In the rare occasion that I grab a workout at a “big box” gym, I always end up competing with other folks for equipment. And it honestly frustrates the living hell out of me …
Like if I’m doing a circuit-style workout where I’m rotating between two or more exercises, inevitably someone hops in and starts using one piece of equipment I’m using for a circuit while I’m doing another exercise in the rotation.
I thought a list of these exercises might be helpful for you next time you’re in a similar situation – at the gym, at home, in a hotel room – and need some good body weight exercise substitutes for moves you normally do in your routine. So here ‘ya go:
horizontal press substitutes (bench/dumbell chest press/machine chest press/etc.)
- push up (regular or on knees)
- hands elevated push up
- push up with rotation
- close grip push up
- spiderman push up
vertical press substitutes (shoulder press/machine/etc.)
- pike/downward dog push up
- feet elevated push up
- stick up/wall slide
quad dominant leg substitutes (squats/leg press/etc.)
- body weight squat
- prisoner squat
- 1 leg squat
- lunge/variations
hip dominant leg substitutes (deadlift/etc.)
- single leg deadlift
- step ups
- squat jump
- lying hip extensions
- 1 leg lying hip extensions
vertical pull substitutes (lat pulldown/pull up/etc.)
- stick up/wall slide
- pull up
- chin up
horizontal pull substitutes (seated row/bent row/etc.)
- inverted row
- underhand/mixed grip inverted row
- suspension trainer row
In summary, body weight exercises can be great substitutes for traditional free weight and machine -based moves. The exercises listed in this article are just a starting point for you – the idea is to get you thinking outside the box for more ways you can incorporate body weight training into your existing routine!
Train hard and talk soon –
Forest Vance
Master of Science, Human Movement
Certified Kettlebell Instructor
Fitness Nutrition Coach
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