Hard Bodyweight Workout at Home: Level 8
SYP Home Workouts: Level 8 of 10. < Level 7 | All 10 levels | Level 9 >
This hard bodyweight workout is the bridge between solid home training and true advanced calisthenics. At Level 8 you start learning the skills that later turn into pistol squats, handstand push-ups and full nordic curls: shrimp squats, diamond push-ups, pike push-ups and nordic lowers.
It is for people who have passed the Level 7 move-up test and want a real challenge at home. The exercises are harder, the reps are lower, and each one demands strength and control rather than just effort. Sessions take about 40 minutes including the warm-up, three times a week.
Level 8 is part of my 10-level bodyweight ladder, a complete programme you can do at home with no equipment, using only a sofa, a cushion and some floor space. Every level prepares you for the next, and this one sets up the advanced moves in Levels 9 and 10.
Is Level 8 right for you?
Start here if you can already pass the Level 7 move-up test:
- 20 push-ups in one set.
- 12 decline push-ups with your feet on the sofa.
- 12 Bulgarian split squats each leg.
- A 30-second hollow hold with your lower back flat.
If any of those are out of reach, go back to Level 7, the bodyweight workout to build muscle, for another couple of weeks. The moves at this level load your knees, hamstrings and shoulders much more than before, so the base needs to be there.
Safety first: if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, recent surgery, are pregnant, or have joint pain, check with your GP before you start. Stop if you feel chest pain, dizziness or sharp joint pain.
What you need
A clear space about two metres long, a heavy sofa you can hook your feet under (or a partner to hold your ankles), a firm cushion for your knees and the shrimp squats, and a mat or towel. Jump lunges need a bit of headroom and a floor that is not slippery.
Warm-up (5 minutes)
Do each move for 40 seconds, one straight after the other:
- March into a light jog on the spot
- Arm circles, forwards then backwards
- Bodyweight squats
- Hip hinges
- Walk-outs (inchworms)
- Alternating reverse lunges with a reach
The Level 8 workout: a hard bodyweight workout at home
Do 4 sets of each exercise, resting 60-90 seconds between sets. The exercises are paired into 3 supersets: A1 then A2, rest, and repeat for 4 sets before moving on to B1/B2, then C1/C2. The full session takes about 40 minutes. Train 3 times a week on non-consecutive days, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- A1: Shrimp squat (to a cushion at first): 5 each leg
- A2: Diamond push-up: 8-10 reps
- B1: Nordic curl lowers (feet under the sofa, knees on a cushion): 3-5 slow lowers
- B2: Pike push-up: 6-8 reps
- C1: V-up: 10 reps
- C2: Jump lunge: 10 total
With low reps, quality is everything. Stop each set with one or two clean reps still in reserve. If you want a simple way to judge effort, read my guide to RPE and reps in reserve.
Exercise demonstrations
Each animation shows one rep, so match the speed and the range you see.
1. Shrimp squat (to a cushion at first)
How to do it: Place a cushion behind you and stand on one leg. Bend the other knee and hold that foot behind you, or simply keep it bent with your hands reaching forward. Breathe in and slowly lower until the back knee touches the cushion, then breathe out and drive up through the standing foot.
Coach's tip: Lean your chest forward and reach your arms out in front. Staying too upright pulls you backwards and is the main reason people lose balance on this move.
Easier: Use a thicker cushion or hold a door frame for balance. Harder: Remove the cushion and touch the knee lightly to the floor.
2. Diamond push-up
How to do it: Start in a push-up position with your hands together under your chest, thumbs and index fingers touching to make a diamond. Breathe in and lower your chest towards your hands, keeping your body in one straight line. Breathe out and press back up.
Coach's tip: Let your elbows travel back along your ribs rather than flaring out to the sides. Flared elbows shift the load off your triceps and onto the front of your shoulders.
Easier: Move your hands slightly wider apart, or do them on your knees. Harder: Take 3 seconds to lower each rep.
More detail: Push-up benefits and technique
3. Nordic curl lowers (feet under the sofa, knees on a cushion)
How to do it: Kneel on a cushion with your heels hooked firmly under the sofa. Keep a straight line from knees to head, squeeze your glutes, and slowly lean forward, fighting the fall with your hamstrings for as long as you can. Catch yourself with your hands, push back up to kneeling and repeat.
Coach's tip: Do not bend at the hips. Once your bum sticks out, your hamstrings switch off. Keep the glutes squeezed and lower like a falling plank.
Easier: Lower only part of the way, then catch yourself earlier with your hands. Harder: Take 5 full seconds to reach the floor.
