Favorite body weight exercises

Hey all!

I've been using body weight exercises in the mornings before getting dressed (about 10 minutes) and then again throughout the evenings as time allows to give me some additional strength training. My most recent circuits have included planks, squat variations, and jackknives, but I'd like to get some variety. I try to aim for stuff that will be the most effective for multiple muscle groups.

What are your favorite body weight exercises that you use to get in a quick workout?

Replies

  • boopster99
    boopster99 Posts: 48 Member
    Burpees! Jumping jacks, deadlifts, squat presses.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Mountain Climbers. Inverted Pushups.
  • ricknsmca
    ricknsmca Posts: 10 Member
    I use pool aerobics and weight's classes at LA fitness with an organic low sugar diet. Lost 60 lbs since last July.
  • CopperB73
    CopperB73 Posts: 39 Member
    Burpees exercise everything!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    i absolutely loved turkish getups. while i was doing them regularly, that is. it's one of those things that look so simple when you see them described, and then you try them and find out how wrong you are.

    but mostly what i love them for is nose-to-tail joint alignment. they MAY be something you want to get someone to coach you through, because there's a lot of points in the movement where being out of whack can't be good for you. but if you have access to that or you want to go ahead, i can't recommend them highly enough.

    i think eric cressy had a good resource on how to do them.
  • Dr__Girlfriend
    Dr__Girlfriend Posts: 100 Member
    Burpees are way too hard on my joints, but walkouts are a nice alternative. Just make sure you don't swivel your hips throughout the movement.

    Bodyweight squats are a classic.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    i absolutely loved turkish getups. while i was doing them regularly, that is. it's one of those things that look so simple when you see them described, and then you try them and find out how wrong you are.

    but mostly what i love them for is nose-to-tail joint alignment. they MAY be something you want to get someone to coach you through, because there's a lot of points in the movement where being out of whack can't be good for you. but if you have access to that or you want to go ahead, i can't recommend them highly enough.

    i think eric cressy had a good resource on how to do them.

    Totally agree on both parts.

    I love getups... and there's plenty of places to go wrong....

    Also... BW exercises. Single leg squats/deads... AKA pistol and hanging lunges

    Inverted wall pushups/stands(obviously a favorite)

    Planks. Standard(elbows) High(pushup top position)--If you can do for 5 minutes you're a beast Low(pushup bottom position--arms at 90 degree bend)--If you can hold for more than 30 seconds without compromising the plank you're pretty much a beast.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,002 Member
    Pullups...
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    Jump squats, jump lunges, tricep dips, bicycle crunches, burpee pushups (do a push up in the middle of the burpee when you jump your legs out) although I haven't done these without a warmup/cool down and stretch afterwards. x
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Outdoors: Walking lunges, pullups on a goal post, jump knee tucks, butt kicks, high skips

    Indoors: Tricep dips with one leg out, glute bridges, one legged squats, spiderman planks, standard push ups
  • bethany_rose8
    bethany_rose8 Posts: 102 Member
    Bodyweight squats into leg abductions (squat, raise one leg to the side, squat, raise other leg to the side)
    Bodyweight squats into toe touch
    Bodyweight squats into kickbacks (squat, kickback, squat, kickback other leg)
    Glute bridges (like a hip thrust but the upper back isn't elevated)
    Bird dogs (you may need to google)
    Lying leg raises
    Single leg planks
    Single leg toe touches
    Knee push ups
    Shoulder circles (small circles, you may need to google)
    Superman back extension (may need to google)
    Donkey kicks
  • vmbourg
    vmbourg Posts: 125 Member
    walkouts!!!! and split lunges/jump squats/burpees
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Burpees are way too hard on my joints, but walkouts are a nice alternative. Just make sure you don't swivel your hips throughout the movement.

    Bodyweight squats are a classic.

    So you can squat and do walk outs, but burpees are too hard?
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Pull-ups.
  • vmbourg
    vmbourg Posts: 125 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    Burpees are way too hard on my joints, but walkouts are a nice alternative. Just make sure you don't swivel your hips throughout the movement.

    Bodyweight squats are a classic.

    So you can squat and do walk outs, but burpees are too hard?

    Might be the jumping in the burpees. My workout partner has bad knees and has to modify her burpee to not do the jump back and jump up at the end.

  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    Stuff I do while I don't have access to my weight set:

    Squats, sumo squats, lunges, side lunges, Bulgarian split squats, step-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, leg raises