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Bodyweight Exercises

     Mike isn't too keen to admit it usually, but one of the reasons he's never liked gyms is because he gets self conscious. Also, he's never liked the feeling after lifting weights as much as the fatigue after, say, practicing martial arts. He was ecstatic to find bodyweight exercises, which can give you just as much (or more!) of a workout as weight lifting but can be done in almost no space (your living room, a bedroom, etc.) and in a shorter time frame.

Lifting gives you the hard, tight, bodybuilder muscles while bodyweight exercises give you the flexible, pliable muscles you see on runners or tigers. Give them a try, especially if you think that lifting your own body is too easy! If the directions are unclear you should have no trouble googling the exercises. Have a favorite bodyweight exercise we didn't post? Share it with us and tell us why it's your favorite.


Not enough exercises? Want more? Try some of these web sites.


Divebomb Pushup

If you've ever run around carrying an M4 for two or three hours you know how tired your arms can get when playing Battlefield Live. Divebomb pushups are a great way to work on the strength in your arms and work a LOT more of your arms than regular pushups.

  1. Start in a downward dog posture: with your hands and feet on the ground form an upside-down 'V' shape. Keep your back and legs straight with your head in line with your back. Make sure your hamstrings are stretched up the back of your legs.
  2. Flex your elbows outward and bring your nose down to an imaginary point halfway between your hands. Keep your back and legs straight!
  3. Bring your nose down until it's almost touching the ground. Your nose is the "divebomber" in this exercise: extend your neck and head out and let your shoulders follow your head and neck towards and then out and across the ground. Remember to keep those legs straight!
  4. Arch your back and let your nose come up. You'll end up in a position like you're mimicking a seal. You're halfway done.
  5. Now do everything in reverse. Bring your nose back along the same path it took to get to where it was at the end of the last step. Don't let your butt rise into the air until it's pushed up because your legs are still straight and you're moving backwards. If it seems easy then you just picked your butt up and didn't force your nose to travel the same path.

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One-legged Squats

     If you thought normal squats were hard you're in for a beating. Basically, keep both arms straight out in front of you and pick up and hold one leg in front of you as you do a normal squat. Make sure you go down past the point where the tops of your legs are parallel with the ground. You'll need to tense up your butt and stomach to do it. This exercise does a lot more than double the work your legs do. In addition to supporting twice the weight per leg as normal it needs to maintain your balance!

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Handstand Pushups

     Want something other than a divebomb to get your arms going? Get within a few inches of a wall and kick up into a handstand. Lower yourself in a controlled manner, touch your head to the floor and raise yourself back up. Repeat. This exercise will enlarge your shoulders!

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Animal Walking

     Have kids? Like playing around? Feel comfortable with your humanity? In any case, try moving around in a bear walk, crab walk or crocodile walk for 5 minutes. Measure the distance to guage your progress. Crocodile walking is done on your belly, keeping your torso as close to the ground as you can. Hold yourself up by your toes and use your arms/hands to help move along. It's great for those times when you need to sneak around in a super-low profile to crawl under a log or get under a bush for a better vantage point.

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