10 BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES GET IN SHAPE

Work your upper body, lower body, and core in one fell swoop with these beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercises.

1. Push-Ups

• Starting position: Kneel and get to the high plank position with arms extended. Place your open palms below your shoulders, closer than the shoulder width. Pull your shoulders away from your ears and your shoulder blades down and back. Elbows should be 45 degrees away from the body. Activate your core and maintain the body in a line. Don’t bend your back, especially in the lumbar spine.
• Execution: Exhale, do a push-up, and try to lightly touch the floor with your chest in the lower position. Then push your palms and fingers into the mat while inhaling, and return to the starting position. Do the next rep.
• Common mistakes: a small range of motion, bent back (especially in the lumbar spine), unstable shoulder blades, and elbows pointing away from the body.
• Exercise variations: knee push-ups with feet or hands placed in a higher position (bench, sofa, lower pull-up bar), clapping push-ups, headstand push-ups.
• How to make the exercise more challenging by adding some equipment: Slamball push-up, fit ball push-up, and balance pad push-up; push-up with a weighted vest and plate on your back; suspension trainer; with a push-up bar or an expander around your body attached under your palms.

2.Plank

• Starting position: Kneel and get to the high plank position with arms extended. Place your open palms below your shoulders, closer than the shoulder width. Pull your shoulders away from your ears and your shoulder blades down and back. Elbows should be 45 degrees away from the body. Activate your core and maintain the body in a line. Don’t bend your back, especially in the lumbar spine.
• Execution: Breathe naturally, keep your body still, and try to maintain this position for a couple of seconds (measure the time on your sports watch or phone).
• Common mistakes: bent back, the hips fall to the floor, the pelvis is too high.
• Exercise variations: knee plank, plank with arm or leg raise, or plank with opposite arm and leg lift.

How to make the exercise more challenging by using some equipment: Fit ball plank, balance pad plank, slam ball plank, or suspension trainer plank.

3.Glute Bridge

• Starting position: Lie on your back and place your arms alongside your body with your palms facing down. Bend your knees, pull them towards your buttocks, and leave your feet on the floor.
• Execution: Raise your pelvis by activating your glutes and hamstrings. Concentrate on the contraction of the glutes in the upper position. Hold for a second or two, and then lower your pelvis with a controlled movement. Do the next rep.
• Common mistakes: a small range of motion, insufficient glute activation, bent back, or uncontrolled movement.
• Exercise variations: isometric hold in the upper position (20–30 seconds); single-leg glute bridge (one leg is extended and aims to the ceiling).

How to make the exercise more challenging by using some equipment: Balance pad glute bridge, glue bridge with resistance band above the knees, or kettlebell on the pelvis.

4.Spider Lunges

• Starting position: Kneel and get to the high plank position with arms extended. Place your open palms below your shoulders, closer than the shoulder width. Pull your shoulders away from your ears and your shoulder blades down and back. Elbows should be 45 degrees away from the body. Activate your core and maintain the body in a line. Don’t bend your back, especially in the lumbar spine.
• Execution: Do the lunge with the right leg while exhaling (ideally up to the right palm, if your mobility and flexibility allow). Then breathe in and return your leg to the starting position. Then do the lunge with the left leg to the left palm.
• Common mistakes: bent back.
• Exercise variations: When you do the lunge, raise the same arm as the working leg and look at the ceiling.

How to make the exercise more challenging by using some equipment: Place the resistance band above your ankles, or use ankle straps.

5.Plank Shoulder Touch

Starting position: Kneel and get to the high plank position with arms extended. Place your open palms below your shoulders, closer than the shoulder width. Pull your shoulders away from your ears and your shoulder blades down and back. Elbows should be 45 degrees away from the body. Brace your core and maintain the body in a line. Don’t bend your back, especially in the lumbar spine.

Execution: Raise your right arm and touch the left shoulder. At the same time, try to maintain a stable position. Then return the arm to the mat and do the same movement on the other side.

Common mistakes: bent back, uncontrolled movement, leaning to the sides.

Exercise variations: knee plank.

How to make the exercise more challenging by using some equipment: Fit a ball or balance pad plank, or use wrist straps.

6.Squat

• Starting position: shoulder-width stance. The weight is on the whole foot.
• Execution: Inhale and do the squat by pushing your pelvis back and down. Watch out for the wrong bend in the lumbar and thoracic spine. Go deep to the point where you can maintain the back curved naturally. The axis of the knee, ankle, and feet should be in a line. Go up by activating glutes and front tight muscles while exhaling. Do the next rep.
• Common mistakes: bent back, a small range of motion, leaning forward, the knees point inward, the weight is distributed unevenly, shifting too much weight to the toe or heel.
• Exercise variations: single-leg squat, squat pumps (squatting in a range of a few centimeters in the lower position).

How to make the exercise more challenging by using some equipment: Squat with the resistance band above the knees, with the fit ball above the head, on the balance pad, with a barbell, kettlebell, medicine ball, or power bag.

7.Side Lunges

• Starting position: mid-wide stance.
• Execution: Inhale, do the side lunge with one leg, and shift your weight to this leg. Return to the starting position while exhaling, and do the lunge on the other side. The knees and feet point in the same direction the whole time, slightly to the sides.
• Common mistakes: bent back, a small range of motion, the knees point inward.
• Exercise variations: side lunge jumps.

How to make the exercise more challenging by using some equipment: Lunges with the expander above the knees or ankles; lunges on the balance pad; and lunges with a kettlebell, medicine ball, or power bag

8.Squat Jump

• Starting position: shoulder-width stance. The weight is on the whole foot.
• Execution: Inhale and do the squat by pushing your pelvis back and down. Watch out for the wrong bend in the lumbar and thoracic spine. Get deep to the point where you can maintain the back curved naturally. The axis of the knee, ankle, and foot is in a line. Do the jump by activating the glutes and tight front muscles while exhaling. Inhale in the upper position, then return to the squat and repeat the jump.
• Common mistakes: Bent back, a small range of motion, leaning forward, the knees point inwards, the weight is distributed unevenly, shifting to the toe or heel.
• Exercise variations: Add another jump in the upper position by pulling the knees towards the chest (so-called tuck jump).

How to make the exercise more challenging with equipment: plyometric box squat jump, balance pad squat jump or with power bag

9.Jumping Lunges

• Starting position: mid-wide stance.
• Execution: The feet and knees point in the same direction during the whole time, slightly to the sides. Start by a step forward and slightly to the side. Shift your weight to the front leg. Get deep to the point where your knee creates 90 degrees with your calf or even lower. Jump by activating the glutes and front tight muscles while exhaling, and change legs. As soon as you land on the floor, inhale and do another rep. Use your arms to help you with stability.
• Common mistakes: A small range of motion, wrong coordination.
• Exercise variations: Front lunges without the jump.

How to make the exercise more challenging with equipment: Balance pad jumping lunges, jumping lunges with a power bag, axle bar or weighted vest.

10.Single-Leg Deadlift

• Starting position: Mid-wide stance.
• Execution: The feet and knees point in the same direction during the whole time, slightly to the sides. Shift your weight to the standing leg, which is bent slightly. Lean forward while inhaling and simultaneously extend your other leg backwards stretched. Return to the starting position by activating the glutes and front tight muscles while exhaling. Use your arms to help you with stability. First, do some reps with one leg, then with the other.
• Common mistakes: A small range of motion, wrong coordination, bent back.
• Exercise variations: Use a chair to help you with stability.

How to make the exercise more challenging with equipment: Single-leg deadlift with the kettlebell in one hand, fit ball above the head, on the balance pad or suspension trainer.