You might be sceptical about the idea of a home exercise program.
If done correctly, you can get a lot of value from your body weight.
You don’t have to go to the gym if you don’t have the time or the desire, just make sure to use your living room as a workout space.
These 30 bodyweight exercises can be scaled to suit beginner, intermediate and advanced exercisers.
These 10 beginner-level exercises for bodyweight will give you a complete workout.
Do 2 sets of 10-15 reps each, resting between each set for 30 seconds to one minute.
This circuit should only take about 30 seconds — it’s a great routine for beginners.
Bridge
With a bridge, activate your posterior chain and core (a fancy name for your backside) by using a bridge. This is a great warmup exercise.
Directions:
1. Place your hands on the ground, your feet on the floor.
2. Bracing your core and pushing through your feet, lift your bottom off of the ground until you have your hips fully extended. Then squeeze your glutes to the top.
3. Slowly return to your starting position, and then repeat.
Chair squat
To strengthen your core and legs, squat. This will help you make daily movements more effortless. Proper form can be achieved by starting with a chair under you.
Directions:
1. Place your feet shoulder-width apart in front of the chair, with your toes slightly out.
2. Keep your hips bent and your knees bent. Lower your back until your bottom touches your chair. Then, extend your arms out in front.
3. Keep your heels up and push back to get back to the original position.
Push up your knees
This is a beginner’s pushup. It will help you gain strength before you attempt a standard pushup.
Directions:
1. From your knees, get into a high plank position.
2. Keep your elbows straight from your head to your knees. Bend your elbows to lower your body to the earth. Your elbows should be at 45 degrees.
3. To start, push back up
Stationary lunge
With a stationary lunge, hit your quads and hamstrings.
Directions:
1. Your right leg should be in front of you. Your right foot should rest flat on the ground and your left foot should be elevated on its toes.
2. Keep your legs straight and bend your knees.
3. To return to the original position, push up with your right foot. You can do as many reps as you like, and then switch to the other leg.
Plank to Downward Dog
This will put your upper body to the test, particularly your shoulders. Do you think you need to lift weights for shoulder exercises?
Directions:
1. With your hands under your shoulders, and your feet together, get into a high plank position.
2. Keep your core engaged, your hands and feet still and move your hips back and forth into the Downward Dog position. Your body should be in a triangle with ground. Keep your neck neutral. Your gaze should point towards your feet.
3. For a second, hold on to the plank and then return to it. Repeat.
Straight-leg donkey kick
Dokey kicks can help you build your glutes.
Directions:
1. Place your hands on your stomach and place your feet on your back.
2. Keep your back straight and push your right foot towards the imaginary wall. Your leg should remain straight.
3. Your toes should point down towards the ground and your foot should be flexed. Keep your hips parallel to the ground. Keep your buttocks up at the top.
4. Return to your starting position. Continue to do the same for as many reps.
Bird Dog
The Bird Dog pose requires stability and balance, and is a full-body move. It can be scaled to your level. If you are a beginner, start with this version.
Directions:
1. Place your hands under your shoulders, and your knees below your hips.
2. Keep your neck neutral and extend your right arm and left leg simultaneously, keeping your hips flat to the ground. For 2 seconds, pause here
3. Revert to your starting position. Continue with your left arm and leg.
Plank for the forearm
Planks are a core exercise that demands strength and balance.
Directions:
1. Place your hands on your forearms and assume a plank position. Your body should be straight from your head to your feet.
2. Make sure your hips and lower back don’t sag. For 30 seconds to one minute, hold the position.
Side-lying hip abduction
Although you may not be thinking about strengthening your hip muscles until they become painful, please reconsider.
This is especially true if you sit all day. It is possible to counteract this by using hip-targeting movements.
Directions:
1. Place your left leg straight on your side. Your right leg should be straight on your right.
2. Keep your right leg straight up. Keep your hips closed.
3. Return to your starting position. Continue for as many reps as you need, and then switch sides.
Bicycle crunch
While you can work your core with most of these strength exercises and a few other moves, it’s worth doing a targeted ab move.
Directions:
1. Place your hands on the table and lie down. Place your elbows bent and your hands behind you.
2. Straighten your right leg by bending your elbow and bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
3. Let go of the crunch. Straighten your right leg by bending your right leg. Next, bring your left elbow towards your right knee.
4. Continue to do as many reps as you like.
You’re ready for the intermediate moves if you’ve learned the beginner routine.
Do 2 sets of 10-15 reps each of the exercises below. After 1 minute, you can move on to the next set.
Another option is to do timed rounds. This is a more advanced method. You could do one minute each of the exercises and then repeat the circuit two times.
Compete with yourself to complete as many reps as possible.
Single-leg bridge
You’ll make it more difficult if you limit the exercise to one leg.
