Since you're busy, the full body and bodyweight exercises here can be done in a space the size of your bathroom and need little or no equipment. The most you'll even need is an exercise ball or a medicine ball.
But why do bodyweight exercises?
Reason #1: Many people think they don't have the time to exercise.
One thing is true... many people don't have the time to exercise CONVENTIONALLY—which means 30 minutes a day, plus the time it takes to get to the gym and then the time it takes to shower afterwards. It seems like the demands of today's society have grown exponentially.
Bodyweight exercises give you the ability to exercise quickly and efficiently in your office, at home, outside, in a hotel room, or any other place you may be. It is a relief to many people to find out that you don't need to go the gym to have an awesome workout. Most bodyweight exercises can be done in a 6X6 space.
 Bodyweight exercise - the wheel or full bridge |  |
This is unfortunately a fact that stops many people from exercising, but just doing a few quick twists, push ups, tablemakers, squats and other bodyweight gems, you can get the energy you've been looking for—quick.
To understand why you have little energy if you are not working out or not keeping a steady schedule and why these bodyweight exercises work we need to look at exercise and energy at a very basic level.
Inside your cells (don't worry, we'll make this as simple as possible!), little powerhouses (called mitochondria) produce the energy your body uses to function. When you are inactive, the number of powerhouses in your cells is decreased because your body does not need them. If you don't exercise frequently, chances are your body is only efficient for what you do most... not exercise.
When you exercise, the mitochondria in your cells multiply because your body needs to produce more energy. When this happens, there are more powerhouses in your cells and you produce more energy. These powerhouses don't just go away after you exercise... they stay in your body and produce energy when needed.
This is how exercise gets you the energy you need to do the things you want!
The number of mitochondria start to decrease again only after a period of inactivity. So once you can sustain a level of exercise (changes in your physiology can start after your first minute of exercise), you will be able to sustain a level of energy that you may never have had before!
Bodyweight programs will give you the flexibility to workout more frequently without having to worry about where and when. They are perfect for the busy person.
Reason #3: The gym is not for everyone. And it's expensive!
The investment in a few bodyweight exercise programs and books can save you thousands of dollars a year in gym fees. The cost of an exercise book or DVD is less than any monthly gym fee I've seen recently and these exercises will last you a lifetime.
Reason #4: Gym equipment can get you injured and does not prepare you for everyday functional strength.
Bench press, squats with weight, dead lift, shoulder press, etc. We don't need to list all the exercises that will injure you at the gym. Adding weights to a workout that is just as demanding without them is a recipe for injury.
 The merry-go-round is great for back pain. | |
Reason #5: Not everyone has the money for a personal trainer, but everyone has the equipment!
Personal Training is fantastic. It is wonderful to have someone with you and rooting for you the entire way through a physical transformation. It is also expensive. Some personal trainers can charge $100 or more an hour.
Again, you can pay $30-50 on a DVD and a book of bodyweight exercises that will last you just about as long as they continue to make DVD players.
You don't have to pay a dime for the equipment.
Reason #6: Some weight training programs have little flexibility. There is little freedom in a set exercise plan.
Places like Curves and Slender Lady work on a circuit training system where you do the same exercises every time in an allotted time. I think that's pretty boring. There are thousands of bodyweight exercises that you can bring into your toolbox and use when you're tired of others.
We suggest you try to incorporate as many bodyweight exercises in your workouts. If you don't like one, there are most likely 2 or 3 others that work the same muscles, so you don't have to worry that you're missing out on a body part!
Reason #7: Incredible benefits!
Once you start using bodyweight exercises in your weekly routine, here are only a few things that will happen to you:
- You will feel more energized during the day.
- You will wake up with energy.
- You will be more productive at work or at home.
- You will find more time to do the things you want to do and have the energy to do them.
- You will have better relationships.
- You will have more self-confidence.
- You will have better sex.
- You will feel great and smile more often (I promise!)
