You have to spend a lot of money on a full-fledged workout in the gym, which not every person can afford. In order to save money and not try to find the most suitable gym, people are trying to find a strength exercise with their own weight, which would be a worthy replacement for visiting sports clubs. In fact, there are many such exercises, and the best of them are presented in the article.
Advantages and disadvantages of training
Strength exercises with their own weight, as a rule, are selected based on the individual characteristics of each person. Athletes claim that in such training there are much more positive features than negative ones, and therefore the number of their fans is increasing daily.
Any exercise with your own weight can be safely classified as affordable classes in terms of price parameters. People who regularly conduct trainings do not have to purchase expensive subscriptions to special halls with equipment every month. Another plus is the simplicity of the set of classes.
The anatomy of strength exercises with your own weight is clear to everyone without exception. After all, an easy complex that trains several muscle groups can be performed both at home and on the street, without asking advice from professional trainers.
Muscles will grow during training, of course, but not as fast as it happens when exercising with special equipment. In addition, when the muscles are already used to the loads, their development will slow down, so you will have to complicate your home workouts.
Basic Rules
Before performing this or that exercise with your own weight, it is imperative to remember the five main rules:
- Breath. During the exercise, not only beginners, but also experienced athletes can simply forget about breathing. As a rule, people exhale for effort, and inhale for the easy part of the exercise. This method is the most common and suitable in almost all cases.
- Correct execution. Forgetting about the technique of execution, it is almost impossible to achieve a good result. In order to get the expected effect and protect yourself from unnecessary injuries, you need to make sure that the execution is correct. This can be helped by relatives or friends who will look from the side and point out the right or wrong movements. If there is no assistant nearby, then a mirror will be an excellent substitute, where the athlete, looking at his own reflection, will understand for himself what he is doing wrong.
- Strength exercises are not done in a hurry. Any exercise with your own weight, with the exception of cardio, must be done slowly. This rule does not mean at all that it is necessary to pause during squats or push-ups, you should just not try to complete the strength exercise as soon as possible. It is slow movements that will ensure muscle growth and strengthen muscles.
- Maximum display. When a person can no longer do a single repetition, then the training was successful. It is not worth overexerting yourself or bringing yourself to injury, which happens due to non-observance of the correct technique. There is also no need to worry about the number of repetitions performed, because it is better to pay attention to the maximum return with which each exercise should be performed.
- Cardio training. You need to start strength training with a light run. Cardio loads have a good effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and also accelerate metabolism. In order for the subsequent strength training to take place at the proper level, you should spend literally 20 minutes running.
Upper body workout
Bodyweight exercises for developing the muscles of the arms, shoulders and chest are the most simple and effective, as the results are noticeable almost immediately. But for accelerated progress, you will need to master the correct technique. Otherwise, the energy will be wasted.
Pull-ups
Pretty simple strength exercises using your own weight help the muscles get involved in the work to achieve a greater effect. One such exercise is pull-ups.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the width of the grip - it should be shoulder width apart, narrower or slightly wider. It is necessary to pull up slowly, while controlling the muscles.
While inhaling, you should tighten your arms and raise the body of the body up so that the chin is above the crossbar. Having lingered in this position for literally a second, you should exhale and go down, but at the same time it is forbidden to relax your hands.
Push ups
Exercises that help to work out several muscle groups at the same time are quite effective, including the deltoid, pectoral muscles, and triceps.
At first glance, it may seem that pushing up from the floor is very easy, so people do not pay attention to the correct execution. But in reality, many beginners make mistakes that can easily lead to injury.
It is necessary to perform push-ups from the floor without using additional weight in stages:
- Having taken the emphasis lying down, the hands should be placed clearly shoulder-width apart, and the palms - under the shoulders.
- While inhaling, it is necessary to bend the arms at the elbows and, tensing the muscles of the arms, slowly lower the body as close to the ground as possible, but without relaxing it. In this case, you should strain the press as much as possible and keep the body straight. Raising the shoulders and stretching the head forward is prohibited.
