Most people aspire to have a healthy and fit body, but only some are brave enough to put in the hard work required. Going to a gym, buying equipment, etc., seems like a hassle to many, but you don’t have to worry about any of these things with bodyweight exercises. A common misconception about weightlifting is that you will only see results in the gym. Magazines and the internet have propagated this misconception for years through the image of bulky men lifting weights in the gym. But weightlifting isn’t only limited to the gym’s four walls; there is so much you can do within your house and with minimal equipment.
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Spiderman Push-up
Push-ups are one of the best core engaging exercises of all time. The activity engages both your lower body and upper body core at the same time. On its own, the exercise is pretty good, but when paired with a balancing element, each rep becomes that much harder and engages the core that much more.
What To Do: Drop into a push-up position with your hands at a shoulder-width distance. Drop your arms to bring your chest towards the floor; at the same time, bend your right leg to the side to touch your right knee to your right elbow. Reverse to return to the start; repeat the action with your left leg on the next rep. Repeat 10-15 reps for three sets.
Bodyweight Squat with Pulses
What many would agree to is that squats do not get enough credit. Squats are an excellent exercise that targets not only your torso but also the largest muscle group in your body – your glutes. Doing squats helps you burn a higher calorie count than your leg extensions, and if you were to add in small-partial-reps in the bottom, this exercise would work even faster.
What To Do: Stand with your feet nicely planted onto the floor, make sure you keep shoulder-width distance between your feet. Next, bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat position; make sure you keep your back straight. Finally, with your thighs parallel to the ground, hold your stance and pulse up and down (move only a few inches) a few times before standing up. This pulsing motion during the squats will target your calf muscles, increasing your calorie burn count. Continue doing 15 to 20 reps for each of the three sets.
Burpee
If you have never done a burpee before, you have yet to experience “hell on earth.” No, although everyone who does burpee for the first time completely loathes this exercise, the benefits are one they cannot ignore. You love the exercise because you feel the effects of the exercise in every cell of your body, and you’ll loathe it for the same reasons. Burpees are a challenging exercise, one which requires no equipment at all. Try it, and you’ll know what we are talking about.
What To Do: On a non-slippery surface, stand tall with your feet planted together. Lower your body into a squat with your hands on the floor. Next, jump to extend your feet back; you will now be in a push-up position. Bring your feet back next to your hands and burst into the air. Jump as high as you can in the air with your hands above your head. Land back on your feet and repeat the action immediately. Do the exercise for 30 to 60 seconds in every three sets.
Forward Lunge With Kickback
Lunges are a cruel exercise, one that activates your body’s delayed onset of muscle soreness – the achy feeling you get after a day of exercise – owing to its extensive range of motion and also due to the strain it puts on your quads. Pair lunges with a kickback to target your butt muscles or to simply burn a few extra calories.
What To Do: Stand tall on your feet, take a big step forward with your right leg, bend both legs, and stop when a 90-degree angle forms. Avoid touching your left knee to the ground; it should be an inch above the floor. Next, push through your right foot to return to your initial position but instead of planting your leg on the ground, let your leg go backward, raise your leg as high as you can (like a back-kick) to avoid arching your lower back. Repeat the process with your left leg and continue with 15 to 20 reps for every three sets.
Pull-Up/Chin-up
Although pull-ups or chin-ups are considered advanced exercises, they have amazing results and are worth working up to. Pull-ups and chin-ups have varying benefits, while pull-up help activates the largest muscle in the upper body, whereas chin-ups focus more on your biceps.
What To Do: Grab onto a pull-up bar using any one of the two grips mentioned above. Without swinging your legs or knees, bend your arms to pull your body upwards so that your chin is above the bar. You can either cross your ankles or leave your legs dangling towards the floor. Relax your arms and return to the initial position to repeat the exercise.
Conclusion
The gym has many benefits, but it all comes down to hard work and consistency. Weightlifting may seem complicated, especially at home, but all exercises need working up to. You have to slowly and steadily condition your body towards performing the exercise. There you have five exercises that help you get the best results. Try these exercises and reap the generous benefits.
