Cutting Edge Fitness

7 Bodyweight Exercises for a Total-Body Workout

Bodyweight ExerciseMany people don’t have time to consistently go to the gym and want to work out at home. But how many exercises can you really do at home without clunky machines?

All that you need for a total-body workout.

This entire workout can be done using only your body’s weight as resistance. In fact, this workout allows you to use more muscles per exercise than you would at the pec-dec at your local gym. It should take no more than 24 minutes, but it will boost your metabolism for 24 hours.

Here’s the workout. Beginners should do all exercises in the entire workout only once. Only those at advanced fitness levels should try the three-set system described below.

1. Bodyweight squat and

2. Pushup or kneeling pushup.

These are basic exercises and should need no description. Do exercises 1 and 2 back to back, with no rest (we call that a superset). Aim for 8-12 repetitions per set. If you are advanced, rest 1 minute before starting the next superset. Then rest a minute and repeat one more time.

3. Split squat and

4. Mountain climber.

A split squat is also called a stationary lunge. Split your feet apart by taking a step forward. Use the wall for balance if you are a beginner. Drop your hips straight down and use your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps to push your body back up. Do all repetitions for one side and then repeat for the other side. Do 8 repetitions per side.

For the mountain climber, get into a pushup position. Brace your abs as if someone was going to punch you in the stomach. Maintain that during the entire exercise. Lift one foot off the ground and bring that knee up to your chest, then touch the foot down as if climbing up a mountain wall. Slowly return to the start position. Alternate sides for 10 repetitions per side.

Do exercises 3 and 4 as another superset as describe above. Do three supersets only if you are advanced.

5. Reverse lunge and

6. Close-grip pushup.

A reverse lunge is also called a moving split squat. Stand with your feet together. Take a step back with one leg. Drop your hips down and bend both knees. Then squeeze your butt and thigh of the front leg (the leg that didn’t go anywhere) and pull yourself back up to the start position. Do 8 reps on one side and 8 on the other. Beginners, use the wall for balance.

The close-grip pushup is the same as the normal pushup, except your hands are shoulder width apart, not wider. Keep your elbows tucked into your sides. This works your triceps (the back of your arms) more. Do 8-15 repetitions.

7. Jumping jacks.

Finish the workout with the classic jumping jack exercise. Beginners, do 20 and then stretch. More advanced exercisers can do 50 jumping jacks, take a 30-second break, and repeat up to three times. Then finish with stretching for your tight muscle groups.

[Ed. Note: Craig Ballantyne is an expert consultant for Men's Health magazine. If you're looking to burn fat, build muscle and quickly step into the body you have always wanted with just three workouts each week, check out Craig's fat-loss system by clicking here.]


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