- Stretches
- Full Body and Bodyweight Exercises
- Bodyweight Exercises for Chest, Arm, Back, Shoulders, and Upper Body
- Bodyweight Exercises for Legs, Butt, Thighs, and Lower Body
- Core and Abs Bodyweight Exercises
- Exercise Ball Exercises
- Medicine Ball Exercises
| Full Body and Bodyweight Exercises - The Stretcher This exercise is like the Tablemaker, but is harder. The Stretcher will also bring you a little bit of soreness the next morning in places you never knew existed. . . . keep reading |
| Full Body and Bodyweight Exercises - Wall Walk We are convinced that wall walking works every muscle in your body! Do this exercise and you will begin to increase your energy levels right away by opening up your spine loosening years of muscular stress. . . . keep reading |
| Full Body and Bodyweight Exercises - Wings of Fire The Wings of Fire is a great warm up exercise to get oxygen into your lungs and upper extremities and to get your heart pumping. This exercise requires a type of breathing called "Breath of Fire." This is a very quick and deep breath taken in from your belly through your nose and then forced out quickly, again, through your nose. . . . keep reading |
| Full Body and Bodyweight Exercises - Yoga Squat This squat alternative for your legs and entire body is nice on the knees and great for the heart. . . . keep reading |
| Full Body and Bodyweight Exercises - The Tower The Tower is a yoga position that is not for the faint hearted! Do this to perfect your balance, strengthen your neck and strengthen your core. Be sure you know how to bail out of this exercise, so you don't injure yourself. . . . keep reading |
| Medicine Ball Exercises - Wall Chair Ball Toss Add a pushup to the Squat Thrust and you have a serious whole body workout. If you can do 100 it's like a marathon for all your muscles! (Though 6-10 is extremely sufficient!) . . . keep reading |
| Stretches - Yoga Quad Stretch Yoga Quad Stretch will really get your hip flexors and quadriceps loose and limber! This stretch will help you do many of the other exercises in this program with ease and flexibility. You should do this and the Core Loosener often! . . . keep reading |
| Medicine Ball Exercises - Squat Thrust with Ball Add a pushup to the Squat Thrust and you have a serious whole body workout. If you can do 100 it's like a marathon for all your muscles! (Though 6-10 is extremely sufficient!) . . . keep reading |
| Medicine Ball Exercises - Squat with Ball Overhead The squat is the essential lower body exercise. You do not need heavy WEIGHT to make this effective, contrary to popular belief. Bodyweight squats will increase circulation and allow you to have increased stamina and energy. . . . keep reading |
| Stretches - Standing Quad Stretch The Standing Quad Stretch will lengthen your hip flexors so you will have greater range of motion and reduce the chance of injury while doing any activity. . . . keep reading |
| Medicine Ball Exercises - Single Leg Pick Up Single Leg Pickups are great for strength in your legs, your core and your arms. Do a bunch of these and you will no longer have to worry about losing your balance! If you loose your balance during this exercise, don't get frustrated... recognize when you loose it and concentrate more on being centered. You'll get it, we promise! . . . keep reading |
| Stretches - Side Back Stretch This back stretch will loosen up your lower back quickly and safely! . . . keep reading |
| Medicine Ball Exercises - Side to Side Crunch Haven't seen your six pack in a while? Try these out for a few weeks and see the results. . . . keep reading |
| Medicine Ball Exercises - Push Up on Medicine Ball This exercise is done just like a regular pushup, except you bring your hands in closer and balance on the ball. This will work your chest as well as your triceps and shoulders. Vary different pushups and you'll find that you can do more and more with greater ease. You can also do a modified version of this on your knees. . . . keep reading |
| Medicine Ball Exercises - Rise and Shine with Medicine Ball This form of sit-up doesn't let you cheat! You have to focus on using only your abs to lift you upright. When you get better at these, you will notice your abs becoming rock solid and your balance and posture getting better! . . . keep reading |
The One Leg Squat Stretch not only opens up your hips, it also helps with your balance. . . . keep reading
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