Bodyweight exercise can be just as effective as free weight exercises for building muscle. Most bodyweight exercises utilize multiple muscle groups and will help you build muscle quickly. High intensity bodyweight exercises can add variety to your routine and help you continue to see results in your mass building journey.
Push-Up
Assume the prone position on the ground with hands a littler wider the shoulder width apart. Bend your elbows and slowly lower your chest to the ground until your about two to three inches from the floor. Press through your palms and return to the starting position. Maintain a straight back throughout the motion. To maintain correct body alignment, imagine a straight line running from your head down to your ankles, says HundredPushups.com.
Prisoner Squat
The prisoner squat is a variation of the classic squat. Start this exercise by placing your hands behind your head and interlocking your fingers. Stand tall and spread your feet shoulder width apart. Sink your trunk downward and back as if you were sitting in a chair until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Be sure your knees are over your ankles. Drive through the heels and return to the top of the squat.
Chin Ups
Grasp the bar with an underhand grip at shoulder width apart. The arms should be fully extended just before you begin to pull up. To begin the ascent, the relatively strong upper back and elbow flexor muscles will be used, as the elbows are drawn down and back, says Bodybuilding.com. Continue to pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar then begin to descend back to the starting position.
Bench Dips
Start by sitting on a bench and grasping the edge of the bench at shoulder width apart. Walk yourself out and straighten your legs so your balancing on your heels. Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in you're elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints, says ShapeFit.com. Slowly lower your torso towards the ground and bend your elbows at 90 degrees. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, push through your palms and return to the top of the movement.
Diamond Push-Up
There are many variations of the push-up but the diamond push-up is one of the most effective for building muscle mass. Start in the prone position and make your hands into the shape of a diamond, but touching the top of your thumbs and index fingers together. Assume a wide stance on the toes that is wider then shoulder width apart. Slowly lower your chest towards the diamond and allow your elbows to flare out to your sides. At the bottom of the push-up, press through your palms and return to the top.
Member Comments
Klingkong February 28
For a great resource on bodyweight exercises, check out the first exclusively bodyweight fitness app from Apple. The app is called Your Gym, and it is based on the bestselling fitness book You Are Your Own Gym; The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises. It contains 125 exercises with over 300 variations, timers, social media integration, and it has a long road map of upcoming updates that will include videos of all the exercises and personalized programs that give users step-by-step guidance during each workout.
You can find out more at www.marklauren.com.
Cheers!