Body Weight Training Exercises

Did you know you don’t have to go to the gym to get ripped muscles, increase your strength and improve your overall health? In fact, you can get strong biceps, triceps, core, quads, hamstrings and glutes just using your own body weight.

Using just bodyweight to train has been the core of military personnel from the Romans to the Navy Seals because it works. The program is cost effective, can be done almost anywhere and is effective for everyone from newbies to advanced athletes.

When you go to the gym you are using weights for resistance to build muscle. But you have weight in your body that will give you all the workout you are looking for. Increasing the number of reps will improve your endurance while increasing the intensity will increase your strength. How can you use body weight to increase the intensity without gaining added pounds?

Basically you change the leverage against which you are working. For instance, if you pick up a 20 pound weight and hold it 10 inches from your body the pounds of pressure on your lower back will be signficantly less than if you hold the weight 20 inches from your body. The same is true when you workout your triceps, traps, biceps, abs and back.

Because you aren’t using weights, these body weight training exercises are excellent for newbies to the strength training arena. But, because you can leverage the work you do, they are also excellent for athletes of all skill levels. Some of the exercises may require some equipment, but most do not.

Using your body weight will also utilize multiple muscle groups, improve your balance and get your heart pumping. And, like any other activity, it’s important that you warm up before starting. Otherwise, pushing cold muscles can result in injuries that will sideline you for weeks. Try running in place or doing jump rope for a couple of minutes. Jog up and down stairs or ride a stationay bike for a few minutes to get the heart moving faster.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recommended physical activity for adults includes at least 2 or more days per week of muscle-strengthening that works all major muscle goups. (1) So, without a gym, how do you achieve that?

EXERCISES

1. Pushups: Can be done with bent knee and move toward normal pushups, clapping pushups and handstand pushups. In each case, you are moving the leverage point and increasing the resistance and intensity of the exercise.

2. Squats: Keep your knees behind the toes to reduce the stress on the knees and engage the glutes more fully. Keep your hands above your head, back straight and knees slightly inside the feet. Start holding it for 15 seconds and work up to holding the position for 10 minutes. You can readjust the squat position up and down as your muscles get fatigued.

3. Plank: Hold the pushup position with the body completely straight, on your toes and hands. Keep your abs and back tight. Hold for 90 seconds and repeat.

4. Pullups: Work the upper back, deltoids and traps as well as the biceps and abs. This exercise needs a piece of equipment.

5. Tricep Dips: Can be done on a bench or chair. Start with the knees bent and closer to the body. By moving the legs to a straight position you increase the intensity. Put your feet on another chair or ball will maximize the intensity without adding a belt with weights.

6. Burpee: Works the whole body. Start in a standing position, drop to squat with hands on the floor and hold for 1 count; extend the legs back to pushup position, do a pushup, return to squat and stand.

7. Lunge: works the quads, glutes and hamstrings. Like the squat, don’t let your knees come in front of your toes in the lunge position. Keep your upper body straight. These can be done in place by alternating the leg in front.

(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity do Adults Need
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html

 

RESOURCES

Mens Health: Weight-Free Workouts
http://www.menshealth.co.uk/building-muscle/bodyweight-exercises/

NerdFitness: Beginner body Weight Workout
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Mens Fitness: Back to Basics
http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/back-to-basics-the-best-bodyweight-exercises

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Your Body is all you Need
http://www.schwarzenegger.com/fitness/post/your-body-is-all-you-need-the-worlds-oldest-training-method-and-a-1-workout

Womens Health Magazine: The Best Body-Weight Workout
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/body-weight-exercises#.

BodyRipped: Body Weight Exercises
http://bodyripped.net/bodyweight-exercises/

SparkPeople: 10 Body-Weight Training Exercises You can Do Anywhere
http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=10_bodyweight_training_exercises_you_can_do_anywhere