The best bodyweight exercises for effective bodyweight training
What is bodyweight training?
Bodyweight training is a training method in which you work exclusively with your own body weight as resistance – without dumbbells or fitness equipment. Instead, you use your own weight to build muscle, develop strength, and improve your endurance.
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🔥 What is bodyweight training? The benefits of bodyweight training exercises
Bodyweight training has many benefits that make it one of the best training methods for beginners and advanced athletes alike. Here are some of the key reasons why it's so great:
1. No equipment required
You can train anytime, anywhere, without expensive equipment or a gym. This makes bodyweight training particularly flexible and practical.
2. Entire muscle chains are trained
Unlike isolated machine exercises, bodyweight exercises often engage many muscle groups simultaneously. This not only improves strength but also coordination and stability.
3. Low risk of injury
Because you're working with your own body weight, the load automatically adapts to your fitness level, reducing the risk of strain and injury.
4. Functional strength and mobility
Many exercises, such as squats and push-ups, simulate natural movement patterns. This helps improve the mobility and everyday usability of your muscles.
5. Easy scalability
Whether you're a beginner or a pro, bodyweight exercises are easily adaptable. Push-ups, for example, can be done on your knees or as a one-arm version for advanced users, depending on your fitness level.
6. Promotes endurance and fat burning
Dynamic exercises like burpees or mountain climbers combine strength and endurance, which strengthens the cardiovascular system and effectively burns fat.
7. Improves core stability
Many bodyweight exercises challenge the core muscles (abdomen, back), which improves posture and prevents back problems.
8. Varied and creative
From classic exercises to challenging calisthenics movements, bodyweight training offers countless variations that provide variety and motivation.
In short: Bodyweight training is efficient, safe, flexible, and effective for strength, endurance, and mobility. So there's no reason not to get started right away! 💪😃
Effective bodyweight exercises (on/with equipment)
Here is a list of calisthenics exercises for beginners and advanced athletes , perfect for training on pull-up bars, dip bars, calisthenics stations and parallettes .
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🔥 Beginner exercises (basics for strength & technique)
1. Pull-up bar exercises
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Australian pull-ups
Target muscles: back, biceps
Execution: Lie under a low bar, keep your body straight, and pull yourself toward the bar. -
Negative pull-ups
Target muscles: back, biceps
Execution: Start with your chin over the bar and slowly lower your body. Watch the technique video > -
Pull-ups with resistance band
Target muscles: back, biceps
Execution: Use a resistance band for support to make the movement easier.
2. Dip bar exercises
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Bank dips
Target muscles: Triceps, shoulders
Execution: Place your hands behind your body on a bench, lower your hips, and then raise them again. -
Assisted dips
Target muscles: Triceps, shoulders
Execution: Support yourself with your feet on the floor or with a band to make the exercise easier. -
Knee raises in support position
Target muscles: torso, hip flexors
Execution: In a plank position, pull your knees toward your chest to strengthen your core muscles.
3. Parallettes exercises
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Parallettes push-ups
Target muscles: chest, shoulders, triceps
Execution: Place your hands on parallettes and perform push-ups with a wider range of motion. Watch the technique video > -
Angled L-sit
Target muscles: torso, hip flexors
Execution: Support yourself on parallettes, raise your legs with your knees bent, and hold the position. -
Plank on Parallettes
Target muscles: torso, shoulders
Execution: Hold the plank position on parallettes to increase stability.
4. Exercises at a Calisthenics Station
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Hanging Knee Raises
Target muscles: torso, hip flexors
Execution: Hang from a bar and pull your knees toward your chest. Watch the technique video > -
Step-ups on platforms
Target muscles: legs, buttocks
Execution: Climb onto a raised platform and then descend again. -
Incline bench push-ups
Target muscles: chest, shoulders, triceps
Execution: Place your hands on a raised surface and perform push-ups.
