The Best Bodyweight Exercises

Although we’ve talked about some pretty advanced exercises, it’s important that you master the basics first.

The most important closed kinetic chain bodyweight exercises you need to learn are the squat, pull/chin-up and push-up.

They are the most important because, in combination, they provide a full-body workout, and each of them can be progressed easily. Working towards the the most advanced variations of these exercises is extremely tough and enable you to keep building muscle without weights for years to come.

Squats

Squats are thought to be one of the best exercises you can possibly do. It’s easy to use progressions to make them harder as time goes by, but you should start by perfecting your form. Here’s how:

• To start, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and put your arms out straight in front of you or behind your head.
• Begin the descent by pushing your hips back and bending at the knees.
• Look straight ahead and keep your chest up to ensure your back remains in a flat, neutral position. Your back should remain in this neutral position throughout the movement.
• Squat down as low as you can whilst keeping your back straight, and then explode back up to the starting position by driving through your heels.
• Your weight should be on your heels throughout the entire exercise.

Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups

Pull-ups and chin-ups are amongst the most important exercises to both novice and advanced athletes alike – which is why it sometimes referred to as ‘the upper body squat’.

Before we go on, it’s important to distinguish between a pull-up and a chin-up:

• Pull-ups are performed with your palms facing away from you.
• Chin-ups are performed with your palms facing you.

Both pull-ups and chin-ups work the back and arms, but chin-ups place slightly more stress on the biceps and are easier than pull-ups. Here are some pointers on form:

• The movement begins from a dead hang. This means your arms should be fully extended, hands about shoulder width apart, chest up, and your shoulders back and tight.
• Pull yourself up toward the bar, clearing the bar with your chin.
• Lower yourself in a controlled motion, and repeat the process.

If you find yourself unable to perform a single pull or chin-up, work on performing negatives. To perform a negative, jump above the bar and try to lower yourself slowly and in control until you’re at the bottom of the movement. This is a great way to build some strength that will prepare you for the real deal.

Push-Ups

Push ups engage your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core for a complete pushing exercise, and there’s a tonne of different variations to satisfy the beginner to the advanced athlete. They’re kind of a big deal.

To perform a basic push- up:

• Place you hands on the ground slightly wider than shoulder width.
• Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor.
• Ensure you keep your body in a straight line throughout the movement by squeezing your glutes and bracing your abs as if somebody was going to punch you in the stomach.
• Keep your elbows close to your body.

If you can’t do a regular push-up don’t panic. It’s easy to work up to push-ups by starting on an incline or a wall. The technique is exactly the same as above, only you’re more upright.

Once you can perform the basic push-up you can progress to diamond push-ups and eventually one-armed push-ups.