Body Weight Training, A Popular Fitness Trend in 2022

Bodyweight training involves using the body’s weight for exercise. During a workout, the person might find themselves pulling, pushing, and jumping, in addition to some activities that require only using the body. One of the significant advantages of bodyweight training is that it can be done anywhere, with simple workout gear and, well, the person’s body.

A top fitness trend in 2022, bodyweight training workouts provide participants with additional advantages. Bodyweight training appeared as a trend in the fitness world around 2013 when it placed third as a trend, according to the ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal. It placed number one in 2015 and remained in the top five trends until 2020, when it fell to the seventh spot. However, in 2021, it ranked fifth as one of the most popular fitness trends.

Bodyweight training offers a lot of different exercises from which to choose. From pushups to pullups, exercise enthusiasts can do squats, calf raised, plank pushups (side planks), mountain climbers, and plank hold, among many other exercises. The one major benefit of doing bodyweight exercises is low cost, near free in many cases.

Outside of cost, the exercise has immediate fitness benefits. However, bodyweight training can be adjusted to fit the fitness level of anyone, from those at the very beginning to advanced fitness enthusiasts. Moreover, it also allows the person to do more advanced moves the fitter they become.

Bodyweight training also allows the person to benefit from a wider range of movements. Because the body is involved in a broader range of movements, the person uses muscle groups they might not with other forms of training. The person may also get in some strength and cardio workouts in the process.

Providing more movement facilitates the body’s mobility. Unlike resistance exercises found at the gym, which can limit mobility, bodyweight exercises challenge the body’s stabilizers, which increases mobility.

Another fitness benefit is that bodyweight exercises can prevent injury. Bodyweight training helps the person develop more strength in their torso and back, in addition to helping build the person’s flexibility. Building strength in the trunk and improving flexibility may help prevent injury.

Furthermore, bodyweight training can be done nearly anywhere and rather quickly. Whether sitting in front of the television or the local park, the exercises are versatile enough to accommodate a quick workout. Not only are they easy quick to complete, but many of them are also easy exercises. For example, squats can be done while waiting for the bus.

Bodyweight training builds muscle. As long as the person performs the exercise through the full range of motion, bodyweight training exercises such as press-ups are as effective as bench presses at the gym.

So, what are some of the best bodyweight training exercises? The press-up- a set of 20 repetitions can help build upper body strength. Another good bodyweight training exercise is the overhead crunch, which requires lying on one’s back almost as if doing a sit-up except the arms are extended. Then, while keeping the arms locked, the person contracts their abs, making sure their shoulders are off the floor. This exercise is an excellent choice for working the abs.

Originally published at http://scottmarchakitus.wordpress.com on March 16, 2022.