Gyms all over the world are either closed or closing. In these trying times, many seek ways to meet their fitness goals without requiring a gym membership.
To many, the absence of the gym means a prolonged hiatus. And, this can be traced back to how people establish the connection between the gym and fitness.
The gym has long been valorized as the place where muscle, strength, and fitness can improve. Unfortunately, this has led to one common misconception — that it is the only place to be fit, muscular, and strong.
Trainees who hold this opinion are often the first to experience distress at the closure of their local gym or box. Luckily, bodyweight training holds the key to equipment-less gains in mass, strength, and conditioning.
In other words, you do not need to go to the gym to be fitter. In fact, with bodyweight training, you can push, pull, squat, and bridge yourself to a fitter you.
Bodyweight training done correctly can get you the body you have always wanted. With the Unity Trainer, you can take your bodyweight training to the next level. Here, you will learn about how to
perform bodyweight exercises for major muscle groups.
These exercises will target more than one muscle, making your workouts effective and efficient.
You will also learn about the versions of these exercises you can do with the Unity Trainer.
The Top Three Benefits of Bodyweight Training
Bodyweight training is capable of stimulating various muscle groups. Even with a single, different muscle groups fire to produce the necessary force to complete a rep.
For instance, a push-up stimulates not only the pectoral muscles. A single rep can cause firing in the following ancillar muscles:
● the triceps
● the anterior deltoid
● the rectus abdominus
Aside from simultaneous muscular contractions, other benefits can be found in bodyweight training.
Among these benefits are:
Multiplanar Training
Most fitness implements limit the body to few movements. Often, exercises using barbells, dumbbells, and machines move:
● forward and back
● up and down
Rarely do any gym movements train the body to move along the transverse plane. With bodyweight training, the body can perform movements in all planes of motion. These include:
● the sagittal plane (e.g., sidelunges, Cossack squats)
● frontal plane (e.g., pushups,squats, pull-ups)
● the transverse plane (e.g., around-the-worlds, glute bridges with the Unity Trainer)
24/7 Availability
With bodyweight training, your gym travels with you. Your body and leverage are the primary tools of bodyweight training.
Exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, bridges, and bodyweight squats are accessible to you anytime anywhere.
Variety in Exercise Selection
Variety and novelty in weight training come in the form of more weight. At times, there are progressions in movement. For instance, the deadlift can progress to a power clean or Romanian deadlift.
This narrow range in movement selection may not necessarily be a bad thing. Nonetheless, this can be boring after some time. This is one of the reasons bodybuilders and weightlifters have accessory lifts.
Bodyweight exercises have numerous variations. The basic squat alone has about 12 different variations on top of the basic bodyweight squat. Pushups can easily be modified in leg elevation and hand position.
With bodyweight training, the benefits are endless. Purchase a Unity Trainer, and you get access to other bodyweight movements.
Exercises for the Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders
For anyone trying to build muscle, the upper body needs much attention. Indeed, building size and strength in the upper body has a direct carry-over to pushing and pulling.
Developed pectoral muscles, triceps, and shoulders are the archetypal muscles for impressive physiques. For many, the only way to pack on mass in these areas is to push heavy barbells or dumbbells.
While this approach works, bodyweight training can create the same stimulus. All that is required is some manipulation in volume and variation to bring about progressive overload.
Basic Push-up
The push-up is a mainstay in many strength and conditioning programs. Effective and accessible, it is the go-to upper body exercise for the military and law enforcement.
First, begin by assuming a plank position. The plank position requires four points of contact with the floor. Both hands and toes need to be on the ground.
In a controlled manner, lower yourself to the ground. You may or may not touch the floor or deck with your chest. For more time under tension, do not touch the ground with your chest.
If you do not have the strength to maintain the plank position, you may have both knees on the floor.
After lowering yourself to the ground, push yourself back up. This is one repetition.
A good range to aim for would be 15 to 20 repetitions in one set. On the higher end, you may set a goal of 30 to 40 in set. Try to perform 3 to 5 sets. Your rest periods will depend on your
experience level.
As a beginner, you can rest for five minutes in between sets. Intermediate and advanced trainees can train far shorter rest periods.
Unity Trainer Push-up
With the Unity Trainer, you can hit more muscles in your shoulder, core, and triceps.
The steps to performing the Unity Trainer push-up are similar to the basic variation.
Except, instead of having the feet on the ground, they are suspended on the Unity Trainer’s handles or loops.
Doing the push-up this way with the Unity Trainer will cause your core muscles to work harder. The added instability will force numerous core contractions. These contractions will mainly occur at the:
● rectus abdominis
● obliques
● spinal erectors
Also, your shoulders will develop additional isometric strength by maintaining stability.
Another way to perform this exercise is by holding on to the handles and leaving the feet on the ground.
With the Unity Trainer, the push-up builds more than your chest. The exercise becomes a movement for your triceps, core, and spinal erectors.
Bench Dip
In the absence of dumbbells or machines, it can be tough to target the triceps. The bench dip is an exercise for the triceps. Depending on how far the hands are from each other, the lower pectoral muscles can also enjoy some involvement.
Begin by supporting your weight with only your arms. The arms must be locked-out fully.
Also, you should not be sitting on your bench or chair.
Lower yourself as far down as you can. To prevent injury, do not lean forward on the descent. Keep the shoulder blades pulled in throughout the movement.
Raise yourself back up to how you started the repetition.
Do 8 to 12 repetitions for 3 to 5 sets.
Unity Trainer Dip
The bench dip is great. But, not everybody:
● wants to target only the triceps
● has the mobility and flexibility for the exercise
The Unity Trainer dip is superior to the bench dip in the following ways:
● It targets the triceps.
● It also targets the anterior deltoids.
● It stimulates the lower pectoral muscles to a much more significant degree.
● The exercise puts less strain on the rotator cuff.
With your Unity Trainer, lock out your arms and let the legs freely hang. This position is the starting position.
Lower yourself until you feel your arms bent at 90 degrees. Then, push yourself back up.
Like the bench dip, aim for 8 to 12 repetitions per set. Do 3 to 5 sets.
Exercises for the Back
The muscles of the back and posterior chain are strengthened through pulls and hinges. Pulls can either be vertical like in a pull-up or chin-up. They can also be horizontal like in the case of inverted rows.
The Unity Trainer can make back workouts scalable, more effective through instability, and accessible.
Pull-up With a Bar
The pull-up develops the rhomboids and the latissimus dorsi. These are the muscles that make up the upper back, with the latter contributing to the highly-coveted V-taper.
Start from a hanging position. Grip the bar with both hands shoulder-width apart. For more lat development, you may opt for a wider grip width — one that is a hand’s width wider than the shoulder.
Next, by squeezing the shoulder blades, pull yourself up to the bar. A repetition is complete when the bar is at the level of the neck. Proceed to lower yourself in a controlled manner so as not to
place added strain on the shoulders.
Pull-Up Chin-Up Combo With the Unity Trainer
When it comes to the basic pull-up, many complain of one limiting factor — strength.
That is, the upper body strength required to pull oneself up with a pronated grip makes the pull-up inaccessible to some trainees.
For many, the chin-up is a more accessible alternative. But, despite involving the biceps, it does little for the lats.
The Unity Trainer allows both the pull-up and chin-up in one exercise.
During the hang, begin with a pronated grip. As you raise yourself, slowly shift to a supinated grip.
The supinated grip not only helps you raise your body to the level of the handles. It can stimulate your biceps to fire.
You may choose a dead hang. To involve the hip flexors in the movement, you may also perform the pull-up chin-up combo in an L-sit position.
Perform for 8 to 12 repetitions. Set count can vary. Regardless of the number of sets, the total number of repetitions for one workout should be at least 20 repetitions.