More detail: Nordic hamstring curl benefits and technique
4. Pike push-up
How to do it: Start in a push-up position, then walk your feet in and lift your hips high so your body makes an upside-down V. Breathe in and bend your elbows to lower the top of your head towards a spot just in front of your hands. Breathe out and press back up to straight arms.
Coach's tip: Your head, not your nose, should travel forward of your hands, making a small triangle. This keeps the work in your shoulders and gets you ready for handstand push-ups later.
Easier: Keep your feet further back so less weight goes through your arms. Harder: Raise your feet on the sofa for an elevated pike push-up.
5. V-up
How to do it: Lie flat on your back in a hollow position, arms overhead and legs straight. Breathe out and lift your arms and legs at the same time, reaching your hands towards your toes at the top. Lower back down with control, without letting your lower back arch.
Coach's tip: Lower slowly rather than flopping back down. The lowering half is where you build the control you will need for the L-sit at Level 10.
Easier: Do tuck-ups, bending your knees towards your chest. Harder: Pause for 2 seconds at the top of each rep.
6. Jump lunge
How to do it: Start in a lunge with one foot forward and both knees bent. Breathe out and jump straight up, switching legs in the air, then land softly in a lunge on the other side. Count each landing as one rep.
Coach's tip: Land quietly on the front of the foot and let your knees soak up the impact. Loud, heavy landings mean you are going too fast to control.
Easier: Do alternating reverse lunges with a quick step instead of a jump. Harder: Add a 1-second pause at the bottom of each landing.
More detail: Reverse lunge benefits and technique
Your 2-3 week plan
- Week 1: Learn the skills. Use the cushion for shrimp squats, aim for 3 nordic lowers, and rest the full 90 seconds. Your hamstrings will be sore after the nordics, so start gently.
- Week 2: Add a rep or two where you can: 10 diamond push-ups, 8 pike push-ups, 4-5 nordic lowers. Take rest down towards 75 seconds.
- Week 3: Make the cushion thinner or remove it for your first set of shrimp squats, slow every nordic down, and rest 60 seconds. Try the move-up test at the end of the week.
A simple week: Monday workout, Tuesday walk, Wednesday workout, Thursday walk, Friday workout, and a longer walk at the weekend. That covers the UK guideline of strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week and helps you reach at least 150 minutes of moderate activity. Each small step up follows the same principle as progressive overload in the gym.
Expect strong soreness in your hamstrings for a couple of days after your first nordic sessions. My guide to muscle soreness relief explains how to manage it.
When to move up to Level 9
You are ready for Level 9 when you can do all of these with clean form:
- 15 diamond push-ups
- 8 pike push-ups
- 5 shrimp squats each leg, with no cushion
- 5 controlled nordic lowers
If you can't yet, stay on Level 8 and practise the weakest skill first in every session while you are fresh. Shrimp squats and nordics usually take the longest, so be patient. Once you pass, move on to Level 9, the advanced bodyweight workout.
Common mistakes
- Bending at the hips on nordics. Keep a straight line from knees to head, or the hamstrings stop doing the work.
- Flaring elbows on diamond push-ups. Tuck them in to protect your shoulders and hit the triceps.
- Turning pike push-ups into normal push-ups. Keep the hips high so your head moves down, not your chest forward.
- Removing the cushion too soon. Earn the full-range shrimp squat before you take it away.
- Racing through jump lunges. Ten controlled landings beat twenty sloppy ones.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is a hard bodyweight workout like Level 8?
Hard enough that most people need a few weeks to pass it. The reps are lower than in earlier levels because the exercises are tougher, so every rep counts. If you finish a set feeling you could do five more, use the harder option.
How many times a week should I do Level 8?
Three times a week on non-consecutive days. Your hamstrings, shoulders and triceps need the rest days to recover from nordics, pike push-ups and diamond push-ups, so walk on your days off rather than adding extra sessions.
Will this help me lose weight?
It helps, but weight loss mainly depends on a calorie deficit, meaning you eat slightly less energy than you burn. Hard strength sessions help you hold on to muscle while you lose fat. Try my free calorie calculator to set a daily target.
Can I do this if I'm over 40 or 50?
Yes, if you have worked up through the earlier levels. I specialise in coaching busy professionals over 30, and the key is to progress the nordics and jump lunges slowly. Take full rest, use the easier options when needed, and check with your GP first if any of the safety points apply to you.
Want a coach to take you further?
A hard bodyweight workout is a great test of your strength, but a coach can check your form on tricky moves like nordics and shrimp squats and build a plan around your goals. On my 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 are outside London, my online coaching gives you the same programming and weekly 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 8 of 10. < Level 7 | All 10 levels | Level 9 >