- After exhaling, you need to straighten your arms, thereby lifting the body to its original position. It is necessary to lift your own weight with your hands, without involving the lower body.
Reverse push-ups
An ideal exercise that is suitable for people who want to pump their upper body. It must be performed using a hill (chair or bench). Reverse push-ups use all the same muscles as regular push-ups from the floor, only they put a little more load on the rhomboid muscles of the back.
The exercise is performed like this:
- Standing with your back to a chair or bench, you need to bend your legs, place your hands on the edge of the hill.
- Stretching your legs forward and shifting the weight to your hands, you should inhale and bend your arms, dropping down until the shoulders and the floor are parallel.
- After a second delay, you need to exhale and straighten your arms.
The number of sets and repetitions is the same as in the previous exercise.
Lower body workout
When the cardio and upper body workouts have been successful, it is time to move on to the lower body. This may seem redundant, because the muscles of the buttocks and legs were already involved in the previous exercises. Although it is worth noting that other exercises aimed specifically at working out the legs and buttocks make it possible to pump all the muscles of the lower body, including those that do not receive sufficient load during cardio loads. Among them:
- Squats. Standing straight, you need to stretch your arms forward and, keeping a straight back, bend your legs until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then return to the starting position. It is recommended to do 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
- Walking up the hill. Putting one foot on a hill and straining it, you need to raise the second one there, and then lower it to the floor in the same sequence. The minimum number of repetitions is 10-12 for each leg.
Anatomy of bodyweight exercises by Bret Contreras
Many athletes love not only to exercise, but also to pay attention to the literature related to sports. The Anatomy of Bodyweight Strength Training by Bret Contreras is perfect for people who are looking to keep fit. The publication describes in detail the complexes in which only the person's own weight is used as weights. These trainings necessarily include the exercises described in the article.
Muscle development through the systematic repetition of a set of basic exercises that are included in bodyweight training helps thousands of people every year to put their bodies in order. The main advantage of the technique lies in the availability of classes for each person. Some exercises require additional equipment, such as dumbbells or a chair, however, at first this is not the most important thing. A complex of trainings can be fully performed without special devices.
What is body weight training
Admirers of an active lifestyle have recently flooded the training sections, finally abandoning bodyweight exercises. Now this topic is of no interest to anyone, although this system of physical activity is highly effective. Massive gym membership has evolved from a wellness event into a popular trend that has quickly garnered a large following.
However, bodyweight training is considered an actual niche that is able to compete with any sports institution. With the help of a group of exercises, each person can achieve high levels of endurance and muscle growth at home. The intensity of training determines the speed of results.
For weight loss
Visiting gyms is not considered a prerequisite for eliminating body fat. Working with your own weight allows you to restore muscle tone and lose weight, you can do it both on the street and at home. Regular exercise guarantees a stable result in the form of an increase in muscle volume for representatives of any gender, whether women or men.
Basic movements for weight loss include: warm-up, plank, push-ups, lunges and squats. Such a circular set is the initial stage for the formation of a slim figure and takes no more than fifteen minutes of free time. Classes should take place at a predetermined pace, since slow training with your own weight will not have the proper effect on the body:
warm-up (10 min.);
squats of any kind (3x10);
twisting of the body (3x15);
horizontal push-ups from the floor (2x10);
lunges with a jump (4x8);
plank (1 min.).
For mass gain
In sports circles, there is an opinion that weight gain without additional weights is a hopeless undertaking. However, a balanced and multifunctional set of exercises can help develop not only endurance indicators, but also strength and muscle mass. A good result can be achieved if you train using weights from improvised items (a backpack or a canister of water). The training program includes the following exercises:
push-ups from the floor (2x15);
push-ups between the supports for pumping the pectoral muscles (2x10);
pull-ups with a reverse grip (3x8);
vertical push-ups (3x10);
back push-ups (3x6).
