Sometimes we are faced with a situation that we have no control over. The gym may be closed or you may not have any equipment at home... Yes, you cannot change anything, but these reasons should not distract you from your fitness goal. In fact, with the right approach, if you only train with your own weight, you can not only achieve success, but also get ahead of your competitors. Sometimes, increasing your strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular function is as simple as going back to the basics. And that's the best you can do now.
Bodyweight training is very effective. It doesn't require a gym, doesn't require a lot of space, and doesn't require any equipment. You can get your heart rate up and your muscles engaged just by bodyweight training.
So, put on your favorite songs and let's go!
In this article you will find the following information:
- Leg exercises
- Exercises for chest muscles
- Exercises for abdominal muscles
Is it possible to pump without weights?
Yes, to a certain extent. “Depending on how intensely you train, doing bodyweight exercises , you can achieve the following results: increase muscle tone, pump up your arms, increase energy expenditure to reduce body fat and overall body weight (a prerequisite for relief), increase endurance, increase flexibility,” comments Edward Kazaryan, expert in X-Fit group programs in Russia .
bodyweight exercises alone . own weight,” says Elena Chindyaeva, personal trainer, author of the Instagram blog @chindaeva_fit , nutrition consultant . “To do this, you need to add weights, work with equipment, additional weight and adhere to a different type of diet - with a calorie surplus.”
This is due to the peculiarities of our body’s functioning. “We use the musculoskeletal system every day, and our muscles have the characteristics that are necessary to work specifically with your weight. Therefore, by exercising without weights, it is impossible to significantly increase muscle mass,” notes Edward Kazaryan.
But there will still be a positive effect from exercise without weights. Firstly, by intensely training with your own body weight, you can get rid of puffiness, which will already lead to some reduction in volume. “Secondly, you will be able to increase muscle tone to get your body in shape. By training in different intensity zones (it depends on the number of exercises, repetitions, duration of rest), you will develop your endurance and be able to increase calorie expenditure, adds Edward Kazaryan. “The big plus is that with good exercise control, your workouts create a stimulus for the development of all muscles, ligaments and joints, and this makes the body more functional.”
And strength exercises with your own weight are a good basis for weight training. That is, if you have no experience in fitness at all, then after working out without weights for a couple of months, you can move on to full-fledged strength training in the gym. Because learn the correct technique for performing basic exercises and allow your nervous system to adapt to periodic physical activity.
"THE MAN'S TORSO"
The program consists of the following exercises:
- Pushups
- Dips
- Wide grip pull-ups
- Reverse grip pull-ups
- Straight-grip pull-ups
- Hanging Leg Raises
- Bodyweight squats
This program is aimed at developing the upper body, but we don't want your legs to be thinner than your girlfriend's, do we?
Brrr... disgusting.
Let's not forget about the legs either!
Another squat is a complex multi-joint exercise that increases your testosterone. What does increased testosterone do?
Right! Your biceps and chest will grow faster too!
Let's analyze each exercise in detail.
Bodyweight training program: safety precautions
If you ignore some rules, you can get injured. “Warming up at the beginning of training, joint exercises, increasing body temperature, heart rate, and correct exercise technique are required. You should gradually complicate the training, building exercises from simple to complex,” says Elena Chindyaeva.
Pay special attention to the technique of doing the exercises. “Control your movements as much as possible. You must clearly understand what you are doing and how. Avoid completely unfamiliar exercises, adds Edward Kazaryan. - Maintain a long, elongated spine. Do lumbar and neck stabilization exercises.”
Reverse grip pull-ups
These are the same pull-ups that are “not like a boy” to do.
Only fools say that. Reverse grip pull-ups actually make your cans burn and grow!
This is the same method as the wide grip pull-up. You should pull yourself up using your ring finger and little finger.
This will turn your skinny little arms into real bazookas!
Watch the video on how to do reverse grip pull-ups correctly:
3-4 sets of 10 times.
Bodyweight exercises at home: how to increase the load
It is important to gradually increase the load as the body adapts to it. To do this, according to the advice of Edward Kazaryan, work with the following parameters:
- Number of repetitions . “Increase their number in each approach. In the first week, do 15 repetitions, and in the second, 20, and so on,” says Edward Kazarian.
- Number of approaches. Do not two approaches, but three.
- Duration of rest. “If you are a beginner, first rest 2 minutes between exercises. After a month, reduce the break to one and a half minutes, then to one,” the expert advises.
- Speed of exercises. By performing familiar movements faster, you also increase the intensity. However, remember about safety precautions. “It is important that you make a fast movement as clearly as a slow one. You need to learn this gradually,” adds Edward Kazaryan.
Bodyweight training can also be based on the interval principle, that is, performing exercises for a certain period of time. This method is effective for losing weight. A workout from Jacqueline Wood, a fitness trainer and blogger from the USA, was designed based on this principle. We invite you to try it today.
How to build a lesson
- Start your workout with a light warm-up.
- Perform the exercises consistently for the specified amount of time.
- Finish your workout with stretching.
- Do this program 2-3 times a week.
To complete the complex you only need a mat.
Principles to help you get the most out of your training
- A full range of motion involves more muscle fibers than a short range of motion.
For example, when doing squats, lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor, and when doing push-ups, lower your chest to the floor. - Find the optimal pace of movement.
Lower yourself smoothly and rise quickly. Don't throw your body down, control your descent. Try to maintain the desired pace of movement throughout the entire workout. For muscles, it is the time under load that matters, not the number of repetitions. - Make your workouts more challenging.
Muscles adapt to the load, after which progress slows down. Strength and muscles increase, which means the difficulty of the workout must also increase over time.
Photo: istockphoto.com
A set of exercises with your own weight
Almost all exercises in the complex must be performed continuously for 45 seconds. Then you should rest for 15 seconds.
At first, it may be difficult for you to maintain a fast pace of exercise, but that's okay - work at your own rhythm. The main thing is to strictly follow the technique of performing the exercises. Over time, you will be able to increase speed and thereby increase the load.
Squat Steps
Stand up straight, place your feet together. Bend your knees slightly and move your pelvis back. Place your hands in front of your chest and actively work your abdominal muscles. From this position, step left with your left foot, then step right with your right. Then return to the starting position, bringing your feet together. This is one repetition. Complete a maximum of these in 45 seconds. Then rest for 15 seconds.
Jumping Jack
Stand straight, feet hip-width apart, bend your arms and bring your palms together in front of your chest. Work the muscles of your legs, back, arms and abs. Jump, spread your feet wider than your shoulders, raise your arms (without opening your palms) above your head. Jump your feet together and return to the starting position, lowering your palms in front of your chest. This is one repetition, complete a maximum of these repetitions in 45 seconds. Then rest for 15 seconds.
Lunge bends
Stand straight, feet hip-width apart, arms along the body. Step your right foot forward and bend your knees, lowering into a lunge. Lean your body forward, lower your arms forward and down. Having fixed the position of the body, bend your knees more, lowering yourself into a lower slope due to the work of your legs and buttocks. Then straighten your knees, returning to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and do the same thing, stepping forward with your left foot. After 15 seconds of rest, move on to the next exercise.
Diagonal press crunch
Lie on the floor, legs straight, arms extended along the body. Press your right hand to the floor, bend your left at the elbow and move it behind your head. Working your abdominal muscles (try to keep your legs relaxed), simultaneously lift your body and right leg above the floor, and with your left hand reach for your right foot. Rest your right palm on the floor, do not slouch or strain your neck. Return to the starting position. This will amount to one repetition. Do a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds and do the same on the other side. After 15 seconds of rest, move on to the next exercise.
Simplified burpee
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and lean your body forward. Place your palms on the floor and distribute your body weight between your hands and feet. Work the muscles of your abs, legs, back and arms. Jump your feet back and get into a plank position. Then jump with your feet closer to your palms, bend your knees slightly, assume a vertical position and extend your arms in front of you. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Squats-springs
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and move your pelvis back, working your abs, legs and hips. Don't arch at the waist. Then smoothly return to the starting position. This is one repetition, complete in a maximum of 45 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds and move on to the next exercise.
