routines he recommends in the Bodyweight 500 program:
Superset #1
- DB Push Press – 6 reps
- Front Loaded Forward Lunge – 8 reps per Leg
- Rest 1 minute and repeat superset 2 more times
Superset #2
- DB RDL – 8 reps
- Stability Ball Mountain Climber 10 reps per side
- Rest 30 seconds and repeat superset 2 more times
Superset #3
- DB Row with Elbow Out – 12 reps
- DB Chest Press – 12 reps
- Rest 1 minute and repeat superset 2 more times
Craig Ballantyne has developed hundreds of fitness programs that revolve around the basic concepts of Turbulence Training.
To get an overall introduction to Turbulence Training, you should grab the original Turbulence Training manual. The manual includes everything you need to get started on your fat loss journey. There are workouts for beginners, intermediate, and advanced trainees. If you go through each program separately, in a few months you’d have literally transformed your health and physique. Click here for more information.
For individuals who have had some experience with exercise or even Turbulence Training, then Craig has numerous other workouts specifically designed for women, muscle mass, bodyweight only, abs training, and more.
You need to make the decision today: Are you going to continue to follow pointless, boring workouts and never get any impressive results, or you going to take a chance and try some trully unique ideas using Craig Ballantyne’s workouts? Start today with either one of the Turbulence Training workouts:
