1) The Push-up: The best exercise you could ever do for yourself when it comes to using your bodyweight for “push muscles.”
Muscles trained with the push-up:
- Pectoral
- Triceps
- Deltoids
- Abs
2) The Bodyweight Squat: This exercise serves a dual purpose – it is the foundation for building strength AND helps build proper mobility. If you are going to ever do barbell squats, you need to work on hitting proper depth with a bodyweight squat first!
Muscles trained with the squat:
- Quads
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Core muscles
3) The Inverted Bodyweight Row: Until you can get your first pull-up or chin-up, these exercises are GREAT to start building your pull-muscle strength.
Muscles trained with the inverted row:
- All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
- Biceps
- Forearm muscles (dorsal, ventral)
- Your grip
4) The Pull-up and Chin-up: Once you can support your body’s weight above the bar, the world becomes your playground. No strength training routine should be without pull-up or chin-up work! (Can’t do a pull-up yet? We got you.)
Muscles trained with the pull-up:
- All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
- Biceps
- Latissimus dorsi (Lats)
- Trapezius (Traps)
- Abs
- Your grip
5) The Bodyweight Dip: As you start to get stronger with push-ups and need to find a way to increase the challenge, consider doing dips.
Warning: these are very advanced, but are incredible strength-building exercises.
Muscles trained with the dips:
- Pectoral
- Triceps
- Deltoids
- Rhomboid (Back muscles)
- Abs
Tougher Variation: Weighted Dips
These 5 compound exercises will propel you into the world of bodyweight training.
For more ideas on how to train without a gym, check out The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises (Work Out Anywhere).
Now, it’s barbell time!