Daily activities require a balanced and overall strong muscular system. There are many ways to work to achieve a strong body and enhance your daily living. One way is through resistance training.
Bodyweight exercises are functional resistance training exercises that can help improve everyday life, such as balance, walking, and sitting. These exercises can also be done conveniently anywhere, such as at home or the gym.
This article explores how to successfully implement several of the best bodyweight exercises into your workout routine. We will examine effective form and exercise programming for each.
11 Best Bodyweight Exercises
Below are eleven bodyweight exercises for targeting multiple muscle groups and the cardiovascular system:
11 Top Body Weight Exercises
Below, you will find eleven body weight exercises that can be done without any equipment. They can also be used in general bodyweight strength training workouts.
Plank
The plank works several muscle groups across the upper and lower body. Specifically, the plank activates the rectus abdominis, obliques, erector spinae, abductors, quadriceps, and gluteus muscles.
The plank involves isometric contractions, meaning you have muscle recruitment without any change in the length of the muscles. This benefits the body by improving muscle tone, posture, and stability.
How To Do
- Get into an all-fours position on the ground. Your hips should be over your knees. Your hands should be flat on the floor, about shoulder-width apart, and in line with your shoulders.
- Lower your forearms to the ground. Engage your back and shoulder muscles.
- Straighten your legs so only your feet and forearms are in contact with the floor. Your feet should be less than a foot apart. Keep your pelvis slightly tucked to protect your lower back. Engage your abdominal and glute muscles.
- Keep your chin tucked with your eyes facing the ground to keep a neutral spine. Keep all of the above muscles engaged for the full duration of the set.
- When the duration is complete, lower your body to your knees and sit up.
Tips
- If you are a beginner, start with a shorter duration. If you are more advanced, increase the time and/or add a variation to the plank.
- Maintain a neutral spine. Keep your body flat as a board. Ensure your hips do not move too high towards the ceiling or drop too low towards the ground.
- Focusing on slow breaths while engaging your core muscles will help you fully activate your core.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 10–20 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | N/A due to low resistance levels | N/A |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 30–60 seconds |
| Power Training | N/A due to low resistance levels | N/A |
Push-Up
Push-ups primarily work the pectoralis major and minor, triceps, and anterior deltoid muscles. Push-ups also secondarily activate engagement with the core and postural muscles for stability during the exercise.
Push-ups offer various benefits. They help to increase upper body strength and endurance, enhance core stability, improve posture, and support joint health. All these promote better daily functionality and mental health.
How To Do
- Get into an all-fours position on the ground. Your hips should be over your knees. Your hands should be flat on the floor, about shoulder-width apart, and in line with your shoulders.
- Straighten your legs so that only your feet and hands are in contact with the floor. Your feet should be together. Keep your pelvis slightly tucked to protect your lower back. Engage your abdominal and glute muscles.
- Bend your elbows and lower your body towards the ground. Continue lowering until your elbows reach approximately 90 degrees and your body is parallel to the floor.
- Raise your body back up to the starting position.
- Continue steps 2–4 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Avoid arching your back. Ensure your butt is not pointing too high or sagging too low. Do so by engaging your core muscles.
- Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way back to the starting position.
- Keep your head and neck in line with the rest of your body. Do this by looking at the floor throughout the motion.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Squat
Bodyweight squats primarily work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. They additionally work the adductors, hip flexors, and core. These muscles are important for daily activities such as balance, sitting down, walking, and lifting things.
Squats can help build the lower body muscles, making more defined and lean legs. There are many other benefits of squats, including improvements in posture, balance, core, balance, bone density, and stability. Additionally, squats are low-impact, so they can be feasible for various levels of individuals.
How To Do
- Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Raise your arms straight in front of you, elbows unbent.
- Bend your knees and enter a sitting position. Do this by slowly lowering your buttocks towards the ground.
- Once you have reached approximately 90 degrees of knee flexion (bend), stand back up toward the starting position.