Bodyweight training program
The acquisition of all the necessary equipment helps to perform exercises with your weight at home much more efficiently. The main devices for indoor exercises are: a pull-up bar, a gymnastic roller and a rubber expander. All this simple paraphernalia was created with one goal - to provide the necessary level of comfort, so that training with your weight will not cause unnecessary inconvenience. First of all, pull-ups are performed on the crossbar or horizontal bar. Go down up and down smoothly so as not to injure the muscles.
Strength exercises with your own weight
By following simple rules, you can avoid mistakes during classes and pump up to the desired level. A bodyweight training program involves the competent execution of a set of exercises that simultaneously involve several different zones on the body. It is very important to try to monitor your breathing and take breaks in time, because excessive physical effort can lead to depletion of the body's resources.
After a couple of weeks of intensive sets, the first changes in the body will become noticeable, however, they will affect not only the appearance. Since the active work of metabolic processes is launched, throughout the day you will feel a steady surge of energy and a charge of vivacity. Strength training is aimed at developing endurance, which is clearly seen from the initial load parameters:
fast run (15 min.);
squats (3x15);
lunges (3x12);
plank (1-2 min.).
Functional bodyweight exercises
There are different periods in life, it is not always possible to pay for sports activities. In such conditions, functional training at home becomes the last option. It is convenient to use this scheme not only during the financial crisis, because sometimes even professional athletes need a rest. Beginners will have to first familiarize themselves with all the necessary theoretical knowledge in order to increase their level of awareness regarding the implementation of exercises.
The dynamics of classes should become more difficult step by step, slowly moving from simple sets to more advanced ones. Making a master of sports out of an unprepared person in a couple of months is an impossible task, but it is quite possible to achieve visible results in a few weeks. It is recommended to start with the easiest types of exercises that are easy to perform:
push-ups on one arm (2x6);
vertical push-ups (2x8);
push-ups from the floor (3x10);
squats (3x10);
triceps push-ups (3x8).
Bodyweight exercises at home
You can lose the desired number of kilograms with the help of a balanced diet and enhanced exercises that simultaneously involve all parts of the body, from the upper to the lower. A set of exercises with your weight will help you do without individual trainers and save a decent amount of money, while achieving dramatic changes in the state of your body.
The training program can be thought out on your own or found in sports publics. The first basic exercise is considered to be push-ups from the floor, which involve the triceps, pectoral and deltoid muscles. To pump up the abdominal muscles, it is necessary to perform a series of lifts of the upper body from the starting position lying down. For effective back training, bars or horizontal bars are best suited.
A set of exercises for girls
Most girls visit the gym as part of one mission - to burn the accumulated fat deposits and return the body to its original appearance. Bodyweight training for women mainly consists of shaping an aesthetically pleasing figure, especially such parts of it as the chest, buttocks and abs. These zones are emphasized in all sets of exercises designed for the health of girls:
warm-up (5-10 min.);
lying leg raise (3x12);
twisting on the floor (3x10);
dumbbell bench press (3x15);
push-ups from the bench (2x15);
lifting on socks with dumbbells (3x12).
Home workouts for men with body weight
Home workouts are designed to create athletic-type relief muscles, but they have a limit. If the main goal is to achieve the level of a professional bodybuilder with a huge mountain of muscles, then no set of bodyweight exercises for men can help develop muscles to the desired level. But pumping up the biceps and shoulder girdle is not difficult. The main thing is to correctly perform the set and alternate the load.
Immediately after the warm-up, intensive exercises begin, the first of which are push-ups on the uneven bars. To some, the exercise will seem simple, but if you complicate it a little, then even the most enduring athlete will not find it easy. Push-ups should be done as follows: lower your body to the lowest point and try to stay in this position for a couple of seconds, then quickly pull yourself up. The rest of the lessons include:
exercise "cat" (5-10 repetitions);
head tilts (2 min.);
hyperextension (3x12);
pull-ups on the crossbar (3x15);
push-ups from the floor (3x10).
