Exercise Challenge Week 8: No Weights, No Excuse

If an excuse you make for not doing strength training is that you don’t belong to a gym or you don’t have an equipment, this week is all about learning the benefits of the gym that is your body! In fact, body weight workouts can take you much farther in your fitness than you might imagine!

Body weight workouts have been repeatedly shown to be effective and efficient when it comes to building strength, among other fitness measurements. They can also help injury-proof your body and give you a break from the wear and tear of weightlifting. Here are some other benefits of body weight workouts:

1. They build endurance. Since we typically perform higher repetitions of body weight exercises than when we use weights, you receive the additional benefit of building muscular endurance. It also can improve cardiovascular endurance. And because there is so much potential variability in body weight workouts; you can choose from longer, slower sessions to more intense, shorter intervals.
2. You can improve your balance and mobility. Last week we discussed flexibility training. Well, if you think about it, yoga- a very popular form of flexibility training- is a body weight workout! Studies have shown the improvement in muscle strength and endurance with yoga exercises.
3. You can gain consistency with body weight workouts. Since you don’t need equipment, a ton of space, or really a lot of time. You can do them at home, at the park while your kids practice a sport, or in a hotel room. And there are no ‘best’ exercises to include. Pick the ones you’ll stick with. 
4. There is a never-ending selection of exercises to choose from! The endless variability of body weight exercises lends itself to being able to stick with body weight workouts no matter your age or fitness level.