Bodyweight exercises

About bodyweight exercises

Bodyweight exercises use your own mass as the load, so most need little more than a floor, a bar or a bench. You can make them easier or harder by changing leverage, for example by raising your hands for a push-up or lengthening a plank.

Choosing between these exercises

The trade-off is progression. Adding load in small steps is harder than on a machine or with dumbbells, and a few moves need a pull-up bar or parallel bars. Control matters more than speed: slow, full-range repetitions and a stable trunk are what make these guides effective.

At a glance

Where to start

These guides are rated beginner level: Push-up, Bodyweight squat, Forearm plank, Incline push-up, Inverted row and Bodyweight reverse lunge.

All 28 guides

Grouped by main muscle. Each line shows the equipment, the level and the supporting muscles from that guide.

Abs (5)

• Dead bug — beginner; also works deep core and hip flexors
• Forearm plank — beginner; also works deep core and glutes
• Ab wheel rollout — intermediate; also works front deltoids, lats, obliques and serratus
• Crunch — intermediate; also works obliques
• Hanging leg raise — intermediate; also works hip flexors and forearm flexors

Glutes (3)

• Glute bridge — beginner; also works hamstrings and abs
• Box jump — intermediate; also works calves, hamstrings and soleus
• Burpees — intermediate; also works front deltoids, abs and triceps

Lats (3)

• Inverted row — beginner; also works rhomboids and biceps
• Chin-up — intermediate; also works biceps and rhomboids
• Pull-up — intermediate; also works biceps and rhomboids

Obliques (3)

• Side plank — beginner; also works deep core and glute med
• Bicycle crunch — intermediate; also works hip flexors
• Russian twist — intermediate; also works hip flexors

Chest (3)

• Incline push-up — beginner; also works triceps and front deltoids
• Push-up — beginner; also works triceps and front deltoids
• Parallel-bar dips — intermediate; also works triceps and front deltoids

Quads (3)

• Bodyweight reverse lunge — beginner; also works glutes and adductors
• Bodyweight squat — beginner; also works glutes and adductors
• Bodyweight step-up — intermediate; also works glutes

Lower Back (2)

• Back extension on a bench — beginner; also works glutes and hamstrings
• Bird dog — beginner; also works glutes and deep core

Triceps (2)

• Bench dips — intermediate; also works front deltoids and chest
• Diamond push-up — intermediate; also works chest and front deltoids

Front Deltoids (1)

• Pike push-up — intermediate; also works triceps and chest

Calves (1)

• Calf raise — intermediate; also works soleus

Hamstrings (1)

• Nordic hamstring curl — advanced; also works calves and glutes

Hip Flexors (1)

• Captain's chair knee raise — intermediate; also works obliques and deep core

Common questions

More exercise guides by muscle and equipment

Browse every guide in the Workout Explorer. Search all 178 guides, watch the demonstrations and compare two exercises side by side.

By muscle

• Chest exercises
• Front delt exercises
• Lat exercises
• Quad exercises
• Glute exercises
• Hamstring exercises
• Biceps exercises
• Triceps exercises
• Calf exercises
• Rear delt exercises
• Ab exercises
• Oblique exercises

By equipment

• Barbell exercises
• Dumbbell exercises
• Cable exercises
• Bodyweight exercises
• Gym machine exercises
• Cardio exercises
• Mobility exercises

Educational guidance, not an individual training prescription. Start with a manageable load, work within a comfortable range, and stop if a movement causes pain. Ask a qualified coach for help with an unfamiliar setup. Practice the technique before increasing load. Repetitions and working weight depend on your goals, experience, and individual needs.