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Who needs a gym?

These 5 bodyweight exercises can keep you strong at home, on the road, or anywhere else you want to work out.

  • The bodyweight squat
  • The Pushup / Dive-bomber pushup
  • Back lunge
  • Frog Jumps
  • Shadow boxing

This holiday (weight gain) season, if you're heading out of town, can't make it to the gym, or just looking for a little change of pace, here's a great way to work your whole body.

If you want to burn some fat and work your heart, perform each exercise for one minute, with no breaks in between. After the shadow boxing, rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat the whole thing again. Run through the full sequence 2-5 times.

It goes without saying that you should clear these exercises with your doctor before you try them. You could get hurt, particularly if you have a bad back, heart condition, or some other health problem that you may or may not know about.

The Bodyweight Squat

The bodyweight squat is an excellent full-body exercise. It works the legs, back, core, and lungs. Start with your feet about hips' distance apart. Inhale and descend to your personal bottom point. If you can go fully to the bottom, great. If beat up knees or a bad back shortens that range, that's OK, too. Come to a full stop at the bottom — no bouncing — then push your heels into the ground to come back up.

The Bodyweight SquatThe Bodyweight Squat

The Push-up / Dive-Bomber Pushups

With your hands at shoulder width, start off by doing pushups for as long as you can, either on your feet or knees. Come to a full stop at the top and bottom of each rep.

The Push-upThe Push-up

When you run out of gas, switch to the dive-bomber pushup. This basically involves alternating between a yoga "down dog" and "up dog".

Dive-Bomber PushupsDive-Bomber Pushups

The Back Lunge

Step back into a lunge and come back up. Then step back with the other foot. Make sure you keep your torso upright and don't smack your knee into the ground.

The Back Lunge

Frog Jumps

Go from a pushup position to the bottom of the squat, and then back to the pushup. Pace yourself, it's tough. If you have a bad back, skip this one.

Frog JumpsFrog Jumps

Shadow boxing

Throw combinations and move from side to side. Keep your hands up.

So once again, here's the workout:

  • The bodyweight squat
  • The Pushup / Dive-bomber pushup
  • Back lunge
  • Frog Jumps
  • Shadow boxing

Perform each exercise for one minute, with no breaks in between. After the shadow boxing, rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat the whole thing again. Run through the full sequence 2-5 times.

After the shadow boxing, rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat the whole thing again. Run through the full sequence 2-5 times. Try it, you'll see what I mean.

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