🔥 Advanced exercises (more strength & control)
1. Pull-up bar exercises
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Muscle-Up
Target muscles: back, biceps, chest, triceps
Execution: Combination of pull-up and dip to get over the bar. -
Archer Pull-Ups
Target muscles: back, biceps
Execution: One-arm pull-up with support from the other arm. -
Front Lever Hold
Target muscles: back, torso
Execution: Keep your body parallel to the floor, hanging only by your hands. Learn more about the front lever >
2. Dip bar exercises
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Dips with additional weight
Target muscles: triceps, chest, shoulders
Execution: Dips with additional weight, e.g., weight vest. -
Russian Dips
Target muscles: Triceps, shoulders
Execution: Dips with additional forward movement of the shoulders. -
Straight Bar Dips
Target muscles: triceps, chest, shoulders
Execution: Dips on a straight bar, requires more stability.
Correct execution and more information >
3. Parallettes exercises
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Planche Hold
Target muscles: torso, shoulders, arms
Execution: Keep your body parallel to the floor, supported only by your hands. -
Pseudo Planche Push-Ups
Target muscles: chest, shoulders, triceps
Execution: Push-ups with your hands further back to place more pressure on your shoulders. -
Handstand Push-Ups
Target muscles: shoulders, triceps, torso
Execution: Lean against a wall in a handstand and perform controlled push-ups.
4. Exercises at a Calisthenics Station
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Human Flag
Target muscles: Lateral trunk muscles, shoulders, grip strength
Execution: Hold onto a vertical bar and raise your body sideways until it's parallel to the floor. Learn more about the Human Flag > -
Skin the Cat
Target muscles: shoulders, torso, grip strength
Execution: Hang from rings or a bar, pull your legs over your shoulders and roll your body backwards in a controlled manner. -
Back Lever
Target muscles: back, shoulders, torso
Execution: Bring your body into a horizontal position under the bar and keep it parallel to the floor. Learn more about the back lever >
This list covers a wide range of calisthenics exercises for beginners and advanced users—ideal for workouts on pull-up bars, dip bars, calisthenics stations, and parallettes .
The top 20 bodyweight exercises (without equipment)
Here is a comprehensive list of the best bodyweight exercises without equipment , broken down by muscle group:
🔥 Upper body exercises
1. Push-ups
💪 Target muscles: chest, shoulders, triceps, torso
Execution: Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor, keep your body straight, slowly lower and push back up.
2. Diamond Push-Ups
💪 Target muscles: triceps, chest, shoulders
Execution: Bring your hands together under your chest (thumb and index finger form a “diamond”), then lower as with normal push-ups.
3. Pike Push-Ups
💪 Target muscles: shoulders, triceps
Execution: Get into a V-position, place your feet closer to your hands and lower your upper body in a controlled manner.
4. Hindu Push Ups (Dandasana Push Ups)
💪 Target muscles: chest, shoulders, triceps, back
Execution: From the pike position, slide your chest downwards in a kind of “bow movement” and move into a stretched position.
5. Superman Hold
💪 Target muscles: back, buttocks, shoulders
Execution: Lie on your stomach, raise your arms and legs simultaneously and hold the position.
🔥 Lower body exercises
6. Squats
🦵 Target muscles: legs, buttocks
Execution: Place feet shoulder-width apart, push butt back, squat down and stand up again.
7. Sumo Squats
🦵 Target muscles: inner thighs, buttocks, legs
Execution: Place feet wider than shoulder width apart, turn toes slightly outwards, squat deeply.
8. Lunges
🦵 Target muscles: thighs, buttocks, calves
Execution: Place one leg forward, lower the back knee almost to the floor and then straighten it up again.
9. Jump Squats
🦵 Target muscles: legs, buttocks, calves
Execution: Deep squat and then explosively jump up.
10. Pistol Squats (One-legged squats)
🦵 Target muscles: Legs, glutes, core
Execution: Stand on one leg, stretch the other forward, then slowly bend your knees.
