Advanced Bodyweight Workout at Home: Level 9
SYP Home Workouts: Level 9 of 10. < Level 8 | All 10 levels | Level 10 >
This advanced bodyweight workout is where home training stops feeling like a substitute for the gym and starts looking like real calisthenics. Level 9 is for people who have worked through the earlier levels, passed the Level 8 test and want single-leg strength, one-sided pushing power and serious hamstring and core control, all with nothing more than a sofa, a wall and the floor.
It is the ninth step of a 10-level bodyweight ladder you can do at home with no equipment. Each move here is a stepping stone to the elite skills in Level 10: the box pistol leads to the full pistol, the archer push-up leads to the one-arm push-up, and the wall walk builds the shoulder strength and confidence you need for wall handstand push-ups.
A session takes about 45 minutes including the warm-up. Expect fewer reps, longer rests and more focus.
Is Level 9 right for you?
Start here if you can already pass the Level 8 move-up test:
- 15 diamond push-ups in a row with your chest close to your hands.
- 8 pike push-ups with your head lowering towards the floor under control.
- 5 shrimp squats on each leg with no cushion under your back knee.
- 5 controlled nordic lowers, fighting the drop all the way down.
If two or more of those are still a struggle, spend another couple of weeks on Level 8, the hard bodyweight workout. Moving up too early is how people tweak elbows and hamstrings.
Safety first: if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, recent surgery, are pregnant or have joint pain, check with your GP before starting. Stop if you feel chest pain, dizziness or sharp joint pain.
What you need
A space about two metres long, a clear stretch of wall with nothing fragile nearby, a sturdy sofa for box pistols, nordic curls and the Copenhagen plank, a cushion or folded towel for your knees, and a mat if your floor is hard. Bare feet or grippy socks work best for the wall walk.
Warm-up (5 minutes)
Do each movement for 40 seconds, moving straight from one to the next:
- March on the spot, building into a light jog on the spot.
- Arm circles, forwards then backwards.
- Bodyweight squats.
- Hip hinges, hands on hips, pushing your hips back.
- Walk-outs (inchworms), walking your hands out to a plank and back.
- Alternating reverse lunges with an overhead reach.
At Level 9 I would also add one easy practice set of the first two exercises before you start counting.
The Level 9 advanced bodyweight workout
Do 4-5 sets of each exercise, resting 90 seconds between sets. Start with 4 sets in week one and add the fifth when the reps feel clean. Finish all sets of one exercise before moving on. The whole session takes about 45 minutes. Train 3 times a week on non-consecutive days, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Box pistol squat (to the sofa): 5 each leg
- Archer push-up: 5 each side
- Nordic curl (lower and push back up): 4-6 reps
- Wall walk: 3-5 reps
- Copenhagen plank (top leg on the sofa): 20 seconds each side
- Tuck jump: 8 reps
Exercise demonstrations
Each animation shows one rep with good form, so watch it a few times before you try the movement yourself.
1. Box pistol squat (to the sofa)
How to do it: Stand on one leg in front of the sofa with your other leg held out in front, heel just off the floor. Reach your arms forward, sit your hips back and lower slowly until you lightly touch the sofa. Pause without relaxing, then drive through your whole foot to stand back up, breathing out as you rise.
Coach's tip: Keep the working knee tracking over your middle toes. If it caves inwards, slow the lowering down and push the knee slightly out.
Easier: Use a higher surface, such as a sofa cushion stacked on top, or hold a door frame lightly. Harder: Use a lower surface, or take 4 seconds on the way down.
2. Archer push-up
How to do it: Set up in a push-up with your hands much wider than usual, fingers turned slightly out. Shift your weight towards one hand and lower your chest towards it, letting the other arm straighten out to the side like an archer drawing a bow. Push back up through the working hand, then repeat on the other side.
Coach's tip: Keep your body in one straight line from head to heels. Most people let the hips sag or twist, which turns it into a weak, wobbly push-up rather than a strength builder.
Easier: Do it with your hands on the sofa or a low table. Harder: Lift the fingers of the straight arm so it only rests on the palm, taking more weight on the working side.
More detail: push-up benefits and technique
3. Nordic curl (lower and push back up)
How to do it: Kneel on a cushion with your heels hooked firmly under the sofa. Squeeze your glutes so your body is straight from knees to head, then lower forwards as slowly as you can. Catch yourself with your hands at the bottom, give a small push, and use your hamstrings to pull yourself back up to the start.
Coach's tip: Do not bend at the hips. The moment your bum sticks out, your hamstrings stop doing the work. Think "hips forwards, glutes tight" for the whole rep.
Easier: Push harder off the floor and do slow lowers only. Harder: Use less push from the hands each week until you barely need them.
