Let’s be real, going to the gym every day is a task. Sometimes you feel like going, and sometimes, you just can’t get yourself to go. Also, you might be working a full-time job, or traveling a lot or circumstances might not always work out in your favor. Does that mean that you won’t work out and keep yourself fit? Of course not! People think that you can’t exercise unless you have full, professional grade equipment at your disposal. That couldn’t be farther from the truth because body weight exercises are as effective as machine-aided exercises, if not more.
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You can work out a routine consisting of excellent and effective body weight exercises for yourself, for which neither do you need an expensive gym membership nor do you need the help of an overbearing trainer. You can do all of this at home, or wherever you are comfortable, whenever you want. If you know how to go about your exercise routine and understand the requirements of your body, then you will be able to get into shape and achieve your dream body more easily than you had ever imagined.
Suggested read: Get Your Dream Body With These Easy Home Bodyweight Workout
The Benefits Of Weight Training And Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight exercises are essentially exercises which help you build muscle by using your own body weight instead of other machines and equipment. It concentrates on increasing the strength of your body, and the good thing is that you can customize these exercises in whatever way you feel comfortable because it is your own body that is doing all the work. It is dependent on your body type, and how much you can exert yourself for a couple of hours every day.
Before we can get into the best exercises that you can practice in order to get into shape, it is important to understand why you should engage in weight training in the first place. Knowing the benefits of regular and regimented exercise is not only for the sake of your own information but also for motivation. It will encourage you to keep working out till you achieve your goals. Here are all the benefits of weight training exercises for your body.
- It helps build lean muscle mass
- Better cardiovascular health
- It increases the amount of oxygen that the muscle is able to use
- It regulates the level of cholesterol in the body
- It regulates your sleep patterns
- It increases stamina
- It reduces stress levels greatly
- Increases flexibility in the body
- It regulates blood pressure levels in the body
- Better insulin sensitivity
- Stronger bones and increase strength in joints
- Increased rate of resting metabolism
- Reduced risk of problems like diabetes and cardiac arrests
- Maintaining good cognitive functions
- Better mental health- fighting conditions like insomnia, depression, stress, anxiety, etc.
Doing Bodyweight Exercises At Home
If you are not used to working out, or you have been out of practice for a while, then doing something on your own, especially when it comes to your body, can be scary and overwhelming. You might not know where to start, which is completely normal. A gym is always more reliable because you have professionals to give you hands on advice and training there, but it is also possible to work out like a pro at home, without any equipment or professionals. Here are a few tips that can help you prep properly for your full body weight workout routine.
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- Get a space where you can work out – Designate a spot in your house or wherever else you will be staying. This will be your regular place for your workouts so that whenever you get time, you know where to go, and you don’t have to waste time searching for the right place.
- Do not overexert yourself – In the beginning, people tend to work out for long hours in order to shed some extra weight or build a little extra muscle. However, you are training your body to change its very composition, which will take time. That doesn’t mean you will hurry your routine. Do not work out for more than 30 minutes to an hour a day, and exercise every alternate day.
- Hydrate – Drinking enough water is the key to emerging out of your workout session feeling fresh and energized. When you are working out, your body produces a lot of sweat, which can lead to dehydration and fatigue later. Keep a water bottle close by, and make sure that you drink water at regular intervals during your session.
- Divide your time between cardio and strength training – There are cardio exercises which get your heart beating really fast and have a number of wonderful effects on your body. However, too much cardio can tire you out easily. The exercises recommended here, are both cardio-centric, and they also increase your strength and stamina.
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7 Best Exercises For An Effective Workout
Here are the best exercises that you can do when you are planning to start a bodyweight workout routine on your own.
1. Burpee
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How many: 2 sets of 20 with a 5-minute break
How to do it: This super effective exercise might be difficult to do at first, but you’ll eventually be able to sail through with stunning results. You have to start by standing upright. Jump up and clap your hands above your heads and crouch down into a squat position. From there, push your legs back till you reach a push-up position, do one pushup and jump back into a squats position. Stand up and repeat the process again.
This works on your upper body strength and also gives you a good dose of cardio that you can do without any extra equipment.
