Traditional gyms and health clubs promote workout programs that focus on exercises designed to work muscles in isolation.Performing exercises that focus on one muscle group at a time is appropriate for body builders and athletes in certain sports, but to develop “real world” strength, full body weight workouts are best.
Body weight exercises don’t rely on weights or machines. They utilize the weight of your body as resistance to work the major muscle groups.Push-ups, crunches, and hand stand raises are all examples of body weight exercises.
There are many benefits to adopting a body weight exercise program. These include:
- Minimal space required
- No gym required
- Can be done anytime
- Customizable workouts
Another major benefit of a well-planned body weight exercise program, is that it will force you to develop “real world” balance, endurance, and strength.
“Real world” strength? That is the ability to perform real world activities requiring the use of multiple muscle groups in tasks such as combat, swimming, or lifting a sofa down a flight of stairs.All these activities require the coordination of multiple muscles to accomplish a goal. Strength, balance, and endurance all come into play.
Pumping out repetitions on the calf raise machine at your local health club might produce ham hocks on your calves, but it won’t help you much when it comes time to carry a couch up some stairs.Core muscle development is key. A good workout program should focus on working major muscle groups in conjunction with each other to ensure maximum development of strength and coordination. This will not only help in sports such as swimming, tennis, or golf, but will also enhance your abilities to perform everyday tasks such as heavy lifting, mowing the lawn, or painting a house.
Unlike the typical gym workout, a robust and effective body weight workout program will maximize the development of core strength, coordination, and endurance. Check out a brand new comprehensive body weight workout plan that will get you in the best shape of your life.