Bodyweight exercise
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bodyweight Exercises are strength training exercises that do not require free weights; the practitioner's own weight provides the resistance for the movement. Movements such as the push-up, the pull-up, and the sit-up are some of the most common bodyweight exercises.
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[edit] Advantages
Because they do not require weights, bodyweight exercises are the ideal choice for individuals who are interested in fitness but do not have access to strength training equipment. Weights can be incorporated to increase the difficulty of most bodyweight exercises and some exercises do require some sort of apparatus to lean on or hang from, but the majority of bodyweight exercises require only a floor. For those exercises that do require equipment of some kind, a substitute can usually be improvised, for example using a tree branch to perform pull-ups.
[edit] Disadvantages
Bodyweight exercises use the practicioner's own weight to provide the resistance for the movement. This means that the weight being lifted is always the same. This makes it difficult for more experienced athletes to achieve a level of intensity that is near their one rep maximum, which is desirable for strength training. However this limitation can be mitigated either by using additional weights (such as wearing a weighted vest or holding a barbell or plate during a sit up) or by altering the exercise to put yourself at a leverage disadvantage (such as elevating the feet or using only one hand during a push-up).
[edit] List of Exercises
- Crunch
- Dip
- Jumping Jack
- Press up, or push up
- Pull up, or chin up
- Sit up
- Squat
- Pistol, or one-legged squat
[edit] See Also
[edit] External Links
- Beast Skills
- example of a complete training plan (Navy Seals)
- Howto BWE: singular exercises explained (in German)
- One-Arm Chinning Guide (DragonDoor.com)
http://www.bodyweightculture.com (Cool, useful and unusual bodyweight exercises.)
