Top 5 Body Weight Exercises

Not everyone can spend a helluva amount in gym subscriptions and expensive gym equipment to meet their weight loss and fitness goals. Even if its not about the expenses, some people just not feel comfortable performing workout with heavy machines. So , should they completely chuck the idea of exercising? Not necessarily, because there is a long list of bodyweight training exercises that require no gym session, no expensive equipment, just the dedication and hardwork to stay in good shape along with the addition of some best whey protein in your diet.

Push-Ups

PROS: Push-Ups is undoubtedly one of the best upper bodyweight exercises for muscle building that relies completely on your own bodyweight and works out almost everything from your chest to back, arms and even your abs. One of the many benefits of push-ups is that you can change the emphasis of this workout by simply adjusting the position of your hands. However, most of its positions are same but they cater to different zone of muscles.

One such example is that of diamond push-ups and wide angle push-ups. The basic form and movement for both the push-up variations remains the same with difference in their hand positions.

CONS: The only con that one can face while performing push-ups is its technical difficulty as its technique and position needs to asserted correctly to get the maximum benefits. Overdoing push-ups may lead to fatigue.

How To Perform Wide Push-Ups:

• Put your hands flat on floor and extend your legs behind
• Your body should be in straight line starting from your shoulders to ankles
• Place your hands flat on the floor, just outside the shoulders
• Now lower yourself to the floor by bending your elbows so that they flare out of the sides

How To Perform Diamond Push-Ups:

• Put your hands flat on floor and extend your legs behind
• Your body should be in straight line starting from your shoulders to ankles
• For diamond push-ups, also known as close grip push-up, place the tips of your finger pointers and thumb together, so that a diamond shape is created between your hands.
• Descend yourself towards the floor while keeping your elbows pulled closely on your sides so that they don’s flare out.

In both the push-ups try to bring your body (especially chest and hips as close the floor a possible without touching it)

Duration: 3 Sets, 5 Reps

Pull-Ups

PROS: For strengthening your upper body, pull-ups can be of great help as they work excellently on your arms, core, biceps, full back and abdominal. One has to master the technique of performing pull ups exercises as they are quite difficult to perform and need a lot of strength.

CONS: If you are compromising on your technique while performing pull-ups you might be compromising with your shoulders, elbows and necks as well. Poor alignment may lead to elbow soreness, neck & shoulder strain, even spine injury in some cases.

How to Perform Pull-Ups:

• Hang from the bar with hands outside shoulder width and your palms facing away from you.
• Pull yourself up until your chin touches the top of the bar or reaches over it.

Duration: 3 Sets, 6 Reps

Bench Dips

PROS: If you are targeting your triceps then bench dips can be one of the most effective and simple everyday bodyweight exercises that you can rely upon. The beauty of this exercise is that you can perform it anywhere, but that doesn’t mean you will get into an impromptu jig and start doing it at your workplace.

Bench dips can be very effective for developing all three heads of the triceps and most importantly it doesn’t require any kind of fancy equipment. You can easily perform bench dips with two stable chairs if you do not have gym benches.

CONS: Bench Dips have always been considered to be a high risk exercise because a single wrong movement may lead to shoulder impingement, thus increasing the risk of injury. Beginners should never add weight while performing bench as it further aggravates the chances of injury.

How To Perform Bench Dips

• Place two benches or chairs parallel to each other, 2 to 3 feet apart
• Sit on the inner side of one bench, while keeping your hands on the edge of the bench with shoulders width apart
• Grip the edge of the bench strongly
• Keep your feet together and legs straight on the bench kept in your front
• Keep your body straight and lower it down slowly and press back up powerfully
• Keep your elbows pointing back and upright

Duration: 3 Sets, 5 Reps

Squats 

PROS: If you are aiming to lose weight and tone your lower without sweating it hard in gym then squats can come to your rescue as the best beginner body weight workout. It is one of the best bodyweight and completely natural exercises that works extensively on all the muscles of your lower body that primarily includes hamstrings, glutes and quads. This exercise is also a great option for providing extra kick to your core along with your deep abdominal muscles. Keep your torso upright to perform this exercise correctly and gain maximum benefit, especially if its your first time with squats as bodyweight exercise for beginners.

CONS: the only con that you can face while doing squats is because of your wrong technique. Not maintaining the right posture while performing squats may lead to knee and upper back injuries. Excess of squats may also lead to strained or overstretched tendons, muscles and ligaments. Joint pain and muscle soreness might also be experienced in some cases.

How To Perform Squats:

• Stand straight on the floor with your feet a width apart and toes pointing straight.
• Either flare your arms in front of your body or cross them or put them behind your head, depending on the most comfortable position for you.
• Put your weight on your heels and start bending your knees while lowering your hips slowly towards the floor as if you are sitting on a chair.
• Keep your back straight throughout.
• Stay in this position until you start feeling a little stretch in your quadriceps and do not allow your knees to extend below your toes.
• Return to your start position by putting down your heels and extending your hips forward until your stand straight.

Duration: 3 Sets, 6 Reps

Related Article: Squats Vs Leg Press: Which Exercise is Better

Burpees

PROS: Burpees is one of the fundamental bodyweight exercises, which is a combination of cardio and strength, i.e. Push-ups and squats, into one exercise form. It is one of the most complexn yet complete body workout that will help in toning your upper and lower body at the same time while maintaining a strong focus on your core. If you want an added cardio punch to your burpees session consider adding track jump before the squats. If your main goal is to build your strength then burpees workout is the right choice for you.

CONS: Performing burpess can be extremely strenuous and taxing as it requires a lot of strength and balance to change the position effectively, that too without hurting yourself. If not performed correctly burpess may lead to havoc in your knees and lower back. So before you move on to burpees, master the art of push-ups and squats.

How To Perform Burpees:

• Stand straight on the floor with your feet shoulder width apart, entire weight on heels and arms at your sides.
• Push your hips back, bend your knees and lower your body in squat position.
• Place your hands on the floor in the front but inside your feet and shift your weight on them.
• Jump on your feet back gently so that you land on the balls of feet in a plank position.
• At this point your body should be in straight line from head to heels, thus be careful that your back did not sag or your butt stick up in air.
• Jump your feet back so that they land just outside of your hands.
• Reach your arms over head and explosively jump up into the air.
• Land and immediately lower back into a squat for your next repetition.

Follow this simple and ultimate bodyweight workout routine along with other bodybuilding products to achieve your weight loss and muscle building goals without burning a hole in your pocket.