Bodyweight circuit training
If repetitive sets are too tiring, then circuit training will prepare the body for the upcoming loads. Pull-ups are an ideal exercise for beginners, and when performed correctly, they help to build up the front back muscles. The width of the grip during classes should be slightly greater than the length of the shoulders. Another version of the same exercise is pull-ups with a narrow grip, the principle is the same, the main thing is to monitor the position of the hands.
It is possible to make all muscle groups work at the same time with the help of burpee. This is a multifunctional set of movements, the starting position of which begins on all fours. It is important that the knees are as close as possible to the chest, the result of the exercises depends on this. From this position, the legs are pushed back with a sharp movement, becoming the bar. Then you need to return to the previous position and jump up from it.
Squats
These physical exercises stimulate the development of the gluteal muscles and train the back of the thigh, which reduces the risk of knee injuries. In addition, bodyweight squats help to pump up the quadriceps and acquire elastic rounded shapes. Any sports are the prevention of age-related diseases and pathological changes in the body. Bodyweight squats are the simplest exercises in this category, but their effectiveness is undeniable:
squats "on a chair" (2x8);
squats with pulsation (3x12);
squats on one leg (2x6);
Leg exercises
Powerful legs are essential for survival in any environment. In the absence of danger, this tool is also useful for solving all kinds of everyday problems that put an additional burden on the body. Bodyweight exercises do not require special equipment. Squats of various types stimulate the work of several muscle groups, so experts recommend alternating exercises with each other. During classes, it is allowed to make changes to the program at your discretion:
classic lunges (2x15);
squats with dumbbells (3x10);
back lunges (3x12);
squats with twisting (3x8).
Back exercises
Training to strengthen the body should include diverse exercises that activate the work of the entire muscular skeleton. The microcycle of classes is divided into several stages, each of which involves a specific muscle group. It is allowed to perform complex exercises for the back with your own weight during one set, after which you need to switch to other body movements:
classic pull-ups (3x10);
pull-ups with a wide straight grip (3x12);
deadlift (2x20);
pull-ups with a narrow grip (3x8);
tilt dumbbell row (3x6);
pull-ups with a reverse grip (3x15).
Multi-joint exercises
A set of exercises directly affects the effectiveness of sports activities. For professional athletes, entry-level repetitions of sets will not bring visible results, therefore, multi-joint bodyweight exercises have been developed, due to which it is possible to achieve the desired goals in the shortest possible time:
warm-up (5 min.);
push-ups from the floor (3x10);
lunges (3x12);
squats (3x10).
Biceps exercises
For pumping biceps without visiting sports sections, you should purchase dumbbells. Any heavy household items that are comfortable to hold in your hands can serve as an alternative. Using them as weighting agents in the classroom, it will be possible to develop muscles in a short time and involve all muscle groups. Any training that includes exercises on the shoulders with a body weight favors the gradual growth of the biceps:
pull-ups on the horizontal bar (3x12);
hammer lifting of dumbbells (3x15);
curling arms with dumbbells (3x8).
Benefits of bodyweight training
Each person, with rare exceptions, has enough free time to devote to improving his own body in the gym. However, due to the lack of knowledge and experience in the sports field, people often prefer to avoid additional loads. Fear of hard physical activities makes you forget about the effectiveness of exercises and potential development opportunities for the body. However, home workouts can be the first push towards the desired changes.
Self-study without additional paraphernalia is great for people who have long dreamed of getting their body in shape. Intense cardio loads affect the functioning of the cardiovascular system, which stimulates the rapid burning of calories. With the help of enhanced home workouts, most people manage to build muscle and say goodbye to fat folds on the body forever.
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Many are accustomed to believing that it is possible to achieve the ideal weight category for each by regularly visiting the gym, and even under the guidance of an experienced trainer. However, even if there are no machines and a personal trainer, it is quite possible to do a home workout program to get your body in good physical shape.