Inverted Row
The inverted row involves all pulling muscles except for the latissimus dorsi. It works the rhomboids, the biceps, and the trapezius. A slight widening of the grip can also stimulate the rear deltoids — an often underdeveloped muscle even amongst seasoned trainees.
To perform the inverted, start by finding a low bar. This can be in a playground or any sturdy table in the home.
Situate yourself under the bar or table and establish your grip. Keep the glutes and core engaged.
Pull yourself to the bar. Maintain an upright chest throughout the movement and squeeze the shoulder blades as you would in a pull-up or chin-up.
Unity Trainer Inverted Row
Finding a bar can be inconvenient. Using a table can be risky. Using a towel and your door can be accessible but not as ergonomic.
The Unity Trainer can help you set up your inverted row station anywhere anytime.
With Unity Trainer’s Vice Grips, the row becomes an exercise for the forearms. The 2.5-inch grip handles can challenge your grip, adding more size to your arm’s musculature.
Glute Exercises
The glutes are often an overlooked muscle group. It is crucial for lower back health and injury prevention. Also, it is one of the largest muscle groups of the body. Developing it can create
better stability of your back’s sacrococcygeal joint, the site of most lumbar issues.
Hinging movements develop the glutes. Other exercises that develop it are donkey kicks and certain squat variations.
All exercises in this section aim at glute development and hypertrophy. Hence, do all for at least 10 repetitions for 3 sets.
Bodyweight Hip Thrusts
Bridges are some of the most versatile and modifiable glute exercises available. It is the bodyweight equivalent of hip hinges.
Hip hinging may require a weighted implement. Nonetheless, bridges can be effective bodyweight equivalents. Bridges work out the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. With instability, even a simple bridge can become an exercise that challenges the core.
You can bridge with both feet on the ground or with one elevated.
Begin by lying on the floor. Knees must beflexed. Slowly push your hips off the floor.
Tension in your glutes and hamstrings is a sign that you are doing the exercise correctly.
Unity Trainer Bridge
The Unity Trainer Bridge trumps the hip thrust with its emphasis on twisting.
The twisting motion of the Unity Trainer Bridge targets the oblique muscles. Also, the added instability of the Unity Trainer creates a stimulus for the stabilizing muscles of the core.
This makes the Unity Trainer Bridge not just an exercise for the glutes. It becomes an exercise for the core and hamstrings.
Begin by lying on the floor with both feet suspended by the Unity Trainer loops. The loops are under the handles.
As you thrust your hips, twist to one side. A good cue would be to touch the floor or mat as you twist to the opposite side.
Repeat with the other side.
Donkey Kick
The donkey kick is an isolation exercise for the glutes.
Donkey kicks can be done either in a standing position or with hands or feet on the ground. The latter may be better if balance is an issue.
Unity Trainer Donkey Kicks
Balance can be a limiting factor for donkey kicks.
The Unity Trainer provides support for standing movements. This eliminates the chances of falling.
Also, since the exercise will be done standing, the Unity Trainer Donkey Kick also becomes a hinge, thereby counteracting overactive hip flexors created by prolonged sitting.
Ab Exercises
Exercises for the abdominal muscles have always been done only with body weight.
Sit-ups and planks have enjoyed much popularity. Sit-ups have numerous variations. These variations can target the different abdominal muscles that make up what most call “the core”.
But many ab exercises lead to kyphosis and spinal compression. Over time, these can lead to muscle imbalances and back injuries from too much truncal flexion.
Hanging ab exercises and rotations are the answer. However, these variations will require access to a pull-up bar or landmine.
With the Unity Trainer, all ab exercises are within reach. Here are some that target all the abdominal muscles without risking the spine or hips.
Unity Trainer Rollout
The rollout is the exercise the ab wheel caters to. But, the Unity Trainer can add safety and convenience.
The ab wheel version of the rollout has the following potential risks:
● the trainee falling upon rolling the ab wheel inwards
● falling forward when the trainee loses control
Also, this version is done on the ground. This is not something most trainees enjoy.
