Best Bodyweight Exercises for Small Spaces
Table of Contents
Introduction
Upper Body Exercises
Push-Ups
Incline Push-Ups
Tricep Dips
Core Exercises
Planks
Bicycle Crunches
Leg Raises
Lower Body Exercises
Squats
Lunges
Glute Bridges
Full-Body Exercises
Burpees
Mountain Climbers
Jumping Jacks
Conclusion
Call to Action
Introduction
Do you need help finding time for a workout in your small apartment or limited living space? Don't let a lack of room stop you from achieving your fitness goals! Bodyweight exercises are a fantastic solution for anyone looking to build strength, increase endurance, and stay fit without bulky equipment [1]. In this article, we'll explore the best bodyweight exercises for small spaces, complete with alternatives for different fitness levels, so that you can find the best routine for you.
You'll learn how to perform each exercise effectively, from historical origins to practical tips. Plus, we'll provide links to other authoritative articles for further reading, ensuring you have all the resources you need. Let's dive into the world of bodyweight training, where space is no barrier to fitness!
Upper Body Exercises
Push-Ups
How to Perform: Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle. Push back up to the starting position.
History: The push-up has roots dating back to ancient Greece, where it was used as a strength-building exercise among soldiers. The push-up served a vital role in allowing soldiers to use their shields to push against the enemies and break through the chaos of the ancient battlefields. Its versatility makes it a staple in modern fitness regimes.
Alternatives: If traditional push-ups are too challenging, try knee push-ups by performing the exercise on your knees instead of your toes. This modified version allows you to build strength gradually. You can also do a variation of an incline push-up against a wall, moving your hands down the wall progressively closer to the original push-up position to build strength in the movement this way. If you have been doing push-ups for a while and crave something hard, try a decline push. This is performed by elevating your feet on a set of stairs or a chair and having your chest lower than your feet. This puts more weight and tension on the upper body by shifting your center of mass and allowing you to press more of your body weight.
A person demonstrating a push-up in a small living room.
Incline Push-Ups
How to Perform: Place your hands on an elevated surface, such as a sturdy table or a chair. Keep your body straight as you lower your chest towards the surface, then push back up.
History: Incline push-ups are often recommended for beginners or those recovering from injuries. They originated in rehabilitation practices to strengthen the upper body with reduced strain.
Alternatives: For a simpler version, try wall push-ups. Face a wall and push your body away while keeping your feet planted.
Tricep Dips
How to Perform: Sit on the edge of a chair or low table, placing your hands beside you. Slide your buttocks off the edge and lower your body by bending your elbows, then push back up.
History: Tricep dips are believed to have originated in the military as a way to develop upper body strength without weights. They remain a popular choice in calisthenics workouts.
Alternatives: If tricep dips are too tricky, you can perform assisted tricep dips by keeping your feet on the ground for support. Using your legs to lift yourself upward and perform assisted reps is also a great way to perform cheat reps when you have pushed your body to failure and can no longer perform the exercise in its ideal form. If you wish to make the exercise hard, add some weight in books, water jugs, or even a book bag filled with miscellaneous objects, set the weight of your choice on your lap, and perform the tricep dips this way.
A demonstration of Tricep dips using a chair in a cozy home environment.
Core Exercises
Planks
How to Perform: Start in a forearm plank position, keeping your body straight from head to heels. Hold the position, engaging your core for stability.
History: The plank is a relatively modern exercise popularized in the fitness community for its effectiveness in core strengthening and stability training.
Alternatives: If a full plank is too challenging, try a knee plank, where you keep your knees on the ground while maintaining a straight line from your head to your knees. Some alternatives to make the exercise harder are lifting one arm and the opposite leg and holding this position alternating as you go or as the set ends. You can add weight to this exercise to make it more complicated through a weight vest or, like the backpack previously mentioned, filled with sand or books.
A person holding a plank position on a yoga mat in a small space.
Bicycle Crunches
How to Perform: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Bring your knees towards your chest while lifting your shoulders off the ground. Alternate bringing your elbow to the opposite knee in a pedaling motion.
History: Bicycle crunches have roots in traditional abdominal exercises and were popularized in the 1990s as a highly effective core-strengthening movement.
Alternatives: If this is too intense, try standing oblique twists for a gentler core workout while still engaging your abdominal muscles. Suppose the standing oblique twists are to try easy a seated twist, also known as Russian twists, acquiring a v-sit position and repeating the same twisting motion.