- Continue steps 3–4 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Inhale on the downward motion and exhale on the upward motion.
- Keep your chest as upright as possible.
- Push your buttocks downward and backward to prevent excessive knee and hip flexion. Too much flexion results in your chest leaning too far forward, straining your neck.
- Add weight to this exercise if it is too easy. You can use weights from a gym or items around the house, such as a gallon of milk.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Lunge
Bodyweight lunges work the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, adductors, and core. These muscles are used every day in activities such as walking, running, going up and down stairs, and lifting heavy objects.
There are many benefits of lunges, including strengthening the lower body muscles, improving balance and stability, and boosting athletic performance. Additionally, lunges improve posture, bone health, and coordination, and aid in fat loss. Lastly, lunges can feasibly be added to any bodyweight workout, both strength and cardio, because they work multiple body systems.
How To Do
- Start in a standing position with your hands on your hips.
- Take a large step forward with your right foot while keeping your left foot planted.
- Slowly lower your body as your right foot touches the ground. Do this by bending both knees into a 90-degree position. Your left knee should be approximately one inch from the ground. The majority of your weight should be on your right (front) leg.
- Slowly raise your body back up towards the starting position. Do this by engaging your quadriceps and hamstrings to push your body upward.
- Push off of your right foot to bring the leg back to your starting position.
- Perform this same process with the opposite leg.
- Continue steps 2–5 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Inhale on the downward motion. Exhale on the upward motion.
- Do not let your knees touch the ground during this motion.
- Brace your core throughout this movement for stability and balance.
- Keep your knee in line with your ankle during step three to avoid your knee moving past your toes.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 2–5 | 6–8 |
| Hypertrophy | 2–6 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–4 | 15–20 |
| Power Training | 2–5 | 4–6 (Explosive) |
Arm Circle
The arm circle exercise works the pectoralis major and minor, deltoids, and serratus anterior muscles. These are important for pushing and lifting heavy objects.
The main benefits of the arm circle exercise are improving muscle tone, joint mobility, and posture. Muscle tone is the balance of elasticity and stiffness in a muscle. Having an imbalance of muscle elasticity and stiffness can lead to various injuries.
How To Do
- Begin in a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Raise your arms directly forward in front of you.
- Continue to raise above your head.
- Continue to rotate your arms behind your head until you reach back to the starting position.
- Continue steps 2–4 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Exhale as you initially lift your arms upward. Inhale on the backward motion behind your head.
- Limit range of motion if you experience pain or discomfort. You can do this by not lifting your arms as high or by removing the backward motion.
- Incorporate this exercise into your upper body warm-up or into your general routine workout.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Close-Grip Chin-Up
Close-grip chin-ups work the latissimus dorsi muscle. This muscle is key for shoulder extension (arm behind the body) and adduction (arm toward the body’s midline). This is used daily in opening doors, picking up things, and hugging.
Some of the basic benefits of chin-ups include working multiple muscle groups while strengthening core, grip, and upper body strength. This exercise is easy to scale for difficulty and can be done anywhere. The close-grip chin-up can also be programmed into several workouts for many individuals, such as strength athletes, bodybuilders, or general fitness enthusiasts.
How To Do
- Begin by setting up with a high and sturdy bar that will support your body weight.
- Grip the bar with a supinated grip (palms facing you). This grip should be narrower than shoulder width. Extend your arms with a slight bend in your elbow.\
- Let your feet hang and cross your ankles.
- Pull yourself up until your chin reaches the bar. Pause for a second.
- Slowly lower your body back to the starting position.
- Continue steps 4–5 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Avoid this exercise if you have general shoulder impingement issues. This can exacerbate the pain.
- Keep the movement slow and controlled without using momentum to complete the reps. Avoid any swinging motion with your legs.
- Focus on bicep activation by squeezing your biceps with the underhand grip.