The Unity Trainer Rollout is performed in a standing position. The Unity Trainer provides the necessary support for balance and control
With arms locked-out, push the handles forward as far as you can. Keep the core and glutes tight and hard. This will prevent the hips from dropping.
Once you feel a “stretch”, slowly bring the handles back to the position in which you started.
Repeat this for 8 to 12 repetitions. 3 sets should suffice. Because it is an ab exercise, you can perform this every day.
Unity Trainer Hanging Knee Raises
Beginning any exercise from a hanging position relieves pressure on the spine. The reduction of spinal compression is not a benefit of most ab exercises.
Hanging knee raises done with the Unity Trainer removes pressure from the lower back and works the rectus abdominis.
Start from a dead hang position, and simply bring the knees in as close as possible to the chest.
Do 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
Unity Trainer Torso Rotation
Torso rotations deliver much-needed attention to the obliques.
No other implement makes this movement more accessible than the Unity Trainer.
With one of the handles, start in a similar position as the inverted row.
Then, pull the handle towards one side while keeping the hips and shoulders engaged.
Repeat the same step for the other side. The exercise should be done for 8 to 12 repetitions for each side. The sets can be higher. You can do 3 to 5 sets of this exercise.
Exercises for the Legs
One of the most important muscle groups to train for a well-balanced and aesthetically pleasing physique is the legs.
The legs contribute to many activities in your daily life. Well-developed legs indicate a high level of functionality. As large muscle groups, they also contain the most metabolically significant
muscle fibers. Hence, developed legs can burn more calories even at rest.
The basic bodyweight squat is the go-to exercise for bodyweight leg training. Fairly simple to perform, it activates all the muscles at the anterior part of the leg including the sartorius and
quadriceps.
The more advanced versions create more potent training stimuli. These are often single-leg variations of the bodyweight squat. These include the Bulgarian split squat and the pistol squat.
Balance is a major limiting factor for these exercises. But, the Unity Trainer makes these exercises doable for everyone.
In short, even as a beginner, trainees can perform split squats and pistol squats with the Unity Trainer.
These single-leg variations with the Unity Trainer will allow you to reap the benefits of single-leg bodyweight training minus the balance issue:
Unity Trainer Split Squat
The split squat can be performed with one strap. This exercise not only engages the glutes and the quads. Since the trainee will be leaving one leg behind, the split squat is an excellent way to
enhance leg strength and mobility.
Begin with one foot in the Unity Trainer loops. The foot on the ground should be about a step forward. If you are flexible, your foot can be farther.
Slowly lower yourself as low as possible.Then, push yourself back up while maintaining an engaged core.
Repeat this with the other leg. Perform the exercise for 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions per leg.
Unity Trainer Pistol Squat
The pistol squat is another single-leg variation of the squat. Unlike the split squat, the other leg is raised as the trainee squats down.
For this reason, the non-Unity Trainer version requires a lot of balance and control. It is a squat for advanced trainees.
To begin, grip both handles of the Unity Trainer. Raise one leg. Once you are ready for the descent, lean back.
Slowly drop down into a squat with the other leg still raised. At the very bottom of the squat, pause for one second, then squat back up.
The pistol squat is very demanding on the quadriceps, even with the Unity Trainer. For this reason, the reps can be lower compared to the split squat or basic bodyweight squat.
You can perform the Unity Trainer Pistol Squat using the following rep schemes:
● 5 sets of 5 to 6 repetitions
● 8 to 9 sets of 3 to 5 repetitions
● 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions
Bodyweight Training Becomes Superior With The Unity Trainer
You do not need a gym membership to achieve a high level of fitness.
Bodyweight training can provide you with the right stimulus to challenge your muscles in efficient and accessible ways.
But, bodyweight training can be better. You can take your bodyweight training experience to the next level by getting the Unity Trainer.
The Unity Trainer can take a basic bodyweight exercise and turn it into something that challenges your muscles even more.
With the Unity Trainer, you can get the body you have always dreamt of anytime, anywhere.