Best Bodyweight Exercises for Weight Loss

Best Bodyweight Exercises for Weight Loss

Do you want to exercise at home without gym equipment to lose weight? So stay tuned. I have the 15 best bodyweight exercises for weight loss for you.

These exercises do not need any expensive equipment or external weight. Instead, you can do these exercises with the help of your body weight.

In my opinion, home workouts are much more practical, but home workouts have their own problems, as the right equipment can be expensive.

So, I looked for classic workouts to do at home to lose weight. And I found some of the best bodyweight exercises for weight loss and fasting that don’t require external weights.

Best Bodyweight Exercises for Weight Loss

For weight loss, Diet usually matters more than exercise alone. Training on its own rarely gives the results you want.

The CDC's steps for losing weight pair healthy eating with regular physical activity. If you need easy meal ideas, see our 11 low-carb frozen meals.

1. Wall Sits

Things you need to perform a wall sit is a wall. For wall sits, you will have to stand straight up and lean your back against the wall.

Then slide down until your knees are bent at about 90 degrees, with your knees over your ankles, and hold as long as you can.

I would recommend you to keep a stopwatch of how long you last, so you can measure your performance to get in better shape.

This exercise looks simple, and it feels simple for the first thirty seconds.

After that, it can be quite a difficult task to endure a burning pain in your legs.

2. Pull-ups

Pull-ups are a great way to build muscles in your upper body without weights. You can't spot-reduce fat from one area, but building muscle and burning calories helps overall fat loss.

For pull-ups, you need a sturdy bar that can hold your weight, such as a doorway pull-up bar or a bar at a local park. Avoid improvised spots like porch roofs or gutters.

Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar.

If you struggle to get your chin over the bar, think about driving your elbows down toward your ribs. Beginners can start with negatives (slowly lowering from the top) or band-assisted pull-ups.

But this exercise may not be for everyone. Nevertheless, it is an effective bodyweight exercise for those who have the strength to do it.

3. Dips

Dips are a pushing exercise that works the chest, shoulders and triceps, the opposite movement of a pull-up.

To perform a dip, you will be required to find a place with two stable bars on each side of you. Once you find a place to do this exercise, you will grab the dip bars, jump up and straighten your hands out.

Lower your body until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, then push yourself back up. Don't go deeper than feels comfortable for your shoulders.

Dips are often easier than pull-ups, but they are still challenging if your upper body strength is not yet developed. Bench dips are an easier starting point. So start small in the beginning, and after that, you can increase the reps.

4. Tuck Jumps

These tuck jumps are a high-intensity, full-body move that also works your core.

You will start standing straight up in an athletic stance with your feet just a little wider than your shoulders for doing this exercise. As you start, slightly bend your knees and lower your body quickly into a squat position, then explode, tucking your knees into your chest.

Land softly with bent knees and go straight into the next jump. This is a high-impact move, so skip it if you have knee or ankle problems.

5. Push-Ups

Push-ups are the most popular bodyweight exercise and one of the best.

Push-ups are a great way to build upper body strength while burning calories.

To perform this exercise, you have to start in a plank position with hands around shoulder level. Lower your body until your chest is close to the floor, keeping your body in a straight line, then push back up into the plank position. Beginners can do them from their knees or against a wall.

Repeat for as many good-form reps as you can. Push-ups build strength and help with weight loss when combined with a good diet.

You can also do a combination of push-ups and dips to get great results.

6. Lunges

Lunges are harder when you hold weights, but they are still a good lower body exercise without them.

For performing this exercise, you have to begin with standing straight up in an athletic stance. Then step your left foot forward and lower your body until your right knee nearly touches the ground.

After this, you lift your body upward in a standing position and repeat this exercise for the right foot.

7. Squats

Like lunges, squats work your lower body with only your body weight. They also engage your core and lower back muscles.

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back and bend both knees to lower your body until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, or as low as is comfortable.

Then push through your heels back up to standing. Repeat these squats as many times as you can.