- You can use a weight-assisted chin-up machine or resistance bands if you need an easier modification.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Crunch
Crunches work various core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and erector spinae. These are important for spinal stability when we cough or pick up a heavy object. They are also used to maintain upright posture and core stability.
Some benefits of crunches include improving core strength, flexibility, mobility, and posture. Additionally, core strength is needed for general core stability, which crunches can help to achieve. Another benefit to the crunch is that it can be done anywhere, given it does not require equipment.
How To Do
- Lie down on your back on a mat or towel on a flat surface. Place your legs straight and your arms at your sides.
- Draw your knees up so your feet are flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head with your elbows flared out at approximately 90 degrees.
- Using your core, lift your shoulders off the ground and curl your torso toward your knees.
- Slowly lower your trunk back to the starting position.
- Continue steps 3–4 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Exhale on the upward movement. Inhale on the way back to the floor.
- Imagine an orange underneath your chin throughout this exercise. This allows you to avoid unnecessary neck strain by not pulling on the back of your neck.
- Prioritize engaging your abdominal muscles rather than your shoulders and neck.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 3–5 (Weighted) (Explosive) |
Chair Chest Dip
Chair chest dips work the pectoralis major and minor, triceps, anterior deltoids, and latissimus dorsi muscles. These are important for activities that involve pushing or pulling motions.
The chair dip effectively targets the three heads of the tricep brachii, creating an appropriate overload stimulus for muscle growth. This can help improve overall aesthetic appearance and muscle strength. Another benefit of the chair chest dip is that no equipment is needed except chairs, making it accessible from home.
How To Do
- Set up the area with two heavy chairs. Ensure these are stable and can hold your body weight. Set the chairs with their backs facing one another, with approximately shoulder-width room between them.
- Stand between the two backs of the chairs. Place one hand on each chair.
- Lift your feet off the floor, bending your knees and crossing your feet at your ankles. Your arms should fully support your weight.
- Slowly lower your body toward the ground until your elbows reach 90 degrees.
- Contracting your triceps and chest, raise your body back to the starting position.
- Continue steps 4–5 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Place heavy objects on the chairs to ensure they do not tip during your dip movement.
- Keep your chest upright. Do this by engaging your core throughout the movement.
- Keep your elbows in. This means they should glide next to your body during the full motion.
- If chest dips are too difficult for you to perform, there are many other chest dip alternatives you could use.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–10 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12+ |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Bird Dog
The bird dog exercise works postural muscles, specifically the erector spinae muscles. These primarily work to stabilize the spine, which is necessary for posture and spinal stability.
This exercise additionally works the gluteus, hamstrings, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, trapezius, posterior deltoid, and iliopsoas muscles. All these muscles are used daily in activities such as walking, sitting, picking up heavy objects, and lifting objects above your head.
The bird dog also helps improve general strength and coordination and may potentially relieve back pain.
How To Do
- Start in a tabletop position, with your hands and knees on the ground.
- Slowly extend your right arm forward and your left leg backward. Keep both limbs parallel to the floor.
- Pause briefly and slowly bring your arm and leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat on the opposite limbs.
- Continue steps 2–4 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Exhale when you extend your arm and leg outward. Inhale when you draw your arm and leg back in.
- Maintain a neutral spine. Do this by engaging your core muscles throughout this movement.
- Do not rotate your torso during this movement. Keep your hips and shoulders square to the floor to avoid this.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 6–8 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 12–15 |
| Power Training | 3–4 | 4–6 (Explosive) |
High Knee
The high knee exercise works the hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, calves, hip flexors, and tibialis anterior muscles. These muscles are needed for most everyday activities, such as walking and running.
There are several benefits to performing the high knees exercise. One is that it exercises your cardiovascular (heart) system. Performing exercise that stimulates the cardiovascular system provides excellent cardioprotective benefits. Therefore, this is an excellent exercise for heart health.
How To Do
- Start in an upright standing position, feet shoulder-width apart.
