A solid list of bodyweight exercises is like insurance for achieving your fitness goals. You might find yourself miles away from the gym, with no exercise equipment, and only 15 minutes to spare. still Have the means to get a good workout.
Seriously, all you really need to build muscle and maintain a healthy weight is your body, a little floor space, and a willingness to work. BODi has a number of programs that utilize bodyweight exercises to strengthen and tone your body, including Just Bring Your Body, Xtend Barre, and Yoga52.
The following bodyweight exercises, taken from these and other programs from BODi, target all major muscle groups and are suitable for beginners, experienced athletes, and everyone in between.
arm and shoulder exercises
Build strength from your triceps to your deltoids with these arm and shoulder exercises.
1. Seated triceps dips
- Sit on the floor with your feet together, knees bent, and the soles of your feet on the floor. Place your hands slightly behind your buttocks, palms on the ground, fingers in front of you.
- Extend your elbows and lift your butt off the ground. This is the starting position.
- Pull your shoulders back, chest up, and tuck your elbows toward your ribs, bending your elbows and lowering your butt toward the ground. Then extend your arms and push back to the starting position.
- Continue to bend and straighten your elbows in quick, pulsating movements.
2. Crab touch
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and the soles of your feet about hip-width apart. Place your hands slightly behind your hips, palms on the ground, fingers pointing forward or slightly to the sides.
- Extend your elbows and lift your butt off the ground. This is the starting position.
- Extend your right leg toward the ceiling and tap your toes with your left hand.
- Return to starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Continue alternating.
3. Diamond push ups
- Get into a push-up position with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your body straight from your head to your heels.
- Bring your hands together so that the tips of your thumbs and index fingers touch and your hands form a diamond shape. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your elbows closed (don’t spread them apart), lower your upper body until your chest lightly touches the back of your hands, or as far as you can without breaking proper form).
- Pause, then push your body up to the starting position.
4. Plank up down crunch
- Get into a push-up position, with your wrists directly below your shoulders and your body straight from head to heels.
- Squeeze your butt and pull your belly button toward your spine to support your core and keep your body in place.
- Bend your elbows slightly and lower your right forearm, then your left forearm to the ground, and finally into a forearm plank position.
- Return to a high plank, one arm at a time, starting with your right arm.
- Raise your right leg and try to pull your right knee toward your right elbow. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side with your left leg.
- Repeat the entire set of steps. This time, start each movement (lower to forearm plank, knee to elbow) on the left side first.
- Continue alternating the starting side for each rep.
chest and back exercises
These chest and back movements activate your pectoral muscles, lats, erectors, and more.
5. Pull-ups
- Grasp the pull-up bar with an underhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width and hang at arm’s length (a position known as a dead hang).
- Raise your body at least until your chin is over the bar, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
- Pause and lower your body to a fully hanging position.
6. Push ups
- Get on all fours with your feet together, body straight from head to heels, and hands in line with (but slightly wider than) your shoulders. Squeeze your glutes and tighten your core.
- Tuck your elbows into your sides, keep your head down, and lower your torso until your chest is within a few inches of the floor.
- Pause and push your body up to the starting position as quickly as possible.
- If this is difficult, you can fix it by placing your hand on a sturdy, high surface, such as a staircase or bench.
7. Burpees
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
- Push your hips back, bend your knees and squat down, placing your palms on the floor.
- Jump your legs back into a pushup position (arms straight, legs together, core tight, body straight from head to heels) and do a pushup.
- Jump your feet back toward your hands, then explode upward into the air.
- Land gently and immediately begin the next rep.
8. Superman Hold
- Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended over your head and legs extended behind you. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your neck in line with your spine, lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor at the same time, squeezing your glutes.
- Pause and lower yourself back to the starting position.
9. Pilates swimming
- Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended over your head and legs extended behind you.
- Lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor. Keep your neck in line with your spine and squeeze your upper glutes.
