No Gym, No Problem! 5 Bodyweight Exercises to Try at Home

Staying fit doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym all the time. 

In fact, some of the best exercises need no equipment. Instead, you can use your own bodyweight to create resistance exercises at home.

One of the many benefits of bodyweight exercises is that it helps to engage more muscles. 

You use more muscles in a session of a workout than using a piece of equipment. 

Engaging more muscles helps to improve the body’s balance, muscle strength, and overall endurance.

Several studies show that bodyweight training has a positive impact on health and fitness. 

Researchers enrolled participants in a 10-week bodyweight exercise program. 

They found that the bodyweight exercises significantly affected fitness, especially explosive strength.

But not all bodyweight exercises are created. Here are a few that you can easily do from the convenience of your home.

Forward Lunges

Forward lunges are a great leg, glute and core workout. 

Not only are you actively putting your weight on your legs, but you also engage your core muscles to stabilize you in the process.

• Stand with your feet apart. Stretch one leg in front of you and bend it. Be sure to bend the leg behind too. 
• Make sure this bend is at a 90 degrees angle or close to that. 
• The back knee shouldn’t touch the ground. It shouldn’t. 
• Now pressing on the heel in front of you, raise the body back up to shoulder-width apart standing position. 

And that is it for the forward lunge.

Wall Sits

This works almost like normal squats. 

It does the same thing by focusing pressure on the leg bone strength and muscles. 

The key is to hold you for longer to increase tension and create the resistance you feel comfortable with.

• Stand at shoulder-width apart with your feet firmly planted on the ground while leaning against a wall. 
• Stretch out your arms in front of you or keep it folded on your body.
• Bend your knees out at almost 90 degrees. 
• Keeping your back straight, stay in this position for ten seconds and get up. 
• Pause for about ten seconds and go back into position.

Plank

This core strength exercise provides strength and endurance to your abdominal muscles, back and core. 

Moreover, you get core conditioning and stability in your hamstrings and glutes.

One of the many benefits of plank exercises is that it helps to develop the glutes and other back muscles.

As a result, you’re less likely to vulnerable and injure yourself. 

Plank exercise builds the muscles at your back so you can not only avoid back injury but also recover faster after a workout.

Assume a push-up position but with slight modifications. 

Create a 90 degree between your forearms and elbow. Keep your body in a straight line from shoulders to knees.

It is a beginner level exercise and can be done easily. 

Side plank

If you want to increase the difficulty, try the side plank. It improves lateral hip stability and also provides strength to your obliques.

Keep your body on one side in a straight position. 

Support your body with one arm and side of one foot. Keep your body in the position until you fail. Repeat with the other side.

Step-ups

You would need a lower step or a small riser or anything slightly higher than your feet that can serve as a step. 

Stand in front of your step and place one leg on the step. Add the other leg. Then take one leg down followed by the other. 

Be sure to note that the entire foot must rest on the step; half of your foot shouldn’t be dangling when you take that step.

V-sit

This is one of the home bodyweight exercises that work both upper and lower abs. It also strengthens the core muscles.

Lie down straight on the matt with arms and legs extended. Lift your legs as high as you can and bring your torso up to make a V shape.

It is a difficult exercise and is demonstrated here: