Training with no or minimal equipment

You train with your body weight, maybe a pull-up bar, a dip belt or an assisted machine. Badger logs reps and holds as easily as barbell sets, and it tells you when a move has become easy enough to swap for a harder one.

Your first 5 minutes

  1. Open the Today tab and tap New workout.
  2. Search "push-up" and pick it. Push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups and dips log reps only, so there is no weight to fill in.
  3. Enter your reps and tap Save set. The first time, Badger asks how you want to log. Pick Log as you go and each Save set logs the set as done.
  4. Add a plank. Tap Start timer under the Duration field, pick Stopwatch and tap Start. Tap Stop when you drop, then Save set.
  5. Tap End workout when you are done.

Move up a version

When the same reps come easily, a line on the training screen tells you so. It appears once every working set reaches its target for 3 sessions running.

The target is the reps or hold time your routine plans, or 8 reps (30 seconds on a hold) when there is no plan. For example: 8 reps on every set, 3 sessions running. Ready for a harder version.

Under it, Swap to Decline Push-Up changes the exercise for today only. Where a weighted version exists, a second link offers that too. Each move has a short ladder, easiest first:

  • Push: Knee Push-Up, Incline Push-Up, Push-Up, Decline Push-Up, Diamond Push-Up, Archer Push-Up, Weighted Push-Up
  • Pull: Assisted Pull-Up, Negative Pull-Up, Pull-Up, Weighted Pull-Up
  • Squat: Bodyweight Squat, Split Squat, Bulgarian Split Squat
  • Front hold: Plank, Hollow Body Hold

Dips, rows, pistols, glute bridges, leg raises and side planks have ladders too. All of them are listed under The harder versions. To change the 3, set Progressive overload trigger in Settings → Coaching.

Holds with the stopwatch

A plank, a dead hang or a hollow body hold logs time only. Tap Start timer under the Duration field, pick Stopwatch and tap Start. It counts you in with "3, 2, 1, Go", then calls out each whole minute you have held. Stop fills in your time, and you tap Save set.

With a target time in the Duration field, the timer opens as a countdown to that time instead. You can switch either way. See Stopwatch or countdown.

Weighted and assisted versions

Once you add a belt or a vest, log on the weighted version: Weighted Pull-Up, Weighted Chin-Up, Weighted Dip or Weighted Push-Up. Enter only the weight you add. A set reads +25 lbs × 6, or BW × 8 with nothing added, and records count the added weight.

On an assisted machine, log Assisted Pull-Up or Assisted Dip and enter the assistance the machine gives. Less assistance is the harder set, so a lower number counts as your record. See Bodyweight, weighted and assisted exercises.

Ignore the rest for now

Plate calculators, bars, gyms and progression rules are for loaded training. You can leave them alone.

When you are ready

To train the same moves on set days, the program guide shows how to save them as a routine. To see your records and trends, the data guide shows where they live.

Want the full picture? See everything Badger does.