12 Best Bodyweight Exercise Ever (Hit Every Muscle)

Who needs a gym when there’s the living room floor? Bodyweight exercise are simple, effective way to improve balance, flexibility, and strength without machine or extra equipment. While everyone has their own method of training, there are several training methods, techniques and exercise that work effectively for everyone, no matter who they are, or what their training history is.

Reaching your training goals doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need to achieve the body you’ve been dreaming of is, well, your body.

1. Push up

This is one of the best upper body exercises because it works everything -- your chest, your back, your arms and even your abs! Make sure your shoulders line up with your wrists and you tuck your elbows in toward your side (so don’t flare your elbows out wide). Try to get your chest and hips as close to the floor as possible without touching.

2. Pull ups

Another classic move. The pull up hits every muscle in the body and is underrated in terms of arm and abs development. It stands alone as the original biceps curl, and it’s definitely one of the best things you can do for your arms—not to mention the muscles in your back.

3. Plank

Plenty of fitness experts think holding a plank for a minute-plus is a very impressive measure of fitness. The plank requires excellent shoulder stability and top-notch muscle endurance of the abs, lower back, shoulders, neck, and legs. Not only that, but it works well to develop an impressive six-pack (more time under tension = more muscle).

4. Roll out (ab wheel or barbell)

Okay, this one’s not quite equipment-free—you’ll need an ab roller or a barbell. But the ab tension you feel in the roll out is similar to what you experience in a plank—just a notch more difficult. The farther you roll out, the harder the exercise becomes, leading to better results.

5. Inverted Row

Arguably as versatile a back exercise as the pull up, the inverted row is a great opposing motion to work with the push up. Turn your hands around so you’re holding the bar underhand, and you’ve got a better bicep builder than any curl variation out there. It’s a key exercise for building wide shoulders and big arms—and that means more attention on the beach this summer.

6. Burpee

The No. 1 favourite exercise of any trainer who wants to help their clients burn fat, the burpee has become a staple in programs from bootcamps to CrossFit and everything in between (in fact, it was made popular by CrossFit).  This exercise is squat heavy, so it uses a lot of muscle mass causing your heart rate to increase quickly. Standing with your feet hips-width distance apart, sit down deeply into the squat position and place your hands on the floor. Next jump both feet back and then forwards, standing up and pushing the hips forwards with your butt squeezed tight. Want more intensity? Add a jump at the top and push-ups at the bottom to up the ante.

7. Dips

Many people think the dip is primarily a triceps exercise—and while that’s definitely true, dips also hit your chest and shoulders just as hard. Another underrated aspect of the dip is the core strength it takes to do them properly. Dips aren’t for the faint of heart (just try a few) but they can be your greatest ally in getting big pecs and overall upper-body strength.

8. Pike Push up

If you’ve reached a plateau with your standard push up routine, it might be time to try the pike push up. This variation directly targets the shoulders and can help improve weak areas, leading to muscle development all over.

9. Bodyweight Squat

One of the best exercises is also one of the most natural (just watch a baby sit). This movement works all of the muscles in the lower body including the quads, glutes and hamstrings. It also provides an extra kick for the core as you need your deep abdominal muscles and back to keep your torso upright and perform this exercise correctly.

10. Pistol Squat

A notoriously demanding one-legged squat variation popularized by CrossFit, the pistol squat is a premier test of balance, core strength, and leg power. When done correctly, you’ll lower yourself into what is essentially a one-legged crouch, so the angle behind your knee is less than 90 degrees. Stick your free leg and your arms in front of you—a challenge in itself—to maintain balance as you lower yourself and then power yourself back up.

11. Clap Push up

Whether you’re looking to improve your explosive power or you just got done watching the Rocky training montage, the clap push up is a demanding (and, yeah, showy) way to build up your triceps and chest strength. (If you’re doing these to failure, just make sure you don’t smash your face up when your arms give out.)

12. Handstand Push ups

It’s a deceptively simple exercise, but the handstand push ups is also a supreme test of your upper-body strength and core stability. You’ll feel this most in your shoulders and triceps—the primary muscles in this move—while also working your core (read: six-pack) as you balance your legs. Get into a handstand, stabilizing your feet against a wall if you need to. Lower yourself toward the floor while keeping your elbows in front of your shoulders. Go as low as you can and push straight up.