Having a go-to list of bodyweight exercises is a must! Bodyweight workouts are truly great workouts that are easy to overlook if you’re a gym regular. And when it comes to picking exercises for our training, most of us think about the obvious barbell exercises like squats, deadlifts, and the bench press.
But, there is another set of fantastic and underutilized exercises that can elevate our training and add a lot of variety. These are your bodyweight exercises.
Below, we’ll go over what these movements are, what benefits they offer, and how to use them within our training. And, for dessert, we’ve also compiled a list of bodyweight exercises for you.
Ready? Let’s take a more in-depth look.
Table of Contents
Main Takeaways
Top Exercises
Here are some of the best bodyweight exercises.
There are others, but we always keep it simple and focus on the core fundamentals. The many other bodyweight exercises are variations of these core bodyweight exercises, and just not necessary.
We’ve categorized them based on the primary muscle group they train.
Chest and Shoulders (in order from hardest to easiest)
- Decline push-ups
- Pike push-ups
- Wide-grip push-ups
- Classic push-ups
- Diamond push ups
- Dips
- Bench push-ups (doing push-ups on a low table or bench)
- Incline push-ups (on a kitchen counter or even a wall so your body is more vertical — much easier push-up to do)
(Click to see a complete list of Pushups)
Biceps
- Hand Curls
- Chin-ups
Triceps
- Tricep dips – Traditional
- Tricep bench dips – Feet Elevated on a bench or a chair
- Tricep push-ups (also known as diamond push-ups)
- Hand Extensions
(Click to see more on Tricep Dips)
Abs
- Crunches
- Sit-ups
- Scissors
- Frog Kicks
- Mountain climbers
- Planks
- Leg raises
(Click to see more Ab Workouts)
Legs
- Bodyweight squats
- Forward Lunges
- Calf raises (push up on the balls of your feet to the tippy-toe position)
Back
- Pull-ups (with a pull-up bar)
- Chin-ups (with a pull-up bar)
- Bodyweight Back Extensions (Superman Stretch)
- Bodyweight Bridge
Full Body
- Mountain Climbers
- Burpees
What They Are and Why They’re Great
Bodyweight exercises, as their name suggests, are those in which we use our bodies as the resistance. For example, instead of pulling a weight down (e.g., lat pulldown), we pull our own body up (e.g., pull-up).
Both exercises train the same muscle groups, and both of them look similar enough. Yet, they are quite different from one another.
As far as benefits go, bodyweight exercises offer plenty, some of which include:
- You don’t need any equipment to do them. As long as you have your body and some free space, you’re good to go.
- The risk of injury is much smaller, especially when compared to weight lifting.
- According to research, bodyweight exercises are just as effective as weighted movements. (1)
- They are incredibly convenient – you can do them anywhere at any time.
- They are a fantastic addition to a good strength training program.
Always Remember to Warm-Up Well
Most people think that, because these are bodyweight exercises, we don’t need to warm-up much—big mistake.
You need to warm-up before any training, and this fully includes bodyweight workouts. Start with 2-3 minutes of low-intensity cardio to get your muscles warmed up and blood flowing.
Proceed with up to five minutes of dynamic stretching to thoroughly warm yourself up and prepare yourself for the workout.
It’s a small time investment, but the payoffs are enormous in the long run.
Structure
Just as you would go about structuring any other workout, you should start with larger muscles and more complicated exercises before moving to smaller muscles. (2)
Your large muscles are:
- Chest
- Back
- Thighs
- Glutes
Your smaller muscles are:
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Shoulders
- Forearms
- Abs
- Calves
So, for example:
Start with a push-up before doing tricep dips. Start with squats before doing calf raises. Start with pull-ups before doing bicep exercises.
If you’re just starting out, this beginner bodyweight workout offers a simple and effective routine to build strength and endurance at home—no equipment needed.
Understanding your max heart rate is essential for optimizing workout intensity, especially during high-effort training like HIIT or bodyweight routines.
Looking to burn calories and build strength? Find out how push-ups contribute to weight loss in this in-depth guide.
The bicep workout is a great way to build arm strength and definition, whether using dumbbells, bodyweight exercises, or pull-up variations.
A well-structured lean muscle workout plan combines strength training and cardiovascular exercise to help you build a toned, defined physique.
The incline push-up is a great bodyweight exercise that reduces strain while effectively targeting the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
To improve flexibility and prevent tightness after upper body workouts, incorporate this effective tricep stretch into your routine. For a focused routine that builds arm strength without any gear, explore this triceps workout at home without equipment to complement your bodyweight training.
Incorporating close grip pull-ups into your workout routine can help target your biceps and back for a well-rounded upper body strength.
Click here to learn what muscles do dips work. Click here to learn more about pull-up bar ab exeercises.
For a complete guide on gaining definition without excess bulk, check out this article on building lean muscle with smart training and nutrition strategies. Click to see more bodyweight workouts.
David Williams
A diet and fitness enthusiast, David is an ex-Army Airborne Ranger and Infantry soldier with decades of fitness and wellness experience. A West Point graduate with a degree in engineering, he focuses on technical research related to fitness, nutrition, and wellness. He loves the beach and working out, and spending time with his wife and daughters.
References
- Cpt, J. C. (2023b, October 10). Bodyweight vs Weight Training: Which One Makes Sense for You? BODi. https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/bodyweight-vs-weight-training
- Leaf Group. (n.d.). Which muscle group should you work out first, larger or smaller? | livestrong. LIVESTRONG.COM. https://www.livestrong.com/article/471151-which-muscle-group-should-you-work-out-first-larger-or-smaller/