- While keeping your chest upright, raise your left knee towards your chest. At the same time, raise your right arm in a bent position.
- Lower your left leg and right arm. Raise your right knee and left arm at the same time. This should create a ballistic jumping motion, similar to jogging in place.
- Continue alternating these movements in steps two and three until you have reached your goal repetitions or duration.
Tips
- Breathe regularly throughout this movement.
- Maintain an upright position with your torso.
- Increase controlled speed for a greater impact on the cardiovascular (heart) system.
- If you require a modification, you can remove the jumping motion. You would perform step two, then fully lower your left knee and right arm before raising your right knee and left arm.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–4 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 3–5 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 4–5 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 4–6 | 10–15 seconds |
Pulse Row
The pulse row exercise works the posterior and middle deltoid, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, erector spinae, and trapezius muscles. These muscles are important for back-based activities. These include maintaining general posture and stability, pulling objects closer to you, and picking up heavy items.
The main benefit of the pulse row exercise is the improvement in posture. This is because several postural muscles are specifically isolated and targeted during this exercise. Additionally, this exercise is low-impact, so most individuals can program it into their bodyweight workouts.
How To Do
- Begin by laying face down on an exercise mat or towel. Your legs should be straight and your arms next to your side, palms facing up.
- Roll your shoulders backward towards the ceiling, engaging your posterior deltoids and latissimus dorsi muscles. Your arms should remain straight.
- Slowly lower your shoulders and arms back to the starting position.
- Continue steps 2–3 until goal repetitions are met.
Tips
- Exhale when rolling your shoulders towards the ceiling. Inhale when moving your shoulders back to the starting position.
- Place a towel or soft object under your face if needed to provide comfort.
- Keep your face facing the ground to avoid unnecessary strain on your posterior neck.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 2–5 | 6–8 |
| Hypertrophy | 2–6 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–4 | 15–20 |
| Power Training | 2–5 | 4–6 (Explosive) |
Best Bodyweight Workout Routine
Some of the best bodyweight workouts can be a combination of any of the exercises above. Use the following for targeting multiple muscle groups for strength and muscle growth.
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest (Between sets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 3 sets | 12–15 reps | 30 seconds |
| Push-up | 3 sets | 12–15 reps | 30 seconds |
| Lunge | 3 sets | 15 reps each | 30 seconds |
| Close-grip chin-up | 3 sets | 12 reps | 30 seconds |
| Bird dog | 3 sets | 12 reps each | 30 seconds |
Benefits Of Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight workouts provide many benefits, including increasing muscular strength and enhancing activities of daily living and feasibility for most individuals.
Improves Muscular Strength
Bodyweight exercises enhance athletic performance, especially lower-body exercises in athletes, due to improvements in strength and agility. These exercises have also been shown to increase overall muscle strength in overweight and obese populations.
The bodyweight exercises in this article highlight both upper and lower-body workouts. This allows for full-body muscle engagement to build muscle and strength, regardless of the population of individuals.
Enhances Daily Living Activities
Many people who struggle with activities of daily living, or ADLs, have poor muscle mass, muscle strength, and daily functional performance. ADLs are motions that we do every day that are essential for self-sufficient living, such as sitting down or walking. Bodyweight exercises can help enhance them.
The primary way to improve ADLs is by improving motor skills, especially for children and people with developmental disabilities. This can be done through bodyweight resistance training exercises. The motor skill changes also increase strength. Therefore, incorporating these bodyweight exercises could help improve daily living.
Feasible for Beginners New To Exercise
Bodyweight exercises do not require equipment or a gym facility. This makes them easy to implement into a home workout, especially for those new to exercise.
Additionally, many beginners do not have the proper motor skills and strength to participate in traditional free-weight resistance training. As stated, bodyweight exercises can help to improve those motor skills and strength. This is especially true because many of these exercises do not require complex motor skills, making them feasible for beginners.
