Home weight training - exercise meaningfully

Bodyweight training is a form of resistance training that does not necessarily require special equipment . The main advantages of such exercise are its accessibility , low financial burden , and the ability to exercise anytime, anywhere, and for any length of time.

The amount of work done is to some extent proportional to the results . A smaller volume of exercise will allow athletes to at least maintain a basic level of fitness and for non-exercisers it brings reconditioning and can have a positive effect on the weight loss process.

A higher amount of exercise increases muscle strength , improves coordination of movements, strengthens the deep stabilization system, facilitates fat burning , allows you to gain muscle mass to a certain extent and increase your physique . Any form of exercise is also beneficial for cardiovascular and mental health .

How to set up a workout?

Home bodyweight workouts are appealing to busy people . With a little willpower, they're easy to incorporate into your routine. Here are three approaches to help you stay active or stay in shape even when you're short on time or equipment.

Classical approach

Set aside 20-90 minutes to train two/three times a week . You can work your whole body in one workout or focus on a specific body part in each workout. Do one exercise in at least 3 sets and choose the number of repetitions at 70-80% of your maximum to maintain proper exercise technique with each repetition.

Alternative approaches

One alternative approach is to do a predetermined number of repetitions of one or more exercises in the morning before breakfast or before the start of your active day. This can be done every day , every other day , or even three times a week . Popular exercises for this regimen are push-ups (50/100) or squats (50/100/200) or planks (2/3/5 minutes) . You typically don't reach the target number in 1 set, but in several sets performed in the shortest possible time.

Example of an alternative home workout for beginners and advanced users

Another way is to break up your day with smaller sets of exercises . Just do a simple set of the chosen exercise /exercises (e.g. 20 push-ups or 30 squats) 4-8 times a day . An opportunity to do one set can be before breakfast/snack/lunch/dinner, during a coffee/tea break, a short break during work or simply whenever you have free time during the day. This method is very beneficial for non-athletes and helps athletes maintain basic physical fitness when they cannot train as they are used to.

There are many bodyweight exercises that can be used to strengthen most of the muscles in our body. If you want to learn about different exercises and their variations , the correct technique , and which muscles they strengthen , you can read our articles "Best exercises to do at home" .