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There are many bodyweight exercises you should do every day to build a strong, fit, and muscular physique. These exercises can be done anywhere, any time, and can be completed in less than 45 minutes.
Bodyweight exercises are ideal for both beginners embarking on a fitness routine or advanced athletes looking for a quick and effective workout.
Push-ups and Other Best Bodyweight Exercises
1) Push-up
Push-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises to build a strong upper body. They're ideal for stimulating the chest, triceps, and core. There're a ton of push-up variations that can be added to your routine as you progress.
Instructions:
- Keep your hands slightly outside shoulder-width. Set your feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other.
- Your lower back should hold a neutral curve throughout the push-up. That can be achieved by flexing the glutes and bracing the core.
- The shoulders and hips should be in a straight line, and the ears should be in line with the shoulders.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. The chest, hips, and head should move in a straight line during the movement.
- Try to touch your chest to the ground. The nose, belly button, and chest should be at the same level.
- Push your body away from the floor by contracting your triceps and chest. Keep your core braced throughout. Repeat.
- Once you can do 25 push-ups in a row, you can start adding weight on your back.
2) Pull-up/Chin-up
The best bodyweight exercises to grow the back are chin-ups and pull-ups. You can alternate between the two to focus on either your biceps or lats. If you cannot perform pull-ups, try out the inverted row to build upper back strength.
Instructions:
- Grab on to a pull-up bar with an overhand grip (use an underhand grip for chin-ups). You can also use rings, towels, or even your door handle.
- Brace your abs, and engage your glutes.
- Using your upper back, lats, and arms, slowly lift yourself up to the bar.
- Make sure your chin comes over the bar. Avoid kipping.
- Lower yourself down. Control the eccentric on the way down for better gains.
3) Bodyweight Squat
Bodyweight squats, along with their variations, are among the best bodyweight exercises to build lean, athletic legs.
Instructions:
- Stand upright. Set your feet slightly wider than hip-width.
- Interlock your hands behind the head, with your elbows pointed to the side. You can hold them stretched forward to increase difficulty.
- Bend your knees, and descend into a deep squat. Try to touch your hamstrings with your calves.
- Explode back upwards.
You can progress to the following variations as you advance:
- Pistol squats (single-leg)
- One-and-quarter squats
- Sumo squats
- Lateral squats
- Jump squats
- Overhead squats
- Squat kickbacks
- Cossack squats
- Bulgarian split squats
4) Glute Bridge
The lower back and glutes are a common area of injury among strength training athletes.
Glute bridge is one of the best bodyweight exercises you can add to your home workout to build up lower back and glute strength. If done regularly, it can help alleviate back pain and poor posture.
Instructions:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent. Set your heels under the knees.
- Raise your hips till your knees and head are in a straight line.
- Squeeze your butt for a second at the top.
- Return to the starting position. Repeat.
- As you progress, try out the single-leg glute bridge.
5) Lunge
Lunges are among the best bodyweight exercises to build athleticism and flexibility in the lower body. As you progress, you can add weight to make the movement harder. Make sure to warm up properly unless you want painful hamstring cramps.
Instructions:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Brace your core.
- Step forward with the right foot, and lower into a lunge.
- When the right thigh is parallel to the floor, engage your lower body to push off the floor.
- Return to the starting positon. Repeat on the other leg.
- Perform 3-5 sets for 8-15 reps.
6) Burpee
There are only a few workouts that can make you hate life more than an intense burpee session. Not only can they burn up to 300 calories in just 20 minutes, they are also among the best bodyweight exercises you can add to your HIIT routine.
Instructions:
- Stand in the squatting position, with your knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart, and back flat.
- Your hands should be just inside your feet as you lower them to the ground in front of you.
- Kick your feet back so that you end up on your hands and toes in a push-up stance.
- Perform a push-up while making sure the back is neutral. Explode upwards, and jump back.
- Reach your arms overhead, and return to the starting positon to complete one rep.
- Repeat.
Takeaway
The aforementioned movements are some of the best bodyweight exercises that you can perform daily to build muscle, lose fat, and develop endurance. Combine them with a protein-rich diet, adequate sleep, and an efficient mobility routine to get the physique of your dreams.