- With your arms, chest, and legs lifted, start moving your right arm/left leg and left arm/right leg up and down, alternating.
- Continue alternating times or times.
core exercises
Target your abs and obliques with these core movements.
10. Single leg body lock
- Sit on the floor with one leg extended and the other knee bent so your foot is flat on the ground.
- Raise your arms straight above your head, palms facing forward. This is the starting position.
- Hold this position and use your core muscles to roll back onto your back and quickly return to the starting position.
11. Scissor Kick
- Lie on your back with your legs straight, elbows bent, and your fingertips behind your ears and lightly touching your head.
- Brace your core, straighten your legs, and with your hips pressed into the floor, lift your legs and begin to alternately raise and lower them in a “scissors” motion.
- Repeat alternating legs or for a set amount of time.
12. Boat pose (V-sit hold)
- Sit on the floor with your feet together, knees bent and feet on the ground. Place your hands slightly behind your hips, palms on the ground, fingers in front of you, or extend your arms straight out in front of you with your palms facing up.
- Keeping your shoulders back and chest up, lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground, straightening your legs so you can balance in a V-shaped position. (You can keep your knees slightly bent if you need to make corrections.)
- Press and hold for the specified time.
13. Side plank twist
- Assume a side plank position, supporting yourself with your left forearm, placing your feet offset on the floor (right foot in front of your left), lightly touching your head with the fingertips of your right hand behind your right ear (elbow pointing toward the ceiling), and keeping your body straight from head to heel. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your body straight and core engaged, bend your right elbow toward your left hand and return to the starting position.
- Do all reps, then switch sides and repeat.
gluteus maximus exercises
Strengthen your back with these killer glute bodyweight exercises.
14. Glute Bridge
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat near your hips, and arms by your sides. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your core engaged, squeeze your glutes as you raise your hips until your body is straight from your knees to your shoulders.
- Pause, then reverse the movement and return to the starting position.
15. Donkey Kick
- Get on your hands and knees, with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips. Keep your back flat and your neck in line with your spine. this is the starting position
- With arms straight, core extended, and knees bent 90 degrees, raise your left knee and press the sole of your left foot toward the ceiling, squeezing your right hip even more at the top of the movement.
- Reversing the movement returns you to the starting position.
- Do all reps, then switch legs and repeat.
16. Second folding position
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and your toes pointing outwards. Hold on to the back of a chair or other sturdy structure for balance. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your back flat and core engaged, bend your knees and lower your hips as much as possible so that your knees are centered between your heels and toes.
- Squeeze your glutes as you straighten your legs and return to the starting position.
leg exercises
Activate your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles with these leg exercises.
17. Reverse lunge double punch
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands at your sides. Make fists with your hands and hold them next to your hips, palms facing up. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your chest up, back flat, shoulders back, and core engaged, step your right leg far back and extend your arms out in front of you for a double punch.
- Lower your body until your left thigh is parallel to the floor. Bend your knees about 90 degrees so your right knee is a few inches above the ground.
- Pause, then push off your back leg to return to the starting position.
- Repeat all repetitions, this time bringing your left leg back.
18. Side lunge
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your core conscious, take a big step with your right foot to the right without moving your left foot.
- Bring your hands together in front of you, push your hips back, bend your right knee, and lower your hips until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Pause, then reverse the movement and return to the starting position.
- Repeat, this time stepping your left foot to the left.
- Continue alternating sides for each rep.
19. Squat jump
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Keeping your chest up, core engaged, and back flat, push your hips back and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Explosively push your body up and jump straight up.
- Land softly and immediately lower yourself into the next rep.
20. Monkey Walk
- Stand tall with your hands at your sides, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and toes pointing forward.
- Keeping your back flat and core engaged, push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, bending your elbows and bringing your hands together in front of your chest.
- Take 4 steps forward, 4 steps back, pulsing up and down slightly with each step, but keeping it low enough to feel the burn in your quadriceps.
- Continue walking back and forth, taking your time.
