Who Wants to Lift Weights Anyway

8 Simple Bodyweight Exercises Everyone Must Be Doing

The art of body weight training has been lost due to the modern day era, plain and simple.

Training tools like barbells, dumbbells and machines have have taken over and pretty much killed off simple exercises that anyone can learn and put into daily use pretty much anywhere.

Bodyweight exercises, as long as progressions are done in a slow technical fashion can be performed pain free and without restriction.

With slow and calculated progressions, not only can you put on solid muscle while simultaneously getting stronger, but you can do it with little or no equipment involved.

Below, I am going to break down a variety of exercises that will help strengthen the muscles, joints and ligaments while simultaneously increasing athleticism.

Proper programming while developing a bodyweight program will not only teach you how to develop a great strength base but will also lead to impressive levels of body control and a solid base of muscular development.

These progressions can be used or trained from a hypertrophy, strength and performance stand point almost seven days a week if programmed correctly.

1. Chin Up/ Pull Up

This is one of the most effective exercises for building the back and biceps.

A good number of full range reps would be anywhere from 6 for women and upwards of fifteen for men. For those who can not get full range reps, eccentric progressions will be your best option here.

Work on a few sets of static or eccentric variations for 3-5 reps. This should be performed a minimum of 2 times a week.

2. Pushup

Pushup have stood the test of time for centuries and are still one of the best upper body exercises with a very low risk of injury.

A good goal for most individuals is to be able to work up to a clean full range set of 15 for women and around 30 for men.

3. Handstands

This is one of the best exercises to build the shoulders and triceps while staying pain free.

These progressions can start with your feet on a low incline with your glutes elevated while holding a static position for anywhere to 10-45 seconds.

When you advance from that, you will move on to a steeper incline and eventually be able to hold a full handstand against the wall.

These will improve athleticism and shoulder stability in almost all individuals.

4. Vertical and Lateral Wall Walks

Along the lines of handstand progressions, vertical and lateral wall walking is a fantastic, fun way to develop shoulder and core strength while increasing stability as well.

This exercise will be performed with you hands flat on the ground and your feet pressed up against the wall. The higher your feet are placed on the wall, the more difficult the exercise will become.

Take this slow and develop your strength in these specific positions. Shoot for 2-4 times up and down the wall while keeping the entire body braced tight from head to toe. While performing lateral walks, try about 2-4 steps in each direction.

This is another fantastic exercise to developing athleticism and strength.

5. Bodyweight Squats

Squat progressions develop every single muscle in the lower body.

These exercises can start from the most basic bodyweight squat, to a single leg variation of a split squat, to an advanced pistol squat progression.

Start with the basics of prisoner squats, close stance squats and single leg split squat variations first before progressing to a more advanced movement.

Once 15-20 perfect reps are performed with proper depth and technique you can start to progress to single leg variations.

6. Plank/Side Plank

These are two of the best exercises for developing strong, muscular powerful abs. These progressions will be a far superior option to any sit up or crunch variation.

Side planks will crush the obliques which will lead to overall core strength and a healthy lower back.

Start with sets of 20-60 seconds on a full plank while maximally contracting the abs and glutes. On the side plank shoot for 15-30 seconds while maximally contracting the obliques.

7. Glute Bridges

One of the best exercises for glute and hamstring development.

Start progressions on the floor.

Lay flat on your back on the floor while keeping your feet flat on the ground. Drive flat feet into the ground so you hips are elevated off the ground all the while squeezing the hamstrings and glutes. Hold for two seconds at the top and back to the floor.

Try and perform 15-20 reps. Once you progress from that, try the single leg variation.

8. Back Bridges

“You are as old as your Spine” Chinese Proverb-

This is a great exercise to improve the health and strength of your spine but be sure to start slow.

Start with very basic progressions and let the spine stretch and strengthen over a period of time.

This is a simple, yet highly effective list of a few of the best bodyweight exercises to get you started. Try these out in your next training routine and let us know what you think.

Good luck and enjoy