Squats are easy to do, but they can become challenging after doing them for a while. However, this exercise works really well to build your lower body muscles and burn calories.

8. Step Ups

Another lower body exercise, this bodyweight exercise, will allow you to burn calories while building your muscles.

To step up, you have to find a sturdy, durable box that you can step upon. If you can’t find one of them, then consider using the steps on your front porch.

Stand facing the box, place your left foot on it and push through that foot to step up. Step back down with control, then repeat with the right leg.

This exercise looks easier initially, but it can be difficult in the longer duration after doing it for a while.

Step-ups also build single-leg strength and balance.

9. Mountain Climbers

Many people think of mountain climbers as a lower body exercise, but they also work your core, shoulders and arms, and raise your heart rate.

For mountain climbers, you will start in a plank position. Next, you have to pull your one knee upwards to your midsection.

As your knees extend backward to the ground, ready to bring the other knee up towards your midsection.

Repeat this mountain climber exercise as much as you can. Mountain climbers are meant to perform in a fast-paced, so go as fast as you can.

10. Stair Climbs

Stair climbing is excellent cardio and a great bodyweight exercise for your lower body.

You need stairs for this exercise. If you live in a two-story house or an apartment building with stairs, you're set. If not, find a stadium or a steep hill.

Once you find a good place to do this exercise, you have to do exactly what the name of the exercise indicates- climb stairs.

Make sure to start slow so you don’t trip and fall, but as you get comfortable, then you can increase your pace for the best possible exercise.

Stair climbs are one of the most demanding exercises on this list, and among the most rewarding for burning calories.

So if you want to lose weight, add these stair climbs exercise in your bodyweight workout to get better results.

11. Burpees

Burpees are a full-body exercise that works your upper body, lower body and core while raising your heart rate.

For doing the burpees exercise, you will have to stand straight up with your feet shoulder-width apart. As you start doing this exercise, you will go into a squat position by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.

After that, you have to push your feet back from the squat position, leading your body to land in a plank position.

From there, jump your feet back to the squat position and jump upward.

When you come down, then land into a squat position and repeat the exercise.

In the beginning, doing burpees can be difficult, but they work really well in delivering better results to lose weight because it is a calorie-burning exercise.

12. Lunge Jumps

These lunge jumps are a fantastic way to increase both your lower body strength and your cardio endurance.

Lunge jumps are similar to how you would perform a regular lunge. But slightly different in variation.

Start in a lunge position. Jump straight up, switch legs in the air and land softly in a lunge with the other leg forward.

If you are a beginner in bodyweight workouts, I would recommend you start basic lunge and work your way up to lunge jumps.

13. High knees

High knees raise your heart rate and work your hip flexors, legs and core.

Run in place, driving your knees up to about hip height and pumping your arms.

14. Butterfly Sit-ups

Butterfly sit-ups strengthen your abs. They won't burn belly fat on their own, because you can't spot-reduce fat.

Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and your knees falling out to the sides. Sit up as tall as you can.

You have to touch the ground in front of your feet at the top of each rep.

15. V-Up

The V-Up exercise strengthens your core.

To perform this exercise, you have to lie down on the floor with arms extended overhead and legs straight in front of you.

Lift your upper body and legs off the floor at the same time, reaching your hands toward your feet so your body forms a V at the top.

Then slowly lower your torso and legs before the next rep.

Bodyweight Exercises FAQ

Is it okay to do bodyweight exercises every day?

Yes, for most people, as long as you vary the intensity and give sore muscles time to recover. Bodyweight training is a great alternative when you can't get to the gym: it needs no weights, and you can do it at home.

Are bodyweight exercises effective for losing weight?

Is switching from weights to bodyweight exercises good? Yes. Bodyweight exercises burn calories and build muscle, and they don't need expensive equipment. For weight loss, combine them with a calorie-controlled diet.

Sources

• Steps for Losing Weight, CDC
• Adult Activity: An Overview, CDC
• Exercise and Physical Fitness, MedlinePlus