Somewhere along the line, bodyweight exercises got a reputation for being for beginners. But we’re here to tell you that some are anything but easy.
“Being able to master your own bodyweight is an underrated sign of true fitness,” says Tennessee-based certified strength and conditioning specialist Hannah Davis. “It is a product of mobility, strength and stability — and is even linked to increased longevity.” After all, moving your bodyweight is a measure of relative strength, meaning that the bigger, taller or heavier you are, the harder the weight actually becomes. That makes bodyweight exercises a pretty good indicator of your body composition, not to mention overall function outside of the gym.
Plus, apart from being the perfect “how strong are you, really?” test, bodyweight exercises open up your workouts in a big way. They allow you to train your body to move in new and unique ways, says SoCal-based trainer, coach and performance-enhancement specialist Mike Donavanik. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a bodyweight exercise that doesn’t force your body to work as a whole. Hello, core strength!
Read the article at MyFitnessPal.com