Exercise equipment is great but the truth of the matter is that it is not always available. And the great part is that while it is very helpful it is not essential to have good workout. Yes, it may be essential for getting past plateaus and building real muscle but for maintenance or conditioning you can get a great workout without any workout equipment.
Body weight workouts are getting increasingly popular because they are simple, cheap, and they can be done virtually anywhere. You can do them in a cubicle at work or in a hotel on the road. Body weight workouts are also not nearly as hard on your joints and tendons as many other forms of exercise.
I rotate through different styles of workouts and I find that body weight workouts are some of my favorite. I love the creative aspect of the exercises and the way I feel when I am finished. You can focus on cardiovascular endurance or you attempt a more resistance training oriented workout. Lets take a closer look at your options.
Resistance Training
The good old fashioned prison cell workout. This baby is built around push up, pull ups if you have a place to pull up, this can be a joist, door frame or stairs, or whatever you have available. I also like to focus on single leg exercises like lunges or hack squats. The sky is the limit here. The idea is to do a wide variety of very similar exercises, changing hand placement or food elevation can totally change a push up. Adding core exercises is also a good way to increase your overall strength.
For the more advanced you can attempts to do more yoga style movements that involve holding different postures and developing a lot of control. Inverted military presses are also the peak of conditioning in body weight workouts.
Cardiovascular Fitness
This is pretty simple. Anything that will make you move will increase your cardio. Big full body movements will get your heart going much more quickly and be much more effective. Punching and kicking combos are always fun to practice and can give you more respect for fighters. The key is finding a routine that you like and that is effective for you.
Fitness equipment has its place but not having access to a gym or any type of exercise equipment is not excuse to not be in shape.
Tags: body weight workouts, Exercise Equipment, fitness equipment, workout equipment