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No gym? No problem. A full-body bodyweight workout can help you build strength, improve endurance, and boost mobility—anytime, anywhere.
Bodyweight exercises rely on gravity and your own body to challenge your muscles. They’re simple, effective, and adaptable to any fitness level. Whether you’re just starting out or need a new routine to keep things interesting, bodyweight training is a perfect fit for any lifestyle.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through exercises that target every major muscle group in one session. Ready to take your fitness to the next level and feel stronger every day? This workout is here to help. Discover the best bodyweight exercises for a stronger, healthier version of you.
8 Moves For A Full Body Bodyweight Workout
This full body bodyweight workout builds strength, endurance, and functional fitness by targeting all major muscle groups. Incorporate them into your routine for a complete and effective workout:
8 Exercises For A Full Body Bodyweight Workout
The exercises below target different muscle groups across your body, ensuring a balanced and effective full-body workout. Combining these exercises will improve strength, stability, and flexibility, creating a well-rounded routine that challenges every part of your body.
Push-Up
The push-up is a classic bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the chest and shoulders. It also engages your triceps, core, and stabilizing muscles, making it a fantastic full-body movement.
Progressive push-up training has been shown to be as effective as bench press for developing upper body strength. Whereas, unlike bench presses, push-ups require no equipment, making them more accessible.
This versatile exercise can be modified for beginners or advanced athletes, ensuring it suits any fitness level.
How To Do
- Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and directly under your shoulders.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels by engaging your core and glutes.
- Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows at a 45–degree angle.
- Stop just before your chest touches the floor, then push back up to the starting position.
Tips
- Maintain a neutral neck position by looking slightly ahead, not directly up or down.
- Avoid letting your hips sag or pike; keep your body aligned for proper engagement and to protect your back.
- Focus on slow, controlled movements to maximize muscle activation and minimize momentum. Stay engaged throughout the lowering phase instead of allowing yourself to drop.
- If needed, modify by dropping to your knees while keeping a straight line from knees to head.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
Endurance Training | 3–4 | 15+ |
Power Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Explosive) |
Dip
Dips are a compound bodyweight exercise that effectively targets the chest and triceps. They also engage the shoulders, core, and stabilizers, making them excellent for upper body strength and stability.
This exercise is versatile, as you can perform them on parallel bars, dip stations, or even sturdy furniture. Furthermore, there are many available variations of the exercise and options to change the grip. This allows you to vary muscle focus and adjust intensity to suit your fitness level.
They are ideal for building pushing strength and improving muscle definition.
How To Do
- Begin by gripping parallel bars with your palms facing inward and arms fully extended.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
- Push through your palms to return to the starting position, fully extending your arms without locking your elbows.
Tips
- You can lean your torso slightly forward to shift focus onto your chest. Otherwise, you can keep your torso upright to focus on engaging the triceps more intensely.
- Avoid flaring your elbows; keep them close to your body to prevent shoulder strain.
- Keep your shoulders back and down for proper engagement and form.
- Use a full range of motion, but don’t drop below parallel to protect your shoulders.
- Beginners can use assistance bands or perform dips on a sturdy chair for support.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
Endurance Training | 3–4 | 15+ |
Power Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Explosive) |
Plank
The plank is an isometric bodyweight exercise, which means it engages the muscles without moving or changing their length. This exercise engages the core muscles to hold the position.
The core stabilization of this exercise enhances muscular endurance and helps reduce lower back pain. It also engages the shoulders, chest, back, and glutes, making it a highly effective full-body stability exercise.
How To Do
- Start in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders.
- Extend your legs straight back, keeping your toes firmly planted and your body in a straight line.
- Engage your core by drawing your belly button toward your spine and bracing.
- Hold this position and maintain a steady breath throughout.
Tips
- Avoid arching your back or dropping your hips, as this can reduce effectiveness and increase the risk of injury.
- Keep your neck neutral by looking slightly ahead, not strained up or down.
- Squeeze your glutes and thighs to maintain a strong and stable lower body.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 10–20 seconds (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | N/A due to low resistance levels | N/A |
Endurance Training | 2–3 | 30–60 seconds |
Power Training | N/A due to slow control speeds | N/A |
Pull-Up
The pull-up is a powerful bodyweight exercise that intensely works the back muscles. During a traditional pull-up, the lats can work at about 80% of their maximum capacity. Thus, making it ideal for sculpting a more defined muscular back.
It also engages the biceps, shoulders, and core, making it a staple in any upper body bodyweight workout. The exercise requires a pull-up bar or similar sturdy surface and can be modified for beginners or advanced athletes.
How To Do
- Grip the pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away from you.
- Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and shoulders engaged.
- Pull your chest toward the bar by squeezing your shoulder blades together and driving your elbows down.