2. Squats
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How many: 3 sets of 10 squats each
How to do it: Squats are some of the easiest and most effective exercises that you can do on your own, so it is imperative that they be included in your bodyweight workout routine. Mimic the action you do when you sit on a chair, with your arms stretched forward at shoulder-height, and without bending your spine or your letting your knees drift apart. Go as low as you can and then get back up without bending your spine. If you can do so without leaning forward or letting your hands fall, then you are in perfect balance.
Squats work on all the muscles in your lower body, including glutes, hamstrings and calf muscles. It also tones your abdominal muscles because of the pressure that you feel when you are going back up with the support of your torso.
3. Jackknife sit-ups
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How many: 3 sets of 10 sit-ups
How to do it: A jackknife position is where your legs are outstretched from your body and lifted at a 45-degree angle, while you lie on your back, facing the ceiling. Make sure your arms are stretched above your head like your legs are outstretched. From this initial position, move your arms upwards and your legs upwards in a V shape, while remaining extended. Your body should be supported by your waist on the ground, and your knees and shoulder blades should also be lifted. Try to touch your toes to your hands.
The Jackknife sit-up is crucial for toning your abdominal muscles and it burns fat like crazy. It also stretches your biceps, triceps and calf muscles. You can eve do the X sit-up, where you touch your left hand with your right toe, and vice versa, instead of both together.
4. Lunges
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How many: 3 sets, with each set containing 10 lunges for each leg
How to do it: your starting position should be standing up- with your body upright, and your arms beside you. Then you have put your right leg forward, and bend at your right knee, while you left leg goes down and forms a 90-degree angle against the ground. However, make sure that your knee doesn’t touch the ground. Stand up straight again by pushing your body with your right knee into a standing position. Repeat this with your other leg. Keep your hands beside you when standing and in front of you when you are bending.
Lunges, again, work on the lower half of your body. It strengthens your hamstrings and puts sufficient pressure on your abdomen so that you even your stomach muscles are toned. Lunges are especially great for your thighs and your claves.
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5. Sprinting
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How many: 5 sets, each set containing a 60 seconds uninterrupted run, with 90-second breaks in between.
How to do it: Sprinting is another super easy exercise that you can literally do anywhere. A treadmill isn’t necessary at all when you have to sprint. If you have a park in your neighborhood, or even an empty track or a street, you can sprint after or before working out.
Sprinting works like a full body workout, which doesn’t require anything other than yourself. Not only does it tone your legs and makes them look fabulous, but also builds your core and increases your cardiovascular health.
6. Mountain climbing
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How many: 3 sets of 20 reps
How to do it: Your starting position for this exercise should be the top position of a standard push up. Lie horizontal to the ground on your toes and your arms outstretched. Then bring one foot forward till it reaches your chest and swiftly take it back again. Repeat this with the other leg, to complete a rep. This will mimic the motion of climbing an actual mountain.
Mountain climbing really works your abdominal muscles, and because you are also in a state of a semi pushup, your arms also get some exercise going for them. The running motion also stimulates the muscles in your legs and thighs, making them shapely and tones, along with increasing their strength.
7. Plank
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How many: Hold each position for 1 minute, with 1 minute gaps in between each position
How to do it: Planks can be of various kinds. The basic plank, which should also be your first position, is like a push up position, but your body should be resting on your arms, instead of palms pressed against the floor. Hold this position for one second, and then change to a position where you turn sideways and rest your body on one arm. Repeat this with the other arm.
Planks don’t even require you to move. You simply need a flat surface on which you can practice this simple, but incredibly effective exercise. It is ideal for core building, and makes your arms, abdomen and legs look shapely and feel great. You can start by doing the basic plank for 30 seconds, after which you can increase the time and then increase the number of positions you can do at a go.
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When you are working out on your own without equipment that can be adjusted and tweaked, you have to be careful. You have to first see that the exercises you are doing are effective, that is, they actually do something to change the shape and structure of your body to make your healthier. You also have to see that these exercises are safe, and don’t lead to injuries.
All of the above mentioned body weight exercises are super simple and can be done anywhere by anyone, whether you are a man or woman. They are also engineered to affect most parts of the body that need training and exercise; so hopefully, this guide will lead you to a better, more active and healthy lifestyle!
Featured image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
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