Of course, it is possible to build curly muscles without a barbell, exercise equipment and dumbbells, but it will not be easy. However, at home it is quite possible to keep the figure in good shape, and the weight in the desired range. The main thing is the desire and desire for results.
Quite a few different exercises with weights have been developed. If it is possible to train with someone else together, then the loads can be increased, and the exercises can be made more diverse. If you spend a lot of time on business trips and trips, buy an expander. It does not take up much space and will always be at hand.
We offer you a home training program that is optimal for beginners and all those who, due to any circumstances, cannot regularly visit the gym.
What can be the result of the program?
Much depends on the frequency of classes and the effort that you make. For example, if you do push-ups from the floor every day, then after 6 months in 1 approach you can quite confidently do 100 push-ups.
The program we have proposed is designed for the whole body, because it will be necessary to perform a complex of various exercises. This is a great solution for those who want to burn extra calories and get their body in good shape.
Push ups
Push-ups from the floor strengthen the upper muscle group well. Triceps, pectoral muscles are worked out, arms become stronger. First you need to increase the number of repetitions, and then the load. This can be done by wearing a backpack filled with weights or water bottles. Such a load should be added when the number of repetitions has reached 20. With additional weight, it is optimal to do 10-12 push-ups.
Incline push-ups
To perform such push-ups, you should put your feet on a slight elevation in the form of a bench or sofa. Also, inclined push-ups can be performed while standing at an angle, placing your hands on a desk or cabinet. In this way, the chest is well worked out.
Push-ups between low stools
You need to put 2 low stools nearby and do push-ups. This exercise is very good for strengthening the triceps. The main thing is that the stools or chairs are stable and not wobbly.
Pull-ups
This type of exercise strengthens the arms and spinal muscles very well. A pull-up bar can be made independently in any doorway. You can also purchase a Swedish wall. If you can pull yourself up 10-12 times, add the loads indicated in the previous section.
Pulling your palms towards you
If the palms are directed towards you during pull-ups, the biceps are well trained. They carry the entire load.
hyperextension
This type of exercise tightens the stomach very well, strengthens the buttocks and the lumbar region. At home, you can train by hanging your torso off the bed in the waist area. However, hyperextension should be done with an assistant. He has to keep his legs up so you don't fall to the floor.
Squats
To work with weight, you should squat deeply. You can do this with dumbbells or with a loaded backpack. During the exercises, quadriceps and gluteal muscles are well worked out.
Squat on one leg only
You can squat on one leg without additional loads in the form of dumbbells. For balance, you can hold on to a stool with your hands.
Rise on socks standing
It is best to do the lifts in turn. In this way, the calves are well pumped. You can also increase the load with dumbbells.
Forward lunges
A great leg exercise is forward lunges. For an extra load, lunges can be done with dumbbells.
forward bends
Legs should be straight while bending. They train the hips and gluteal muscles well. As an additional load, you can use a bottle of water.
plank
The plank exercise is a great way to work out several muscle groups at once: the transverse, rectus and oblique muscles of the abdomen, muscles of the back, shoulder girdle and buttocks. The bar should be performed from the prone position with support on the elbows and toes of the outstretched legs. The elbows should be at the level of the shoulder joints, at a distance slightly wider than the width of the shoulders. The position of the spine is neutral, in the same plane. The chest is straightened, the shoulder blades are lowered. Start doing the exercise with 30 seconds. And gradually bring the time to 3 minutes.
Press sitting or standing
If there are no dumbbells or barbells, you can replace them with any weighty object that is comfortable to hold with one hand.
Lying Lower Body Raise
The lower abdominal muscles are well trained and strengthened if lying down to do leg lifts, smoothly lowering them to the floor.
