Can You Lose Weight With Only Body Weight Training?

By Mr. Deepak Dewan

The weekend getaway might be flipping your schedule upside-down, but bodyweight training can help you work in some exercise no matter what your schedule throws at you. You don’t have to have dumbbells or a gym to get in your workout.

You can workout anywhere you are with the best resistance equipment there is: YOU!

Total body strengthening can be done almost anytime, anywhere. They can be done in your living room, the corner of your office or even outside. Here are a few easy ways to add body-weight exercises into your routine.

Improvise: Just because the equipment is minimal doesn’t mean bodyweight exercises are predictable. Add some variety and rotate between slow and fast reps. Do long jumps the distance of a rug. Try an incline push-up on a park bench or

Do long jumps the distance of a rug. Try an incline push-up on a park bench or tricep dips on a chair. Mix it up daily and get creative!

Commit to Compound Movements: Many bodyweight exercises consist of compound movements that engage numerous joints and muscles in just one move. To fire-up your entire body and get the most out of your workout, try push-ups, lunges, squats, dips and planks.

Step-ups: Find a bench, a step, or if you are a beginner, a phone book will suffice and step up, step down, up, down and engaging your quads. Push-ups: Get down on the floor or use the wall for a beginner option. Either way, keep your abs contracted or you’re back straight. You can start on your knees and graduate up to full push-ups as you practice.

Mountain Climbers: Start in the plank position and slowly bring your right knee towards your chest, then to your left. As you gain stability, move your knees in and out faster for some quick cardio burn.

Triceps Dips: Start by sitting on your butt, knees bent and arms braced behind you with fingers pointed towards your back. Then, push up into the crab position. Use your triceps to dip up and down, keeping your body stable and using only your arms.

Leg-ups: Get down on all fours and lift your leg behind you. Compress your inner thighs as you lower and lift for maximum benefits. Make sure to do with both legs. Sit-ups: Bend your knees, hands behind your head, and roll up, engaging your abdominal muscles like a crunch. Move slowly and don’t use the momentum. Its quality and not quantity that counts.

Full Body Roll-ups: Lie flat on your back with your arms extended overhead.  Slowly roll up into a “C” curve reaching for your toes. Inhale and exhale as you uncurl your body one vertebra at a time back into the floor.

Author Bio: Mr. Deepak Dewan, MD of Cardio Fitness India Pvt. Ltd. is the force behind the evolution of Cardio Fitness as the most reputable brand for all fitness and wellness solutions. He has developed a highly skilled and qualified team of professionals at Cardio Fitness who can help at every step from concept to execution and maintenance of their customer’s fitness and wellness space.