While lifting weights is a go-to way to build strength, body weight exercises are another form of strength training that is making up to the list of the body builders. Whether you are a new bodybuilder or an experienced one sweating in the gym for a long time, you must be having a lot of queries related to body weight exercises.
While many of the trainers recommend going ahead with weight lifting only to build strength and muscles, the importance of Body weight Exercises in doing the same has been largely undermined. Here are some important body weight exercises that one can include in the daily regime to build brutal strength and physique.
7 Body Weight Exercises To Build Explosive Strength
#1. Handstand Push-ups
Can you think of any upper body exercise which is like your favorite squats? Well, the handstand push-ups are as effective as the squats, but they use more of your body weight. Apart from making your shoulders strong, the handstand push-ups also pump up your arms for that extra blow.
To perform the headstand push-ups, all you need to do is to stand a few inches away from the wall and start doing the handstands against the wall. Keep your legs straight up the wall for perfect posture. While performing handstand push-ups, instead of looking straight down, look forward; just the way you would do while doing military press. Keep yourself under control while lowering to the wall and maintain that control until your head reaches the wall. Press yourself back to the starting position. Try to perform at least 5 to 10 reps for the same.
#2. One-Arm Push-up
One of the best bodyweight exercises to build pecs is that of one arm push-up. However, the exercise is so demanding that you will require a great amount of stability as the exercise will completely fry your triceps and shoulders. To perform one arm push-ups, put your one arm behind the back and start lowering yourself to the floor using the other arm. Once your chest reaches the floor, start pressing yourself back to the starting position.
If you think one arm push-ups are too easy for you to perform then consider performing one arm and one leg push-ups. To do this, hold your one leg up in the air while doing one arm push-up.
#3. Door Pull-up
This is the one exercise that you can do easily using any door at your gym or home, but make sure the door is not too flimsy. Open the door till halfway and then place a towel on the top of it. Place your hands steadily on the towel and hang yourself from the door. Start pulling yourself up against the door, until your chin reaches the top of the door. Lower yourself back slowly to the start position.
#4. One Legged Squat
You do not need to do hundreds of bodyweight squats, only if you manage to do one legged squat efficiently using your bodyweight for a complete leg workout. No need to mention again that this is the best leg workout you can think of doing for strength. Hold your one leg in front of you while holding your arms straight out. Keep looking forward and start lowering your body on one leg slowly.
Once you manage to pass the parallel position starting flexing your stomach and butt as hard as you can and pull yourself down in the bottom position. Try holding the bottom position for a second and rise back to the starting position after that.
#5. Knee Jumps
Do you want to develop some explosive power? Then you need to start working on your hamstrings. Start the knee jumps by kneeling on the ground. Ensure that your feet are flat and your butt is resting on your calves. Keep looking forward all the time. When you are ready, initiate the exercise by swinging your arms back and forward immediately. While swinging your arms, jump from your knees to your feet in an explosive movement. The finish position of knee jumps will be the site the bottom position of the squats. Slowly, yet steadily get back to the starting position and repeat.
#6. Headstand Leg Raise
To perform headstand leg raises to perfection, take a towel, fold it and place it on the floor. Get on all your fours and put your head on the towel. Stretch your hands out with arms outright in front to touch the floor with your palms. Press your palms on the floor with full strength to slowly raise your legs off the floor.
Keep pulling until you reach the headstand position. Once there, start lowering your feet to reach the floor. If you are unable to do one rep of this exercise, then try to hold bottom position for as long as you can with your feet just a few inches away from the floor.
#7. Mahler Body Blaster
This particular exercise works the best for almost every muscle in your body. If you manage to do this in the high reps of 25 to 30, then you will be left huffing and puffing by the end of it. To begin this exercise, stand straight and look ahead then go into the full squat position and do a half roll back.
Try touching your feet to the floor from behind your head then quickly reverse the motion. Now roll forward in the bottom position of a squat. When in that position jump into the top position of a pushup, do the push-up and then return to the bottom squat position. Stand back in the starting position and repeat. Consider performing this exercise at the end of the workout and make it a finisher exercise for your regimen.
If you want to make a cycle of body weight exercises to increase strength, then you can create a circuit of these exercises. With the circuit in place, you will be moving from one exercise to another with short breaks. Do five circuits in your one workout session and with a rep range of 10 to 15 for all the exercises. However, an exception should be made for Mahler Body Blaster, as it should be performed at the end with 25 to 30 repetitions in one set.
The Bottom Line
There are a variety of other body weight exercises too that not only add variety to any workout program but also help in maintaining a good shape. So, all you need to do is – Consult your trainer, pick the right set of body weight exercises suitable for you, and work towards achieving that explosive strength you were always looking for.
Katharine is a highly experienced Health & Fitness Nutrition blogger. Her wide variety of blogs range from Weight Loss Diet Plans to food recipes to fitness workouts and more. Smart style of writing and attention to details are the key ingredient of her blogs. She loves to write blogs on lifestyle, fashion, and travel too. She is also the author of a fiction novel – ‘December Breeze’ and a columnist for a leading pet magazine.
