Strength / resistance training is so important in achieving a lean and toned body, plus keeping your body healthy on the inside too!
You don’t need to lift heavy weights to get great results. I incorporate body weight exercises into my weekly routine.
Here are 10 of my favourites body weight exercises. If you have dumbbells at home, you can use them for some of these exercises too!
1. Squats
Any type of squat is great and is probably THE best exercise you can do! This is a regular squat. Some of my favourite variations include pistol squat (one legged squat), box jumps and jump squats.
Pistol squat
Box jump
2. Lunges
Another great body weight exercise! This is a regular static lunge. My favourite variations include jump lunges, walking lunges and lunges with your back leg on a bench.
Lunge with back leg on bench
3. Step ups
Lift your knee at the top to make it more difficult (step knee).
4. Glute bridge
5. Wall sit
6. Push ups
Another one of my favourites! This is a regular push up. To make it easier, you can do incline push ups on a bench. And to make it harder, you can do decline push ups on a bench.
Incline push up
Decline push up
7. Tricep dips
8. Plank
9. Back extensions
10. Mountain climbers
I hope this gives you some ideas on body weight exercises that you can incorporate into your exercise program. These can be done at the gym or at home – it’s up to you! xx
It’s FREE
I enjoy reading your posts. As a personal trainer myself its good to see someone with some sense and decent. Like me I’m sure you find a lot of people get even the basics wrong. I was very pleased not to find leg raises within the above collection of exercises! #hipsnotabs!!! Keep up the good work. Take care
Hi Kortney, thank you very much! That is very nice to hear :) Yes lots of people do get the basics wrong, so hoping to help educate them! All the best xx
Hey Racheal,
I go to the gym about every day and I have an over all healthy diet; i eat as much protein as i can and i usually stay away from simple carbs and fast food. But I’ve been going to the gym for about a few years now, and i honestly think its time for a change because since I’m not a trainer I don’t know much about exercises, nutrition. I wanna try doing cross fit, that way I’ll get strength training and cardio. But thats just me assuming from what I’ve read and know through friends.. Do you think cross fit Is a good choice if my goal is to lose body fat and become more lean? If i keep a steady healthy diet of course..
I don’t know much about cross fit, and you seem to know what you’re doing so I thought you would know more than i do at least ahahah :)
Hi Frances,
Do you think you need a change because you’re not getting the results you want? What type of exercise do you currently do? Unfortunately I haven’t done much crossfit! But from what I’ve heard, it’s an awesome full body workout and will definitely help you with getting lean and building muscle as well as increasing your general fitness. I would definitely give it a go! No harm in trying right? :)
Hey Rachael,
So sometimes I get really bad cravings at late hours of the night.. I try not to eat at night because I know it leads to weight gain and I like to wake up hungry for breakfast, so I try to keep my dinners relatively early. But sometimes I can’t resist and need to eat at night, I’ll try to just drink tons of water, but then I think, aren’t you supposed to listen to your body? I’m hungry and I want food, but idk what to eat at such a late time when I’m in bed not doing any movement .. What do you usually eat when you get late night cravings?? :(
If you eat your dinner a little bit later, this will stop you from getting the food cravings. I don’t crave food late at night. I eat about 3 hours before I go to bed so I don’t get hungry and I don’t go to bed feeling full either. My suggestion is to eat dinner later! x