The Body Weight Workout !

The latest exercise craze dosen´t involve bells, whistles, flexy bands or any other special equipment. Instead, it uses you, as I have mentioned in my previous posts. Body weight training refers to exercises in which you use your body's weight as a tool for building strenght. Here's a typical body weight training workout. If this one dosen´t suit you, check the sidebar on your right and find lots more.

Plank:

While in a push up position, move your right foot next to your left foot and straighten your body. This is the plank position.
Spread your fingers wide, so your middle fingers are pointing forward. Your hands should be on the floor directly beneath your shoulders.
Tuck in your tailbone so your legs, hips and torso from a straight line.
Push the crown of your head forward, tuck your toes and press your heels back, stretching.
Hold this position, breathing deeply, for as long as you are able to without straining yourself. Work up to 2 minutes.

Push ups:

Lay belly down on the floor, with your feet roughly 15-20 centimeters apart. Place your palms flat on the ground and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keep your body straight and long, come up onto your toes and lift your body off the floor with your arms until they are fully extended.
Slowly bend your arms at the elbows and lower your chest towards the floor. Stop roughly 10-15 centimeters before touching the ground with your belly. Try to keep your back and legs straight and in a single plane.
Push back up in the original position, that's one push-up.
Aim for doing 3 sets of 8 reps.

Chin-ups:

Grasp a chin-up bar with your fingers with your palms facing you.
Before pulling up, take a deep breath.
Begin pulling up with your chest forward and shoulders back while looking up to where you´r pulling yourself.
Point your elbows to the floor as you exert yourself.
Bend your legs and cross your feet, squeezing your glutes as you reach the top.
Do as many reps as you can, maintaining proper form.

Lunges:

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart or slightly closer.
Raise your chin slightly through this exercise.
Take a large step forward with your right leg, planting your foot firmly on the floor with your toes pointing forward or slightly inward. Align your right knee over your right foot.
Keep your back straight and upright, bring your left knee straight down, until its 2.5 to 5 cm from the floor.
To raise yourself, press firmly into the floor with your right foot while extending your right knee. Return to the initial standing position and repeat with your left leg forward.
Make a goal to do three sets of  20 lunges with each leg.

Squats:

Stand in front of a chair with your feet hip width apart. Keep your body erect and your chin raised slightly throughout this exercise.
With your arms extended forwards, slowly lower your bottom towards the chair as if you´re about to sit. Just before your body touches it, return slowly to a standing position. Repeat doing 3 sets of 12 squats.
As you do this exercise, keep your back straight, your knees behind your toes, your weight centered to the middle of your foot and heels, and your feet flat on the floor. If you need help with balance or flexibility, use a chair that has arms, and use them as needed.

Well here you go, a quick reminder to you of some basic body weight exercises, find out more to your right in routines page ! Remember a healthy mind, needs an healthy body. Keep training !