Here are 101 Bodyweight Exercises to help you build strength, flexibility, and endurance without the need for any equipment or gym membership. From basic moves to advanced variations, you’ll find a wide range of exercises to target every muscle group. Perfect for all fitness levels, these exercises can be done anywhere, anytime. Let’s get started on your fitness journey to a stronger, better you!

101 bodyweight exercises with printable list

Beginner Bodyweight Workout

Bodyweight exercises are physical activities that use your own body weight to provide resistance against gravity. These exercises are effective for building strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance without the need for weights or machines. These exercises are often recommended for beginners because they can be easily modified to suit different fitness levels and do not require any special equipment. Beginners can start with simpler variations of exercises and gradually increase the intensity as their strength and endurance improve. It’s important for beginners to focus on proper form to prevent injury and maximize the benefits of the exercises. A beginner may want to consult a personal trainer to learn the proper form before they begin a regular exercise program. There are many advantages of bodyweight exercises.

Remember, before starting ANY kind of exercise, consult with your doctor to make sure they recommend it.

a man doing bodyweight dips on the beach

Strength Training

Strength training, also known as resistance training, is a type of physical exercise designed to improve muscular strength and endurance. This form of training involves the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction, which builds the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles.

Strength training can help enhance muscle mass, increase metabolism, improve bone density, and boost overall physical performance. It can also contribute to better balance, coordination, and posture, and reduce the risk of injury in daily activities. Regular strength training is beneficial for people of all ages and fitness levels.

If you want more of my weight loss story and how I grew up on little Debbies and soda and learned how to change my health and life through exercise and nutrition, check out this nutrition guide. It has some basic dos and don’ts that my wife and I used for me to lose 120 pounds and be on no medication at age 53. There are also some sample meal plans in there. It was a long process, not a quick fix, but if I can do it, so can you!

There are so many ways to build muscle strength and get your heart rate up with a great workout routine. A quick warm up and some great bodyweight exercises with good form are a great way to get an effective workout with great exercise ideas. You don’t need heavy weights, just a proper pull-up, a knee push-up, a full push-up, a side-to-side push-up, or whatever different variations meet your physical needs or fitness level. You can do a side plank, a proper bodyweight squat, or calisthenics exercises with no additional equipment but the right number of repetitions for the best workout possible.

You just need complex movements with the full range of motion to do effective bodyweight exercises that will change your health. Your fitness routine is personal and you don’t have to have gym machines to do it. This is a different kind of workout, but if it works for you, it can help you overcome an unhealthy lifestyle and get on the road to losing body fat, getting stronger, and having more endurance to make basic movements in your life easier and more graceful. 

a couple doing bodyweight lunges in their livingroom

Benefits of Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight exercises offer numerous benefits, including:

  1. Convenience: No equipment is needed, making it easy to exercise anywhere, anytime.
  2. Cost-Effective: No need for gym memberships or expensive equipment.
  3. Versatility: A wide variety of exercises can target all major muscle groups.
  4. Scalability: Exercises can be easily modified to increase or decrease difficulty.
  5. Functional Strength: Improves strength and endurance in a way that enhances everyday activities.
  6. Improved Balance and Stability: Many exercises engage the core and stabilizing muscles.
  7. Flexibility: Can be incorporated into various workout routines, including HIIT and circuit training.
  8. Cardiovascular Health: Some exercises (like burpees or jumping jacks) provide a cardiovascular workout.
  9. Joint-Friendly: Generally low-impact, reducing the risk of injury.
  10. Flexibility and Mobility: Many exercises improve range of motion and flexibility.
  11. Progress Tracking: Clear progress can be seen as repetitions and sets increase over time.
  12. Accessibility: Suitable for all fitness levels, from beginners to advanced athletes.
a woman doing pelvic raises on a mat

Bodyweight Exercises list

Here is our list of 101 bodyweight exercises that will help you reach your fitness goals.

Upper Body

  1. Standard Push-Ups
  2. Wide Grip Push-Ups
  3. Diamond Push-Ups
  4. Pike Push-Ups
  5. Decline Push-Ups
  6. Incline Push-Ups
  7. Shoulder Taps
  8. Tricep Dips
  9. Handstand Push-Ups
  10. Archer Push-Ups
  11. Clapping Push-Ups
  12. Spiderman Push-Ups
  13. Hindu Push-Ups
  14. Staggered Push-Ups
  15. Superman Push-Ups
  16. Wall Push-Ups
  17. Crab Walks
  18. Plank to Push-Up
  19. Plank Up-Downs
  20. Scapular Push-Ups

Lower Body

21. Bodyweight Squats

  1. Sumo Squats
  2. Jump Squats
  3. Pistol Squats
  4. Bulgarian Split Squats
  5. Walking Lunges
  6. Reverse Lunges
  7. Side Lunges
  8. Curtsy Lunges
  9. Glute Bridges
  10. Single-Leg Glute Bridges
  11. Calf Raises
  12. Box Jumps
  13. Step-Ups
  14. Broad Jumps
  15. Lateral Box Jumps
  16. Wall Sits
  17. Donkey Kicks
  18. Fire Hydrants
  19. Frog Jumps
  20. Tuck Jumps

Core

42. Planks

  1. Side Planks
  2. Plank Jacks
  3. Plank with Shoulder Taps
  4. Mountain Climbers
  5. Bicycle Crunches
  6. Russian Twists
  7. Leg Raises
  8. Flutter Kicks
  9. V-Ups
  10. Sit-Ups
  11. Crunches
  12. Hollow Body Hold
  13. Toe Touches
  14. Scissor Kicks
  15. Dead Bugs
  16. Bird Dogs
  17. Side Crunches
  18. Reverse Crunches
  19. Heel Touches
  20. Oblique V-Ups

Full Body

63. Burpees

  1. Jumping Jacks
  2. High Knees
  3. Bear Crawls
  4. Crab Walks
  5. Inchworms
  6. Mountain Climbers
  7. Star Jumps
  8. Skater Jumps
  9. Plank to Frog Jump
  10. Sprawl
  11. Squat Thrusts
  12. Lunge Jumps
  13. Single-Leg Deadlifts
  14. Kick Throughs
  15. Plank to Squat Jump
  16. Tuck Jumps
  17. Broad Jumps
  18. Side Shuffles
  19. Agility Dots

Back

83. Superman

  1. Reverse Snow Angels
  2. Swimmers
  3. T-Y-I Raises
  4. Bird Dogs
  5. Cobra Push-Ups
  6. Hip Hinge
  7. Dolphin Push-Ups
  8. Bodyweight Rows
  9. Isometric W Pulls
  10. Prone Scapular Squeezes
  11. Seal Jacks
  12. Standing Back Extensions

Balance & Flexibility

96. Single-Leg Balance

  1. Tree Pose
  2. Warrior III
  3. Dancer Pose
  4. Pistol Squat Progression
  5. Quad Stretch with Reach

These exercises provide a comprehensive workout that targets all major muscle groups, enhancing strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance. You can mix and match them to create your own bodyweight workout routines, depending on your fitness goals and level.

For more workout ideas, check these out: