Contents
What are Body Weight Exercises?
Exercises that can be performed without the use of any free weights fall under the umbrella of Body weight exercises. The resistance to build strength is provided by the interplay of person’s body weight and gravity.
To improve endurance, a certain exercise is repeated multiple times while intensifying the workout by decreasing leverage and working near the ends of range of motion provides strength gains.
Pros:
- Low risk of injury
- No need of any equipment or investment
- Portable: Can be done anywhere and all the time
- Increases body awareness
- Uses natural body movements
- Functional moves
Cons:
- Limited leg strength
- Slow muscle building
- Sometimes too difficult because of high body weight
- Maximum amount of weight is constant
Inchworm
- Does not put back into flexion like sit-ups
- Can be used for warm-up for advanced users
- Sneaky strength move for core muscles
Target Muscle Group: Abs & Obliques, Glutes & Hamstrings, Middle & Lower Back / Lats
Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
Burpees
- Transforms you to fat burning machine
- Great strength-stamina combination
- Will buid you an athletic body
Target Muscle Group: Full body stamina training, with emphasis on Abs & Obliques, Quadriceps
Difficulty Level: Low
Hanging Leg Raise
- Increases flexibility & agility
- Enhances core strength and definition
- Stabilizes grip and balance
Target Muscle Group: Lower Abs
Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
Walking Lunge
- Tones hips and back
- Evens out muscular imbalance
- Graduate to higher level with additional weights
Target Muscle Group: Abdominal, Quadriceps
Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
Wall Sit / Squat
- Highly scale-able
- Improves endurance of lower body
- Enhances athletic performance
Target Muscle Group: Glutes, Hamstring, Quadriceps
Difficulty Level: Low
Jump Squat
- Maintains mobility & balance
- Improves bowel movement
- Increases hormone release
Target Muscle Group: Glutes, Hamstring, Quadriceps
Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
Forward Leg Hip swings
- Great workout for runners and joggers
- Tones thighs and butt
- Improves posture and gait
Target Muscle Group: Full Body warm-up
Difficulty Level: Low
Bench Leg Pull-in/Knee-up
- Strengthens and tones abdomen
- Builds power in lower body
Target Muscle Group: Abs & Obliques
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
Cross Body Crunch
- Helps get rid of love handles
- Targeted workout
- Improves posture and de-stresses back
Target Muscle Group: Abs & Obliques
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
Decline Push Up
- Advanced form of regular push-ups
- Increases blood flow in upper body
- Versatile and easily mouldable
Target Muscle Group: Chest, Triceps & Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
Tricep Bench Dip
- One of the most effective tricep exercise
- Develops an ideal V-frame of the body
- Improves elbow lockout strength
Target Muscle Group: Chest, Triceps & Shoulders
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
Flutter Kick
- Sculpts hips, thighs and abs all at once
- Always keep feet 10-18 inches above the floor
- Great exercise for swimmers
Target Muscle Group: Glutes & Hamstrings
Difficulty Level: Low
Bicycle Crunch
- Improves focus and alertness
- Scale up difficulty by doing in an inclined (leg raised) position
- Burns up belly fat
Target Muscle Group: Abs & Obliques
Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
Jack knife Sit-up
- Great for divers
- Increases strength & flexibility of core
- Medicine ball can be added for increased resistance
Target Muscle Group: Abs & Obliques
Difficulty Level: High
Cat Stretch
- Strengthens and relieves spine
- Creates emotional balance
- Massages abdominal organs internally
Target Muscle Group: Lower Back
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
High Box Jump
- Builds strength and power
- Improves balance and coordination
- Increases vertical jump performance
Target Muscle Group: Calves, Glutes & Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Jumping Jack
- Relieves stress
- Great cardio workout
- Sharpens focus and energizes mind
Target Muscle Group: Quadriceps, Calves, Glutes & Hamstring
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
Chest Stretch
- Aligns shoulder blades for improved posture
- Increases range of motion
- Decreases muscle soreness
Target Muscle Group: Pectoral Muscles
Difficulty Level: Low
Windshield Wipers
- Advanced core exercise
- Strengthens and tones abdominal area
- Highly scalable
Target Muscle Group: Abs & Obliques
Difficulty Level: Low-Moderate-High (depending on the variation)
Fire Hydrants
- Stabilizes posture
- Improves side flexibility and motion
- Wear knee pads to avoid scratches & injury
Target Muscle Group: Glutes & Hamstrings
Difficulty Level: Low-Moderate
Walking High Kicks
- Great aerobic workout
- Burns large amounts of calories
- Detosifies internal system of the body
Target Muscle Group: Full Body warm up
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
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