I'd like a bodyweight training routine for someone who does not have a lot of strength. I'm starting to go to the gym 5 days a week. Alternating between upper and lower body and since it is closed on weekends. I figure it would be good to do some bodyweight exercises then. Or on days when I won't be able to make it. Thank you.
Beginners Body weight Training
- Thread starter jetouellet
- Start date
I guess I'll just bump this.
Hope this helps
Hopefully you can pick and choose from these and come up with a routine that you like and also have some extra options to change it up every now and then.
Legs
Prisoner Squats
Walking Lunges
Step-ups
Glute Bridge
Calf raises on a step.
Chest/Delts/Tris
Pushups (incline, flat, decline)
Diamond pushups
Chair dips
Core
Various crunches
Leg lifts
Flutter-kicks
Bridges
Superman
Glute/Ham/Arm raise (on all fours lift opposite arm and leg, keeping leg bent at 90 degrees until your quad is parallel to the ground then extend your leg straight out. Alternate sides)
Lats/Traps/Biceps
Door pullups
Pullup rows
Table rows
Descriptions for those 3 are here: http://training.fitness.com/body-we...cises-without-equipment-33113.html#post302242
Hopefully you can pick and choose from these and come up with a routine that you like and also have some extra options to change it up every now and then.
Legs
Prisoner Squats
Walking Lunges
Step-ups
Glute Bridge
Calf raises on a step.
Chest/Delts/Tris
Pushups (incline, flat, decline)
Diamond pushups
Chair dips
Core
Various crunches
Leg lifts
Flutter-kicks
Bridges
Superman
Glute/Ham/Arm raise (on all fours lift opposite arm and leg, keeping leg bent at 90 degrees until your quad is parallel to the ground then extend your leg straight out. Alternate sides)
Lats/Traps/Biceps
Door pullups
Pullup rows
Table rows
Descriptions for those 3 are here: http://training.fitness.com/body-we...cises-without-equipment-33113.html#post302242
I've also just started doing strength training. I do full body workouts rather than alternating upper/lower body but I can tell you what I do. I do both weightlifting and bodyweight exercise together...I'll include those with weights in case you're interested.
As far as intensity/reps, I just figured it out by trial and error. The first time I just did as many of an exercise as I could. Once I saw where I was at then I set goals to work towards, usually very easy. For me, I add a few reps each time I workout. Or I add weight if I feel like a weight is waaay low for me and then add reps.
I chose these exercises based on what I want to do with my body: a bit of upper body, quite a bit of lower body, legs, back and core.
I alternate between Routine A and Routine B. Examples/explanations of these exercises can be easily found on google. Don't feel dumb if you don't know what the names mean, just google them and you'll remember them really fast. There are lots of websites that'll show you exactly how an exercise should be performed. I usually bookmark the page with an exercise on it, name the bookmark after the exercise and then go back to the bookmark if I need to check my form later, etc.
Routine A
Squats (lower body)
Pushups (upper body)
Lunges (lower body)
Deadlifts (one arm straight leg lifts with dumbbell) (back/core)
Calf Raises (weighted) (lower body)
Bicep Curls (weighted) (upper body)
Kickbacks (weighted) (upper body)
Back Row (weighted) (upper body/back)
Quad Strengthener (sit on floor, legs straight out, lift one leg about 10" into the air, hold for 10 seconds, lower; alternate) (lower body/core)
Crunches (core)
Six Inches (core/back)
Bird Dog (core/back)
Side Plank (core)
Routine B:
Squats
Pushups
Lunges
Hip Abductors (lay on side, legs straight, raise top leg, hold, lower) (lower body)
Calf Raises (weighted)
Back Row (weighted)
Bicep Curls (weighted)
Tricep Exensions (weighted) (upper body)
Step-ups (weighted) (lower body)
Leg Raises (core)
Supermans (back)
Plank (core)
Side Bend (core/back)
I started off doing what I called "baby" squats, lunges and pushups. I would highly recommend doing easier versions of the original if the standard versions feel very taxing for you. Normal squats were brutal for me when I first started so I started out only bending my knees slightly, then I bent them more and more the stronger my legs got. Then you can do them with a seat under you that you just barely touch with your butt before you stand back up. Then no chair. That was the safest route for me.
