A complete package

Bodyweight training is appealing thanks to its ability to offer total body workouts that are time-efficient, varied and functional, writes Anjali Sareen

Starting in 2020 and continuing through 2021, the pandemic has changed most aspects of our lives — from work to our social lives to our personal well-being. This has made us reconsider the role of fitness in our daily lives and overall health, resulting in a re-evaluation of our fitness goals.

A new checklist

A major shift seen is towards programmes that encompass mind-body fitness to address our physical, mental and emotional health. We want our workouts to energise us, act as a stress-buster plus keep us physically fit and looking good. The other noticeable change is in the type of workouts we choose to do. Factors such as time required and location are important influencers, along with a need to keep the activity we choose simple. We want quality over quantity instead of having to juggle between a number of classes to reach our goals and we want workouts that offer multiple benefits.

Bodyweight workouts fit into the zeitgeist of this new checklist of fitness goals. We, now prefer to limit time in crowded places that necessitate using common equipment or workouts that require larger pieces of machines or workout stations. Bodyweight training comprises total body workouts that focus on functional fitness. Increased functional fitness enables you to improve your quality of life — at work, play or home. This training, one of the oldest forms of exercise, has sustained and evolved over the years. Well-programmed bodyweight workouts have multiple benefits.

Along with cardiovascular and strength gains, these workouts help in fat loss, increasing metabolic rate, building stamina and endurance, increasing mobility and agility, and core strength. An experienced trainer can effectively programme workouts for different fitness levels and goals.

Maximise workout efficiency

In the past, it was common and popular to start a fitness programme by selecting a set of bodyweight exercises that could be done at home or in a park/playground. For a workout to be effective, it has to be more than a set of exercises that you select because they are your favourites, or you find them easy to do, or they are popular on social media.

The field of fitness is forever evolving, with ongoing studies, research, and advances into the understanding of the human body, impacting our understanding and work in fitness. It is important that the benefits of this should reflect in your fitness training.

Suitability & safety

The simplicity and convenience of bodyweight exercises can be misleading. Without proper form during exercises and in the absence of a programme custom-designed for your goals and fitness levels, there is an increased risk of stressing your joints and muscles, leading to injuries.

A trained and experienced professional is necessary to ensure you work out effectively and safely. This ensures that your progress is monitored and your training is systematically challenged in workload and variety with new exercises and variations.

Online personal training is an easily available option that fits one’s current pandemic-related checklist for working out safely.

However, the physical presence of an informed, aware trainer who can make slight crucial adjustments and corrections can be the important difference between an effective workout or one that leads to injuries.

In the absence of having your trainer present, one needs to rely on one’s own body-awareness and judgement to self-correct.

Personal training in fitness studios, providing a conducive environment with safety and hygiene protocols in place, would be ideal for various reasons.

Scheduling a training session instils a sense of accountability and, with work from home still common, going to your fitness studio presents a welcome change. Working out in a space designed for this purpose helps in motivation and focus. And of course, exercising under the personal guidance of your trainer, with all necessary equipment easily available, only helps to increase the effectiveness of your efforts.

Stepping it up with small equipment

Staple exercises of bodyweight training such as squats, lunges, push-ups and more, can be modified from the most basic movements to challenging, progressive versions. Including varied small equipment such as resistance tubing, suspension straps, battle-ropes, free-weights and more, adds multiple programming options making bodyweight workouts very versatile. As a result, it is far easier to stay motivated and engaged with your fitness programme.

Remember the goal is to get stronger, fitter, and better without creating further stress.

Our fitness should be a lifestyle choice that focuses on both the body and mind. And, the time and effort we commit to our fitness programmes should help increase the quality of our life, long-term.

(The author works in the field of general fitness, sports, rehabilitation and special needs and is a Master Trainer for physiotherapists, sports trainers, dancers, yoga and personal trainers, among others.)