Are you looking to stay fit but occasionally take a break from the gym? Or are you tired of using the same old machines and want to try something different? If so, body weight exercises are for you! You can burn just as many calories doing these exercises as you would running on the treadmill.
Power Skip
Begin with your feet aligned with your hips. Flex your ab muscles. Lift your left knee upward and extend your right arm out ahead. Hop off of your right foot. Drop your right foot after you land and repeat on your other side. Aim to hop high rather than fast to maximize the impact of this exercise.
High Knees
Run in place by pulling your knees up toward your midsection. Alternate legs in this running motion as fast as you can. If you prefer, march instead of running. You can boost the difficulty by relying on your core muscles to help pull your knees upward toward your chest.
Plank Jacks
Begin in the standard plank position. Flex your core muscles, jump to spread your feet apart from one another. Jump again and return your feet to the starting position. Repeat as fast as you can without dipping your hips.
Fast Feet Shuffle
Bend slightly at the knees, allowing your hips to move back. Maintain as tight of a core as possible. Shuffle to the right, then to the left, all while staying low. Move as fast as you can to burn the most calories.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are an excellent way to warm up your body. Begin with your feet together. Hold your hands at your sides. Flex your core muscles. Jump to spread your legs apart. Brings your arms up above your head. Clap at the top. Jump again and bring your feet back together while dropping your arms. Repeat as fast as you can.
Diver’s Push-Up
Begin in the downward dog position. Your hands should be on the floor and your hips high in the air. Create a triangle shape by placing your feet on the ground. Then dive toward the floor, moving into a push-up formation. Move your chest forward to form the upward dog position. Return your hips upward to resume the initial position.
The Classic Burpee
Begin with your feet aligned with your hips. Maintain as tight of a core as you can. Jump and quickly drop on down to the ground. Quickly extend your feet back while pressing against the surface with your hands for leverage. Perform a push-up. Jump back to the starting position to complete the rep. Perform five reps.
Runner's Skip
Begin in a low lunge with your left foot forward, your right foot back and your hands on the ground for support. Bring your right foot up and stand on your left foot while lifting your right knee up. Hop onto your left foot, move your right foot behind your body and resume the starting position. Switch sides when repeating each rep.
Sprinter Sit-Ups
Sit with your legs extended out in front of your body. Lean back, lift your left leg while bending at the knee. Bring your right elbow in to meet your left knee, working your obliques and upper torso. Repeat on the other side. Perform five reps per side.
Box Jump
Find an object with a spacious and flat surface like a sturdy box or a bench. The object should reach the lower part of your calf. Stand in front of it, bend your knees, swing your arms back and jump up onto the top of the object. Step down with each foot and repeat the exercise five times.