30 Bodyweight Exercise Alternatives

First, before we get into today's lessons, I just want to say to all of our friends in New Zealand that I'm very sorry and heartbroken to hear about the earthquake.

I hope that you and your friends and families who live in Christchurch are safe. I've traveled to New Zealand and the country has a special place in my heart. I can't imagine how difficult the past 24 hours have been and I hope the worst is over.

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Now for the bodyweight workout tips...

I'm getting up at 4:30am on Wednesday morning to do a bodyweight workout in my hotel room before heading to the airport for a full day of travel from Panama back to Toronto.

Fortunately, it's easy to do a bodyweight workout when you have these exercise substitutions you can use instead of weights.

1) For Squats -> You can do:

- 1-leg squats
- 1-leg bench squats
- Bulgarian split squats
- Split squats
- Forward lunges
- Reverse lunges
- Step-ups
- Reaching lunges
- 1-leg deadlifts
- 1-leg hip extensions

(NOTE: For many exercises, including pushing and pulling too, you can play around with the 1&1/2 rep style - lowering to the bottom position, coming halfway back up, and then lowering again, and then coming all the way back up.)

2) For DB Chest Presses (of any kind) -> You can do one of these:

- pushups
- close-grip pushups
- decline pushup
- elevated pushups
- off-set pushups
- pushups with your feet on the ball
- pushups with your hands on the ball
- spiderman pushups
- pike pushups
- or possibly the hardest two-hand pushup of them all, decline close-grip spiderman pushups

3) To replace lunges if you have knee soreness:

First, see a doctor and have them diagnose the problem. Second, see a therapist and have them treat the issue. Third, see a trainer and have them assess where you need to work on flexibility and how you can include some "knee-friendly" exercises in your workout program.

These exercises include:

- Lying Hip Extensions (also known as Lying Hip Bridges)
- Single-leg Hip Extensions
- Lying Hip Extensions with your feet on the ball
- Lying Stability Ball Leg Curls

4) To replace DB Rows -> Using the smith machine, you can do...

- inverted rows
- underhand inverted rows
- inverted rows with your feet on the ball
- inverted rows holding the ends of a towel hung over the bar

5) For DB Rows -> Using the pullup bar, you can do...

- eccentric pull-ups
- regular pull-ups
- sternum pull-ups
- chinups
- side to side pull-ups

Whew. I think that was 31 or 33 replacements. Tons of ideas.

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Last chance reminder: 

Wednesday is the last day to get 3 NO-equipment unique bodyweight workouts here:

=> http://www.Bodyweightcoach.com/go/turbulence

Just say YES to bodyweight exercises,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training