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The 40 Best Body Weight Exercises To Build Muscle & Blast Fat ANYWHERE [Exercise Lists]

Posted by on Sep 1, 2015 in Body Weight, Exercise Lists, Exercises, Featured Article, Fitness Lists, Muscle It UP | 0 comments

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Now we’re talking body.

The world is your body-blasting battleground. Whether you’re rendezvousing to a tropical island for a sultry, sun-soaked vacation, looking to squeeze in a quickie before work (both varieties are legit as a workout, just sayin’), or don’t want to splurge for a gym membership, your body weight is an incredible tool to power any killer workout.

The reality is, iron isn’t a prerequisite to get sweaty and slap on major muscle mass. Neither is dropping $34 a pop on SoulCycle shenanigans.

You can make HUGE things happen with your bare hands and a little open space — you just need to get creative, manufacture intensity, and actively challenge yourself. Especially when it comes to developing a strong core and gorgeous six-pack.

From basic, foundational bodyweight movements to advanced, hardcore, next-level slobberknockers, we’re unleashing an arsenal of the best body weight exercises ever created — a whopping 40 deep, that you can do ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, without any fancy equipment or an expensive gym membership.

We’ve split it up into 3 sections, broken down by body part.

And if you’re looking to tie it altogether into a fat-blasting, muscle-churning bodyweight workout routine, we’ve got that locked and loaded, too. Do our killer Body Weight HYPERBURNER Workout Circuit.

Go ahead. Escape the gym prison, hit up a playground or park, and blast a little fat outdoors — au naturel, amongst the elements. CAVEMAN STYLE. RAWRRRRRRRR.

Hit it.



 

The 40 Best Bodyweight Exercises — UPPER BODY

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Bodyweight Exercise 1: Push Ups

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How To:
Video Demo — Push Ups

 

Primary Muscle(s): Chest, Triceps

  • (1) Extend your legs and get into push up position. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width. Keep your hips up so your body is in a straight line.
  • (2) Lower down until your chest hits the floor. Press through the floor and powerfully explode up. Keep your elbows tucked in throughout.

If regular push ups are too difficult, start with your knees on the floor.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 2: Spiderman Push Ups

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How To:
Video Demo — Spiderman Push Ups

 

Primary Muscle(s): Chest, Triceps, Obliques, Lower Abs

  • (1) Move into push up position.
  • (2) Lower your body, and as you descend, pull your right knee in towards your elbows. Repeat and continue to alternate sides.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 3: Twisting Push Ups

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How To:
Video Demo — Twisting Push Ups

 

Primary Muscle(s): Chest, Triceps, Obliques

  • (1) Move into push up position.
  • (2) Lower down, and as you press up, twist your body and extend your left hand up into the air. Your body should be supported by your right hand, so that you form a “T” shape.
  • (3) Lower back down and repeat for the opposite side.

Bodyweight Exercise 4: Incline & Decline Push Ups

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How To:
Video Demo — Incline & Decline Push Ups

 

Primary Muscle(s): Lower/Upper Chest, Triceps

  • (A) Incline Push Ups — do a push up, but place your hands on an elevated surface (e.g. a bench or box). These targets the LOWER chest.
  • (B) Decline Push Ups — do a push up, but place your feet on an elevated surface. Your hands should be on the floor. These targets the UPPER chest.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 5: Diamond Push Ups

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How To:
Video Demo — Diamond Push Ups

 

Primary Muscle(s): Triceps, Chest

  • (1) Do a push up, but form a diamond shape with your fingers. They should be touching. The narrow grip emphasizes the triceps. Keep your arms tucked in throughout the movement.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 6: Dive Bomber Push Ups

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How To:
Video Demo — Dive Bomber Push Ups

 

Primary Muscle(s): Chest, Triceps, Core

  • (1) Start in a downward dog position with your butt in the air and arms locked in front of you.
  • (2) Dive down, drop your hips and triceps, and push up into a cobra position — it should feel like you’re trying to maneuver under a bar.
  • (3) Drop your triceps, slide back, and push your body back up into downward dog.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 7: Pull Ups & Chin Ups

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How To:
Video Demo — Pull Ups & Chin Ups

 

Primary Muscle(s): Back, Lats, Biceps

  • (A) Pull Ups — hang from a bar with your hands wider than shoulder width. Use an overhand grip. Pull the top of your chest up to the bar, squeeze for 1 second, and lower down to a full extension.
  • (B) Chin Ups — hang from a bar, but flip your hands to an underhand grip. Pull the top of your chest up to the bar, squeeze for 1 second, and lower down to a full extension.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 8: Dips & Bench Dips

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How To:
Video Demo — Dips & Bench Dips

 

Primary Muscle(s): Triceps, Chest

  • (A) Dips — Push yourself up onto parallel dip bars. Lean forward slightly and lower your chest towards the floor. Once your triceps are parallel to the floor, powerfully press your body back up to start.
  • (B) Bench Dips — Prop yourself up on a flat bench with your legs extended out. Bend your elbows and lower your body down until your triceps are parallel with the floor. Contract your triceps and press your body back up to start.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 9: Burpees

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How To:
Video Demo — Burpees

 

Primary Muscle(s): Chest, Triceps, Core, Legs

  • (1) Start in a standing position. Jump down into a push up position, do 1 push up, and immediately stand up and jump into the air. Land and repeat the movement.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 10: Lying Back Extensions

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How To:
Video Demo — Lying Back Extensions

 

Primary Muscle(s): Lower Back, Core

  • (1) Lie flat on the floor, face down. Extend your arms all the way out in front of you.
  • (2) Contract your lower back and raise your arms and legs off the floor, simultaneously. Hold the squeeze for 1 second.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 11: Reverse Rows

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How To:
Video Demo — Reverse Rows

 

Primary Muscle(s): Back, Biceps

  • (1) Hang from a bar with your feet extended out. Keep your body straight and form a bridge at a 45º angle.
  • (2) Powerfully contract your back and pull your chest up to the bar. Squeeze for one second and lower down to a full extension.

 

Bodyweight Exercise 12: Mountain Climbers

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How To:
Video Demo — Mountain Climbers

 

Primary Muscle(s): Core, Lower Abs, Upper Body

  • (1) Extend out into push up position. 
  • (2) Drive your left knee up into your left arm, kick it back, and immediately repeat for the right leg. Continue to repeat in rhythm as quickly as possible.



Page: UPPER BODY | LOWER BODY | ABS & CORE

 

Bryan DiSanto

Bryan DiSanto

Owner & Editor-in-Chief at Lean It UP
Bryan DiSanto is the Owner & Editor-in-Chief of Lean It UP, a culinary student at Le Cordon Bleu – Paris, an ACE-CPT & CSN, NYU graduate, ex-fat kid, and all-around fitness/nutrition nutjob.

He also contributes to Men's Health Magazine.

When he’s not working on his (or somebody else’s) abs, whipping up Eggocados, or running a Tough Mudder, he’s probably off yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.
Bryan DiSanto

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