No Weights, No Problem: This Workout Will Still Leave You Torched
To be frank, there are some days when I cannot go to the gym. Leaving just an hour free for strength training becomes a struggle between work, errands, and all the other myriad activities. That is why I have tried this straightforward 13-exercise bodyweight workout. No additional weight needed. Nothing glorifying the room, save for me, one yoga mat, and 13 minutes of even bigger sweat.
The method was not extremely complicated, but it turned out to be extremely effective. You just go through 13 workouts, each for 40 seconds, with a 20-second rest period in between. Whether you just fired up and want to start at a beginner level, or you are already experienced and only need an excellent travel workout, this workout is perfect for you.
Why Bodyweight Training Still Wins
People tend to think that muscle can be built only by weights. Yet, bodyweight training presents itself as an alternative to gain muscle mass while being more of a cardio exercise. The mass may not be heavy, but if done using the mass, even bodyweight training is effective and an added benefit as it tones the muscles, makes you flexible, and gives you more power of endurance. It is a free activity, and a willingness attitude will get you through it.
It is not necessary for you to buy dumbbells or resistance bands to manage bodyweight training. Only you, your determination, and a little bit of effort are required.
Here’s How the Workout Is Structured
This will be a circuit that is time bound and done with a high-intensity pattern. Each move will be given 40 seconds to execute, and you get 20 seconds to rest before you continue with the next exercise. The round takes 13 minutes and six seconds. If you want to work for longer here, have some rest for a couple of minutes, and then go ahead and repeat the entire circuit one or even two times more.
Below are the crucial elements of the workout along with how to complete them for the best results.
Single-Leg Deadlift to Knee Drive
This one is a mix of a strength and a balance exercise. Go to the full height, shift your weight on the left foot, bend your hips while your right leg moves back, but still straighten your back and lean forward carefully, then raise to the original position and at the same time push the right knee as far as possible to the chest. You can mix the legs for 40 seconds when it’s good not only for the targeted glutes but also for your hamstrings and core.
Kneeling Squats
Up squat on one foot after kneeling down, move the other foot forward and then bend the other leg. Repeat the same with the opposite side by first stepping back into a kneeling position. This is a killer. Staying low is a must if you want it to work. The exercise is purely for your lower body, no chances of back or knee issues. You would have never thought getting a lower body workout being on your knees.
Mountain Climbers A classic that never goes out of style. Assume a well-supported plank position and bring one knee into your chest, then, switch fast knocking alternately like you are running horizontally. Both high heart rate and muscle activation are strengthened equally. The speed of your running can be moderate or super-fast since your abs are the winners all the way.
Rotating Side Planks
Firstly take a side plank with your arm extended to the sky, later on point it downwards and then thrust it below your body side. The piston-like fast twist challenges your pole and circle areas. In case you are not ready to spare a lot of working time, you have 20 seconds on each side. But if you blast, go the longer 40 seconds and split time-wise on the other side.
Other Burners You Will Avail
Do you know that in the complete workout you will have to perform the following exercises such as lunges, squat pulses, glute bridges, high knees, and more? All of them are targeted at the main muscle groups from different angles. There’s no risk you will ever get bored with these exercises since you will be gone through the workout 50% of the time and feel your whole body activated.
Major Benefits of Bodyweight Training
Bodyweight exercises are essentially the best when it comes to gaining muscle endurance and improving the strength of the joints in a friendly way. They bring about a more profound body control that can be quite beneficial for both the elderly and the people recovering from injuries. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning also discovered that calisthenics were a great way to make significant increases in the upper body. So, it’s more like a new form rather than a “light” alternative.
Equally significant, bodyweight activities are the ones where a lot of muscles are engaged simultaneously in a wider range of motion, just as we do in real life, like when we are climbing stairs, performing a squat to pick up a box, or reaching up. This, in turn, leads to the occurrence of a good posture, the reduced risk of injury, and the gained natural strength which can be used for daily activities.
It doesn’t matter if you have a gym membership or a big room filled with exercise equipment or not, because the factual idea here is that you can always accomplish a full-body workout. This is a 13-movement programme that will not only intensively but efficiently work out your body that can be done even in the busiest of days. Being an absolute beginner or someone who is working out and does not want to use the weights at the moment, this workout can be qualified as the one that is rapid in nature, improves your strength, and at the same time, requires your mobility to be strong—all this is achieved just by using your body.
Make a trial, and the result will definitely be the same, significant muscle soreness in your case. However, after you have made it through it two or more times, you might want to consider skipping the gym in the future.