Squat Jumps
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and push your pelvis back, lowering into a squat, working your abs, legs and hips. Bring your hands together in front of your chest. Don't arch at the waist. Jump up from the squat. Land in a vertical position and lower back into a squat. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Asymmetrical push-ups
Get down on your knees, place your palms under your shoulders. From this position, slide your right palm 30 cm forward. Bend your elbows and perform a push-up (at the bottom of the movement, your right forearm will touch the floor). Then return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds. After this, repeat the same on your left hand, then rest and move on to the next exercise.
"Fold"
Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Stretch your arms above your head. Lean your body back slightly, lift your legs off the floor (knees slightly bent), pulling your hips closer to your stomach. At this moment, lower your arms down through your sides and bring your palms together under your hips. Then return to the starting position - legs on the floor, arms above your head. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Squats and cross jumps
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and push your pelvis back, lowering into a squat, working your abs, legs and hips. From this position, jump up and land on your feet, crossing your ankles. Then jump up again and land with your feet parallel to each other, hip-width apart. Lower yourself into a squat. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Squat Jumps
Get on your knees with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands in front of your chest, your abs active. Maintaining the position of the body, place first your left and then your right feet on the floor and go into a squat. From this position, jump up. Land in a squat and lower your knees down one at a time to stand on them. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Jumping lunges
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and push your pelvis back, lowering into a squat, working your abs, legs and hips. Bring your hands together in front of your chest. From this position, step to the left (keep your knees slightly bent), then jump up. Then return to the starting position (squat) and step to the right. Jump again. Return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Fold with alternating leg bends
Sit with your legs straight, lean your body back. Work your abdominal muscles. Raise your legs above the floor, bending your left knee, and lean your body forward (pulling your left thigh towards your stomach). Then lean your body back again, straighten your left leg and bend your right, also pulling your thigh towards your stomach. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 40 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Triceps push-ups
Stand in a plank position with straight arms, placing your palms under your shoulders. Work your abs, back and leg muscles. Bend your elbows and point them closer to your body, lower yourself towards the floor. Then smoothly return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Complete a maximum of these in 30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds and move on to the next exercise.
Rotation fold
Lie on your back, stretch your legs up (point your toes towards you). Place your hands behind your head, press your lower back to the floor. As you exhale, lift your neck and head above the floor, twist your body slightly forward and to the left, extend your right arm up and try to touch your left foot with your right palm. Leave your left elbow bent and touch the floor. Then return to the starting position, twist forward and to the right, touch your left palm to your right foot. Return to the starting position, this is one repetition. Complete a maximum of these in 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, and move on to the next exercise.
Lunge Jumps
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Step your left foot forward, bend your knees slightly, and lower into a lunge. Place your arms along your body. Work the muscles of your legs, back and abs, do not slouch or arch your lower back. From this position, push your feet off the floor, jump up and land back into a lunge. This is one repetition, complete a maximum of these in 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds. Then do the same on the other side. After 15 seconds of rest, move on to the next exercise.
Swing your legs
Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Place your palms in front of your chest, bending your elbows. Work your abs, legs, and back muscles. Don't slouch. Shift your body weight to your left leg, extend your right leg to the side, raising your foot as high as possible. Then smoothly return to the starting position, this is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds. Then repeat the same on the other side. After 15 seconds of rest, move on to the next exercise.
Swing your legs while lying down
Sit with your legs straight, lean your body back and lean on your forearms. Bend your legs slightly at the knees and lift them off the floor. Extend your right leg up and your left leg parallel to the floor. Work your abdominal and leg muscles, don't slouch, relax your neck. Then return to the starting position and extend your left leg up and your right leg parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position again. This is one repetition, complete as many as you can in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Gluteal bridge
Sit on the floor, place your palms behind your body. Bend your knees, rest on your feet. Push your pelvis up until your body is parallel to the floor. This is the starting position. Work your abs, back muscles, arms and legs. From this position, lower your pelvis down (do not touch the floor with your buttocks) and lift it up again. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
"Balancing fold"
Lie on the floor, raise your legs up, bend your knees. Place your hands behind your head. Working your abdominal muscles, straighten your legs, smoothly twist your body forward, try to reach your feet with your hands, maintain balance. Then also slowly and smoothly return to the starting position: lower your body to the floor. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
"Crab"
Sit on the floor, place your palms behind your body. Bend your knees, rest on your feet. Push your pelvis up until your body is parallel to the floor. This is the starting position. Lower your pelvis down a little, then lift and simultaneously extend your right arm and left leg upward, try to touch your foot with your palm. Lower your pelvis again and, pushing it up, extend your left arm and right leg up at the same time. This is one repetition. Perform a maximum of these in 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds.
