Your Body is all the weight you need!
By Dean Karnazes
In 2023, the average cost of an annual gym membership in the US was around $600. That’s enough to buy 1,374 medium-sized apples! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking gyms, but sometimes all that’s needed for a great workout is, err…, you.
Using just your body weight for fitness offers many additional advantages beyond saving enough loot to buy ten bushels of apples. Let’s start with the obvious: accessibility. A bodyweight workout can be done anywhere and without the need for special equipment. And bodyweight workouts are incredibly versatile. There are countless bodyweight exercises to target different muscle groups and fitness goals. Additionally, bodyweight workouts can be easily integrated into busy schedules because there is so much flexibility as to where and when they can be done. For instance, I once found myself in the Istanbul International Airport doing sets of chair dips and jumping lunges, and this was after an extended transcontinental flight filled with sets of seated knee-ups and crossover leg lifts! So, there really are no excuses when it comes to using just the weight of your body for exercise.
The other thing I love about bodyweight workouts is that they build functional strength by emulating real-life movements and activities, all the while improving balance and coordination by engaging in stabilizing muscle groups. And because there are no heavy weights or complicated machinery involved, bodyweight exercises help reduce the likelihood of injury.
For me, the single most efficient and effective bodyweight workout is the burpee. Our high school wrestling coach used to make us do a set of burpees when we arrived at the gym, and a set of burpees when we left. He wasn’t the most liked coach on the campus, but I now look back fondly on those days of carrying a barf-bag in my backpack in case of mid-workout emergencies.
Before I start my bodyweight workout, I often get the engine revving with Hammer Nutrition Fully Charged Pre-Exercise ignitor. This revolutionary formula helps get me prepared—mentally and physically—while reducing warm-up time, increasing cardiovascular capacity, preventing lactic acid build-up, and boosting energy levels with a natural jolt of green tea. Post-workout, I start the recovery and rebuilding process with Hammer Nutrition Whey Protein, which has the additional benefit of strengthening the immune system. I typically use the unflavored variety, but Hammer Nutrition Whey Protein also comes in (exceptionally scrumptious) Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla flavors. Speaking of whey protein, something I always carry with me on extended flights is Hammer Nutrition Peanut Butter Chocolate Whey Protein Bars. They pack a whopping 11 grams of grass-fed protein in a 170-calorie bar that is low in sugar but remarkably flavorful and satisfying. Along with my TSA Pre card, Hammer Nutrition Peanut Butter Chocolate Whey Protein bars are my most trusted travel companions!
Good luck with your next bodyweight workout, and keep hammering…
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Dean Karnazes is an ultramarathoner and Hammer Nutrition global athlete. He is a NY Times bestselling author and recipient of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Lifetime Achievement Award. Learn more about Dean at: Dean Karnazes Keeps Hammering