Twisting
Do twisting while lying on your back, while pulling your pelvis and chest towards each other. You can also alternately raise the pelvis and upper body. In this case, the chin should not fall to the chest. It is best to imagine that a tennis ball is sandwiched between the chest and chin.
You can perform this program at home at any time. However, it must be remembered that regularity is important to achieve the effect. By doing the proposed program, you will soon notice that your body becomes the one you dream of!
Bodyweight exercises for weight gain and weight loss
I remember very well the moment when I was surprised to notice that my triceps had grown. In the early 90s, with the wave of Jean-Claude van Dam movies flooding the video parlor screens, I started training at home. For some reason, it seemed to me that doing exercises with my own weight, just like him, Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris, I could quickly build muscle. It was later that I learned that Jean-Claude-Camille-Francois Van Varenberg (that's what his full name sounds like) was the owner of a gym in Brussels, in which he actively lifted the barbell.
I began to join the world of muscle mass, training at home, doing the exercises that came to mind. body weight exercises. One of them was the reverse push-ups from the windowsill to the triceps (I don’t remember why exactly from the windowsill). And what was my surprise when, after a couple of months, I noticed that muscle bumps appeared on my arms. These were the medial (middle) bundles of the triceps, which responded with growth to push-ups from the windowsill.
So I know for sure: bodyweight exercises for mass gain work! True, arms of 50 cm and legs of 80 cm cannot be pumped up with them, this requires a load of a completely different type. But even if you dream of a career as a professional bodybuilder and at night you dream of a Sandow figurine, learning how to perform exercises with your weight will not be superfluous at all. And that's why…
Bodyweight exercises as a warm-up
Watching newcomers in the sports club, I never cease to be surprised. It would seem that with the existing abundance of magazines, videos, everyone knows that a proper warm-up is a guarantee of quality training and protection from injuries.
But it was not there. Many visitors, upon entering the gym, immediately sit down on a Roman chair and begin to pump the press. And then they complain that they do not have squats with a barbell, or vertical presses, because they feel severe discomfort when doing these exercises in the solar plexus area.
Starting your warm-up with ab exercises is a great way to ruin your workout.
And this is not surprising - in the central part of the body there are many large nerve nodes, overloading which, we turn the rest of the workout into a waste of time and money.
In addition, most abdominal exercises are not as simple and harmless as they seem at first glance, because in addition to the front of the body, they also actively overload the lumbar region. Read the whole truth about ab training in my article, but for now, let's get right back to the basics of a proper warm-up.
The essence of the warm-up can be summed up in one word: warm-up. Muscles, as well as the whole body as a whole, need to be warmed up and prepared for physical activity. You need to start the warm-up by spending 4-5 minutes on a treadmill or on another cardio machine, doing the exercise at an average pace until a light perspiration appears.
Then you need to perform a set of movements to warm up the joints and move on to exercises with your own weight. Depending on the level of training and experience, you can use any, even the most movements, but I prefer the two most simple ones:
- Push-ups from the floor (as an option for women, push-ups from the bench)
- Deep squat with wide stance
Push-ups perfectly warm up and prepare the upper body for the load, and squats, the lower body. But only you need to perform these exercises not in strength, but in a light warm-up style. I suggest watching a video showing an almost perfect warm-up before starting a workout in the gym
warm up video:
Conclusion: bodyweight exercises are the easiest and most effective way to warm up and prepare your muscles for training in the gym.
Bodyweight exercises to gain mass
From the point of view of physiology, training with your own weight, in terms of the degree of impact on the muscles, is no different from training with a barbell or dumbbells. In 2011 in the USA, studies were conducted with the participation of American football players, which compared the body's hormonal response to exercises performed without weight and basic movements with a barbell.
The results of the experiment showed that rope exercises and burpees (a complex exercise from CrossFit that includes push-ups from the floor, squats and jumping out of the squat) cause a stronger increase in hormones (in particular,) than deadlifts and squats. True, and more short-lived.
