You do not need fancy gym equipment to begin your path of getting healthy and building strength. Body weight exercises effectively build strength and increase stamina, flexibility, agility and coordination. Begin by performing these exercises at the recommended repetitions and sets until you are able to complete them without pausing during the set before increasing repetitions.
Air Squats
The air squat is a functional exercise that will help you develop, strengthen and tone your abdominals, glutes, hips and thighs. Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes facing outward. Keep your chest high and maintain good posture throughout the movement. Tighten your abdominals as you begin to push your butt back, and remember to keep your chest up. As your hips move back, begin bending your knees, making sure they do not come past your toes. Keep tension in your abdominals. Try to keep all of your weight in your heels as you squat down until your hips are parallel with the floor. If you are unable to squat this low, squat until your heels begin to lift off the floor or when your chest drops. To stand, squeeze your glutes and push through your heels. Start with three unbroken sets of 10 squats.
Push-Ups
The push-up also requires no equipment and helps develop your chest, shoulders and arms. Begin by kneeling on the ground with your feet behind you. Walk your hands forward as you lift off your knees onto your toes. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders, shoulder-width apart. This top position is called a plank. Keep your core and glutes tight. Slowly lower yourself to the floor, leading with your chest, not your legs. Once your chest hits the floor, press through your arms and push the floor away from you. The finished position is a return to the plank, with arms completely straight. Do three sets of 10. If you are unable to complete the sets, perform the push-ups on your knees. Remember to keep your core tight and remain in a straight line.
Sit-ups
To further strengthen your core, perform bent knee sit-ups or crunches. Begin by lying on your back with bent knees, feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head, squeezing your shoulder blades together. As you exhale, contract your abdominals and bend your chin slightly toward your chest. Begin rolling upward, bringing your torso toward your knees. Once your back is completely off the floor, inhale as you roll back down. Complete three sets of 10.
Lunges
The forward lunge targets and strengthens your abdominals, glutes, hips and thighs. Begin by standing with your feet together with good posture. Pull one leg up, maintaining your balance and take a large step forward. Your heel should hit the ground first, not your toes. Slowly move your weight toward the front foot. While keeping your balance, begin lowering yourself to the ground. Think about dropping your hips down, not forward. Your knees should create two 90-degree angles. Once you are at the bottom of the lunge, push off your front leg to return to your starting position. Complete three sets of 20 lunges, 10 lunges per leg.
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