If you are ready to work out but have no equipment, you still have no excuse for not exercising. Body weight exercises are challenging and effective, using muscles in ways that make them functionally strong for everyday tasks. According to the National Strength Conditioning Association, the value of functional training for everyone "is apparent for overall quality of life and injury prevention." Tried and true body weight exercises will hit all your major muscle groups and prepare you for whatever life throws your way.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups target the latissimus dorsi muscle of the middle back as a prime mover and the biceps, rhomboids and posterior deltoid as secondary movers. Pronated-grip, or palms-down pull-ups put most of the load on the back muscles while supinated-grip, or palms-up pull-ups distribute the load between the back and biceps. The core muscles kick in to stabilize the trunk.
Push-ups
Push-ups target the pectoralis major of the chest as a prime mover and load the triceps and anterior deltoid as secondary movers. The core muscles of the low back and abdomen contract to stabilize the trunk, and the muscles of the lower body all pitch in to hold the body in position. Varying your hand width will redistribute the workload to different muscles. For example, close-set hands make the triceps work harder.
Dips
Dips zero in on the triceps, but also recruit the pectoralis and deltoid muscles as secondary movers. Bench dips with the feet elevated load the hamstrings as stabilizers. Parallel bar dips focus on triceps, but recruit more pec and anterior delt action than bench dips. When doing dips, keep your elbows close to your ribs to take the load off your rotator cuffs and better isolate the triceps.
Hanging Abs
With hanging abs you are lifting the entire weight of your lower body with your ab muscles. To make this exercise effective, focus on shortening the distance between the ribs and the hips rather than just lifting the knees. Hanging abs recruit most of the major muscles in the upper body as stabilizers. Use arm straps if you are not strong enough to support your entire body weight with your arms alone.
Squats
Squats are an important functional exercise that recruit the quadriceps, gluteals and hamstrings. To execute a safe squat, keep your weight on your heels and initiate hip movement before bending your knees, sitting back into your heels with a lifted chest and slightly arched back. To protect your knees, avoid angles less than 90 degrees.
Traveling Lunges
Traveling lunges recruit all the major muscles of the lower body and are highly effective for bringing out muscle definition and promoting balance and joint stability. When doing traveling lunges, maintain a vertical spine with your chest lifted. Perform each lunge as a separate entity, avoiding forward momentum. Plant the lead foot with emphasis on the heel and do not allow your weight to roll into your forefoot.
Plyometrics
Plyometric exercises develop muscular power by stretching the tendon before forcefully contracting the muscle, propelling you into space with a rubber-band like action. Plyometrics can be applied to most muscle actions requiring power. Try using plyometrics with squats and lunges, propelling your body off the floor as your legs are extended and minimizing time on the ground between repetitions.
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