Body Weight Exercise Routine

For the past 6 months I've been religiously sticking to a body weight exercise routine. It sounds strange after lifting free weights for nearly 20 years. The reason for the switch was a shoulder injury I suffered a year ago that made it difficult to perform bench presses and traditional squats with the bar across my back. I had done quite a bit of research and found that a full body weight exercise routine would allow me to build muscle, while reducing my chance of injury. It sounded too good to be true, but I tried it anyway.

It turns out that body weight exercises would absolutely change my life. Even with the shoulder injury, I was able to work out with more intensity than I normally would have with weights. The body weight exercise routine allowed me to hit muscles in ways that were impossible with free weights. Plus, it's a lot more fun. At first, however, it took a little while to come up with a routine that worked for me. I ended up consulting with two trainers. But, once I got it all worked out I was able to get myself back into great shape. The trainers that helped me actually have a great manual that can help anyone design a body weight exercise routine that works for them.

This body weight exercise routine should be performed as a circuit. Essentially, you're going to perform each specific exercise in succession. The goal is to complete the circuit 3 times.

1. Push Ups - Start by lying face down on the floor. Place your palms on the floor slightly farther than shoulder width apart. With your body rigid, straighten your arms and push your upper body up off the floor. Only your toes and hands should be on the floor. Lower yourself slowly to the starting position. If you are unable to perform this exercise, you can let your knees rest on the floor. Repeat until you feel fatigued.

2. Crunches - Start by lying on the floor on your back. Bend your knees at approximately a 90 degree angle, and place your feet flat on the floor about shoulder width apart. Place your hands behind your head and curl your body upward, bending at the waist. You should aim your chin toward the ceiling to avoid bending your neck. Lower your body slowly toward the starting position. Repeat until you feel fatigued.

3. Pull Ups - Grab a pull up bar with palms away from you, hand a little wider than shoulder width apart. With feet off the floor, pull your body upward until your chin clears the bar. Slowly lower your body to the starting position. Because a benefit of a body weight exercise routine is a lack of specialized equipment, you may not have a pull up bar. If that's the case, you may use a sturdy door. Simply throw a towel over the top and get to work. Perform repetitions until you feel fatigued.

4. Jump Squat - Begin by getting into a squatting position with feet shoulder width apart. It should look almost like you're sitting down into a chair with your arms out in front of you. When you reach the squatting position swing your arms up and explode upward, jumping as high as you can. Land back on your feet and lower yourself into the starting position. Perform repetitions until you feel fatigued.