The research set itself the goal of answering the question: is it possible, without using basic exercises that strengthen the joints of the players, to increase strength and mass with the help of another load?
Yes, answered the men in white coats, you just need to turn the load with your weight from light, comfortable, into stressful and heavy. In other words, at exercises with your own weight for mass must be performed according to the same principles as regular exercises with free weights. Here are five of the most important ones:
TIME | The greatest number of muscle fibers is switched on only from the 40th second of the exercise. When performing exercises with the weight of your body, the length of the time interval serves as a measure of their effectiveness. If in the formula there are 4 sets of 20 push-ups, the second parameter is replaced by 40 seconds, the result will be higher.
LOAD PROGRESSION | This factor directly echoes the previous one, since the stress factor is the basis of muscle mass growth. This can be achieved in several ways:
- constantly raise the number of repetitions in the approach;
- slow down the pace of movement;
- reduce rest time between sets:
- use additional weights (vests, backpacks)
UNILATERAL VERSIONS OF EXERCISES | Squats on one leg, push-ups or pull-ups on one arm - these movements are more likely from the arsenal of circus artists. However, each of them has its own light version, which can be done by an ordinary visitor to the gym. But the return on exercises performed with only one limb will be simply colossal, as it will force the body to work to the limit of its capabilities.
PAUSE | An eccentric delay of 4-5 seconds during an exercise with your own weight per mass is the strongest stimulus for hypertrophy of muscle fibers. In addition, such an isometric load has a beneficial effect on the growth of strength and endurance.
NEGATIVE PHASE | The negative phase of the movement includes a larger muscle array than the positive one - this is an axiom. It was the negative movements that formed the basis of the so-called "Colorado experiment", the result of which was. Exercises performed with your own weight, but only in the negative phase (lowering on the horizontal bar, on the uneven bars, even simple push-ups) give muscle mass growth no worse than exercises with a barbell.
And here I will insert my 5 cents. Recommendations like these look great on paper, but don't think they're right for everyone. It should be borne in mind that scientists compiled them for well-trained professional American football players, whose average age is 22-28 years. Therefore, the advice of American researchers needs to be adapted to your level of training.
Conclusion: training with your body for mass is by no means an easy walk, but really hard work with extreme mental concentration.
Exercise with your weightfor weight loss
There were times when it was believed that a morning run is the best type of exercise for getting rid of excess weight. But people who believe in such a delusion are now as hard to find as muscle mass in marathon runners. Everyone who really wants to lose weight knows that the most powerful and natural fat burner is our muscles.
The more of them on the body, the higher the consumption of calories and the faster the metabolism. To lose weight quickly, you need to perform the most difficult exercises aimed at increasing muscle mass: squats, bench presses and deadlifts. But does this mean that bodyweight exercises for weight loss are useless?
Fortunately, this is not the case. Yes, stepping on a support is inferior in effectiveness to barbell squats, both in stimulating muscle growth and in losing weight. But, the implementation of such exercises has one indisputable advantage - they can be performed at home. The efficiency of loading with your own weight can be improved by following 4 rules:
- Use compound exercises. The more complex the movement, the more energy-intensive it is. From this point of view, burpee is the best bodyweight exercise for weight loss, because it combines three movements at once, performed without interruption.
- Choose movements for large muscle groups. Leg exercises (lunges, squats, step-ups) are more effective for weight loss because they require more calories than arm exercises. Do not forget that fat is oxidized in the presence of oxygen. From this point of view, leg exercises also have advantages over other body weight exercises for weight loss, as they activate the respiratory process.
- Do a large amount of work. As much as we would not like, but the fat begins to oxidize far from immediately. The first 40-45 minutes as fuel, the body uses glycogen (fuel for our muscles, obtained from food). That is, a short workout with your weight for weight loss will be useful only as a mobile physical activity, but for burning fat it will be ineffective. The problem can be solved by approaching it from two sides. First, use as a power scheme. And secondly, increase the training time to 50-60 minutes.
