Bikini season isn’t far away, so if you’re thinking about how to slim down for the nice weather, consider an exercise program designed around bodyweight training.
Bodyweight training refers to any resistance training exercise that can be performed without any external resistance (i.e. dumbbells, barbells, exercise tubing, etc). Examples of bodyweight exercises include:
- push-up
- chin-up
- squat
- lunge
- crunch
- burpee
Bodyweight exercise programs are convenient because you can do them anywhere. From your living room, to your backyard, office, hotel room, or anywhere you have about 8×8 feet of open space.
And not only are bodyweight exercises every bit as effective as exercises performed with free weights, in some cases they are significantly more effective. Exercises like dips and chin-ups are significantly more effective than any comparable exercise done with free weights or on a machine.
Push-ups require you to perform a plank (i.e. working your core musculature) while exercising your chest, shoulders and triceps. That’s not the case when you perform dumbbell or barbell exercises on a bench.
The burpee is one of the most intense and demanding total body exercising that you could possibly do, and it requires absolutely no equipment or external resistance whatsoever.
Remember, you burn more fat doing resistance training than you do with boring cardio. Cardio training is ok as part of a balanced program that includes resistance training, but if your time is limited and you can’t do both, choose resistance training.
With an effective exercise program combined with proper eating, you can safely burn 2 pounds of fat every week. If you need some help with program design, consider hiring a personal trainer in Vancouver to help you look your best in time for bikini season.
