What Are Bodyweight Exercises?

Bodyweight exercises are simply workout routines wherein all the equipment you need is your own body. There is no need for any fancy equipment nor any trips to the gym because you can do bodyweight exercises anywhere and anytime you want.

The most popular kind of bodyweight exercise is probably the push-up. In this exercise, all you do is lift your body from the floor, which practically puts all your weight onto your arms and shoulders, making their muscles stronger and more defined.

What Are the Different Types of Bodyweight Exercises?

• Push-ups
  As mentioned earlier, these exercise routines are great for working out your arms and shoulders. Push-ups are among the most effective upper body workouts of all time.
• Squats
  There are many different variations of this exercise, but the regular squats are the most frequently used. You just have to stand straight with your feet 12 inches apart and arms folded or outstretched at chest level. Gradually lower your body until you are in a squatting position and slowly rise back to your original position. Squats are great for working out the thigh (quads) and butt (glutes) muscles.
• Lunges
  These are another kind of great exercise for the thighs and the buttocks. Put one foot a step forward and slowly lower the knee of the other leg towards the floor and go back to starting position.
• Chin-ups
  Also called pull-ups, these exercises require you to pull yourself up with your hands and arms onto a bar until your chin touches the bar. Lower yourself slowly and repeat the process.
• Dips
  Another great arm exercise, dips are a type of bodyweight exercise that focuses on the triceps. In order to do this, you first need to find a chair or a bench. Stand with your back to the chair and lower yourself so that your hands are grabbing either edge of the chair. Stretch your legs out in front of you and slowly lower your body until your buttocks are almost touching the floor. For better visualization, think of dips as inverted push-ups where you are facing up instead of down.

What are the Benefits?

One of the most obvious benefits of bodyweight training is that the exercises are really very easy to do. You can do them whenever and wherever you please, because the only thing you need in order to do them is your own body. If you are constantly traveling, you can continue with your bodyweight exercises without having to pack any special equipment.

Of course, most hotels have their own fully-equipped gym that you can use for free, but with bodyweight training, you won’t even have to do this. You can do all your routines right from inside your own room. This is great especially for people who are not comfortable working out where other people can see them. Finally, you have to realize that bodyweight exercises are not only good for losing weight, but also for developing your muscles and improving your overall health.