Get Ripped Anywhere: The ONLY 4 Bodyweight Exercises You Need

Most people never start their transformation journey, let alone achieve their dream physique, as they cannot make the time to hit the gym.

Contrary to the popular opinion, you don’t need a fully stacked gym to get jacked. As a personal trainer with over 17 years of training experience, I’m often approached by individuals seeking advice on the most efficient and effective way to begin training.

More often than not, I point them toward bodyweight training. Not only is calisthenics training effective for promoting hypertrophy and physical performance, but it can also help decrease waist circumference, hip circumference, and abdominal preperitoneal and subcutaneous fat thickness. (1)(2)

“You don’t necessarily need to use heavy weights to gain muscle strength,” said Dr. Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. “There are three ways to stimulate muscles to change: stress, tension, and damage, and it’s important to note that all three don’t necessarily need to be present to see changes.”

Here’s the best part: You don’t need a whole host of calisthenics movements to achieve your best physique. In this article, I reveal the four best bodyweight exercises to get ripped to the bone. I also share the most effective workout plans with progressions, how to track your body composition changes and compare results. So, sit tight and read on.

1. Push-Ups

This bodyweight exercise biases the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core stabilizers and is a cornerstone of upper body strength. Research found that bodyweight push-up training involving different progressive variations while adhering to established strength training principles can improve upper-body muscle strength. (3)

So, master the push-up, and you’ll be well on your way to a sculpted physique.

How To Perform Push-Ups:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, toes tucked, and body in a straight line from head to heels.
2. Slowly flex your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor. Go as low as you comfortably can, ideally touching your chest to the floor.
3. Return to the starting position explosively. Imagine pushing the floor away from you.

Push-Up Variations for all Fitness Levels

Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced
Wall Push-Ups	Decline Push-Ups	One-Arm Push-Ups
Knee Push-Ups	Clap Push-Ups	Handstand Push-Ups
Standard Push-Ups

2. Squats

The king of all exercises, squats help sculpt the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. This exercise is also incredibly effective for boosting overall strength, functionality, and athleticism and triggers the release of testosterone and growth hormones, which are essential for muscle growth and repair.

A randomized controlled trial published in the Scientific Reports journal found that progressive bodyweight squat training (using variations and increased difficulty over time) led to similar increases in knee joint strength and muscle hypertrophy as barbell back squats in young women. (4)

How To Perform Squats:

1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
2. Hold your hands in front of your chest or behind your head.
3. Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back and bending your knees as if sitting in a chair. Keep your chest up and back straight.
4. Go as low as you comfortably can.
5. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.

Squat Variations for all Fitness Levels

Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced
Chair Squats	Jump Squats	Pistol Squat
Assisted Squats	Bulgarian Split Squats	Barbell Back Squats
Standard Squats

3. Pull-Ups

Pull-ups target the upper back, biceps, and forearms and help carve out the coveted V-taper. This exercise builds pulling strength, translating to better performance in everyday tasks. I highly recommend avoiding lifting straps for this exercise to improve forearm stimulation.

How To Perform Pull-Ups:

1. Grab a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip.
2. Start in a dead hang with your arms fully extended.
3. Initiate the pull by driving your elbows down toward your hips.
4. Aim to touch your chest to the bar.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.

Pull-Up Variations for all Fitness Levels

Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced
Assisted Pull-Ups	Standard Pull-Ups	Weighted Pull-Ups
Negative Pull-Ups	Chin-Ups	Muscle-Ups

4. Planks

You cannot overlook core training if you want to build a bulletproof physique. A strong core improves balance, protects your spine, and supercharges your other lifts, and the plank is an excellent exercise for achieving it.

How To Perform Planks:

1. Get into a low plank position with your forearms on the floor and your elbows under the shoulders.
2. Your body should be in a straight line from head to heels.
3. Engage your abs, glutes, and quads for optimal core stimulation.
4. Hold this position for as long as possible. Beginners should aim for at least 30 seconds.

Plank Variations for all Fitness Levels

Beginner	Intermediate	Advanced
Standard Plank	Forearm to Full Plank	Plank with Arm Reach
Knee Plank	Plank with Leg Raises	Side Plank with Leg Raise

4 Exercise Bodyweight Workout Plans with Progressions

While these four exercises are excellent on their own, you must follow a structured training program to ensure overall development.

Bodyweight workouts are incredibly convenient (hello, living room workouts!) and can help build functional strength that carries over to real-life activities. Plus, as a personal trainer, I absolutely love them as they offer a low-pressure environment to drill the movement mechanics of an exercise.

Below, you’ll find workout plans for beginners, intermediate, and advanced exercisers incorporating respective progressions:

Beginner Bodyweight Workout Plan

If you have never tried a structured training program, I recommend starting with this workout and sticking with it for at least eight weeks. Do it at least four times a week for the best results.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Wall Push-Ups	3	10-15	30-60 sec
Chair Squats	3	12-15	30-60 sec
Assisted Pull-Ups	3	To failure	60-90 sec
Plank	3	30 sec	60 sec

You could use a resistance band for the assisted pull-ups or get someone to spot you.

