Bodyweight exercises are what I use for strength training and toning. Using them 3-4 times a week along with some great cardio will give you all the benefits you’ll ever want to have with your fitness program. Throw in a primarily vegan or raw food diet and you can end up in the 99th percentile of optimum health!

There are five tips, that used consistently, can provide you with the best bodyweight exercise routine. First, use timed circuits instead of simply using repetitions or sets. According to the International Sports Science Association, circuit training is defined as “a “series of exercises, performed one after the other, with little rest in between.”

Time circuits are basically performing a specified number of exercises in a specified period of time, usually 30 seconds. For example, you may complete 30 repetitions of pull ups in 30 seconds and then allow a 30 second break before the next exercise. In order to make the most of this routine, you need to increase the number or repetitions that you complete, without increasing the period of time to complete it.

Timed circuits provide the best experience in bodyweight exercise training because they are adaptable. You may adapt them to the time you have available to work out, the focus of your workout (either a specific area of your body or sport or just to lose weight); and is adaptable to your fitness level. Beginners may begin with a lower level of repetitions in a 30 second interval and increase their reps as their fitness level increases.

The second technique to get the most out of your bodyweight exercise is to add a cardio vascular component to your routine, alternating between the cardio and bodyweight exercises. Every bodyweight exercise routine should begin with warm ups and stretches choosing those that will increase your heart rate. If you want to continue along the circuit route, you can combine circuit training with cardio vascular and perform your cardio vascular, however the best results will be achieved by warm up stretch, cardio, bodyweight, cardio, bodyweight and the cool down. When doing cardio vascular exercises move as quickly as you can, keeping your form and encourage large muscle movement such as with your whole arm or who leg.

For both the bodyweight exercises and cardio vascular routines to achieve the best possible fat burning results you should break them up into shorter workouts more than once a day. Instead of a total routine for 30 minutes, try three ten minutes work outs a day. Try this instead of a coffee break at the office, you may come back rejuvenated.

Another technique you should use to get the most from your bodyweight exercise routine is to keep track of you routine. Write down your workouts including the date, time, number of repetitions, time of repetitions and cardio exercise routines. Be sure to include a start and stop time, allowing you to not only track the individual bodyweight exercises, but the total workout time also. A training log can be easily created by using your computers spreadsheet program, several of them are available online or you may purchase any number of books like as Body Minder and Exercise Journal, by Francis Wilkins; or The Ultimate Workout Guide by Suzanne Schlosberg.

By tracking all of these details you can determine which times of day work best for you; when you are most productive and you can also easily determine which exercises you should use to vary your routine. It also provides you with the opportunity and incentive to be competitive—try to beat your own personal best record. It allows you to set goals and review your progress, thus also providing you with positive encouragement that your hard work is paying off.

Lastly, vary your routine. Use your training journal to keep track of the specific exercises performed and change them up. With over 25 standard exercises that almost everyone knows, from beginner to professional you can easily do several different exercises each time.

Other ways to add variety to your bodyweight exercise routine and to make the most of it include; changing the weight, leverage or resistance of a specific exercise, asking friends to work out with you, use a video, particularly those that provide you with timed cardio circuits, and change your mind set from exercising to participating in an activity that you enjoy, so be sure to include daily those bodyweight and cardio exercises you enjoy the most.

Utilizing these tips and instructions can make the most of even a ten minute workout, boost your metabolism, build muscle, and sculpt your body without hours of time, or an investment in gym memberships or weight training equipment for home.

If you want to check out some great and free bodyweight exercises online, click here! (We’re putting together a manual and progression workout book in the next month or so, so stay tuned!)