Don't chase speed, work at your own pace and pay attention to the technique of doing the exercises. Only after honing it can you try to increase the pace of the lesson.
Wide grip pull-ups
Wide-grip pull-ups pump up your latissimus muscles, which are popularly called the wings.
These are very sexy muscles that will make you as wide as Reg Park.
Reg Park is a bodybuilder that Arnold looked up to.
There is one trick to doing these pull-ups correctly. You hold the horizontal bar with your whole hand, but the main load should fall on the ring finger and little finger. You have to pull yourself with just these two fingers.
Why do we need this?
In a nutshell, the ring finger and little finger are on the outside of the hand, right where the lats are. This way you will get maximum muscle activation and grow a huge back!
3-4 sets of 10 times.
Necessary equipment
One of the advantages of training with your own body is that there is no need for a huge number of exercise machines.
For classes you will need a minimum amount of equipment:
- a pair of chairs (will serve instead of bars);
- jump rope;
- several thick books;
- crossbar;
- long towel (to rock your neck);
- roller (to pump up the press);
- rubber expander (useful if this is your first time doing pull-ups).
Moreover, at the initial stages of training it will be possible to do without some of them. It depends on what exercises are selected for the class.
Straight-grip pull-ups
Not a single physical education teacher told you about such pull-ups, but in vain.
Here you place your hands close together with your palms facing away from you. You grab the horizontal bar so that your index fingers and thumbs touch each other.
The thing is that your bazooka arm is not only your bicep, but also the thing on the side of it called the brachialis.
If the biceps grows upward, then the brachialis grows sideways on the outside of the arm.
Brachialis makes your arm thick and menacing, like a real bison's.
3-4 sets of 10 times.
Differences between men's and women's training
A training program designed for men will be different from a women's one. Men and girls are focused on different results. Girls want to become the owners of chiseled figures, men want to build strong and sculpted muscles.
Therefore, more exhausting cardio workouts are good for girls to burn calories. Strength exercises are more suitable for the stronger sex.
Lights out![edit | edit code]
Training in prison is serious business. She certainly helped keep me sane, and I know plenty of guys who can say the same. The training was something real, something worthwhile. No matter how hard the day was, training was like an island of stability in this crazy world. Whatever we may have lost while incarcerated, training has always provided the opportunity to achieve something even more essential than health and strength: self-respect. Add repetition, work on technique, move on to a more difficult exercise. Logical. Earnestly. Has the meaning. You are always moving forward, you are always in control of events. For me this is a special power. You need to get into the training to understand what I'm talking about. Those of you who are already training will probably agree with me.
So take your training as seriously as you can. Treat her with respect wherever you go. The second you start training, try to change the way you think about training, change the way you look at the world. Stop your jokes and stop doing nonsense. Make exercise your number one priority. Decide on your training goals - do one more repetition, improve your technique, keep them in mind all the time and strive to achieve them with all your might. The moaning, grunting, grunting and puffing that many bodybuilders are famous for is not what you want. Aggressiveness in achieving your goals - yes. But learn to direct your energy in the right direction. Cultivate targeted, controlled aggression. Work in this direction, and you will soon reap the benefits of this attitude towards training.
Find a place where no one will disturb you and practice. I don't recommend lifting weights with friends or colleagues. I believe that the best results of training are achieved in solitude - this is the only way to develop concentration, reduce irritation and heal the soul.
Perhaps my opinion goes against the traditions of modern training. But I prefer to train alone and spend time communicating with people. Always. Exercise gives me more than any of my “friends.” In my life, I have met hundreds, thousands of people who tried to beat me, steal from me, humiliate me and even kill me. Training only brings me benefits. She gives much more than she takes away. I've wasted too much time on people I wish I had never seen. But I don't regret a second of the time I spent training.
Every split second, every drop of sweat is well spent.
