Benefits of Bodyweight Training
Here are 7 benefits of bodyweight training. You never know… you might just be converted!
Here are 7 benefits of bodyweight training. You never know… you might just be converted!
Quick and easy
Bodyweight training leaves no room for making excuses! With no equipment required you can fit a quick workout in whenever you have spare time. Whether you’re stuck at home, fancy a session outdoors or you’re travelling with no access to a gym, with only minimal space required there’s nothing stopping you from getting your sweat on. As well as this a good Bodyweight workout combines elements of both cardio and strength training, so it’s a highly efficient way to fit both into your routine.
Less risk of injury
Bodyweight training is a great way to hone technique and form whilst having a lower impact on your joints than weight training. This means you’re less likely to cause yourself an injury that could hinder your long term training. So while weight training might get you ‘bigger gains’ at a faster rate, bodyweight training is better in the long run on your body and for your mobility, which becomes more important as you age.
Works the full body
Bodyweight movements work a number of different muscle groups at the same time, helping you tone and strengthen your whole body from head to toe. While you might think of a push-up as an upper-body exercise or a squat as a lower-body exercise, both of these help to improve core strength, which is essential to good posture, proper movement patterns, and injury prevention.
Builds balance and flexibility
Your body must stabilize itself while performing bodyweight movements, which strengthens the muscles and stretches the ligaments and tendons that help you stay balanced while walking, running, performing household chores, or taking part in any other physical activity. Body control is essential to warding off injury, especially as we age.
Accessible to everyone
Bodyweight exercises can be modified to suit any fitness level. Variations of moves mean you can start off easy to build your technique and then progress to more challenging moves once you’ve built up some strength. When you’re ready to turn up the difficulty level a notch there’s always modifications you can make to push yourself further.
Can be just as effective in building muscle
Performing exercises through their full range of motion is all it takes to achieve muscle hypertrophy, or to you and I, muscle tone and definition. It’s important to remember, however, that the better your technique, the more effective the move so mastering this is key to progressing and seeing the desired results!
There’s no doubt that lifting weights and sweating it out on cutting-edge cardio equipment, will help you get in great shape. But mixing in a bodyweight training routine can help you maintain a well-rounded fitness regime that never gets dull and is a perfect alternative for when you can’t get into the gym!
Although you won’t need any weights or fancy equipment, for floor based bodyweight moves you will benefit from having a good exercise mat.
tips to get the most out of your strength routine
You can employ a few strategies to help you get the most of your strength-training routine. Start with the basics. If you’re new to strength training, you’ll want to master basic movement patterns first. This will ensure you’re performing exercises safely and effectively. You may wish to start with bodyweight exercises that emphasize balance, core stability, and basic movement patterns (e.g., bend-and-lift, single-leg, pushing, pulling, and rotation actions).This could include bodyweight squats, single-leg stands, pushups, forearm planks, and plank toe taps. After you feel comfortable with basic movement patterns, try adding external forces (e.g., weights, resistance bands, and machines). If you’re unsure how to use a piece of equipment properly, speak with a physical therapist or personal trainer.
For someone who is looking to build muscle mass, what could they do with their home workouts to help accomplish this goal?
You can still build muscle with bodyweight exercises, assuming of course you're not an amateur bodybuilder. Dips and pullups are the best upper body exercises, although you can make many pushups difficult. Playing around with the speed of movement (slow eccentrics) or even pausing can increase the stress on the muscle. For lower body, single leg squats are great, so are high step ups. Again, play with the speed of movement.
The bottom line
If you haven’t tried strength training, now is the time to start
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