8 Best Quick and Challenging Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight exercises are functional and suitable for all fitness levels and ages. To perform any bodyweight move, all you need to do is decrease or increase the intensity according to your fitness level and modify the reps.

One of the best things about bodyweight exercises is that you don’t require any equipment because you are using your own weight as resistance. Plus, you can do them anytime and anywhere, whether you are at the gym, at home, or in the park.

So, for equipment-free body conditioning and strengthening, try these quick and challenging bodyweight exercises:

1.) Squats:

• Start with your feet at hip distance.
• Keep your arms straight up and at shoulder level.
• Bend both your knees and lower your body into a squat. Try to go as low as you can while pulling your arms down.
• Repeat and move as quickly as you can to complete the desired number of reps.

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2.) Lunges:

• Stand straight and step forward with your right foot. Keep your left leg straight behind you.
• Keep your front knee behind your toe and lower your body into a lunge.
• Push your body with your heels to step back and simultaneously step out to the right and take a squat position.
• Press through your heels back to the start and now take your right leg back into a reverse lunge.
• Keep your front knee behind the toes and repeat before switching sides again.
• You can also add a jump to a lunge in order to make the exercise more challenging.

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3.) Planks with knee bend:

• Get into a plank position on your toes and hands.
• Lift your right foot off the floor and bend your knee, while pulling it in towards your chest.
• Cross your right foot over to your left leg and then take your right knee back towards your chest.
• Bring your right foot back into a plank position and repeat the same on the opposite side.

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4.) Triceps dips:

• Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair and balance your body on your arms.
• Move your backside in front of the chair and make sure to keep your legs bent.
• Bend your elbows and lower your body into a dip.
• Keep your shoulders down so your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
• Push back up, while keeping your hips close to the chair.
• You can add more intensity to this bodyweight exercise by straightening your legs or keeping them on another chair or bench.

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5.) Hand release push-ups:

• Begin in a plank position on your toes and hands. Keep your shoulders in line with your wrists.
• Make sure to keep your feet wider than your shoulders and glutes tight throughout the exercise.
• Then lower your body to the floor, while keeping a straight line from your toes to shoulders.
• Slowly lift your hands off the floor by contracting your shoulder blades together.
• Press your palms on the floor and push your body up again into a high plank position.

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6.) Back extensions:

• Lie straight on your stomach on a mat. Keep both your hands behind your head.
• Engage your abs and keep them squeezed in throughout this bodyweight exercise.
• Now contract your back to lift your chest off the floor. You can lift your chest as high as you can but do not over-stretch it.
• Lower your chest again to the floor and repeat the exercise.
• You can also lift your legs along with your chest to increase the intensity of this exercise.

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7.) Burpees:

• Take a high plank position and make sure your shoulders are directly above in-line with your wrists.
• Keep your feet wider than your shoulder distance and ensure that your glutes are tight throughout the exercise.
• Slowly lower your body to the ground, maintaining a straight line from your shoulders to your toes.
• Now jump on the outside of your hands and keep your glutes lower than your knees in a squat position.
• Pushing from your heels, jump explosively off the floor and reach your hands towards the ceiling.
• Perform 8 to 10 reps.

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8.) Mountain climbers:

• Begin in a plank position and keep your shoulders over your wrists.
• Engage your glutes and keep your feet wider than your shoulders.
• Keep your hips in a straight line with your toes and shoulders and drive your right knee towards your chest.
• Lower it down and then drive your left knee towards your chest.
• Slowly increase the pace and continue for at least 10 to 15 reps.

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Summary:

Perform all these bodyweight exercises three to four days a week and keep a check on your recovery time.

Also, make sure you perform a few warm-up exercises for 10 minutes before and after completing your workout routine. You can also modify these exercises as needed to fit your goals and fitness levels.

Don’t forget to consult your doctor before starting these workouts if you have any illnesses, injuries or other ongoing health concerns.