This article is general information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor or other qualified professional before starting a new exercise routine, particularly if you have a health condition, joint problems, an injury, are pregnant, or have been inactive for a long time. Stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness or chest discomfort.
Why bodyweight exercises are a good place to start
Bodyweight exercises use your own weight as resistance, so you need no equipment, no membership and not much space. They can be made easier or harder by changing the angle, the range of motion or the number of repetitions. That makes them useful for beginners and for anyone who wants a flexible option at home.
They will not suit every goal. Very strong people eventually need more load than their own weight provides. But for building a base, they work well, and they are a practical way into broader strength training.
Squat
The squat trains the thighs and hips and mirrors the everyday action of sitting down and standing up.
- Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees, as though sitting into a chair.
- Keep your chest lifted and your heels on the floor.
- Stand back up by pressing through your whole foot.
Cautions: Let knees track in line with your toes rather than collapsing inward. Go only as low as is comfortable. If you are unsure, practice by lightly tapping a chair with your hips and standing back up.
Push-up and its easier versions
Push-ups work the chest, shoulders, arms and trunk.
- Begin with a wall push-up: hands on a wall at chest height, body in a straight line, bend elbows and return.
- Progress to an incline push-up with hands on a countertop or sturdy table.
- Later, try the floor version, with a straight line from head to heels.
Cautions: Do not let the lower back sag or the hips pike upward. Elbows are usually comfortable at an angle of about 45 degrees from the body rather than flared straight out. If wrists hurt, try pressing on fists or handles, or return to an incline.
Lunge
Lunges challenge each leg separately and add some balance demand.
- Step forward and lower until both knees are bent, with the front heel flat.
- Push back to standing.
- A reverse lunge, stepping backward, is often easier on the knees for beginners.
Cautions: Keep your torso upright and hold a wall or chair if you wobble. Skip or modify if you feel pain in the front of the knee.
Glute bridge
Lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat, press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly.
This is a gentle way to work the buttocks and back of the thighs, and it is often comfortable for people who find squats awkward. Avoid arching the lower back at the top; stop when your hips are level with your ribs.
Plank
The plank is a hold that trains the muscles around the trunk.
- Place forearms on the floor with elbows under shoulders.
- Extend your legs behind you, or keep knees down for an easier version.
- Keep a straight line from head to heels or knees, and breathe normally.
Cautions: Stop when your hips drop or your lower back aches. A shorter hold with good form is better than a long one with poor form. More on this area appears in the discussion of core strength.
Bird dog and dead bug
Both are low-impact trunk exercises. In a bird dog, you start on hands and knees and extend the opposite arm and leg slowly. In a dead bug, you lie on your back and lower opposite arm and leg toward the floor while keeping your lower back steady. Move slowly and keep the range small if you feel strain.
Putting a short session together
A simple beginner session might include a squat, an incline push-up, a glute bridge, a reverse lunge and a plank. Try about 8 to 12 repetitions of each, or a hold of 10 to 20 seconds, then rest a minute and repeat once or twice. These numbers are only a typical starting point, and you should adjust them to how you feel.
Do a short warm-up routine first, such as marching in place and gentle arm and hip circles. For ideas on how to combine these with other activities across a week, see the guidance on how to build home workouts and a balanced workout.
How to progress
When a set feels easy with good form, change just one thing:
- Add a few repetitions.
- Slow down the lowering phase.
- Choose a harder variation, for example moving from wall to incline push-ups.
- Add a set.
Progress in small steps, and take regular rest days so that your muscles can adapt.
When to modify or stop
Mild muscle fatigue and later soreness are common. Sharp, pinching or joint pain is a signal to stop and reassess. If you are older, have balance concerns, or have joint conditions, chair-based versions or a supervised session with a physical therapist or qualified trainer may be better places to start. Exercises can be adjusted for nearly every body, and inclusive fitness treats that as normal rather than as second best.