Bodyweight Exercises for Constant Results

Are you beginning to hit a plateau because you’ve been doing the same workout forever? Studies show that the human body is very effective at adapting to change. This is why it’s important to always sprinkle a bit of variation into your training regimen.

Training with bodyweight exercises is a great way to incorporate some variation into your training routine. One of my favorite exercises for building upper body strength is the push up exercise because it allows me to be creative. I utilize an extensive list of push up modifications to challenge my body in unique ways.

A regular push up is performed with your hands directly by your shoulders and feet together. Your body should be tight and completely aligned from head to toe. From fully extended arms, lower your body down until your chest is slightly above the ground then push back up to complete one repetition.

Adding variation to your push up routine allows you to place more emphasis on different muscle groups. For instance, positioning your hands wide (past shoulder-width), you are more effectively targeting your chest muscles. On the contrary, if you put your hands directly underneath your chest (forming a diamond with your thumbs and fingers), you place majority of the focus on your triceps.

My favorite push up variations are those done with some cool fitness tools. Push up stands are at the top of the list. They allow for more stress to be placed on the muscles which result in greater gains. They also keep your wrists aligned in a safe manner. Another great tool is the bosu ball. This half swiss ball is great for adding balance and stabilization into your training routine.

If you put your mind to it, the list of variations you can come up with is truly endless.

Keep this in mind – the key is to never let your body adapt. Always keep it guessing. The only way to avoid slow gains and frustrating plateaus is to consistently incorporate variations into your training routine.

If you think bodyweight training might be for you, then I highly suggest you take a look at this list of exercises and push up exercises you can use to take the next step in your muscle development.