Leg Raises
How to Perform: Lie flat on your back with your legs extended. Keeping your legs straight, lift them towards the ceiling, then slowly lower them back down without touching the ground.
History: Leg raises have been part of various exercise routines for decades. They gained popularity in gymnastics and later in general fitness for their effectiveness in targeting the lower abdominal muscles.
Alternatives: For a more accessible version, try bent-knee leg raises, keeping your knees bent as you lift and lower your legs.
Lower Body Exercises
Squats
How to Perform: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body as if sitting back in a chair, keeping your chest and your knees behind your toes. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Don't be afraid to experiment with it. Bodyweight exercises are the perfect time to find the ideal form for you, and it is not against going over the toes when you squat, but it is a general rule of thumb. There are multiple great sources to look at about this topic. For example, the most prominent Knees Over Toes Guy has numerous videos detailing the benefits of squatting over the toes and how he has been able to rehabilitate his knees over time to the point where he can dunk.
History: Squats have been a fundamental human movement since ancient times. They were used in daily activities and later adopted as a strength training exercise in various cultures.
Alternatives: For those with knee issues, try wall sits or partial squats to build strength gradually. If squats have become accessible, try a more explosive variation, such as a squat or broad jump. If these are easy for you, try a pistol squat like a lunge and squat it is a single-legged version of both. Staring in the squat position, lift one leg and squat down, ensuring balance. A couple of tips for keeping balance in a single-leg squat are to maintain your weight over the leg performing the rep. It is also best for me to bring the in-active side or lifted leg behind the active leg or the one performing the rep.
A person demonstrating proper squat form in a small corner of the room.
Lunges
How to Perform: Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about 90-degree angles. The back knee should hover just above the ground. Push back to the starting position and alternate legs.
History: Lunges have been used in various forms of training for centuries, from martial arts to modern fitness routines, due to their effectiveness in building lower body strength and balance.
Alternatives: Static lunges or split squats can be used as alternatives for those who find walking lunges challenging or have limited space. If you seek more challenge with the lunge, incorporate scissor lunges, jumping into the air, and switching to the opposite lunge position.
Glute Bridges
How to Perform: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips off the ground, squeezing your glutes at the movement's top. Lower back down slowly.
History: Glute bridges have gained popularity in recent decades as the importance of glute strength for overall fitness and injury prevention has become more recognized.
Alternatives: Single-leg glute bridges offer a more challenging variation while marching bridges provide a gentler option.
Full-Body Exercises
Burpees
How to Perform: Start in a standing position. Drop into a squat and place your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a plank position, perform a push-up, then jump your feet back to your hands. Stand up and jump with your hands above your head.
History: Royal H. Burpee developed burpees in the 1930s as a quick way to assess fitness. They gained widespread use during World War II to test the fitness of military recruits.
Alternatives: For a lower-impact version, step back into the plank position instead of jumping, remove the push-up, and jump at the end.
Mountain Climbers
How to Perform: Start in a high plank position. Bring one knee towards your chest, then quickly switch legs as if you're running in place in a plank position.
History: Mountain climbers evolved from traditional cardiovascular exercises, combining running and core stability elements. They became popular in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts.
Alternatives: Slow or standing mountain climbers can modify those building up to the entire exercise.
Jumping Jacks
How to Perform: Start standing with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Jump your feet to the sides while raising your arms above your head, then jump back to the starting position.
History: Jumping jacks, known as star jumps, have been a staple in military fitness routines and school physical education programs for decades. They are named after General Jack Pershing, who popularized them in the U.S. military.
Alternatives: For a low-impact version, step out to the side instead of jumping, alternating sides with each repetition.
Conclusion
Incorporating these bodyweight exercises into your routine can help you maintain and improve your fitness, even in the smallest spaces [3]. Remember to start at your own pace and gradually increase the intensity and repetitions as you build strength and endurance. You can achieve remarkable results with consistency and proper form without ever stepping foot in a gym.
Call to Action
Ready to transform your small space into a personal fitness studio? Use these exercises for just 15 minutes a day, three times a week. Share your progress and favorite small-space workout tips in the comments below! Check out our comprehensive fitness guides and personalized workout plans for more in-depth guidance on bodyweight training.
Remember, the best workout is the one you'll do. So clear some space, set aside time, and get moving today!
