4 Quick Bodyweight Workouts
Sometimes getting to the gym isn’t feasible for a variety of reasons. Life gets busy, you end up having to stay at work late, pick up your kids, or travel. These busy times are stressful enough and become even more stressful when you view working out as black and white. If you view exercise as black and white you may think things like:
If I’m not strength training at a high intensity then I’m not getting better
If I don’t run as far or at as fast of a pace as last time the run was a waste of my time.
If I’m not lying in a pile of my own sweat trying to catch my breath it wasn’t a good workout
This type of mindset can help push people towards making their workouts a priority in their life and drive them to be consistent enough to reach their goals, but it can also increase your stress levels, make you feel irritable, and make you no fun to live with or be around, especially when life throws you a curveball.
Don’t mistake this as a reason to not exercise. Exercising consistently needs to be a priority if you want to reach your goals, but that doesn’t mean you need to pressure yourself to go to the gym every single day. If you want to get better at playing with the hand you’re dealt, dealing with life’s curveballs, and not getting extra stressed because the last minute meeting cuts into your gym time you need to learn how to make adjustments and still get a workout in with the limited time or equipment that you now have.
This is where having a go to collection of bodyweight workouts that you can get in anywhere, without any equipment, and can be adjusted given how much time you have is beneficial.
Next time you have to work overtime, you’re on the road, or you’re exhausted from staying up late with sick kids give one of these four bodyweight workouts a try. Hopefully you’ll feel refreshed, less stressed, and understand that you can still get an effective workout in without loading up a heavy barbell or crushing yourself with intervals.
The Workouts
Option 1: Slow & Steady
Repeat for 3-6 Rounds
A1) Tempo Split Squats (3030) x10/side
A2) Deadbugs x8/side
A3) Tempo Push-Ups (3030) x10
A4) In-Place Spiderman with Hip Lift & Overhead Reach x5/side
A5) Rest 60s
Option 2: Ascending & Descending Ladder
Perform for Reps Written Below
(1-10)= Start with 1 squat for set one, 2 for set two, etc.
(10-1)= Start with 10 Push-Ups for set one, 9 for set two, etc.
If you’re pressed for time you can change ladders to a rep number less than 10.
A1) Jump Squat (1-10)
A2) Push-Up to Downward Dog (10-1)
A3) Half Turkish Get-Up x5/side
Option 3: Bodyweight Complex
Repeat for 3-6 Rounds
A1) Jump Squat x6
A2) Squat x8
A3) Step-Through Lunges x6/side/ea
A4) Push-Ups x5/side
Option 4: Mobility Circuit
Repeat for 3-6 Rounds
A1) Push-Up to Downward Dog Complex x5/side
A2) Bear Hold to Deep Squat x8
A3) Squat to Stand w/ Diagonal Reach x6/side
A4) Glute Bridge w/ Cross Body Reach x6/side
A5) In-Place Alternating Lateral Lunges x6/side
