Let's be real, going to the gym every day is a task. Sometimes you are feeling like going, and sometimes, you simply can't get yourself to go. Also, you might be working a full-time job, or traveling a lot or circumstances might not always work out in your favor. Does that mean that you will never work out and keep yourself fit? Absolutely not! People think that you can't exercise if you don't have full, professional grade equipment available. That couldn't be further away from the truth because body weight workouts are as effective as machine-aided exercises, if not more.
You can function out a routine consisting of excellent and effective body weight exercises for yourself, for which neither do you need an expensive gym membership nor do you want the help of an overbearing trainer. You can do all of this at home, or wherever you're comfortable, whenever you want. If you know how to pull off your exercise routine and understand the requirements of your body, then you will be able to get into shape and get your dream body more easily than you'd ever imagined.
The Benefits Of Weight Training And Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight exercises are essentially exercises that really help you build muscle by using your own bodyweight instead of other machines and equipment. It focuses on increasing the strength of your body, and also the good thing is that you can customize these exercises in any manner you feel comfortable because it is your own body that is doing everything. It is dependent on your body type, and just how much you can exert yourself for a couple of hours every day.
Before we can get into the best exercises that you can practice to get into shape, it is important to understand why you should engage in weight training in the first place. Understanding the benefits of regular and regimented exercise is not only for the sake of your own information but in addition for motivation. It will encourage you to keep working out till you achieve your purpose. Here are all the benefits of weight lifting exercises for your body.
- It helps build lean muscle mass
- Better cardiovascular health
- It increases the amount of oxygen the muscle is able to use
- It regulates the level of cholesterol in the body
- It regulates your sleep patterns
- It increases stamina
- It reduces stress levels greatly
- Increases flexibility in the body
- It regulates blood pressure levels in the body
- Better insulin sensitivity
- Stronger bones and increase strength in joints
- Increased rate of resting metabolism
- Reduced chance of problems like diabetes and cardiac arrests
- Maintaining good cognitive functions
- Better mental health- fighting conditions like insomnia, depression, stress, anxiety, etc.
Doing Body weight exercises At Home
If you are not used to working out, or you have been out of practice for a while, then doing something on your own, especially when it comes to your body, could be scary and overwhelming. Minus the coupon-clipping where to start, which is completely normal. A gym is always more reliable because you have professionals to give you hands on advice and training there, but it is also possible to work out just like a pro at home, without any equipment or professionals. Here are a few tips that can help you prep properly for the full body weight workout routine.
- Get a space where you can work out – Designate a spot in your house or wherever else you will be staying. This will be your regular place for your workouts so that whenever you get time, you know where to go, and you don't have to waste time searching for the right place.
- Do not overexert yourself – At first, people tend to work out for long hours in order to shed additional weight or build a little extra muscle. However, you are training your body to change its very composition, that will take time. That doesn't mean you will hurry your routine. Fail to work out for more than 30 minutes to an hour a day, and exercise every alternate day.
- Hydrate – Drinking enough water is the key to emerging out of your workout session feeling fresh and energized. When you're working out, your body produces a large amount of sweat, which can lead to dehydration and fatigue later. Keep a water bottle close by, and ensure that you drink water at regular intervals during your session.
- Divide your time between cardio and weight training – There are cardio exercises which get your heart beating really fast and also have a number of wonderful effects in your body. However, too much cardio can tire you out of trouble easily. The exercises recommended here, are both cardio-centric, and they also increase your strength and stamina.
7 Best Exercises To have an Effective Workout
Here are the best exercises that can be done when you are planning to start a bodyweight exercise routine on your own.
1. Burpee
How many: 2 sets of 20 with a 5-minute break
How to do it: This super effective exercise might be difficult to do at first, but you'll eventually be able to sail through with stunning results. You have to start by standing upright. Jump up and clap both hands above your heads and crouch down into a squat position. After that, push your legs back until you reach a push-up position, do one pushup and jump back into a squats position. Stand up and repeat the process again.
This creates your upper body strength and also gives you a good dose of cardio that you can do without any extra equipment.