Expert Training Tips
- Begin every workout with at least 5–10 minutes of warm-up and end it with a 5–10 minute cool-down. This helps minimize the risk of injury.
- To maximize the muscle-building potential, use the principles of progressive overload. This involves either using weights or increasing the amount of repetitions you do over time as your strength increases.
- Allow approximately 48 hours of recovery between your resistance training days. Focus on non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, during this period. NEAT is the energy that you expend throughout the day that is not sleeping, eating, or structured exercise.
- Additionally during recovery, focus on consuming adequate protein. Consume approximately 1.4–2.0 g/kg of body weight of protein per day to maintain lean mass.
Conclusion
Body weight exercises are an effective way to improve your health, especially muscular strength and endurance. These exercises also offer versatility due to not requiring exercise equipment.
Try to make slow and controlled movements with these bodyweight exercises. Focus on being slowest during the muscle lengthening part of each exercise. This helps improve muscle strengthening and building. You can also use these exercises with your other gym workouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
The eleven most effective bodyweight exercises are listed in this article. They are plank, push-up, squat, lunge, arm circle, close grip chin-up, crunch, chair chest dip, bird dog, high knees, and pulse row.
Bodyweight exercises can be cardio, strength training, or both. For example, high knees are both cardio and strength training.
Yes, you can build muscle with bodyweight exercises by following the principles of hypertrophy training with appropriate weight loading. For more advanced athletes, this may require adding weight to the exercise.
Bodyweight exercises may require very high repetitions or adding weight for more advanced athletes.
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.
- Wang, D.X.M., Yao, J., Yasar Zirek, Reijnierse, E.M. and Maier, A.B. (2019). Muscle mass, strength, and physical performance predicting activities of daily living: a meta‐analysis. Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle, [online] 11(1), pp.3–25. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12502.
- Oranchuk, D.J., Storey, A.G., Nelson, A.R. and Cronin, J.B. (2018). Isometric training and long‐term adaptations: Effects of muscle length, intensity, and intent: A systematic review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, [online] 29(4), pp.484–503. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13375.
- Jo, S.-H., Choi, H.-J., Cho, H.-S., Yoon, J.-H. and Lee, W.-Y. (2022). Effect of Core Balance Training on Muscle Tone and Balance Ability in Adult Men and Women. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 19(19), pp.12190–12190. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912190.
- Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M.D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J.C. and Andersen, L.L. (2015). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European Journal of Applied Physiology, [online] 116(3), pp.527–533. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7.
- Horowitz, E.H. and Aibinder, W.R. (2023). Shoulder Impingement Syndrome. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, [online] 34(2), pp.311–334. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2022.12.001.
- Hsu, S.-L., Oda, H., Saya Shirahata, Watanabe, M. and Sasaki, M. (2018). Effects of core strength training on core stability. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, [online] 30(8), pp.1014–1018. doi:https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.30.1014.
- SCHOENFELD, B.J., CONTRERAS, B., KRIEGER, J., GRGIC, J., DELCASTILLO, K., BELLIARD, R. and ALTO, A. (2018). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, [online] 51(1), pp.94–103. doi:https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000001764.
- Calatayud, J., Escriche-Escuder, A., Cruz-Montecinos, C., Andersen, L.L., Pérez-Alenda, S., Aiguadé, R. and Casaña, J. (2019). Tolerability and Muscle Activity of Core Muscle Exercises in Chronic Low-back Pain. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 16(19), p.3509. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193509.
- Henson, B., Kadiyala, B. and Edens, M.A. (2023). Anatomy, Back, Muscles. [online] Nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537074/.
- Calatayud, J., Escriche-Escuder, A., Cruz-Montecinos, C., Andersen, L.L., Sofía Pérez-Alenda, Ramón Aiguadé and José Casaña (2019). Tolerability and Muscle Activity of Core Muscle Exercises in Chronic Low-back Pain. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 16(19), pp.3509–3509. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193509.
