Bodyweight Exercises at Home
Whether your gym is closed or you want to try something different, bodyweight exercises are a great option. Bodyweight exercises are exercises that are done using only your bodyweight. This means, no barbells, no dumbbells, no kettlebells or any other gym equipment that adds weight. It’s just us and the movement.
Benefits of Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight exercises are often an underestimated form of training. That is, until your clients actually give it a try. Bodyweight movements really can cater to all levels and your clients can push themselves when you need to, as well as allow for the all-important recovery time.
Bodyweight Exercises are Accessible
Bodyweight training can be modified for whatever fitness level your clients are. Whether they are starting at zero and trying to do one push-up or a veteran athlete, bodyweight exercises can be incredibly challenging and beneficial for ALL your clients. Progressing and building on the exercises is also very straightforward, so your clients can keep challenging themselves and building strength.
Bodyweight Exercises Increases Mobility and Stability
Mobility and stability are an essential part of the way we move through life. Weightlifting can have many positive effects on your body, but it can also limit your mobility. The movements involved in bodyweight training can help to increase that mobility and challenge our bodies ‘ stabilizers’ by using complete movements.
Bodyweight Exercises Help Prevent Injury
Bodyweight training is a great way for your clients to really hone their technique and form. Heavy weightlifting can take a serious toll on the body and in particular, our joints. With bodyweight training, the stress on our joints is lower, so we are less likely to pick up an injury that could hamper our long term training.
Bodyweight Exercises are Quick and Easy
For many clients, finding a quick, effective workout is essential. Bodyweight training does not require access to a dedicated gym and uses minimal equipment. Your clients can fit in a workout whenever they have some spare time, wherever they are. Bodyweight training also allows your clients to combine cardio and strength training, meaning they can smash that workout in the most efficient way.
Get the Most Out of Your Bodyweight Workouts
Bodyweight exercises every day. This means that if your clients want to train and don’t have access to a gym or any facilities or equipment, then they won’t have to sacrifice their workouts. However, they still need to consider recovery. Bodyweight exercises can be strenuous on the body, which means rest and recovery is important.
Always Warm-up
Remember, just because you’re not using added weights, doesn’t mean you can skip the warm-up. Remind your clients to take a few minutes out of their day to prepare for their training session, they will get more out of their workout.
Prioritize & Practice Your Form
Your clients’ form should always be important. In fact, it’s especially important to be able to do bodyweight movements with the proper form before thinking about adding extra weight. So your clients’ bodyweight workout session is the perfect time to go back to basics and really focus on correcting their technique and positioning across all exercises before moving forward.
Work Different Muscle Groups
Your clients may think that using just their body and natural resistance to gravity isn’t as straining on their body as working out with heavy equipment and complicated machines in the gym, but anyone who has done multiple reps of bodyweight squats for multiple sets will tell them otherwise. Bodyweight exercises can become incredibly tiring and taxing on the muscles. This is why it’s a smart move to train different muscle groups each day to allow for recovery time.
Challenge Yourself
If your clients have the means to do so, they can use some other equipment to make their bodyweight exercises more difficult. Clients can use resistance bands, chairs, backpacks filled with heavy objects, water bottles, or anything they have in their home to increase the resistance or weight. If your clients don’t have anything suitable though, don’t worry. Encourage them to just focus on our other recommendations to make it more challenging and they are set.
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