2. Squats
How many: 3 sets of 10 squats each
How to do it: Squats are some of the easiest and most effective exercises that can be done on your own, so it is imperative they be included in your bodyweight workout routine. Mimic the action you do whenever you sit on a chair, with your arms stretched forward at shoulder-height, and without bending your spine or perhaps your letting your knees drift apart. Go as low as you can and then get back up without bending your spine. If you're able to do so without leaning forward or letting both hands fall, then you are in perfect balance.
Squats focus on all the muscles in your lower body, including glutes, hamstrings and calf muscles. It also tones your stomach muscles because of the pressure that you feel when you are going back up with the support of your torso.
3. Jackknife sit-ups
How many: 3 teams of 10 sit-ups
How to do it: A jackknife position is where your legs are outstretched out of your body and lifted at a 45-degree angle, while you lie lying on your back, facing the ceiling. Make certain your arms are stretched above your face like your legs are outstretched. From this initial position, move your arms upwards as well as your legs upwards in a V shape, while remaining extended. Your body should be supported by your waist on the ground, and your knees and neck should also be lifted. Try to touch your toes for your hands.
The Jackknife sit-up is crucial for toning your stomach muscles and it burns fat like crazy. It also stretches your biceps, triceps and calf muscles. You can eve do the X sit-up, where you touch your left hand with your right toe, and vice versa, instead of both together.
4. Lunges
How many: 3 sets, with each set containing 10 lunges for every leg
How to do it: your starting position ought to be standing up- with your body upright, as well as your arms beside you. Then you've put your right leg forward, and bend at your right knee, while you left leg goes down and forms a 90-degree angle from the ground. However, make sure that your knee doesn't touch the floor. Stand up straight again by pushing your body with your right knee into a standing position. Repeat this with your other leg. Keep your hands beside you when standing and in front of you when you are bending.
Lunges, again, work on the lower half of your body. It strengthens your hamstrings and puts sufficient pressure on your abdomen so that you even your ab muscles are toned. Lunges are especially great for your thighs and your claves.
5. Sprinting
How many: 5 sets, each set containing a 60 seconds uninterrupted run, with 90-second breaks in between.
How to do it: Sprinting is another quite simple exercise that you can literally do anywhere. A treadmill isn't necessary at all when you have to sprint. If you have a park where you live, or even an empty track or perhaps a street, you can sprint after or before exercising.
Sprinting works like a full body workout, which doesn't require anything other than yourself. It doesn't only tone your legs and means they are look fabulous, but also builds your core and increases your cardiovascular health.
6. Rock climbing
How many: 3 sets of 20 reps
How to get it done: Your starting position with this exercise should be the top position of a standard push up. Lie horizontal down on your toes and your arms outstretched. Then bring one foot forward till it reaches your chest and swiftly go back again. Repeat this with the other leg, to accomplish a rep. This will mimic the motion of climbing a real mountain.
Mountain climbing really works your stomach muscles, and because you are also in a state of a semi pushup, your arms will also get some exercise going for them. The important motion also stimulates the muscles in your legs and thighs, which makes them shapely and tones, along with increasing their strength.
7. Plank
How many: Hold each position for One minute, with 1 minute gaps among each position
How to do it: Planks could be of various kinds. The basic plank, which should also be your first position, is like a push up position, but your body should be resting on your arms, rather than palms pressed against the floor. Hold it for one second, and then change to a position where you turn sideways and rest your body on one arm. Repeat this using the other arm.
Planks don't even need you to move. You simply need a flat surface on which you can practice this simple, but incredibly effective exercise. It is ideal for core building, and makes your arms, abdomen and legs look shapely and feel happy. You can start by doing the fundamental plank for 30 seconds, and then increase the time and then boost the number of positions you can do at a go.
When you are working out on your own without equipment that can be adjusted and tweaked, you need to be careful. You have to first observe that the exercises you are doing work well, that is, they actually do something to alter the shape and structure of your body to make your healthier. You also have to see that these exercises are safe, and don't lead to injuries.
All of the above mentioned bodyweight exercises are super simple and can be achieved anywhere by anyone, whether you are a man or woman. They are also engineered to affect most parts of the body that need training and exercise; so hopefully, this informative guide will lead you to a better, more active and healthy lifestyle!