More detail: nordic hamstring curl benefits and technique
4. Wall walk
How to do it: Start in a push-up position with your feet against the base of the wall. Walk your feet up the wall while walking your hands back towards it, one small step at a time, until your chest is close to the wall. Hold for a breath, then walk back out the same way under control.
Coach's tip: Push the floor away and keep your ribs tucked in. If your lower back arches like a banana, stop a little further from the wall.
Easier: Only walk halfway up and hold there. Harder: Get your nose and toes close to the wall and hold for 10 seconds at the top.
5. Copenhagen plank (top leg on the sofa)
How to do it: Lie on your side with your forearm on the floor, elbow under your shoulder. Rest your top foot and ankle on the sofa seat and let the bottom leg hang. Lift your hips until your body is straight, hold, and breathe steadily.
Coach's tip: Squeeze the top leg down into the sofa. That inner-thigh pressure is what holds you up, not your shoulder.
Easier: Rest the knee on the sofa instead of the ankle. Harder: Lift the bottom leg up to meet the sofa during the hold.
More detail: Copenhagen plank benefits and technique
6. Tuck jump
How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Dip quickly into a quarter squat, swing your arms and jump straight up, pulling both knees towards your chest. Land softly on the balls of your feet with bent knees and reset before the next jump.
Coach's tip: Land quietly. If your landings are loud, your knees are taking the hit, so jump a little lower and absorb more.
Easier: Do squat jumps without the tuck. Harder: Link the reps with no pause between landings.
Your 2-3 week plan
- Week 1: 4 sets of everything at the bottom of each rep range. Log your reps and leave one or two good reps in the tank.
- Week 2: Add a fifth set to the box pistol, archer push-up and nordic curl. Aim for the top of each rep range, and add 5 seconds to the Copenhagen plank.
- Week 3: 5 sets of everything. Slow the lowering on pistols and archers to 3 seconds, and test yourself at the end of the week.
A simple week looks like this: Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the workout, with a brisk 30-45 minute walk on two or three of the other days and one full rest day. That keeps you above the UK guideline of 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and strengthening work on at least 2 days.
Small, steady jumps beat big ones. Read progressive overload explained to see why.
When to move up to Level 10
You are ready for the final level when you can do all of these with clean form:
- 5 archer push-ups each side.
- 5 box pistols each leg.
- 3 smooth wall walks.
- 6 nordic reps.
If you can't yet, stay here and keep chipping away. It is normal for one move, often the nordic or your weaker-leg pistol, to lag behind. Give that exercise an extra set and keep the others the same. When you pass, move on to Level 10, the elite calisthenics progression.
Common mistakes
- Dropping onto the sofa in the box pistol. Touch and go, or touch and pause, but never flop.
- Turning archer push-ups into wide push-ups. If both arms bend equally, you are not shifting enough weight across.
- Bending at the hips on nordic curls. It feels easier because it is easier. Keep your hips forward.
- Rushing the wall walk. Small hand steps, a tight core and a slow walk back down keep your shoulders and wrists happy.
- Cutting rest short. These are strength moves. Take the full 90 seconds so every set is good quality.
Frequently asked questions
How many times a week should I do this advanced bodyweight workout?
Three times a week on non-consecutive days is right for most people. The nordic curls and pistols are demanding on the muscles and tendons, so the rest day in between matters.
Will this help me lose weight?
It will help you build and keep muscle, which makes you look leaner and stronger. Weight loss itself mainly depends on a calorie deficit, meaning you take in fewer calories than you use. Use my free calorie calculator to find a sensible starting point.
Can I do this if I'm over 40 or 50?
Yes, if you have built up through the earlier levels and your joints feel good. Take the longer end of the rest periods, warm up properly and be patient with the nordic curls. If any movement causes sharp joint pain, go back to the easier option and check with your GP.
My wrists hurt on wall walks and archer push-ups. What should I do?
Spend an extra minute in the warm-up on gentle wrist circles and rocking forwards over your hands in a kneeling position. Spread your fingers and grip the floor. If pain stays sharp, use the easier version for a week or two.
Want a coach to take you further?
Level 9 is where small technique details make a big difference, and that is exactly what 1-to-1 coaching is for: I watch every rep, fix what you cannot see and plan your progress around your week. On the 12-Week Body Transformation, clients lose 6-16kg in 12 weeks (average, results vary) and build 1.2-3kg of lean muscle measured on InBody. If you live outside London, online coaching gives you the same plan and check-ins through the app.
SYP Fitness is a private 1-to-1 personal training studio at 2-4 Navigator Square, Archway, London N19 3UB, 2 minutes from Archway tube. Rated 5.0 from 106 Google reviews.
Book a free consultation | WhatsApp Artem | Call 07301 512215 | See prices
SYP Home Workouts: Level 9 of 10. < Level 8 | All 10 levels | Level 10 >
