Walking into the gym for a workout is difficult, but it’s even more arduous when you’re on the road. No weights and no equipment means that your fitness routine has to be quick and efficient. This bodyweight workout plan will get you in top shape while traveling or at home with none of those pesky lifts or machines! Bodyweight workout plans are a growing fitness trend these days. The right plan will give you results and save you time and money. Keep reading!
How to use a bodyweight workout plan to get in and stay in shape
If you want to get in shape and stay in shape, then a bodyweight workout is the best option for you. Bodyweight workouts are meant not only for people who need a practical workout program but also for those who don’t have access to gym equipment.
Don’t think that bodyweight workouts are less effective than a bodybuilding workout in a gym. You can develop the body of your dream by doing bodyweight workouts right in your home with little or no equipment.
Bodyweight workouts are not only for bodybuilders but also for almost everybody who desires to stay fit, healthy, and strong. This article will discuss how you can approach a bodyweight workout plan and other bodyweight routines.
Before looking at a bodyweight workout, let’s discuss bodyweight exercises. For bodyweight exercises, you need to use your bodyweight only. You don’t need any equipment for bodyweight exercises; all you need is some floor space and a small amount of time to spend on bodyweight exercises.
Here are some bodyweight exercises you should know about getting started with a bodyweight workout.
Bodyweight squats:
Bodyweight squats target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles. You can do bodyweight squats by standing straight while engaging your core muscles; push your butt out while keeping your torso vertical. Next, start bending your knees while keeping your body weight on heels. When your thighs are parallel to the ground, push yourself back up in the initial position with your core engaged.
Bodyweight lunges:
Bodyweight lunges target the glutes and quadriceps muscles in the thighs. Like bodyweight squats, start this exercise by standing straight with feet hip-width apart. Next, take a long step forward with the right foot and bend both knees as you lower your body. Ensure that your body weight is on the left heel as your body drops down. Next, push yourself back to the initial position by using left glute muscles. Repeat this process with the other leg starting from the right foot. The lunges are a perfect exercise to add to any bodyweight workout plan.
Bodyweight rows:
Bodyweight rows is a bodyweight workout for the upper body. To do a bodyweight row, you need to stand straight and keep your feet hip-width apart. Now bend your knees slightly as you lean forward at the hips. Next, hold the torso vertical and core engaged as you pull yourself up with your right hand outside of your left knee against your body weight until your body is up straight.
Bodyweight shoulder presses:
Bodyweight Shoulder presses are a bodyweight upper body exercise. To do this exercise, place both feet hip-width apart and keep the torso upright while standing straight. Now lift your arms to your side at shoulder level with palms facing forward. Engage your core muscles in this position and slowly push your arms in front of you until they are straight.
Jump squats:
Jump squats are bodyweight, lower body exercise that makes your body slim and toned. You can do bodyweight jump squat by standing straight in the initial position with feet hip-width apart. Now bend your knees slightly as you engage your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and core muscles in the body. Next, directly jump into the air as high as possible and land back in a bodyweight squat position. Add this exercise to your bodyweight workout plan for maximum results.
Bodyweight Shoulder shrugs:
Bodyweight Shoulder Shrugs are a bodyweight exercise that makes your shoulders strong and toned. To do a bodyweight shoulder shrug, stand straight with feet hip-width apart and body weight on heels. Now raise your shoulders as high as possible and move them back as far as possible. Repeat bodyweight shoulder shrugs for a pre-defined number of times.
Things You Should Know Before Starting a Workout
- You can gain muscle and lose fat with a bodyweight workout plan: Yes, unlike Matt Heads at your local gym, you can gain significant amounts of power by exercising with your bodyweight. The key is to know how to be progressive and how to deal with difficulties.
- Challenge yourself: Learning the right way to workout. There are only a few ways to change your body, increase movement speed, slow it down, and focus on form.
- Be practical: The beauty of a bodyweight workout plan is the ability to kill two birds with one stone, namely cardio and strength training. This type of training combines these two factors into a fast-paced, fat-burning, muscle-building exercise. Use speed and form to get results. Your body will work to do the rest.
- Keep it interesting: Change your bodyweight workout plan frequently. There are multiple ways to do push-ups, pull-ups, and squats. With so many seemingly innumerable ways to change mobility, it is easy to make it exciting and challenging while keeping you on the right path. Use music to keep you motivated.
- Easy to add to your arsenal: you can easily add a few tools with little hassle or money. Kettlebells, bands, weight plates, benches, steps, and blocks can be instrumental pieces of equipment that are not only practical additions but also cheap to boot. As you move forward, become more robust, and build muscle, muscle, you want to include some of these in your program.
