8 Strength-Building Exercises That Don’t Require Lifting Weights

You probably know how important daily exercise is to your physical and mental well-being, and you may even have a routine that you try to stick to throughout the week. But are you incorporating strength training into your workouts or strictly cardio?

If you fall into the latter category, it’s time to start strength training, because cardio will only get you so far. You need strength training to maintain muscle mass and mobility. This is especially important as you age, as both men and women lose about 10% of your muscle mass per decade from the age of 30. This doesn’t mean you have to learn to bench press or even lift a set of weights. Instead, you can simply use your body weight.

“The variety of exercises you can do just by using your bodyweight is endless,” said Katie Schneider, trainer for Title Boxing Club in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. “Most movements require more than one muscle group, which is an effective way to increase calorie burn and improve overall strength.”

Bodyweight exercises are used by everyone from beginners to professional athletes, added Erin Kloosterman, director of sports science at Sports Performance Labs in Middletown Township, New Jersey.

“These exercises make you focus more on the movement pattern rather than moving a load that is placed on you,” he said. “This also helps create neuromuscular connections in the body. The brain tells the body to move, and it does so by recruiting muscle fibers to perform the movement. The more often you do these exercises, the more memory those muscle fibers will gain, which will help perfect your form and prevent injury when you decide to start strength training with weights.”

Read on for eight bodyweight exercises recommended by Schneider and Kloosterman for all fitness levels. Each will help you build lean muscle mass while improving muscular endurance, balance, and flexibility.

“Without the need for weights, you’ll build a foundation with less risk of injury and minimal stress on your joints,” Schneider said.

Muscle goals: Your quads, glutes and core

• Stand flat against a wall.
• Bring your knees to a 90-degree angle as you slide down the wall, keeping your ankles directly below your knees. (Imagine that you are sitting in an imaginary chair).
• Hold the position for 30 seconds, then repeat for two to three sets.

Muscle goals: Your chest, triceps and core

• Start in a high plank position, with your hands directly below your shoulders.
• Slowly move down, aiming to have your elbows at a 45-degree angle. You want your elbows to point back behind you, rather than out to the sides.
• Engage your core and glutes to keep your back straight. Once you’re down as far as you can, slowly rise back up to your starting high plank.
• Try five to 10 reps for two to three sets.

Muscle goals: your core

• Start on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Keeping your arms crossed in front of you, engage your core to sit up.
• Continue squeezing your core as you slowly sit back up (so don’t slump).
• Do 10 reps for two or three sets.

Muscle goals: Their quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and core

• Start with your feet a little more than hip-width apart.
• Tuck your hips down to engage your core. Begin to sit your butt up as if you were sitting on a chair. Keep your knees in front of you.
• From a chair position, push yourself back up to a standing position.
• Do 10 to 20 reps for three sets.

Muscle goals: Your hamstrings, glutes, core, and quads

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Make sure your heels are a few inches from your butt and place your arms at your sides.
• Tuck your hips down to engage your core and push through the backs of your feet to drive your hips up into a bridge position.
• Making sure your body forms a straight line from shoulder to knee, squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips.
• Do 15 to 25 reps for three sets.

Muscle goals: Your chest, shoulders, triceps and core

• Begin by lying down with your chest and stomach on the floor, hands under your shoulders, and thumbs in line with your armpits.
• Tuck your toes down and slightly lower your chin toward your chest, while tucking your hips down to engage your core and press your body against a high board.
• Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position, with your chest and stomach on the floor.
• Release your hands as you lie down on the floor before returning them to the starting position.
• Do five to 10 reps for three sets.

Muscle goals: Your legs, chest, arms, shoulders, hips, and core

• Start in a standing position.
• Place your hands on the floor and then jump or walk your feet back to a high plank position. From there, quickly lower your chest to the ground.
• Press back into a high board, jump or walk your feet to stand up, and finish with a jump.
• Do five to 15 reps for three sets.

Muscle goals: Your obliques, core and pelvic floor

• Lie on your back with your feet up, knees bent in a tabletop position (90-degree bend).
• Stretch your arms above your head and chest, tuck your hips down and drop your ribcage down to engage your core and rotate your pelvis up. Make sure your back is always flat on the ground.
• From this position, extend one leg at a time, lower it toward the floor without touching it, and then bring the leg back to its starting position.
• Do six to 12 reps for each leg for 3 sets.