WELLNESS CONNECTION · Fitness

No Weights, No Gym - No Problem!

By Michael Brazeal, M.A., Director of Fitness

October 01, 2010 - 1:00PM

There is no excuse not to exercise! It�s not necessary to use weights or machines to gain muscular strength - you can use your own body weight as resistance and get the same benefit that you would by lifting weights. Push-ups and pull-ups are great examples of unsupported exercises that use body weight as resistance and replicate movement patterns that we experience in everyday life.

Maybe it�s been a while since you last attempted a push-up. That isn�t a problem; the great thing about these types of exercises is that you can vary the degree of difficulty by simply adjusting your body�s angle, which changes your leverage. For example, performing a military-style push-up with your body straight and nearly parallel to the floor is a daunting task for many. If you change the angle (or incline) of the push-up it makes the exercise more manageable. To illustrate this, begin with your hands on a bench, desk or wall to vary the level of difficulty. The closer to the ground you are, the harder the exercise is.

Another adaptation to the standard push-up utilizes a bent leg versus a straight leg. You can complete with push-up with your knees on the floor and use that as your pivot point, rather than your toes with your legs straight. As you get stronger, the natural progression is to extend your legs and/or lower the incline. This one simple exercise works all of the extensor muscle groups in the upper body.

Traditional pull-ups require you to pull your entire body weight for a vertical distance. As an alternative, try lowering the pull-up bar to about mid-body height and lie underneath the bar. Keep your body straight and pull your chest up to the bar. A pull-up, when performed at an angle on a horizontal plane, compliments the push-up. It works all of the flexor muscle groups, the opposite groups that the push-up targets. Lower the bar for a greater challenge or raise the bar to make it less difficult. Together, the push-up and pull-up make for a very efficient, no equipment needed upper body workout.

With a little creativity and some professional guidance, available at California Health & Longevity Institute, you�ll be well on your way to exercising your full body without equipment and taking your fitness routine anywhere you go.

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