How to work out without weights

Why would anyone want to workout without weights? Well sometimes you are too busy to workout, you are too tired when you get home, or you just do not have the time or equipment to exercise. I want to show you the most efficient way to work out without weights which will help you to build muscle, maintain muscle, and help you to stay fit. i organized the steps into simple workouts you can do without weights and still get results:

DO NOT KNOCK IT UNTIL YOU TRY IT: When I was younger and played soccer and ran track, we did gruelling exercises to stay in shape and to stay competitive on the field. We used to work out in the gym and use weights in our routine, but it was always the calisthenic training that killed me and really produced amazing results. Do the exercises I list below and use the tips while doing them to help construct a routine that works for you. ALWAYS STRETCH FIRST BEFORE DOING ANY OF THE EXERCISES BELOW.

DEEP KNEE BENDS: This exercise works your entire leg and helps to strengthen your thighs, hips, and glutes. HOW TO DO IT: With your feet about shoulder width apart, grab on to the edge of a desk or table that is waist high. Look up at the ceiling, and slowly bend your knees and lower body until your butt is just about touching the floor. You want to think of this as a squat, only you are going lower than the 90 degree angle your body forms with the floor. Slowly standup again using only your legs to lift you, keep your heals on the floor and do as many as you can. For variation you can place your feet wider or closer together, or do them one leg at a time.

CALF RAISES: This exercise works your calves and really defines them if you do them a lot. You can do these on steps, or while standing on a low ledge or platform. Put your toes on the edge of a step or platform, and then lower your heals down below the step, hold for a few seconds, then raise up on your toes as high as possible. You should feel your calf contract and stretch when you do this. Lower and repeat. Remember to try and flex the muscle as you do this.

CHINUPS and PULLUPS: The military has been doing this for years, and I have not seen any wimps in the military. Doing both chin ups and pull-ups is great for building up your back, shoulders, and biceps. Grab a bar with an under hand grip and hang all the way down. Pull yourself up until your chest hits the bar then lower yourself all the way back down. Remember to do this slowly and to try to flex while doing this. You can also do this try with an overhand grip, or do it with only one arm at a time.

PUSH UP: Another great exercise for getting nice strength results without using weights are push ups. Push Ups will help you develop your chest, shoulders and triceps. Lie face down on the floor with your hands about shoulder width apart and palms facing the floor. Push-up until your arms are straight, lower and repeat for reps. To work your triceps, move your hands closer together, to work your shoulders and chest more, mover your hands farther apart.

DIPS: This is another great exercise for working your triceps and your back. To do a dip, find a chair or a bench that you can prop yourself up against. Now turn with your back to the chair or the bench and grip the edge of the chair or bench. You want to keep your feet flat on the floor and raise and lower yourself above and below the chair.

CRUNCHES: Everyone wants to have a nice six-pack. It takes a lot of core training and a proper diet to achieve a great looking set of abs, but you can get started by doing some crunches and flexing your stomach muscles as you do a crunch. Lie on your back with your legs bent and your heals close to your butt, put your chin on your chest and your hands behind your head, or behind your ears. You want to bring your head and upper back off the ground, but keep your lower back on the ground. You are only doing 1/3 a sit-up, or crunching your abs. As you come up and feel your abs get tight, flex them and hold for a 6 second count, then relax and lie back on the floor. Repeat as many times as you can.

HYPER EXTENSIONS: This is a great low impact exercise for making your back stronger. Place a chair near a bed, and shove your legs in between your mattress. Now lie on the chair with your hips on the chair and your upper body suspended in air hanging off the chair. Put your hands behind your head and bend forward at the waist as far as you can, raise back up until your back is straight and repeat.

GRIP STRENGTH: A great way to increase your grip and strengthen your forearms is to squeeze a hard rubber ball or grip strengthening trainer. Squeeze as hard as you can, then relax your hand. Repeat until tired.