- Fiuza-Luces, C., Santos-Lozano, A., Joyner, M., Carrera-Bastos, P., Picazo, O., Zugaza, J.L., Izquierdo, M., Ruilope, L.M. and Lucia, A. (2018). Exercise benefits in cardiovascular disease: beyond attenuation of traditional risk factors. Nature Reviews Cardiology, [online] 15(12), pp.731–743. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41569-018-0065-1.
- Sepehri, S., Rahman Sheikhhoseini, Piri, H. and Parisa Sayyadi (2024). The effect of various therapeutic exercises on forward head posture, rounded shoulder, and hyperkyphosis among people with upper crossed syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, [online] 25(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-024-07224-4.
- Artur Gołaś, Pietraszewski, P., Roczniok, R., Artur Terbalyan, Maszczyk, A., Rafał Opaliński and Zając, A. (2024). Effects of an 8-week pre-season targeted training on sprinting performance, agility and lower limb muscular asymmetries in elite soccer players. Biology of Sport, [online] 41(4), pp.69–76. doi:https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2024.134754.
- Liu, X., Gao, Y., Lu, J., Ma, Q., Shi, Y., Liu, J., Xin, S. and Su, H. (2022). Effects of Different Resistance Exercise Forms on Body Composition and Muscle Strength in Overweight and/or Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, [online] 12. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.791999.
- Wang, D.X.M., Yao, J., Yasar Zirek, Reijnierse, E.M. and Maier, A.B. (2019). Muscle mass, strength, and physical performance predicting activities of daily living: a meta‐analysis. Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle, [online] 11(1), pp.3–25. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12502.
- Farhat, F., Marisja Denysschen, Nourhen Mezghani, Kammoun, M.M., Adnene Gharbi, Haithem Rebai, Wassim Moalla and Bouwien Smits-Engelsman (2024). Activities of daily living, self-efficacy and motor skill related fitness and the interrelation in children with moderate and severe Developmental Coordination Disorder. PLoS ONE, [online] 19(4), pp.e0299646–e0299646. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299646.
- Emery, C.A. and Pasanen, K. (2019). Current trends in sport injury prevention. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, [online] 33(1), pp.3–15. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2019.02.009.
- Plotkin, D., Coleman, M., Every, D.V., Maldonado, J., Oberlin, D., Israetel, M., Feather, J., Alto, A., Vigotsky, A.D. and Schoenfeld, B.J. (2022). Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ, [online] 10, pp.e14142–e14142. doi:https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14142.
- Pareja-Blanco, F., Rodríguez-Rosell, D., Aagaard, P., Sánchez-Medina, L., Ribas-Serna, J., Mora-Custodio, R., Otero-Esquina, C., Yáñez-García, J.M. and González-Badillo, J.J. (2018). Time Course of Recovery From Resistance Exercise With Different Set Configurations. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, [online] 34(10), pp.2867–2876. doi:https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000002756.
- Loeffelholz, von (2022). Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Energy Homeostasis. [online] Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25905303/.
- Ralf Jäger, Kerksick, C.M., Campbell, B.I., Cribb, P.J., Wells, S.D., Skwiat, T.M., Purpura, M., Ziegenfuss, T.N., Ferrando, A.A., Arent, S.M., Smith-Ryan, A.E., Stout, J.R., Arciero, P.J., Ormsbee, M.J., Taylor, L.W., Wilborn, C.D., Kalman, D.S., Kreider, R.B., Willoughby, D.S. and Hoffman, J.R. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, [online] 14(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8.
- None Krzysztofik, Wilk, N., None Wojdała and None Gołaś (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 16(24), pp.4897–4897. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897.
- Schoenfeld, B.J., Grgic, J., Van, D.W. and Plotkin, D.L. (2021). Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports, [online] 9(2), pp.32–32. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9020032.
About the Author
Emily Post, PhD, CPT, CSCS Assistant Professor & Personal Trainer
