Body Weight Workout Plan

In this article, I am going to share the body weight workout plan that I learned from months and months of memberships with awesome HIIT class fitness clubs.  All 40 of these exercises require absolutely no equipment and minimal space.  You don’t even need to wear shoes!  

Body Weight Workout Plan Videos

I have made videos to explain each exercise, but, again, high school English teacher here, not a trainer or videographer, just a highly dedicated amateur!  Lol!  If you want to check out a no equipment full body workout by a trainer I like to follow, check out Kayla Itsines!

There is so much you can do at home with no equipment. A body weight workout plan at home is within everyone’s reach! Watch each video, and try all of the exercises!  Then pick 2 (or even 3 if you’re feeling good!)  from each category to do each day.  

Category 1: Exercises from the Plank Position to Work the Core and Upper Body

How to Properly Hold a High Plank 

1. Lie on the ground on your stomach.  
2. Keeping your knees on the ground, plant your toes on the ground, push yourself up, and straighten your arms.
3. Tighten your core and lift your knees off the ground. 
4. Maintain a tight core.  
5. Maintain neck, back, and legs in a straight line.  (Don’t let your head drop!)

Tips:  When holding any kind of plank, it is essential that your core is tight.  As your core tires, your lower back will begin to hurt.  When you can no longer hold your core tight enough to keep your lower back from straining, let your muscle recover for 2 – 3 minutes then try again!  If you need a progression step, practice holding a high plank from your knees!

Plank Variation Exercises

• High Plank to Low Squat
• High Plank with Shoulder Taps
• Walking Push Up
• Low Plank with Hip Dip
• Side Plank with Hip Dip
• Plank with Leg Raises
• Side Plank with Leg Raises
• High Plank with Tap Across
• Mountain Climbers
• Twisting Mountain Climbers
• Lay down Push ups
• Push ups (wall/knee/high plank progression)

Exercises from the Squat Position to Work the Lower Body and Glutes

How to Properly Squat

1. Stand straight with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart.  Look straight.
2. Keeping a straight back, holding your hands in front of you elbows down at an angle, as if you were holding a ball, bend your knees and lower your body as if you were sitting in a chair.  Your chest should hinge forward some.  Your butt should stick out.  Keep a straight back.
3. Lower your body until your elbows touch your thighs.  
4. Keep your back straight, do not let your knees lean in, do not let your knees past your toes.

Exercises from Standing Position to Work the Core and Lower Body

• High Knees
• Toe Taps
• Butt Kicks
• Marching High Knees
• Marching High Knees with Twist
• Front Lunge
• Back Lunge

Exercises starting from Lying Position to Work Core and Glutes

• Glute Bridge (If you feel this exercise in your hamstring and not your glute, then your glutes are not active, and this is a very important exercise for you to practice to activate them! Click here to read all about muscle activation!)
• One Legged Glute Bridge
• Leg Lifts (Bent Leg Progression)
• Hip Lifts
• Superman
• Bicycles
• V Ups (Bent Leg Progression)

Other!

• Tricep Dip
• Glute Blaster
• Bird Dog
• The Burpee
• Spiderman Plank

For a full body workout, pick 2 or 3 exercises from each category to do each day. Complete 2 or 3 sets of each exercise for 10-15 reps. Remember to listen to your body! If you feel sore one day, don’t be afraid to take a rest day! You could even do a different lower impact exercise like take a walk! Make sure to take time to recover and have proper nutrition to support your workout routine!

Foundational Strength Exercises

If you find yourself not quite ready to tackle many of these exercises, then it is time to build some foundational strength! Life comes at us in all directions and can do so much to negatively impact our physical strength. But, it is never too late to start from the basics! In the final video, I will demonstrate 11 different exercises that you can use to build up your foundation of strength! Here are the exercises:

• Couch Squat
• March in place with high knee
• March in place with a twist
• Calf raises
• Arm circles
• Curl Press
• Lateral Raises
• Overhead Tricep Press
• Push up Progression
• Bird Dog
• Bent Leg Raises

Equipment to Progress with Body Weight Exercises

Once you get into the habit of doing body weight exercises, they will start to feel easy. You will find yourself needing to do 3 sets of 30 squats or sets of 50 sit ups just to feel a burn. There is a quick solution, and you don’t have to get into those ridiculous numbers of reps. Who has time to do 3 sets of 50 anything?! Your solution? Add weight. To do that, you DO need equipment… Below are a few pieces of equipment that you can add to these exercises to get more bang for your buck!

Best Gear to Take No Equipment Workouts to the Next Level

Check out my other blog posts!