When it comes to body weight workouts, there are a few times I like to include them in my and my clients’ routines:

• When you can’t leave your house and have no equipment, for one reason or another
• When you want to focus on endurance or metabolic endurance, and thusly have a higher rep range
• If you just performed a more intense workout the previous day, but still want to get a workout in
• You don’t need a reason and just feel like it!

Clearly, I’m a fan – and they do have a good place and time for any client’s routine.

I wanted to share these two specifically with you for two reasons:

#1, they’re unique and fun!

and

#2, they target the muscle groups that tend to weaken on us ladies each year

Those muscle groups include:

• the triceps
• abs
• glutes
• hamstrings
• deltoids

Our upper back muscles also tend to weaken as we age, but you’ll have to add in some rows to hit those 😉

[Tweet “Two Cool Body Weight Exercises to Add to Your Fitness Tool Box via @TrainerPaige”]

In the video below, I show you a demonstration of the Hip Thrust-Pike and the Sphinx Push Up

(psst! I initially did a live broadcast of this video over on Periscope. If you’re not scoping (or watching ‘scopes) get on board!! And follow me @TrainerPaige (also, don’t mind the interruption by Niko))

Did you skip the video?! It’s ok if you did. I got you.

Hip Thrust-Pike

Start in a reverse table top position with your fingers pointing forward and your heels right below your knees. Squeeze your glutes as hard as you can to extend fully at the hip. Contract the abs and pull your hips back behind your elbows, feeling light in your heels. Push the weight back into your heels and return to the reverse table top position.

1a. Bridge

1b. Floor Pike

Sphinx Push Up

Come to a forearm plank position with your fingers pointing forward and your knees on the ground. Brace the core, and push into the heels of your hands, extending at the arms with your triceps.

1a.

1b. 

Also, excuse the sub-par picture quality. These are screen shots I took from the video, which is why they’re a bit pixellated (and the looks on my face are a little funny 😉 )

I would pair these two exercises with two, four, or six additional exercises (or put them in a ladder, or a tri-set, or amrap – the variations are ENDLESS.) I’d also probably stack a standing lower body movement, like a squat or a lunge variation between each of them.

In a workout, it might look something like this:

Complete each exercise for :60, resting as needed, with little rest in between. Complete 4-5 rounds total:

A1. Squat Jump

A2. Sphinx Push Up

A3. 3-Way Lunge

A4. Hip Thrust-Pike

Then I might also go and add a B-series for those who want to take it up a notch. Boom!

[Tweet “Two Cool Body Weight Exercises to Add to Your Fitness Tool Box via @TrainerPaige #fitfluential”]

What’s your favorite tool in the proverbial fitness tool box?

What are some of your favorite body weight movements?