- Lower yourself back to the starting position in an engaged motion.
Tips
- Avoid using momentum or swinging; focus on controlled movements to maximize back engagement.
- Keep your core tight to prevent arching or swaying during the exercise.
- Initiate the pull with your back muscles, not your arms, to target the lats effectively.
- Beginners can use resistance bands or an assisted pull-up machine to build strength.
- Advanced athletes can add weight with a belt or hold the top position to increase intensity.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
Endurance Training | 3–4 | 15+ |
Power Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Explosive) |
Squat
The squat is a foundational lower-body exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps while also engaging the glutes, hamstrings, and core. This functional movement mimics everyday actions like sitting and standing, improving strength, balance, and mobility.
Squats are highly versatile and can be modified to suit the user. For example, stance width and toe direction can be altered to change muscle focus and joint pressure.
How To Do
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Keep your chest lifted and core engaged as you bend your knees to lower your body.
- Lower as far as your mobility allows.
- Push through the entire foot to return to the starting position, fully extending your legs.
Tips
- Keep your knees aligned with your toes to prevent unnecessary joint strain.
- Avoid letting your knees collapse inward during the movement to ensure proper form.
- Focus on driving through your feet’s three points of contact – your heel, big toe, and pinky toe.
- Maintain a neutral spine by avoiding excessive rounding or arching of your back.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
Endurance Training | 3–4 | 15+ |
Power Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Explosive) |
Bodyweight Single-Leg Deadlift
The bodyweight single-leg deadlift is a unilateral (one-sided) exercise that effectively works the hamstrings and glutes. It also engages your core and improves balance, coordination, and stability.
This movement is ideal for enhancing lower-body strength while addressing muscular imbalances. This is because training one side at a time ensures that a stronger side doesn’t compensate for the weaker side.
How To Do
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and engage your core for balance.
- Shift your weight onto one leg, keeping a slight bend in the supporting knee.
- Hinge forward at the hips while extending your other leg straight back.
- Lower your torso until it’s parallel to the floor, forming a T shape with your body.
- As you lower, reach the arm on the moving leg’s side towards the opposing foot.
- Slowly return to the starting position by driving through your supporting heel and returning your arm to your side. Repeat on the other leg.
Tips
- Keep your back flat and avoid rounding your shoulders to protect your spine.
- Focus on keeping your hips and shoulders level to prevent rotation during the movement.
- Engage your glutes to stabilize your pelvis and control the descent.
- Beginners can use a wall or chair for support while improving balance.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
Endurance Training | 3–4 | 15+ |
Power Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Explosive) |
Mountain Climber
Mountain climbers are a dynamic exercise that heavily engages the abdominal muscles. In addition, the shoulders, chest, and legs are activated throughout.
Mountain climbers and other high-intensity calisthenics also improve aerobic endurance and body composition. This is due to the effective combination of strength-based training with fast-paced movements.
How To Do
- Begin in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Drive your right knee toward your chest without letting your hips drop or rise.
- Quickly switch legs, extending your right leg back while driving your left knee forward.
- Continue alternating legs at a steady pace.
Tips
- Avoid letting your hips sag or twist excessively; keep your core tight for stability.
- Maintain a consistent rhythm to maximize intensity and abdominal engagement.
- Keep your hands firmly planted and your shoulders over your wrists for support.
- Beginners can slow the movement down to focus on form before increasing speed.
- To make it harder, add a pause when your knee is near your chest for extra core activation.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 30–60 seconds (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 30–60 seconds |
Endurance Training | 2–3 | 60+ seconds |
Power Training | 3–5 | 30–60 seconds |
Burpee
The burpee is an energetic full-body exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including the chest, legs, core, and shoulders.
High-intensity full-body training elevates your heart rate and strengthens your cardiovascular system. Burpees combine strength and cardio, making them effective for building endurance, burning calories, and improving overall fitness.
How To Do
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides.
- Squat down and place your hands on the floor in front of you.
- Jump your feet back into a plank position.
- Perform a push-up, lowering your chest to the floor and pushing back up.
- Jump your feet forward to return to the squat position.
- Explode upward into a jump, reaching your arms overhead.
Tips
- Keep your core engaged to maintain a straight plank position and protect your lower back.
- Land softly when jumping to reduce the impact on your joints.
- Beginners can skip the push-up or jump for a lower-impact variation.
