Bodyweight Exercises

What is a Shove-Off? I remember the very first time I saw someone do a clap push-up. It was the 6th grade, and our P.E. teacher decided one day that he would have us 6th graders do a push-up contest. At the beginning of the class he demonstrated for us how to do the push-up movement. I remember watching him

What is a Plank-Up? Also called Plank Ups and Downs, a Plank-Up is a brutal upper body exercise that should be a part of any bodyweight routine. This exercise will shred your core, burn your triceps, tire your shoulders, and make you think twice before you turn your nose up at bodyweight exercises. The prerequisite for this movement is the

What is a Plank? A Plank is a stability and balance exercises that engages your entire core. It is very effective in building core strength, as it works the muscles in your lower back, glutes, abdominals and obliques. It is a great exercise for beginners since there is limited spinal motion, and it can also provide a reliable burn for

What is a Front Shoulder Raise? Shoulder Raises are a popular exercise for your shoulders that are often accompanied by dumbbells. There are generally two directions this movement is performed; laterally (to the sides) and anteriorly (towards the front). For years I didn’t know that Shoulder Raises can be performed by only using your bodyweight and a towel, and once

What is a Towel Row? A Towel Row is a clever exercise that allows you to strengthen the pulling muscles in your upper body. They work your back and bicep muscles just like Pull-Ups and Inverted Rows do, but Towel Rows are generally easier to perform and can add exercise variety to your upper body routine. And all you need

What is a Hanging Leg Raise? As a former rock-climber in college, I had a selection of exercises that I would use in the gym to strengthen the muscles needed for climbing. Hanging Leg Raises were one of my go-to exercises, as this movement targets the core muscles needed to control your legs during a climb while also developing your

What are Flutter Kicks? Flutter Kicks are an excellent example of both progression and regression. In one of my previous articles, I review progression and regression as one of the best aspects of bodyweight training, which allows for movements to be adapted to any level of fitness. Flutter Kicks are a core strengthening exercise that is a progression from Leg

What are Leg Lifts? A strong core protects your lower back, supports most of your routine movements throughout the day, and improves athletic power and performance. Having a training program that strengthens all facets of your core is critical, and the leg lift is one of the most basic but useful exercises in strengthening and maintaining a tight core. Leg

What is a Prone Cobra? Prone is fancy, anatomical way to say “lying down on your stomach”. And a cobra is a venomous snake with a hood around its head, and COBRA is a U.S. law that gives employees the option to continue health care coverage after leaving their company. But the Prone Cobra we are discussing is not a