Even if you don't pay monthly dues at the gym or have a dedicated
workout area at home, you still have the only tool you need to get in
the best shape of your life: your own body. Doing bodyweight movements,
like squats and push-ups,
during high-intensity interval training (HIIT), is a super-effective
workout—and one that's nearly equipment-free. If you have sneakers and a
timer, you're ready to go.
[post_ads]So what's HIIT? "It's a method of training in which you perform an
exercise at your all-out, maximum effort for a short period of time,
then follow it with a brief rest period," explains Daphnie Yang, a
certified personal trainer and the creator of HIIT IT!,
a NYC-based fitness class. "By repeating this over and over again you
create intervals of spiking your heart rate up balanced with recovery."
Even if you can't run a mile without stopping, chances are, you can
sprint in place for 30 seconds. You'll need to push yourself, but only
for short, manageable periods of time.
To get the most out of your bodyweight workout,
focus on exercises that use multiple muscle groups at once. "They are
more effective at raising your heart rate since they are using so much
of the body at once, and they help you achieve benefits quicker than
isolated strength-training exercises," says Candice Seti,
PhD, a personal trainer and nutrition coach. (Once you get the hang of
it, interval training can totally transform your body. Here are 6 reasons you should stick it out.)
Here, trainers and fitness experts share 7 highly effective
bodyweight moves that can help you reach your fitness goals. Don't do
them every single day, as your changing body and developing muscles need
time to regroup. "It's best to take a rest day, a weight training day,
or cardio day in between if you really want to energize your results,"
says Devan Kline, CEO, co-founder, and trainer at Burn Boot Camp.
How to do it: Stand with
your feet shoulder-width apart, then jump up and clap your hands above
your head before bending down in a squat and jumping your feet behind
you into push-up position. Lower down into a push-up, then come back up.
Now jump your feet forward to your hands, stand (or jump up), and clap.
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Why it's effective: The push-up engages your upper body, and the hopping gives you a burst of cardio, says Seti.
Check out how to do the perfect burpee:
Why it's effective: "Squats engage our lower body, which is key for building strength," says Yang. "Lower body muscles make up some of the largest in your body, meaning more calorie burn."
How to do it: "From a
standing position with your feet hip-width apart, bend forward at the
hips with a flat back and walk your hands into a high plank position,"
Yang instructs. "Keep your hands outside your shoulder line to protect
your elbows. Maintaining your flat back, gaze in front of your hands as
you drop your chest to floor. Then imagine pushing the floor away from
you as you walk your hands back toward your feet, standing all the way
up."
Why it's effective: This movement does it all: "Walk-outs are fantastic upper body movements, as they push your muscles and condition them to endure, all while building your core stability training," Yang says.
[post_ads]How to do it: Stand with
your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on your hips and angle your
chest up. Now, step your right leg far enough forward to sink your body
down without your front knee going in front of your toe. Make sure to
maintain the same width between your feet as your right leg moves
forward. At the same time, allow your back knee to bend toward the floor
without actually touching—think of two 90-degree angles in your
legs—and then push off your front foot back to standing. You can repeat
the same movement stepping forward, and then alternate to the other leg.
Why it's effective: Not only do lunges improve your balance, but they strengthen your coordination and also sculpt your lower-body muscles, Yang explains. While you might be wobbly at first, as you begin to trust your own strength, you will get to a point where you can jump to switch lunges.
Why it's effective: This movement does it all: "Walk-outs are fantastic upper body movements, as they push your muscles and condition them to endure, all while building your core stability training," Yang says.
Why it's effective: Not only do lunges improve your balance, but they strengthen your coordination and also sculpt your lower-body muscles, Yang explains. While you might be wobbly at first, as you begin to trust your own strength, you will get to a point where you can jump to switch lunges.
How to do it: "Running sprints on a treadmill or outside is the most simple way to do HIIT (which has been proven to reverse aging) because you need next to nothing to get it done," says Kyra Williams, CPT.
She advises her clients to try five to 10 intervals of 60 seconds of
flat-out running with 90 seconds of rest in between each interval.
Why it’s effective: Sprints build your cardiovascular endurance, so they'll get easier to do over time, and they improve your overall leg strength, too.
Why it’s effective: Sprints build your cardiovascular endurance, so they'll get easier to do over time, and they improve your overall leg strength, too.
How to do it: Start with
your legs shoulder-width apart, and then hop to one side and balance on
one leg, while your other leg is extended behind you. Now switch. As you
become more advanced, you'll be able to touch the floor each time you
hop.
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Why it's effective: Skater jumps work to build agility and leg strength in one compound motion.
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Why it's effective: Skater jumps work to build agility and leg strength in one compound motion.