Follow the steps to build a bridge. However, you must lift one foot off of the ground and keep your leg bent. This will give you an intermediate challenge.
Perform the same amount of reps for each side.
Squat
You can master the form of a normal bodyweight squat by taking the chair out.
However, the same motion applies here. Imagine that you are sitting in a chair, bending at the hips and pushing your bottom forward.
Pushup
The standard pushup is a more difficult version of the knee pushup. You can start by squatting in a plank position. Then, do the pushup from the same position. Your elbows should flare at a 45-degree angle.
Walking lunge
You’ll be able to add stability, mobility and balance by traveling, rather than staying stationary in a lunge.
Stand with your feet together, then step forward and lunge with your right leg. Now, stand up and continue with your left leg.
Pushups with a pike
You can target your shoulders by adding a pushup on top of your pike. This movement is all about the arms. Keep the rest of the body still.
Perform by bending at your elbows and assuming a pike position. Then, direct the top of the head towards the ground.
Do some squats
For time under tension or to keep your legs and glutes working continuously, get-up squats can be a great choice.
Directions:
1. To do this, drop down to a squat position. During this move, you won’t be able to stand.
2. One at a time, lower your knees to the ground so that you are kneeling.
3. Keep your feet firmly on the ground, stepping back one at a while.
4. Keep your form good and repeat as fast as possible.
Superman
You can work your lower back and entire back with the help of a superman. To really reap the benefits, you should do this slowly.
Directions:
1. Place your arms and legs out in front of you.
2. Keep your neck neutral and use your core and back to raise your arms, legs and chest as high as you can.
3. Immediately pause at the top and then slowly lower to the starting position.
Alternating leg lifts and plank
A leg lift is an addition to a regular plank that makes you unstable. This will make your core work harder and force your three limbs into support more weight.
Hold one leg straight up and hold it for five seconds before lowering it back to the ground. Repeat the process with the second leg.
Side plank kneeling with hip abduction
This move is a great upper-body exercise. You can hold your body high with your knees and extend your arm while doing a hip abduction. It also recruits your core.
Perform the following: Start by squatting on a side plank. Next, lift your free leg up and then pause. Then lower it down. You can do this on both sides.
Dead bug
Use a dead insect to activate your deep core muscles.
Directions:
1. Place your arms and legs in front of you, with your head down.
2. As you extend your left leg, move in a coordinated motion. Next, lift your right arm up above your head.
3. Place your leg on the tabletop, and place your arm in front. Then repeat the process with your opposite leg.
These advanced moves will make the intermediate routine seem effortless.
Extended bridge with leg
A single-leg bridge will be made more difficult by lifting the foot and extending the leg straight out.
Throughout the movement, keep your foot straight. Perform the same amount of reps for both legs.
Overhead squat
Exercising your arms overhead can limit your mobility and range-of-motion in your upper body. It will also make it difficult for your lower body to do squats.
Perform a squat while your arms are extended overhead.
Pushups with one leg
The challenge of lifting one leg again will be greater than the weight you have in your three other limbs.
You can do it by putting your foot on the ground and pushing up. Then, lift your other leg off the ground to complete the pushup.
Jumping lunges
Jumping, also known as plyometrics, requires that you give your best effort for a brief period of time.
You’ll feel the heat quickly because of their power and strength.
To challenge yourself, add a jump to the lunge and really explode up in each rep.
Pike pushups at elevated height
This version is the most difficult because you have to elevate your feet while doing a pike pushup.
Place your feet on a raised surface such as a bench or step and do a pike pushup.
Higher surfaces are more difficult.
Jump with a squat
Instead of standing on your knees, step up and jump. This move requires a lot of strength and power.
Advanced Dog Training
Start by squatting in a high position. Next, lift one arm and one leg at a time to complete the Bird Dog.
Like all advanced exercises, it is important to maintain a straight spine.
One-leg plank or one-arm plank
To lift one arm or leg and hold it there, you will need to raise the plank a bit. You can hold the position for as long as you like, then switch sides.
A leg is more difficult than a arm so make sure you choose the right one.
Side plank with hip abduction
For a total-body challenge, plank off your feet instead of your knees for hip abduction.
Perform a side plank and then a leg lift. You can do this on both sides.
To jackknife, hold hollow
You will need to contract your abs all the way.
Directions:
1. In a hollow hold, lie on your back with your arms extended above your head. Engage your core and lift your legs and upper back off the ground. Then, hold onto them.
2. You can also add a jackknife to your workout. Crunch up and bring your arms upwards towards your toes, while bringing your legs toward your center.
3. Slowly return to the jackknife and continue.
No matter what level of fitness you are, bodyweight exercises can make at-home exercise challenging. You can start with the beginner routine and within a few months you will be able to master the advanced one. Get your sweat equity now!