Intermediate Bodyweight Workout Plan

Once you’re over the initial hump, it is time to turn up the heat. Focus on maintaining a picture-perfect form throughout the exercise instead of getting through the reps as quickly as possible.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Decline Push-Ups	3	8-12	30-60 sec
Jump Squats	3	8-10	30-60 sec
Standard Pull-Ups	3	To failure	60-90 sec
Forearm to Full Plank	3	30 sec each position	60 sec

Advanced Bodyweight Workout Plan

Advanced exercises must employ tempo training to maximize muscle stimulation and adaptations. Use a 3:1:1:0 rep tempo, meaning a three-second eccentric (lowering) phase, a one-second pause in the fully lengthened position, and on the concentric (lifting) phase, and no pause at the movement’s top.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
One-Arm Push-Up (assisted)	2	3-5 per arm	60-90 sec
Pistol Squats (assisted)	2	5-8 per leg	60-90 sec
Weighted Pull-Ups	3	5-8	90-120 sec
Plank with Leg Raises	3	30 sec	60 sec

Tracking Body Composition Changes

There’s no better motivator than seeing progress from your hard work. Here are some of the most effective and reliable methods to track your gains:

Photos

I recommend taking progress pictures from the front, back, and sides at the same time (in the morning after using the toilet) once weekly under consistent lighting.

Body Weight and Circumference Measurements

Checking your weight using a weighing scale is a must. You should do it right before you take the progress pictures.

Then, grab a measuring tape and measure your waist, hips, thighs, shoulders, chest, and arms. Many times, people notice inches disappearing off their waist, even when the scale stalls.

Body Fat Percentage

If you’ve never measured your body fat, it should be on the top of your list now. It tells you how much of your weight is lean muscle versus fat. Calipers, BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), and DEXA scans are a few ways to access your body fat.

Tracking your progress ensures that you are on the right path and helps keep you accountable. Share your goals and progress with your friends and family for extra accountability and motivation. Your progress might also inspire others to start a physique transformation of their own.

Comparing Results to Gym-Based Training

Can you really build a jacked physique without lifting weights and training in a commercial physique? Absolutely!

A study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine highlights the importance of training to or near muscular failure for maximizing hypertrophy. This principle can also be applied to bodyweight training by adjusting exercise variations to increase difficulty as one gets stronger. (5)

Remember, consistently adding muscle size is a function of progressive overload, which involves gradually increasing training volume. While hitting the gym and lifting barbells and dumbbells gives you an edge in this department, there is no reason why you can’t incorporate progressive overload into your bodyweight workouts.

Weighted vests, ankle weights, and tweaking the rep tempo are a few ways to make bodyweight exercises more challenging and promote new adaptations.

Advantages of Bodyweight Workouts

Here are a few pros of bodyweight training:

• Improve Functional Strength: The bodyweight exercises listed in this article are compound movements that mimic natural movement patterns and can improve your overall physical functionality and athleticism.
• Freedom: Bodyweight exercises are incredibly versatile and can be done anywhere and anytime, giving you the freedom to train whenever and wherever you want.
• Injury Prevention: Performing bodyweight exercises places less stress on your joints, tendons, and ligaments than lifting heavy external weights, significantly reducing injury risk.
• Get Ripped: Bodyweight training, with the right intensity, programming, and diet, can get you ripped to the bone. Case in point: Elite gymnasts and calisthenics athletes.

Conclusion

If you are still here, you now have all the information you need to ditch the fancy machines and equipment and still sculpt a head-turning physique. Beginners should start with the first workout regime listed in this article and slowly increase the intensity and volume as they gain more experience.

Remember, progress isn’t always linear. Some weeks, you’ll leap forward, whereas on others, you might feel like you have hit a plateau. The key is to remain consistent with your training, diet, and recovery. Give yourself at least 12 weeks before you see any meaningful progress, and you’ll firsthand see the undeniable proof of your bodyweight workouts.

If you have any questions about the four bodyweight exercises explained in this article, drop them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References:

1. Martins, F. M., de Paula Souza, A., Nunes, P. R. P., Michelin, M. A., Murta, E. F. C., Resende, E. A. M. R., de Oliveira, E. P., & Orsatti, F. L. (2018). High-intensity body weight training is comparable to combined training in changes in muscle mass, physical performance, inflammatory markers, and metabolic health in postmenopausal women at high risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Experimental gerontology, 107, 108–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2018.02.016
2. Tsuzuku, S., Kajioka, T., Sakakibara, H., & Shimaoka, K. (2018). Slow movement resistance training using body weight improves muscle mass in the elderly: A randomized controlled trial. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 28(4), 1339–1344. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13039
3. Kotarsky, C. J., Christensen, B. K., Miller, J. S., & Hackney, K. J. (2018). Effect of Progressive Calisthenic Push-up Training on Muscle Strength and Thickness. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 32(3), 651–659. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002345
4. Wei, W., Zhu, J., Ren, S., Jan, Y. K., Zhang, W., Su, R., & He, L. (2023). Effects of progressive body-weight versus barbell back squat training on strength, hypertrophy and body fat among sedentary young women. Scientific reports, 13(1), 13505. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40319-x
5. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Vigotsky AD, Peterson M. Differential Effects of Heavy Versus Moderate Loads on Measures of Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men. J Sports Sci Med. 2016;15(4):715-722. Published 2016 Dec 1.

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