Same with lunges. The first time I tried to do lunges ("oh hey, I bet I can totally do a whole bunch of lunges out of no where!") I ended up wrecking my knees for a week or two. When I started again I focussed on the correct form, but only bending my knees slightly, only a few inches at first. The stronger my legs got the lower I felt I could bend.
And likewise with pushups. I started doing pushups against a wall because, well, I'm weak. You can do them against a wall, increase the effort by standing further and further from the wall, then do them against a counter, then on a chair seat, then on the floor with knees on the ground, etc. I'm still doing them on the damn counter. ARGH. I'm weak!
I would recommend starting out with these beginner versions if necessary. It takes no time at all to build up to doing the real thing. Unless you're a heck of a lot stronger than I am and can do all of these right off the bat.
As far as intensity/reps, I just figured it out by trial and error. The first time I just did as many of an exercise as I could. Once I saw where I was at then I set goals to work towards, usually very easy. For me, I add a few reps each time I workout. Or I add weight if I feel like a weight is waaay low for me and then add reps.
I chose these exercises based on what I want to do with my body: a bit of upper body, quite a bit of lower body, legs, back and core.
I alternate between Routine A and Routine B. Examples/explanations of these exercises can be easily found on google. Don't feel dumb if you don't know what the names mean, just google them and you'll remember them really fast. There are lots of websites that'll show you exactly how an exercise should be performed. I usually bookmark the page with an exercise on it, name the bookmark after the exercise and then go back to the bookmark if I need to check my form later, etc.
Routine A
Squats (lower body)
Pushups (upper body)
Lunges (lower body)
Deadlifts (one arm straight leg lifts with dumbbell) (back/core)
Calf Raises (weighted) (lower body)
Bicep Curls (weighted) (upper body)
Kickbacks (weighted) (upper body)
Back Row (weighted) (upper body/back)
Quad Strengthener (sit on floor, legs straight out, lift one leg about 10" into the air, hold for 10 seconds, lower; alternate) (lower body/core)
Crunches (core)
Six Inches (core/back)
Bird Dog (core/back)
Side Plank (core)
Routine B:
Squats
Pushups
Lunges
Hip Abductors (lay on side, legs straight, raise top leg, hold, lower) (lower body)
Calf Raises (weighted)
Back Row (weighted)
Bicep Curls (weighted)
Tricep Exensions (weighted) (upper body)
Step-ups (weighted) (lower body)
Leg Raises (core)
Supermans (back)
Plank (core)
Side Bend (core/back)
I started off doing what I called "baby" squats, lunges and pushups. I would highly recommend doing easier versions of the original if the standard versions feel very taxing for you. Normal squats were brutal for me when I first started so I started out only bending my knees slightly, then I bent them more and more the stronger my legs got. Then you can do them with a seat under you that you just barely touch with your butt before you stand back up. Then no chair. That was the safest route for me.
Same with lunges. The first time I tried to do lunges ("oh hey, I bet I can totally do a whole bunch of lunges out of no where!") I ended up wrecking my knees for a week or two. When I started again I focussed on the correct form, but only bending my knees slightly, only a few inches at first. The stronger my legs got the lower I felt I could bend.
And likewise with pushups. I started doing pushups against a wall because, well, I'm weak. You can do them against a wall, increase the effort by standing further and further from the wall, then do them against a counter, then on a chair seat, then on the floor with knees on the ground, etc. I'm still doing them on the damn counter. ARGH. I'm weak!
I would recommend starting out with these beginner versions if necessary. It takes no time at all to build up to doing the real thing. Unless you're a heck of a lot stronger than I am and can do all of these right off the bat.
stability ball
Hi!
I think the above workouts are great suggestions. Just make sure you divide up your muscle groups into different days. For example, do chest and back one day, biceps and triceps another day, etc.
Also, if you are a beginner, I would suggest working out on a stability ball. I use these in my blog for people just starting out so they can get the balance they need before moving into heavier weights.
It sounds like you are off to a great start!
Brianna
witnessforfitness
Hi!
I think the above workouts are great suggestions. Just make sure you divide up your muscle groups into different days. For example, do chest and back one day, biceps and triceps another day, etc.
Also, if you are a beginner, I would suggest working out on a stability ball. I use these in my blog for people just starting out so they can get the balance they need before moving into heavier weights.
It sounds like you are off to a great start!
Brianna
witnessforfitness