Many of us think time and expense are the biggest obstacles to getting and keeping fit. But getting your arms and legs into shape doesn’t need to cost them. There are plenty of ways to work out using nothing more than what your mother gave you.
Bodyweight training is exactly what it sounds like – exercises that use your own body as the weight and sole form of resistance. You know plenty of examples already; think sit ups, push ups, crunches, lunges, planks and squats.
Here at Fitmac we tailor your personal fitness plan to meet you fitness goals.
Any age, any fitness level
By adjusting the movements to make them more or less difficult, (for example, you can make push ups easier by doing them from a kneeling position, or harder by doing them with one arm) bodyweight training evolves with your fitness. You can also modify the exercises to make them safer, (for example, doing squats using a bench or chair), reducing the risk of falls.
Less down time
If you rely on gym equipment or classes, busy periods at work or home (and trips away from home) can make it difficult to fit in a session. With bodyweight training your body is your gym so you can exercise anywhere, anytime. And you can slot bodyweight training into other exercise programs.
Basically bodyweight training means you always have a workout option.
Lower risk of injury
Bodyweight training is relatively low risk. You’re much less likely to strain a muscle using your body than with free weights or machines (and you’ll never need to worry about dropping that 5 kilo weight on your foot!). It adds up to less down time from injury and sore, overextended muscles.
Muscle multi-tasking
One of the biggest benefits of bodyweight training is it combines a cardiovascular workout with strength training. Many bodyweight exercises are also compound exercises, meaning they work several muscle groups at once – so you can work all the major muscle groups in fewer moves and in a relatively short space of time.
Core strength and stability
Bodyweight training is brilliant for building that all important core strength that improves balance and stability and makes all kinds of physical activity easier (with enviable abs an added bonus). And good core strength means good form, making it more likely you’ll achieve your fitness goals and avoid injury.