Tone and Tighten with These Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight exercises do not require any machinery or equipment but can still be incredibly impactful. Using only your body weight for resistance can strengthen your muscles and tighten your body. Because there is no expensive equipment needed, you can quickly get a full-body workout from home. Below we have shared another one of our favorite full-body bodyweight workouts for you to tone and tighten from the comfort of your own home.

Warm-Up Bodyweight Exercises

1. Shoulder Rolls

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on your shoulders. Engage your core. Shift your shoulders forward, then roll them up and back until you feel resistance in your shoulder blades. Relax and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions in each direction. 

Shoulder Rolls 1 Shoulder Rolls 2 Shoulder Rolls 3

2. Standing Twists

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Clasp your hands together at chest height. Engage your core and twist your upper body to one side, keeping your hips locked in the forward position. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

Standing Twists 1 Standing Twists 2 Standing Twists 3

3. Side Reaches

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Contract your core and twist your upper body to one side as you reach across your body at chest height with one arm. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

Side Reaches 1 Side Reaches 2

4. Arm Raises

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your arms at your sides. Engage your core and raise one arm overhead. Lower your arm to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

Arm Raises 1 Arm Raises 2

5. Semi-Squats

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower your seat into a semi-squat position. Keep your knees behind your toes. Raise back up to an upright position, squeezing your glutes at the top post. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.

Semi-Squats 1 Semi-Squats 2

6. Knee Raises

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your arms at your sides. Engage your core and lift one knee, ideally to hip height. Lower your leg to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

Knee Raises 1 Knee Raises 2

Routine Bodyweight Exercises

1. Bodyweight Squats

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower your seat into a squat position. Keep your knees behind your toes. Raise back up to an upright position, squeezing your glutes at the top. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.

Bodyweight Squats 1 Bodyweight Squats 2

2. Marches

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side. Engage your core and lift one knee, ideally to hip height, as you counter the movement with your opposite arm. Lower your leg to the starting position and repeat the action on the opposite side.

To increase the intensity of this exercise, speed up the movement.

Marches 1 Marches 2

3. Single Leg Deadlifts

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place one hand on the back of a chair for support if needed. Engage your core, transfer all your weight onto one foot, and bend your supporting knee slightly. Hinge your hips and bend your upper body forward to be parallel to the floor while extending your opposite leg back. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.

Single Leg Deadlifts 1 Single Leg Deadlifts 2

4. Side Steps

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Engage your core, step to the side with one foot and follow the movement with your opposite foot. Repeat the exercise in the opposite direction. Keep your hands on your hips or counter the stepping move with your arms. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

To increase the intensity of this exercise, speed up the movement or bend your knees and go through the training in a semi-squat position.

Side Steps 1 Side Steps 2 Side Steps 3

5. Dynamic Upper Body Opener

Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Reach forward with both arms at chest height, then pull both arms back in a rowing motion, keeping your elbows at chest height and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Reach forward with both arms at chest height, press your palms together, then bend your elbows to 90-degree angles. Open your bent arms out at your sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position and repeat the sequence of actions. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.

Dynamic Upper Body Opener 1 Dynamic Upper Body Opener 2 Dynamic Upper Body Opener 3
Dynamic Upper Body Opener 4 Dynamic Upper Body Opener 5 Dynamic Upper Body Opener 6

6. Knee Drives

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place one hand on the back of a chair for support if needed. Engage your core. Take a big step back with one leg, then drive the same knee towards your chest. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.

Knee Drives 1 Knee Drives 2

Cool Down Bodyweight Exercises

1. Standing Cat-Cow Workout

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on the backs of your hips. Contract your abdominal area. Slowly look upward as you arch your mid-back. Then, alternate by rounding out your mid back as you lower your head downward and place your hands on your knees. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions in each direction. Hold each position for several deep belly breaths through your nose and out through your mouth. Repeat the sequence of movements.

Standing Cat-Cow 1 Standing Cat-Cow 2

2. Quad Stretch Workout

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs.  Engage your core, bend your knee to bring your heel up against your seat, and hold onto your foot with your hand. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths through your nose and out through your mouth. Lower your foot to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 1 repetition on each side, holding for 10 seconds.

Quad Stretch

3. Arms Overhead Workout

Begin in an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Engage your core, raise both arms overhead and slightly arch your back, looking for a light stretch. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths through your nose and out through your mouth. Start with 1 set of 1 repetition, holding for 10 seconds.

Arms Overhead

Bodyweight exercises are great for beginners because the easy movements can be done anytime. But don’t be fooled – they are still incredibly effective. As your strength and physical ability improve, you can make this routine more challenging by increasing the number of repetitions you complete or increasing from one to two to three sets of the exercises. 

If you’re looking for the ultimate toning workout that you can do from home, look no further. Click here how to tone and tighten with this ultimate routine.

Tone & Tighten Bodyweight Workout