Strength training with weights such as dumbbells, the best kettlebells or a barbell is great for building muscle hypertrophy and overall strength, but not everyone likes training with weight or is able to. This thankfully, doesn't mean you can't build strength and improve your overall physique without them. You just need to find some good bodyweight exercises and get moving.
Enter this no equipment workout from fitness trainer Andrea Allen, also known as DeliciouslyFitNHealthy. She has curated a seven-move routine packed with exercises that will target all areas of the body, helping to build strength and definition, raise your heart rate and assist with fat loss.
Fancy giving it a go? Keep reading to find out what exactly this workout entails.
What is the workout?
The workout consists of seven bodyweight exercises and has been conveniently designed to target a wide range of muscles throughout the body. The reps vary per exercise and are outlined in the caption of Allen's post, here you will also find demonstrations of each exercise to help you nail down the correct form.
Although this is a no-equipment workout, it's a good idea to lay down one of the best yoga mats or some form of exercise mat to protect your joints as you move through the exercises.
The bodyweight routine above is a fantastic way to improve your overall strength, and cardiovascular health without the need for any equipment. By incorporating a variety of exercises targeting different muscle groups, you're getting a full-body workout.
One big reason for bodyweight workouts being so popular is that they can be done anywhere, anytime, making them extremely convenient for those with busy schedules or limited access to a gym. Since they rely on your body's own resistance, they can help improve functional strength and mobility, making everyday activities and other forms of exercise easier for you.
Bodyweight workouts like the one above often involve compound movements, which engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This not only increases calorie burn during the workout but also will help to promote greater muscle coordination and balance.
Lastly, bodyweight exercises are easily scalable to suit various fitness levels. Whether you're a beginner or more advanced in your fitness journey, you can adjust the number of reps or modify the movements to suit your abilities, building a challenging yet safe workout. Allen even includes modifications for each exercise in the workout above. So, if you're recovering from an injury or your strength levels are low right now, then you can make adjustments accordingly.
If you keep up with regular bodyweight training and notice improvements in your strength and wish to further this, then you may want to consider implementing progressive overload into your training by adding some light weights into your strength workouts. Weight styles like the best adjustable dumbbells are worth considering as they allow you to start small and gradually build up the weight from just one model.
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