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 A complete list of body weight exercises you can do at home or at the gym. Each of our exercises listed can be done using only your body weight which gives you balance and stamina. Since body weight exercises require no equipment, they are also free to do.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Here are a list of the most effective exercises you can do using only your body weight as resistance. Doing body weight exercises helps you build strength to perform practical everyday activities. You should include some body weight exercises in your routine.
List of Body Weight Exercises
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Stand in good body alignment (abs tight, chest up, back straight). Place band around head, gripping the band with both hands. Apply a slight resistance with band. In a controlled motion, maintaining body alignment, draw the chin away from the chest. While maintaining the controlled motion, return to starting position. Do not allow muscles to relax before next repetition.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Grasp bar with underhand grip and shoulder width. Keep body in good alignment (abs tight, chest up, back straight). Squeeze down (depress) shoulder blades using a controlled motion, pull body up by drawing chest to the bar, keeping elbows down toward sides and forearms in line with body. Contract lat muscles fully without compromising form. While maintaining the controlled motion, return body to starting position. Do not allow body to swing. Do not allow muscles to relax before next repetition.
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Read more: Chin Ups
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Lock feet in, with pad comfortably on hips. Cross arms over chest. If using weight, hold weight plate at chest level. Pressing hips into the pad, relax the spine. Squeeze together (retract) shoulder blades. In a controlled motion, lift head and shoulders up until spine is comfortably hyperextended. Avoid hyperextending the neck. Maintaining controlled motion, return to starting position. Do not allow muscles to relax before next repetition.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Quads and Hamstrings
Preparation: Stand 1-2 feet away from the hurdle. Feet should be slightly wider than hip width apart in an athletic squatting position.
Execution: Drive your arms up and jump over the first hurdle and as soon as you land on the ground, quickly drive arms up again and jump over the next hurdle. After completing the hurdles accelerate into a sprint for 20 meters.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Quadriceps and Ham Strings
Preparation: Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width apart with your body facing the first ring.
Execution: Hop forward using both of your feet and land in the first ring. Now hop to the left and land in the ring to the side. Now Jump backwards to land in the ring behind you. Finish by jumping to your right to land in the final ring. Repeat with total of number of repetitions.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Glutes
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Glutes
Preparation: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent as pictured.
Breathing: Breath in and out through the entire stretch movement.
Execution: Begin stretch movement by raising your one leg, supported by both your hands behind your knee joint. Pull your leg forward towards your chest and focus on stretching your glutes. Hold for 20-30 seconds and then switch legs.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Glutes
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Glutes and Quadriceps
Preparation: Stand upright with head and back straight and knees slightly bent.
Breathing: Breath out on the contraction of the muscle and breath back in on the way back to the start position.
Execution: Begin exercise movement by starting to move quickly laterally from side to side. Move back in the opposite direction in the same format. Stay balanced, move quickly and keep your arms at your sides to provide control and balance.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Glutes
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Glutes
Preparation: Stand straight up with head and back straight and arms down at sides. Feet are slightly more than shoulder width apart.
Breathing: Breath in and out through the entire stretch movement.
Execution: Begin movement by moving laterally in one direction shuffling your feet as you move laterally both forward and backward of the other as pictured.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Glutes
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Glutes and Quadriceps
Preparation: Lie on your left side with your body fully extended and your left arm bent at the elbow and supporting your head with your hand underneath.
Breathing: Breath in and out through the entire stretch movement.
Execution: Begin the movement by raising your legs off the ground and begin a scissor leg type movement, alternating between both legs bringing one forward and one back.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Quadriceps
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Glutes and Quadriceps
Preparation: Stand upright and straight in front of a flat bench.
Breathing: Breath out on the contraction of the muscle and breath back in on the way back to the start position.
Execution: Step up onto a flat bench with your left leg. Then step up with your right leg so you are now standing on the bench. Step down with your left leg, then your right leg. Repeat, starting with your right leg this time.
Comments: Be careful not to fall! Can also be done with dumbbells, medicine ball or barbells for added challenge.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Inner Thigh - Adductor
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Inner Thigh - Adductor
Preparation: Begin by lying down on your right side. Bring your left leg over your right leg, keeping it bent at a 90-degree angle with your left foot planted firmly on the floor.
Breathing: Breath out on the contraction of the muscle and breath back in on the way back to the start position.
Execution: Begin Keeping your right leg straight, slowly raise it as high as possible. Contract your inner thigh and return to the start position. After finishing the desired number of repetitions, turn over and repeat the process on your left.
