When it comes to home bodyweight training, many people think it’s just push-ups and sit-ups. They believe that without equipment and space, the results can’t compare to a gym. However, home workouts can offer much more than that. There are many classic bodyweight exercises that can train every muscle in the body. Even without leaving home, you can quickly improve your physical condition and achieve results that rival those from a gym! This special issue shares a series of highly practical ‘Home Workout Classic Moves’.
Not only are they flexible and varied, but they also target every part of the body. It’s especially suitable for those who don’t have time or conditions to go to the gym, allowing you to easily start exercising anytime, anywhere. It’s worth mentioning that everyone’s physical condition is different. If you can easily complete 30-40 repetitions of a set of exercises, it indicates that the intensity is too low. As your physical fitness improves, you can choose to switch to more difficult and intense variations. Everyone desires a healthy body, but a fit physique can only come from self-management and persistent effort. Start with this set of exercises to develop good fitness habits. Even if you’re confined at home, you can still maintain a healthy body and spirit. Remember to carefully save the following exercises and start exercising at any time. NO.01 SquatSquats, as a form of weight training, involve the hips, knees, and ankles, as well as the buttocks, thighs, and spine, making it a classic full-body exercise. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward, and the soles of your feet flat on the ground. Keep your upper body upright with your chest out and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Inhale when squatting down and exhale slowly while standing up, maintaining an upright posture. With the correct form, squats will not harm the knee joints and can even reduce the risk of knee injuries.
NO.02 Jumping Squat Jumping squats combine the squat and jump positions, increasing the difficulty and intensity. After successfully squatting down, use your own elasticity to jump up, then continue with squats and jumps, repeating the process. The movement is relatively simple, but it still requires training to perform correctly. NO.03 Jumping Lunge Jumping lunges are extremely helpful for training explosive power and burning fat. Stand with your feet staggered in a lunge position. Keep your back straight, with your toes and knees in the same direction. Push off the ground with both legs and jump up, switching the front and back positions of your legs before landing, and repeat the movement. NO.04 Wall Sit Wall sits are one of the simplest and most accessible exercises. Lean against a wall and perform a squat, ensuring that your back and legs form a ninety-degree angle, with your knees shoulder-width apart and no inward knee rotation.Performing wall-supported push-ups with the correct posture for about 10 minutes daily can effectively exercise various functions of the lower limb muscles. No.05 Tuck Jump: Tuck jumps are a type of plyometric strength training that requires strong explosive power. It is best to warm up before training, such as jogging, to get the body in the right state. When performing tuck jumps, squat down with the body, similar to a deep squat, and then jump up with all your strength after touching the ground, raising your knees as high as possible in the air, and landing with slightly bent feet. Maintain a straight waist while in the air and land lightly to reduce impact on the feet. Beginners can perform this exercise in three sets of 15 repetitions each, with a 2-minute rest in between. No.06 Pistol: Compared to regular squats, pistol squats require higher coordination and balance. You can use a handrail or other aids to complete it at first. Stand on one leg, keeping the center of gravity on the supporting leg to maintain balance. When squatting down, bend the knee of the supporting leg and control the descent to the bottom, with hands extended forward, while keeping the other leg raised. When standing up, push the hips backward, and once the hips are higher than the knees, continue to extend the hips and knee joints, repeating the motion. No.07 Shuttle Run: Shuttle run is a type of aerobic training, especially suitable for limited spaces and easy to perform. You can set a suitable distance and then sprint, touching the ground at both ends, and repeat this back and forth several times. It can effectively improve muscle explosiveness and the stretching ability of ligaments. No.08 Duck Walk: Duck walk is an endurance exercise for the lower limbs, which can strengthen the buttocks and leg muscles, and is also a good test of willpower. However, if leg strength is insufficient, it can easily cause damage to the waist and knees. Start by squatting down with both legs, then extend one leg to the side, quickly slide it to the front, and then slide the other leg from behind to the front, repeating this motion. Hands can be placed behind the back or raised crossed. No.09 Walking Lunge: Lunges are a classic lower body exercise, and the walking lunge, based on this, further strengthens the shaping of the buttocks and leg muscles. Place hands on hips, step forward with one foot, bend both legs simultaneously, and let the thighs and calves be perpendicular, hold for 2-5 seconds, then return to an upright position, step forward with the other leg, and repeat the forward and squatting motion. Remember to stretch after performing lunges to avoid overly thick leg muscle lines. No.10 Wall Push-Up: Wall push-ups are a simplified version, simply stand facing the wall, place hands on the wall, with wrists in line with shoulders, and hands slightly wider than shoulders.