🔥 Core exercises (abdomen, back, torso)
11. Plank (forearm support)
🔥 Target muscles: torso, abdomen, back, shoulders
Execution: Support yourself on your forearms, keep your body straight and maintain tension.
12. Side Plank
🔥 Target muscles: Obliques, core, shoulders
Execution: Support yourself sideways on one forearm, raise your hips and hold the position.
13. Leg Raises
🔥 Target muscles: Lower abdominal muscles
Execution: Lie on your back, raise your legs straight and slowly lower them.
14. Bicycle Crunches
🔥 Target muscles: abdominal muscles, obliques
Execution: While lying down, alternately move one elbow to the opposite knee.
15. Russian Twists
🔥 Target muscles: Obliques, core
Execution: While sitting, lean your upper body back slightly and turn your upper body from side to side.
💥 Full-body exercises (explosive strength & endurance)
16. Burpees
💥 Target muscles: Legs, chest, shoulders, core
Execution: Squat, jump into the push-up position, perform one push-up, stand up and jump into the air.
17. Mountain Climbers
💥 Target muscles: Core, legs, shoulders
Execution: In the push-up position, alternately pull your knees towards your chest.
18. Jumping Jacks
💥 Target muscles: Legs, shoulders, core
Execution: Jump while raising your arms above your head and spreading your legs.
19. Skater Jumps
💥 Target muscles: legs, core, coordination
Execution: Jump sideways from one leg to the other, knees slightly bent.
20. Crab Walk
💥 Target muscles: shoulders, triceps, core
Execution: Walk on your hands and feet in an inverted bridge position.
📌 Conclusion:
These 20 exercises offer a complete bodyweight workout without equipment . They train all muscle groups and can be combined individually.
How often do bodyweight training per week?
How often you should perform the same bodyweight exercises per week in your workout depends on your fitness level, your goals , and your ability to recover .
General recommendation for bodyweight training:
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Beginners: 2–3 times per week per muscle group
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Advanced: 3–5 times per week per muscle group
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Very advanced: Up to 6x per week (with variation in intensity & volume)
Training frequency according to goal:
Muscle building (hypertrophy)
- 3–4 times per week per muscle group
- 6–15 repetitions per set
- Medium to high intensity (e.g. explosive repetitions, isometric holds)
Strength building (e.g. for skills such as muscle-ups, handstands, planche)
- ✔ 2-4x per week per exercise
- 3–6 repetitions per set
- High intensity with longer breaks
Endurance & definition (e.g. fat burning, conditioning)
- 4–6 times per week
- 15–30 repetitions per set
- Short breaks, often as circuit training
Tip for a sensible division:
1️⃣ Full-body workouts (2–4 times per week) – ideal for beginners
2️⃣ Split training (e.g. upper body / lower body split) (3–5 times per week) – for advanced users
3️⃣ Skill focus (e.g. handstand/muscle-up training on extra days)
📌 Important: Ensure adequate recovery (48 hours of rest for a muscle group after intensive training). If you train daily, vary the intensity and exercises to avoid overtraining.
Conclusion: Bodyweight exercises are an effective strength training without a gym
Bodyweight training is an incredibly versatile and effective way to improve your fitness—without the need for expensive equipment or a gym. It offers numerous benefits, such as the flexibility to train anytime, anywhere, and promotes not only strength but also endurance, flexibility, and core stability.
With the right exercises, you can build muscle, burn fat, and improve your overall fitness—all without any extra effort. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, there are always suitable exercises and progressions to help you achieve your goals.
The 20 best bodyweight exercises we've presented cover all muscle groups and provide a solid foundation for your training. Make sure you adapt your workouts to your fitness level and ensure adequate recovery to avoid overtraining.
Use the flexibility and versatility of bodyweight training to achieve your fitness goals—whether it's building muscle, increasing endurance, or burning fat. The path is open, so start today and enjoy the progress! 💪🔥