Training

Bodyweight Training: How to Get in Incredible Shape With Zero Equipment

bodyweight training

Most people think that the only way to get the fit, strong body they want is to work out with machines or heavy weights.

But most people are wrong.

Because here’s the thing: the popularity of training equipment mostly comes down to marketing. Fitness companies need to have something to sell you, so they sell you on machines, fancy gadgets, and complicated systems.

Sure, weights and a few pieces of uncomplicated equipment like plyometric boxes, kettlebells and medicine balls can be useful tools to propel you to the fitness level you want. But the truth is that you don’t need any of these to get into incredible shape.

Because the simplest and most effective way to develop strength, gain endurance and lose fat is to train using nothing more than your own body.

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How to Work Out Like an Athlete

How to work out like an athlete

I really, truly believe that deep down, everybody is an athlete.

It doesn’t matter if you sucked at sports in high school. Or how uncoordinated you are. Or if you can’t do a pull up (yet).

If you believe it, you are an athlete.

“If you have a body, you are an athlete.” – Bill Bowerman, Nike Founder

But you can’t truly harness your power as an athlete if you don’t act like one when you’re working out. If you really want to be an athlete, you have to train like one.

So here’s how to get started:

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handstand push ups

Handstand Push Ups: Why They Rock (And How to Start Doing Them)

handstand push ups

If you’re like most people I know, then then there’s a high probability that of the hundreds of different exercises we do during 12 Minute Athlete workouts, handstand push ups intimidate you the most.

Maybe they’re so intimidating that you’ve never even tried them, and have a habit of skipping any workouts where they’re included.

In fact, you probably think they’re near impossible — that they’re only for gymnast types with insanely broad shoulders, and strong, compact bodies.

But let me tell you a secret: you can do handstand push ups.

I don’t care how strong you are, how long your arms are (my nickname for years was spaghetti arms, so I can relate), how unbalanced and uncoordinated you are.

Unless you have a shoulder injury or something else actually prohibiting you from standing upside down, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t do handstand push ups.

Because here’s the thing: you don’t have to be superhuman to do handstand push ups. And just like anything else, you can break them down into progressions that will eventually lead you to working the full thing.

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Burpees 101: Everything You Need to Know About How to Do a Burpee (Infographic)

burpees

If I had to choose on exercise to rule them all, there’s no doubt in my mind that the burpee would be it.

Burpees have it all: they’re cardio, strength training, balance, plyometrics and functional fitness all rolled up into one, incredible, mind-blowing exercise.

Sure, most people hate burpees. And if I had to take a guess, you probably do too. But burpees pack so many awesome benefits, they’re totally worth it.

That’s why I’m declaring burpees the official exercise of 12 Minute Athlete.

Because if I could only get you to do ONE of the 50+ exercises on the site, it would be burpees, hands down.

To celebrate, I’ve created a handy little infographic so you have no excuse not to do burpees at every waking hour (just kidding):

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Seven Reasons You Should Fall in Love With Box Jumps

12minuteathlete-box

I have a confession to make.

Despite being reasonably tall for a girl (I’m 5 ‘ 8 1/2″), with legs that prohibit me from ever buying regular length jeans, my jumping skills have always been a bit… weak.

As a basketball player in high school, I may have been pretty decent on the defensive side of things, but for some reason, jumping just was never my strong point. I was so pitiful, in fact, that my dad would ask me if my feet ever actually left the floor when I jumped (my husband has made the same joke years later).

Yep, I was that bad at jumping.

To be perfectly fair, I never actually practiced jumping as a teenager. Sure, I ran lines, and shot lay ups, and didn’t have a half bad three point shot, but jumping? I never even did a jumping jack, let alone a squat jump or a tuck jump.

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10 signs you're exercising too much

10 Warning Signs You’re Exercising TOO Much

10 signs you're exercising too much

While most people have trouble getting motivated to work out at all, there are some people—myself included—who have trouble taking even a single rest day.

And though it’s good to keep moving and working out on a near daily basis, it’s possible to overdo it sometimes.

