Bodyweight training keeps bumping into the same criticism: it won’t make you strong. It’s true that at a certain point, you will need external loads to build more strength. But many lifters focus on the shortcomings of bodyweight training rather than its benefits, explains Brad Kolowich Jr. “If you can’t control your own body, you don’t truly own your strength.” In his new book, The Bodyweight Blueprint, strength coach Brad Kolowich Jr. aims to dispel the myths surrounding bodyweight training and provide a blueprint for getting strong anytime, anywhere. Kolowich, a lifelong athlete and strength coach, trains high-profile bodies such as Tyler Perry, Cody Rhodes, Alicia Silverstone, Luke Evans, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, using bodyweight methods. If it works for them, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work for you, too.
Before training A-list celebrities, he was a nationally competitive tennis player who traveled the country competing in tournaments from age 10. His athletic background shaped how he views training: movement quality, durability, and repeatable performance matter more than chasing PR’s.
Today, Kolowich Jr. owns and operates KoloFit Personal Training, with locations in Atlanta and Lake Oconee, GA, where he trains everyone from everyday professionals to elite athletes and A-list celebrities. His book reflects his system, built on mastering your bodyweight.
Coming to the realization of bodyweight training’s value came the hard and painful way for the athlete turned trainer. After years of intense, high-volume tennis training, he underwent knee surgery at age 14. He learned that strength without control, balance, and form has consequences.
Then, later, as a coach, he began to notice patterns creeping into his clients’ movements. They were getting stronger on paper, yet movement quality lagged, injuries popped up, and progress stalled.
That’s when the idea lightbulb appeared. Kolowich Jr. began shifting his focus away from the barbell toward bodyweight work, such as perfect push-ups, squats, lunges, holds, and tempo-based movements. Then something unexpected happened; everything improved. Strength carried over better, joints felt healthier, and performance improved.
It became clear to him then that bodyweight training isn’t a regression. It’s the foundation. But before getting into the nitty-gritty of bodyweight training, let’s debunk a few myths.
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Common Myths About Bodyweight Training
Some think bodyweight drills are great as warmup moves, but are only an appetizer for the main course. Those who believe that way have never performed single-arm push-ups, pistol squats, or front lever. That dispels the common myth that bodyweight training is for beginners, as Kolowich Jr. explains. “In reality, true bodyweight mastery is brutally challenging. Most strong lifters struggle once you introduce tempo, instability, full range of motion, and strict control.”
The second biggest elephant in the room suggests you can’t build muscle without weights. However, muscle growth and strength come from resistance and tension — not just iron. “Another myth is that you can’t build muscle without weights,” says Kolowich Jr. “ But when you understand leverage, time under tension, unilateral work, and density, bodyweight training becomes a powerful tool for hypertrophy, athleticism, and longevity.”
Here, are several bodyweight training myths that he puts to bed.
Myth: You need a gym to get a complete workout
Truth: Your body is the equipment. Bodyweight training can target every major muscle group, including the chest, back, legs, and core, and can also include mobility, balance, and cardio conditioning in one session.
Myth: You’ll plateau quickly
Truth: Plateaus stem from a lack of progression, not from the tool used. The Bodyweight Blueprint addresses this by incorporating exercise variations, rep tempo, reduced stability, and programming techniques (e.g., circuits, HIIT, power-focused sessions) to ensure continuous adaptation.
Myth: Bodyweight training can’t improve athletic performance
Truth: Explosive bodyweight movements, such as jump squats, plyo push-ups, sprints, and mobility drills, train power, agility, and coordination. These are vital for athletic performance.
With that out of the way, how does Kolowich Jr. get Captain America to do push-ups?
How Kolowich Jr. Explains Bodyweight Training To His Clients
Kolowich’s two gyms are stocked with high-grade equipment, so you can imagine a client’s surprise when he says bodyweight training is on the menu. “I tell them this,” says Kolowich. “If you can’t control your own body, adding load hides weaknesses.”
If Luke Evans disagrees with him and wants to hit the bench instead of tempo push-ups, he pulls out the big guns. “Bodyweight training forces you to connect with your body,” explains Kolowich. “You’re not relying on external resistance to feel a movement. You’re learning how to engage the right muscles, brace your core, and own every inch of the rep.”
Once his clients experience how mastering bodyweight movements improves their barbell lifts, reduces nagging joint pain, and extends their training longevity, buy-in happens quickly.
“I work with high-profile clients who need to look great, move well, and stay healthy under demanding schedules,” he says. “Bodyweight training plays a significant role in their programs.
“Whether it’s preparing Cody Rhodes while he pursued the WWE World Championship or helping Yahya stay camera-ready while preparing for his Emmy-winning role as Dr. Manhattan, bodyweight work builds athletic, resilient physiques without unnecessary wear and tear,” explains Kolowich.
Bodyweight Exercise Progressions
Kolowich emphasizes that the principle of progressive overload still applies — even when your body is the only resistance.” I treat bodyweight exercises with the same respect as heavy lifts. Everything is intentional and progressive. I manipulate tempo, range of motion, leverage, unilateral loading, volume, density, and rest periods.”
Since you can’t add plates, Kolowich Jr. adjusts other variables, such as:
Repetition and Tempo Manipulation: Increasing reps for volume and slowing down the tempo, especially the eccentric phase, to increase time under tension. Adding 3 to 5-second pauses at the most challenging part of the movement simultaneously builds muscular endurance and strength.
Leveraging Your Body’s Position: Changing your body’s position relative to gravity shifts load distribution—for example, from incline to decline push-ups. The Bodyweight Blueprint introduces leverage-based progressions, such as moving hands or feet closer to the anchor point during suspension training to increase difficulty.
Reducing Stability: Unilateral and balance-challenging variations increase demand on the core and joint stabilizers. For example:
Regular squats → Split squats → Bulgarian split squats
Push-ups → Archer push-ups → One-arm push-ups
Increasing Complexity: Kolowich introduces neurologically demanding variations into his programming. Think:
Push-ups → Grasshopper Push-ups
Squats → Skater squats
Using External Tools: Suspension trainers, sliders, and ab rollers amplify instability, increase range of motion, and enhance core engagement. These tools make traditional movements harder without adding weight.
The Wrapup
More often than not, bodyweight training is treated as a fallback option when it should be the foundation. Master your movement, and everything else in your training improves faster, safer, and for the long haul. If you want to start doing that, purchase The Bodyweight Blueprint.
