Workout Without Weights: Body Weight Strength Training

Sometimes, working out at the gym feels great. Other times the effort required just to get there seems too great. For those days when you just don’t have time to go to the gym, or the weather is too nice to be inside any longer than necessary, you can get a great workout without weights just about anywhere.

Using your own body weight as resistance, you can work all of the major muscle groups that you would target with free weights or machines in the gym. A good workout without weights does not have to be complicated. Simple exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and lunges can provide a great full body strength workout with little or no equipment. The key, as with all resistance training workouts, is to work to fatigue during every set.

Try this workout without weights inside or out. Try sets of 10-12 for each exercise, and follow the modifications as needed.

Upper Body Workout Without Weights

Push Ups
Start in a normal push up position: hands shoulder width apart, legs extended and feet together. Keep your abs pulled in and try to keep your back in a neutral (flat) position. If this is too challenging, try widening your feet or put your knees instead of feet on the ground.

For more of a challenge try elevating your feet a bit. Give your pecs, deltoids, and triceps a slightly different workout by changing your hand position. Try a wider or narrower stance, or stagger your hands: one slightly forward of your shoulders and one a bit behind.

Pull Ups
Pull up bars are fairly easy to find in sporting goods stores, not too costly, and most are simple to install or assemble. If your upper body strength is sufficient, start with sets of regular pull ups: hands about shoulder width apart. If this is too difficult, try a flexed arm hang. Use a stool if needed to get into the top of the pull up position, and hold yourself up for 10-20 seconds (or as long as possible) before releasing. To work the lats and other large back muscles, try a wider grip. Keep your body straight by holding your abs tight for the duration of the set.

Triceps Dips
Begin by sitting at the edge of a chair, stool, or other raised structure with a distinct edge. Bend your knees and plant both feet, together, firmly on the ground. Put your hands on the edge of the chair and scoot your hips forward, holding yourself up with your arms. Lower your body by flexing at the elbows, then push yourself back up. Flex at the hips and try not to move your shoulders. Keeping your feet closer to the chair and your body will make the exercise easier, while farther extending your legs will make it more of a challenge.

Lower Body Workout Without Weights

Lunges
This classic lower body exercise is great for the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluts. Lunges can be performed in single side sets, or by alternating the forward leg. You can step forward for each lunge, or keep a wide legged stance throughout the set. Good form requires that you keep your front knee over or slightly behind your front foot, to prevent overloading the knee.

Squats
As with the lunge, good squat form requires that you keep your knees over your ankles and do not push them forward as you move your upper body down and back up. Flex at the hips and knees to push your hips back and down. For a standard squat, your weight should be distributed evenly between your feet. As you sink lower into the squat, your weight may shift farther back into your heels. For a different challenge, try lowering your body straight down and focu your weight on one leg as you push back up.

When using your body weight as resistance, it is just as important to maintain good form as when you are using free weights or strength training machines. A workout without weights has the added benefit of providing a great full body workout in almost any location. So the next time you’re not in the mood for the gym, don’t just skip your workout. Try a workout without weights and let your body really challenge itself.