Top 6 Bodyweight Exercises For Beginners

You may have heard the phrase, “No gym, no problem.” It’s a catchy reminder that staying in shape doesn’t require a fancy gym membership.

In fact, there are plenty of effective workouts you can do just about anywhere, at any fitness level, and without any equipment whatsoever.

In this post, we’ll highlight 6 bodyweight exercises for beginners to include in your own fitness routine.

What Are Body Weight Exercises & Why Should You Do Them?

Bodyweight exercises are…well, exercises that use your body weight as resistance, thus eliminating your need for weights, machines, or even a building to train.

These movements are incredibly convenient since they can be done anywhere it’s safe, making them perfect for at-home workouts.

They’re also a cost-effective way to build strength, especially if you have limited funds to spend on your fitness.

Bodyweight exercises further improve your daily physical functions like squatting down, bending over, and walking.

Plus, when practiced regularly, they can enhance not only your strength but also your balance and overall flexibility.

6 Bodyweight Exercises for Beginners

These exercises are some of the most beginner-friendly movements a person can do. I’ve provided further modifications for those who need it.

With that said, here are the top bodyweight exercises for beginners!

Push-ups

Push-ups are among the best-known bodyweight exercises and chances are that you’ve probably come across this movement at some point in your life.

They target your chest, shoulders, core, and triceps.

Push-ups help increase upper body strength, enhance muscle growth, and improve your ability to lift or push objects around.

Traditionally, you can do these exercises on the floor in a plank position but if this is too difficult for you, try doing them on your knees or the wall.

Squats

A squat is an exercise most people are familiar with since it’s a functional activity. You perform this movement every time you want to lower or sit down.

It’s an excellent exercise for building strength in the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core.

Squats additionally boost balance and mobility while supporting daily motions like standing and lifting.

Though they are often favored for their effectiveness and simplicity, squats still present a challenge to many.

Therefore, a good modification is to try using a chair or the wall squat for support.

Tricep Dips

Tricep dips are one of the most valuable exercises one can do for larger arms. They’re basically the upper body’s version of a squat.

While dips are good for shaping your tricep muscles, this movement additionally works your chest, shoulders, and core.

They also promote muscular endurance, flexibility, and range of motion. Building up your triceps is important for daily activities such as lifting, pushing, and pulling.

This exercise is often performed on dip bars, but you can practice them on the floor or a flat elevated surface.

Planks

The plank is another bodyweight staple in fitness.

Unlike the movements above, it’s actually our first static exercise on the list, meaning you don’t perform reps but rather, hold for time.

The plank targets abs, shoulders, upper back, glutes, and leg muscles.

It’s ideal for improving core stability, posture, and flexibility. You could try this exercise with your arms fully extended or on your elbows.

Bear Crawls

Bear crawls can be an amazing full-body workout as they activate the core, shoulder, arms, chest, back, legs, and glutes.

In addition to working the entire body, they contribute to core stability, strengthen your cardiovascular endurance, and boost coordination and mobility.

Moreover, since the exercise mimics a bear’s movement, it supports overall functional fitness. You can do this exercise anywhere but it does require a bit of space to move around.

Side-Lying Leg Lifts

Side-lying leg lifts are a really good body weight exercise for seniors and those with past or current injuries.

They work various areas of the body including your hip abductors, obliques, glutes, and thighs.

These leg lifts promote hip stability, improve balance, strengthen the core muscles, and encourage a full range of motion. They’re also useful for rehabilitation, recovery, and injury prevention.

Q&A

Can You Really Build Muscle with Bodyweight Exercises?

This is a concern that many people have when they learn of body weight exercises. However, there is no need to worry because you absolutely can build muscle with bodyweight exercises.

We cultivate muscle by moving against resistance. In this case, the resistant force is your own body weight.

With proper form, persistence, and progressive overload (gradually increasing the difficulty) you can grow some serious muscle.

You can achieve progressive overload by increasing the number of sets or reps that you do. Decreasing time, adding weight, and performing variations of your exercises.

Start Your Fitness Journey Today!

The best thing about bodyweight exercises is that you can start as soon as you’re ready. There’s nothing to purchase or anywhere you need to go.

Just put a string of exercises together that target each part of your body, practice the correct form, and you have an effective workout routine you can start today.

If you have any questions or comments, leave them down below or message me on my contact page.

Now, go get fit!

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