Bodyweight exercises

Bodyweightexercisesstrip

Browse our collection of bodyweight exercises to learn how to build a lean, defined and strong physique with no equipment in sight. Each bodyweight exercise has instructions, illustrations and guides to help you learn.

  • Ab Wheel Thumbnail
    Ab Wheel Rollout
    Classic abdominal exercise to build strength and muscular density in the abs using an ab wheel.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): None
    5 likes
  • back lever thumbnail
    Back Lever
    Generate incredible core tension and display impressive bodily control with this core gymnastics strength hold - the back lever.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders, Back, Chest
    6 likes
  • Bar Pullover thumbnail
    Bar Pullover
    A fundamental bar exercise that involves pulling the body up and bring the legs over and around the bar.
    Primary Muscle: Back Secondary Muscle(s): Biceps, Abdominals, Legs
    9 likes
  • Body Row Thumbnail
    Body Row
    The body row is an excellent upper body exercise and useful for those wanting to progress to full bodyweight pull-ups as it uses the same muscle groups.
    Primary Muscle: Biceps Secondary Muscle(s): Triceps, Back
    6 likes
  • Bridge Thumb
    Bridge
    The bridge is a highly underrated bodyweight exercise that builds high levels of strength and flexibility throughout the body but particularly in the back and spine.
    Primary Muscle: Back Secondary Muscle(s): Abdominals
    8 likes
  • Burpees Thumbnail
    Burpees
    Burpees are a popular and highly effective full-body conditioning exercise that requires no equipment to perform.
    Primary Muscle: Quadriceps Secondary Muscle(s): Abdominals
    2 likes
  • Dead Hang Thumb
    Dead Hang
    The dead hang is used as a good introduction to calisthenics / bar training and for developing foundation body strength. It's also recommended as part of the progression exercises for pull-ups.
    Primary Muscle: Forearms Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders
    5 likes
  • Dips Icon
    Dips
    Dips are a fundamental calisthenics exercise that builds serious upper body strength across the chest, shoulders and triceps, whilst engaging the core.
    Primary Muscle: Triceps Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders, Chest
    7 likes
  • Flex arm thumb
    Flexed Arm Hang
    The flexed arm hang is a pull-up progression exercise and a common military test of upper body strength.
    Primary Muscle: Biceps Secondary Muscle(s): Forearms, Back
    6 likes
  • Frog Stand Thumb
    Frog Stand
    The frog stand is a classic beginners gymnastics position to build strength and balance skills.
    Primary Muscle: Shoulders Secondary Muscle(s): Arms, Back, Chest, Abdominals
    13 likes
  • Front Lever Thumbnail
    Front Lever
    The front lever is an fundamental gymnastics strength hold that develops the core and upper-body muscles. Learn how to do the front lever and of the progression exercises path to build up to the full lever hold.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): Back
    9 likes
  • One Hand Handstand Thumbnail
    Handstand
    A fundamental upper-body exercise that builds strength and balance, the freestanding handstand is an essential bodyweight exercise worth mastering.
    Primary Muscle: Shoulders Secondary Muscle(s): Arms, Back, Chest
    9 likes
  • Handstand Pushup Thumbnail
    Handstand Push-up
    Train your chest, shoulders and triceps whilst improving balance and challenging the core with the impressive display of strength that is the Handstand Press-up.
    Primary Muscle: Shoulders Secondary Muscle(s): Triceps, Chest
    7 likes
  • Knee Raise Thumbnail
    Hanging Knee Raise
    Isolate the abs and build strength in the hip flexors using hanging knee raises.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): None
    6 likes
  • Hollow Body Thumbnail
    Hollow Body Hold
    The fundamental core gymnastics exercise for developing mid-line stabilisation.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): None
    8 likes
  • Hollow Body Thumbnail
    Hollow Body Rocks
    A fundamental core body strength exercise that develops a solid midsection that is essential for progressing with more complex gymnastics exercises.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): None
    5 likes
  • Human Flag Thumbnail
    Human Flag
    The human flag is an elite bodyweight hold in which the body is statically held by the arms on a vertical object, suspended from the ground like a flag.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders, Back
    7 likes
  • Jacknife Situp Thumbnail
    Jackknife Sit-up
    Build solid, strong abs with this effective bodyweight exercise that targets the core.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): None
    5 likes
  • L Hang Thumbnail
    L Hang
    Perform the L Hang body weight exercise to develop bodily control and core strength.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): Arms, Shoulders
    5 likes
  • Lunge Jump Thumbnail
    Lunge
    A foundation bodyweight strength exercise for developing the leg muscles. The lunge is suitable for beginners and can be used with additional weight to increase intensity.
    Primary Muscle: Quadriceps Secondary Muscle(s): Calves, Hamstrings
    5 likes
  • Lunge Jump Thumbnail
    Lunge Jump