- Increase your training stress. Stress is not always bad. And for getting rid of excess fat, it’s generally wonderful. Any unexpected and strong irritant (stress) causes an increase in the level of the hormone adrenaline in our body, which helps to accelerate fat metabolism. Effective bodyweight training for weight loss should include exercises for different muscle groups performed without interruption. Squats combined in a complex with jumping on a support and with push-ups from the floor will be more stressful than doing exercises for only one muscle group.
If, however, to perform exercises with your own weight for weight loss, add jumping rope or movements with a rubber shock absorber, the fat will begin to burn even faster.
Conclusion: barbell exercises give a faster and more stable result for weight loss, but training with your own weight for can be done in the comfort of your own home.
Now that I've covered the top benefits of bodyweight exercise for mass gain and loss, let's jump right into the list of the most effective movements for each muscle group:
Bodyweight exercises for the back
The high performance of bodyweight loading for this muscle group is that pull-ups are the easiest and best way to create a wide back. In addition, there are quite a few types of pull-ups, and you can always choose the most suitable one for yourself.
bodyweight exercises video 1
Bodyweight chest exercises
Among the bodyweight exercises for gaining pectoral muscle mass, push-ups on the uneven bars with a wide grip are in the first place. But various options for push-ups from the floor can compete with exercises with a barbell only if they are performed with additional weighting.
But for shaping the chest and working out its individual details, exercises with its own weight fit very well. And again, there are a great many options for push-ups.
bodyweight exercises video 2
Bodyweight exercises for legs
The bar was, is and will be the best projectile for building large quadriceps. However, there are many ways to thoroughly load the muscles of the legs by doing exercises with your weight at home.
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Bodyweight exercises for triceps
There are not many exercises performed with your own weight for triceps, but they are very simple and quite effective:
- Push-ups on the uneven bars with a narrow setting of hands
- Push-ups from the floor with narrow arms
- Reverse push-ups from the bench
I love the last exercise with tender and reverent love, because it was with him that the growth of the muscle mass of my arms began. But unlike the usual bench reverse push-up technique, in which the weight of the body shifts down and forward, I do the opposite, lean my whole body back to activate the direct load on the triceps.
This is far from the only exercise for the triceps brachii that can be performed at home. I talked about this in more detail in my article, I highly recommend reading it.
Exercises with your weight for biceps
The best bodyweight exercise for the biceps is the narrow back grip pull-up. All the same, world-famous fitness gurus have identified this exercise as the best movement for gaining muscle mass in the biceps.
But if you don’t have a horizontal bar at home, you can try doing unusual, but quite effective exercises with your weight to build big biceps.
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Shoulder Bodyweight Exercises
At home, and even with your weight, it is difficult to pump up your shoulders, but you can. True, for this you will need to master the technique of very unusual exercises with your own weight for the development of the deltoid muscles.
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Exercises with your own weight for the press
But this muscle group is quite easy to train with your weight. The best exercise for gaining muscle mass is the “prayer”, performed while kneeling in front of a high block. But, as practice shows, many athletes have become owners of really beautiful abdominal muscles by doing exercises with their own weight.
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Conclusion: if you wish, you can become the owner of a sporty, toned body by doing workouts with your weight at home, since there are quite a few options for these exercises.
Conclusion
What conclusions can be drawn from everything read and seen:
# 1. Training with your weight for mass and for weight loss will always lose in terms of its effectiveness to exercises with free weights.
# 2. Not all people dream of huge muscle mass. For women or for people in adulthood, health and a toned figure are much more important than 50 cm biceps. And for them, exercises with their own weight are just perfect.
# 3. Bodyweight training helps to maintain existing muscle volume in good shape in between visits to the gym. And for those who prefer to train at home, bodyweight exercises are the easiest and most affordable form of physical activity.
I hope my story about weight training will be useful for you and will allow you to gain muscle mass or lose weight at home. May the force be with you. And mass!