The 9-Week Progressive Bodyweight Workout
Phase 1: Weeks 1–3
This phase introduces you to basic bodyweight exercises and increases your volume slightly each week. Perform the following bodyweight workout plan three times a week on non-consecutive days: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.
| Week 1 | Sets | Reps |
| Push-Ups | 3 | 15 |
| Inverted Rows | 3 | 10 |
| Deep Squats (3sec pause at bottom) | 3 | 10 |
| Single-Leg Calf Raises | 3 | 15 |
| Stationary Lunges | 3 | 15 |
| Lying Leg Raises | 3 | 10 |
| Floor Crunches | 3 | 10 |
| Week 2 | Sets | Reps |
| Push-Ups | 4 | 15 |
| Inverted Rows | 4 | 10 |
| Diamond Push-Ups | 4 | 10 |
| Deep squats(3-sec pause at bottom) | 4 | 15 |
| Single-Leg Calf Raises | 4 | 15 |
| Stationary Lunges | 4 | 10 |
| Lying leg raises | 4 | 10 |
| Floor Crunches | 4 | 10 |
| Week 3 | Sets | Reps |
| Push-Ups | 4 | AMRAP (As Many Reps as Possible) |
| Inverted Rows | 4 | AMRAP |
| Diamond Push-Ups | 4 | AMRAP |
| Deep squats(3-sec pause at bottom) | 4 | 20 |
| Single-Leg Calf Raises | 4 | AMRAP |
| Stationary Lunges | 4 | 20 |
| Lying Leg Raises | 4 | 15 |
| Floor Crunches | 4 | 15 |
Phase 2: Weeks 4–6
This phase increases the intensity and difficulty. As you make more challenging moves, you will increase your volume again. Perform the following bodyweight workout plan three times a week on non-consecutive days: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.
| Week 1 | Sets | Reps |
| Feet Elevated Push-Ups | 4 | 15 |
| Medium-Width Grip Pull-Ups | 4 | 10 |
| Feet Elevated Diamond Push-Ups | 4 | 10 |
| Rear-Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squats | 4 | 10 |
| Jump Squats | 4 | 10 |
| Single-Leg Calf Raises | 4 | AMRAP |
| Decline Board Crunches | 4 | 10 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 4 | 10 |
| Week 2 | Sets | Reps |
| Week Elevated Push-Ups | 4 | 20 |
| Medium Width Grip Pull-Ups | 4 | 15 |
| Feet Elevated Diamond Push-Ups | 4 | 15 |
| Rear-Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squats | 4 | 15 |
| Jump Squats | 4 | 15 |
| Single-Leg Calf Raises | 4 | AMRAP |
| Decline Board Crunches | 4 | 15 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 4 | 15 |
| Week 3 | Sets | Reps |
| Feet Elevated Push-Ups | 4 | AMRAP |
| Medium-Width Grip Pull-Ups | 4 | AMRAP |
| Feet Elevated Diamond Push-Ups | 4 | AMRAP |
| Rear-Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squats | 4 | 15 |
| Jump Squats | 4 | 15 |
| Single-Leg Calf Raises | 4 | AMRAP |
| Decline Board Crunches | 4 | 15 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | 4 | 15 |
Phase 3: Weeks 7–9
This step again increases the intensity and difficulty so that the goal will increase your tolerance to volume. Exercises labeled 1A, 1B are performed without rest, for example. You can rest for 30 seconds after completing two sets. Perform the following bodyweight workout plan three times a week on non-consecutive days: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Week 3 will use some pieces of body weight-related equipment.
| Week 1 | Sets | Reps |
| 1A: Feet Elevated Push-Ups | 3 | 15 |
| 1B: Medium or Wide-Grip Bull-Ups | 3 | 10 |
| 2A: Parallel Bar Dips or Bench Dips | 3 | 15 |
| 2B: Reverse- Grip Chin-ups | 3 | 10 |
| 3A: Rear-Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squats | 3 | 10 |
| 3B: Reverse Lunges | 3 | 10 |
| 4A: Box Jumps | 3 | 10 |
| 4B: Single Leg Calf Raises | 3 | 15 |
| 5A: Bicycle Crunches | 3 | 15 |
| 5B: Lying Leg Raises | 3 | 15 |
| Week 2 | Sets | Reps |
| 1A: Feet Elevated Push-Ups | 3 | AMRAP |
| 1B: Medium or Wide-Grip Pull-Ups | 3 | AMRAP |
| 2A: Parallel Bar or Bench Dips | 3 | AMRAP |
| 2B: Reverse-Grip Chin-Ups | 3 | AMRAP |
| 2A: Rear-Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squats | 3 | 15-20 |
| 3B: Reverse Lunges | 3 | 15 |
| 4A: Box Jumps | 3 | 15 |
| 4B: Single Leg Calf Raises | 3 | 20 |
| 5A: Bicycle Crunches | 3 | 20 |
| 5B: Lying Leg Raises | 3 | 20 |
| Week 3 | Sets | Reps |
| 1A: Feet Elevated Push-Ups w/Bands | 3 | AMRAP |
| 1B: Weighted Medium-Grip Pull-Ups | 3 | AMRAP |
| 2A: TRX Triceps Extensions | 3 | AMRAP |
| 2B: TRX Biceps Curls | 3 | AMRAP |
| 3A: Jump Split Squats | 3 | 20 |
| 3B: Weighted Rear-Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squats | 3 | 15 |
| 4A: Weighted Single Leg Calf Raise | 3 | 15 |
| 4B: Kettlebell Sumo Squats | 3 | 20 |
| 5A: TRX Pikes | 3 | 15 |
| 5B: TRX Leg Tucks | 3 |
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The last word on a bodyweight workout plan
The idea of free-standing exercises is a great way to stay fit without going to the gym. If you’re looking for an easier way to maintain your health, this may be perfect for you as it only requires body weight and minimal space. Have any of these been influential in your routine? Let us know what has been successful or not by commenting below!