Most people understand that rest is important—rest helps rebuild your muscles and allows them to grow back bigger and stronger—but there are times when we may try and push it too hard.

In the fitness world, this phenomenon of exercising too much is called overtraining, and most athletes of all levels have experienced it at some point in their lives (whether they know it or not).

Rather than helping you reach your goals faster, overtraining can actually send you backwards, resulting in symptoms such as unwanted weight gain/loss, lack of motivation to exercise, and fitness plateaus.

So how do you know if you’re exercising too much?

Here are 10 warning signs you might be overtraining:

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How to Do 12 Minute Athlete HIIT Workouts if You're Just Starting Out

how to get started with 12 Minute Athlete

If you’ve been a couch potato for most of your adult life, or if your definition of a vigorous workout is half an hour on an elliptical machine or recumbent bike while reading a book, these workouts must seem a bit… hard.

Impossible even.

And I’m not judging. A few years ago, I would have felt the same way.

Back then, if you’d showed me these workouts, I would have laughed in your face and told you there was no way in hell I could do one.

But here’s what you have to realize: it’s all mental.

You can do these workouts.

No matter what kind of shape you’re in, you can start doing these HIIT workouts today.

Because it doesn’t matter how many breaks you have to take, how many reps you can do or how much you have to modify an exercise just to be able to do one single rep.

All that matters is that you try—and that you really, truly give it your all.

But if you’re new to the site, or you just haven’t found the willpower to do one of the HIIT workouts quite yet even though you’ve been here for a while, here are some tips to stop you from procrastinating and start getting in the best shape of your life:

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Finally: Watch a Full 12 Minute Athlete Workout in Action

All right, I did it.

I finally filmed a full length 12 Minute Athlete video.

I’d been putting it off for some time because… well, as you know… these workouts are hard.

Staying pretty and sweat-free just isn’t an option when doing this kind of ass-kicking HIIT.

But that’s OK. Because I wanted you to see exactly how hard I work… how much I sweat… and how exhausting but incredibly effective these workouts actually are.

My hope? That it’ll motivate you to work even harder. Sweat like you’ve never sweated before. Push till your muscles burn like fire. Jump till your legs won’t even lift off the ground.

Work hard. I do.

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How to FINALLY Do a Pull Up

pull ups

I know what you’re thinking: you can’t do a pull up. And unless you spontaneously turn into a superhero someday, you never will.

But the truth is, if you’re one of the majority of people who can’t do a pull up, it’s probably more of a mental issue than a strength one.

Most people, especially women, assume they can’t ever do a pull up. As in, they truly believe it’s physically impossible.

In fact, the New York Times even published an article recently on why women can’t do pull ups. While the article pissed a lot of people off (including me), many more were reconfirmed in their belief that they will never be able to do pull ups.

But whether you’re male or female, young or old, athletic or a workout newbie, you shouldn’t accept that you can’t do a pull up just because the New York Times tells you that you can’t.

Because here’s the thing: most people who claim they can’t do a pull up haven’t even tried.

And how can you expect to be able to do something if you never even try?

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15 Awesome Reasons to Add Jumping to Your Regular Workout Routine

jump like you mean it

If you haven’t already noticed, we jump a lot during the 12 minute workouts. Like, a lot.

Burpees, squat jumps and tuck jumps show up in almost every workout we do here on the site.

And yes, these exercises are tough. They’ll make you breathe heavy and pour sweat, and might make you hate me just a little bit (or maybe a lot) after each workout.

But I don’t include so much jumping in the workouts because I want to torture you.

We jump so much because jumping isreally, really good for you.

In fact, it’s one of the best things you can do to get in awesome shape and keep yourself healthy for life.

And the best thing about it? Anyone can do it.

Yes, that means you.

Why you should love to jump

It doesn’t matter if you’re young, or old, overweight or in awesome shape, a seasoned athlete or a complete newbie exerciser—jumping is one of the best exercises out there.

Here’s why you should embrace jumping as part of your regular workout routine:

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