13 Bodyweight Workouts You Can Do at Home

Bodyweight exercises are strength-training, cardio, or HIIT exercises that use your own bodyweight to build muscle. Many bodyweight exercises are full-body exercises that build strength in both the upper body and lower body. Some of the most common bodyweight workouts include sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and planks. Practicing variations of each of these bodyweight workouts will help you isolate and target specific muscles to help you reach your fitness goals.

There are several notable benefits to practicing bodyweight exercises.

1. 1. Bodyweight exercises don't require gym equipment. With the exception of a pull-up bar, you can practice most bodyweight exercises in the comfort of your own living room without any additional equipment. Compared to weight-training exercises that require you to have access to free weights such as a barbell, dumbbell, or kettlebell, bodyweight workouts are more easily incorporated into a home workout routine.
2. 2. Bodyweight exercises are full-body workouts. Many bodyweight training exercises—especially HIIT and plyometric exercises—build strength while also raising your heart rate for a powerful cardio workout.
3. 3. Bodyweight exercises are effective for all fitness levels. You don't need to hire a personal trainer to get into shape. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a beginner, you can adapt bodyweight exercises for an easier or more challenging workout.

Consider some of the best bodyweight exercises to build strength and level up your home workout routine.

1. 1. Sit-ups: The sit-up is a bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominal muscles. Perform a proper sit-up by lying face-up on an exercise mat with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet on the floor. Engage your core and lift your upper body off the mat towards your knees. Pause at the top of the movement before slowly returning to your starting position on the mat.
2. 2. Crunches: Crunches, also known as abdominal crunches, are a core exercise designed to target your abdominal muscles—specifically your rectus abdominis (the six-pack muscle) and your obliques. Perform crunches by lying face-up with your feet hip-width apart. While keeping your lower back on the floor, lift your upper back and shoulder blades off of the floor. With proper form, this abdominal exercise can increase your core strength and prepare you for other more complicated bodyweight exercises like the side plank, push-up, and V-up.
3. 3. Pull-ups: A pull-up is an upper-body exercise that works multiple muscle groups. Perform pull-ups by grabbing hold of a pull-up bar and lifting your body up from a dead hang position until the bar is beneath your chin. Unlike chin-ups, which use an underhand grip (palms facing towards you), pull-ups use an overhand grip (palms facing away from you).
4. 4. Chin-ups: A chin-up is a compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups across your upper body. Perform chin-ups by grabbing hold of a pull-up bar and lifting yourself from a dead hang until the bar is below your chin.
5. 5. Push-ups: Push-ups are a compound exercise that works muscle groups throughout your entire body. Perform push-ups by placing your palms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor and holding yourself in a high plank position. While keeping your back and legs in a straight line, lower your body toward the floor, then push back up to the starting position.
6. 6. Lunges: Static lunges are a bodyweight exercise designed to build strength in your core and lower body. For static lunges, move into the lunge position and hold for a lower-body workout that targets your hip flexors, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Though it may look similar to a forward lunge, the static lunge uses a smaller range of motion and a static, split-stance starting position. Practicing static lunges properly will help you build the strength and coordination to practice several lunge variations such as jumping lunges, walking lunges, and split squats.
7. 7. Side plank: Perform side planks by balancing on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder, touching the floor with your forearm and the side of your foot. While activating your core muscles, lift your hip until your body forms a straight line. Once you’ve practiced holding a side plank position, consider adding more advanced side plank variations into your strength-training program; try straightening your supporting arm, lifting your top leg, or reaching your top hand above you to add an additional challenge for your stabilizer muscles.
8. 8. Jumping jacks: Jumping jacks, also known as star jumps, are a calisthenics exercise that uses your bodyweight to work muscle groups across your whole body. Perform jumping jacks by standing tall with your hands at your sides. Jump vertically, extending your feet out slightly more than shoulder-width apart, and lift your arms laterally above your head.
9. 9. Jump squats: A jump squat is a plyometric exercise (a jump-training exercise) that adds a jumping motion to a traditional squat. Jump squats are bodyweight exercises characterized by leaping directly upwards at the top of the movement. With proper form, jump squats can be a great way to burn calories and improve strength in both your upper body and lower body.
10. 10. Mountain climbers: A mountain climber is a bodyweight exercise that activates muscles throughout your body. Perform mountain climbers by getting into a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart beneath you. Activate your core to keep your upper body and lower body formed in a straight line. Lift your right knee under your body toward your chest before lowering your right foot back to its placement on the floor. Repeat this movement with your left knee, alternating sides with each repetition.
11. 11. Step-ups: The step-up is a lower-body exercise that targets muscles in your legs. Perform step-ups by standing in front of an elevated, knee-height surface like a plyometric box or bench. Place your right foot on top of the elevated surface and push through your right leg to lift your body up onto it. Step down slowly with your left leg and perform the next repetition leading with your left foot. You can use your body weight for this exercise or hold dumbbells throughout the movement for an added challenge.
12. 12. Single-leg glute bridge: A single-leg glute bridge is a unilateral glute bridge variation that targets muscle groups throughout your body like the hamstrings, hip flexors, lower back muscles, and gluteal muscles—including your gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Perform single-leg glute bridges by lying on your back with your palms face-down by your side. Extend one leg, squeeze your glutes, and push into your other leg. While keeping your upper back in contact with the floor, lift your hips until your extended leg forms a straight line with your back.
13. 13. Burpees: A burpee is a full-body exercise that works most of the major muscle groups in your body, including the abs, glutes, quads, delts, and hamstrings. Burpees are performed by moving from a standing position to a squat position, then kicking your legs back and getting into a plank position. At the end of each repetition, you stand and jump off the ground before moving on to the next rep. With proper burpee form, this total-body exercise can boost cardio fitness, burn calories, and improve cardiovascular endurance. Some burpee variations include the burpee box jump, the burpee tuck jump, and the burpee pull-up.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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