- To increase difficulty, add a tuck jump or a second push-up before standing.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
---|---|---|
Strength Training | 3–5 | 6–8 (Weighted) |
Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
Endurance Training | 2–3 | 15+ |
Power Training | 3–5 | 4–6 (Explosive) |
Best Full Body Bodyweight Routine
This bodyweight workout plan is designed to target all major muscle groups, building strength, endurance, and balance. The routine combines dynamic and static movements to challenge your muscles and improve functional fitness. Perform this workout 2–3 times per week, allowing 48–72 hours in between for proper recovery. Remember to include a dynamic warm-up before starting to reduce injury risk and finish with a cooldown to aid recovery.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Duration | Rest (between sets) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pull-Up | 3–4 sets | 8–12 reps | 60–90 seconds | |
Squat | 3–4 sets | 8–12 reps | 60–90 seconds | |
Push-Up | 3–4 sets | 8–12 reps | 60–90 seconds | |
Single-Leg Deadlift | 3–4 sets | 8–12 reps | 60–90 seconds | |
Dip | 3–4 sets | 8–12 reps | 60–90 seconds | |
Plank | 3–4 sets | 40–60 seconds | 60–90 seconds | |
Mountain Climber | 3–4 sets | 40–60 seconds | 60–90 seconds | |
Burpee | 3–4 sets | 8–12 reps | 60–90 seconds |
Benefits Of A Full Body Bodyweight Workout
Balanced And Efficient
Full body bodyweight workouts promote balanced development by targeting multiple muscle groups in one session. Combining exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, and squats ensures you are training all parts of your body.
With busy schedules, finding time to work out every day can feel impossible for a lot of people. Full-body workouts solve this by maximizing efficiency, allowing you to effectively train your entire body using limited time.
Furthermore, this comprehensive approach trains your entire body evenly, helping prevent muscular imbalances. It prevents overtraining specific areas while neglecting others.
Accessible And Adaptable
Bodyweight workouts are accessible and adaptable, improving posture, strength, and body composition without requiring major training equipment and space. You can perform them at home, outdoors, or while traveling. This can increase the likelihood of consistency for many people, which is the key to results.
Furthermore, bodyweight exercises are suitable for people with varying fitness levels, from beginners to advanced athletes. Exercises can be modified easily to increase or decrease intensity, aligning with your goals and capabilities.
Resistance bands or support props can lessen the load your body needs to lift or hold, making exercises more beginner-friendly. On the other hand, more reps, longer hold, and added weight can increase the challenge for the more experienced.
Whether focusing on strength, muscular endurance, or functional movement, bodyweight routines provide endless possibilities.
Improves Daily Life
Daily life can be improved with bodyweight workouts by building strength, stability, and mobility that carry over into everyday tasks.
An essential part of bodyweight exercises is core engagement as it stabilizes the body throughout movements. Improved core strength supports enhanced posture and better balance, and reduces back pain in day-to-day life.
Furthermore, many functional movements in bodyweight exercises mimic real-life actions. For example, step-ups mirror climbing stairs and squats use the same muscles as sitting down and standing up. Thus, meaning as you get stronger in the exercise, the more those muscles can support you in real-life situations.
Moreover, daily life requires your joints to be mobile and they are constantly working through different ranges of motion. Greater joint mobility allows you to move with ease, helping to prevent stiffness and discomfort during daily routine activities. Bodyweight exercises practice taking your joints through a full range of motion and strengthening the muscles that support them.
Expert Training Tips
- Perform exercises through a full range of motion. This activates more muscle fibers and maximizes hypertrophy (muscle growth).
- Use controlled, steady movements to avoid relying on momentum and ensure optimal muscle activation during each repetition.
- Take short rest periods (approximately 60 seconds) between exercises to maintain intensity while giving your muscles enough time to recover.
- Balance your exercises for an effective full-body workout. For example, incorporating the upper body, lower body, and core, pushing and pulling, bilateral and unilateral, and static and dynamic.
- Use progressive overload to maximize muscle growth. Gradually increase reps, sets, or intensity to challenge your muscles and optimize strength and endurance gains.
Conclusion
A full body bodyweight workout is an efficient and effective way to build greater strength, endurance, and mobility without equipment. By targeting all major muscles, these exercises ensure balanced development and functional fitness.
The versatility of bodyweight training allows you to work out anywhere, adapting movements to suit your fitness level. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the long-term benefits of full-body bodyweight training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s fine to focus on full-body workouts if balanced. Allow proper rest between sessions to prevent overtraining and injuries. Full-body routines are ideal for building strength, improving endurance, and maintaining overall fitness when done consistently and mindfully.
Yes, training with full-body workouts three times weekly is effective and can increase lean body mass. It provides enough stimulus for strength gains while allowing sufficient muscle recovery.
Yes, bodyweight exercises can build muscle and burn fat, helping you get ripped. Combine progressive overload, a calorie deficit, and consistency. These exercises can improve strength and definition when paired with a balanced, protein-rich diet.
A full body calisthenics workout is more accessible than a gym workout because it requires no equipment or memberships. Its adaptability allows training anywhere, making it ideal for beginners and advanced athletes who value versatility and simplicity.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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