25 Bodyweight Exercises To Replace Traditional Weight Lifting Exercises

The great thing about body weight exercises is that you can use them anytime anywhere.

I hate to have my workout slowed down waiting for equipment or weight. Bodyweight exercises are perfect in these situations.

Another way I like to incorporate body weight exercises into my workout routines is to use them as part of a superset.

Example for a chest workout.

Exercise 1a is a heavy dumbbell incline press.
exercise 1b is a push up variation.

Depending on how tired I am will dictate what push up variation I use.

Deloading

Bodyweight exercises are perfect for deloading weeks. They're easier on your joints. It makes a nice break from heavy lifting.


Below is a list of 25 different bodyweight exercises that you can do instead of traditional free weight exercises. Give them a try.

Check it out here...
25 Bodyweight Exercise Substitutions

Todays Workout - Lower and Biceps Exercises 04/20/10

This is a deload week so I took things easy.

Clean to front squat:  3x5
Deadlift Snatch Grip:  5x5
Step Up:  3x5
DB Biceps Curls: 2x20
DB Single Leg RDL: 3x6
EZ Bar Curls: 3x8

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My Workout - Full Body 01/09/10

Today was the end of my deload week. Monday I will be back to a regular workout.

Hang Snatch: did lots of sets and worked up to a heavy single. Did a couple sets at near max
Tarp Bar Deadlift: a few warm up sets then 3x5
Pull Down Neutral Grip: a few warm up sets then 3x5
Close grip Bench: 5x5

Inverted Rows: 5x5

EZ Curl: 3x8

DB Overhead Ext: 3x12

This site will soon only be for my workouts only. I am in the processes of building a new site for all other content. Click below and check it out.

New Site:
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My Workout - Full Body 01/07/10

Next week I will be back to regular training so I am still on kind of a deload week.

Hang Clean: did lots of sets and worked up to a heavy single. Went until I missed.
Squat: front to back did 4 sets, 4 front squat, rack it and then do 4 back squat
Shoulder Press: worked up to a heavy double
Pull Ups Neutral Grip: sets of six, for every set on the press I did a set of pull ups,

This site will soon only be for my workouts only. I am in the processes of building a new site for all other content. Clock below and check it out.

New Site:
== > Men's Fitness and More at http://www.mensfitnessandmore.com

my Workout Chest Shoulders and Triceps - 12/28/09

Today I back at it after an extra few days off. This will be a deload week. The past 6 weeks were tough so this week and next will be much easier before I get back into the regular programming. This is what I did today:

1. Bench: 4x5, increased weight each set
2. Hammer Incline Press: 3x12
3. Shoulder Press: x12, x10, x8
4. Lateral Raise: 3x10
5. Band Rear Delts: 3x12
6. Push Downs: 3x10
7. Shrugs: 3x10

Deload Week - Phase III ~ Wednesday

Weight Training Journal

My Workout

Deload Week

Hang Cleans: 5 - 135 x 10, R :45
Ring Push Ups: 5 - BW x 20
Ring Inverted Rows: 5 - BW x 20
21's: 3 @ 65
top half shoulder press: 3 - 65 x 21

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

powerlifting
bodybuilding weight training powerlifting


Return to weight training Home page

Deload Week - Phase III

Weight Training Journal

My Workout

Deload Week

Sorry I have been so slack with the posting. Lots has been going on and I just have not had the energy or desire to keep up with the blog. I am looking into phase III but before i begin I am taking things easy and mixing things up a little. For my Deload week I will follow the Crossfit website and do their workouts. This basically is an upside down type program that I normally follow. Crossfit workouts are for the most part High Intensity low weight high rep workouts. For the most part I do not expect the majority of the workouts to exceed 20 minutes. I will keep you posted of the times and exercises and a few photos as the week goes on.

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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In the gym - Deloading Workout - 08/28

Weight Training Journal

Deloading Workout

Weight Lifting Journal for Tuesday

DB Snatch
4 sets 6reps/arm
R - 1:00
w/ 60, 70, 90, 100

Pull Downs - Behind the head
Rest ~ :45
3 - 140 x 15
for the last set I had to drop down to 130

Bulgarian Split Squat
3 sets of 10 w/
60, 80, 100
Rest ~ 1:00

Swiss Ball Push ups
Rest ~ :45
3 - BW x 20
Feet on swiss ball and hands on med balls, had chest touch the ground each rep.