The farther your feet are from the wall, the more challenging the exercise becomes. Bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body, lower your chest towards the wall, and then push back to the starting position. If you can easily complete 10 repetitions, you can progress to bench dips and standard push-ups.
NO.11 Push-Up on Knees Knee push-ups are slightly easier than standard push-ups and have lower demands on the lower body. Begin by kneeling on the ground with bent knees, hands aligned with shoulders, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Contract your core to form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Bend your elbows to lower your body until your chest touches the ground. Pause briefly, then push back to the starting position. NO.12 Push-Up The push-up, which we are most familiar with, can test the physical capabilities of almost every part of the body and can even serve as a standard for physical fitness. However, performing a standard push-up is not easy. Place your hands shoulder-width apart, with arms perpendicular to the ground; legs together, knees straight, and buttocks tightened. Lower your body in control to the bottom, keeping your forearms perpendicular to the ground, maintaining a straight body line, and inhale. Rise back to the starting position, keeping your forearms perpendicular to the ground, body in a straight line, and exhale. NO.13 Wide Grip Push-Up Push-ups essentially target muscles throughout the entire body, with various techniques that differ in difficulty and effectiveness. The wide grip push-up primarily works the outer part of the pectoral muscles and the shoulders, performed by placing your hands much wider than shoulder-width apart, while maintaining the same posture as the standard push-up. NO.14 Diamond Push-Up Unlike the regular push-up, the diamond push-up mainly involves a change in hand position. Instead of hands being on either side of the body, they are brought closer together, with the thumbs and index fingers of each hand touching to form a diamond shape. Keep your body straight, bend your arms and elbows to bring them close to your sides, lowering your body until your shoulders and elbows are at the same level, then push your body up straight, returning to the starting position, and repeat. NO.15 Plyo Push-Up Also known as explosive push-ups, plyo push-ups are often used as a form of upper-body plyometric training. Start in the push-up position, lower your body so that your chest nearly touches the ground. Explosively push your upper body as high as possible, clap your hands in the air, and then return to the push-up position. The key is to achieve maximum height with your body off the ground. Plyo push-ups provide a stronger stimulation to the muscles, require higher demands, and help improve muscle explosiveness. NO.16 One Arm Push-Up Among the family of push-up variations, the one-arm push-up is definitely a relatively high-level challenge.Push-ups: Place your hands on the ground. Your legs should be slightly wider than your shoulders. Put one hand behind your back. Stabilize your center of gravity on the supporting hand. Bend your arm. Exhale when lowering and inhale when pushing up. Control the strength and keep your center of gravity stable. When you start practicing, the hand behind your back can provide a little assistance. After finding a sense of balance, slowly switch modes and complete the task with one hand. NO.17 High Plank Push-up (PIKE PUSH-UP). High plank push-up is a variation of push-up. The core muscles exercised are basically the same. The difference lies in the stretching and balance of leg muscles. Specific method: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and keep them straight. Support your body with your forearms and then repeat the flexion and extension movements of your elbow joints. NO.18 Handstand Push-up (HANDSTAND PUSH-UP). Handstand push-up is definitely at the top level among push-ups. It requires extremely strong upper body strength and is also a great challenge to physical function. First, you need to do a handstand against the wall: Spread your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Spread your fingers and grip the ground. Swing one leg up and then lift the other foot and lean it against the wall. After coordinating, control the strength and maintain balance. Only when you can easily do a handstand can you challenge the handstand push-up with bent elbows. NO.19 Sit-up (SIT-UP). Lie on your back. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Place your feet flat on the ground. Put your hands on either side of your body or cross them on your chest. Do not cross your fingers behind your head to avoid straining your neck and reducing the workload of your abdominal muscles. When doing sit-ups, use a relatively slow speed. Exhale when your abdominal muscles pull your body up. Ensure that the deeper abdominal muscles are also involved in the work at the same time. After raising your body 10 to 20 centimeters off the ground, tighten your abdominal muscles and pause briefly. Then slowly lower your body back to its original position. Start the next cycle of movements when your back touches the ground. NO.20 Hollow Rock. Compared to sit-ups, diversified comprehensive training is more worthy of a challenge! For example, the abdominal muscle training technique that is better than sit-ups – Hollow Rock. Hollow Rock combines the upper and lower abdominal muscles: Lifting the scapula requires the upper part, and lifting the pelvis can exercise the lower part. While rocking, you need to maintain your body balance and apply force at different angles, which can greatly exercise the stability of the core muscle group. NO.21 V-up. V-up is the best way to build perfect abdominal muscles and is more effective than sit-ups. Lie on a mat. Keep your hands straight above your head. Keep your legs straight and close together. With your abdomen as the axis, lift both your upper body and legs at the same time. Your arms follow your upper body and stretch forward. Then return to the original position and repeat several times. NO.22 Plank Hold. Plank hold is widely recognized as an excellent way to train the core muscle group. Specific method: Assume a prone position. Support the weight of your body with the front soles of your feet and forearms. Bend your arms to keep your forearms and upper arms perpendicular. Keep your shoulder joints and body perpendicular. Stay still. The longer you hold, the greater the intensity of exercise on your body muscles.
NO.23 Knee-bent Plank Hold (HORSE PLANK HOLD): The kneeling plank hold is suitable as a supplement to the regular plank hold and can also train the core muscles. Specific steps: Bend the knees and keep a certain distance from the ground. The back, thighs, and calves form right angles and maintain a static posture.
NO.24 Side Plank Hold (SIDE PLANK HOLD): Similar to the regular plank hold, the side plank hold is used to enhance core strength, with a greater focus on training the core strength of the spine against lateral flexion. Lie on your side on a yoga mat, then use your elbow to prop up your upper body first. Your feet support the ground. Lift your hip sideways to prop up your body entirely. Keep your body straight and tighten your glutes. Stay on each side for 20-30 seconds, then switch to the other side. NO.25 Inch Worm (INCH WORM): The inch worm movement is somewhat similar to ‘caterpillar crawling’. It is an all-round exercise for arms, waist, and feet. It can also enhance the flexibility of the body and avoid sports injuries. When doing the inch worm movement, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your waist straight and lean forward, and bend over with your hands touching the ground. Crawl forward step by step with your hands until your hands and toes evenly support your weight. Then move your legs forward until they touch your palms. NO.26 Crab Walk (CRAB WALK): As the name suggests, the crab walk is like a crab walking on its back with all four limbs. It is an excellent way to exercise the whole body’s muscles. The coordination of hands and feet tests the body’s balance and muscle coordination. NO.27 Leg Raises: Leg raises while lying on your back are a classic abdominal exercise. Always keep your legs straight and then lift your legs as high as possible. When reaching the highest point, your body and legs are roughly at a right angle. When your body and legs are roughly at a right angle, pause for a few seconds for muscle contraction. Then slowly lower your legs in a controlled manner and repeat several sets. NO.28 Windshield Wiper (flight-style leg raises): The flight-style leg raises are a variation on the leg raises while lying on your back. While keeping the upper body still, swing your legs from side to side on both sides of the body. The flight-style exercise not only exercises the abdominal muscles but also the muscle groups on the left and right sides of the waist. NO.29 Flutter Kick: Alternating leg raises while lying on your back is also a good way to exercise the abdominal muscles. Lie on the ground with your hands naturally straight on both sides of your body. Lift your legs about 10 centimeters off the ground and slightly bend them. Keep your back close to the ground. Lift one leg high and slightly lower the other leg. Repeat by switching the positions of your legs several times.The entire movement is performed with both legs off the ground. The number of repetitions can be adjusted according to physical condition. The more times you exercise, the better the effect. NO.30 Sit-up with Legs and Arms Raised (SUPERMAN) This movement, which resembles a superman in flight, mainly exercises the erector spinae and gluteus maximus. Lie prone and relax, stretch your arms forward and legs backward.
