My 10 Favorite Bodyweight Exercises

When I train, I want to get the best out of it whether it be for 5 min. or a whole hour because not only do I want to get a great workout I want to feel good and energetic at the end of it no matter what. We all have our favorite Exercises that we like to do and we sometimes forget how good they can really be. We even change them up sometimes or make a variation of them to create a challenge. I for one have many exercises that I mastered and can do at just about anytime I wanted but theres always certain favorites I like to do every once in a while and I have picked and neither of these are any better then the next but they are very important and some are pretty difficult and some are pretty simple to learn. Without further ado here are my favorite Exercises.....

Sumo Squats

Hill Sprints

Bridging

Bear Crawls

Pull-ups

Gorilla Walks

Crab Walks

Hindu Squats

Tablemakers

Sumo Side Splits

Now why would I pick these specific exercises? Because for obvious reasons they're fun to do. Some you may notice are squat variations and I picked them because however you look at it, squats are the foundational exercises for burning off fat and building overall muscle. The legs are the largest parts of the body and we must strive to not only keep them strong but flexible because as we age one of the things we start to lose is the flexiblity in our legs.

They are a major key to how we get around places and how strong our development is. Some of the other exercises I have chosen like bear crawls and Crab Walks are because they use all four limbs in the body and can get you out of breath much faster then most exercises, do one of them and time yourself 2 minutes and see how long you last. Tablemakers are really the only push-up variation I do these days because I just have very little interest in push-ups because I get bored after doing high volume reps and with the animal exercises I can move around on both arms and legs and I get more out of it.

Not saying Push-ups are not good, they are, if one is getting into bodyweight exercises the first exercise they should learn is the push-up. Hill Sprints on the other hand are one if not the best exercise for burning off fat faster then anything else. Because of the huffing and puffing you get very quick it generates more Human Growth Hormone and the heat it builds up in your body.

Why did I choose Sumo Squats as a favorite exercise? For one its different unlike other variations. Two because of the other parts of the legs that work not only the thighs but the inner and outer portions of the thighs. Look at sumo wrestlers. They may not be the most durable athletes but they are strong, fast, agile and flexible. So why not take a picture out of their training and if you're an athlete in any sport this exercise can go a long way beyond just getting out of breath and building flexibility, it teaches you where to position the legs and the balance it requires you to take on. For wrestling these can help you very much because in wrestling you need to work the body in various angles for control and power and when you do sumo squats it shows you how to pivot the feet so when you're ready to make a move either defensive or offensive you'll know when to pivot to make your move much more explosive and powerful.

Again we all have our favorite exercises but the key is to not just do them in moderation, do them with feeling, power and will so when you train them you make them the way they ought to be. This is a major factor to learning self reliance and creating your own program for your needs of strength & conditioning.