Curated By Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.
The beauty of a bodyweight workout isn’t simply that you can do it anytime, anywhere. Bodyweight exercises provide two critical benefits missing from standard weight work. First off, they force you to use your core muscles; there’s no way to properly do a bodyweight exercise without your abs turning on. Second, they hone your coordination and athleticism since they almost always challenge multiple muscles and joints at once.
You’ve spent much of this year hitting the weights, so change things up. Take on this bodyweight session 3 to 5 times a week. Do it as a circuit, completing your reps of each move, then moving right to the next move. Hit 3 to 4 rounds, resting 60-90 seconds between each round.
FULL RELEASE PUSHUP
Get in pushup position, abs and glutes tight, then lower your torso all the way to the ground. Squeeze your shoulder blades and lift your hands off the ground, then return your hands and press up. You’re blasting your chest while also building your rhomboids (the muscles between your shoulder blades). Do 15 to 20 quality reps.
COPENHAGEN PLANK
You’ve done planks before, but never like this. You’ll need a box or chair to place a shin on, then you’ll essentially hold a side plank with your bottom leg held off the ground. The move will blast abs and obliques, while building underrated strength in your inner thigh muscles. Hold for 20 seconds per side. (Can’t hold for 20? Do 2 10-second reps.)
REVERSE LUNGE TO POWER STEP
Get explosive and athletic with this move. Start by stepping back into a reverse lunge, then drive your back leg forward, knee high. Take a small jump off the ground as you do this, training your calves to be explosive and teaching your legs to decelerate your entire body as you land. Do 8 reps per side.
HOLLOW HOLD
Lie on your back, lower back pressed into the ground, hands and shoulder blades an inch off the ground, thighs an inch off the ground. Flex your abs to tighten your ribcage as much as possible. Hold for 30 seconds. (Can’t hold for 30? Do 3 10-second reps.)
Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.
Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He’s logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes.
His current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga.
Ebenezer has had multiple prestigious positions including serving as a sports and tech columnist for the New York Daily News.