Inhale and tighten your abdomen. At the same time, raise your arms and legs upward to stretch the abdominal muscles and contract the erector spinae. Pause slightly and then slowly exhale and relax back to the original position. Note that you should not use explosive force to do this movement. Instead, let the abdominal muscles exert force slowly to lift your arms and legs. In addition, do not tilt your head backward but lift it simultaneously with your upper body. NO.31 Good Morning Stretch (GOOD MORNING) As an important basic strength-assisted movement, the good morning stretch can enhance the core muscles of the back and waist and improve lumbar pain caused by long-term sitting. It is especially suitable for beginners to exercise without weights. At least two good morning stretch trainings per week can help reduce fat and shape the beauty of the waist and abdomen line. NO.32 Jumping Jack (GUMPING JACK) Jumping jack is a common warm-up exercise. It is simple and easy to perform. It can not only burn fat and slim down but also reduce osteoporosis and promote cardiopulmonary function. The standard way is to hold your head up and chest out with your hands on both sides of your body. When jumping, spread your feet outward and raise your hands overhead to a position close to the top of your head. Keep your hands and feet straight and your knees unbent. When landing, land on your toes and slightly bend your knees to reduce impact. Return your feet and hands to the original position. NO.33 Mountain Climber In fitness exercises, the mountain climber is a classic movement for exercising the whole body’s muscles. The starting movement is similar to a push-up. Place your entire body weight on your palms and toes. And ensure that your body is in a straight line. Use your leg muscles to lift one knee forward and approach your chest as close as possible. Put it down and repeat the movement by lifting the other foot. At the beginning, the alternating speed does not need to be fast. Require a smooth movement. After becoming proficient, increase the speed. You can use time to set the number of repetitions in a set. NO.34 Bear Crawl As the name suggests, bear crawl is to imitate the way a bear crawls. Keep your back straight and crawl forward on all fours. As a primary bodyweight training movement, it can enhance the muscle strength of our whole body. Relatively speaking, bear crawl has a stronger stimulation on the shoulder, back, and triceps muscle groups. Bear crawl can also be regarded as a dynamic stretching movement and is a good choice for full-body warm-up. NO.35 Burpee As a high-intensity exercise beneficial to the whole body, burpee can not only burn fat efficiently but also increase metabolism and train muscle endurance and explosive power.Begin by standing naturally with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your hips while maintaining a straight spine and squat as deeply as possible with bent knees. After squatting, place your hands on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Push your feet back forcefully to assume a high plank position and tighten your core, completing a push-up motion. Jump your feet back to the squat position. Pull in your abdominal muscles and use your thigh muscles to jump your body upward, returning to a standing position.
The Burpee Broad Jump, a combination of a push-up and a standing long jump, is a comprehensive exercise that poses a significant challenge to muscle control and physical fitness. The specific method is to perform a standard push-up, then use your legs to jump forward as far as possible, and after landing, repeat the push-up. Due to its high intensity, it can be quite tiring at first, and you can adjust the number of sets and duration according to your physical condition.