If you don’t belong to a gym, or your schedule doesn’t allow you to train on a regular basis, I have some good news for you. With the simple investment of a pull-up bar, I will show you 7 of the best bodyweight exercises out there.
Not only will these target almost every major muscle group of your body, they will also improve your cardio system, and that is just as important, in terms of conditioning.
The Pull-Up
The pull-up is the classic exercise that essentially engages all of the muscles of the upper body.
- Lats
- Trunk
- Arms
- Shoulders
- Abs
- Pelvic Floor
- Grip/Forearms
Chin-Up/Knee-Up
This movement is similar to the pull-up, except you turn your palms into a reverse grip. Don’t swing your body as you bring the knees up. Form is always critical in any exercise. Get a nice contraction at the top of the movement and hold for a couple of seconds.
Slick Floor Bridge
You can use a towel as shown in the video, or simply remove your shoes, your socks will work on any slick surface. This is an excellent exercise for the hams and glutes. It also works both your abs and lower back.
Divebomber
To hit the chest using just your bodyweight, a push-up or dips are needed. Since this article is about the limited use of equipment, let’s focus on the pushup. The Divebomber variation is in my opinion, one of the best movements for this. The added stretch and contraction really targets the pecs. Your tris will get a good burn from these as well.
Mule Kick
These will get your heart racing, as well as give your shoulders and tris a good burn! Instead of pushing weights up and away from you, you are trying to push your body into the ground. Try to do them for 60 seconds straight!
Kickthrough Burpee
These are another excellent way to improve your cardio. They may take a little getting used to, so go slow at first. As you get used to them, increase the tempo.
Front Lever
This works the opposing muscles of both your back and abs at the same time, as well as your arms, shoulders, and grip strength. Slow and controlled is the key here! Your core is forced to fight gravity, which makes this an awesome movement.
Try doing these in succession, or one movement a day for 10-20 minutes. In time you will see and feel the difference, both in strength gains and in a leaner, healthier you. Have fun!