    The Lunge Jump is an excellent functional bodyweight exercise promoting gains in balance, stability, power and speed, working the glutes, quads and hamstrings.
    Primary Muscle: Quadriceps Secondary Muscle(s): Calves, Hamstrings
    2 likes
  • Negative Pull-up Thumb
    Negative Pull-up
    The negative pull-up involves performing only the lowering phase of the exercise, and is a popular technique when building strength for full pull-ups.
    Primary Muscle: Back Secondary Muscle(s): Biceps
    10 likes
  • One-legged-deadlift-thumb
    One-Leg Deadlift
    The One-Legged Deadlift is a more advanced version of the regular deadlift increasing intensity on the legs and challenging your balance and coordination. It's an excellent bodyweight exercise that can be performed anywhere, with no equipment.
    Primary Muscle: Hamstrings Secondary Muscle(s): Quadriceps
    3 likes
  • Planche Thumbnail
    Planche
    An advanced bodyweight hold in which the body is supported parallel to the ground by the hands only.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): Arms, Shoulders, Back, Chest
    9 likes
  • Plank Thumbnail
    Plank
    A fundamental core conditioning exercise - the plank develops the abs without a crunch in sight.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): Back
    11 likes
  • Pull-up Thumbnail
    Pull-up
    The pull-up exercise is a hugely popular exercise that develops a strong and defined upper body. This is a staple movement that everyone should strive to achieve.
    Primary Muscle: Back Secondary Muscle(s): Biceps
    10 likes
  • Push-up Thumbnail
    Push-up
    The push-up is a fundamental upper-body strength exercise that is incredibly versatile and has many variations for developing strength and definition in the chest, shoulders and arms.
    Primary Muscle: Chest Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders, Triceps
    13 likes
  • Rope Climb Thumbnail
    Rope Climbing
    Rope climbing is a full body workout that's a great test of strength and not for the feint of heart! This exercise is an excellent upper body developer as well as building an iron grip and improving agility and coordination skills.
    Primary Muscle: Biceps Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders, Forearms, Back, Abdominals
    1 like
  • Side Plank Star Thumbnail
    Side Plank Star
    A modified version of the plank exericse, the Side Plank Star works the abs and obliques like few other exercises can.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders
    6 likes
  • One Leg Deadlift Thumb
    Single Leg Squat (Pistol)
    Learn the very challenging One-Legged Squat, or Pistol Squat as they're known, for intensely working those leg muscles, the core and hip flexors whilst improving balance.
    Primary Muscle: Quadriceps Secondary Muscle(s): Hamstrings
    5 likes
  • Sit-up Thumb
    Sit-up
    The classic abdominal strength training exercise guide.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): None
    6 likes
  • Skin the cat thumbnail
    Skin the Cat
    A good upper body stretching exercise, especially for achieving full range of motion in the shoulder. The skin the cat exercise is a fundamental movement performed on gymnastics rings.
    Primary Muscle: Shoulders Secondary Muscle(s): Back, Chest, Abdominals
    5 likes
  • Spread Eagle Sit-up Thumb
    Spread Eagle Sit-ups
    Develop the abs and hip flexors with the Spread Eagle variation on the traditional sit-up.
    Primary Muscle: Abdominals Secondary Muscle(s): None
    3 likes
  • Bodyweight Squat Thumbnail
    Squat
    The bodyweight squat is a lower body strengthening exercise that can be performed virtually anywhere with no equipment and limited space. It's a highly functional movement working all the major muscles of the legs.
    Primary Muscle: Quadriceps Secondary Muscle(s): Calves, Hamstrings
    12 likes
  • Superman Thumb
    Superman
    The superman exercise is a bodyweight move that targets the posterior core and lower back muscles.
    Primary Muscle: Back Secondary Muscle(s): Shoulders, Hamstrings
    11 likes
  • t push-up thumbnail
    T Push-up
    The T Push-up exercise is a good all round strength builder, targeting major muscle groups and joints. A good exercise for working the shoulder girdle, obliques, the back and core body, as well as the chest.
    Primary Muscle: Chest Secondary Muscle(s): Arms, Shoulders, Abdominals
    8 likes

Bodyweight training

Body weight training involves strength exercises that do no require free weights, using bodyweight only for resistance. These exercises can range from basic pull-ups, dips and sit-ups, to the advanced lever, planche and iron cross style training.

Bodyweight training equipment

When bodyweight training you may not require any fitness equipment at all, although common equipment used is often to increase the amount of weight, or some kind of apparatus to hang or lean from, such as -

Advantages of bodyweight training

  • Can be performed almost anywhere, with minmal equipment.
  • Lifetime of challenges available from basic to advanced exercises. 
  • Develops lean, strong and defined physique. 
  • Suitable for beginners.

Disadvantages of bodyweight training

  • Weight used is limited to bodyweight only without adding specialist equipment (weighted vests or suspension trainers).
Disclaimer

Always consult your GP before undertaking any form of weight loss, fitness or exercise.