21's
1 set w/ 70

Bench Dips
1 set of 20 w/ BW

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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In the gym - Deloading Week

Weight Training Journal

This week is a deloading week. For the week I will be reducing my workload. I will take a few extra days off and when I do make it to the gym I will keep things light with reps in the 12 - 20 range which will include more med ball, and body weight exercises.

Deloading is an important aspect of weight training. The body takes a beating and needs a chance to rest and recover, this week gives me a chance for that. The body cannot be continually pushed to its limits. If you do not take this break the body will eventually break down and the weights will drop and there is a possibility for injury. I have been cycling my lifts every 3 weeks, 3 weeks hard and 1 week easy.

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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In the gym - AM Weight Workout - 08/23

Weight Training Journal

AM Workout

Weight Lifting Journal for Thursday

Bench Lockouts
Done in power rack, pins set about 4" off chest.
Weight for reps of 3 ~ 315 - 335 - 345,
355 x 2
singles ~ 365 & 375
The 375 was so slow moving I did not bother with an attempt at 380.
Adding in the elastic component I believe I can hit 380.

Deadlift
Rest ~ 2:00
Wave 1 - 385 x 3, 395 x 2, 405 x 1
Wave 2 - 395 x 3, 405 x 2, 415 x 1
I was dead so I stopped there.

I will head back to the gym tonight to do more.

I did not feel all that great today,I was tired and things are starting to hurt.
After this week it will be an easy deloading week, then back to another 3 week cycle.

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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Easy Week

Weight Training Journal

I have spent the past week deloading. As you can see from the past weeks posts I have not made it into the gym all that often and have not done all that much while I was there. On Monday I will be back to regular workouts.

I believe I am lacking bar speed so I will be adding my power based exercises to my workouts. I will do lots of release work along with some jumping and plyometrics. I hope this will make a difference in my lifts,mainly the squat and bench.

This will be a tough month as I plan to lift twice a day at least twice a week. This will give me 7 workouts a week with 1 day off, sometimes two depending on how I feel.

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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Deloading Week ~ Day - 4

De-loading Week

Weight Training Journal For Friday

Did a little circuit, doing 20 reps on each exercise.
3 minutes rest between sets 3 sets

1~ Deep Squats - tried to touch my but to my heels
2 ~ Good Mornings
3 ~ Cable oblique twists
4 ~ Lawn Mower pulls
5 ~ Ski jumps - over bench
6 ~ Single leg hamstring ball curls
7 ~ Stationary lunges - rear foot on swiss ball
8 ~ Med ball shoulder press with release
9 ~ pike - feet on swiss ball
10 - Squats with med ball
11 ~ clap push up
12 ~ med ball slams

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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Deloading Week ~ Day - 3

De-loading Week

Weight Training Journal For Thursday

I am still taking it easy but I thought I would do a little something to help get ready for summer.

Bench Dips
5 - 110 x 12
rest ~ :45

Cable Skull Crushers
3 - 120 x 10
Rest ~ :30

Cable Over Head Extensions
3 - 90x 10 reps, Rest ~ :30

Elbows Out Ext.
3 - 35 x 10
Rest ~ :45

Push Downs
3 - 80 x 20
Rest ~ :30

Barbell Curls
5 - 110 x 8
Rest ~ :45

Incline Dumbbell Curls
3 - 40 x 8,
Rest ~ :30

High Cable Bicep Curls
3 - 35 x 20
Rest ~ :30


All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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Deloading Week ~ Day - 2

Weight Training Journal

I took Tuesday off, well for the most part. I went to the track and did a dynamic warm up and a few acceleration runs. That was it.

Today was nothing hard either.

Started with
split push jerks, no more then 4 reps per set

finished with
split snatch for reps of 4 then 2

That was it. I was in the gym for about 2 hours but that included lots of warm up and rest.

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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Deloading Week

Weight Training Journal

After 9 weeks of hypertrophy it is time for a rest. This next week maybe 2 will be deloading weeks. I will still go to the gym but the weight and volume will be less. We grow when we rest, when working out the body is being broken down, so I am taking this time to rest and grow.

Today I did some light cleans then a circuit.

Deloading circuit.

2 sets 60 sec each
~ jumping jacks then to med ball squats

3 x squat jumps, down and back on BBall court into 100m sprint
25 push ups

3 x push sled down and back on BBall court
25 push ups

2 x duck walk down and back on BBall court
25 push ups

2 x 30 sec ski hops to walking lunge
25 push ups

All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason, CSCS

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