Blast your body anywhere using only your bodyweight, no equipment required. Any exercise that only requires your body weight is considered callisthenics!

This article outlines popular callisthenics exercises to incorporate into a training circuit for both beginners and advanced fitness enthusiasts alike.

To mix up your exercise routine and take your workout adventure into the great outdoors, you can also look for callisthenics parks in your area.

 

  1. Plank

A solid basis for any bodyweight workout routine – planks strengthen not just your core, but your entire body.

Your basic forearm plank is more challenging than being on your hands. Keep your forearms flat on the ground beneath you with elbows under your shoulder and neck in a neutral position. Press your elbows directly into the ground and squeeze your core and glutes, and hold for upwards of 10 seconds.

 

  1. Walking Lunges 

Find a hallway and lunge your way into a better body. Keeping your back straight, lunge forward with one leg, ensuring the knee on the opposite leg does NOT touch the floor. Use the heel of the forward foot to propel your body into the next lunge, leading with the opposite foot.

 

  1. Squats

With feet shoulder-width apart and back straight, bend down slowly from the knees and lower your hips as far as you can. Then quickly reverse to the starting position, and repeat as many times as you can.

 

  1. Sit-ups

Last but not least, the humble sit-up. Your form is incredibly important when doing sit-ups, particularly if you have chronic back or neck pain.

Lie down on the ground with legs bent and feet either anchored or placed under something that will keep them from moving. With your hands behind your head, keep your core tense and sit up using the power of your hips and waist, keeping your neck secure.

To lessen back strain, keep your lower back pressed into the ground and spine in a C-shape.

 

  1. Superman Holds

This “reverse plank” helps strengthen your back, but proper form is incredibly important so you don’t injure yourself.

Lay down flat on your stomach with arms in front of you. Raise both your arms and legs off the ground, and hold for a few sections. You should feel your back, glutes, and hamstrings working. Return to the ground, and repeat several times.

Be sure to keep your head in a neutral position and look down – you should not feel strain in your neck.

 

Conclusion

There are many variations for those exercises that tend to target a different body part or increase or decrease the intensity of the exercise. So make sure to test around, push your body to its limits, and have fun while staying healthy.