6 Bodyweight Exercises to Lose Weight & Get Into Shape

Losing weight doesn't have to involve hours at the gym or grueling exercise. In fact, you can get in great shape with just your bodyweight.

Here're a few exercises that can build strength and endurance while shedding extra weight.

Bodyweight Exercises for Weight Loss and Getting into Shape

Here's a look at six such exercises:

#1 HIIT

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training, and it's a type of workout that alternates between periods of short, intense anaerobic exercise and brief recovery periods.

It's also referred to as high intensity aerobic interval training (HIIT). HIIT workouts are generally short and intense, but they burn more calories than steady-state cardio.

#2 Plank

Planks are incredibly effective in toning the core, so they’re a great way to lose weight and get in shape.

How to do a plank:

Lie on the floor face down, with your forearms flat and elbows directly under your shoulders. Your legs should be straight, head aligned with the spine, and hips in line with the knees (not splayed out).
Tighten your abs by engaging them like a corset around the midsection.
Keep them tight throughout the exercise.
Keep your shoulders away from your ears by pulling the shoulder blades back together as far as possible while keeping your arms straight (no hunching).
If you find yourself shaking or shifting position due to discomfort in the lower back or neck, try modifying by bending your knees slightly till those muscles are strong enough to hold a plank for longer periods without needing modification, which will come with practice.

#3 Squat

The squat is the most basic of exercises, and it’s not too difficult to perform.

To perform a bodyweight squat:

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart (you can also hold onto something for balance if you need it).
Bend your knees till they're parallel to the floor, and straighten them again.
Repeat the motion ten times in a row without resting or stopping. You can increase the difficulty by holding weights while performing squats.

Squats are great, as they work out multiple muscles at once: the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps all get a good workout when you do squats regularly. Squatting also helps improve balance, which is important as we age so that we don’t fall down when stepping off curbs, stairs, etc.

#4 Lunge

Lunges are a great way to build strength in the legs and tone the lower body. They’re also one of the most effective exercises for burning fat in the thighs, behind, and butt.

Lunges can be performed using dumbbells or a barbell, with weights held at shoulder level or on either side of the body. The lunges we’re going to discuss here are done without any equipment.

If you want some extra resistance, pick up some dumbbells at home or take advantage of any available weight room equipment at your local gym.

To perform this exercise:

Stand straight with your feet together and arms by the sides
Take one step forward with one foot (keep heel firmly planted), landing softly on the ball of the foot as you bend both knees till the thighs form a 90 degree angle with the hips.

#5 Mountain Climber

It's a great core exercise, as it works the lower abs and hip flexors. They can also be done anywhere, making it an ideal cardio workout.

To do a mountain climber:

Lie flat on your stomach with your arms by your sides and palms down.
Lift your hands and feet off the floor, keeping them in line with each other.
Raise one leg off of the floor while bringing it toward your chest in front till it's almost touching the opposite elbow (your knee should be bent).
Switch legs by raising and lowering each alternately for 30-60 seconds (or as long as you can hold it).
If that's too hard, try putting one foot on a chair or bench so that you're only having to raise one leg off the ground at a time.

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#6 Burpee

Burpees are a fabulous exercise for burning calories and toning up the entire body. In fact, they burn an average of 24 calories per minute.

If you can do three sets of 12 reps over time, that's the equivalent of running continuously at a ten-minute mile pace.

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The exercise itself is simple:

Get into a plank position, with your hands on the floor and feet together.
Drop down so you're in a push-up position, but bend each knee toward your chest before returning to the starting position and jumping as high as possible (the burpee).

The benefits of burpees include improving flexibility and balance while also strengthening major muscle groups like the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core muscles while increasing aerobic capacity by increasing heart rate.

Moreover, there's nothing like doing some burpees to help motivate yourself throughout any workout.

Takeaway

So, what are you waiting for? Start your bodyweight workout routine today. Let us know how it goes, and have fun getting into shape.