Comments: For added intensity, strap on ankle weights.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Quadriceps and Hamstrings
Preparation: Stand with feet shoulder width apart and your trunk flexed forward slightly with your back straight in a neutral position. Arms should be in the ready position with elbows flexed at about ninety degrees. Your lower body should be positioned with your thighs parallel to the ground.
Execution: Explode vertically and drive your arms upward. Land on both feet and quickly repeat. Prior to takeoff, extend the ankles to their maximum range to ensure proper mechanics.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Full Body
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Full Body
Preparation: Get into a push up position with arms extended.
Breathing: Breath out on the contraction upward and breath back in on the way back down to the start position.
Execution: Begin exercise by driving both feet and knees towards your arms in a jumping movement and then back to the start position as quick as you can. Repeat exercise movement.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Preparation: Stand next to a cone or low hurdle.
Execution: Drive your knees up and jump vertically but also laterally into the air and move over the cone. Land on both feet and quickly jump back in the other direction over the cone again. Repeat for total repetitions to be completed.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Quadriceps
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Quadriceps
Preparation: Begin a jog in place.
Breathing: Breath through entire exercise movement.
Execution: During your jog begin to push your knees as high as you can as if you are trying to drive them into your chest. Keep jogging in place emphasizing knee high movements.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Preparation: Stand in place with feet hip width apart.
Execution: Drive knee up towards chest and quickly place the foot back on the ground. Drive other knee up in a moderate to fast jog with minimal ground contact time.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Full Body
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Full Body
Preparation: Get into a full squat position as pictured with your hands placed around the outside of your ankles.
Breathing: Breath in and out normally through the entire exercise movement.
Execution: Begin exercise by walking in short steps with both feet one in front of the other.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Quadriceps
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Quadriceps, Glutes
Preparation: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
Breathing: Breath in and out normally through the entire exercise movement.
Execution: Lower into a squat position and jump as far forward as possible. Land on the balls of both feet. Try to keep your body vertical and straight, and do not let your knees move apart or to either side. Try to anticipate the landing and spring up as quickly as you can. Keep the feet touch down time on the ground to the shortest time possible. Use quick double-arm swings and keep landings short.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Preparation: Stand next to a cone or low hurdle.
Execution: Drive your knees up and jump vertically but also laterally into the air and move over the cone. Land on both feet and quickly jump back in the other direction over the cone again. Repeat for total repetitions to be completed.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Full Body
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Full Body
Preparation: Hands on floor with shoulders over hands. One leg tucked, one leg extended. Weight should be placed on balls of feet.
Breathing: Breath out on the contraction of the muscle and breath back in on the way back to the start position.
Execution: As quickly as possible "climb" alternating legs back and forth.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Full Body
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Full Body
Preparation: Lie on your back on the floor with both your arms and legs fully extended. Arms should be all the way extended above your head.
Breathing: Breath out on the contraction of the muscle and breath back in on the way back to the start position.
Execution: Begin the exercise movement by bringing one knee at a time together with both of your hands, while driving the knee towards your chin in a curled position. Move back to the start position and repeat with opposite leg.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Hamstrings
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Hamstrings, Glutes
Preparation: Start jogging in place.
Breathing: Breath through entire exercise movement.
Execution: Begin to quickly bring your heel up toward your buttock; as fast as you can alternate your legs. While doing butt kicks, the back is straight with a slight forward body lean. The body lean is as natural as the athlete assumes while running. Do butt kicks for 15 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between sets.
Comments: Remember, arms are simply legs higher up, so keep pumping and driving them throughout the drill.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Preparation: You need to line up a row of 6 to 10 cones or small barriers (8-12 inches) tall and three to six feet apart. Stand with feet shoulder width apart at the end of the line of barriers with your length spread out before you.
Execution: Keeping your feet shoulder width apart, jump over each barrier, landing on both feet at the same time. Use a double arm swing and work to decrease the time spent on the ground between each barrier.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Preparation: You need a partner and a box 12 to 42 inches high. Stand on the box, toes close to the edge, facing your partner.
Execution: Step off the box and land on both feet. As you land, your partner points to the right or left and you sprint in that direction for about 10-12 meters.
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Best Exercises -
Body Weight Exercises
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Primary Muscle Group: Plyometrics - Lower Body
Preparation: From a standing position, jump as high as possible and land down on your feet with your hands on the ground. Kick your feet back. For a moment you will be in a push up position and jump back up again as fast as possible. Repeat for the required repetitions.
Execution: Kick your feet back. For a moment you will be in a push up position and jump back up again as fast as possible. Repeat for the required repetitions.
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