Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight exercises are some of the best exercises for a total body workout. These can be very helpful if you:

• Don’t want to spend money on exercise equipment.
• Don’t want to join a fitness facility.
• Are out of town with no access to a fitness facility.
• Have a very limited time to exercise.
• Would like to exercise during lunch but with limited time and/or equipment.
• Would like to implement a safe at-home exercise program.

Many people underestimate the potential to get a good workout without expensive equipment. The military has used bodyweight exercises for years to train their most elite forces. You can use them to improve your overall health and wellness or to build some serious muscle.

With these exercises from each major muscle group you can build your own program.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly flexed.
• Place your clasped hands behind your head with elbows back and try to pull your should blades toward each other.
• Start the movement by tilting your pelvis back. This is very important! If you don’t do this, your knees will go forward. This places excessive strain on your knees.
• Concentrate on not letting your knees move forward as squat as if you were sitting in a chair.
• Without rounding your back, squat until your thighs are approximately parallel to the floor. Stop before this position if you feel strained. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds.
• Concentrate (really focus!) on using your glutes, hamstrings, and quadricep muscles to push up and return to the starting position..

For an added workout you can hold a dumbbell or a gallon of milk in each hand. Just be sure to keep your shoulder blades retracted.

Jumping Squats

This is very similar to above with these adaptations:

• Let your arms hang to the side.
• Use the same squatting motion described above except you will let your arms swing back.
• When you are fully squatted your hands will be pointed at the wall behind you.
• Hold this position for 2 seconds.
• Explode forward as far as you can. (This is the broad jump movement.)
• Step back to starting location and repeat.

Lunges

These are very popular and is one of the most popular bodyweight exercises. Lunges can be performed with a dumbbell in each hand for added benefit.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly flexed.
• Take a long stride forward with your right leg. Keep your balance with your left toe on the floor.
• Your right knee MUST NOT move beyond the toes of your right foot.
• Your right thigh and left shin should be parallel to the floor.
• The left leg should remain neutral and used only for balance as you
• Concentrate on pushing with your right leg to the starting position.
• Repeat this on the right leg for the desired repetitions.
• Repeat these steps with the left leg.

Push-ups

These can be performed on your knees or toes.

• The starting position is with your body fully extended and your weight supported by your hands and toes.
• Hands should be under your shoulders and slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
• Keep your abs tight, shoulders down, chest up, and neck neutral.
• Maintain control as you lower your body weight until your elbows are in line with your shoulders.
• Concentrate on pushing up through your chest muscles. It might help to focus on bringing your elbows together during this movement.
• Keep your body in a straight line and stop the upward movement just before your elbows lock.
• Repeat these steps for the desired repetitions.

Dips

• Place your feet on a chair while you sit over the edge of a sofa, counter, or other chair.
• Your weight will be supported by the heels of your hands.
• Lower yourself until your elbows are at a ninety degree angle.
• Push yourself up while focusing on using your tricep muscles.
• Repeat this sequence for the desired repetitions.